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Labour MPs Gareth Snell and Meg Hillier say Lords must be allowed to fulfil duty in scrutinising bill on serious public issueMPs who voted for and against assisted dying have urged their respective sides not to take the extraordinary risk" of forcing through the bill using an obscure parliamentary procedure if it continues to be blocked by the Lords.Two Labour MPs have written a warning letter to colleagues in the crucial hours before the next vote on Friday: Gareth Snell, who voted in favour of the bill, and Meg Hillier, who voted against. Continue reading...

Welcome boost for chancellor with unexpected rise put down to rapid growth of AI in services sector outweighing Iran war falloutThe UK economy grew in July as the rapid growth of AI appeared to outweigh the economic damage from the Iran war, in a welcome boost for John Healey before next month's budget.Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed a surprise 0.4% increase in gross domestic product (GDP), compared with 0.3% growth in June. City economists had forecast zero growth. Continue reading...

Global oil price at its highest since May while investors dump stocks and bonds after Donald Trump's $5,000 dividend' promise

National Audit Office says failure to implement 70bn modernisation would also hold back economic growth

Christina Stambolian dress from 1994 has defined a whole category of fashion and is expected to fetch up to 220,000The dress that Diana, Princess of Wales wore one September evening in 1994 would have been memorable for its design alone - black, fitted, off-the-shoulder, skintight and short. However, it has another distinction, of defining a whole category of fashion - what has since become known as revenge dressing".Worn by Diana the same night Charles would reveal his infidelity on TV, the dress was quickly labelled the revenge dress" by the media. It has its own Wikipedia page, with the same title. Continue reading...

The country is one of just three that still permits commercial whaling, while its government has faced mounting pressure to ban the practiceIceland will submit a bill in February 2027 which could permanently ban whaling in its waters, a move that would leave Norway and Japan as the only two countries to permit commercial whaling.Whaling in Iceland has been put under intense scrutiny since a government-commissioned report was published in 2023 that found harpooned whales took two hours to die. The report led to a temporary suspension of the hunt that year. Continue reading...

Trespass case launched by two mothers settled after officers often went to families' houses between midnight and 4am

A split emerges in One Nation over the video, with Barnaby Joyce offering an apology as Pauline Hanson continues to refuse to take it down

Luke Sayers says he accepts Cate Sayers did not post photo of his genitals as she says settlement closes painful and difficult chapter'

Ticehurst's former partner had pleaded guilty to stabbing her 15 times at her Forbes home just before midnight on 21 April 2024

The execution of Daniel Owen Conahan Jr makes him the state's 15th person executed this yearA Florida man was executed by lethal injection on Thursday after being convicted of one of a series of suspected killings that became known as the Hog Trail Murders in the 1990s.Daniel Owen Conahan Jr, 72, was sentenced to death for the 1996 kidnapping and strangling of Richard Allen Montgomery. Authorities found Montgomery's mutilated body in a wooded south-west Florida area where the remains of at least six people have been found over a three-year span. Continue reading...

Joe diGenova led investigation focused on intelligence assessment that Russia interfered in 2016 electionA longtime ally of Donald Trump resigned from his post leading a Department of Justice investigation into whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials conspired against the Republican president.Sometimes people want things done faster and that's all you can do," Joe diGenova said on Thursday. He appeared to be referring to concerns among other Trump loyalists that the president's retribution cases were not moving quickly enough. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Analysis shows cost of chicken fillets, potatoes and donuts rose during supermarket giant's three-month promotion

No 10 says 29 new trains to be built in Derby will support 350 local jobs, as well as nearly 6,000 across the UKNo 10 has announced the construction of a new fleet of battery-powered trains that will bring faster, more reliable journeys to the north".The 29 new trains, which will be run by TransPennine Express, are set to be built in Alstom's Litchurch Lane works in Derby from 2028, which the government says will support 350 local jobs, as well as nearly 6,000 across the UK. Continue reading...

Canadian PM Mark Carney hosts president in Calgary, where he grew up alongside large Ukrainian communityCanada offered support on Thursday to boost Ukraine's air defenses and help replenish its drone stocks, as the countries pledged to deepen their alliance during a visit by Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Mark Carney hosted the president of Ukraine in Calgary in the western province of Alberta, where the Canadian prime minister grew up among a large community of people with Ukrainian heritage. Continue reading...

Broadcaster, 86, had intended to end her life in Swiss clinic after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in 2023Esther Rantzen has said she is no longer able to travel to Switzerland to end her life because she has become too physically fragile".Rantzen, who presented the TV current affairs programme That's Life! for 21 years and founded the youth support charity Childline, had intended to end her life in a Dignitas assisted dying clinic in Switzerland after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in 2023. Continue reading...

Democrats are targeting Trump's relationship with Epstein as part of strategy ahead of midterm electionsJames Talarico, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Texas, accused his rival Ken Paxton of ignoring" survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse, as Democrats seek to increase pressure on Republicans ahead of November's midterm elections.Speaking in Dallas, where Republicans are holding a midterm convention this week, Talarico appeared alongside one of Epstein's victims at an exhibit that featured about 3.5m pages of Department of Justice's files related to Epstein. Continue reading...

Advanced DNA testing reveals skeletal remains belong to Cindy Marcell Blizzard, who had run away from homeSkeletal remains discovered nearly 50 years ago in North Carolina have been identified as those of a 15-year-old girl who had run away from home.On 29 December 1977, skeletal remains and clothing were discovered in a wooded area near a tire manufacturing plant in Wilson, a city approximately 40 miles east of Raleigh. After decades of DNA testing, including advances in technology, investigators identified the remains as belonging to Cindy Marcell Blizzard, a 15-year-old girl who had run away from her home in Monkton, Maryland, in the spring of 1977, the North Carolina state bureau of investigation said. Continue reading...

Downing Street gives more details of plan, saying it would be charged as a percentage of accommodation costs, not a flat fee

Part of Dmitry Donskoy's right hand sent to spiritually strengthen' soldiersThe Russian Orthodox church has sent a fragment of a medieval warrior prince's remains to troops fighting in Ukraine, saying the relic would spiritually strengthen" soldiers and help them achieve victory.A reliquary containing part of the right hand of Dmitry Donskoy, the 14th-century prince revered in Russia for his victory over the Mongolian Golden Horde in 1380, has been taken to Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine and is now being transported along the frontline. Continue reading...

Mark Rutte said that Europeans increasingly understand' the need for their countries to take greater responsibility for our own security'Addressing German ambassadors, Wadephul repeats that the Russian threat has reached our doorstep and it's tangible."He adds:The Russian attempted attack at the airport in Leipzig is only the most recent incident in a string of constantly growing Russian aggression against Europe and against Nato.Russia and its partners operate with a global network against our interests and in favour of an own imperialist claim to great power status." Continue reading...

Critics react to bid for Republican votes with incredulity and point to potential $1.2tn cost atop existing national debtDonald Trump's promise of a $5,000 Trump dividend" for every US citizen if Republicans retain control of the US Congress in November's midterm elections has sparked incredulity and accusations of bribery.If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000," Trump said during the unprecedented Republican midterm convention in Dallas. It will be called the Trump dividend." Continue reading...

The Liberal MP and former SAS soldier is under attack from One Nation after complying with a subpoena to give evidence in the failed 2022 civil case

Arrests of woman, 42, and man, 60, made after Met carried out searches of addresses in north and north-west LondonA man and a woman have been arrested by counter-terrorism police in London on suspicion of assisting Iran's foreign intelligence service.The arrests of the 42-year-old woman and 60-year-old man were made after searches carried out at addresses in north and north-west London on 24 June, the Metropolitan police said. Continue reading...

Testimony from Israeli military insiders involved in surveillance and remote killings features in documentary produced by the GuardianTestimony from 24 Israeli military insiders on the secret systems used in the war on Gaza has been revealed in a new documentary film about the mass killing of Palestinian civilians.NAZA, a film from the Oscar-winning Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, was shown at the Venice international film festival on Thursday as the only documentary competing for its prestigious Golden Lion award. Continue reading...

High commissioner to India replaces Olly Robbins, who was sacked over Peter Mandelson scandalThe Foreign Office has its first female head after the appointment of Lindy Cameron, the high commissioner to India.Cameron's new role as permanent undersecretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office means she will replace Olly Robbins, who was sacked over the Peter Mandelson scandal. Continue reading...

Chain has long avoided deliveries in Great Britain but says a shift now offers opportunity for profitable growth'

Arun Arora, bishop of Kirkstall in Leeds, condemns twisted theology' of groups who demonstrated at south coast ports at weekend

Billionaire Alex Beard and his former deputy appear in London court over alleged payments to African officialsGlencore's billionaire former head of oil trading has pleaded not guilty to two bribery charges after allegedly facilitating payments to west African officials in order to advance the Swiss commodity group's operations in the continent.Alex Beard, 59, denied two counts of conspiracy to make corrupt payments at Southwark crown court in London on Thursday, in a case brought by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). Continue reading...

Iran and its proxies move closer to full control of two shipping chokepoints as regional conflict widensYemen's Houthi rebels are making a concerted drive to take full control of the country's Red Sea coast, claiming control of the key port of Mocha, in the most serious wave of fighting with the Saudi-backed government in years.Seizure of the coast would be a strategic disaster for Saudi Arabia and the US, taking Iran and its proxies closer to full control of two chokepoints for western shipping on opposite sides of the Arabian peninsula: the Bab al-Mandeb at the southern end of the Red Sea and the strait of Hormuz in the Gulf. Continue reading...

Health secretary says extreme demand no longer confined to winter as service in England warns of knock-on effectsThe NHS faced the busiest summer in its history" as the UK experienced a series of heatwaves, health officials have said, while the waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England has risen to its highest level for nine months.The health secretary said extreme demand" on the service was no longer confined to winter" and NHS leaders warned that the service had never gone into winter on the back of such a heavy summer". Continue reading...

This blog is now closedLabor introducing new laws to crack down on illegal tobaccoLabor will introduce new laws to make it easier to prosecute criminals involved in the illicit tobacco trade, as the government fights an uphill battle against the exploding black market.The new laws think about it as a list of observable indicators, very simple, fact-based things like: is the tobacco appropriately packaged? Is it a menthol cigarette even hiding in plain packaging? Is it being concealed? Does it have paperwork at the border?Or my personal favourite: is the retail price of this packet of cigarettes less than the amount of excise and GST combined? If any of these facts are proven, just one of them, that establishes the reasonable suspicion of the criminal offence of importing, possession, or conveying. It'll give powerful new tools to Border Force but every state and territory police force to go after the crooks.I said, look, my door's open if you want to talk about this. I don't know why he thinks I'm a liar. I don't quite know why he believes I lied about it.I'm disappointed he thinks I'm a coward. I don't know how he came to that opinion but that's up to him. I don't think he's a traitor. I absolutely respect the services given to our nation, like my family, has given to the service of New Zealand and Australia. Democracy's a robust thing. Continue reading...

Jamie Dimon tells UK politicians before October budget that investment could be at risk, it is understoodJamie Dimon, chief executive of the largest US bank, JP Morgan, is understood to have warned Andy Burnham and his chancellor, John Healey, against raising taxes on banks in his inaugural budget in October.The Wall Street billionaire met the politicians on Wednesday and cautioned them that higher taxes could put investment and employment in the UK at risk, it is understood. Continue reading...

Retailer says higher costs also hit first-half figures as group pursues its turnaround plan, though Waitrose grew salesLosses at the owner of John Lewis and Waitrose widened by more than 40% in the first half of the year as it struggled with higher costs and with shoppers feeling less confident about their money.The John Lewis Partnership, which operates 36 department stores and more than 300 Waitrose supermarkets, said its pre-tax loss for the six months to 1 August climbed to 124m, compared with 88m in the same period in 2025. Continue reading...

Lambie, a veteran and Tasmanian senator, says One Nation leader is a coward' who is showing her true colours'

Alexander Csergo sentenced over reckless foreign interference after preparing documents for duo who approached him on LinkedIn

Australia declined to join move by UK, Canada and France in banning trade with illegal Israeli settlementsLabor party members have criticised the federal government for not following the UK, Canada and France in banning trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, urging Penny Wong to mount a stronger response to violence against Palestinians.The Labor Friends of Palestine group wrote to the foreign minister on Wednesday, calling for Australia to join a coordinated approach with allied countries, in line with changes to the party's national platform agreed in July. Continue reading...

Dow Jones convicted of one count of deterring Selina Cheng from role at Hong Kong Journalist Association but cleared of second chargeA Hong Kong court has convicted the publisher of the Wall Street Journal of deterring a reporter from taking up a trade union role, in a case that raised concerns about press freedom in the city.The newspaper dismissed Selina Cheng just weeks after she was appointed chair of the Hong Kong Journalist Association (HKJA) in 2024. She was told at the time her termination was officially due to restructuring. Continue reading...

Multiple search and rescue vessels deployed after blaze off Palawan island leaves at least five dead, says coast guardA large-scale search and rescue operation is under way off the western Philippine island of Palawan on Thursday after a passenger ferry caught fire, killing five people and leaving scores of passengers missing.The Philippine coast guard said multiple vessels and other assets were searching for survivors as rescue teams used drift-modelling tools to identify areas where people may have been carried by currents. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: No Bayeux ticket? Everything you need to know about the sold-out exhibition - from its epic journey to London to a Game of Thrones likenessGood morning. If you live in the UK, you have probably heard about the Bayeux tapestry exhibition, which opens today, and you probably haven't got a ticket. The digital queue was nine-hours long when they first went on sale in July, and the exhibition has already broken the British Museum's record for the number of tickets sold in a single day.Some lucky individuals, including King Charles and aspiring overlord Peter Thiel, have been treated to early previews of the medieval tapestry. Guests staying at One Aldwych, a hotel where rooms go for 1,000 a night, can partake in the Bayeux experience" with a themed cocktail (mead spritzer, anyone?), a full English breakfast and preferential access to tickets.Reform | The Met police will investigate allegations that Reform UK broke electoral law relating to overseas donations as part of a wider inquiry.UK- Israel | Prominent British rabbis have backed Ed Miliband's sanctions on Israeli settlements, warning that the time for inaction on settler violence must come to an end.Technology | Just a day after three Anthropic researchers warned that artificial intelligence could kill off humanity within the decade, US politicians have begun lashing out about the risks of the burgeoning technology.UK news | Protesters who gathered outside a Portsmouth hotel mistook Pakistan's under-19 cricket team for asylum seekers.US news | Donald Trump pledged to pay every adult citizen in the US $5,000 if Republicans retain the House and Senate in the midterm elections, during a marathon speech at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas. Continue reading...

The International Atomic Energy Agency voices serious concerns' over expansion of Yongbyon facility to enrich uraniumThe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has voiced serious concern" over evidence that North Korea has built a facility capable of enriching weapons-grade uranium to bolster its nuclear arsenal.The new building, located at the the country's main Yongbyon nuclear facility, can house up to 28 centrifuge cascades - machinery commonly used to enrich uranium - according to a report by the nuclear watchdog released this week. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Claimants could trade part of payment for specialist equipment, services or training under proposalSome disabled people could receive in kind" support rather than just cash payments under a radical overhaul of the personal independence payment (Pip) proposed by official government advisers, the Guardian can reveal.The proposal, from an expert committee largely made up of disabled people, is one of a number of striking emerging recommendations" likely to form the basis of the government's Timms review of Pip, expected to be published in the next two months. Continue reading...

Paul Nowak says changes to immigration rules risk overstretching social care and fuelling far-right sentimentAndy Burnham must overhaul Shabana Mahmood's migration reforms or risk overstretching social care and fuelling far-right sentiment, the TUC general secretary, Paul Nowak, has warned.Speaking ahead of the TUC's annual congress in Brighton next week, Nowak welcomed the sense of optimism" around Burnham's fledgling government, but he urged the PM to act in a series of areas, including migration and the cost of living. Continue reading...

FitzSimons tells court that complainant C told him Jones, who has pleaded not guilty, would touch his penis and he kept pushing it away'

Cohen has not personally asked Trump for a pardon, but he submitted an application to the White House after his request was denied by the Biden administrationDonald Trump on Wednesday said he would consider pardoning Michael Cohen, the former fixer whom he once branded a rat" for testifying against him in court and before Congress, but with whom he has recently staged a stunning public reconciliation.Asked by a reporter whether he would grant Cohen's appeal for presidential clemency, Trump said: If everything is checking out, it's something I would consider." Continue reading...

Sagal Abdi-Wali, who came from Somalia in the 1990s, likely to face Zack Polanski in Holborn and St Pancras contestA former child refugee who became the leader of Camden council has been selected to be the Labour candidate for the byelection in Holborn and St Pancras.Sagal Abdi-Wali, who came to the UK from Somalia as a child in the 1990s and was elected leader of Camden council in May, was chosen by Labour members to contest the north London seat vacated by Keir Starmer. Continue reading...

Brothers, arrested in Miami in July on UK rape and sex trafficking charges, to remain in custody in FloridaA US judge denied the bail request of the controversial social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate on Wednesday, ordering the brothers to remain behind bars as they fight extradition to the United Kingdom.The Tate brothers, prominent figures in the so-called manosphere", were arrested in Miami on 18 July after British prosecutors filed new charges against them and sought their extradition to the UK. Those charges included criminal charges of rape and sex trafficking. British prosecutors previously charged the brothers with rape, human trafficking and sexual assault. The Tates, who are dual British-US citizens, have repeatedly denied the accusations against them. Continue reading...

OS index examines which urban heat islands' suffer the most - and which cope the best with rising temperaturesPortsmouth, Leicester, Exeter, Bristol and Nottingham will be among the cities that warm the most by the end of this century as global heating turns British cities into urban heat islands, according to research.Analysis from Ordnance Survey (OS) has created a heat vulnerability index for all cities in Great Britain. Portsmouth, which sits on the south coast of England and is home to 208,000 people, is the most vulnerable to extreme heat today and into the future, according to the research from the OS, the Met Office and the data analysis company 4 Earth Intelligence. Continue reading...

Joshua Cammidge, 31, arrested after investigation led by counter-terrorism policing LondonA man has been charged with offences related to national security as part of an ongoing investigation led by counter-terrorism policing (CTP) London, according to the Metropolitan police.Joshua Cammidge, 31, was arrested at an address in Swindon on Friday 4 September by CTP London officers, supported by officers from Wiltshire police. Searches were also carried out at a different address in Swindon. He was further arrested and detained the following day, being charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service and intending to commit or engage in conduct to prepare an act of sabotage. Continue reading...