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Labor's longest-serving premier in the state made the announcement at a snap press conference on Tuesday

Sources suggest PM could announce new spending on bus, tram and train schemes if he decides to axe part of HS2Rishi Sunak could announce a series of transport improvements for the north of England including bringing forward the high-speed link between Manchester and Leeds as he seeks to limit the political fallout over the future of HS2.Government sources suggested the prime minister still planned to press ahead with a proposal to axe the Birmingham to Manchester link of HS2 despite a furious response and Tory fears that it would fatally undermine their commitment to levelling up. Continue reading...

Developer in long-running spat with Trowbridge town council erects gargoyle-like sculpture of council leader on roof of buildingMost leaders have to wait until after they've died for the statues and monuments of them to go up. But all the Trowbridge town council leader, Stewart Palmen, needed to see his likeness in stone was a planning dispute.An angry builder in the middle of a three-year spat with local authorities has erected a stone gargoyle-like carving of Palmen on a roof in Trowbridge. Continue reading...

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PM backs review of armed policing after officers hand in weapons in response to charging of marksman with murderRishi Sunak has said armed police need clarity about the legal powers they have as he backed a review by the home secretary after an unnamed officer was charged with murder over the shooting of Chris Kaba last year.The Metropolitan police has asked the SAS to provide counter-terrorism support after firearms officers handed in their weapons in protest at the charging of their colleague with murder. Continue reading...

Extreme politicisation of the public service puts confidence in democracy in jeopardy and must be met by strong and swift action

Pensioners and jobseekers will be able to work more without losing payments, while Tafe and apprenticeships will get a funding boost in Working Future reforms

PM would need to offer voters in the north of England an alternative. Whether they believe him is another matter

Reported package offer from Beijing was attempt to meet Australian side halfway' but Australia sees issues as entirely separate matters'

Three people died and Ian Wilkinson was taken to hospital in critical but stable condition after beef wellington lunch in July

Endorsement of former Australian prime minister revealed a day after Rupert Murdoch retired as chair of Fox and News Corp

After focus on work of one Dublin surgeon, expert report sparks wider review of paediatric orthopaedicsPaediatricians and health executives in Dublin were aware that a leading children's hospital in the city was using unauthorised, uncertified" medical implants in surgery, a top health official has said.Ireland is facing a growing scandal over paediatric spinal surgery. An independent investigation found that 19 children with spina bifida suffered serious complications after they were operated on by one surgeon at Temple Street hospital. One child was readmitted to the operating theatre 33 times after her initial operation. Continue reading...

Cygnet Health Care pleads guilty of failing to provide safe care at hospital in Ealing after woman took her own lifeA private sector mental health provider has been hit with a 1.53m fine after pleading guilty in a criminal prosecution brought by the Care Quality Commission over an inpatient's death.Cygnet Health Care pleaded guilty to the offence of failing to provide safe care and treatment at its Ealing hospital, after the death of a young woman who was able to take her own life there in July 2019. Continue reading...

Out of 10 bassinets tested by Choice, four were found to have serious safety failures such as non-breathable areas

Results revealed in FoI data follow other tests that found unsatisfactory levels of the bacteria on bargeThe Bibby Stockholm barge has had satisfactory" test results for legionella, after tests initially found the presence of the potentially deadly bacteria, the Guardian has learned.The Home Office, which hopes to hold hundreds of people seeking asylum on the barge in Portland, received the most recent legionella results on 4 September and government sources said they were not planning to make the results public. The Guardian obtained the results in freedom of information data from Dorset council. Continue reading...

Tina Greer went missing in 2012 having previously attempted to leave Lesley Sharman due to domestic violence incidents

In a rare interview with Fox News, Mohammed bin Salman said major progress must be made in creation of a Palestinian stateA potential normalisation deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and what those negotiations could mean for the Palestinians, are top of the news agenda in the Middle East after the two countries and the US signalled progress on the matter on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New York.In a rare interview with western media, Riyadh's powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, told Fox News on Wednesday that ongoing talks with Israel meant the prospect of normalised relations was getting closer every day". Continue reading...

Largest study of its kind in England finds 33% of care-experienced children received youth caution or convictionThe largest ever study of care experience and the youth justice system in England has revealed that children who have lived in care are eight times more likely to have received a youth justice caution or conviction than those who have not.Using data collated by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Department for Education, the study monitored the experiences of almost 2.3 million children born in England between 1996 and 1999. Their data was recorded between the ages of 10 - the minimum age of criminal responsibility in England - and 17. Continue reading...

Lawmakers in parliament upper house to hear king urge for stronger ties between France and BritainKing Charles will address French lawmakers and senators in the upper house of the French parliament on Thursday - the first time a British monarch has made a speech in a French voting chamber.On the second day of his state visit, the king is expected to use his speech at the Senate to once again urge for stronger ties between France and Britain. At a lavish banquet at the Palace of Versailles on Wednesday night, he said in a toast that it was incumbent upon us all to reinvigorate our friendship to ensure it is fit for the challenge of this, the 21st century". Continue reading...

Venables, 41, was jailed in 2017 for possession of child abuse images and will have a parole hearing in NovemberThe mother of James Bulger has said the prospect of Jon Venables's release from prison has left her in a state of shock".Venables, now 41, could be freed from prison before Christmas after it was confirmed that he would have a two-day parole hearing in November. Continue reading...

Helicopter came down in Pirongia forest park, south of Auckland, on way to rescue of injured hiker, but paramedic onboard wasn't deterredA paramedic in New Zealand has continued with his rescue mission, and completed it, despite the helicopter he was in crashing en route to help an injured hiker.The paramedic was travelling to Pirongia Forest Park, about two hours south of Auckland, when the Waikato Westpac rescue helicopter he was in came down. Authorities say the helicopter experienced a heavy landing" at about 5pm with photos of the scene showing the red and yellow aircraft nose down, wedged between trees in thick bush. Continue reading...

Protesters clash with police in capital Yerevan after Azerbaijan's offensive ends with ceasefire and agreement to disband local Armenian militaryProtesters have clashed with riot police in Armenia's capital after Azerbaijan claimed victory in a 24-hour offensive in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.Several hundred demonstrators threw bottles and stones at police guarding government buildings and smashed windows in the city of Yerevan's Republic Square on Wednesday night as they voiced anger at the government's handling of the crisis, which has resulted in a ceasefire agreement that includes provisions for the local Armenian government to disband its military. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Force considering alternatives to Pacer program that has seen 48% reduction in people detained by police under Mental Health Act

Trial initially scheduled to last 16 days facing mounting delays amid challenges over the admission of certain evidenceThe trial of two protest leaders who encouraged a truck blockade of Canada's capital is facing mounting delays as legal arguments threaten to derail the closely watched case.Early last year, the month-long Freedom Convoy'" protest paralyzed Ottawa after hundreds of large vehicles blocked key thoroughfares. Initially meant as a challenge to coronavirus public health measures, the protests soon morphed into a broader collection of political grievances against the governing Liberal party. Continue reading...

Trip designed in part as show of friendship to reset UK-French relationship after Brexit yearsKing Charles was welcomed at a lavish state banquet at the Palace of Versailles on Wednesday night, at the start of a state visit to reinforce the renewed London-Paris relationship after the near total collapse in trust during the Boris Johnson years after Brexit.In Versailles' Hall of Mirrors, the famed 17th century gallery built by the Sun King" Louis XIV to project the power and majesty of the French monarchy, King Charles and Emmanuel Macron were to make toasts celebrating French-British relations after a pre-dinner music recital. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our Ukraine war coverage hereInterfax in Russia is reporting that a Su-34 bomber crashed in the Voronezh region during a training flight. Voronezh borders the partially occupied Ukrainian region of Luhansk. The pilots are reported to have ejected.The all clear has been sounded in Kherson. Continue reading...

Protestors face 10-year jail terms under new hijab and chastity bill, which UN human rights body says is intended to suppress women into total submission'Iran's parliament has approved a controversial new bill under which women face up to 10 years in prison if they continue to defy the country's mandatory hijab rules.As well as harsher penalties on women defying the strict dress code, the draft law also intends to identify those who promote nudity [or] indecency" or mock" the rules in a virtual or non-virtual space. Continue reading...

Oil refinery in Kremenchuk put out of operation by Russian strike; Shoigu says Russian and Iranian coperation has reached a new level Continue reading...

RMT says action in long-running dispute over jobs and conditions will shut down tube services in capitalThousands of London Underground station staff are to strike next month in a long-running dispute over jobs and conditions.The stoppages by members of the RMT will take place on 4 and 6 October, and, according to the union, will shut down tube services in the capital. Continue reading...

It was clear as Azerbaijan launched its offensive that Russian peacekeepers had no intention of intervening

Calls for prime minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign after Azerbaijani offensive in disputed region

Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, leaders of two biggest carbon emitters, among those not attending summit in New YorkLeaders of some of the world's biggest polluting countries are skipping a UN summit on Wednesday aimed at generating some progress in the spluttering effort to address the climate crisis, during what may be the hottest year ever recorded.The climate ambition summit, convened by Antonio Guterres, the UN's secretary general, will feature more than 100 national governments who have traveled to New York to outline renewed plans to curb global heating and help people adapt to its impacts. The UN has said the event will showcase first movers and doers" among countries most willing to act on the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Former senator says fund has raised six-figure sum and will run intense' social media campaign about McBride and ATO whistleblower Richard Boyle

Social isolation and loneliness in early bereavement found to strongly contribute to worse symptomsPeople bereaved during the first two waves of the Covid pandemic are three times more likely to be suffering from prolonged grief disorder (PGD), which can leave them in intense emotional pain and lonely, research from Cardiff and Bristol universities has revealed.The disorder, also known as complicated grief, can result in persistent longing for the deceased, intense emotional pain including guilt and denial, and trouble engaging with friends and planning for the future, all of which goes on for longer than six months. Continue reading...

Anderson apologises over GB News clip and for sending email about his show from his official address

Baritone, who has died aged 87, cultivated loyal German fanbase by learning to sing translated lyrics phoneticallyTributes are being paid across Germany to the singer Roger Whittaker, described as the country's favourite Briton who served his biggest and most loyal fanbase by singing in their tongue.Whittaker, whose death at 87 was announced on Monday, admitted to never learning to speak the language, but became one of the most prolific recording artists in German by having his translated lyrics transcribed phonetically and taking lessons to sound as if he meant what he sang. Continue reading...

MPs from People's party and far-right Vox stage walkout in protest at recognition of co-official languagesSpanish MPs have been able to address congress in Basque, Catalan and Galician for the first time after the country's Socialist-led caretaker government agreed to smaller parties' demands for the the three regional languages to be granted official parliamentary status.The change - which is intended to help the chamber progress along the path of linguistic plurality" - was requested by the Catalan pro-independence parties on whose support the acting prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, is relying to form a new government after July's general election resulted in a hung parliament. Continue reading...

Public inquiry highlights litany of avoidable failures' involving project company Tie, Edinburgh council and Scottish ministersA damning report on the chaos that beset Edinburgh's tram line says its true cost has soared to well over 1bn because of a litany of avoidable failures" on the project.The long-awaited report from a public inquiry into the project called for new powers to prosecute businesses that make false statements" to councillors and substantial reforms in the way Scotland oversees tram projects in future. Continue reading...

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper calls daily bill astronomical' and accuses Tories of utter failure'The cost of housing people seeking asylum in hotels has risen to 8m a day, according to the Home Office's annual report.Suella Braverman, the home secretary, had said the figure was 6m a day while addressing the Commons on Monday. Continue reading...

Study for 5 News warns of overwhelming and inescapable' betting imagery in the gameFootball fans were bombarded with 11,000 gambling messages during the opening weekend of the latest Premier League season, according to a study that warns of overwhelming and inescapable" betting imagery in the game.Clubs in the top flight agreed earlier this year to ban gambling firms from sponsoring the front of players' shirts from 2025, but the research - which analysed social media posts alongside hours of TV and radio - cast doubt on the likely effect of that measure, given the saturation of football with other gambling messages.the sheer volume of gambling messages;social media content not clearly labelled as ads; andinsufficient safer gambling messaging. Continue reading...

Two people have stab wounds and a third person was allegedly assaulted at the university's campus. This blog is now closed

A 24-year-old - who is not believed to be a student of the university - is in custody and no other people are being sought by police

Museums from Glasgow to Cambridge proactively repatriating objects while national institutions forced into position of inertia'In the past two years Glasgow has become the first UK museum to repatriate objects to India. Newcastle and the Horniman in south London followed an example set by Aberdeen and Cambridge by returning looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria. Exeter handed sacred regalia to the Siksika Nation in Canada. Oxford returned the remains of 18 indigenous people to Australia.Earlier this month Manchester completed a landmark return of 174 objects to the to the Anindilyakwa community, who live on an archipelago in the Gulf of Carpentaria, off the northern coast of Australia. Continue reading...

Housing secretary's move will provide financial and management oversight at local authority, which is in effect bankruptMichael Gove will this week announce the appointment of commissioners to take over the day-to-day running of Birmingham city council after the local authority effectively declared itself bankrupt.The housing secretary's announcement, which could come as soon as Tuesday, will mean that the commissioners oversee the council's financial decisions and management appointments. Continue reading...

More than a month's rain could fall in less than 24 hours in some parts and trigger dangerous floods, forecaster saysMore than a month's rain could fall in less than 24 hours in southern parts of the UK by the end of Sunday, and a Met Office warning is in place for severe thunderstorms that could cause life-threatening floods.Travel has already been disrupted by the downpours, which caused Exeter airport to cancel its remaining flights on Sunday, and 12cm (4.7 inches) of rain could fall in Taunton and Bridgwater in Somerset, according to the Met Office, which is more than the average rainfall for the whole of September. Videos posted on social media showed the main terminal at the airport flooded. Continue reading...

Far-right Giorgia Meloni says crisis cannot be just resolved within Italian borders' on visit to island where 8,500 arrived in daysItaly's prime minister has said that European countries must work together to stop departures [from Africa]" and swiftly deport those turned down for asylum, who she said threaten the future of Europe", after thousands of people seeking refuge arrived on Lampedusa in the last week.Giorgia Meloni toured the tiny Sicilian island, which for years has been the first port of call for people making the treacherous journey by sea from north Africa, on Sunday morning alongside Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission. Continue reading...

Lord chancellor failing to carry out duty on provision of services in England and Wales, says Public Law ProjectThe availability of legal aid for immigration and asylum in England and Wales is so poor that the lord chancellor is in breach of his duty to provide access to justice, according to a letter threatening him with legal action.The letter, sent to Alex Chalk by Public Law Project (PLP), says there are particular shortages in north-west and south-west England, the latter having capacity for fewer than 300 cases a year despite being home to the Bibby Stockholm, which can house about 500 people. Continue reading...

Comedian's claim of concerted agenda' taken up by X owner Elon Musk and misogynist Andrew TateAfter allegations of sexual assault and rape against the comedian Russell Brand were published, some were quick to take up conspiracy theories about why they had been published.Brand set the wheels in motion when he published a video in which he rebutted the allegations the night before they were aired and claimed they were linked to an attack on his freedom of speech. Continue reading...

A $7bn shortfall has been forecast this financial year, but Daniel Mookhey says any cuts to be made will be in areas that don't affect people'The New South Wales, treasurer Daniel Mookhey, says Labor's first budget for the state in more than a decade will lay the groundwork for future reform, make cuts in areas that don't affect people" and provide support for a once in a generation" cost-of-living crisis.We are looking for every available opportunity we can to provide practical assistance to people," he said.Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

The state government will pledge almost $53m over four years to fund dozens of new positions