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Mykolaiv governor says Russian forces damaged homes and three hospitals in strike; UK intelligence says Russian troops hampered by problems

First minister hits out amid reports of plan to make it more difficult to secure yes vote for independenceNicola Sturgeon has warned Liz Truss against any attempt to “gerrymander the rules” on Scottish independence amid reports that ministers are planning measures to make securing a yes vote more difficult.An unnamed supporter of Truss, who is expected to become prime minister this week, suggested her government would introduce a requirement to demonstrate 60% support for another referendum before a new independence vote could be held. Continue reading...

Escalation of action follows ministers’ refusal to agree to 25% increase in fees as backlog grows to 60,000 cases

Inequality and national identity are high on the agenda as the country votes. But few want to heed Covid’s lessonsIn the Stockholm neighbourhood of Tensta, the pandemic has left many feeling hopeless and disenfranchised, says Fatuma Mohamed.While much of Sweden – including politicians – appear to have forgotten all about Covid, the health communicator and longtime resident said that many in the area are still grappling with its impact. Continue reading...

Artist who painted Melbourne mural of soldiers hugging has apologised and said his intention was ‘to promote peace’

Approval would replace Pinochet-era document, recognizing Chile’s Indigenous peoples and requiring action on the climate crisisChileans head to the polls today to either approve or reject what has been described as the world’s most progressive constitution, which would replace the 1980 document drawn up during Gen Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.The referendum marks the culmination of three tumultuous years of protest and political upheaval, in which a protest over subway prices grew into a broad uprising against deeply rooted inequalities and a disconnected political class. Continue reading...

The Old Dairy Brewery, named in a government video, has seen sales slump because of excessive paperworkA Kent brewery chosen to help champion export opportunities for the government after Brexit has revealed that burdensome customs checks and paperwork have left it with just one remaining customer in the EU.The Old Dairy Brewery in Kent – a Department for International Trade export champion for the south-east – appeared in a government video last year promoting the potential to boost Brexit export sales. Continue reading...

Greens senator Nick McKim says homeowners took on massive debt believing rates wouldn’t rise before 2024 and are now getting ‘smashed’

Federal Coalition also takes aim at Tony Burke, who last week said he wanted to change law that has become central to Sydney train strike dispute

New figures raise further questions about failure of government fund to reach the poorest areas of UKThe south-east of England, the most affluent region in Britain outside London, last year received almost twice as much money as the north-east from the government’s levelling up fund aimed at boosting deprived areas.Projects in the south-east benefited from £9.2m from the fund in the year to 31 March 2022. By comparison, the north-east only received £4.9m, despite being the poorest region in Britain by disposable household income. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Constable argues host of issues are ‘beyond the scope of the coroner’s power’ during examination of 2019 shooting death in Yuendumu

Pressure mounts for independent investigation into alleged smuggling of British schoolgirl into Syria by Canadian agent in 2015Senior Canadian intelligence officials would support an inquiry into their organisation’s deeply contentious role in the smuggling of British schoolgirl Shamima Begum into Syria, the Observer has been told.Sources have told Tasnime Akunjee, the lawyer representing Begum’s family, that there is significant concern within its ranks that a people smuggler working for Canadian intelligence helped Begum and two friends from Bethnal Green, east London, to join Islamic State in Syria. Until now, sources within the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) have kept their counsel over the scandal since it was revealed last week that the Metropolitan police in London allegedly knew that a people smuggler linked to western security services trafficked the then 15-year-old. Continue reading...

Labour leader says new Conservative PM will not bring ‘new dawn’ and neither candidate has the answers to Britain’s problemsKeir Starmer has warned that the arrival of a new Conservative prime minister on Tuesday is not a “new dawn”, as he made a fresh pitch to voters to back Labour.The Labour leader wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that he backed “common-sense, practical solutions over ideological purity” and that “as summer turns to autumn, the shadows of crisis are lengthening, looming over the whole country”. Continue reading...

Office of ex-Tory minister received £20,000 from SureScreen Diagnostics two years after he recommended firmTory MP Liam Fox has hit out at a report regarding a £20,000 donation from a Covid firm he recommended to the government during the pandemic, calling it a “baseless smear”.In an email seen by the BBC and Sky News, sent by Fox to the then health secretary Matt Hancock and dated 22 June 2020, the MP recommends the Derbyshire-based firm SureScreen Diagnostics. Continue reading...

The killings come two weeks after group besieged a hotel in Mogadishu for 30 hours, leaving 21 deadFighters from the Islamist insurgent group al-Shabaab have killed at least 19 civilians in a night-time attack in central Somalia, clan chiefs and local officials said on Saturday.The attack comes two weeks after al-Shabaab, which has waged a long insurgency against the Somali state, besieged a hotel in the capital Mogadishu for 30 hours, leaving 21 people dead and 117 injured. Continue reading...

Celebration of drummer who died in March included performances by Nile Rodgers, the Pretenders and SupergrassDave Grohl paid an emotional tribute to his late friend and Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins at a star-studded tribute concert at Wembley Stadium.Speaking at the event in London on Saturday, he said: “Taylor loved to jam and record with anybody and everybody. He loved to play music every day. And there aren’t too many people that he’s never jammed with. Continue reading...

Mahmood Mattan, a British Somali, was hanged in 1952 after he was found guilty of a murder in CardiffThe family of a man wrongly convicted of murder has been given a police apology for the “terrible suffering” the miscarriage of justice caused, 70 years after he was executed in a British prison.Mahmood Mattan, a British Somali father of three, was hanged aged 28 in September 1952 after he was convicted of killing Lily Volpert in her Cardiff clothes store. He protested his innocence to the end. Continue reading...

Book also includes comments about the government’s approach to dealing with China and discussions around Australia’s defence posture

More than 80% of the country’s Covid deaths occurred in 2022, likely in part due to success of early control measures but questions remain

Leadership frontrunner is now seen by many party supporters as

Nuclear energy facility now linked to grid with a reserve line; former leader buried without state honours. This blog is now closed.

Comments at Venice film festival come after recent failed assassination attempt on Argentina’s vice-president

Meeting of Conor Burns and Maroš Šefčovič a promising sign as taoiseach says dispute is ‘testing and fraying’ Anglo-Irish relationsHopes that Brexit talks between the EU and the UK could restart after nine months of paralysis were raised over the weekend after Northern Ireland minister Conor Burns held talks with the European Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič.He spoke as the Irish prime minister, Micheál Martin, said the deepening row over the Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland was “testing and fraying” Anglo-Irish relations, but that the arrival of a new prime minister offered a chance for a fresh approach to break the impasse. Continue reading...

Brexit campaign group fronted by Nigel Farage leaves thousands in unpaid fines for data law breachesThe Brexit campaign group Leave.EU has gone into liquidation with its controversial co-founder Arron Banks appearing to write off a loan worth more than £7m.Documents submitted to Companies House also reveal that the anti-EU lobbying group, which was fronted by Nigel Farage during the 2016 EU referendum campaign, has failed to pay tens of thousands in fines owed to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for breaches of data law. Continue reading...

Government guidance on rodents angers conservationists who say animals are a help not a hindrance to agricultureFarmers in England will be allowed to shoot beavers if they threaten their crops, the government has revealed.Conservationists have opposed the move, saying the animals are an “ally to farmers”, helping conserve water in times of drought, and are an endangered species that should be treasured. The rodents became extinct in the UK 400 years ago after they were hunted for their pelts, but in recent years they have been reintroduced to England and Scotland. Continue reading...

Shadow health secretary says Conservative plans to cap NHS recruitment are shortsightedLabour’s shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, has accused the Conservatives of planning to lose the next general election.Streeting said he was confident Labour would win when the country next goes to the polls. Continue reading...

Comments come after Gazprom extends shutdown of gas supply through Nord Stream 1 to Germany

Hundreds of mourners pay tribute in Russian capital to former Soviet leader credited with helping to end cold warRussians paid their final respects to the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, in a ceremony held in Moscow without much fanfare and with President Vladimir Putin notably absent.Several thousand mourners queued up to quietly file past Gorbachev’s open casket as it was flanked by honour guards under the Russian flag in the historic Hall of Columns. Continue reading...

Chronic underfunding of the Send system in England blamed for failure to offer children adequate supportThe number of complaints from parents about special needs education has risen by three-quarters in the past four years – with more than one complaint a day filed last year, according to figures from the local government ombudsman.The increase reflects the crisis in the special educational needs and disabilities (Send) system, with rising demand, chronic underfunding, lengthy delays and enduring gaps in provision. Continue reading...

Robert Hendy-Freegard faces possible attempted murder charges after injuring two French police officersA British conman who had been on the run for more than a week after injuring two French police officers has been arrested in Belgium.Robert Hendy-Freegard, a convicted fraudster who was the subject of a Netflix documentary, is facing possible attempted murder charges. He is expected to appear before a Belgian judge on Saturday before his extradition to France. Continue reading...

Frontrunner to become next PM reportedly considering review of protections including 48-hour working weekTrade unions have called for Liz Truss to “come clean” on her plans for workers’ rights should she become prime minister, after it was reported that she plans a post-Brexit restructuring of employment laws.The foreign secretary, who is widely seen as the frontrunner in the contest to become the next PM, is considering a review of protections for workers, the Times reported.

The company is operating a reduced service, with one train an hour running between London and ManchesterThe mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has told Avanti West Coast it is in the “last chance saloon” after the resignation of its managing director amid long-running disruption and reductions to its schedule.On Friday, it was announced that Phil Whittingham would leave his role from 15 September to “pursue other executive leadership opportunities”. Continue reading...

Supermodel joins list of celebrities delving into lucrative wellness business with products that ‘help find inner peace’Once nicknamed “the tank” for her ability to guzzle champagne, the original 90s It model Kate Moss has swapped partying for dawn meditation and night-time tisanes.On Thursday, Moss has launched her own wellness brand, Cosmoss, featuring six products including vegan skincare and mood-boosting teas, ranging from £20 for a canister of Dawn Tea to £120 for a Sacred Mist fragrance. “A story of reconnection from soul to surface. There is a magic to Cosmoss and I can’t wait for you all to uncover it, just as I did,” reads a statement in a press release. Continue reading...

Rights groups say Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled in July amid protests, should be brought to justice on a number of chargesThe deposed Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa is facing calls for his arrest after returning home from self-imposed exile under the protection of the government that took charge when he fled.Rajapaksa fled the island country under military escort in July when a huge crowd stormed his official residence after months of angry demonstrations against his government. Continue reading...

Plan costing £60m is intended to help passengers during cost of living crisis and will come into effect in JanuaryBus journeys in England will be capped at £2 for three months amid concerns about the cost of living crisis.The Department for Transport said the £60m plan could save passengers more than £3 for a single ticket. Continue reading...

Hundreds of mourners pay tribute in Russian capital to former Soviet leader credited with helping to end cold warHundreds of mourners are lining up in central Moscow to bid farewell to Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union often credited with bringing an end to the cold war.The farewell ceremony, which is being held in the Hall of Pillars in Moscow’s House of the Unions, will be followed by a closed funeral in the Novodevichy cemetery. Continue reading...

Alan Joyce says multi-employer bargaining could create problems; western NSW braces for flooding. This blog is now closed

NHS launches autumn drive with jabs offered first to care home staff and residents, and housebound peopleMillions of care home residents, staff and housebound people in England will be invited for their autumn coronavirus vaccine booster from Monday.Health teams will visit care homes and private homes to vaccinate about 1.6 million residents, staff and housebound people in the latest phase of the vaccine programme, NHS England has said. Continue reading...

‘Diva’ has good, neutral and bad connotations – but as singers from Maria Callas to Beyoncé have shown, it is a trait of sheer excellenceIt was on the second episode of Meghan Markle’s podcast Archetype, in which she interviewed her girl crush or queen or whatevs, Mariah Carey, that the moment happened: Markle used the word “diva” of Carey, and Mariah replied that Meghan had her own diva moments. The two women moved past the awkwardness such that a regular listener might not even have logged it, had not Meghan extensively editorialised afterwards: “It stopped me in my tracks, when she called me a diva,” Markle said, with great urgency, you can almost hear her leaning forwards. “I started to sweat a little bit. I started squirming in my chair in this quiet revolt. Why would you say that? My mind was spinning with what nonsense had she read or clicked on that made her think that about me.” OK, so clearly Mariah Carey thinks of the word as positive or neutral, while Meghan Markle thinks it is pejorative.The word does indeed have three meanings, good, neutral, evil, like in Dungeons and Dragons. That evolution is natural: “diva” is only used of women, and heavily skewed towards women of colour, to denote, per the editor Marna Nightingale: “Both stubborn and exacting professionally, sometimes dramatic about it, but, and this is important, they’re doing it because they know their stuff and they almost always turn out to be right.” It is rarely used of someone who isn’t creative and charismatic, so it contains an element of awe. This is good diva. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Despite ‘Global Britain’ rhetoric, Brexit opportunities minister refused to sign off budget to revive pandemic-hit industryJacob Rees-Mogg is blocking a major government-backed tourism campaign – despite being a vocal advocate of “Global Britain”.The planned advertising blitz is aimed at bringing back tourists from key international markets including India, China, Australia, Japan and Canada to boost visitor numbers in the wake of the pandemic. Continue reading...

Prices have fallen and a weekend in the Greek capital costs £207, compared with £218 in runner-up LisbonAthens has been ranked the cheapest location for a city break on the continent, ahead of traditional budget-friendly eastern European destinations.Analysis of a dozen typical tourist costs for UK visitors in 20 popular cities by Post Office Travel Money found prices in the Greek capital have fallen by 15% since 2021. Continue reading...

Emergency services ‘simply did not have sufficient ambulance call-takers’, with one caller waiting more than 76 minutes, review finds

Artist Roger Hiorns pitching alongside Rachel Whiteread, Piet Oudolf and Olafur Eliasson in scheme to celebrate Cumbrian coastA century ago, Marcel Duchamp submitted a porcelain urinal to a New York exhibition and revolutionised art. If a urinal can be art, then why not a post-industrial slag heap?The artist Roger Hiorns is channelling the spirit of Duchamp in his proposal for a landmark piece of public art in west Cumbria, on the Lake District coast of north-west England. Continue reading...

European leaders will head to Prague on 6 October to forge European Political CommunityThe EU will offer an olive branch to the new British prime minister with an invitation to a summit to discuss a new organisation uniting the democracies of the European continent.Britain’s next prime minister, widely expected to be Liz Truss, will be invited to join fellow leaders across Europe at a summit in Prague on 6 October to forge a European Political Community, a body dedicated to advancing security across the continent. Continue reading...

Evidence suggests hospital not appropriately staffed on night of Aishwarya Aswath’s death, deputy state coroner says

Boost to Taiwanese air defences forms biggest part of deal amid heightened tensions after Beijing’s enhanced military drills around islandThe Biden administration has announced a $1.1bn arms sale to Taiwan as US-China tensions escalate over its status.The sale included $355m for Harpoon air-to-sea missiles and $85m for Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, the state department said. Continue reading...