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Former French president receives five-year prison sentence for criminal conspiracy over pact with Gaddafi regimeThe former French president Nicolas Sarkozy said he would sleep in jail but with my head held high" after receiving a five-year prison sentence for criminal conspiracy - the first time a former head of state has been sent to prison in modern French history.The verdict and sentencing followed a trial in which he and his aides were accused of making a corruption pact with the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to receive funding for the 2007 French presidential election campaign. Continue reading...

Similar legislation introduced in Rio in mid-1990s caused an explosion of extrajudicial killings in the city's favelasHuman rights activists have voiced outrage after Rio de Janeiro's parliament approved plans to pay police officers a wild west bonus" for neutralizing criminals" during operations.The move is a throwback to the mid-1990s when Rio's then governor, Marcello Alencar, introduced similar legislation that caused an explosion of extrajudicial killings in the city's favelas. Continue reading...

Speech by Palestinian Authority president also says Hamas should have no role in governing Palestine and must disarmAlimi says the policy of containment has given the Houthis time to expand its arsenal.It has become clear the peace we seek cannot be asked for but must be imposed by force," he says. Continue reading...

Sarkozy found guilty of criminal conspiracy for receiving millions of euros from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and will spend time in custody even if he appealsHere is a bit more on that from Reuters:Sarkozy, who has always denied the charges, was accused of making a deal with Gaddafi in 2005, when he was France's interior minister, to obtain campaign financing in exchange for supporting the then-isolated Libyan government on the international stage.... Continue reading...

The background, key players and likely outcome of a contest of crucial interest to both Europe and RussiaMoldova will vote this Sunday in parliamentary elections that its president has described as the most important" in the history of the small country. The results will confirm if Moldova, a former Soviet Republic that gained independence in 1991, continues on its path of western integration, or moves back into Russia's orbit. Continue reading...

Gary Poland, who rang police 50 minutes after attack, tells inquiry he wishes he had checked on the children's welfareA taxi driver who took the Southport killer to the scene of the attack has said he regrets not phoning the police sooner.Gary Poland, who did not phone police until 50 minutes after the attack, said he feared a gunman was at large and that he would be a target. Continue reading...

Higher education regulator describes findings from survey of 50,000 final-year students as national scandal'One in three female students say they have endured sexual harassment during their time at university or college, with most of it taking place around campus, according to data published by England's higher education regulator.The results showed that nearly one in five women also experienced sexual assault or violence during their time as a student, often at the hands of other students or staff, with younger women, lesbian, gay or bisexual students and students with disabilities at higher risk. Continue reading...

Bilingual production by Theatr Cymru is expected to be first time Welsh will be heard at South Bank venueGrappling with the subtleties of Shakespeare's poetry and prose has proved a challenge for many a theatre company but a novel linguistic challenge has been added into the mix in a new production of Romeo and Juliet.A Welsh-English bilingual version of the tragedy, called Romeo a Juliet, is about to set off on tour, ending at Shakespeare's Globe in London - believed to be the first time Cymraeg (the Welsh language) will have been heard at the venue on the South Bank.Romeo a Juliet opens at the Sherman theatre in Cardiff on 29 September and will tour venues across Wales before its run at the Globe. It will be performed at the Globe's Sam Wanamaker Playhouse from 5-8 November. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Greater Manchester mayor says policy introduced in 2017 is arbitrary and cannot be justifiedAndy Burnham has thrown further weight behind calls to scrap the two-child benefit limit, calling it an abhorrent policy that represents the worst of Westminster".The two-child limit, which was introduced by the Conservative government in 2017, only allows families to claim universal credit and tax credits for up to two children. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Departure of key figure comes little over a week after that of director of political strategy

Shadow justice secretary demands that prospective MPs sign contract saying they stand for Conservative values'

Streamer to crack down on AI-generated spam by introducing filter to identify fraudulent uploadsSpotify has revealed it removed 75m spam tracks from its platform over the past year as artificial intelligence tools increase the ability of fraudsters to create fake music.The world's biggest music streaming service announced a crackdown on vexatious tracks after admitting the rise of powerful AI tools had coincided with a significant amount of spam content being tackled by the streamer. Continue reading...

Greater Manchester mayor accuses Downing Street of creating a climate of fear' and says wholesale change is required

Reform UK leader presses governor Andrew Bailey over quantitative easing at meeting at Threadneedle Street

Authorities say all three people shot were detainees at Dallas facility. Plus, WHO rejects Trump's claims of link between Tylenol and autism

Trump officials seek to tie attacks to radical left' as agencies accused of violent tactics against migrants and protestersWednesday's deadly shooting at an Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (Ice) facility in Dallas comes as the agency has heightened its crusade against undocumented people and bolstered its self-image of being under siege from violent enemies.Little is known of the motives of the gunman who opened fire on the detention center near Love Field airport from a nearby roof, killing a detainee and wounding two others before killing himself. Continue reading...

Huang Chu-jung, previously an assistant to a New Taipei city councillor, receives longest sentence of 10 yearsFour former employees of Taiwan's ruling political party have been convicted of spying for China and handed prison sentences of up to 10 years.The four include a former aide to Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-te, when he was vice-president and for a time during his current presidency, and a senior staffer to Joseph Wu, then foreign minister and now the national security chief. Continue reading...

A vibrant culture, a dynamic food scene and lively atmosphere pushed Burwood into the Top 20, according to local experts'

Colin Firth's ex-wife to return honorary medal to authorities in protest over US president's poisonous rhetoric'

Huge clear-up efforts start after scale of damage from storm, which reportedly killed 25 in Taiwan and the Philippines, becomes apparentHuge clear-up operations were under way in southern China and Hong Kong on Thursday, after Super Typhoon Ragasa battered the region, causing widespread flooding and damaged roads.Ragasa, the most powerful tropical cyclone so far this year, left a trail of damage across Hong Kong, which resumed international flights on Thursday but kept kindergartens and some schools closed. In the economic hub of Guangdong province in mainland China, where more than 2 million people were evacuated ahead of the super typhoon, crews used excavators to clear thousands of toppled trees and unblock roads. Continue reading...

Firm must be clearer about price fans will pay and avoid using misleading' labels about ticket quality, says CMA

Australian officials demanded answers after the body of Byron Haddow was returned without his heartDNA testing is being carried out on a heart that is claimed to be that of Queensland man Byron Haddow, who died in Bali in May.Haddow, 23, was found dead in the plunge pool of his villa while on holiday. His body was returned to Australia four weeks later and a second autopsy found his heart was missing. Continue reading...

Under the new model participants will be interviewed for up to three hours and will no longer need to provide supporting documents

Exhibition featuring fragile and rarely seen watercolours explores artist's jaunts in and around Avon GorgeHe was so keen on clambering around the craggy cliffs of the Avon Gorge as a teenager that he was nicknamed prince of the rocks".An exhibition featuring rarely seen JMW Turner watercolours inspired by his nimble explorations of the gorge is opening at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. They are so fragile that they are rarely brought out of careful storage and may not be seen again for a while. Continue reading...

Retailer says it needs to focus on weaknesses in food business that led to gaps on shelves in its stores

Number of criminal incidents in Victoria hit record high in 2024-25 as crime rate rose 13.8%, Crime Statistics Agency data shows

Though registration kiosks are due to open in UK in two weeks, system may not be fully enforced for nine monthsBiometric registration to visit the EU may not be fully enforced for another nine months, with border officials allowed to relax the rules to alleviate queues or chaos at ports after the system finally goes live.In just over two weeks, Eurotunnel, Eurostar and the Port of Dover will all open new biometric registration kiosks in the UK, installed at a cost of tens of millions of pounds. Continue reading...

Primary pupil numbers could fall by 4% over next five years leading to reduction of 162,000 pupils, study findsDeclining numbers of children across England could lead to the equivalent of 800 primary schools falling empty or being closed by the end of the decade, according to research by a thinktank.The national decline in pupils at state primary schools is mainly driven by low birthrates but is magnified in London by increasing numbers of people moving out of the capital or leaving the state system to move abroad or send their children to private schools, according to the Education Policy Institute. Continue reading...

Number of procedures on men up by 26% as experts say cosmetic surgery has become normalised despite risksGrowing numbers of men and younger people are getting facelifts, a trend driven by social media, advances in surgical techniques and the rise of weight loss drugs.Figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps) show facelifts are on the rise in the UK. In 2024 there were 1,882 procedures, up 8% from the previous year. Women accounted for the majority, with numbers rising by 7% to 1,742. But the steepest increase came from men: procedures grew by 26%, from 111 in 2023 to 140 in 2024. Continue reading...

Two candidates have emerged as favourites to lead Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, ahead of the party vote next weekThe next leader of Japan's ruling party will either be the country's first female prime minister or its youngest leader since the war. But the significance of those milestones will be quickly lost in the party's attempts to rebuild after two bruising elections that have cast doubt over the future of one of the world's most successful political machines.Two of the five candidates vying to replace Shigeru ishiba - who announced his resignation earlier this month - as the next president of the Liberal Democratic party (LDP) have emerged as clear favourites in what analysts are describing as a last-ditch attempt to unify a party battered by a major funding scandal and the cost-of-living crisis. Continue reading...

Many of the 236,000 imitations of the fluffy figures found this year contain banned chemicals or pose choking riskFake Labubu dolls accounted for 90% of counterfeit toys seized at the UK border this year, with many found to contain banned chemicals or pose choking hazards.Border officials intercepted almost 259,000 counterfeit toys worth more than 3.5m, including 236,000 fake versions of Pop Mart's toothy, fluffy Labubu dolls. Continue reading...

Candidate abandons her court challenge to election result in blue-ribbon seat, saying she is satisfied independent Nicolette Boele won

Since new rules for the Active Investor Plus visa came into effect in April, applicant numbers have almost tripledWealthy investors from the US, China and Hong Kong are the leaders in applications for New Zealand's golden visas" after the government relaxed the scheme's requirements in a bid to boost the flagging economy.The new rules for the Active Investor Plus visa came into effect in April and lowered investment thresholds, removed English-language requirements and cut the amount of time applicants must spend in the country to establish residency from three years to three weeks. Continue reading...

Malak A Tantesh on fleeing the Israeli ground offensive in Gaza and becoming a reporter in the most dangerous place on Earth for journalistsMalak A Tantesh is a journalist in Gaza. On 16 September, the day Israel began its full-scale ground offensive Gaza City, she was among those trying to flee the city. As she hurriedly packed up for her 11th displacement in the last 18 months, she recorded voice notes. We all say that we don't want to leave, but we deeply know that we have no other choice," she says.She tells Lucy Hough what it has been like to be displaced so many times while trying to report on the events around her, all at just 20 years old. When Israel's blockade of the strip led to hunger and famine, it became hard to work: I was covering stories about hunger and famine, and I was myself hungry. I was feeling that I am about to collapse. We were eating one meal a day." Continue reading...

Griffith University experts reveal the 30% increase in consumer power bills since 2021 would have been worse under fossil fuel-only scenario

Australia's prime minister Anthony Albanese also resurrects bid for temporary seat on UN security council

Deprived communities to be given tens of millions to patch up derelict shops, pubs and libraries and restore pride'Deprived areas of the UK will be given tens of millions of pounds each from a new fund that Keir Starmer hopes will help Labour tackle the threat posed by Reform UK.The prime minister will launch the regeneration initiative on Thursday, gambling that an updated version of levelling up" will address anger about Britain's broken communities. Continue reading...

Lazarus Chakwera, who presided over a multi-year economic crisis, concedes election after 85-year-old Mutharika wins 56.8% of voteMalawians have voted in an 85-year-old former leader over an incumbent who presided over a multi-year economic crisis, high inflation, essential goods shortages, climate disasters and international aid cuts.Peter Mutharika got 56.8% of the vote compared with 33% for Lazarus Chakwera, according to official results of the 16 September presidential election announced on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Authorities said all three people shot were detainees at the immigration facility located in Dallas and that alleged shooter killed self

Former PM also brands Reform UK a threat to national security and raises concern about its approach to the economyBoris Johnson has said Nigel Farage's stance on Russia is extremely dangerous" and Reform UK is a threat to national security.The former prime minister's attack comes in a week in which Reform has stepped up its criticism of what it calls the Boriswave" of post-Brexit legal migration. Continue reading...

Body says research has found no consistent association' and urges pregnant women to follow doctors' adviceThe World Health Organization (WHO) is pushing back against contested claims by the Trump administration that acetaminophen use during pregnancy heightens the risk of autism, further underscoring that no scientific consensus supports such a connection.Extensive research, including large-scale studies over the past decade, has found no consistent association," the agency said in a Wednesday statement. Continue reading...

Small child part of first reciprocal intake after removal of four asylum seekers from Britain to France over past weekA family of three including a small child have become the first arrivals from France under Keir Starmer's one in, one out" deal, the Home Office has said.The move follows the removal on Wednesday of the first four asylum seekers from the UK to France over the past six days, despite continuing legal challenges. Continue reading...

Morgan McSweeney under spotlight over late declarations of donations to thinktank Labour Together when he was directorHistory is littered with the resignation letters of those who have tried to drive a wedge between Keir Starmer and Morgan McSweeney.But that relationship is now facing its biggest test with the spotlight on the conduct of McSweeney as the former director of the Labour Together thinktank and whether there was any ill intent behind late declarations of more than 700,000 in donations. Continue reading...

Spain's monarch uses UN speech to attack Israel's actions in Gaza saying we can't keep silent or look the other way'King Felipe of Spain has begged Israel to stop the massacre" and end its abhorrent acts" in Gaza during an unusually direct and powerful address to the UN general assembly in which he also defended the UN's role in an increasingly frenetic and out of control" world.Although the monarch was careful not to use the word genocide" - a term already employed by the country's outspoken prime minister, Pedro Sanchez - he said Spain and others were at a loss to understand Israel's actions in Gaza. Continue reading...

Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys, Fianna Fail's Jim Gavin and leftwing independent Catherine Connolly in running for jobA former government minister, a former sports coach and an independent leftwing politician are to contest Ireland's presidential election.The three-way race was confirmed on Wednesday when the nomination window closed without any political outsiders getting on the ballot. Continue reading...

Two people seriously injured, says national ambulance service as military says drone was launched from YemenAt least 20 people have been injured, two seriously, after a drone launched from Yemen hit Israel's Red Sea resort city of Eilat on the border with Jordan and Egypt.Police said the drone fell in Eilat's city centre, causing damage in the area frequented by tourists. Continue reading...

Settlement reached after Maurice Hastings claimed he was framed by authorities for 1983 sexual assault and murderAn innocent man who spent 38 years behind bars in California was awarded $25m in what his lawyers called the largest wrongful conviction settlement in state history.The settlement was reached in August, according to court documents made public on Monday. Continue reading...

The Savant pulled from Apple TV+ release schedule after careful consideration'Jessica Chastain-led series The Savant has been pulled from the Apple TV+ release schedule.The thriller was set to begin on 26 September but its release has been postponed. Continue reading...

Manchester mayor urges Keir Starmer to reveal plans to deliver reform but denies he is plotting to replace PMWes Streeting, the health secretary, has described Nigel Farage over his comment implying Donald Trump might be right about paracetamol posing a risk to pregnant women. (See 10.23am.)Dangerous and irresponsible.

Ukrainian president told world leaders that combination of drone technology and AI would end in catastrophe