Exclusive: Loophole' in England and Wales from Sexual Offences Act is being challenged in human rights courtThousands of women who were sexually abused as children could be unable to obtain justice because of an anomaly in the law of England and Wales that is being challenged at the European court of human rights.The case has been brought by Lucy (not her real name), who was 13 when a man 22 years her senior began having sex with her. Despite him admitting it, police told her charges could not be brought because she did not report the alleged offence in time. Continue reading...

Meteorologists say major population centres including Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra should expect power outages and dangerous driving conditions

BluLink gives emergency responders access to scene before they have even arrived

Nizamodeen Hosein was deported following 20 years in prison for 1969 murder of Muriel McKayThe chilling words of a convicted murderer will soon be heard, peeling back the decades to a winter's night in 1969, in a revelatory new recorded interview with one of the two brothers who kidnapped and killed Muriel McKay. Maybe the only solution is to get on the spot. To be there again, I'll have to retrace my steps," Nizamodeen Hosein will say.The notorious killer at the centre of a police hunt that dominated the news 55 years ago has suggested that a trip back from Trinidad and Tobago, where he was deported in 1990 after 20 years in prison, might jog his fading memory about the location of the body of the 55-year-old woman he abducted from her Wimbledon home in an extraordinary case of misidentification. Continue reading...

NDIS minister says participants will still be able to request funding for support that is not on approved list if it is genuinely needed

Experts have questioned why so few homes are rated substandard, given the commission found one in three residents experience neglect, abuse or poor care

Arrest comes after police operation at home for refugees in city, according to spokespersonPolice made a second arrest on Saturday in their investigation of deadly stabbings in the western German city of Solingen, a spokesperson said.The arrest followed a police operation at a home for refugees in Solingen, the spokesperson added. They said they could not provide any more details on the individual or the connection to the incident. Continue reading...

Those affected by contaminated blood transfusions and products in 1970s and 80s to finally receive compensationA new authority set up to properly compensate the victims and families of the infected blood scandal is due to start making payments by the end of this year.The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) was set up after the inquiry in May into the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS concluded that governments, the health service and doctors had repeatedly failed victims. Regulations enacting the compensation scheme were laid out on Friday. Continue reading...

Deaths reported by Gaza health workers come as delegations gather in Egypt for ceasefire talksMultiple Israeli airstrikes killed at least three dozen Palestinians in southern Gaza, health workers said Saturday, as officials including a Hamas delegation gathered for ceasefire talks in Egypt.Among the dead were 11 members of a family, including two children, after an airstrike hit their home in Khan Younis, according to Nasser hospital. Continue reading...

Major overhaul of system is designed to reassure relatives and reduce risk of malicious action by health care workersThe death certification system in England and Wales will get its biggest overhaul in decades next month, with a change designed to improve public protection.Every death that has not been referred to a coroner will have to bereferred to a medical examiner from 9 September, under regulations laid before parliament in April. Continue reading...

Officers appeal for information after woman was pronounced dead at scene early on Saturday morningA murder investigation is under way after a woman was found dead following a horrific" attack and a flat fire in Northern Ireland.Firefighters attended after reports of a blaze at a property in Harvey Street in Derry at 4.15am on Saturday. Continue reading...

French actor, who died aged 88 last Sunday, had expressed wish to be buried like anyone else'Alain Delon had expressed the wish to be buried just like anyone else".But as a crowd of journalists, television crews and fans gathered outside the wrought iron gates of his country home on Saturday, it was clear this was not the funeral of just anyone. Continue reading...

Rain expected to ease in the south-east by Sunday with cool temperatures expected across bank holiday weekendThe start of the August bank holiday weekend brought torrential downpours and below average temperatures across the UK.There were outbreaks of heavy rain across central and southern regions, where up to 70mm was forecast, with a yellow weather warning in place for much of the south-east until Saturday lunchtime. Continue reading...

Campaigners welcome new legislation, which they say will help stamp out trade in stolen animalsPet campaigners have welcomed a law that came into force yesterday making the theft of a cat or taking or detaining a dog a criminal offence in the UK.Under the Pet Abduction Act 2024, anyone found guilty of stealing a cat or dog could face up to five years in prison as well as a fine. Continue reading...

Craze for the four-player game known as guandan may lead to the formation of cliques, Communist party warnsAs recently as last year, Chinese state media was hailing guandan as the card game that can get you a promotion in China".The country was holding open tournaments, and workers were encouraged to use it as a social and professional networking tool. Continue reading...

Lord of the Rings author's three-volume collection will reach bookshops 50 years after his deathHe is one of the world's most famous novelists, with more than 150m copies of his fantasy masterpieces sold across the globe, but JRR Tolkien always dreamed of finding recognition as a poet.Tolkien struggled to publish his poetry collections during his career, although he included nearly 100 poems in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Continue reading...

Politicans have long been calling for stricter weapons laws while others say social issues need to be addressed, after three killed at festival on FridayGermany has experienced a steep rise in knife violence in recent years, and the mass fatal stabbing in the western city of Solingen will compound the pressure on the government to crack down on the problem, officials and analysts said.Security authorities say attacks with knives are particularly concentrated in city centres and at railway stations, leading the country's interior minister, Nancy Faeser, this month to call for restrictions on the weapons in public spaces, days before the assault that claimed the lives of three people at a festival in Solingen. Continue reading...

Some exhibitions open to public today as investigation continues into cause of blaze in Grade-I listed venue in LondonSomerset House has begun a phased reopening as investigations continue into the cause of a fire at the venue last week.About 125 firefighters were sent to tackle the blaze, which broke out last Saturday morning and spread to part of the Grade I-listed building's roof and third floor. Continue reading...

Negotiations stall over Benjamin Netanyahu's demand for an Israeli presence on Egypt-Gaza borderHamas has sent a delegation to Cairo to be briefed on progress in peace talks, but an official from the group said it would not participate directly in the negotiations it had been boycotting for the past 10 days.Hamas representatives were expected on Saturday in the Egyptian capital, where negotiators from Israel, the US, Egypt and Qatar have been holding talks on a elusive deal that would involve the release of Israeli hostages, the freeing of Palestinian detainees and a ceasefire. Continue reading...

Manila alleges harassment' in past week, including deploying flares just 15 metres away from its aircraft in latest confrontation on strategic waterway

Results of consultation will form independent report and motion will be voted on at annual general meeting later this year

The 28-year-old was last seen by his sister in the Derrimut area of the city's west with four other men about 9pm on Friday

Michelle Charters urges more recognition and reconciliation on Unesco's Slavery Remembrance DayLiverpool must not shy away" from its historic involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, the organiser of the city's 25th Slavery Remembrance Day commemoration has said.Michelle Charters, who is leading Liverpool's events for Unesco's Slavery Remembrance Day, said it was important to address and recognise the city's tarnished history. Continue reading...

The department of disease control said tests on a traveller had confirmed he was infected with the Clade 1b strain of mpoxThailand has confirmed Asia's first known case of a new, deadlier strain of mpox in a patient who had travelled to the country from Africa.The department of disease control said laboratory tests on the 66-year-old had confirmed he was infected with the mpox Clade 1b variant. Continue reading...

Tickle successfully sued social media platform Giggle for Girls with judge stating on its ordinary meaning sex is changeable'

Rights granted to two subclasses of bridging visa E as part of additional assistance' to those affected by conflict

Category 4 hurricane that devastated the islands of St Vincent and the Grenadines when it hit the Caribbean last month has left many traumatisedFrom the outside, it looks like a typical primary school in the multi-island Caribbean nation of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), with children's voices echoing behind the distinctive green walls. But inside, washing lines sag with the weight of towels and clothes, and there are people of all ages: a baby frets on her mother's hip, children squeal as they chase each other, teens play basketball, and elderly people sit on classroom chairs chatting.This school in the district of Calliaqua is one of 20 on the country's mainland, St Vincent, which were converted into shelters for those displaced by Hurricane Beryl, the category 4 storm which tore through the region in early July with winds of up to 120mph (193km/h). Continue reading...

More than 100 organisations criticise loss of Creative Scotland funding for local artists during Edinburgh festivalMany of Scotland's best known arts organisations, including the Edinburgh fringe and national jazz orchestra, are in uproar over plans for deep cuts in culture funding.They said the proposed cuts, which came to light in the middle of the Edinburgh festival, would leave Scottish artists in crisis and cause deep damage to the country's reputation and economy. Continue reading...

Home Office figures show number of asylum seekers waiting for initial decision up in June despite clampdownThe UK's asylum backlog has crept upwards in 2024, statistics show, despite pledges by the last government to drive numbers down.Home Office figures show 118,882 people were waiting for an initial decision on asylum applications in the UK at the end of June, up slightly from the 118,329 waiting at the end of March. Continue reading...

As it unveils full-year results the company says employers are hesitant to hire after Labour's election win

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Watchdog provides bleak assessment of airline competition, saying ticket prices could climb with return of duopoly

In a note to staff Anderson - who was first appointed to role in 2019 - says it was an honour and privilege to lead the ABC

Former Liberal staffer later regretted going public with rape allegation, David Sharaz said in messages with Samantha Maiden

Singer shares rollercoaster of emotions' at end of European leg of Eras tour, saying she is grateful we were grieving concerts and not lives'Taylor Swift has spoken for the first time about the three Vienna shows on her blockbuster Eras tour that were cancelled earlier this month after a foiled terror attack, saying she felt a new sense of fear" and a tremendous amount of guilt".The planned terror attack was uncovered by Austrian authorities who eventually arrested three teenaged suspects - aged 17, 18 and 19 - for allegedly planning an Islamist attack in the Vienna region, with Swift's shows being the focus" of the plot. Continue reading...

From July 2025, 180,000 families expected to benefit from 12% superannuation paid to parents using paid parental leave

Charmaine McLeod was at the wheel when her car collided with a truck on the Bunya Highway at Kingaroy, northwest of Brisbane, in 2019, inquest finds

Company reports growth opportunity as cost of living crisis puts pressure on household financesThe UK's largest pawnbroker has reported a rise in profits as its customers sought to secure small, quick loans against jewellery and watches, in a sign of the continuing strain of the cost of living crisis.H&T, which has 280 shops in the UK, said pre-tax profits had risen by 12.5% to 9.9m in the first six months of 2024 on the same period a year earlier. Continue reading...

It was an egregious breach of trust' that Natasha Frost shared logs of Jewish WhatsApp chat with 600 members, Jeremy Leibler says

Queensland police weren't warned of threats to law enforcement made by Trains before shooting, hearing told

Former foreign minister also tells defamation trial Higgins' alleged rape in parliament was devastating and incomprehensible

Ministers activate Operation Early Dawn, so defendants can be held in police cells as more are sentenced over riotsMinisters have been warned that they have placed a sticking plaster" over a crumbling criminal justice system after emergency measures were activated to ease prison overcrowding, as more people are sentenced for their role in the recent riots.The longstanding measures, known as Operation Early Dawn, allow defendants to be held in police cells until prison places become available and could mean their court dates are delayed or adjourned at short notice. Continue reading...

Man arrested after Alberta Obinim, 43, is fatally wounded in attack that left her daughter and husband critically injuredA care worker who was killed in a triple stabbing that left her daughter and husband in a critical condition has been described as a mother to everyone".Alberta Obinim, 43, died after an attack at the family home in Gorton, east Manchester, at about 11.20pm on Sunday. Her daughter, 17, and husband, 64, are in hospital with life-threatening injuries. Continue reading...

PM meets police officers and members of communities targeted

Professor says diverging content and results make move necessary for the exams to be compared accuratelyGCSEs should be branded to show if they were awarded in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, reflecting the increasing differences between each country's version of the exam, according to a professor of education.With about 800,000 16-year-olds waiting to receive their GCSE results on Thursday, Prof Alan Smithers of Buckingham University also said there could be wide variations in results between the national administrations this year. Continue reading...

Staff at a practice in Wales have accused its private-equity-backed owner of poor pay and overcharging customersStaff working at a chain of commercial vet surgeries have extended their strike, accusing their private-equity-backed owner of underpaying workers and overcharging pet owners as part of the first industrial action to hit the veterinary sector in the UK.Unionised vets, nurses and support staff at Valley Vets in south Wales, which is owned by one of the largest veterinary corporations in the country, VetPartners, decided last week to stay out until the end of the month, in the latest move in an increasingly bitter dispute. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall pledges to halt Tory salami slicing' of benefits, but Labour under fire for union pay dealsLabour will end the blame culture aimed at people out of work and will not repeat the salami slicing" of the benefits bill pursued by the Tories, the work and pensions secretary pledges today, as she warns that rising welfare spending is unsustainable.In her first newspaper interview since taking the role, Liz Kendall told the Observer that a drastic overhaul was required to fix a broken" back-to-work system, warning that the number of people who are economically inactive was now bigger than the population of London. Continue reading...

Victoria police said 20 protesters were outnumbered by 150 from another group, which hurled water balloons at the speakers'

Downing Street officials deny friction between Sue Gray and Morgan McSweeney, but negative briefings continue UK politics live - latest updatesKeir Starmer told his staff on his first day in office their duty was to return politics to service and to end self-interest.Yet it has taken less than a month for negative, personal briefings from within Downing Street to emerge in the press, suggesting all is not entirely well in the working relationship between the two big beasts close to the prime minister: Sue Gray, the prime minister's chief of staff, and Morgan McSweeney, Labour's election strategy guru. Continue reading...

Brazilian president calls Nicolas Maduro's administration a very unpleasant regime' as diplomats explore solutionsThe Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has said Venezuela is living under a very unpleasant regime" with an authoritarian slant", as the political crisis engulfing the oil-rich South American country intensifies before fresh street protests on Saturday.In an interview early on Friday, Lula - whose diplomats have been exploring possible solutions to Venezuela's post-election drama - offered some of his sharpest criticism yet of Nicolas Maduro's nominally socialist administration. Continue reading...