East Wiltshire MP says he hopes others follow his path and accuses former party of clinging to defunct institutions'The MP Danny Kruger has defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK, declaring the Tory party is over" and Nigel Farage is the new custodian" of conservatism and the political right's last hope" of governing Britain.Kruger, who represents East Wiltshire and previously served as political secretary to Boris Johnson, said: The Conservative party is over. Over as a national party, over as the principal opposition to the left." Continue reading...

Cybercriminals steal details of potentially millions of people in attack on labels' parent company KeringHackers have stolen data from customers of the luxury fashion group Kering, whose brands include Gucci, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen.Cyber-attackers have stolen data of potentially millions of customers, including the names, phone numbers and email addresses of customers of the fashion group, it has emerged. Continue reading...

US secretary of state, who is visiting Jerusalem, warns of Israeli counter reaction' if allies recognise PalestineThe US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has put the Trump administration's full support behind Benjamin Netanyahu in a visit to Jerusalem, saying Washington's priorities were the liberation of Israeli hostages and the destruction of Hamas.In public remarks standing alongside Netanyahu, Rubio did not mention the possibility of a ceasefire, and did not repeat his earlier criticism of Israel for carrying out an airstrike last week aimed at Hamas leaders in Doha, the capital of another close US ally, Qatar. Continue reading...

Comments follow remarks by Keir Starmer who is under pressure to be more proactive in defence of diversity

Conviction comes as Hakainde Hichilema faces growing criticism for suppressing political oppositionTwo men have been convicted in Zambia of planning to use witchcraft to kill the president, Hakainde Hichilema.Leonard Phiri, a village chief, and Jasten Mabulesse Candunde, a Mozambican citizen, were arrested in December after a cleaner reported hearing strange noises. Authorities said they were found to be in possession of a live chameleon and other assorted charms", including a red cloth, an unidentified white powder and an animal's tail. Continue reading...

Former mixed martial arts fighter had vowed to curb immigration to shore up Irish culture' and give power back to the people'The former mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor has withdrawn from Ireland's presidential election and complained that nomination rules were a straitjacket" that prevented a true democratic contest.Following careful reflection, and after consulting with my family, I am withdrawing my candidacy from this presidential race," he posted on X on Monday morning. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one at this moment in time." Continue reading...

Move made on same day as Guardian published interview with ex-aide's mother who criticised Bidzina IvanishviliThe mother of a jailed former aide to Georgia's de facto leader, Bidzina Ivanishvili has had her bank accounts frozen after she publicly accused Ivanishvili of pursuing a vendetta against her son.The prosecutor's office in Georgia acted against Marina Ramazashvili and her husband, Alexander, on the same day that the Guardian published an interview with her in which she criticised the billionaire and called for help from the west. Continue reading...

Parviz Sabeti crafted a low-profile life for his family - but now he faces a $225m lawsuit over atrocities committed in prisons in Tehran and elsewhereNeighbors in the upscale Florida community of Windermere know them as Peter and Nancy, the seemingly friendly retired couple they wave to on morning walks, and who always appear to enjoy visits from their two high-flying grown daughters, one a respected professor of science at Harvard University.Yet behind the high walls of their $3.6m lakefront mansion lies a darker, more closely guarded reality: Peter" is actually Parviz Sabeti, the alleged head of secret police and chief torturer of the former Shah of Iran's pre-revolutionary government, now facing a $225m lawsuit in Florida for atrocities committed in prisons in Tehran and elsewhere. Continue reading...

Korean media say Hyundai-LG workers treated as prisoners of war' over visa issue amid sense of betrayal by Seoul's allyMore than 300 South Korean workers arrived at Incheon international airport on Friday afternoon, ending a week-long ordeal that began with the US Department of Homeland Security's largest ever single-site raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and has left South Korea questioning whether it can trust its closest ally.The 316 Koreans, along with 14 workers of other nationalities, landed shortly after 3pm local time on a chartered Korean Air flight after being detained since 4 September at a Hyundai-LG battery plant construction site in Georgia. Continue reading...

Officials hurriedly remove nearly three decades of finds in high-risk operation'An official in charge of nearly three decades of archaeological finds in Gaza has described how the artefacts were hurriedly evacuated from a Gaza City building threatened by an Israeli strike.This was a high-risk operation, carried out in an extremely dangerous context for everyone involved - a real last-minute rescue," said Olivier Poquillon, director of the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem (EBAF), which housed the relics. Continue reading...

List leaves out oil pipelines and focuses on LNG expansion, mines and nuclear power as it fends off US trade warCanada's Liberal government has said that a liquefied natural gas facility, critical mineral mines, a nuclear reactor and port expansion will mark the first wave of major national projects to turbocharge" the country's economy as it fends off a trade war with the United States.Notably, the list unveiled by the prime minster, Mark Carney, on Thursday does not include any new oil pipelines - projects which have proven to be deeply divisive and politically fractious in recent years. Continue reading...

Far-right ex-president was found to have led a criminal organisation' to try to stay in power

After Russian drones entered Polish airspace, two authors of the UK strategic defence review said Europe would need to build up its defencesBritain should work with Nato allies in developing an integrated air and missile defence system after the incursion of nearly 20 Russian drones into Poland, according to two authors of the UK strategic defence review.Fiona Hill, a former White House adviser, said that Russia was testing the limits" of Europe's defences at a time when the military commitment of the US to Nato was uncertain. Continue reading...

Numerous European countries offer support but some allies dispute whether incident was deliberate attackAn emergency session of the UN security council will convene on Friday at Poland's request as Warsaw seeks to rally support after an incursion into the country by Russian drones on Wednesday.Numerous European allies pledged support for Poland, including a promise by Germany to strengthen its military presence on Nato's eastern flank, but some disputed whether the incursion was a deliberate attack on Poland by Russia and Donald Trump offered little in the way of public support. Continue reading...

On Wednesday night, Charlie Kirk, an influential rightwing activist and Donald Trump ally, was shot dead at a university campus in Utah. The US president immediately blamed the radical left' but failed to mention rising violence against Democrats.This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to the Guardian's Washington DC bureau chief, David Smith, about the increase in political violence in the countryArchive: ABC News, ABC7, CBC National, CBS News, PBS Newshour, Charlie Kirk, NBC News, Fox News, Turning Point USA, King 5 Seattle Continue reading...

Turning Point USA executive director has died after being shot during event at Utah Valley University

Mr and Mrs Smith writer Francesca Sloane reportedly tapped to bring back A-list cast of hit seriesA third season of award-winning drama series Big Little Lies is now in development.According to Deadline, Francesca Sloane has been tapped to write the first episode and she will also act as executive producer alongside series creator David E Kelley. Sloane is best known for co-creating Amazon's Mr and Mrs Smith series with Donald Glover. Her credits also include writing for Atlanta and Fargo. Continue reading...

Next summer, the star will appear in Stratford-upon-Avon first as Prospero and then alongside Helen Hunt in Chekhov's classicMore than 40 years after his star-making performance as Henry V in Stratford-upon-Avon, Kenneth Branagh is to return to the Royal Shakespeare Company. He will appear in The Tempest and, alongside Oscar winner Helen Hunt, in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard at the RSC next summer.Branagh, 64, began to build a reputation as one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of his generation when he played Henry V, aged 23, in a 1984 season that included roles as Laertes in Hamlet and the King of Navarre in Love's Labour's Lost. The following year he wrote and directed the play Tell Me Honestly for the RSC. Branagh went on to both direct and star in acclaimed Shakespeare productions during an illustrious stage and screen career that has included breaking an Oscars record as the first person to be nominated in seven individual Academy Award categories. The Tempest will mark his first role for the RSC since he played Hamlet in 1992 and 1993 (first at the Barbican in London and then in Stratford), directed by Adrian Noble. Continue reading...

Edi Rama, PM, says digital assistant Diella will make Albania a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption'A digital assistant that helps people navigate government services online has become the first virtually created" AI cabinet minister and put in charge of public procurement in an attempt to cut down on corruption, the Albanian prime minister has said.Diella, which means Sun in Albanian, has been advising users on the state's e-Albania portal since January, helping them through voice commands with the full range of bureaucratic tasks they need to perform in order to access about 95% of citizen services digitally. Continue reading...

Despite being repeatedly asked, No 10 declines to say the PM was misled' by MandelsonStephen Doughty, a Foreign Office minister, is responding to the UQ about Peter Mandelson.He starts by making the point that it is the anniversary of the despicable" 9/11 terrorism attacks.Keir Starmer must sack Peter Mandelson without further delay - and come clean about what he knew when, and whether he sanctioned blocking the publication of damaging material.

Move seen as effort to win US favour and sanctions relief, as crackdown on dissent continuesBelarus has released 52 prisoners of various nationalities, after a visit by a US delegation to Minsk, in Alexander Lukashenko's latest attempt to balance ties between Russia and the west.Thursday's prisoner release was one of the biggest of Lukashenko's authoritarian rule, and was part of his effort to mend relations with Washington and secure sanctions relief after years of isolation. Continue reading...

Poland is seeking to step up its defences with plans to restrict air traffic in the eastern part of the countryGrynkewich now gets a specific question on Poland.He speaks about how allied command operations worked in this case, with every level doing exactly what they were supposed to do, which was to defend Alliance territory."But when you're when you're an operational commander, and you have a capability and there's an attack or an incursion into your airspace, the cost of the weapon doesn't matter at that moment in time; you're going to use it to defend our population." Continue reading...

Federal health minister last month announced surprise move to shift child foundational supports to new Thriving Kids program from July 2027

State party's deep divisions on show as sexist messages force resignation of director days before annual meeting

Schoolgirl victim tells inquiry she looked into killer's possessed' eyes before he launched attack at dance workshopA teenage girl who was stabbed twice in the Southport attack has described staring into the killer's possessed" eyes and reliving that day like a horror film on repeat".The schoolgirl, who cannot be identified, told the public inquiry into the atrocity that it must explain how knife-obsessed Axel Rudakubana was able to carry out the murders. Continue reading...

Belgian organisers are accused of naked antisemitism' after cancelling performance by Lahav ShaniA Belgian classical music festival has axed a leading German orchestra from its programme over concerns about its Israeli conductor, drawing accusations of antisemitism from Berlin.Flanders Festival Ghent announced it had cancelled a concert by the Munich Philharmonic scheduled for 18 September, citing insufficient clarity over Lahav Shani's attitude to the Israeli government. Continue reading...

Ordeal comes as government considers lengthening the standard qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain

Annual cost of allowance has more than doubled in recent years because of quick turnover of prime ministersMore than 8m of taxpayers' money has been spent on funding the public lives of former prime ministers over the last three decades, a Guardian analysis has found.All former PMs are able to claim up to 115,000 a year - until the end of their lives - in a subsidy to enable them to contribute to public life after they have left Downing Street. Continue reading...

Departure will be huge blow for No 10 as it prepares state visit for the US president

The University of Tasmania apologised, saying staff had met with families and will consider the coroner's findingsHuman specimens were collected, and in some cases publicly displayed, by a museum for decades without the knowledge or consent of families.The University of Tasmania's R A Rodda Museum collected remains from coronial autopsies from 1966 to 1991 for teaching and research purposes. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed

Family of Luke Briggs, 35, left utterly distraught' by death in custody following arrest in Hoppers Crossing car park

Genevieve Bell's resignation follows tumultuous period marked by redundancies, proposed course closures and allegations of a toxic work culture

Legislative council voted down a bill that was introduced to comply with an order from the city's top courtHuman rights groups have accused the Hong Kong government of failing to provide the bare minimum" of rights to same-sex couples after it rejected a bill that was introduced to comply with an order by the city's top court.The city's unicameral legislative council (LegCo), on Wednesday rejected the bill by a vote of 71-14 after the second reading, following months of debate in the city between opponents who said it threatened family values and advocates who said the government was out of line with the majority of residents who supported same-sex relationships. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: More than a dozen drones entered Polish airspace, the first time in the war a Nato country has been pulled into direct military action - and an escalation Europe can't ignoreGood morning. Less than a month ago, European leaders were sitting in the White House with Donald Trump, sketching out a path to peace for Ukraine. Fast forward to Wednesday and the Polish prime minister warned that the prospect of a large military conflict is closer than at any time since the second world war".This is because Vladimir Putin has been drawing up his own plans, flying more than a dozen drones into Polish airspace. It is the closest the fighting has come to European homes and the first time a Nato country has been pulled into direct military action since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.US | Charlie Kirk, founder of rightwing youth activist group Turning Point USA and a close ally of Donald Trump, was fatally shot on Wednesday afternoon while speaking at Utah Valley University near Salt Lake City.UK news | Keir Starmer was urged to sack Peter Mandelson as British ambassador to the US after more details emerged of his close friendship and business dealings with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.Europe | A joint operation between several central European countries has identified an alleged Belarusian spy ring that reportedly included a former deputy head of Moldovan intelligence.Iran | Tehran and the UN nuclear inspectorate have reached an agreement that will allow inspectors to return to inspect all of Iran's nuclear sites, including those bombed by Israel and the US in June.Boris Johnson | The publisher of the Washington Post, Will Lewis, is facing fresh questions over his independence after a cache of leaked files revealed he gave extensive support to Boris Johnson as a secret political adviser when Johnson was prime minister. Continue reading...

Torrential rains cause flooding and landslides in East Nusa Tenggara province and on the tourist island of Bali

Coalition leader apologises to Indian community for hurt caused by NT senator's comments about migration

Rights group also finds rise in openly gay, bisexual and transgender people running for office in 36 countriesPoliticians in at least 51 countries used homophobic or transphobic rhetoric during elections last year, from depicting LGBTQ+ identity as a foreign threat to condemning gender ideology", according to a new study of 60 countries and the EU.However, there were also gains for LGBTQ+ representation in some countries. Openly gay, bisexual and transgender people ran for office in at least 36 countries, including for the first time in Botswana, Namibia and Romania - albeit unsuccessfully - according to the report by Outright International. The number of LGBTQ+ elected officials doubled to at least 233 in Brazil. Continue reading...

The 18-year-old is to face court after police allegedly found a document linked to proscribed terrorist organisations' on his electronic devices

Light rail passengers rescued in Randwick on Wednesday night as severe weather warnings remain in place across NSW

Stuart Smith resigned on Thursday morning and apologised for WhatsApp messages contained in the Liberal party headquarters staff group chat

The International IDEA's survey of democratic markers finds US is offering encouragement' to populist leadersPress freedom around the world has suffered its sharpest fall in 50 years as global democracy weakens dramatically, a landmark report has found.According to the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), democracy has declined in 94 countries over the last five years and only a third have made progress. Continue reading...

Caesareans drive rise in assisted deliveries as experts warn of complex pregnancies linked to age, obesity and other conditionsMore than half of women having a baby in Britain now do so with the help of medical intervention, an audit of NHS maternity care has revealed.Of the 592,594 births that took place in 2023, 50.6% involved either a caesarean section or the use of instruments such as forceps or a ventouse suction cup. Continue reading...

Isaac Herzog says when allies meet they can argue' after some Labour MPs condemn Downing Street meetingThe British prime minister, Keir Starmer, and the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, had a tough" set of exchanges over humanitarian aid in Gaza at a Downing Street meeting, amid street protests demanding Herzog's arrest as a war criminal.Herzog, speaking to the Chatham House thinktank immediately after the meeting, said he had offered the British government a fact-finding mission to look at the levels of aid entering Gaza. He denied there was any famine and blamed the high civilian death toll on Hamas placing missiles in living rooms. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed. For the latest updates on this story, read our full report:

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani calls for Benjamin Netanyahu to be brought to justice'Qatar's prime minister has said that Benjamin Netanyahu killed any hope" for the remaining hostages in Gaza following Israel's extraordinary strike on Hamas negotiators in Doha on Tuesday.In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani called the deadly strike in the Qatari capital an act of state terror". Israel's attack the previous day killed six members of Hamas who were negotiating a ceasefire deal brokered by the US and other Gulf countries. Continue reading...

Education secretary and Manchester MP look destined for face-off as three other candidates struggle for MP nominationsLabour's deputy leadership contest is set to be a race between the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, and the ousted cabinet minister Lucy Powell, as three other candidates in the race struggled to make nominations.Phillipson comfortably cleared the hurdle of 80 nominations on Wednesday evening with backing from 116 MPs, but Powell was not yet at the threshold with 77 nominations. Continue reading...

Cockpit union says the issue has become a worrying reality' for its members as a result of growing fatigueA German pilots' union has said that napping during flights has become a worrying reality" for its members, as it sounded the alarm over increasing fatigue" in the sector.The Vereinigung Cockpit union said it had carried out a survey of more than 900 pilots in recent weeks, which found that 93% of them admitted to napping during a flight in the past few months. Continue reading...

More than 10 Infidels MC members deployed to sites run by US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian FoundationSenior members of an anti-Islamic biker gang have been hired by US contractors and deployed to Gaza to oversee security at food distribution sites backed by the US and Israeli governments, according to a BBC investigation.The investigation found that more than 10 members of Infidels MC, a US biker gang that uses the Crusader cross as its symbol and whose members have anti-Islamic tattoos, have been hired by UG Solutions and deployed to food aid sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. According to the BBC, seven members of the gang are in senior positions overseeing [GHF] sites". Continue reading...

UK's ambassador to US urged financier to fight for early release' after charges of procuring child for prostitutionThe British ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, told Jeffrey Epstein to fight for early release" and wrote: your friends stay with you and love you" when the disgraced financier was facing charges of procuring a child for prostitution, according to leaked emails.The emails, first published by the Sun after circulating in Washington DC, will put further pressure on Mandelson after he admitted on Tuesday that more very embarrassing" details of his friendship with Epstein were likely to emerge but insisted he had never seen any wrongdoing". Continue reading...