Fresh initiative comes amid tensions between US and Europe on how to press Israel to end offensive on Hezbollah

Fast fashion chain has brought catwalk trends at low prices - but faced criticism over cost to planetThe way we shop has changed beyond recognition over the past five decades, from the rise of online shopping to the death of department stores, not to mention spending booms and busts and a pandemic.All of which makes Primark's half century on the British high street, reached on Thursday, an impressive milestone. Continue reading...

Bucket-full' of non-toxic dye shocks onlookers at Milson Park, Kirribilli, as experts conclude misuse' likely to blame

Defence force personnel already deployed to the Middle East may be called on to help in an evacuation operation after Israel said it was preparing for a possible ground operation

Investigation finds staffer's report referred to doll allegedly used by father for sexual purposes' as age-appropriate toy'

Human Rights Watch alleges potential violation of international human rights law on many occasions this yearRwandan forces and M23 rebels have shelled refugee camps and other highly populated areas in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on many occasions this year, Human Rights Watch has claimed.The NGO also accused the DRC's armed forces and its allied militias of putting the camps' residents in danger by stationing their artillery nearby in its report alleging violation of international humanitarian and human rights law in the longstanding war in the central African country. Continue reading...

Findings are despite black men being twice as likely to develop the disease than the overall adult male populationOne in four black men in the UK have been refused a prostate cancer test by their GP despite having twice the risk of developing the disease than the overall adult male population, a report has found.A PSA test measures the level of the protein prostate-specific antigen in the blood, and may be able to detect prostate cancer in its early stages. Continue reading...

Kylie Minogue and Angie McMahon both in the running for five awards each, including album of the year

Police arrest 31-year-old man in Concord after Sitaleki Filihiahekava died on Monday evening

Stephen Schwarzman's Blackstone Group will fund data centre bringing 4,000 jobs to north-east EnglandKeir Starmer is set to announce the creation of a 10bn AI datacentre, bringing 4,000 jobs to north-east England, which will be funded by a private equity firm run by a big Donald Trump supporter.The prime minister is due to host chief executives in New York on Thursday, where he is trying to drum up interest in foreign investment into the UK. He will hail the investment in an artificial intelligence datacentre" - due to be built in Blyth in Northumberland by Blackstone - as a vote of confidence in the UK". Continue reading...

American envoy to UN urges humanitarian pause and says international community cannot simply look away'

PM gives human' reason for accepting offer from Labour donor Waheed Alli and says no cash changed handsKeir Starmer has defended borrowing an 18m penthouse flat from the Labour donor Waheed Alli during the election, saying he took the offer so that his son would have a place to study for his GCSEs without having to walk past journalists and protesters outside their family home.The prime minister brought up the human" reason for having moved his family out of his Kentish Town house, saying no cash changed hands as a result of the move. Continue reading...

After Ukrainian president's appeal to world leaders in general assembly speech, Putin escalates nuclear rhetoricVolodymyr Zelenskyy has told the United Nations that Russia is planning to attack Ukrainian nuclear power plants as he repeated his calls for unity from world leaders in order to force Russia to the negotiating table to conclude a just peace".His comments came as Vladimir Putin on Wednesday escalated his nuclear rhetoric, telling a group of senior officials that Russia would consider using nuclear weapons if it was attacked by any state with conventional weapons. Continue reading...

Emergency rescue not thought imminent but commercial flight halt would probably trigger sea rescue, say sources

Women who accuse Mohamed Al Fayed of sexual assault say their examination results were shared with companyWomen who claim they were sexually assaulted by Mohamed Al Fayed have called for an investigation into why doctors allegedly subjected them and other Harrods staff to sexual health examinations before sharing the results with the company.They have urged the General Medical Council (GMC) to investigate doctors who allegedly tested Fayed's staff for sexually transmitted diseases before he sexually assaulted them or attempted to. Continue reading...

UK prime minister accuses Moscow of violating UN charter, and says it should not be present at meeting

Telecoms firm calls for crackdown after it fended off 50,000 attacks from automated bots' in a six-week periodTouts are costing UK music fans an extra 145m a year, according to research from the telecoms company O2, which said it was fending off thousands of attacks each week from automated bots" used to harvest tickets at consumers' expense.O2, which sells more than 1m live music tickets a year, called for legislation after a survey for the company by YouGov illustrated how professional touts were abusing the market and stealing tickets out of fans' hands". Continue reading...

In the graveyard slot is Wes Streeting, giving it his best shot with a greatest hits compilation to a half-empty hall UK politics live - latest updatesEver get the feeling you've woken up to the zombie apocalypse? When you left the conference on Tuesday afternoon, the place was buzzing. Delegates talking about Keir Starmer's speech. Trying to get on the guest list to the hottest parties.Then on Wednesday morning, you find that half the conference has disappeared. Just vanished. And those that remain appear to be wandering round in circles. Hungover, trying to work out what's going on. In search of some existential meaning. Most striking is the lack of queues for food. Though that could be down to the fact there is no food in the food concessions. Even the conference staff have given up. It's every man and woman for themselves. Give it a few more hours and people will be eating each other. Continue reading...

Charles Graham charged with murder of Davinia Graham, who died on 31 August at a property in the townA 77-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a woman in Cheltenham.Charles Graham, 77, appeared at Cheltenham magistrates court on Tuesday 3 September. He was charged with the murder of 67-year-old Davinia Graham, who was known to her friends as Dee. Continue reading...

Fire crews battle large blaze in Woolloongabba as smoke blankets CBD

Figures give EU diplomats more hope of reaching a post-Brexit deal to allow young holiday workers into UKJust 23,000 people came to the UK last year to work as part of the British youth mobility scheme, a fraction of the overall net migration figure, which may allay fears in the Labour government as it comes under pressure to let in young EU holiday workers.Most of the people on the youth mobility scheme (YMS) visa programme in 2023 were from Australia, with 9,900 workers, and New Zealand, with 5,300. Continue reading...

Father says staff at Countess of Chester hospital did not look as if they really knew what they were doing'The father of two triplet babies murdered by Lucy Letby has described frantic scenes as the children collapsed, with medical staff appearing to search online for tutorials to guide them through everyday" medical procedures.Letby injected air into the bloodstream of Child O and also into his stomach through a nasogastric tube, as well as administering air into the stomach of his brother, Child P. Continue reading...

The ICBM, carrying a dummy warhead, was launched into high seas' of the Pacific OceanChina has announced the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile into the high seas" of the Pacific Ocean, flying over the northern point of the Philippines in what is believed to be the first such test since the early 1980s.The missile launch, which the defence ministry said was carrying a dummy warhead, comes at a time of growing international scrutiny of the country's nuclear arsenal, and prompted statements of concern from several nations. Continue reading...

Lebanon says only US can end conflict, as Hezbollah confirms death of Ibrahim Qubaisi in Israeli attack on Beirut

The Guardian has scrutinised data that provides insights into the lives of those accused of taking part in the unrest. The findings provide the first comprehensive picture of the alleged rioters - and challenge some of the assumptions made about themWhen the news broke of stabbings at a children's dance class in Southport this summer, a palpable sense of grief, horror and anger rippled across the country.From the collective anguish brought on by the incident in which three young girls died, variations on the same question emerged: Who would do such a thing?" Continue reading...

Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) in Australia issues tsunami alert over an 8.2 magnitude earthquake off New Zealand before cancelling it moments later

London man bailed after Robyn Eve Maines, 24, fell from balcony of hotel near San AntonioA man from London has been arrested in connection with the death of a Wirral woman two years ago, who fell from a hotel balcony in Ibiza.Robyn Eve Maines, 24, from Wallasey, in Wirral, was found dead at about 8.30am on 25 September 2022. She is thought to have fallen from a balcony at the Hotel Rosamar in Calle Huelva, close to the resort of San Antonio. Continue reading...

Labour leader says there should be more support to help people back into jobs, vowing to do everything we can to tackle worklessness'

Shanel Tofaeono tied up store employee whose hands were shaking so much due to fear', judge says

This blog is now closed

Orthopaedic surgeon Elie Khoury performed the operations which have a usual mortality risk from 0.1% to 0.8%

Proposed legislation says those seeking an abortion after 27 weeks and six days would have to either keep the baby or adopt it out

Exclusive: Commitment to Aboriginal-controlled care comes after reports find it provides the best outcomes for children and families'

PM hopes to meet both candidates on US trip but attempt to see Trump undermined by Home Office minister saying he had emboldened racists in UKKeir Starmer has said he wants to meet Kamala Harris and Donald Trump before the US election, as he declined to back one of his ministers who said the Republican candidate had contributed to racist rhetoric in the UK.The prime minister said he was hoping to find time with both candidates as he travelled to New York for the United Nations general assembly - his third trip to the US since taking office. Continue reading...

Labour peer says costs should rise in line with inflation but that universities would still have tough choices'

A TikTok trend for garnishing ramen noodles has turned yesterday's post-pub last resort into today's desirable dishWith their bad-taste adverts and laddish branding, instant noodles were once a mainstay for lazy bachelors who needed a quick post-pub fix.Now they are back in the limelight - but with a gourmet makeover spurred by a social media trend. Supermarket sales and search data show instant noodles are once again becoming a cupboard staple, this time with a few fancy" additions. Continue reading...

Boy, 15, remanded to a committal mention in January for allegedly murdering Oscar Hamilton

Consumer group says 6,161 branches have been shut since 2015 and there are 30 constituencies without oneYorkshire has the lowest ratio of bank branches to people of anywhere in the UK after a wave of closures that has left many places without a single outlet, research has found.The Yorkshire and the Humber region now has 248 branches left to serve a population of 5.6 million people, according to consumer group Which? That equates to 4.4 branches for each 100,000 people, leaving every Yorkshire resident sharing their branch with 22,557 others". Continue reading...

Storm developing over Caribbean could become category 4 hurricane by Thursday as evacuations ordered in FloridaJoe Biden declared a state of emergency for Florida on Tuesday afternoon as the state braced for the prospect of Tropical Storm Helene swelling into a powerful hurricane heading for the state's Gulf coast.The US president ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local responses. The action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate hardship and suffering, the White House said. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president accuses Putin of violating UN foundations and says war cannot be ended by talks aloneIn a forceful speech to the UN security council, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on a broad alliance of nations to force Russia into peace", saying that Vladimir Putin has violated the foundations of the United Nations and that the war can't be conquered by talks" alone.Addressing the council, of which Russia is a permanent member, Zelenskyy accused Moscow of committing international crimes" by targeting Ukrainian civilians and energy infrastructure, and claimed he had proof that Putin is plotting to target three Ukrainian nuclear power plants to further degrade the country's energy grid. Continue reading...

Labour needs voters to believe politics can make their lives better not that politicians are all the same, hence why the donations row was so damagingWhen Keir Starmer wanted to inject a moment of levity into his first speech as prime minister at the Labour conference, he told a story about visiting a holiday cottage in the Lake District where the owner joked about wanting to push him down the stairs.As lighter moments go, it had a dark edge. It is British humour, of course, but there is a reason it made an impression on Starmer - it's a microcosm of what he and his closest advisers see as their greatest threat: the cynicism and disdain with which ordinary people view politicians. The view that they are all the same, all on the take. The widespread lack of trust that politics can make lives better. Continue reading...

One mother told Thirlwall inquiry she was unaware for six years anything had happenedParents of babies attacked by Lucy Letby were not told their children had suffered life-threatening collapses until they were contacted by the police years later, an inquiry has heard.The parents of one newborn boy said it was disgusting" they were kept in the dark" by staff at the Countess of Chester hospital after their son's health suffered a serious deterioration in June 2016. Continue reading...

A further 175,000 pensioners are likely to stop receiving allowance under such plans, official figures show

Efforts to bring peace to Gaza prove fruitless as Israel increases airstrikes on Lebanon and Hezbollah return fire with deadlier missilesIt is now clear that last Tuesday's exploding pager operation was just a first step. What is now unfolding is an Israeli strategy of military escalation against Hezbollah, premised on the risky belief that the militant group can be bombed into a ceasefire before fighting in Gaza ends.Monday's wave of airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 558 people and displaced many thousands, and there is little sign of the campaign slowing. Israel's air force has said it had dropped 2,000 bombs in 24 hours - and there can be little doubt that this is now a full-on war, though it is not yet an all-out conflict. Continue reading...

The singer and actor has revealed the upcoming release of a companion album to her role in Joker: Folie a DeuxLady Gaga has announced an accompanying 13-song album to her new film Joker: Folie a Deux.The singer and actor had been teasing the news on social media and has now shared that the album, Harlequin, will be released on 27 September. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereYvette Cooper, the home secretary, has accused the Tory leadership candidates of lining up with Reform UK to undermine faith in the police.She criticised them for supporting claims that two-tier policing" is in force, describing them as rightwing wreckers, undermining respect for the law".But I'll be honest - I've been shocked by the response from some of those in political parties on the right who once claimed to care about law and order.After rioters attacked the police, they should have given full-throated backing to our brave officers. Continue reading...

Country held chair due to rotating presidency despite Orban government being under EU sanctions procedureHungary's government has presided over EU talks on upholding democratic standards across the continent, in a development one prominent MEP described as outrageous".Viktor Orban's government has been under an EU sanctions procedure since 2018 for posing a systemic threat" to democracy and the rule of law. Continue reading...

Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air France and Lufthansa among carriers pausing services to and from BeirutInternational airlines have suspended more flights to Lebanon amid an Israeli bombardment that authorities said had killed almost 560 people since Monday.The United Arab Emirates-based airline Emirates announced the temporary suspension of its flights to Beirut on Tuesday and Wednesday. Its sister airline flydubai also cancelled flights to Beirut on Tuesday and Wednesday. Continue reading...

Tulip Siddiq says she will make a decision after Financial Conduct Authority reports back to herThe City minister has asked the financial watchdog to rethink plans to name and shame' some firms it investigates, suggesting she could overrule it.Speaking at the fringes of the Labour party conference, Tulip Siddiq said she has held several meetings with the regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, to question them about their plans before determining if she will allow them to proceed. Continue reading...

Dutch group has not said how many of its 3,500 employees in the UK and Ireland will be affectedThe paint manufacturer behind Dulux is to cut about 2,000 jobs worldwide in a bid to slash costs.AkzoNobel said that it planned to complete a programme of redundancies by the end of 2025 to make its operations more efficient. Continue reading...