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President Lee Jae Myung has long pushed for stronger homegrown defences, yet Donald Trump's move has sparked alarm in some quartersAt their first summit, in August last year, South Korean president Lee Jae Myung told Donald Trump: If you, Mr President, become the peacemaker, then I will assist you as the pacemaker."The remark at the Oval Office captured the thrust of Lee's approach to the North: dial down the military posturing and make repeated peace overtures to revive dialogue, even if they have been consistently rejected by Pyongyang largely over Seoul's insistence on denuclearisation. Continue reading...

Victorian court of appeal to consider whether triple murder and attempted murder guilty verdicts should be quashed

Dallas McInerney tells inquiry he wiped data from his devices over the weekend after receiving a security warning from his bank

Food Foundation sounds alarm over supply risks and price shocks as about 40% of Britain's food is importedThe UK is vulnerable to food price shocks because of its dependence on imports of fruit and vegetable from countries even more exposed to the climate crisis, researchers say.Much of Britain has sweltered under a record five heatwaves this year and endured drought and wildfires, with the hot, dry conditions damaging crops and reducing yields of domestic produce. Continue reading...

Mohommed Farhat spray-painted slogans and torched a car in Woollahra. He pleaded guilty but supreme court judge says case appears to be a miscarriage of justice'

The director's BBC hit opened the door to Hollywood action films including Hamburger Hill, The Dogs of War and Raw DealJohn Irvin, the British film-maker who directed the Bafta-winning BBC miniseries Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, as well as films including Hamburger Hill, The Dogs of War and Raw Deal, has died aged 86.Irvin died peacefully at home" on 11 August, surrounded by his family, his producer Claire Evans confirmed to the Guardian. Continue reading...

In video celebrating Maggie's cancer charity, queen recalls longing to let it out' on visit to centre in 2024The queen has spoken for the first time of how difficult she found it to keep King Charles's cancer a secret before it was announced publicly.Camilla found herself longing to let it out" during an official visit to a Maggie's cancer support centre in 2024, after Charles had received his diagnosis but before the news was released. Continue reading...

Alpine communities hit out after influencer videos draw huge queues to Friedrich August refuge in DolomitesHundreds of people overwhelmed a mountain hut in the Italian Dolomites, not for the panoramic views but in search of a creamy pastry, reigniting the debate about social-media-driven tourism.The visitors ventured en masse to the Friedrich August refuge - perched at 2,300 metres (7,500ft) above sea level, between Col Rodella and Passo Sella in Val di Fassa - some reportedly waking up at dawn or camping overnight, just to ensure they could buy a freshly baked krapfen, a traditional German pastry similar to a doughnut, before they ran out. Continue reading...

Allowing jurors to stay in same hotel as police and prosecution denied Patterson a fair trial, lawyers tell Victorian court of appealLawyers for Erin Patterson argue that allowing jurors to stay in the same hotel as police and the prosecution while they deliberated over their verdicts in the triple murder trial represented a catastrophic" failure of the justice system.On Wednesday, three judges of Victoria's highest court started hearing two appeals - by Patterson herself and the state's director of public prosecutions (DPP) - into the conviction and sentence in the case. Continue reading...

Yolngu independent Yiiya Guyula accused the CLP of contributing to the breakdown of our culture and people, in what is becoming a slow genocide'

South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise would end on 21 August at the request of the USSouth Korea's military has confirmed that joint military drills with the US will be cut short, days after Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back the exercises.In a statement on Wednesday, South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said at the request of the US side, the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise - which began on Monday would end on Friday, six days earlier than originally planned. Continue reading...

Effects of global heating in NT worsened by dangerous and fire-promoting buffel grass', expert says

The young Indigenous girl was found on Tuesday after she was last seen leaving home in Butler on Saturday evening

Researchers find capacity stunted by pollution was restored after introduction of ultra-low emission zoneChildren's lungs grew bigger and stronger after the most polluting vehicles were restricted from entering London, a study has found.Examinations of London schoolchildren before and after the introduction of the city's ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) found a restoration of lung capacity that had been stunted by exposure to pollution. Continue reading...

Findings highlight importance of sleep health during middle age, particularly for those with lower socioeconomic statusSleep that is extremely disrupted or that goes on too long could mean a loss of nine months from working life after the age of 50, a study has found.It also found that women with no sleep disturbances had a longer working life from 50 to 68 than their male equivalents. Continue reading...

A man, woman and teenage girl have died, while a younger girl is in a critical condition, say Sussex policeA couple and their teenage daughter have died after getting into difficulty in the sea off the West Sussex coast, police said on Tuesday.A man, a woman and a teenage girl died after the incident in Shoreham-by-Sea, the chief superintendent of Sussex police, James Collis, said. Continue reading...

Mykhailo Fedorov's appeal is most direct challenge to Volodymyr Zelenskyy since Russian invasion in 2022Ukraine's recently dismissed former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for a wartime presidential election in the most direct political challenge to Volodymyr Zelenskyy since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.The politician, whose abrupt sacking last month triggered a wave of protests, said that Ukraine had to restore a full democratic process even amid a prolonged war" in a video address released online late on Tuesday evening. Continue reading...

Tributes paid to great friend and collaborator' who played with band for 56 years and died in hospice care in TexasThe ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard has died at the age of 77.A spokesperson for the band confirmed that Beard died on 17 August in hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas. His family were by his side. Continue reading...

Migration minister asked how he intends to stop deportations of people who had lived in Sweden for decades'The deportation and removal of British citizens from Sweden over Brexit residency rights is damaging relations with the UK amid efforts to improve links with London, a Swedish MP has said.Hakan Svenneling, representative for Varmland, where a 78-year-old British widow, Joyce Thomas, has been given four weeks to leave Sweden after 21 years of residency, has written to the migration minister, Johan Forssell, asking what he intends to do to stop the deportations". Continue reading...

Marco Rubio targets ICC's Tomoko Akane and Abdoulaye Seye, who was investigating Israeli war crimes in GazaThe US has sanctioned the president of the international criminal court (ICC) and a prosecutor tasked with investigating crimes committed by Israel during its war on Gaza.The new sanctions designations were unveiled by Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, who called the Hague-based ICC a corrupt and fatally politicized supranational court that has maliciously abused its authority and exceeded its mandate", in a statement. Continue reading...

Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi were off campus, with Delta Upsilon placed on interim probationMore than a dozen Penn State University students ran a cocaine-trafficking ring that cut and packaged the potent drug mainly at two fraternity houses, authorities said on Monday.The Pennsylvania attorney general, Dave Sunday, announced charges on Monday against 14 people linked to the purported operation, saying it involved primarily college students and two fraternities". The drugs were distributed mainly to Penn State ... students", Sunday's office contended in statements that caused waves far beyond the research university's campus community. Continue reading...

Picture showing White Helmets volunteer unconscious and with bruises on his body went viralSyrians have protested over the death of a man who was arrested and allegedly beaten by security forces, sparking widespread anger at a practice thought to have ended with the fall of Bashar al-Assad.A crowd gathered in the city of Aleppo, demanding accountability for the security forces who are alleged to have carried out the torture, with participants holding signs and slogans such as: Do not repeat the same oppression that we revolted against." Protests were also planned to take place in front of Syria's parliament in Damascus on Tuesday, as well. Continue reading...

The prime minister says the absolutely massive' move would protect thousands of jobsMoscow has threatened the UK with consequences" after reports that British drones have been used to strike targets on Russia's mainland for the first time.Ukraine used drones made by two UK companies as part of a so-called deep-strike campaign, the Sunday Times reported.Buses in Manchester and London are franchised (ie owned by a private company but operated under a local authority brand.) It seems strange that the Government didn't try and facilitate this or encourage another private operator to take over the enhanced partnership operation in the West Midlands but instead transfer c. 100m of liabilities to local taxpayers backed by The UK Govt & ultimately UK taxpayers. Continue reading...

The blaze charring peatland, pine trees and hiking trails grew over the weekend to half the size of ManhattanSome first pictures from this morning's earthquakes in Granada are emerging on social media...Andalusian president Juanma Moreno urged residents to maintain maximum caution" as more seismic movements and aftershocks may happen. Continue reading...

Bonnier Books will no longer publish UK's top-selling true crime author following Guardian investigationThe main publisher of the bestselling true crime writer Christopher Berry-Dee has dropped the author after a Guardian investigation into allegations of violence and sexual abuse against him, which he denies. Waterstones has also removed his books from sale.We are shocked and appalled by the very serious allegations relating to Christopher Berry-Dee, and our thoughts are with those affected," said the publisher Bonnier Books in a statement to the Guardian. Continue reading...

Triptorelin, already listed for prostate cancer, should have unrestricted use, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee says

Forecasters say first meaningful rain for a long time' will not reverse widespread drought conditionsFloods and drought could hit the UK at the same time this week, with heavy rain forecast to fall on hard, parched soil.While some parts of the UK will have the first meaningful rain for a long time" in the coming days, it will not reverse widespread drought conditions that have put pressure on wildlife, farmers, firefighters and water resources. Continue reading...

Marie Ebert, Alexander Cromie and their pilot died when their aircraft crashed on island of SifnosGreek police believe a mechanical fault may have caused a helicopter to crash moments before it was due to land on the island of Sifnos, killing a British couple on honeymoon and the pilot.Authorities were focusing on Tuesday on the strange noise" the aircraft, a privately chartered Bell 206, is reported to have made before falling to the ground and exploding on impact. Continue reading...

Government assessment warns of supply shock that could leave homes and businesses without gas within a decadeGreat Britain risks running out of gas in the 2030s despite its growing clean energy sources, unless ministers take unprecedented" action to guard against a future gas supply shock, according to an official assessment of the country's gas security.The government is considering plans to provide direct financial support to safeguard the country's ageing gas infrastructure after a consultation found that a high stress scenario" could mean homes and businesses run out of gas within the next decade. Continue reading...

Bridget Phillipson writes to watchdog asking it to look into claims Tether.bet and Fispay operated without a licenceThe Gambling Commission has been urged to investigate claims that companies linked to Reform UK donors and allies of Nigel Farage have been operating without a licence.The Labour party's chair, Bridget Phillipson, has written to the watchdog asking it to look into Tether.bet, a Montenegro-based gambling company, and Fispay, a UK company owned by Reform's data protection officer, Mowbray Jackson.Whether Tether.bet, and its operators, provided or advertised remote gambling facilities to consumers in UK without the required licenceWhether Fispay Ltd, or any other UK company, provided or supported gambling facilities or services to consumers in the UK without the required licence." Continue reading...

As adept at comedy and musicals as she was drama, Law acted alongside daughters Emma and Sophie in a career spanning eight decadesPhyllida Law, whose prolific acting career encompassed a wide range of stage, TV and film roles - a number of which were alongside her daughters Emma and Sophie Thompson - has died aged 94. Her personal manager Jacky Leggo said in a statement that she died supremely peacefully at home, surrounded by all of her family".Born in Glasgow in 1932, Law was accepted at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre school - initially intending to be a stage designer but then switching to acting. She appeared in a number of Bristol Old Vic productions in the 1950s, and it was there she met Eric Thompson, a fellow actor, whom she married in 1957. Continue reading...

Earl says he wanted to write down my own thoughts and memories' with 30th anniversary of Diana's death on the skyline'Charles Spencer is to publish about a book about his sister Diana in September.In the book - titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister - Spencer recounts the story of Diana's life and the week of her death. It marks the first time that Earl Spencer has spoken openly and at length about his sister", according to the book's publisher, the Penguin imprint Michael Joseph. The book will be released on 22 September in the UK. Continue reading...

Prime minister responds to Russian anger over Kyiv's use of British-made drones in deep strike' campaign

Report by Rachel de Souza finds 71% of children referred to UK anti-terror programme do not have a clear ideologyThe children's commissioner for England has warned of a group of children intoxicated by extremism" who need help the UK government's anti-terror programme cannot provide.Referrals to Prevent - the programme designed to safeguard vulnerable people from being radicalised or drawn into extremism - involving children have risen in the past decade, from 2,918 in 2016-17 to 4,715 in 2024-25. Continue reading...

David Pocock says legislation still includes indiscriminate cut' impacting hundreds of thousands of participantsThe government's controversial NDIS bill will undergo substantial" amendments after Labor and the Coalition struck a deal, with some of the changes attracting heavy criticism from the Greens, the ACT senator David Pocock and the disability community.Sixty-three government amendments across both houses will be introduced as part of backroom deals to pass the bill on Tuesday night, the NDIS ministers, Mark Butler and Jenny McAllister, revealed. Continue reading...

Frasers Group increases stake in German fashion house to 48%, after buying Harvey Nichols chain last week

Government MPs agree to more than a dozen amendments made with the Coalition. Follow today's news live

Man to appear in court charged over death of 55-year-old man who was bitten by dog on footpath on SaturdayA 55-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter over the death of a man who was bitten by a dog on a footpath.West Yorkshire police were called to reports of an altercation on the old train line footpath off Blacker Lane in the Calder Grove area of Wakefield on Saturday afternoon. Continue reading...

Former Ibac head welcomes potential change that could capture actions that currently cannot be used to make corrupt findings

Labor's legislation to restrict gambling ads is set to pass this week, with the Greens calling the agreement cowardly'Two Coalition MPs have crossed the floor after a deal between the major parties to pass Labor's new restrictions on betting advertising and inducements, with cross-benchers and the Greens expressing anger and dismay at the contentious bill's final form.Anthony Albanese and the communications minister, Anika Wells, secured the support of the opposition to pass the bill, with amendments including tweaks to ad timing rules and some restrictions on inducements. Continue reading...

Chain tells customers to pipe down' and use earphones instead, calling its venues an oasis of tranquillity'The pub chain Wetherspoons has banned customers from playing music or taking calls on speaker after growing complaints about the noise.The company announced it had introduced the ban across its 792 pubs, saying sounds from smartphones and tablet computers had become an increasing problem in recent years". Continue reading...

Lee Jae Myung reiterates desire for full command back in Seoul's hands after Donald Trump cuts joint exercises, citing warm ties with Kim Jong-un

In today's newsletter: The women most at risk of violence are often the least likely to be heard - the murder of two sex workers shows why that must changeGood morning. Last week, Simon Levy, a registered sex offender, was sentenced to a rare whole life tariff for the murders of Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo and Sheryl Wilkins. Both women, as well as others targeted by Levy, were vulnerable and involved in sex work.This was no coincidence: in the sentencing remarks, it was noted that Levy - who had a history of sexual offending dating back to 2018 - selected women who sold sex as his victims because he believed he could get away with it.UK politics | Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice dismissed efforts to tackle climate breakdown, urging British people to enjoy" the summer heatwaves.US news | Donald Trump issued a threat to bomb Oman if the country gets in the way' of ending the US-Israel war on Iran.World news | The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is now the deadliest in the country's history, with at least 2,325 dead from the virus, according to official data.Jason Arday | Tens of thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square in London to remember and pay tribute to Jason Arday, the former Cambridge professor who died on Friday.Housing | Half of homes in Great Britain are taking longer to sell than last year as volatile conditions in the mortgage market amid the Iran war prompt buyers to wait and see" if they can get a better deal, according to a report. Continue reading...

Former broadcaster has pleaded not guilty to 22 indecent assault and sexual touching charges in relation to six men

Many buyers wait in hope of better deal, although there are hotspots in Scotland and northern EnglandHalf of homes in Great Britain are taking longer to sell than last year as volatile conditions in the mortgage market amid the Iran war prompt buyers to wait and see" if they can get a better deal, according to a report.As the Middle East conflict continues to unfold, the property platform Zoopla said homes in 180 out of 363 local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales were taking longer to sell compared with a year ago. Continue reading...

Psychiatrists in Channel 4 documentary argue it is more a social construct' than a medical conditionPeople are increasingly seeking to an obtain an ADHD diagnosis without pursuing treatment, according to experts who have called for more research to understand why.Some people now regard ADHD as an identity, rather than a disorder", with the result that many obtain assessments from poor quality private providers, which lead them to believe they have a condition needing treatment", said the psychiatrist Dr Marios Adamou, the founder of the UK Adult ADHD Network. Continue reading...

Further 104 allegations not investigated due to insufficient information or the wishes of the impacted person', according to annual report

Open letter signed by 40 academics including Nobel winner Joseph Stiglitz and Kate Pickett, co-author of The Spirit LevelForty prominent progressive academics are urging Andy Burnham's government to join a new global push to tackle inequality.The experts include Nobel winner Joseph Stiglitz, University College London professor Mariana Mazzucato, vice-chancellor of the London School of Economics Larry Kramer, and Kate Pickett, co-author of The Spirit Level. Continue reading...

Author Adam Johnson criticises Waverley council saying reality is often upsetting' while Palestinian group says libraries should hold challenging' books