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Pentagon head hails military with no fatties, no trannies, no beardos, no weirdos, no wimps, no radicals' in anti-DEI rant

A year after his explosive tenure at Doge, the SpaceX CEO is back in the Trump administration's good gracesPete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that Elon Musk will co-lead a government project to study the future of warfare, marking the SpaceX CEO's first return to government since he ran the chaotic, so -called department of government efficiency", or Doge. Musk will be joined by Palmer Luckey, CEO of the defense tech company Anduril, and Newt Gingrich, the former Republican speaker of the House.A defense department press release on the effort, called Project Meridian, described its goal as identifying the capabilities required to achieve absolute technological dominance on the next-generation battlefield". The project will run for 120 days and culminate in an unclassified public report of its recommendations. Continue reading...

Cotality data shows median house prices fell in September as interest rates hit borrowing capacity

No one was injured at Children's World Early Learning Center and parents will appear in court, police saidThe parents of a Detroit-area toddler who pulled a loaded pistol out of his backpack at a daycare will face charges in the case, police said on Wednesday.In a statement, police in Canton Township said the parents would make an initial court appearance on Thursday. The Wayne county prosecutor's office declined to offer details or additional comment, saying it would wait until a judge signs off on the charges. Continue reading...

Democrats block measure they say didn't go far enough - and was bundled with poison pill' voter ID rulesThe US Senate on Wednesday blocked a Republican bill restricting stock trading by members of Congress, after Democrats refused to advance a measure they said would let lawmakers keep their portfolios and was bundled with voter ID rules they called a poison pill".The 53-47 vote fell seven short of the 60 needed to open debate on the Stop Insider Trading Act, which the Republican-controlled House passed in July. Every Democrat and independent voted no, and the failure comes five weeks before the 3 November midterms. Continue reading...

Shili Chen and Shouyong Zhang, both 77, charged days before Jonathan McKinsey and wife were set for hearing in divorce caseA California couple have been charged with murder after authorities say they shot their son-in-law to death on Saturday in a public park, days before he and the couple's daughter were set for a hearing in a bitter divorce case.Shili Chen and Shouyong Zhang, both 77, were due in court on Wednesday for an arraignment on the charges. The Associated Press was not able to reach an attorney for the couple before the court appearance. Their daughter, Candice Jang, could not be reached, though she appeared virtually at Wednesday's hearing. Continue reading...

No new indictments from eight-year investigation as state attorney general says church knew about abuseMore than 270 Catholic clerics sexually abused nearly 1,000 children across three Massachusetts dioceses over several decades, according to a report released by the state's attorney general's office on Wednesday.The eight-year-long investigation did not result in new indictments, the office said, claiming that some conduct identified was not a crime under Massachusetts law at the time it occurred, and that in other cases the applicable statute of limitations had expired.In the US, call or text the Childhelp abuse hotline on 800-422-4453 or visit their website for more resources and to report child abuse or DM for help. For adult survivors of child abuse, help is available at ascasupport.org. In the UK, the NSPCC offers support to children on 0800 1111, and adults concerned about a child on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331. In Australia, children, young adults, parents and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or Bravehearts on 1800 272 831, and adult survivors can contact Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380. Other sources of help can be found at Child Helplines International Continue reading...

Support for white Afrikaners, anti-communism and others reveals how US redefining what qualifies as human rightsWith hours left before the funding expires, the Trump administration is pushing to direct more than $175m of the state department's flagship human rights fund to a slate of awards that includes a huge $40m grant for an anti-communism fund, support for a group advancing white Afrikaner rights in South Africa, a campaign against Brazil's supreme court and programs that would reward ideological allies in Europe who protect western civilizational norms".On Wednesday, the state department obligated the funds to the grantees hours before the deadline despite congressional concerns and requests not to do so, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The state department declined to comment on questions from the Guardian specifically on whether it had obligated the funds and had blown" holds from Congress due to concerns about the money's use. Continue reading...

Settler violence in West Bank makes everyday life untenable' for Palestinians, says ICRC after assault on family trying to return home in JaludThe International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said Israeli settler violence in the West Bank has made everyday life for Palestinians untenable", as a mob attack on Palestinians trying to return home prompted one of Benjamin Netanyahu's main rivals to warn of a campaign of settler terror.More than 100 militant settlers overwhelmed Israeli security forces early on Tuesday to attack a Palestinian family as they attempted to reclaim their homes which had been seized by settlers in the West Bank village of Jalud. Three Israeli security officials were injured and houses were set on fire. Continue reading...

Designer showcases wool alternatives and ocean-inspired clothes and says kindness requires real work'Stella McCartney has been talking about animal rights at fashion week for 30 years. She is usually a lone voice, but the issue is back in the headlines this season. Outcry over the physical restraining of a Peta protester at a catwalk show by Steven Kolb, the president of New York fashion week's governing body, has put cruelty in wool production - previously considered niche compared to the hot button topic of fur - on the news agenda.There is no wool on the runway this season, and I'm proud of that," McCartney said after her show. She has been working on wool alternatives, including Brewed Protein, a fermented alternative to cashmere and wool developed in collaboration with the Japanese biotech firm Spiber, which was first used in her collections a year ago. Continue reading...

Twelve years after US mission against IS began, Trump hails great day for America' and calls war a quagmire'The Pentagon has announced it has formally completed its withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, two years after the withdrawal was agreed to and 12 years since the US mission to fight the Islamic State started.After the announcement, Iran and its allies celebrated the departure as a victory, while Iraqi security experts worry that the withdrawal could give IS and others a chance to recover. Continue reading...

Senior Downing Street officials reach out to thinktanks and pollsters as they look to test backing for reversing BrexitSenior Downing Street officials have been reaching out to thinktanks and pollsters as they look to test public support for the UK rejoining the EU.Aides to Andy Burnham have been talking to EU experts in a range of organisations about how the public would view a promise to rejoin, as momentum builds behind including such a pledge in the next Labour manifesto. Continue reading...

Accused pilot being questioned in Saudi Arabia as Israeli officials investigate if incident was attempted terror attackOne of the pilots of a plane flying from the United Arab Emirates to Israel stabbed his co-pilot and appeared to try to crash the plane, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said, as Israeli officials said they were investigating whether the incident was an attempted terror attack on Israelis.The plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, with the two pilots wounded but other passengers safe, according to a statement from Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz international airport, more commonly known as Tabuk airport. Continue reading...

State governor and supreme court earlier refused calls for clemency for Christa Pike, who was convicted of murderTennessee's first execution of a woman in 200 years was halted by a court on Wednesday morning an hour before it was set to take place.The state governor and the supreme court had earlier refused calls for clemency in the case of Christa Pike, who was convicted of murder 30 years ago. Continue reading...

When one track failed, Trump administration rushed immigration case of Palestine rights advocate Salah SarsourAn immigration judge has ruled that the president of Wisconsin's largest mosque can be deported under a controversial, cold-war era law the Trump administration has sought to wield against foreign nationals who have been outspoken about Palestinian rights.Salah Sarsour, a US permanent resident for nearly three decades, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March. He was released after a federal judge found he had probably been detained in retaliation of his advocacy for Palestinian rights, which the federal judge said would render his detention unlawful. Continue reading...

Trump criticized $2.4bn rehab amid attempts to pressure then Fed chair Jerome Powell into lowering interest ratesAn internal watchdog said the Federal Reserve mismanaged costs associated with a $2.4bn renovation of its Washington DC headquarters, but noted that no criminal violations occurred, according to a report released Wednesday.For over a year, Donald Trump has centered his attacks against the Fed and former chair Jerome Powell around the renovations, including a months-long Department of Justice criminal probe that was dropped in April. Continue reading...

While the country's screen sector is growing, only a fraction of production staff are Scottish themselvesScotland's striking Ardross Castle, the oldest star of Celebrity Traitors, which kicks off on Thursday night, is just one of the stops on the Scottish tourist board's screen tourism" trail.From Outlander and The Odyssey filming in the Highlands and islands, to Glasgow city centre standing in for New York and Gotham City respectively in the latest instalments of Indiana Jones and Batman, film and TV is increasingly big business in Scotland. Continue reading...

Met calls move milestone' moment that paves way for very best possible evidence for charging decisions'Police investigating the Grenfell Tower fire have asked prosecutors to consider charges including manslaughter and fraud against a range of companies and individuals.The Metropolitan police announced it had given prosecutors evidence relating to 20 companies and organisations and 54 individuals, ahead of charging decisions, in what the force described as a milestone moment". Continue reading...

French president, speaking alongside Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez, says EU bid would be good news for UK and Europeans

This blog is now closed, you can read our full report on this story hereNetanyahu said one of the FlyDubai pilots stabbed his fellow pilot and intended to crash the plane.He added that one of the passengers on the flight managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members, and together they neutralised" the attacking pilot.Almost all the passengers on the flight were Israelis. During the flight, as they were approaching Israel, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot, and it appears he was attempting to crash the plane with everyone on board." Continue reading...

Developing North Sea fields does not contradict net zero goals, according to Simone RossiNew oil and gas projects are a no-brainer" that pose no contradiction" to the net zero agenda, according to the head of EDF Energy.Simone Rossi has joined a string of renewables leaders in making the case for more North Sea production as the government prepares to decide on two projects there. Continue reading...

Prime minister's pure political argument marks new era for party as he sets out his plans and prioritiesThe hottest ticket at Labour conference - after Andy Burnham's speech - was an afterparty in Liverpool's Baltic Triangle, headlined with a set by the noughties girlband Sugababes.As Labour activists and ministers belted out the lyrics under pink spotlights, it was hard not to draw some parallels with the party's recent history. There have been painful lineup changes and a lot of internal division, but this week onstage in Liverpool, the originals are back together and they only played the hits. The fans can't get enough. Continue reading...

This blog is now closedMeanwhile, Ukraine's total war costs will reach $155bn this year and the government is struggling to close a $27bn funding gap to ensure it can still conduct combat operations at the start of 2027, prime minister Sergii Koretskyi said.Koretskyi said the government planned to cover $7bn of the gap by postponing expenditure, reallocating money from other parts of the budget and cutting some costs, and was in talks with partners on how to cover the remaining $20bn, Reuters reported. Continue reading...

Unprecedented university donation from Citadel CEO Ken Griffin will go toward building a new Miami campusCarnegie Mellon University will receive an unprecedented $3bn donation from billionaire investor Ken Griffin, making it the largest single donation in the history of US education.Griffin, 57, is the founder and CEO of Citadel, described as the most profitable hedge fund in history. The money is going toward a new Miami campus as well as big investments at the university's longtime home in Pittsburgh. Continue reading...

Plane made emergency landing after pilot tried to crash aircraft, Israeli PM says, as officials investigate whether it was an attempted terror attackOne of the pilots of a plane flying from the UAE to Israel stabbed his co-pilot and appeared to try to crash the plane, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said, as Israeli officials said they were investigating whether the incident was an attempted terror attack on Israelis. Here is what we know so far:A commercial plane travelling from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Israel was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, after an apparent brawl between its pilots prompted distress signals that briefly raised fears of an attempted hijacking. The flydubai flight was over Jordan when it diverted to Saudi Arabia, transmitting three emergency signals, one of which indicated a possible unlawful interference.The plane dipped dramatically during the reported fight, descending about 16,000ft in just two minutes. Israeli officials scrambled fighter jets, fearful of a possible hijacking attempt on a plane containing dozens of Israelis, and the plane landed at Tabuk airport in north-western Saudi Arabia.Netanyahu said one of the flydubai pilots stabbed his co-pilot and appeared to be intending to crash the plane. He added that a passenger managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members, and together they neutralised" the attacking pilot.Netanyahu described it as an extremely severe security incident". Other officials, including the defence minister, Israel Katz, have called it an attempted terrorist attack. Netanyahu thanked the passengers and crew who helped to stop the attack, saying they showed exceptional resourcefulness and courage".An Israeli official has identified the attacker as an Omani national, Reuters reported.The Boeing 737 plane, which Israeli officials said had between 160 and 180 passengers onboard, transmitted a general emergency signal about two and a half hours after leaving Dubai, according to the flight-tracking website Flightradar24.A passenger on the flight, Miryam Shira Ohayon, said the plane was pretty much out of control" when the alleged stabbing took place. The co-pilot tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane," she told reporters, using a speakerphone held up by her mother, who was waiting at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.The plane transmitted the initial general emergency signal again before landing at Saudi Arabia's Tabuk airport. The airport said the plane landed at 9.45am local time and both pilots were taken to hospital after sustaining injuries.A second flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed safely at its destination. Flightradar24 initially showed flight FZ1081 diverting back towards the UAE but it was later shown to be on its way to Israel, where it landed in Tel Aviv on Wednesday afternoon. Continue reading...

Institutions have for years turned to China for funding opportunities but national security concerns are mounting

Security service says academics should stop taking grants from and working with firm backed by China's intelligence service

Deal aimed at deterring small boat arrivals set to end as talks stall over French demand for EU-wide scheme

Burundi joins several other African nations in accepting people deported under Trump's hardline policyBurundi has agreed to join a clutch of other African nations in receiving migrants from other countries deported from the US under Donald Trump's hardline immigration policy.However, the authorities in Bujumbura, the country's economic capital, said Burundi will only accept those not accused of crime or terrorism links, said Nancy Ninette Mutoni, a spokesperson for the country's president, Evariste Ndayishimiye. Tuesday's announcement gave no details of numbers, timing or financial details. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Alexander Millington-Cotes says call from police has given him hope concerns are being taken seriouslyThe stepson of Sir Ranulph Fiennes has been contacted by police and says he intends to speak to them this week over his concerns about the wellbeing of the explorer.Alexander Millington-Cotes - who is estranged from his mother, Louise, Fiennes' second and current wife - said an officer from Cheshire police had called him in recent days. Continue reading...

The data suggest Burnham may be able to win the argument with the public amid lobbying effortsAndy Burnham has suggested that it would not be legitimate for a party to form a majority government with less than 30% of the vote.In his Today interview, asked why he wanted electoral reform and a move towards proportional representation, Burnham replied:I found it better being elected under a different system as mayor of Greater Manchester, where people had one or two, they could put that on the ballot paper.Because you had a reason to stop on every doorstep and chat to people who might not always support your party and try and get their second preference.No, it could happen with any political party. It's whether that would be a legitimate government.I think you've got it completely wrong really, if you don't mind me saying, to put it like that, because I have put out ... a vision for a national care service.There are pensioners out there who watch your programme who are paying for care costs from their basic state pension. Now, is that right or fair? Continue reading...

Iranian court upholds sentence against 29-year-old star Parastoo Ahmadi and other musicians in crackdown on women flouting hijab lawAn Iranian court's decision to uphold a sentence of 74 lashes against the popular singer Parastoo Ahmadi for performing without a hijab has sparked outrage among rights groups, who described it as a form of torture".In June, Ahmadi, 29, and eight members of her production team, including musicians, were sentenced by a court in the city of Qom over a concert that was streamed online in 2024, which went viral and racked up millions of views. The court said the group had violated the country's legal and cultural norms" and called the performance obscene and vulgar". Continue reading...

Northern Ireland secretary holding talks with both sides as Garvaghy Road group launches fresh legal challenge

Insects provide protection, sanitation and even shelter to vertebrates, making them a priority for conservation effortsFor many vertebrates, insects are more than a food source. As little things that run the world", insects provide critical functions such as protection, sanitation and shelter across ecosystems, according to a new study.The study, published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity on Wednesday, sheds light on the various ways insects support vertebrates, ranging from birds and bats to reptiles, amphibians and mammals. Continue reading...

Ex-Asda boss Andy Bond linked to plan, with buyout team understood to be negotiating with financial backerPoundland's management team are in advanced talks" to lead a rescue bid for the ailing cut-price retailer that could save more than 11,000 jobs.The former Asda boss Andy Bond, who ran Poundland for a number of years from 2016 then stepped up to its former parent Pepco before leaving in 2025, is understood to be part of the negotiations to take on the business. Continue reading...

Blast during search operation near border fuels political tensions amid attempts to revive diplomatic channelsSouth Korea has demanded an apology from North Korea over a landmine blast that injured three soldiers, saying they were hurt by North Korean mines on the southern side of the border.Kang Hyun-woo, the director of operations at South Korea's joint chiefs of staff, demanded an apology and responsible measures" from Pyongyang over the blast, which occurred on 21 September during a search operation south of the border. Continue reading...

Minister tells Guardian of trade-offs Kyiv facing as it tries to keep normal life moving amid Russian strikesMissile alerts are costing Ukraine an estimated $45m (34m) for every hour they bring business to a halt, according to the country's economy minister, as Kyiv searches for ways to keep the economy running under an intensifying Russian bombardment.Russia has increasingly targeted the infrastructure underpinning Ukraine's economy, striking industrial sites, warehouses, logistics hubs and datacentres in what Oleksandr Kravchenko, the minister for economy and the environment, described as an effort to destroy pretty much the entire economy". Continue reading...

PM says he is looking at all options and ministers will examine what is doable' and the pros and cons'

This blog is now closed

New leader says his party must connect with millions of disaffected voters and make them believe in politics again'

Cap poised to rise by 16% to equivalent of 1,999 for dual-fuel bill as impact of Iran war puts squeeze on homesHousehold energy bills in Great Britain are predicted to soar by 276 a year for the typical household from January as the impact of the Middle East war continues through the coldest months of winter.The government's cap on energy prices is poised to jump by 16% to the equivalent of 1,999 for the average annual dual-fuel bill in a further blow to struggling households, according to figures from the leading forecaster Cornwall Insight. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Environment secretary Angela Eagle to make pledge as part of efforts to protect against extreme weatherHalf a million trees will be planted across England in the next three years to protect against extreme weather, the environment secretary, Angela Eagle, will pledge on Wednesday morning.Mayors, local authorities, charities and grassroots groups will be given new funding and responsibilities for restoring natural landscapes such as wetlands, river edges and meadows, which can provide natural flood management and reduce the damage done by droughts. Continue reading...

Kuala Lumpur plans to send a total of 5,000 Myanmar nationals back to the war-torn country despite persecution concernsMalaysia began sending back about 1,500 Myanmar nationals on Tuesday, the government confirmed, as it launched a scheme that rights groups say may endanger migrants and asylum seekers by returning them to the war-torn country.The group is the first of 5,000 Myanmar citizens that Kuala Lumpur says agreed to voluntary" repatriation from detention centres amid a huge uptick in anti-migrant sentiment in Malaysia. Continue reading...

The injection of thermal energy, 40 times that used by humanity in total, comes amid an increasing rise in sea levels and continuing acidificationA record-breaking 23 zettajoules of heat was sunk into the world's seas last year, leaving ocean waters hotter, higher and less hospitable, a report has found.The explosive addition of thermal energy, which was almost 40 times greater than all the energy humanity used that year, comes amid far-reaching changes to the deep water bodies fundamental to life on Earth. Continue reading...

Many products aimed at women over 45 lack meaningful quantities of key nutrients, consumer watchdog Which? foundMenopause supplements costing more than 400 a year are no better than a 22-a-year multivitamin, according to analysis by the consumer watchdog Which?.Which? found that many popular supplements that are aimed at women over 45 going through menopause or perimenopause lack meaningful quantities of key nutrients, yet cost 20 times more than standard multivitamins. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: At Labour conference members are basking in the glow of the Burnham bounce. But beneath the enthusiasm lies a growing sense that delivery must follow hopeful messagingGood morning from Liverpool (and hello again to the newsletter subscribers I met in person, as I took First Edition on tour to Labour party conference).It's the first gathering of the party faithful since Andy Burnham ousted Keir Starmer in July, in what I've heard delicately referred to as a soft coup", and the theme of this conference is Hope again."UK news | One of the five men arrested near RAF Fairford as part of a terror investigation that prompted fears of an Iran-backed plot called the police to report the incident. The call from the man, in his 20s and from London, was one reason armed police were scrambled to arrest the men.Football | The Premier League has confirmed Manchester City have been found guilty of all charges of breaching its financial rules over a nine-year period, with the club found to have boosted their income by a staggering amount of more than 900m.France | More than 400 people, most of them children, have been detained in France on Tuesday after teenagers across the country blockaded their schools in protest at class sizes, teacher shortages and long timetables.US politics | The Trump administration can resume quickly deporting immigrants to a third countries", or countries other than those immigrants' homeland, without giving them any opportunity to contest their removals, the supreme court ruled on Tuesday.UK news | A six-month trial of live facial recognition technology in London's railway stations cost more than 320,000 and led to one false match against a watchlist of suspects and no arrests. Continue reading...

Independent Planning Commission says climate change impacts from Hunter Valley project will be outweighed' by economic benefits

Scheme will follow principles of Sure Start, helping families with infant feeding, mental health and bonding with babiesThe government is rolling out a Healthy Babies programme to every local authority in England, as part of its efforts to expand a Sure Start-type system of help for deprived children and families.It aims to support parents with infant feeding, their mental health and building strong bonds with their babies, alongside health visits, midwifery care and wider services. Continue reading...

Jim Chalmers says higher global oil prices flowing through to oil prices in Australia' are to blame for inflation rising from 3.5%