UK health secretary says people will not be involuntarily jabbed' but that medications could be gamechanging'Wes Streeting has denied his plans to give new weight-loss jabs to unemployed people to help them back into work would result in a dystopian future" where overweight people would be involuntarily jabbed".The UK health secretary acknowledged that weight-loss drugs were not, on their own, the answer to the nation's obesity crisis after he suggested this week that they could have a monumental" impact on getting more people working. Continue reading...

A fresh look at cultural identity will follow outline of 60-year-old Survey of Language and Folklore, conducted by two academics driving a red MiniIn 1964, two young academics clambered into a red Mini and, armed with a mountain of printed slips, set out to conduct what would become the definitive survey of English folklore and traditions for the next 60 years.John Widdowson and Paul Smith went to town centres, community halls, Women's Institute meetings. They handed the simple forms out to anyone who visited Sheffield University, where they were based. And they wanted to know the answer to one simple question: what do you know to be true? Continue reading...

Presidential election and EU referendum take place amid concerns over interference from MoscowMoldovans are voting in a presidential election and an EU referendum that will mark a pivotal moment in the tug-of-war between Russia and the west over the future of the small, landlocked south-east European country of fewer than 3 million people.The pro-western president, Maia Sandu, hopes to advance her agenda by winning a second term and securing a yes" in a referendum to affirm EU accession as a irreversible" goal in the constitution. Continue reading...

After a day of rest, monarch appears at Sydney lunch in his honour and gives hosts an hourglass while joking about swift passage of timeKing Charles III did not linger long at the luncheon put on in his honour, at the second scheduled event of his short Australian visit. And his gift to the gathering was a reminder of the fleeting passage of time.There was a menu fit for a king, and very Sydney: chargrilled asparagus and olive dust; marinated octopus and squid ink wafer; barramundi and duck confit.Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...

Charity Commission finds range of shortfalls' at Narconon facility after Observer investigationA Scientology-linked addiction charity accused of putting vulnerable people through psychological drills that left them traumatised" and in trance-like states" has been reprimanded by the Charity Commission.Narconon UK was ordered by the watchdog to address a range of shortfalls" after an investigation identified breaches of charity law and issues with management. Continue reading...

Guy Chambers among industry figures calling for changes in wake of former One Direction star's tragic deathUnder-18s should not be pushed into pop stardom, one of the UK's leading songwriters has said, in the wake of the tragic death of former One Direction star Liam Payne.As Payne's father, Geoff, arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to arrange the repatriation of his son's body, fans were still taking in the news of the 31-year-old's fall from a third-floor hotel balcony. Many also joined the Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy, an ex-partner, in decrying the lurid coverage of Payne's death scene in some news outlets. Continue reading...

At least 73 killed strike on northern Gaza, health ministry says, after drone attack on Netanyahu's home. This blog is now closed.Here are some of the latest images coming in via the news wires:Naval drills hosted by Iran with the participation of Russia and Oman and observed by nine other countries began in the Indian Ocean on Saturday, Iran's state TV said, according to Reuters. Continue reading...

Authorities say they are gradually re-establishing electrical service across the island, including to hospitalsCuba's government said on Saturday it had made some progress in gradually re-establishing electrical service across the island, including to hospitals and parts of the capital, Havana, after state-run media earlier reported the national grid had collapsed for a second time in 24 hours.Most of Cuba's 10 million people, however, remained without electricity on Saturday afternoon. Continue reading...

John Taylor, 44, found with serious injuries outside Kilwinning home in what police believe was targeted attack'A murder investigation has been launched after a man died in what police believe was a targeted attack" outside his home in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire.John Taylor, 44, was found with serious injuries outside his home in Pollock Crescent on Friday at about 1.55pm, Police Scotland said. Continue reading...

Scruby was backed by Climate 200 in the fight for the northern beaches seat

The history of decapitation strategies' tells us it is almost impossible to know what effect assassinating a key figure such as Yahya Sinwar will haveIsraelis and others have welcomed the killing of Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and the mastermind of the 7 October 2023 attacks, as an Osama bin Laden moment". This reflects how many in Israel feel about the death of a man responsible for the murder of 1,200 people, mostly civilians and their compatriots, but terrorism experts have long debated the efficacy of eliminating the leaders of violent extremist groups, with some suggesting the strategy is counter-productive.The truth is that no one is sure. Continue reading...

Bunker built in 1950s has no electricity or running water, but could be used as a wine cellar, auctioneer suggestsOnline auctions are usually filled with fragile antiques and niche memorabilia that ought not to be touched. Those looking for something a bit more durable are now in luck.An underground bunker with no running water or electricity but built to help survive a nuclear attack is to go on sale next month. Continue reading...

Forecast of high winds and rain leads to cancellation of event that was due to take place in Portsmouth on SundayHigh winds and rain expected from Storm Ashley have caused organisers to cancel the Great South Run, which was due to take place on Sunday.Great Run, which organises the annual 10-mile race in Portsmouth, said it had been monitoring weather conditions and they haven't improved to a point where we can safely stage Sunday's event". Continue reading...

Driver in Stalowa Wola described fearing he had hit person after he saw body in roadA funeral home in Poland has apologised after a body that it was transporting fell out of a hearse and into traffic.Polish media reported that a man was driving down a street on Friday in Stalowa Wola, a city in south-eastern Poland, when he saw a sheet on his car window. When the sheet slid down, he saw a body lying on the road. For a moment the driver feared that he had hit the person. Continue reading...

Becky Gittins calls for cosmetic firms to list ingredients in English, saying current labelling is absolutely bonkers'Cosmetic companies need to stop forcing people with food allergies to learn Latin to safeguard their health and display warnings written in plain English, according to an MP with a history of severe allergic reactions who is demanding a step change in how sufferers are treated.Becky Gittins, the new Labour MP for Clwyd East, said that she and other food allergy sufferers currently had to learn Latin names for some crucial ingredients in face creams, lip balms and lotions to ensure they did not come into contact with a substance that could make them seriously ill. Continue reading...

Exam board in England, Wales and Northern Ireland pilots tests that aim to show we use maths all the time every day'Secondary school children could be made to take maths tests that look at their ability to work out phone bills and rent to prepare them for life, an exam board has said.The plans to help teenagers understand real-life situations would not make numeracy tests easier, said Colin Hughes, the chief executive of the AQA, an awarding body in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Continue reading...

Bridget Phillipson has been targeted with personal abuse on Facebook by campaigners opposed to Labour's tax policyMembers of a campaign group opposing plans to apply VAT to private school fees have targeted the education secretary Bridget Phillipson with personal abuse, accusing her of aping the tactics of Nazi Germany and labelling her a vile hag".A bitter row has emerged over the government's proposed policy, amid claims from opponents that it will increase class sizes in state schools as some parents will no longer afford fees when 20% VAT is added to them in January. Continue reading...

Foreign secretary discussed China's treatment of Uyghurs and support of Russia as well as areas of cooperation'David Lammy pressed his Chinese counterpart on human rights concerns and China's support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine during talks in Beijing, the Foreign Office has said.The foreign secretary had been under pressure to take a tough line on a range of human rights issues with the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, when the pair met on Friday during Lammy's first visit to China since taking office. Continue reading...

Poetry of Byron borrowed by schoolboy Leonard Ewbank, who studied at Oxford and was killed at Ypres in 1916A book borrowed from a school library before the first world war has finally been returned - more than a century overdue.A copy of Poetry of Byron was found by a man in Carmarthenshire, south Wales, who felt it should be returned to St Bees School, near Whitehaven, Cumbria, where it had been lent out to a schoolboy. Continue reading...

CBA says the process to reverse these transactions has been completed' and any fees charged will be refunded

Six boats among impounded assets worth at least $100m off country's south-west coast, navy says, after arresting 23 peopleMexico's navy has said it arrested 23 people in its largest-ever drugs bust, seizing over eight tonnes of illicit cargo in an operation off the country's south-western Pacific coast.Navy personnel seized 8,361 kilograms of illicit cargo, which represents the largest amount of drugs seized in a maritime operation, unprecedented in history," a statement from the ministry of the navy said on Friday. Continue reading...

Abduqadir Mohamed Nur's reported abduction from home and detention is latest attack on press freedom for critical writing on regime, media union saysA Somali journalist was abducted from his home by intelligence agents early on Friday, according to press freedom campaigners.The journalists' union Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said the detention of Abduqadir Mohamed Nur was a brazen attack" on the reporter and his news outlet, Risaala Media Corporation, for critical reporting of state security forces. Continue reading...

Sarah says she would have found it easier to file a complaint had therapy been better regulated

In the age of influencer therapists and mental health apps, experts say the public need to be better informed

One in six workers has engaged a firm to hand in notice for them, as younger workers reject traditional work ethicMari was just two months into her new job when she decided she had had enough. The position at an online bank in Tokyo, found through a staffing agency, had looked like a perfect fit for the 25-year-old, a member of Japan's legions of temporary workers.But she quickly became despondent. On my first day they gave me a thick manual to read, and when I went to my boss with questions he said: What the hell are you asking me that for?'" Continue reading...

This blog has now closed. You can read our latest story hereAt least 28 people have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school turned shelter in the Jabaliya neighbourhood of Gaza City, amid accusations Israel intends to forcibly expel the remaining population in a renewed ground campaign.The bombing of Abu Hussein school in Jabaliya on Thursday killed 28, including doctors and several children, and injured dozens more, according to health officials, who warned the final toll was likely to be higher. Another 11 people were killed in two separate airstrikes in Gaza City, and it was unclear how many were killed in other strikes in central and southern Gaza. Continue reading...

Carriages for controversial high-speed line focus on passenger comfort, innovations and headroom, mock-ups revealFor now, it remains unclear quite how far any passenger will travel on future HS2 services - whether reaching Euston or on high-speed tracks all the way to Crewe. But however short the journey, an exclusive peek at HS2's embryonic carriages reveals travellers will be enthroned in the best seats of any UK trains" - even, arguably, in the toilets.Conscious of discontent with the ironing board" seats in some of the newest trains introduced to Britain's railways, HS2 are putting passengers' backs and bottoms centre stage. Continue reading...

Amber weather warning issued for Scotland on Sunday, with yellow warnings for Northern Ireland and parts of England and WalesParts of the UK are expected to be hit by ferocious winds of up to 80mph this weekend as the first named storm of the season closes in.The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning ahead of Storm Ashley for the north-west of Scotland on Sunday, as well as a yellow warning for the entirety of Scotland and Northern Ireland, north-west England and parts of Wales. Continue reading...

Most businesses were closed on Friday as officials blamed deteriorating infrastructure and fuel shortages for failureCuba's entire national electrical grid has shut down after one of the island's major power plants failed, Cuba's energy ministry said, plunging the entire country into a blackout.Earlier on Friday, the communist-run government had closed schools and non-essential industry and sent most state workers home in a last-ditch effort to keep the lights on for residents. Continue reading...

Call Me by Your Name and Challengers film-maker to bring new interpretation to hit novel to the screenLuca Guadagnino, the Italian film-maker, will bring a new interpretation of Bret Easton Ellis's novel American Psycho to the screen.According to Deadline, the acclaimed director of Call Me by Your Name and Challengers will work with screenwriter Scott Z Burns to find an updated way into the material. Burns is known for his many collaborations with Steven Soderbergh including Contagion, Side Effects and The Informant. Continue reading...

Deputy leader says group's conditions for a ceasefire will be maintained, as Israel shows no sign of accepting themHamas has acknowledged the death of its leader Yahya Sinwar but vowed to keep fighting, in the face of international calls for an immediate ceasefire.We are continuing Hamas's path," Khalil al-Hayya, Sinwar's deputy said from exile in Qatar, adding that the slain leader's conditions for a cease-fire would not be compromised. Continue reading...

Whitehall source says it would only allow NHS to stand still' on waiting lists rather than reduce themThe NHS is set to get an inflation-busting 4% rise in its budget next year but health chiefs have said it may not allow them to cut waiting lists for another 18 months, the Guardian has learned.The health service is on course to be one of the big winners in Rachel Reeves's spending review on 30 October if it gets a proposed 4% real-terms uplift from the Treasury. Continue reading...

Mohamed Iidow attacked Natalie Shotter after she apparently passed out in park in Southall after night outA man has been convicted of the rape and manslaughter of a woman while she lay unconscious on a park bench in west London after a night out.Natalie Shotter, 37, an NHS worker, was attacked after apparently passing out in Southall in July 2021. Mohamed Iidow orally raped her until she died", his trial heard. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Welltower deal comes as private providers lobby government for a greater role in NHSOne of Britain's largest care home chains, Care UK, has been sold to an American property investment company, the Guardian can reveal, in a deal that comes as private providers lobby the government for a greater role in the NHS.Care UK, which operates more than 150 residential homes for older people, has been the subject of sale speculation since 2018. Continue reading...

PM meets Biden, Macron and Scholz at pivotal moment for global conflictsRachel Reeves is considering raising the tax on vaping products in her budget this month as figures show that a quarter of 11 to 15-year-olds in England have used e-cigarettes.The chancellor is looking at increasing the tax after a consultation carried out by the last Conservative government.I myself am supporting Robert Jenrick because I think he's brought more energy and commitment to the campaign, and being leader of the opposition is a really demanding job.Much as I like Kemi, I think she's preoccupied with her own children, quite understandably. I think Robert's children are a bit older, and I think that it's important that whoever leads the opposition has got an immense amount of time and energy." Continue reading...

Judges' decision on 12 men held in Italian migration hub in Albania also casts doubt on EU's hardline plansThe last 12 asylum seekers being held in a new Italian migration hub in Albania must be transferred to Italy, a court has ruled, in a heavy blow to a controversial deal between the far-right Rome government and Tirana aimed at curbing migrant arrivals.The decision casts further doubt on the feasibility and legality of plans by the EU, discussed on Thursday, to explore ways of establishing migrant processing and detention centres outside the bloc as part of a new hardline approach to migration. Continue reading...

Force says unmarked vehicle collided with car driven by 38-year-old woman in Eltham, south-east LondonThe Independent Office for Police Conduct has launched an investigation after a heavily pregnant woman and her unborn child were killed in a collision with an unmarked police car in London.The Metropolitan police said an unmarked vehicle collided with a car on the A20 in Eltham, south-east London, at about 6.15pm on Thursday near the junction with Kidbrooke Park Road. Continue reading...

Ben Foat tells inquiry into Horizon IT scandal that issue had been whipped up' by former chair Henry StauntonThe Post Office's legal chief has denied he ever regarded branch operators as guilty until proven innocent", as had been alleged in an internal email written by a former chair, the inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal has heard.Ben Foat, the general counsel at the Post Office who has been on leave due to a combination of ill health and preparation for his appearance at the public inquiry, said the issue had been whipped up" by Henry Staunton. Continue reading...

Sara Duterte makes threat against remains of Ferdinand Marcos's dictator father in searing verbal attackThe Philippine vice-president, Sara Duterte, has threatened to dig up the remains of President Ferdinand Marcos's dictator father and throw them into the sea, launching a scathing attack on her rival.Duterte was once allied with Marcos Jr, and ran on a joint ticket with him in the 2022 election, winning a landslide victory. However, she resigned from the cabinet in June and the two powerful dynasties are now engaged in a bitter struggle for power before next year's midterm elections, with both also preparing for presidential polls in 2028. Continue reading...

Senators upheld five of 11 charges in unprecedented vote while Rigathi Gachagua was treated for chest painsKenya's senate impeached the deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua, while he was in hospital on a day of high political drama in Nairobi.Senators upheld five out of 11 charges against Gachagua in a vote late on Thursday, making him the first deputy president in the country to be ejected from office through impeachment. Continue reading...

John Lyttle will stay as CEO of fashion group, which includes Debenhams and Karen Millen, until successor foundBoohoo's chief executive is stepping down as the online fashion retailer launches a strategic review of its brands, which include Debenhams, Karen Millen and PrettyLittleThing, that could result in a breakup of the company.Shares in Boohoo fell 7% on Friday as investors reacted to news of the surprise departure of John Lyttle, who joined from Primark in 2019 and has agreed to remain in post until a successor is found. Continue reading...

Designer's 27-piece collaboration launched on Thursday, was gone on Friday and will not be restockedMarks & Spencer launched its much-anticipated collaboration with Bella Freud on Thursday, with fans quickly buying up items from the 27-piece collection.By lunchtime, coveted items like the pleated pinstripe skirt had been bought in most sizes from the website, and by Friday morning the majority of the items had sold out in most sizes online. The retailer says the collection will not be restocked. Continue reading...

Boy detained for minimum of 12 years for attempted murder at private Blundell's school in DevonA teenager who who attacked two sleeping students and a teacher with hammers at a private school in Devon has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 12 years after being found guilty of attempted murder.The 17-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was armed with three claw hammers and waited for the two boys to be asleep before attacking them at Blundell's school in Tiverton, Exeter crown court heard. Continue reading...

Exclusive: CEO Will Hayward calls comments appalling' and that he would no longer be publishing his work'

Shane Simmonds jailed for minimum of 32 years and will serve 12-year terms for two rapes of a separate womanA man from London has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 32 years after he admitted stabbing his wife to death and leaving the body in his attic.Shane Simmonds, 39, had walked into a police station in Lewisham in the early hours of 3 January and told officers that he had killed his wife at their home. Continue reading...

Hopeful Republicans are calling it the farewell tour', as the king toes the tried and tested constitutional lineAs the king arrives in Australia for the first time as head of state, republican rumblings are once more on the media radar.Will it be, as the Australian Republic Movement (ARM) optimistically opines, the monarchy's farewell tour"? Continue reading...

Beckham is hot on heels of Ed Sheeran, Alice Cooper and Kim Kardashian as consumers develop appetite for spicy saucesFirst came tequila. Then rose. Now the latest celebrity-backed brand isn't booze but a hot sauce.Recently, Brooklyn Beckham made his debut into the spicy market with Cloud 23. Continue reading...

Former Daily Record editor says he could not make personal commitment to lead changes party requiresThe chief executive of the Scottish National party, Murray Foote, has unexpectedly quit in the best interests of the party" after it suffered its worst election defeat in nearly two decades.Foote, a former editor of the Labour-leaning Daily Record newspaper, said he did not believe he was the right person to oversee a reorganisation of the SNP and to run the party during the critical" 2026 Holyrood election campaign. Continue reading...

Exclusive: George Carey's position in stark contrast to that of current head of C of E and that of Islam and the Catholic church

Witnesses said Craig Laidley had almost reached safety when a wave dragged the 56-year-old back into heavy seas