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Breaking news: Metropolitan police announce arrests of two men and a womanTwo men and a woman have been arrested in Essex on suspicion of assisting the Russian intelligence service, the Metropolitan police said.The Met said the two men, aged 41 and 46, and a 35-year-old woman were arrested at two separate addresses in Grays on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service and taken to a police station in London. Continue reading...

Sharaz also liable for former defence minister's legal costs on an indemnity basis, which is expected to exceed $500,000David Sharaz has been ordered to pay $92,000 for social media posts the Western Australian supreme court found were defamatory against former defence minister Linda Reynolds.Sharaz, a former journalist and Higgins' now-husband, has also been found jointly responsible for another defamatory tweet to which Higgins responded to, according to the court's orders. Continue reading...

About 800,000 people to demonstrate against budget plans, putting pressure on new prime ministerTeachers, transport workers, hospital staff, pharmacists and public sector workers have gone on strike in France, as trade unions make a rare show of unity to put pressure on the new prime minister, Sebastien Lecornu, to rethink budget cuts and act on wages, pensions and public services.About 800,000 people were expected to join marches across the country on Thursday, in what was expected to be one of the biggest strike days in years. Schools, rail and air transport were affected. Up to 80,000 police were deployed across France from the early morning. Continue reading...

The prime minister has a stonking majority and a progressive crossbench that wants deeper cuts. So what has happened to lower the goal?

Aerospace firm Honeywell also subject of lawsuit from families of four passengers, who allege negligenceThe families of four passengers who died in the Air India crash in June have sued the aerospace manufacturers Boeing and Honeywell, blaming negligence and a faulty fuel cutoff switch for the disaster that killed 260 people.Air India flight 171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London on 12 June. Continue reading...

Former 2GB and Sky News Australia presenter pleads not guilty to 27 charges after number of alleged victims drops from 11 to nine

Donald Trump wants drastic rate cuts - and his campaign to exert greater political control over the Fed continues apaceThe time has come to ban the revolving door" between the White House and the Federal Reserve, two academics argued last year. Doing so would be critical to reducing the incentives for officials to act in the short-term political interests of the president", they wrote.Eight months ago, the two writers - Dan Katz and Stephen Miran - joined the Trump administration in senior roles. On Tuesday, Miran, the chair of the US Council of Economic Advisers, walked into the Fed as a governor. Continue reading...

Man pronounced dead in hospital after incident in Clissold Park, Hackney, on Wednesday evening and woman still being treatedA man has died and a woman was injured in a shooting at an east London park on Wednesday night.The Metropolitan police said officers responded to reports of gunshots in Clissold Park in Hackney at 7.06pm on Wednesday. Continue reading...

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Josh Tam's parents have asked LNP to step aside and allow the experts to lead the way in keeping our loved ones safe'

Deal with nuclear-armed Pakistan comes as Gulf Arab states worry about US reliability while Saudi official says pact isn't responding to specific events'Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan have signed a formal mutual defence pact in a move that significantly strengthens a decades-long security partnership amid heightened regional tensions.The enhanced defence ties come as Gulf Arab states grow increasingly wary about the reliability of the US as their longstanding security guarantor - concerns heightened by Israel's attack in Qatar last week. Continue reading...

Scheme ordered to pay 25,000 to Caroline Tobierre's family who were consumed' by battle for compensation at end of her lifeThe Windrush compensation scheme must improve after it failed to consider a dying woman's claim properly and wrongly refused to compensate her husband for the loss of his pension, an ombudsman has said.Caroline Tobierre's last days were overshadowed" by an exhausting" compensation battle. The WCS has now been ordered by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) to pay 25,000 to her widower, Thomas Tobierre, 71, and daughter Charlotte Tobierre, 40. Continue reading...

Australians leave the television or radio on for pets, take time off work to care for them and bring them on holidays, report finds

Shoemakers Museum in Somerset village of Street displays everything from school shoes to Wallabees and Desert BootsFor some visitors, the museum may bring back memories of being fitted for their first pair of school shoes on a rather chilly metal gauge. For others, the cabinets of pristine Wallabees and Desert Boots may recall teenage obsessions with US hip-hop or Britpop movements.Memories will also flood back for the many local people whose families made Clarks shoes for generations, when the box-fresh Shoemakers Museum opens in the Somerset village of Street, near Glastonbury, on Thursday. Continue reading...

The first full Australian tour for the US pop star marks the latest coup for the festival, whose 2025 iteration was headlined by Charli xcx

Armed forces say special naval militia' involved in Caribbean deployment as defence minister cites threatening, vulgar voice' of WashingtonVenezuela says it has begun three days of military exercises on its Caribbean island of La Orchila as tensions soar amid US military activity in the region.Forces deployed for what Washington called an anti-drug operation have blown up at least two Venezuelan boats and a combined 14 people allegedly transporting drugs across the Caribbean this month - a move slammed by UN experts as extrajudicial execution". Continue reading...

Other nations including France, Australia and Canada plan to take the same step at next week's UN summitKeir Starmer will reportedly recognise a Palestinian state over the weekend after Donald Trump concludes his state visit to the UK.The prime minister has previously said he plans to recognise Palestinian statehood before the UN general assembly in New York this month if Israel does not meet a series of conditions to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Continue reading...

David Pittman, 63, convicted in 1991 of killing three people, executed after final appeal rejected by US supreme courtA Florida man convicted of killing his estranged wife's sister and parents and setting their house on fire was put to death on Wednesday evening, a record 12th execution in the state in 2025.David Pittman, 63, was pronounced dead at 6.12pm local time following a lethal injection at Florida state prison near Starke, under a death warrant signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. Florida's Republican governor has signed more death warrants this year than any of his predecessors. Continue reading...

Almost 20,000 family doctors who could work for health service are lost' to it despite increasing demand for careOne in three GPs in England do not work in the NHS, with increasing numbers seeking to move abroad or becoming a private contractor, deepening patients' difficulties in getting appointments.The proportion of family doctors who, although qualified, do not provide care through the NHS has risen from 27% in 2015 to 34% last year, according to a study published in the BMJ. Continue reading...

Vermont senator had taken flak for avoiding term as UN panel says Israel's conduct meets criteria for genocideSenator Bernie Sanders said on Wednesday that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, calling the conclusion inescapable" and becoming the first US senator to use the term.Over the last two years, Israel has not simply defended itself against Hamas," Sanders wrote. Instead, it has waged an all-out war against the entire Palestinian people." Continue reading...

Detectives arrested and charged 64-year-old man over murder of Susan Goodwin, reported missing in July 2002

Politicians, dignitaries and high-profile tech entrepreneurs attend feastLucy Powell has hit out at the sexist" framing of her deputy Labour leadership campaign, with people claiming she and her rival, Bridget Phillipson, are standing as proxies" for two men, Aletha Adu reports.Most of Donald Trump's policies horrify progressives and leftwingers in Britain, including Labour party members and supporters, but Keir Starmer has said almost nothing critical about the Trump administration because he has taken a view that maintaining good relations with the White House is in the national interest.I understand the UK government's position of being pragmatic on the international stage and wanting to maintain a good relationship with the leader of the most powerful country in the world. Faced with a revanchist Russia, Europe's security feels less certain now than at any time since the second world war. And the threat of even higher US tariffs is ever present.But it's also important to ensure our special relationship includes being open and honest with each other. At times, this means being a critical friend and speaking truth to power - and being clear that we reject the politics of fear and division. Showing President Trump why he must back Ukraine, not Putin. Making the case for taking the climate emergency seriously. Urging the president to stop the tariff wars that are tearing global trade apart. And putting pressure on him to do much more to end Israel's horrific onslaught on Gaza, as only he has the power to bring Israel's brazen and repeated violations of international law to an end. Continue reading...

James Desborough, 39, charged with murder of Steven Kempster, 65, who was found dead in his cell early Monday morningA 39-year-old man has been charged with murder after the death of a fellow inmate at a prison in Devon, police have said.James Desborough has been charged with the murder of 65-year-old Steven Kempster who died after an incident at HMP Exeter on Monday. Continue reading...

Bloomberg reports Scott Bessent agreed to occupy two different houses at same time as his principal residence'Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, previously agreed to occupy two different houses at the same time as his principal residence", Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, an agreement similar to one Donald Trump has called mortgage fraud in his unprecedented bid to fire the Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook.The Bloomberg report cites Bessent's mortgages with lender Bank of America and his pledge in 2007 to primarily occupy homes in New York and Massachusetts. Continue reading...

Home Office says it will review modern slavery laws to save PM's one in, one out' returns deal with FranceShabana Mahmood has accused asylum seekers of making vexatious, last-minute claims" to avoid removal to France as the Home Office said it would review modern slavery laws to save Keir Starmer's returns deal.After an 11th-hour injunction that scuppered Labour's one in, one out" scheme, the home secretary said she would stop claimants suddenly deciding that they are a modern slave on the eve of their removal", adding that it made a mockery of our laws and this country's generosity". Continue reading...

Met chief Mark Rowley says many questions remain and detectives are liaising with German and Portuguese policeMark Rowley has said the British police investigation into Madeleine McCann will explore extraditing the German national Christian Bruckner to the UK to stand trial over the three-year-old's disappearance.Bruckner was released from a German prison on Wednesday after serving a seven-year jail term for the rape of an elderly woman in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2005, two years before Madeleine disappeared while on holiday with her family in the same town. Continue reading...

Funds included in stopgap measure House Republicans released that would keep government through 21 NovemberCongressional Republicans have proposed $88m in new security spending for lawmakers, judges and top government officials in response to the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, but the money has been caught up in a partisan battle over government funding that could spark a shutdown.The funds are included in a stopgap measure Republicans in the House of Representatives released Tuesday that would keep the government open through 21 November without making major changes to policy, and gives negotiators time to work out a long-term deal. Under the proposal, an additional $30m would be available for security for members of Congress, another $30m would go towards protective services for executive branch employees and $28m would be spent on security for supreme court justices. Continue reading...

Video from unite the kingdom' rally captured man saying someone needs to shoot Keir Starmer'A man allegedly captured on video at the far-right rally in London on Saturday threatening to kill Keir Starmer has been arrested by police.An investigation was launched on Sunday in connection with the video, which was filmed at the event organised by the far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson. Continue reading...

Gardai believe body is that of Daniel Aruebose, whose 2022 disappearance was not noticed by authorities until last monthIrish police investigating the fate of a boy who disappeared four years ago but was only registered by authorities as missing last month have found the remains of a child on Dublin wasteland.Gardai named the missing boy as Daniel Aruebose - who is thought to have vanished in 2022 aged three - after they discovered the remains on Wednesday in the Donabate area of north Dublin. Continue reading...

Former officials testify before US Senate, saying the CDC under Kennedy is supporting policies not based in science'

Meta's former president of global affairs said the deal, which coincides with Trump's state visit, would leave the UK more reliant on US tech giantsA multibillion-dollar transatlantic tech agreement announced to coincide with Donald Trump's state visit represents sloppy seconds from Silicon Valley", Nick Clegg, Meta's former president of global affairs, has said.The former deputy prime minister said that the deals, heralded with great fanfare by the government as it tries to foster growth in the UK, were mutton dressed as lamb" and would make the country ever more reliant on US tech giants. Continue reading...

Donald Trump is back on UK soil for his unprecedented' second state visit. Will the US president's trip help to distract from Keir Starmer's challenges at home? Or could it leave the prime minister even more exposed? Kiran Stacey asks the columnist and Politics Weekly America host, Jonathan Freedland

Gideon Saar warns any action against his country will receive an appropriate response'Nordic correspondentDenmark is for the first time to buy long-range precision weapons such as missiles and drones, Mette Frederiksen has abruptly announced, as she warned Russia is testing us".There is no doubt that Russia will be a threat to Denmark and Europe for many years to come. Continue reading...

Food and supplies running out in northern Gaza after Israel closed only crossing, UN saysThe Israeli army said it has struck more than 150 targets in Gaza City since launching a major ground offensive on the Gaza Strip's main urban hub early on Tuesday.Over the past two days, the [Israeli air force] and artillery corps troops struck over 150 terror targets throughout Gaza City in support of the manoeuvring troops in the area," the military said in a statement issued on Wednesday, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).No one can fail to be distressed by the devastating impact the war has had on the children of Gaza, and I cannot imagine the fear and anguish their families have endured. It is a soul-destroying situation that compels us to act.Every child deserves the chance to heal, to play, to simply be able to dream again. These young patients have witnessed horrors no child should ever see, but this marks the start of their journey towards recovery.In Gaza, where the healthcare system has been decimated and hospitals are no longer functioning, there are severely ill children unable to get the medical care they need to survive.As we welcome the first group of children to the UK for urgent treatment, their arrival reflects our determined commitment to humanitarian action and the power of international cooperation. Continue reading...

More than 100 organizations sign open letter as Trump administration vows to crack down on left-leaning fundingMore than 100 liberal philanthropies and institutions have issued a letter condemning acts of political violence" and pre-emptively opposing an expected Trump administration crackdown on ideologically left-leaning funding in the wake of the death of Charlie Kirk last week.The groups, including the Ford Foundation and George Soros's Open Society Foundations, denounced the recent murders of Kirk and of Melissa Hortman in Minnesota, saying such acts have no place in our democracy". Continue reading...

Leaders from Orban to Le Pen have framed the shooting as evidence of persecution - a strategy that experts say could further normalise extremism across the continent Don't get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereBefore his fatal shooting, few if any of the leaders of Europe's resurgent far right had so much as mentioned the name of Charlie Kirk. Since last week, the propaganda potential of the conservative US activist's killing has escaped none of them.Kirk, a rising star of Donald Trump's Maga movement, was hit in the neck by a single bullet as he addressed students in Utah on 10 September. A 22-year-old suspect, Tyler Robinson, has been charged, but his alleged motives remain unclear. Continue reading...

Advocates say it should be easier to dispute bond claims, as tenants in Australia's toughest rental markets are increasingly losing their deposits

Fahad Ansari launches legal action against UK home secretary after his phone was seized at Holyhead portA lawyer who filed Hamas's challenge to proscription claims he was unlawfully detained under the Terrorism Act, with his phone containing legally privileged information examined because of his client.Fahad Ansari, who issued legal proceedings on Wednesday against the home secretary and the chief constable of north Wales police, was stopped by officers at the port of Holyhead on 6 August as he returned from a family holiday in Ireland with his wife and four children. Continue reading...

Dion Rudakubana tells inquiry his younger brother, Axel, became progressively more isolated' after school expulsionAxel Rudakubana was discharged from mental health services six days before he murdered three young girls and stabbed several others at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport, it has emerged.The inquiry into the atrocity was told on Wednesday that a risk assessment was undertaken on Rudakubana, then 17, a week before the attack in July last year. Its findings have not been disclosed. Continue reading...

EU executive also seeks sanctions on two Israeli ministers, but may struggle to secure majority approval required

RSC touring troupe stage King Lear in a school hall on St Mary's before continuing to the Isle of WightBlow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage! Blow!" King Lear, Act III, Scene 2A fierce wind and strong swell had turned the Atlantic into a rollercoaster and when the troupe made landfall on the Isles of Scilly, several members felt rather wobbly and looked a little green around the gills. Continue reading...

Attorney general during Trump's first term made comments to House oversight committee, transcript showsThe former US attorney general William Barr has repeated his finding that Jeffrey Epstein's 2019 death in prison was undoubtedly suicide" to a panel of lawmakers looking into the disgraced financier's crimes and connections.Barr, the top prosecutor in Donald Trump's first term when the justice department brought sex trafficking charges against Epstein, made the comments to the House oversight committee late Monday, according to an interview transcript. Continue reading...

Two army divisions work their way toward city's centre as further Israeli airstrikes destroy buildings

Jerry Greenfield says he cannot in good conscience' continue and says company has lost its independenceThe Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield has stepped away from the ice-cream brand after nearly 50 years, claiming it has lost its independence and accusing its parent company, Unilever, of having silenced" its social mission.Greenfield said in a letter posted by his co-founder, Ben Cohen, that he could no longer in good conscience" remain an employee of a business that he argued had been muzzled by the UK-listed Unilever, despite an agreement protecting its social mission when it was taken over in 2000. Continue reading...

God As My Witness shares survivors' stories and exposes church cover-ups as it returns to the scandal's epicenterA film examining the Catholic clergy molestation crisis in New Orleans recently won the prize for best documentary at Colorado's Winter Park film festival and has been chosen to be screened in the city where the scandal has unfolded.God As My Witness makes clear that those who commit these atrocities cannot hide" while giving a voice to the survivors, justice to the abused and a platform to be heard," the Winter Park film festival's director, Connor Nelson, said in a statement. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Campaign group says it was behind stunt that showed images of Trump and Epstein on castle towerThe arrest of four men after images of Donald Trump alongside Jeffrey Epstein were projected on to Windsor Castle on Tuesday was Orwellian" and ridiculous", the group behind the protest has told the Guardian.The political campaign group Led By Donkeys confirmed that it was behind the stunt, which saw several images of Trump and Epstein projected on to a tower while a soundtrack questioning the relationship between to the two men was played on a speaker. Continue reading...

Veteran journalist played by Redford in 1976 film version of the Watergate expose that brought down the Nixon presidency pays tribute to a fiery' friend Robert Redford: the incandescently handsome star who changed Hollywood foreverBob Woodward, the journalist played by Robert Redford in the 1976 corruption expose All the President's Men, has paid tribute to the actor who died on Tuesday, saying he was a noble and principled force for good".In a statement posted on social media, Woodward said that Redford and he had been friends for 50 years and that he admired him - for his friendship, his fiery independence, and the way he used any platform he had to help make the world better, fairer, brighter for others". Continue reading...

Deputy leadership hopeful dismisses claims she and her rival, Bridget Phillipson, are stand-ins for prime ministerial battleLucy Powell has hit out at the sexist" framing of her deputy Labour leadership campaign, with people claiming she and her rival, Bridget Phillipson, are standing as proxies" for two men.With the contest to replace Angela Rayner under way this week, the pair have been forced to contend with political rumours that they are stalking horses for a future leadership battle. Continue reading...

Anthony Albanese must now save the defence agreement with Papua New Guinea, a week after a similar plan with Vanuatu was delayed

Exclusive: Sue Roberts-Smith sends 39-page dossier to two dozen Liberal and National MPs after fresh speculation about Hastie's possible leadership tilt