Conference season is here, along with significant electoral tests, followed by the king's speech and autumn statementWith a general election fast approaching - one has to be held by 28 January 2025 at the latest - there is little time for Rishi Sunak to come up with a masterplan. His party is way behind in the polls, and every week brings another crisis - small boats, school buildings, NHS waiting lists soaring, councils going bust.Keir Starmer and Labour now look increasingly confident, and likely to form the next government. Continue reading...

Close friend and colleague has revealed Ella Cutler, who fell 10 metres from Dubrovnik clifftop, is out of ICU but still faces many surgeries'

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Questions for current and ex-PM over their handling of the pandemic put off until NovemberThe box office" inquisitions that will bring Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings before the Covid-19 inquiry have been shunted back a month until November to prevent them clashing with the political conference season.The eagerly awaited appearances of those in charge of the pandemic response will lay bare tensions and disagreements at the heart of government, including over the severity and timing of lockdowns, the rushed contracts awarded for huge amounts of personal protective equipment (PPE), school closures and policies such as Sunak's eat out to help out" scheme. Continue reading...

Soaring deficits at health trusts across England cast doubt on Sunak's waiting lists pledgeThe NHS is heading into an unprecedented financial crisis and will overspend its budget by at least 7bn next year as the effects of inflation and strikes plunge hospital trusts into alarming levels of debt, according to leading independent experts.The problem of soaring deficits is hitting a growing number of trusts across England ahead of a likely general election within 12 months, and will raise further serious doubts about Rishi Sunak's chances of meeting his pledge to cut record waiting lists. Continue reading...

Limited police resources and court backlogs of owners seeking exemptions for their animals will make new law difficult to enforceA ban on American XL bully dogs may prove ineffective in the short term, with limited resources in police forces to enforce new laws and the prospect of a backlog in the courts, experts warned this weekend.Some police forces only have one or two trained dog legislation officers. The police and the courts may be required to deal with hundreds of cases from owners of XL bully dogs seeking exemptions to any ban. Continue reading...

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services says lives could be at risk and it is nearly too late to leave

West Midlands mayor Andy Street says a big chunk of people' are hurting in cost of living crisisA senior Conservative has called on his party to ensure welfare claimants are not handed a real-terms cut next year, after Rishi Sunak refused to commit to increasing benefits in line with inflation.Andy Street, the West Midlands mayor and the most senior Tory outside London, said the party's previous commitment to increasing benefits such as universal credit in line with inflation had become a real symbol" of the party's commitment to helping the low-paid. Continue reading...

Akbar Al Baker says request for more flights into Australia was legitimate' at a time the airline was so supportive of Australia'

Warren Mundine, a leading anti-voice campaigner, made the comments despite his no campaign warning against such radical' changes

Kim Jong-un inspects strategic bombers in Russia; Moscow denies Ukraine's claim to have seized village in Donetsk region

Former PM set to give speech defending her time in charge and explaining spending decisionsLiz Truss will claim that Rishi Sunak's government has spent 35bn more than she would have as prime minister, in a speech on Monday.The short-lived prime minister will use a speech at the Institute for Government to defend and explain her time in charge, nearly a year on from the ill-fated mini-budget that helped end her premiership. Continue reading...

Claims related to seven-year period are detailed in Times and Channel 4 investigation after actor had already denied allegationsRussell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse over a seven-year period at the height of his fame.The allegations between 2006 and 2013 were the result of a joint investigation by the Sunday Times, the Times and Channel 4 Dispatches. Brand denies the allegations. Continue reading...

Two men from Worcestershire and the horse were declared dead at scene on A38 north of junction 1 of M50The two occupants of a horse-and-trap have died after a collision with a car.Gloucestershire police said the incident happened on Friday night on the A38 north of junction 1 of the M50. Continue reading...

Iranian security forces briefly hold Amjad Amini amid crackdown on commemorative protestsThe father of Mahsa Amini was temporarily detained by Iranian security forces on the anniversary of her death in an attempt to stop people gathering at her grave amid strikes and protests across the country.The Kurdistan Human Rights Network said the security forces released Amjad Amini after briefly detaining him and warning him against marking the anniversary of his daughter's death. Continue reading...

Storm expected to approach New Brunswick, bringing winds of 70mph and relentless rainfallPost-tropical cyclone Lee made landfall in Nova Scotia, Canada, on Saturday afternoon hours after it battered New England and eastern Canada with powerful winds and rains.The storm cut off electricity to tens of thousands and inundated coastal roads in Nova Scotia, and left at least one person dead, according to the Associated Press. The 51-year-old man died after a tree limb fell onto his vehicle as he was driving in Searsport, Maine. The tree felled live power lines and workers had to turn off electricity before the man could be taken from his vehicle. He died at a hospital. Continue reading...

Breach, discovered by Guardian Australia, resulted in information being used to allegedly threaten some in detention

Prime minister can find comfort in ranking above Liz Truss, howeverRishi Sunak is seen as less competent on economic affairs than most recent Conservative prime ministers, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer.The prime minister has made reducing inflation one of his key priorities, as well as reducing debt and avoiding a recession. Much of his pitch has been on his economic management skills as a former chancellor. Continue reading...

The comic, who has been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse and given support by Elon Musk and Andrew Tate, hints that a darker agenda is at playThis weekend's accusations that the comic and actor Russell Brand has committed serious sexual crimes will test just how possible it is to knock the reputation of a celebrity who has always admitted to previous bad behaviour", and built up his fame on the strength of it.After all, this is someone who has openly joked" with Jimmy Savile about getting together to have sex with young women. So just how vulnerable is the Brand brand? Continue reading...

Ties with Europe are a top priority, says shadow foreign secretary David Lammy, as he calls for Britain to play a lead role in world affairsThe shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, has proposed regular meetings between UK and European Union ministers, as part of a major reset of British foreign policy under a Labour government.Lammy, who was attending a gathering of centre-left leaders in Montreal, Canada, with the Labour leader Keir Starmer, told the Observer it was high time the UK took up its place again, after Brexit, as a lead player in world affairs. A UK that is isolated and missing is felt across the world. It is definitely the case that the international community want Britain back," he said. Continue reading...

Michael Beloff KC judged in 2011 that reference to he' excluded women but has now concluded oppositeOne of London's last remaining gentlemen's clubs, the Garrick, may be edging towards admitting women after a barrister performed a U-turn on a previous legal judgment ruling that they were ineligible for membership.Michael Beloff KC first concluded that women could not be proposed under the club's rules after Joanna Lumley was denied membership in 2011. He ruled then that although the rules do not explicitly preclude women from joining, they state that no candidate shall be eligible unless he be proposed by one member and seconded by another". Continue reading...

Ukraine claimed to have recaptured the devastated eastern village of Andriivka, near Bakhmut.Here are some of the latest images coming through from photographers in Ukraine:In case you missed it, Alexander Lukashenko has expressed interest in creating a trilateral partnership with Russia and North Korea amid rumours that Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un were negotiating an arms deal to sustain Russia's war in Ukraine. Continue reading...

Mourners pay tribute to controversial former leader of Inkatha Freedom Party who died last week aged 95Thousands of mourners gathered in South Africa's eastern town of Ulundi on Saturday for the state funeral of veteran politician and Zulu prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.Buthelezi, a controversial figure during the apartheid liberation struggle because of his bitter rivalry with the African National Congress (ANC), died last week aged 95. Continue reading...

Former international development secretary says many of his parliamentary colleagues did not understand Brexit

Family pay tribute to amazing brother and son' as two teenagers arrested on suspicion of murderA 14-year-old boy who died after being stabbed in north Manchester has been named by police as Nathaniel Shani.Nathaniel's family said: Nathaniel was a best friend to many. He never failed to make people laugh. Nathaniel was very kind, caring and always thinking of others. Continue reading...

Annotations in eighth-century manuscript point to work of revered English monk, scholar and saintHis life of service through scholarship earned him the title venerable". He is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the post-Roman world, and acknowledged as a saint in the Orthodox, Catholic and Anglican traditions.Now a leading academic believes she has identified an example of the handwriting of Bede, the medieval theologian revered as the father of English history, along with his lost" Old English translation of the St John's Gospel. Continue reading...

Relatives of Manchester man, 36, receive support as UK and Ukraine officials work on identification

Free speech advocate Hisham Kassem sentenced for defaming former minister Kamal Abu EitaA court in Cairo has sentenced a former newspaper publisher, free speech advocate and rights activist to six months in prison in a trial observers say constitutes an attack on a leading critic of the Egyptian state.Hisham Kassem, the former publisher of Al Masry Al Youm newspaper, received six months in detention and a fine of 20,000 EGP (approximately 523) for slandering and defaming Kamal Abu Eita. Abu Eita is a former minister and current member of Egypt's presidential pardon committee, tasked with granting clemency towards some of the tens of thousands of detainees in the Egyptian prison system. Continue reading...

Small vessel rescued en route to island of Lampedusa, which has received 8,500 people this weekA newborn baby has been found dead on a boat carrying people to the Italian island of Lampedusa during a rescue operation, the Ansa news agency has reported.The baby was born during the journey and died soon after birth, Ansa reported, adding that about 40 people were onboard. Continue reading...

Defence minister shows North Korean leader weapons including hypersonic missiles at airfield near VladivostokThe North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, has inspected Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers, hypersonic missiles and warships, accompanied by Vladimir Putin's defence minister.Sergei Shoigu greeted Kim at Russia's Knevichi airfield, about 30 miles (50km) from the Pacific port city of Vladivostok, on Saturday. The North Korean leader then inspected a guard of honour. Continue reading...

Inquests flag up gaps in the care of prisoners in relation to at least nine deaths in custody since 2021Prison understaffing and workload issues have been flagged in at least nine inquests into deaths in custody since the start of 2021, according to an Observer analysis of coroners' reports.Issues raised include gaps in monitoring of prisoners due to understaffing, a lack of prison-based clinical staff and shortcomings in the keyworker programme. Coroners have also repeatedly identified problems with staff training and the assessment, care in custody and teamwork (ACCT) process for prisoners identified as being at risk of suicide or self-harm. Continue reading...

Investigation continues after Ian Price, 52, died after being attacked by two dogs on ThursdayA man arrested in connection with the death of Ian Price, who was killed after an attack by two dogs in Staffordshire, has been released on conditional bail.Price, who was 52, died in hospital after being attacked in Stonnall, near Walsall, shortly after 3pm on Thursday. A 30-year-old man was detained on suspicion of manslaughter and being in charge of dogs dangerously out of control. Continue reading...

Actor and comedian makes statement after receiving letters from mainstream media TV company' and newspaperRussell Brand has vehemently denied very serious criminal allegations" about his personal life, in a video in which he does not specify what the claims are but insists his relationships have always been consensual.In a clip posted on YouTube and to his social media platforms, the actor and comedian said he had received communications from a mainstream media TV company" and a newspaper listing a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks" that he absolutely refutes". Continue reading...

Officers detain 25-year-old man after receiving reports of person climbing walls in early hoursA man has been arrested near Buckingham Palace after police received reports of a person trying to climb the walls in the early hours of Saturday.Officers said a 25-year-old was arrested under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act for trespassing on a protected site. Continue reading...

Dogs will have to be registered and kept leashed and muzzled in public, says chief veterinary officerThe UK's chief veterinary officer has stressed there will be an amnesty before a ban on American XL bully dogs, after an expert said the breed was behind almost half of all attacks on humans and dogs killed since 2021.An amnesty for XL bullies would mean existing animals were not culled, but owners would be required to register and keep them leashed and muzzled in public, Christine Middlemiss said. Continue reading...

Charity that runs boarding houses to help girls in remote Atlas mountains get to school scrambles to find out what facilities remainWhen a powerful earthquake struck deep below Morocco's Atlas mountains last Friday night, the school year had only just begun. Staff from a girls' education charity who had stayed late at work suddenly found themselves jolted by the force of a 6.8 magnitude quake as the walls of their offices crumbled around them to expose the cold mountain air.Many of the girls who we know are at least alive have lost mothers, brothers, fathers, family members and it looks like many of their houses have also been completely destroyed," said Sonia Omar, the head of Education for All Morocco, her voice cracking. The charity supports a network of six boarding houses for girls across the Atlas, all situated in villages around the epicentre of the quake. Continue reading...

Bureau of Meteorology forecasts warm weather to remain over coming days, with Sydney set to reach 30C and Melbourne 24C

Revelation comes as government announces former National Crime Agency chief will lead inquiry into breakoutEighty prison officers did not to turn up for their shifts at Wandsworth prison on the day Daniel Khalife escaped, leaving just 60% of posts filled, it has emerged.The revelation came as the government announced that a former director general of the National Crime Agency has been appointed to investigate the incident. Continue reading...

Sport of Camanachd, or shinty, is spreading beyond Scottish Highlands, with women's game the biggest growth area

De Koning's in the air, everywhere I look around,' Williams sang to tune of Love Is In The Air

Launch of ad promoting the yes vote ahead of the voice referendum coincides with Walk for Yes events in major cities

Merrick Garland, the attorney general, confirmed the extradition, calling it an effort to attack every aspect' of the cartel's operationsOvidio Guzman, son of incarcerated Mexican drug lord Joaquin El Chapo" Guzman, has been extradited to the US, where he is wanted on fentanyl trafficking charges, Mexican and US authorities said on Friday.Attorney general Merrick Garland said Ovidio had been extradited, calling it the latest step in US efforts to attack every aspect" of the drug trafficking operations run by the Sinaloa cartel associated with the Guzman family. Continue reading...

Phil Krakouer and at least six others claim the league failed to protect them from racial vilification

Ukraine claims to have seized village from Russian forces in Donetsk region; Zelenskiy to meet Biden in Washington next week

Robert Brown, who bludgeoned Joanna Simpson to death in 2010, is due to be released in NovemberThe family of a woman bludgeoned to death by her estranged husband have called on the justice secretary to take urgent action, after learning that he will be released from prison at the start of November.Robert Brown, who killed Joanna Simpson in October 2010, will be released after serving half of his 24-year sentence. Continue reading...

Actors were on the board of Thorn when their letters defending convicted rapist Danny Masterson came to lightAshton Kutcher and his wife Mila Kunis have resigned from the board of the anti-child sexual abuse charity he founded amid swirling criticism of their defense of fellow actor and convicted rapist Danny Masterson.Kutcher told the board of Thorn he was standing down immediately as its chair in a letter written on Thursday and posted to the organization's website. Kunis's role as an observer on the board ended at the same time.Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse is available from the following organisations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html Continue reading...

Then chancellor reportedly nearly stepped down last year after breaking Covid-19 lockdown laws in 2020, according to new bookRishi Sunak was persuaded not to quit as chancellor over his fine for breaking lockdown laws after an intervention by executives working for media mogul Rupert Murdoch, it has been claimed.The claim is detailed in a book by the Telegraph's political editor, Ben Riley-Smith, and published by the newspaper's website on Friday. Continue reading...

Actor, best known for playing Wolverine, and Deborra-Lee Furness say they are pursuing individual growth'Hugh Jackman and his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, have announced they are ending their marriage after 27 years.The Australian actors married in 1996 and have two children, Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18. Continue reading...

Actor apologises for controversial decision to resume production of show, saying she didn't want to upset or hurt anyone'Drew Barrymore has posted a tearful apology after coming under fire for bringing her talkshow back during the writers' strike.The actor and host had announced that The Drew Barrymore Show would return, while in accordance with the Sag-Aftra and WGA strike rules. But the decision led to an immediate backlash, with protesters demonstrating at the CBS studios during the first day of production. Audience members were also reportedly thrown out for wearing WGA pins. Continue reading...