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Embattled French tycoon to raise funds through deal with billionaire Sunil Bharti Mittal's conglomerate

Stephen Patrick Andrew Kayser, 68, accused of 49 offences in Queensland almost 40 years ago

Secretary of defence also announces deployment of guided missile submarine, as Hamas appears to push back against resuming ceasefire negotiationsThe US has ordered a strike group of fighter jets and navy warships to accelerate its deployment to the Middle East, as the region braces for possible attacks by Iran and its allies after the killing of senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah.The US secretary of defence, Lloyd Austin, ordered the Abraham Lincoln strike group to accelerate its deployment to the region, while at the same time announcing the deployment of a guided missile submarine, after speaking with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant. Continue reading...

Fellow Olympians cheer breaker Rachael Gunn as she joyfully re-enacts some of her viral moves on the streets of Paris

Emergency services evacuate hundreds from DoubleTree by Hilton as aircraft owner says flight was unauthorised'

Troop numbers sent into Russia are in thousands, source says; cooling tower at Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility reportedly damaged by fireUkrainian sources have indicated that thousands of troops have been committed to its incursion into Russia's Kursk province, as Moscow and Kyiv traded accusations about a fire at the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant 250 miles to the south.A Ukrainian security official told the Agence France-Presse that the aim of the incursion was to destabilise Russia and string out Russian forces with light, fast-moving attacks. It remains unclear how sustainable the operation will be in the medium term amid Kremlin threats that it will be snuffed out using Russian reserves. Continue reading...

The environment watchdog has promised to crack down on products made from recycled construction waste. But will it actually implement change?

Government sets out measures to help households and businesses as it cracks down on failing utilities firmsConsumers in England and Wales will see the amount of compensation they receive for poor customer service from their water supplier at least double under new government measures to crack down on failing utilities companies.Setting out tough new rules to support households and businesses, the government said minimum compensation payments would be doubled for highly disruptive incidents, including when the water supply is interrupted, or when appointments with customers are missed. Continue reading...

Discovery of 20-year-old Leticia A Castillo's body marks third reported death in national park since 31 JulyA 20-year old woman was found dead in the Grand Canyon following a multi-day search.In a statement, the National Park Service (NPS) announced that it had located a body below Twin Overlooks along Desert View Drive on Tuesday. The body was transported to the rim and transferred to the Coconino county medical examiner's office. Continue reading...

Whole neighbourhoods are being evacuated from around capital as firefighters mount huge effort to put out blazesGreek authorities have warned people to stay indoors with their windows closed" as 400 firefighters battled to contain blazes on the outskirts of Athens that were forcing the evacuation of entire communities.Huge clouds of billowing smoke had by mid-afternoon on Sunday darkened the skies above the capital as 10 groups of forest commandos" backed by water-bombing aircraft, helicopters and fire engines tried to douse flames fanned by gale-force winds. Volunteers had also joined the fight near the village of Varnava about 35km (21 miles) north of the city. Continue reading...

Displaced residents uncertain where to flee to as IDF prepares to fight Hamas in city in southern Gaza StripThousands of people have fled the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis after the Israeli military warned of a new operation to flush out Hamas militants that it says have regrouped there.In al-Jala, a neighbourhood in the south of the city that the Israel Defense Forces had previously designated a humanitarian zone, residents on Sunday packed their belongings, uncertain where to seek refuge. Israel said rockets had been fired from the area. Continue reading...

Surrey police refer themselves to watchdog after incident on Sunday morning involving man in his 20sA man in his 20s is in a critical condition in hospital after being shot by police, triggering an investigation by the policing watchdog.Surrey police have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over the incident, which took place in Woking shortly after midnight on Sunday morning. Continue reading...

Christopher Steele says officials will look very carefully' at online instigators such as Tommy RobinsonThere is clear" Russian involvement in the far-right riots and security services will be looking closely at the instigators, a former head of the MI6 Russia desk has said.Christopher Steele, the ex-spy who compiled a notorious dossier on Donald Trump's relationship with Russia, said that security officials would be looking very carefully" at the people encouraging anti-immigration riots in the past fortnight. Continue reading...

Michelle O'Neill and deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly call unrest in Co Down and Derry disgraceful'Northern Ireland's first minister and deputy first minister have condemned a racist attack on a mosque in County Down and last night's violence in Derry.The mosque was attacked at about 1am on Saturday, when graffiti was sprayed on the front door and walls of the building in Greenwell Street. Continue reading...

Maria Corina Machado in hiding as more than 1,300 people are detained in post-election clampdownVenezuela's main opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, has accused the country's strongman president, Nicolas Maduro, of unleashing a horrific campaign of terror" in an attempt to cling on to power.Two weeks after Maduro's widely questioned claim to have won the 28 July election, human rights activists say he has launched a ferocious clampdown designed to silence those convinced his rival Edmundo Gonzalez was the actual winner. More than 1,300 people have been detained, including 116 teenagers, according to the rights group Foro Penal. At least 24 people have reportedly been killed. Continue reading...

Amira Al Shammari says they have no other options as she describes horror of 21-year-old Dina's deathA mother from a stateless Arab minority say she and her family have no choice but to try to cross the Channel again despite the death last month of her eldest daughter on a previous attempt.Dina Al Shammari, 21, was travelling with her parents and three teenage siblings when she was crushed to death in an overcrowded dinghy off the coast of Calais on 28 July. Continue reading...

Severe cases of far-right violence need to be recognised as terrorism and not thuggery', write Rusi researchersThe recent riots in the UK, sparked by the Southport stabbings, have exposed troubling double standards in how society perceives and responds to far-right violence compared to Islamist extremism. This disparity calls for a serious redefinition of how we address far-right extremism, recognising it as the grave threat it truly represents.Far-right motivated violence is often classified as mere thuggery" or hooliganism, while similar acts motivated by Islamist extremism would is likely to be swiftly labeled as terrorism. This inconsistency undermines the perceived severity of far-right threats and hinders the political will to take equivalent action.Emily Winterbotham, Claudia Wallner and Jessica White are researchers at the Royal United Services Institute. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Defence thinktank Rusi says rightwing violence often classified as mere thuggery' by politicians and prosecutorsThe UK has a two-tier approach" to extremism that fails to treat far-right attacks as seriously as Islamist ones, a leading thinktank has said.The Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) says rightwing violence is often classified as mere thuggery" by politicians, prosecutors and the security services. Equivalent acts by Islamists would swiftly be labelled as terrorism", it says in an article in the Guardian. Continue reading...

Thousands of Palestinian residents and displaced families leave as Israel steps up offensive in southern Gaza Strip Continue reading...

About 50 people were rescued by helicopter on Sunday morning, French authorities have saidTwo people have died attempting to cross the Channel in a dinghy, according to the French authorities, bringing the death toll since mid-July to at least nine.The maritime prefecture for the Channel in Calais issued a brief statement confirming the deaths and have said Jacques Billant, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, was going to the scene to supervise the rescue operations. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Poll findings prompt calls for ministers to impose sugar tax-style levy on companies to combat obesityA majority of people in Britain want new taxes imposed on companies that make either junk food or ultra-processed foodstuffs to help tackle the obesity crisis, polling suggests.The findings prompted calls for ministers to help people eat healthier diets by putting a sugar tax-style levy on sweets, cereals, pizzas and other products containing too much salt or sugar. Continue reading...

Report shows 23% increase in attacks on animals using weapons in 2023 compared with previous yearRising rates of animal abuse in England and Wales are being fuelled by social media, with perpetrators sharing videos and photos of dead and injured wildlife and pets, animal welfare charities have warned.Experts also raised concerns about the proliferation of other less extreme forms of online animal cruelty, such as taunting pets for funny" reactions on TikTok and Instagram. Continue reading...

Proposal, which would force public sector workers to report undocumented people, decried as utterly inhumane'Doctors, social workers and librarians are among those in Sweden who have sounded the alarm over a proposal being explored by a government-appointed committee that would force public sector workers to report undocumented people to authorities.The proposal - which has been referred to as the snitch law" by some - was among the many measures included in a 2022 agreement struck between four rightwing parties in the country. The deal paved the way for a coalition government involving three centre-right parties with parliamentary support from the far-right anti-immigration Sweden Democrats (SD). Continue reading...

Generous present for former PM will feature in a landmark exhibition of the artist's London masterpiecesFinding yourself in opposition in the House of Commons can be uncomfortable for those who once led the nation, especially for someone also credited with a vital military victory. So it was for Winston Churchill. But in 1949 he was consoled with the extraordinary gift of a French impressionist masterpiece: Claude Monet's depiction of the Palace of Westminster, wreathed in heavy mists.This generous present, now worth many millions, was accompanied by a note to Churchill wishing that the fog that shrouds Westminster", ruled then by Clement Attlee's Labour party, would soon lift. Continue reading...

Four other occupants of Toyota HiLux taken to hospital, where one woman in her 30s died

The Treasury has made it clear that reform will be needed as Rachel Reeves begins pivotal review of public financesCabinet ministers have been ordered to search for cost-cutting reforms and prepare for difficult decisions over spending, as chancellor Rachel Reeves and her team formally begin the process of compiling a pivotal review of public spending.The chancellor has already made clear that she is planning to raise taxes and take tough decisions on welfare and spending in what will be a crucial autumn for the new Labour government. She will present her first budget and a spending review setting departmental budgets for this year and next. Continue reading...

A 24-year-old man was taken to Hervey Bay hospital but died from his injuries upon arrival, police say

Paapa Essiedu and Stephen Dillane also sign open letter urging theatre to end Royal Bank of Canada's support over its shares in fuel and armsActors including Mark Rylance, Paapa Essiedu and Stephen Dillane have signed an open letter calling on the Old Vic theatre to cut ties with a major sponsor over its links to fossil fuels, the Observer can reveal.Signed by dozens of actors, playwrights, directors and other creatives, the letter calls on the historic London theatre to end links with its principal financial partner, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). The contract is up for renewal this year. Continue reading...

The PM wants the focus to be on first-term achievements and cost-of-living relief but question marks remain over religious freedoms and gambling ads

Bodies of pilot and co-pilot of Voepass aircraft that plunged to the ground, killing all 62 onboard, identifiedBrazilian emergency crews on Saturday recovered the remains of at least 50 victims aboard an airliner that plunged to the ground in the town of Vinhedo, near Sao Paulo, the day before, killing all 62 onboard.The bodies of the pilot and co-pilot were identified, said Dario Pacheco, mayor of Vinhedo, who added that he expected all of the remains to have been recovered by the end of the day. Continue reading...

The runner, who has set a new British record, only took up sport again to stay fit during pandemicGeorgia Bell, an occasional runner during lockdown who made it to the Olympic final of the women's 1500m, set a new British record to take bronze as a rush of success including silvers in artistic swimming and taekwondo took Britain's rivalry with France in the medal table into the last day.At the age of 30, this was Bell's first Olympic appearance but in a lightning quick race in the Stade de France that saw Kenya's Faith Kipyegon set a new Games record, the British runner stayed with the leading pack in the first 800m before finding the strength to kick on in the final leg. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Former News Corp CEO says Murdoch company's obsession with the public broadcaster is fairly unhinged' and should largely be ignored

FOI documents reveal the cost of Operation Bourglinster, which was criticised for encouraging a child's fixation on the Islamic State

Labour minister says she removed social media platform's app from her mobile phone when Elon Musk took overA government minister said she has scaled back her use of social media platform X, arguing it had become a bit despotic" and was a place of misery now".Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said although she had previously been massively addicted to Twitter", referencing the former name of X, she had removed the app from her phone after Elon Musk took over the company in October 2022. Continue reading...

More than 120 groups take part in demonstration organised by United Against RacismUp to 15,000 people have taken part in an anti-racism rally in Belfast, after a week of rioting and disorder in the city.A huge crowd assembled on Saturday, many holding placards with anti-racism and pro-migrant messages. Continue reading...

Brighton organisation is inviting UK public to hand write notes of solidarity' after far-right violenceA Brighton-based organisation has promised to deliver handwritten messages welcoming refugees and asylum seekers who have recently arrived in the UK in the wake of far-right violence and anti-immigrant unrest.Conversation Over Borders has invited the public to submit messages of solidarity" online, which they plan to write by hand and deliver to people in accommodation hotels across the country. Continue reading...

Veteran Conservatives on the party's liberal wing have criticised the rightwards shift by some senior figures Tim Kirkhope: The Conservative party has shifted too far to the right. We must fight for the centre groundTory grandees have accused senior figures in their own party of using divisive language that inflamed anger over immigration before the recent rioting, amid warnings that too many Conservatives have turned a blind eye" to a shift to the right.The criticisms come as fears grow on the party's liberal wing that the leadership election risks pulling the party further into populist polices designed to take on Reform UK. Continue reading...

Faultlines in Germany's response to Gaza war exposed by artists pulling out of gigs at renowned venuePeople create guides on how to get into Berghain and films about its doorman. But the world-famous nightclub now faces a boycott by some DJs over its stance on the war in Gaza.A group calling itself Ravers for Palestine first announced a boycott of the Berlin venue, along with several other clubs, in January, saying that remaining silent on Israel's attacks in Gaza made it complicit. Continue reading...

Committee rejects student denaming proposal despite role of Sackler-owned Purdue Pharma in US opioid epidemicHarvard University has decided that it will not remove the name of the Sackler family from two of its buildings, despite years of protests from families of opioid overdose victims and anti-opioid groups.In its recent denaming proposal update, a Harvard review committee rebuffed a 23-page proposal filed in October 2022 by Harvard College Overdose Prevention and Education Students to dename the Arthur M Sackler Museum, part of the Harvard Art Museums, and the Arthur M Sackler Building, a campus building. Continue reading...

Coffee and bakery chain says devices to be worn by managers will only be turned on in specific circumstances'Pret a Manger has become the latest high street staple to deploy body-worn cameras for some of its staff.The coffee and bakery chain began trialling body-worn cameras in a select number of shops in London last month. A Pret spokesperson said this was done as a new safety measure. These are only being worn by team leaders or managers, and are only turned on in specific circumstances," the spokesperson said. Continue reading...

Javon Reily, 32, charged with four counts of attempted murder over Dalston shooting in which girl, nine, and three men were hurtA man has been charged in connection with a shooting that left a nine-year-old girl seriously injured.The girl was eating dinner with her family at a restaurant in Kingsland High Street, in Dalston, east London, on 29 May when a lone motorcyclist fired shots towards the building. Continue reading...

Fighting said to be continuing, with reports of power outages near nuclear power station, despite Moscow's claimRussia's defence ministry claimed it prevented Ukraine from advancing further on the fifth day of the unprecedented attack into the province of Kursk, though there were reports of regional power outages after an electricity substation was hit.Fighting was said to be taking place in three villages between seven and 11 miles from the international border - Ivashkovskoye, Malaya Loknya and Olgovka - similar locations to where Ukraine is estimated to have advanced previously. Continue reading...

Observer reveals potentially millions of people had data shared with Facebook for use in targeted advertisingA hidden tracking tool in the website for Reform UK collected private browsing data about potentially millions of people, often without consent, and shared it with Facebook for use in targeted advertising.An Observer investigation has found that people visiting the website for Nigel Farage's anti-immigration party had details of their activity captured by a digital surveillance tool known as a Meta pixel. Continue reading...

Non-alcoholic beer sales up fivefold in some airports, as gut health products grow in popularityA breakfast pint at the airport is as much a part of the typical British holiday as third-degree sunburn and overindulging on the all-inclusive.But soaring sales of alcohol-free beer, gut health shots and smoothies suggest a growing proportion of holidaymakers are eschewing pre-flight booze. Continue reading...

Australian foreign minister joins UK, Germany and France in condemning comments made by Bezalel Smotrich and repeats calls for ceasefire

Where are you Tommy and Elon? Marina Hyde finds that those provoking the race riots are far, far away; the dead hang delight - how this quick, surprisingly simple exercise can change your life; and A bolt of lightning struck my plane' - one woman's incredible story of survival Continue reading...

Police allege officers were threatened by man with a knife at Kingaroy hospital before Friday night's shooting

Federal court judge in last year's defamation case found Roberts-Smith tried to evade surveillance after Keelty alerted him to pending war crimes investigation in 2018

The monarch held calls with Keir Starmer and senior officers and paid tribute to the emergency servicesKing Charles has sent his heartfelt thanks" to the police for restoring order after speaking to Keir Starmer and senior officers following the week of unrest across the UK.The king and the prime minister held a phone call on Friday evening, Buckingham Palace said. Gavin Stephens, a chief constable and chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council, and the UK gold commander Ben Harrington, chief constable of Essex police, held a separate joint call with the king. Continue reading...