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Beyonce, Dionne Warwick, Kacey Musgraves, Donald Trump and others mourn star's death

Households in Great Britain will pay equivalent of 1,723 a year, prompting calls for more supportMillions of households in Great Britain will face the highest energy charges in three years this winter after months of soaring market prices caused the government's price cap to rise for a second time in three months.Gas and electricity prices will rise by 4% from October under the new energy price cap, months after climbing 13% at the start of July to take account of soaring global energy market prices caused by the war on Iran. Continue reading...

Australia's first Olympic breakdancer became a viral sensation after her performance at Paris 24, where she failed to receive a single pointRachael Raygun" Gunn says her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics was not as bad as I thought!" after the Sydney-based breakdancer revealed she had finally watched back the moment that catapulted her to international fame - and mockery.The Sydney academic turned speaker was Australia's first Olympic breakdancer and became a viral sensation after her unconventional routine at Paris 2024, where she failed to receive a single point from the judges. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: A collapsing trade deal has united Canadians more than ever, in an existential confrontation with the US presidentGood morning. When the Guardian asked Canadian readers whether they planned to boycott US products after dramatic escalations in the ongoing DC/Ottawa trade war, we received more than 2,000 responses within 12 hours.This inundation is perhaps evidence of the existential crisis many Canadians feel they now face, something often lost in the granular reporting of trade negotiations: this is about so much more than the price of lumber.US news | Dolly Parton, one of the greatest singer-songwriters in country music who was also much cherished for her philanthropy, has died aged 80.UK news | UK citizens will be told to stock up on tinned food and take steps to ensure they are prepared for national emergencies as part of a new government campaign to improve the nation's resilience.UK politics | Andy Burnham will face an immediate test of his backing for electoral reform in his first week in parliament as prime minister, with almost 100 Labour MPs supporting a bid for a new national commission.Ukraine | A man from South Yorkshire is believed to be the first British citizen to die fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine.Climate crisis | The carbon emissions from just two planned datacentres in England will exceed all of the fossil fuel company ExxonMobil's UK emissions, analysis has revealed. Continue reading...

State's child safety minister Amanda Camm confirms police are investigating alleged attack west of BrisbaneA Queensland teenager has allegedly been raped in a state-funded residential care home in what has been described as a heinous" act.A staff member is accused of assaulting the girl, who is understood to be intellectually impaired, at the home west of Brisbane. Continue reading...

Spectrum Building leaseholders awaiting payouts after freeholder, Arinium, went bankrupt shortly after 2024 blazeSarah Williams vividly remembers the night in 2016 when she camped overnight in a car park to put down a deposit on a flat in the newly completed Spectrum Building in Dagenham, east London.People started queuing for those flats 24 hours before they went on sale," she said. It was basically the only flat I could afford in London. This was a year before Grenfell, and the flats market in London was completely crazy." Continue reading...

As photojournalist sentenced to 15 years, rights groups warn law would turn civic engagement into security crimeIran has taken the first step towards criminalising contact with foreign media, in a move human rights groups have said attempts to sever the entire Iranian society from the rest of the world".For journalists, researchers and even ordinary citizens, the proposed law being discussed by Iranian lawmakers this month could make speaking to international audiences and groups a potential criminal act and restrict coverage of events such as January's mass anti-regime protests. Continue reading...

Protests and petitions planned amid growing concerns over impact of climate crisis on numbers of Alpine rodentAnimal rights campaigners are gearing up for protests and petitions aimed at persuading the French government to ban the hunting of Alpine marmots.Open season on the rodents, members of the squirrel and groundhog family, begins in September, a few weeks before they go into a long winter hibernation. Continue reading...

Yorgen Fenech tells jury he had nothing to do with killing and alleges top adviser to Malta's then PM was instigatorA businessman on trial for the murder of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has spoken about the charges for the first time in court since his arrest seven years ago, telling the jury he was framed by police and had nothing to do with the killing.During four days of questioning by defence and the prosecution lawyers, Yorgen Fenech, 44, accused the most senior adviser to Malta's prime minister of giving the go-ahead for the murder. Continue reading...

Internal calls to end war get louder as Gulf neighbours plan alternative pipelines to cut reliance on waterwayIs the strait of Hormuz, recently cited by the office of the Iranian supreme leader as the pillar of Iran's new security order", and as transformative as possessing a nuclear weapon, in reality becoming a fast-diminishing asset, leaving Iran increasingly vulnerable to the new planned US wave of economic sanctions?It is the key debate that is raging inside Iran, with many different conclusions being drawn for Tehran's negotiating strategy. Those who warn the strait's value as a chokehold on the world economy will erode, leaving the country without foreign exchange reserves, argue that Iran's negotiators should seek a deal soon. Continue reading...

Commissioner Virginia Bell resists push to extend antisemitism inquiry noting need for timely recommendations

Seals and sea lions often communicate by touch and share spaces with wild birds, placing them at risk of infection from H5N1 virus

Heavy rain expected in parts of Vietnam and southern China, as another storm system, Typhoon Saudel, heads for Japan and TaiwanWidespread flooding triggered by Typhoon Narra has submerged homes and forced mass evacuations in southern China, as another storm system tracked towards Japan and Taiwan.Authorities in Chongzuo, in China's Guangxi region - famous for its giant waterfalls and karst limestone mountains - on Tuesday evacuated more than 15,000 people after water levels surpassed a record high set in 2008. Continue reading...

Labor put levy on all public transport fares in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria' since January 2025, auditor general says

Commissioner Angela Jackson also said it was disappointing' that Anthony Albanese had ruled out changes to Western Australia's GST arrangements

Lawyer Baltasar Garzon, representing Chambers, said case against his client is very strange' as US requests extraditionFBI agents raided the Ibiza, Spain, vacation rental of 41-year-old James Fergie" Chambers, a US citizen and wealthy donor to leftwing and humanitarian projects worldwide, in the days following his arrest last month, the Guardian has learned.Baltasar Garzon, a human rights lawyer representing Chambers, revealed the details in an exclusive interview. Chambers is wanted for extradition by the Trump administration for alleged financial support of Hamas, as well as other charges. Continue reading...

Cristy Maryori Villafranca-Trejo, deported to Honduras, is latest military spouse to face removal amid Trump 2.0The wife of an active-duty US soldier was deported on Monday to her native Honduras, according to her family and the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS).Cristy Maryori Villafranca-Trejo is at least the seventh spouse or parent of an active-duty US soldier to be deported under the immigration crackdown during Donald Trump's second presidency. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Nearly 100 Labour MPs support commission on changing the system used for Westminster election

Lily Tomlin, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bernie Sanders and Kacey Musgraves are among those remembering the queen of country after she died aged 80

Songwriter of I Will Always Love You, Jolene and 9 to 5 also invested millions in child literacy, Covid-19 vaccine development and other causes

Gang leader threatens to kill hostages after attack in Kenscoff in which homes were also set alight

Beijing says it will take all necessary measures' to protect its interests as US steps up efforts to isolate Tehran

Government resilience campaign aims to ensure people can cope in a national disaster, in order to free resources for most vulnerableUK citizens will be told to stock up on tinned food and take steps to ensure they are prepared for national emergencies as part of a new government campaign to improve the nation's resilience.The new campaign from the Cabinet Office will set out ways people can prepare for extreme weather events and potential attacks from hostile states, including stocking up on bottled water, sources told the Guardian. Continue reading...

UK PM to join delegation of leaders lobbying US president to step up supplies, as Kremlin accuses Burnham of wanting to continue war

Drivers concerned that bus operator's offer to retrofit cabs on 730 buses will not be complete by next summerLondon bus drivers have resumed strike action over having to work in high temperatures, amid fears that proposed improvements to air conditioning will not be complete by next summer.About 1,500 members of the Unite union working across north London and Essex are taking part in the four-day strike from Tuesday to Friday, after industrial action earlier this month. Further stoppages are planned for the coming weeks. Continue reading...

Oliver Blume faces workforce at German HQ as carmaker struggles against Chinese competition and US tariffsThe chief executive of Volkswagen has faced boos and whistles of protest at the company's headquarters after telling thousands of workers that a comprehensive reorganisation, which could include job losses and factory closures, is vital for its future.As Oliver Blume urged more than 10,000 workers on Tuesday to pull together", saying drastic restructuring measures at the struggling manufacturer were essential, they held up banners and shouted slogans, including: Our jobs are not your balance sheet adjustments". Continue reading...

Exclusive: internal correspondence reveals USCIS anti-fraud officers shifted on to two high-priority' initiativesAll US immigration officers working for a key anti-fraud unit have been reassigned by Donald Trump's administration to focus on screening South African refugees and alleged unlawful" voters.Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate (FDNS) immigration officers have been shifted full-time on to two high-priority" initiatives, according to internal correspondence seen by the Guardian, leaving US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) unable to provide officers to train asylum officers in the near future". Continue reading...

PM known to be keen to attend UN general assembly after meeting Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine

10bn for housing with 60% social renting is at odds with PM's previous call for programme to be spent entirely on social homesMinisters are looking at a range of support" for vulnerable households struggling with rising bills, the energy secretary has said ahead of tomorrow's Ofgem announcement on the energy cap level.PA Media reports forecasts have indicated that households could see their bills rise by another 4% to the equivalent of 1,729 a year, as the widened conflict in the Middle East sparked by Donald Trump's war on Iran continues to push up wholesale energy prices. Continue reading...

The Guardian's Luke Harding discussed Trump, Putin and the state of the war in Ukraine, his expulsion from Russia, his new book Betrayal, and his career as a foreign correspondentIpswichred asks: Why is Russia considered a wider threat when it cannot even defeat Ukraine?Pressfreedomorbust asks: What do you think is the likelihood of Russia taking military action (drones or troops) against another country such as Poland or Estonia? This would force Nato to use its military resources on this second conflict instead of supplying Ukraine.Russia says it is at war not just with Ukraine, but the collective west". Accordingly, it carries out a number of hostile actions against the UK and EU countries. They include sabotage (undersea cables, bombs on cargo planes), disinformation and support for pro-Russian Eurosceptic parties (AFD in Germany, Reform in Britain, etc.)Last year Moscow sent a swarm of decoy drones into Poland, to probe Nato's defences. European leaders are generally reluctant to describe the Kremlin's acts as war, preferring to use the qualifier hybrid". For now Putin is bogged down in Ukraine. In the meantime, Russia's diversionary behaviour will continue. I wouldn't rule out some kind of military provocation", probably limited in scope, against a Nato country.He's safe. There was much speculation around the time of the full-scale invasion that Putin was sick and possibly dying. This turned out to be wishful thinking. Similarly, there is little prospect of a palace coup or popular revolution in Russia. The reality is Putin will stay in power for life. Most people support him, state propaganda is as potent as ever, and the security services keep a close eye on dissent. Many of those who oppose him left the country in 2022. The majority are passive and fatalistic. The fate of Alexey Navalny - murdered in a Siberian gulag in 2024, likely on Putin's orders - sent its own grim message. Continue reading...

Robert Corrigan has been dealing with the smart' rodents all his life - and believes there are better solutions to deal with the growing infestation in the world's citiesThe rodents have paid for every single bill I've ever had - every mortgage, every car payment, every pint of Guinness," says Dr Robert Corrigan. It's been a great ride and I'm still at it."New York-based Corrigan is one of the most respected voices in the world of rodentology. Now in his 70s, he has devoted his entire adult life to studying rats and our relationship with them. Continue reading...

Smaller than a football pitch, Crevan has a rich history - but how rich its buyer needs to be is strictly under wrapsAn island in the Venice lagoon boasting a Napoleonic fort and lush gardens is up for sale.Described as an enchanting oasis of peace and beauty", Crevan offers a spectacular view" of Venice's main island, but is far from its crowds. Continue reading...

A total of 17 people have now been arrested over Saturday's crash in which car drove wrong way along dual carriagewayFive more people have been arrested by detectives investigating a crash that killed seven people, including two police officers.PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed on Saturday when a Volkswagen Passat, which had been pursued by police, was driven the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough and hit their marked armed response vehicle. Continue reading...

Local media report discovery by German investigators after attempted attack on cargo and military logistics hub

Self-described misogynist and his brother, Tristan are playing role to generate income from online attention, Miami court filing saysAndrew Tate rented supercars and borrowed a yacht to appear uberwealthy" and generate online engagement, his lawyer has said.Legal representatives for the self-described misogynist social media influencer and his brother, Tristan Tate, have claimed the pair deliberately portray themselves as far wealthier than they are because their business model depends on online attention". Continue reading...

Local governments working with firms also linked to fossil fuel giants, analysis of federal lobbying disclosures showsCongressional lobbyists working for fossil fuel firms that are exacerbating the climate crisis are simultaneously representing more than 300 local governments raising funding to recover from climate damage, according to a new analysis.The research by F Minus and Make Polluters Pay reviewed congressional lobbying disclosures for the first quarter of 2026, finding that another 568 local governments hired fossil fuel lobbyists to work on non-climate related issues during that time, some of which included climate adjacent issues, like healthcare and home insurance. Continue reading...

Another driver in critical condition as result of collision after man failed to stop for officers in Stratford-upon-AvonA man has died and a woman is critically injured after a police pursuit in Warwickshire.Police said officers tried to stop a black Audi on Birmingham Road in Stratford-upon-Avon at 5.23pm on Monday but the vehicle failed to stop and drove towards the A46. Continue reading...

There has been a 76% increase in under-construction gas-fired projects amid frenzy' to build more datacentersThe US has surged ahead of China in the building of new gas-fired power generation, largely to feed a boom in artificial intelligence (AI) that is adding vast amounts of planet-heating emissions, a new analysis has found.For decades, China's rapid economic growth has seen it outpace the US in the addition of new gas power generation but a recent frenzy" in datacenter construction for AI has reversed this, said Global Energy Monitor (Gem) in its new report. Continue reading...

Maine Coon named Erebus Anomaly breaks previous record of 28 toes held for over two decades after overcoming illnessA Maine Coon kitten from Wisconsin overcame a bout with pneumonia to break a 24-year-old world record for most toes on a cat, setting the new mark at 29.Erebus Anomaly's unique story received US national media attention on Monday, when ABC's World News Now program recounted what one of his owners called a miraculous" recovery from illness in his infancy - and the subsequent Guinness World Record that he clinched. Continue reading...

Republican nominee to face Democrat Annie Andrews in midterm after rushed campaigns for Lindsey Graham's seatReese Boyd, the chair of the Horry county Republican party marveled on Monday afternoon at how little time Senator Darline Graham and Representative Ralph Norman have had to campaign for the Senate primary: This is not the normal way of things."This is something that usually lasts at least, you know, the better part of a year," he said. People normally spend the better part of 18 months getting ready for it. Who knows? This may be the right way to do it? Who knows." Continue reading...

Trump ally should cut budget deficit rather than try to suppress bond yields, says billionaire Stanley DruckenmillerScott Bessent's attempt to calm the bond markets and push down America's cost of borrowing have attracted a rebuke from the US Treasury secretary's former mentor.The billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller, who worked with Bessent at George Soros's fund management firm in the 1990s, has warned that his former pupil is courting danger by trying to suppress US bond yields. Continue reading...

The flagship environmental project has achieved negligible' results. Why so little progress, and what are the risks as the planet gets hotter? Plus, fusion dance pioneer Usha Jey Don't get This is India delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereIndia set out to expand its forested areas a decade ago. Last week, however, we learned that the forest cover programme had barely taken root when the government's auditors released their findings of the flagship Green India Mission. The shortfall of 97.57% from India's initial pledge in 2014 was stark enough to alarm the government's own auditor, who described the progress as negligible".Yet if you ask the government about forest cover, you'll get a far greener picture. Continue reading...

Man arrested after being restrained and pinned down by heroic' bystanders, Victoria police say

Bills have jumped 42% in England over the past 10 years - and that excludes the cost of breakfast clubs and extracurricular activitiesParents of primary schoolchildren in England will pay 42% more for after-school childcare this year than they did 10 years ago, with annual bills now exceeding more than 2,800 a child in some parts of the UK.A Guardian analysis of data collected by the children's charity Coram has revealed that the annual cost of after-school care for children aged 5 to 11 in England has risen by 5% over the past year to 2,636. Continue reading...

Rise in claims linked to heat-related deaths and illness, especially among older people, could drive up premiumsEurope's intense heatwaves could hit insurers' earnings as companies face a rise in claims linked to heat-related deaths and worsening health conditions, the rating agency S&P has said.While a long summer of extreme heat will have increased drought and wildfire-related claims, the rating agency said there would also be fallout for life and health insurers, and for the reinsurers who provide financial protection to insurance companies. Continue reading...

Bitcoin rises above $80,000 for the first time since May amid uncertainty over US fiscal plans

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Royal commission recommended First Nations healing centres in 2021 but the Indigenous health service says the state has done nothing' to fund it

NSW parole authority says Mohommed Farhat followed extremist ideology of antisemitic character' while separately judge ruled Fuk Israel' was political comment'