Rachel de Souza says long-delayed guidance should be issued as soon as possible as teachers and families want claritySchools and teachers urgently need ministers to publish long-delayed transgender guidance to ensure that pupils are treated with consistency and fairness, the children's commissioner for England has said.Rachel de Souza said the guidance, which Rishi Sunak had promised to publish earlier this summer, should be issued as soon as possible, based on her conversations with parents, children and school leaders in England. Continue reading...

Tory MP steps down after four committee member called for no-confidence vote over praise for Afghan regimeTobias Ellwood has resigned as chair of the defence select committee after four of its members called for a vote of no confidence in light of comments he made praising the Taliban after a visit to Afghanistan in July.The Conservative MP said he had been guilty of poor communications" and that continuing to serve as chair would be a distraction, though he insisted that he retained the support of the majority of MPs on the committee. Continue reading...

Television chef blames food inflation, energy costs and rising wages for unpopular decisionRick Stein has defended his decision to charge 2 for condiments at his fish restaurant in Cornwall after criticism from some customers.The television chef and food writer's restaurant group charges customers for condiments and dips in Stein's Fish & Chips in Padstow to sit in, including gravy, curry sauce and aioli. Continue reading...

Judge condemns dastardly putschist attack' on Latin America's largest democracy as first four Bolsonaro supporters go on trialThe hate-filled vandals behind the dastardly putschist attack" on Latin America's largest democracy must be brought to justice, a supreme court judge has declared as Brazil held the first trial connected to Brasilia's 8 January insurrection.Thousands of followers of the ex-president Jair Bolsonaro marauded through Brazil's capital on 8 January this year in what his leftwing successor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, called an attempted coup d'etat. Nearly 2,000 militant Bolsonaro supporters were arrested in the days after the presidential palace, supreme court and congress were ransacked by Bolsonarista radicals outraged at his defeat in last October's election. Continue reading...

French president addresses Moroccans directly amid political rift between Rabat and ParisThe French president, Emmanuel Macron, has attempted to soothe tensions with Morocco over the supply of humanitarian aid, after a deadly earthquake centred high in the Atlas mountains.Search and rescue teams backed by the Moroccan military continued a frantic search to locate and airlift the wounded from remote mountainous villages in the Atlas mountains where the 6.8 magnitude quake struck last Friday. But as rescue efforts continued for a fifth day, the chances of finding survivors were fading. Continue reading...

London's answer to Met Gala' reveals behind-the-scenes power struggle between editorsSome of the biggest names from fashion and Hollywood will descend on the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in the West End on Thursday night for an event that is being hailed as London's answer to the Met Gala".Vogue World, described as a multi-act celebration of the British performing arts," has been contrived by Vogue's editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, as a way of raising vital funds for London's struggling arts scene. Continue reading...

There are no reports of injuries on the Ocean Explorer, which was grounded in the remote Northeast Greenland National ParkA cruise ship with 206 passengers and crew onboard has run aground in north-west Greenland, and remained stuck even after high tide.Cmdr Brian Jensen of Denmark's Joint Arctic Command said that nobody on board was in danger and that no damage has been reported, but added that officials take this incident very seriously". Continue reading...

Ofgem said homes with young children were also part of expanded code of practiceEnergy suppliers have been officially banned from force fitting prepayment meters for elderly people and those with infant children after a scandal over companies' treatment of vulnerable customers.The industry regulator, Ofgem, said on Wednesday that companies would be forbidden from forcibly installing prepayment meters for people over 75 years old with no support in their house and in homes with children under the age of two. Continue reading...

Dan Rosenfield decides to sit as independent after being nominated by former PM in resignation honours list

Fallout from revelations has dominated news in UK but in China it has caused barely a rippleThe fallout from revelations that two people were arrested in the UK for allegedly spying for China has dominated British news since the story broke. In the heavily state-controlled media in China, however, it has caused barely a ripple.It took more than a day for state-controlled press to run the story, reporting a short statement from its embassy in London and then comments from the foreign affairs ministry. Continue reading...

West Midlands police arrest 60-year-old man over attack on Saturday that left Ana Paun with shoulder and arm injuriesA man has been arrested after a dog attack in Birmingham which left an 11-year-old girl with serious injuries.Footage shared on social media showed the dog, an American bully XL and Staffordshire bull terrier crossbreed puppy, running through the street after breaking free from its collar. Continue reading...

Visitors to Gower urged to maintain distance after spate of incidents, including newborn foal falling off cliffVisitors to a Welsh beauty spot have been warned not to go close to ponies to take selfies after a newborn foal fell to its death from a cliff.In another incident a woman was injured when she was kicked by a gypsy cob pony on the Gower peninsula in south-west Wales, while ponies have also been injured or killed by cars and disturbed by drones. Continue reading...

Report says IHRA definition has led to 40 cases against people and groups - of which 38 were cleared - and is stifling academic freedomsAn antisemitism definition adopted by most UK universities has come under fire in a report, which says it has led to 40 cases being brought against students, academics, unions, and societies - 38 of whom have been cleared.The remaining two cases have yet to conclude, meaning that none of the allegations - all based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition - have been substantiated, according to the analysis by the European Legal Support Center (ELSC) and the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (Brismes). Continue reading...

Investigation into allegations of cover-up and medical negligence at Royal Sussex county hospital is extendedA police investigation into allegations of cover-up and medical negligence over dozens of hospital deaths has been expanded to include more recent cases amid internal claims about dangerous surgery.In June the Guardian revealed that Sussex police were investigating the deaths of about 40 patients in the general surgery and neurosurgery departments at the Royal Sussex county hospital in Brighton. Continue reading...

A new report shows that 175 of 244 US cities had extraordinarily warm temperatures made more likely by climate changeMost of the US population, 326 million people, have experienced at least one unusually hot summer day this summer, according to a new report by non-profit Climate Central.The largest number of such days occurred in places in the US south, south-east and, most relentlessly, south-west. Continue reading...

Bernard Looney resigned having admitted to failing to fully detail relationships with colleagues

Increase in nominal spending contrasts with other recent surveys showing consumer confidence was languishing at depressed levels

Police say woman in her 40s remains under investigation over death of two-year-old Annabel MackeyA woman arrested on suspicion of murder after the death of two-year-old Annabel Mackey at a village pond has been released but remains under investigation.Hampshire police said the woman in her 40s had been detained under the Mental Health Act before her release. Continue reading...

The 1970s case that sparked headlines about supernatural activity has inspired a pair of stage productions. How does a fringe show compete with a starry West End behemoth?The Enfield poltergeist case gripped the British media between 1977 and 1979, and is about to grip theatres 45 years later as two plays based on it share the limelight. Paul Voodini's The Enfield Poltergeist has been playing at fringe events during the year, while The Enfield Haunting, written by Paul Unwin, and starring Catherine Tate and David Threlfall, will arrive in the West End in November.Why the enduring fascination with the story? Voodini remembers the furore at the time, saying he had always been interested in weird and wonderful things", but what stuck out was: It took place in a council house, a normal suburban setting, not an old haunted castle, stately home, or Transylvania." Continue reading...

Racing integrity commissioner's report finds abuse and assaults have occurred unchecked'

In fiery speech, Nick Kaldas says government and Defence moving at snail's pace' amid national crisis'The head of the royal commission into defence and veteran suicide has complained of far too much talk and not enough action" on military personnel taking their own lives.In a blistering speech on Wednesday, commissioner Nick Kaldas accused government departments of stonewalling" the royal commission's work, even though the senseless loss of life" was a national crisis.Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

At likely final gathering of the TUC before next general election, focus was on chucking the Tories out of officeWith perhaps just months to go before a general election, Keir Starmer's message to union leaders gathered for dinner in Liverpool on Monday evening was simple - as one official present put it: eyes on the prize".The Labour leader gave a laid-back after-dinner speech to the assembled general secretaries, leavened with football gags - and received a standing ovation. Continue reading...

Kaja Kallas's partner owns shares in a company that continued to do business in Russia after the full-scale invasion of UkraineThe Estonian prime minister has described the controversy surrounding her husband's alleged Russian business links as a witch-hunt" by political opponents calling for her resignation.Kaja Kallas has been under pressure since reports emerged last month that her husband part-owned a logistics company that continued to do business in Russia after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Continue reading...

Indigenous academic says Liberal leader's Instagram post quoted headline from the Australian newspaper which falsely claimed she called no voters racist

Letter falsely claiming to be authored by Dylan Clarke wrongly suggests body is reacquiring land

Decision exposes embattled airline to mammoth compensation bill in major win for the Transport Workers Union

Extreme weather in the city of Maoming in Guangdong province caused lake to flood, allowing dozens of crocodiles to escapeA Chinese city has launched an operation to find a large number of crocodiles that escaped when floods hit the region in recent days, authorities have said.A typhoon brought sustained heavy rains to southern China last week, triggering inundations in Hong Kong and other areas. Continue reading...

The posting on Gannett's site appeared on Tuesday and quickly went viralWhile no journalism job is perfect, a new role posted by Gannett, the US media company, may just be a Taylor Swift fan's wildest dream.On Tuesday, a job simply titled Taylor Swift reporter" appeared on the Gannett Careers' Dayforce site. The desired reporter, who is being sought by both USA Today and the Tennessean, is to be experienced, video-forward" and adept at capturing the music and cultural impact of Taylor Swift".This article was amended on 12 September 2023 after an editing error resulted in a misattributed quote. Continue reading...

A 27-year-old found in Campsie with gunshot wounds to his head and chest is in hospital in a serious condition

Board will now consider permanent residents of the US and those who have made it their longtime primary home'The board that administers the Pulitzer prize announced on Tuesday that it will expand its eligibility requirements to consider authors, playwrights and composers who are not US citizens.The prestigious award for books, drama and music, which had previously been open to just US citizens, will now consider permanent residents of the US and those who have made the US their longtime primary home", according to a press release on behalf of the Pulitzer prize board. Continue reading...

Company says he only disclosed a small number of historical relationships prior to becoming CEO'The chief executive of BP has resigned less than four years into his tenure after admitting that he failed to fully detail relationships with colleagues.Bernard Looney, who has spent his entire career with BP, has departed the 88bn company immediately in a surprise move. On Tuesday night, the company informed investors that Looney did not provide details of all relationships and accepts he was obliged to make more complete disclosure". Continue reading...

Egypt, Vietnam and Indonesia among countries sending delegations to four-day DSEI at ExCeLEurope's biggest ever arms fair got under way in London on Tuesday with record numbers expected to attend, boosted by interest from countries with controversial human rights records.Authoritarian Egypt and Vietnam are among those sending delegations, defence sources said, as well as Indonesia and India - all countries whose arms-buying strategies have been affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...

Greenwich council are investigating the cause of the hole after it appeared next to a taxi office in ElthamA sinkhole the size of a car has opened up on a street in south-east London.The hole which takes up almost an entire lane of the road and runs alongside the kerb next to a postbox, emerged on Monday morning on Dunvegan Road, Eltham. The area around the hole has been cordoned off after locals initially used wheelie bins to prevent an accident. Continue reading...

Thousands of ordinary citizens are travelling from all over the country to bring aid to survivors of earthquake

UK's first pilot hailed as life-saving' expected to be approved after it goes before officials on 27 SeptemberThe UK's first safer drug consumption room is likely to be approved in Glasgow within weeks, after Scotland's most senior law officer confirmed users would not be prosecuted.The Scottish government's drugs minister, Elena Whitham, told MSPs on Tuesday afternoon that proposals for the life-saving" pilot scheme would now go before the city's integrated joint board of council and health officials on 27 September, where it is expected to be approved and put out to public consultation. Continue reading...

Complicated rescue effort continues as questions remain about king and government's responseHope of finding earthquake survivors trapped under their homes in some of the remotest parts of the Atlas mountains in Morocco was fading rapidly as rescue efforts continued into their fourth day.Search and rescue teams were still attempting to reach the smallest hamlets and villages in the mountainous region of Al Haouz, close to the epicentre of the 6.8-magnitude quake that struck on Friday night. Continue reading...

PwC says owner plans to reopen stores under Poundland brand throwing lifeline to as many as 1,800 staffPoundland is to acquire up to 71 Wilko sites that it intends to reopen under its own brand in a deal that could throw a lifeline to some of the about 1,800 staff who will lose their jobs at the stricken retailer.Under the deal struck by administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) with Poundland's parent company Pepco, the sites will be acquired only after all 408 Wilko stores are shut and more than 12,000 staff made redundant. Continue reading...

Ministers are said to be in favour of legislating against the devices due to concerns about children's healthLeading doctors and councils have welcomed reports that ministers are preparing to ban single-use vapes in the UK, but others have expressed fears a ban could lead to a flood" of illegal products on the market.The reports of plans to stop the sale of disposable e-cigarettes come as fears grow about their environment impact and the health risks they pose to the large number of teenagers taking up vaping. Continue reading...

Emmerson Mnangagwa also criticised for inflating size of cabinet and reappointing underperforming ministersThe Zimbabwean president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, recently returned to power after a disputed election, has been accused by the opposition of attempting to create a family dynasty after appointing his son as deputy finance minister barely a week on from conferring his wife with an honorary doctorate.Announcing his new cabinet on Monday, Mnangagwa said one of his younger sons, David Kudakwashe Mnangagwa, would be second in charge at the Treasury, while appointing a nephew, Tongai, as deputy minister in the tourism minstry. Continue reading...

Hundreds of thousands of raw sewage discharges were recorded last year. These maps show where these were and what the impact isMore than 384,000 discharges of raw sewage were reported by water companies across England and Wales in 2022, official figures show, in what the Rivers Trust has described as extremely bad news for environmental and human health".However, the true scale may be even greater, as a new legal challenge has claimed. Meanwhile, another set of water firms are under investigation by the regulator Ofwat and the Environment Agency for alleged illegal dumping of sewage from treatment works, and an independent watchdog is now saying that the government and even the regulators themselves may have broken the law by letting firms discharge raw sewage more often than law allows. Continue reading...

Campaigners say using same formula as this year for 2024 will push many season tickets over 5,000 mark

Paul Fotheringham says home secretary positioning police as political rather than inclusiveSuella Braverman's plan to clamp down on police officers who dance at Pride or wear badges could open the door to discrimination against marginalised communities, a senior police officer has claimed.Paul Fotheringham, the president of the Police Superintendents' Association (PSA), questioned why the home secretary had launched an investigation into police impartiality", saying it portrayed forces as political rather than inclusive". Continue reading...

Calls for further security measures including vetting of staffers after UK parliamentary aide arrested on suspicion of spying for China

In fiery return from holiday, Labor leader points to the state's firing economy and raises ghosts of past opposition leaders

Minister in former Coalition government alleges colleague also subjected her to thrusting' innuendo during question time

Greens and independent MPs says work to set up Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission is too slow and will stop people coming forward with complaints

Veronica Boquete alleges Jenni Hermoso's phone was hacked after kiss by football boss at World CupA former captain of Spain's women's national football team has described the weeks-long standoff over the fate of Luis Rubiales as a war" that has pitted more than 100 of the country's top female players against certain members of the Spanish football establishment.In an interview published on Monday, Veronica Boquete even went so far as to claim that Jenni Hermoso's phone had been hacked, which may have been an attempt to discredit Hermoso in the wake of the unsolicited kiss by Rubiales. Continue reading...

As scale of disaster become clearer, survivors in small mountain communities feel they have been abandonedAs the dirt roads leading to some of the areas worst hit in Friday's earthquake in Morocco were gradually cleared, the full extent of the disaster was being revealed, including whole villages destroyed in Al Haouz province.In the tiny hamlet of Tarouiste, in the Atlas mountain foothills above the town of Amizmiz, not one of a dozen houses was left standing. Only the village mosque had not been reduced to rubble. Continue reading...

Talks with HMV owner Doug Putman to save about half of retailer's stores fail

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says North Korean leader's journey to Russia and meeting with Vladimir Putin will be a full-scale visit'