Queensland police allege Elizabeth died at home after being denied life-saving medication in the belief songs and prayers would heal her

Lawyer tells court it would have been extraordinary if Dawson planned to kill his wife without even packing a suitcase to make it appear she had left

People are buying less, costs are up, and profits are dwindling for traders at Kaneshi market in AccraOn a quiet stretch amid the sprawling buzz of Kaneshie market in Accra, a group of traders sheltering under canopies from the blazing sun sell yams stacked along the roadside.Rita Oboh, 32, has worked the spot, or one nearby, since she was six, following in the footsteps of her mother who also traded yams. “My mother lived good, really good,” Oboh says with pride. “She built houses, she looked after everybody, her family, people who relied on her. She was successful.” Continue reading...

At the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, the magistrate said that while the charge was serious, the musicians’ circumstances were exceptional

PM defends his response to NSW floods crisis, saying federal Coalition didn’t ‘get the memo about the new politics’

Kevin Bugmy, who spent his life in state institutions and 36 years in prison, received inadequate care for solvent abuse problem that affected his ability to get parole

The prime minister’s son was arrested by police but released without charge, after police allegedly found a suitcase with AU$650,000 on another travellerPapua New Guinea’s prime minister James Marape has denied any connection to a suitcase containing PGK1.56m (AU$650,000) in cash that police found in Hela province, just as voting in the country’s election was about to start.Mospal Marape, the son of the prime minister, James Marape, was arrested after being found allegedly travelling with a man carrying a suitcase full of cash totalling PGK1.56m (AU$650,000) to Hela province, where voting in the country’s election kicked off this week. Continue reading...

The front pages are almost unanimous in declaring that the prime minister’s time in No 10 could be up soonAfter limping along in the wake of the Partygate investigation, multiple sex scandals and successive policy failures, Boris Johnson is approaching the endgame of his time in Downing Street, according to the papers.“On the brink”, “hanging by a thread” and “Last chance saloon” are just some of the metaphors employed by the headline writers to describe the prime minister’s predicament on Wednesday morning after he was deserted by two of his most senior cabinet ministers. Continue reading...

Education secretary replaces Sunak with Steve Barclay becoming the new health secretaryNicola Sturgeon asked Boris Johnson to discuss a fresh referendum on independence when the two spoke by phone on Monday evening. According to a Scottish government readout of their conversation, she warned him she would not be deterred if he refused to grant one.Downing Street has not yet issued a readout of the conversation – lobby reporters should get one at their morning briefing later. We do not know what the prime minister said in reply to Sturgeon’s request for permission to stage a referendum, under a section 30 order granted by the UK government. Johnson has yet to reply in writing to Sturgeon’s demand by letter that Holyrood gets that section 30 order.The two leaders agreed that a heads of government meeting will take place in the near future to discuss the current cost of living crisis. Both governments will work together to develop proposals ahead of that meeting to help those most in need of support.In discussing Scotland’s future the first minister again made clear that the Scottish government is ready and willing to negotiate a section 30 order to secure a referendum on independence but reiterated that the absence of a section 30 order will not mean Scotland is refused the democratic right to choose. Continue reading...

Mette Frederiksen calls for unity as country mourns three people, including two teenagers, killed after gunman opened fire at Field’s shopping centreThousands have gathered in Copenhagen to pay tribute to the victims of a weekend shopping centre shooting that left three people dead, including two teenagers.“Cruel, unjust and senseless. Tonight, we all mourn,” the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, told the massive crowd that gathered on Tuesday outside the Field’s shopping complex, where the attack occurred. Frederiksen called for unity in the face of the tragedy. Continue reading...

Fifteen test positive while Fawkner facility faces charges over 2020 outbreak that left 45 residents dead

This live blog is now closed, you can find our latest coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war hereUkraine’s governor of Luhansk, Serhai Haidai, has posted an update to Telegram casting aspersions on the ability of pro-Russian proxies to restore stability in the newly occupied areas of Ukraine. He writes:In the recently occupied territories, the Russians establish their own rules, talk nonsense about the opening of schools from 1 September, the rapid restoration of communications. This is all a lie, the same thing happened in Mariupol. The only thing the Rashists [a term for Russian fascists] are capable of is terrorising the local population. Orcs [derogatory slang for Russians/pro-Russian forces] are already looking for activists and military families, collaborators are helping with this.Over these few months, more than 800 saboteurs were detained and handed over to the SBU [Ukrainian security service] for further procedural actions. And often, they are “sold for thirty pieces of silver”: the price for treason to the motherland reaches no more than 300 dollars. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Investigation by group of prominent human rights lawyers also criticises Syria and IraqTurkey should face charges in front of the international court of justice for being complicit in acts of genocide against the Yazidi people, while Syria and Iraq failed in their duty to prevent the killings, an investigation endorsed by British human rights lawyer Helena Kennedy has said.The groundbreaking report, compiled by a group of prominent human rights lawyers, is seeking to highlight the binding responsibility states have to prevent genocide on their territories, even if they are carried out by a third party such as Islamic State (IS). Continue reading...

Soaring costs mean rising number of people defaulting on mortgage, rent or bill payments, Which? findsMore than 2m households have missed a bill payment every month this year as people struggle to keep their heads above water in a “relentless cost of living crisis”, according to new research from consumer group Which?.In June an estimated 2.1m households missed or defaulted on at least one mortgage, rent, loan, credit card or bill, according to the consumer champion’s monthly insight tracker. This figure has been above 2 million every month so far this year, it said. Continue reading...

UK charity says 150 people an hour contacting it over backlog in processing personal independence payment claimsHundreds of thousands of disabled and chronically ill people in the UK are missing out on cash payments worth up to £157 a week because bureaucratic delays have driven up processing times for disability benefit claims to an average of five months.The Citizens Advice charity said the backlog in personal independence payment (Pip) claims processing was causing widespread stress and hardship. Roughly 150 people an hour were contacting its advisers for one-to-one help with the delays. Continue reading...

Facility intended for tennis fans to find ‘a moment of private meditation, prayer or reflection’It is supposed to be a space where guests can escape Wimbledon’s bustling crowds and packed courts.But some amorous couple are said to be misusing a new dedicated quiet room at SW19. Continue reading...

Wednesday: NSW set for temporary reprieve from storms, but the long-term forecast isn’t as bright. Plus: bombshell resignations in Boris Johnson’s party

Crystals, velvet, lamé, sequins and statement sparkly earrings feature in high-end couture catwalkGiorgio Armani’s Privé show in Paris was formed around the core tenets of classic cocktail dressing. The fashion veteran, who celebrates his 88th birthday this month, presented crystals, velvet, lamé, sequins and statement sparkly earrings. The colour palette shifted from silver and black to pinks and lilac with Armani’s trademark midnight blue dominating.With over 90 outfits, most of the collection felt familiar, part of the Armani wheelhouse since his heyday in the 1980s. The first four looks featured trousers, something that the designer has made a signature when it comes to after-dark dressing. Tailoring was strong – evening jackets featured in various different silhouettes, from a boxy sequined design to a longline jacquard version with geometric motifs. There were also classic gowns that would no doubt appeal to women with a diary full of black tie events – and a bank balance to fund a new frock. See a strapless black velvet dress with a slash of pink down the bodice or a mid-length dress in midnight blue silk organza, embroidered with tiny crystals. Continue reading...

The resignations of Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak are not events the PM can easily wriggle free from

Complaint says Unilever sale of Israeli business to local licensee undermines its values to sell its ice-cream in occupied West BankBen & Jerry’s has sued its parent Unilever plc to block the sale of its Israeli business to a local licensee, saying it was inconsistent with its values to sell its ice-cream in the occupied West Bank.The complaint filed in the US district court in Manhattan said the sale announced on 29 June threatened to undermine the integrity of the Ben & Jerry’s brand, which Ben & Jerry’s board retained independence to protect when Unilever acquired the company in 2000. Continue reading...

At least £450m of taxpayers’ money has been spent on facilities to handle post-Brexit checks, now delayedNext to the container terminal at Portsmouth International Port, just a few hundred metres from the water’s edge, stands a new hi-tech border control post.Built over the past 18 months at a cost of £25m, a cost shared by the taxpayer and the port’s owner, Portsmouth city council, the high-specification facility should be in its inaugural week of use, handling post-Brexit checks on imports of animal, plant and forestry products arriving from the EU. Continue reading...

The extremist group said the white Toyota, which belonged to Mullah Mohammad Omar, should be displayedThe Taliban have dug up a white Toyota used by their founding leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, to escape into hiding in southern Afghanistan after the US invasion.Senior officials have called for the vehicle to be put on display at the national museum in Kabul. It already houses the cars and coaches of former kings and prime ministers, including one with bulletproof glass fragmented by an assassination attempt. Continue reading...

How does Sunak, once seen as Johnson’s most likely replacement, measure up against Javid?Politics latest – liveThe chancellor, until recently seen as the most likely successor should Boris Johnson be ousted, has been tipped several times to resign on issues of principle or honour in recent months, but never did – until now. Continue reading...

Analysis: while Javid and Sunak resignations did not lead to deluge of other departures, many in party believe end is nigh for PM

As Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid announce their resignations minutes apart, could further departures follow?Two of Boris Johnson’s most senior cabinet minsters have quit, raising doubts over the prime minister’s future and questions over whether other members of his team will support him or turn their backs. Here is the state of play among key figures: Continue reading...

Health secretary and chancellor resign in what appears to be coordinated move

Analysis: PM is stubborn but if Tory MPs believe he is a liability that may prove decisive

Households struggling with loan repayments are ‘looking at a deep hole - incomes are not rising but costs are’

Australia is proceeding with trade disputes in WTO but Don Farrell says other options may emerge in talks between two countries

Brian Knowles admitted to denigrating colleagues but claimed to be victim of ‘witch-hunt’ in appeal to Industrial Relations Commission

Staff at homeless shelters required to be ‘clean-shaven’ to ensure N95 masks fit but for Sikh facial hair is key expression of faithMore than one hundred Sikh security guards in Toronto have lost their jobs or been demoted after refusing to cut their beards in order to wear a face mask, highlighting a city policy that critics describe as discriminatory “humiliating”.Under Toronto’s current rules, staff at homeless shelters and other congregate settings must wear a N95 respirators when exposed to people with Covid-19 or during suspected outbreaks. Continue reading...

Dorothy Bain QC releases her letter to the UK supreme court seeking its ruling on Nicola Sturgeon’s plans for a second referendumScotland’s lord advocate has confirmed she fears Nicola Sturgeon’s plans for a fresh independence referendum may be unlawful.Dorothy Bain QC has now released the letter she wrote to the UK supreme court last week seeking its ruling on whether Sturgeon has the legal powers to stage a referendum without the UK government’s authority. Continue reading...

UK’s second-biggest supermarket says it will invest £500m to keep prices low as Marks & Spencer echoes outlook for coming monthsThe inflationary pressure on households will “only intensify” through the rest of this year, the boss of Sainsbury’s has warned as he said the supermarket would invest £500m in attempting to keep prices low.The dour sentiment was echoed by the chair of Marks & Spencer, Archie Norman, who told shareholders at the retailer’s annual general meeting on Tuesday that there was a “coming winter in consumer demand”. Continue reading...

As high summer approaches, visitors to the country no longer need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to be allowed inPortugal has become the latest country to drop all Covid travel restrictions, so British tourists no longer need to show proof of vaccination or take a test. The country previously required all travellers to show either proof of vaccination or a negative PCR/antigen test, but this has changed with the new rules coming into effect immediately.The Visit Portugal website said the rules applied to all “national territory”, including the Azores and Madeira, but that the measures could be reviewed “in accordance to the evolution of the pandemic”. Face coverings remain mandatory on public transport, in taxis and when visiting care homes, nursing homes and health facilities. Social distancing and frequent hand washing are still advised. Continue reading...

Inquiry examines causes of death, starting with eight people who died sheltering in two 23rd floor flatsWith friends to support them and boxes of tissues at hand, families whose loved ones died at Grenfell Tower gathered on Tuesday to finally hear in public the harrowing detail of how they perished.Five years and 21 days since fire engulfed the west London block, killing 72, public inquiry hearings recording the causes of death, last words and movements of the deceased began with an account of eight people who died after sheltering in two flats on the 23rd floor. Continue reading...

Euro slumps to 20-year low against US dollar as jump in natural gas prices intensifies economic strainRising worries about a European recession hit stock markets on Tuesday as the euro slumped to a two-decade low and the pound fell to its lowest since the start of the pandemic.Shares tumbled in London and across Europe as a jump in natural gas prices intensified the strain on the European economy. Continue reading...

George Degiorgio says he would have asked for bigger payment for murder had he known more about victimOne of the men accused of detonating the car bomb that killed the anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has confessed to the crime and said he would have asked for a bigger fee for the murder had he known more about her.George Degiorgio, who along with his brother Alfred and an associate, Vince Muscat, has been charged with murdering Caruana Galizia in Malta in October 2017, also said he would implicate others in the plot to kill her. Continue reading...

Tennis player who has reached Wimbledon quarter-finals is due to appear in court in Canberra next monthThe tennis player Nick Kyrgios is due to face a court in Australia after being summonsed to face a charge of assaulting a former girlfriend.The 27-year-old Australian, who reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon on Monday, will appear in court in Canberra next month. Continue reading...

Belgian justice minister tells MPs if bill not approved threat to Belgian interests will increaseBelgian politicians who support a treaty that would permit the swap of an Iranian diplomat jailed in Belgium for Belgians held prisoner in Tehran have told the treaty’s opponents that “lives are at stake”.MPs were told during a debate on Tuesday that there were serious risks to Belgians being kept in Iran if they voted against ratifying the treaty, which is set to be a first of its kind among European countries. Continue reading...

German logistics firm will invest £482m across its UK e-commerce operation amid online shopping boomThe logistics firm DHL is to expand in the UK in response to the growth in home deliveries, setting up new depots and enlarging others, which will create more than 4,000 jobs.The German company said it would invest £482m across its UK e-commerce operation, DHL Parcel UK, following a 40% rise in volumes since the start of 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic led to a surge in online shopping. Continue reading...

Just 59% of 10- and 11-year-olds reach expected standards in literacy, writing and maths in this year’s assessmentThe Covid pandemic and disruption has undone many of the improvements in primary school test results within the last five years, according to this year’s Sats assessments taken by pupils in England.Just 59% of 10 and 11 year olds reached the Department for Education’s expected standards in literacy, writing and maths, the lowest rate since 2017 and below the 65% recorded in 2019 before the pandemic. Continue reading...

Isyaka Mamman, thought to be 85, admitted causing death of Shahida Parveen, 48, in bone marrow biopsyA doctor who carried out a botched procedure that led to the death of a woman has been jailed for three years.Dr Isyaka Mamman, who is believed to be 85, had already been suspended for lying about his age and colleagues thought he should be retired after botching similar procedures before the fatal incident. Continue reading...

PM forgot he had been told about investigation that upheld complaint about Pincher’s behaviour, minister says

Concerns that take-up of government scheme has fallen far short of £800m in promised coverThe Wimbledon tennis tournament has received by far the largest amount of government support from a Covid-19 insurance scheme set up to help live events organisers.Organisers of live events ranging from music festivals to business conferences and car shows found it impossible last year to find commercial insurance, as insurers balked at the high risk of coronavirus restrictions being reimposed. After months of pleas for help from the events sector, the government intervened in August 2021 to provide reinsurance, in a move the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, said would allow events organisers to “plan with confidence”. Continue reading...

Unarmed 28-year-old killed by police marksman in 2015 when part of a gang trying to free a prisonerA Metropolitan police firearms officer lawfully shot Jermaine Baker dead in December 2015, an official inquiry has found.Baker was part of a criminal gang trying to spring a prisoner from custody when he was killed by a Metropolitan police marksman on 11 December 2015. Continue reading...

President says violating property rights would set dangerous precedent and needed legal justification

Unite members will work to rule over plan to cut 700 jobs and slash pay by up to £7,000Royal Mail managers across the UK are poised to take industrial action in the next two weeks in a dispute over jobs and pay.Unite, the union that represents the workers, said 2,400 managers would work to rule between 15 and 19 July, followed by strike action between 20 and 22 July over Royal Mail’s plan to cut 700 jobs and slash pay by up to £7,000. Continue reading...

Five areas have experienced unusually early heatwave and lack of rainfall, particularly in the Po valleyItaly has declared a state of emergency in five northern regions and announced emergency funds over a worsening drought that has plagued the Po valley in recent weeks.The cabinet approved a state of emergency in five regions – Friuli-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto – until 31 December, the government said in a statement that also announced a €36.5m (£33.8m) fund to help those affected. Continue reading...

Advocacy groups and BNO passport holders say not enough is being done to help them after arriving in BritainThe UK is not doing enough to provide mental health support to thousands of Hongkongers who have fled China’s increasingly authoritarian grip, according to advocacy groups and those politically displaced.Following China’s introduction of a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong and swift clampdown on dissent, tens of thousands of residents with British national (overseas) (BNO) passports and their dependants were granted the right to live and work in the UK in 2021. Continue reading...