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Janai Safar, 32, one of four women who returned to Australia who were allegedly linked to Islamic State fighters. Follow updates

Local council results are being announced in England; Scottish and Welsh parliament results are due from midday

Exclusive: Farley discussed preferences and suggested platform before Voices group endorsed his rival Michelle Milthorpe as its candidate

From devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales to councils and mayoralties in England, find out what happened in your area

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Reform runaway winners in north-east, likely pushing Labour into opposition in Hartlepool, with other losses for Starmer in Chorley, Wigan, Redditch and Tamworth

A booming tech sector has disrupted translation jobs in publishing - but they could be needed for a while longer yetIn February 2022, while he was plugging away at rendering the US writer Dana Spiotta's novel Wayward into French, the literary translator Yoann Gentric decided he needed a bit of light relief. He would test whether AI could put him out of work.Gentric had been grappling with a short non-verbal sentence that described the book's protagonist's feelings upon opening a window: Bright, sharp night air, bracing." He put the prompt into DeepL, a neural-network-powered machine translation engine that regularly outperforms Google Translate in accuracy assessments. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Until now nothing was known about Jersey', depicted with naval officer, but research raises hopes he may have won freedomFor hundreds of years, he was known only as Jersey", an enslaved boy of about 11 rendered in oil on canvas by the great 18th-century portrait painter Sir Joshua Reynolds.But now the life of the youngster, believed to be Reynolds' earliest depiction of a person of colour, has begun to emerge, thanks to a research project. Continue reading...

Water minister Rose Jackson calls drying in Gwydir region devastating' as bill passes upper house

Kawsar Ahmad, 53, and Zeinab Ahmad, 31, set to apply for bail in Melbourne as Janai Safar, 32, due to face Sydney court on separate charges including joining a terrorist organisationTwo Australian women charged with committing crimes against humanity including slavery offences during the rule of Islamic State in Syria have faced a Melbourne court.Kawsar Ahmad, 53, also known as Abbas, and her daughter Zeinab Ahmad, 31, were arrested by officers from the Victorian joint counter-terrorism team at Melbourne airport on Thursday. Continue reading...

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Jeremiah Manele toppled after months of political upheaval in the nation seen as one of China's closest partners in the PacificSolomon Islands prime minister Jeremiah Manele lost power in a no-confidence vote in the South Pacific country's parliament, ending months of political uncertainty.Parliament was adjourned to allow the governor general to make arrangements for the election of a new prime minister. Continue reading...

Two women charged in Melbourne on Friday with another charged in Sydney on Thursday night after group of 13 fly home

Norfolk police charge 39-year-old from Suffolk, who will appear in court laterA man has been charged after allegedly threatening Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor near his new home on the Sandringham Estate.The former Duke of York was out walking his dogs when the incident occurred in Wolferton, close to his Marsh Farm property, shortly after 7.30pm on Wednesday, the Telegraph reported previously. Continue reading...

Revocations will start on Friday for those who owe $100,000 or more, and then expand to those who owe $2,500 or more

Results of elections for councils in England, the Senedd in Wales and the Scottish parliament could transform Great Britain's political landscape

Ryan Cohen selling tube socks and baseball cards after offering $55.5bn, although source of funds remains unclearThe CEO of GameStop, Ryan Cohen, said he was selling vintage video games, baseball cards, GameStop merchandise and a $14,000 pair of tube socks to help fund the company's proposed $55.5bn acquisition of eBay.His platform of choice? eBay, of course. Continue reading...

One person died and a dozen others were injured in the attack, during a June 2025 demonstration in BoulderA man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty on Thursday to killing one person and injuring a dozen others in a 2025 firebombing attack on a demonstration in Boulder, Colorado, in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza.Mohamed Sabry Soliman looked down at a desk throughout the sentencing at the Boulder district court. He has meanwhile pleaded not guilty to federal hate crime charges for the attack last June. Continue reading...

Prosecutors allege SPLC funneled over $3m to sources in extremist groups but legal experts say case is weak

Man, 69, is in intensive care in Johannesburg, while expedition guide Martin Anstee, 56, receiving care in Netherlands

Move comes days after supreme court ruling weakened Voting Rights Act protections against racial gerrymandering

Weeks before her death, Annabel Rook, 46, from Stoke Newington, left her sister a voice message about Clifton George's abusive behaviourThe co-founder of a social enterprise who was fatally stabbed by her partner said he was on the warpath" shortly before she died, in a voice message that was played during a murder trial.Clifton George, 45, is accused of murdering 46-year-old Annabel Rook during an argument at their home in north London last June. Continue reading...

Appliance giant slashes earnings forecast and hikes prices by 10% with another 4% spike plannedWith the war in Iran and economic concerns putting pressure on consumers and how they spend their money, Whirlpool is having to adjust to Americans delaying big-ticket purchases while also raising prices to help stabilize its North American business.The company known for brands such as KitchenAid, Maytag and its namesake, said that the Iran war led to a recession-level industry decline" in America as consumer confidence collapsed in late February and March. Revenue dropped nearly 10% in the quarter as sales of major appliances in North America declined more than 7%. Continue reading...

Latest briefings float hope of basic deal that would keep peace and free shipping while further negotiations continue

Riyadh told White House it would deny access for operation to provide tankers military escort through strait of Hormuz

Agency says FBI director followed all applicable ethical guidelines' in giving out personalized bourbon bottlesThe FBI said that agency director Kash Patel followed all applicable ethical guidelines" after a report in the Atlantic alleged that he distributed customized bourbon whiskey bottles as gifts.In an article published on Wednesday, the Atlantic described Patel as travelling with a stock of personalized branded bourbon" that he allegedly hands out frequently to people around him. Continue reading...

Prosecution says Rico Gedel attacked Ian Watkins in HMP Wakefield then handed homemade knife to Samuel DodsworthA prisoner accused of murdering the disgraced former Lostprophets singer told guards they could be talking to someone famous" after stabbing Ian Watkins in the head and neck with a homemade knife, a court has heard.Rico Gedel carried out the attack on Watkins, who was serving a 29-year sentence for child sexual offences, in his cell at HMP Wakefield, a high-security prison, on 11 October, Leeds crown court heard. Continue reading...

President indicated that deal had materialised but truth was that Saudi Arabia had stopped US use of its bases

The Ultimate Picture Palace opened in 1911 and is housed in a Grade II-listed building in need of renovationThe survival of one of the UK's oldest independent cinemas is under threat while its landlord, the University of Oxford's Oriel College, refuses to extend its lease to allow vital renovations.The Ultimate Picture Palace in east Oxford opened in 1911, and has entertained generations of students and residents, including the Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes. It sells tickets for its 106 seats through an old-fashioned box office window to patrons queueing on the street, and its screen is behind a manually opened curtain. Continue reading...

Health body gives briefing as Spain says ship will not dock in Tenerife but be anchored offshore and passengers will have no contact with the publicMeanwhile, Hungary's incoming prime minister Peter Magyar has arrived for talks at Palazzo Chigi in Rome, where he is due to meet with Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni.Since he is not the Hungarian PM yet - he will take his role this weekend - he was officially welcomed outside the Palazzo by a senior adviser to the Italian PM instead. Continue reading...

Tory leader tells Sun that there won't be council tie-ups as Farage's party is not serious' as votes under way in England, Wales and ScotlandAnd here is the eve-of-poll statement that Rhun ap Iorwerth, the Plaid Cymru leader, issued yesterday.Service is a value which has always sustained Wales. It's a value instilled in me from a young age by my parents, both teachers. It's a value I've sought to pass on to my children - the gift of giving back to the people and places who gave us so much.Tomorrow is a chance for the people of Wales to choose who serves our nation for the next four years. It's Plaid Cymru's deep sense of service to Wales - focusing just on our needs and our future - that first drew me to politics.Today is Scotland's opportunity to choose a better future by voting SNP for real action on the cost of living, to lock Nigel Farage out of power, and to secure a fresh start with independence.

US secretary of state speaks with Leo and officials after tensions following attacks by Trump over Iran warThe Vatican has said it raised the need to work tirelessly in favour of peace" in talks with the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who is in Rome on a trip widely regarded as an effort to ease tensions after Donald Trump's repeated criticisms of Pope Leo.Amid unprecedented strain on relations between the Holy See and Washington, Rubio was received by the pope on Thursday at the Apostolic Palace, before holding a series of meetings with Vatican officials Continue reading...

Musician whose real name is Bill Kahan Kapri is charged with trafficking MDMA after incident last NovemberKodak Black, the Florida-based rapper, was scheduled to appear in court in Orlando on Thursday on a felony drug charge stemming from an incident last year in which gunshots were allegedly fired near a children's educational building.The musician, who has a long history of arrests and was sentenced to a three-year prison term on a firearms charge in 2019 before being pardoned by Donald Trump, turned himself in to the Orange county jail on Wednesday, multiple media reports said. Continue reading...

Comments with optimistic tone went viral on social media, with some calling it an unofficial start of his 2028 campaignMarco Rubio, the top US diplomat, has stoked speculation about a potential run for president in 2028 by releasing a campaign-style video that articulates a hopeful vision of America.The minute-long vertical video features images of Rubio, Donald Trump, jets flying over the White House, Americans of different races, former US president Ronald Reagan, and the Stars and Stripes being hoisted against a blue sky. Continue reading...

Republican senator for Maine, facing tough re-election battle, says she has had benign essential tremor for decades

Report using research from senior Blair and Clinton pollster comes as Labour braces for dismal election results

Crowds were invited to stand in silent solidarity with the family of the Warlpiri girl who was allegedly murdered in Alice Springs last week

CEO of Danish shipping group says increased costs due to higher fuel bills passed on to customers

In an exclusive interview from prison, Sadia Moalim Ali, a 27-year-old rickshaw driver, tells of her treatment after being arrested for demonstrating against the governmentA woman being held in prison in Somalia for taking part in peaceful protests has described how she was tortured by her guards.Sadia Moalim Ali, 27, told the Guardian she was stripped naked by two male guards in a room monitored by CCTV, kicked, beaten with a baton and left for two days in a small cell without food. Continue reading...

People gathered at dusk under the fig tree canopy of Sydney's Hyde Park to pay tribute to the 32-year-old who died nearby and laid undiscovered for up to a week

Pair left MV Hondius before outbreak was detected and are not reporting symptoms, according to UK Health Security AgencyTwo people who were onboard a cruise ship hit with a deadly outbreak of hantavirus have returned to the UK and are self-isolating, British health officials have said.Neither of the two British people, who left MV Hondius at St Helena in late April, are reporting symptoms, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKSA). Continue reading...

Jason Atherton, who has restaurants in Dubai, St Moritz and now Tuscany, says it's tough to stay afloat in UK hospitality industryA British Michelin-starred chef says he is opening restaurants abroad to subsidise his UK venues against a backdrop of high taxes and a struggling hospitality sector.Jason Atherton is now in Forte dei Marmi, on the Tuscan coast in Italy, where he is preparing his newest opening, Maria's, which will be in the Principessa hotel. The Sheffield-born chef now has restaurants all over the world, including in Dubai and St Moritz. Continue reading...

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Local beekeeper Mitch McLennan says hive thefts have become quite commonplace' due to rise of parasitic varroa mites

IOPC has launched investigation into one serving and four former police officers for potential misconductA serving Metropolitan police officer and four former officers are being investigated over their handling of allegations of sexual abuse made against Mohamed Al Fayed, according to reports.The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into the five individuals for potential misconduct following complaints against the former Harrods owner, who died in 2023 aged 94. Continue reading...

Albanese government announces east coast gas reservation policy, which will require producers to set aside 20% of export volumes

Victorian and federal Labor governments greenlight Otway basin drilling project with potential to supply one-third of state's gas

Local, mayoral and parliamentary contests could upend political landscape as Reform, Greens and Lib Dems surgePolling has opened across England, Scotland and Wales in a series of local, mayoral and parliamentary contests - the biggest electoral test Keir Starmer and the Labour government have faced since the 2024 general election.As millions of people across Great Britain go to the polls on Thursday, party leaders are poised for a set of results that could fundamentally change the political landscape nationally in Scotland and Wales, and across local authorities in England. Continue reading...

Partnership between top startup DeepL and Amazon comes amid concern about Silicon Valley's monopoly over digital infrastructureAI companies in Europe risk losing their world-leading status in the field of machine translation, industry figures have said, after the decision by one of the continent's leading startups to partner with Amazon's cloud computing division provoked alarm.While businesses in the EU have generally lagged behind the US and China in AI adoption, a small group of European companies have cornered the global market for high-quality machine translations for professional use. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Taped conversations also cover playwright's relationship with fame, self-doubt and communismHe was one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century and she was one of the greatest actors. In newly unearthed recordings made over a period of nearly three decades, Arthur Miller opened up about his short-lived marriage to Marilyn Monroe, saying she wanted a husband who was a father, lover, friend and agent," and the child she longed for would have been an additional problem".In taped conversations with his friend and biographer Prof Christopher Bigsby, Miller said he had felt death was always on her [Monroe's] shoulder - always". He had believed that if he did not take care of her life" she would come to a catastrophic end". Continue reading...