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This blog is now closed. Follow the latest developments on the global Microsoft outage live blogShorten says last CFMEU Labor donation was over two years agoEarlier on the Today Show, the NDIS minister, Bill Shorten, was asked about the CFMEU and said that the last donation received by the Labor party from them was more than two years ago.We've said that we're suspending all donations from the CFMEU. In fact, we've suspended the CFMEU from the Labor party ... The last donations were over two years ago. We've taken the action to stop any financial relations with the CFMEU.I want to make clear there is zero tolerance for anyone who tried to subvert the demerit and penalty system. This taskforce will help ensure the penalties apply to all road users. Continue reading...

CMA finds deal will not lead to lessening of competition in mortgage and credit card marketNationwide's takeover of Virgin Money will not reduce competition for mortgages and credit cards, the competition watchdog has ruled, as it gave the 2.9bn deal the green light.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Friday that the merger, which will be the biggest banking deal since the financial crisis, would not lead to a substantial lessening of competition in the home loans market. Continue reading...

Mobile internet access blocked and news broadcasts shut down as students demand end to discriminatory job quotasA communications blackout has been imposed in Bangladesh, with mobile internet access blocked and news broadcasts shut down, as the country continues to be rocked by protests that have killed 39 people this week.On Thursday night the government said its was shutting down mobile internet for security reasons amid growing protests led by tens of thousands of students, and access to social media was blocked. On Friday morning, television news channels remained off air after the state broadcasting headquarters in Dhaka was stormed and set alight by protesters. Continue reading...

Israeli military steps up air patrols after explosion in central Tel Aviv, killing a man in his 50s

Drop of 1.2% in June comes as households rein in spending during cost of living crisis

Painting, concealed inside one of his well-known works, emerged during work for exhibition celebrating northern artAn unseen self-portrait of one of the most popular northern English artists of his generation has been discovered hidden on the back of another painting.The discovery of a new work by Norman Cornish - arguably the most famous artist to emerge from the north-east of England in the 20th century - was made during preparations for a big show of works by him and another titan of northern art, LS Lowry. Continue reading...

Parents or carers in full-time work said to be dreading' expense, and sum may be even higher in Wales and south-east EnglandParents can expect to spend more than 1,000 per child for care over the school summer holidays, , according to research.A survey by the children's charity Coram found that British families will be paying, on average, 1,049 for summer childcare for children aged from four to 14 - 635 more than they would pay for six weeks of after-school childcare during term time. Continue reading...

HMRC says several commercial schemes are exploiting tax exemption aimed at employers who provide nursery placesWorking parents could be hit with unexpected tax bills because of a clampdown on the misuse of a childcare benefit" offered by some employers that lets people enjoy savings of up to 10,000 a year.HM Revenue and Customs has turned its sights on some workplace nursery benefit schemes which allow employees to pay the fees out of their pre-tax salary, resulting in them making big savings on income tax and national insurance. Continue reading...

Former president recounts assassination attempt before shifting tones in speech accepting Republican nomination

Players at non-league side said it was obvious club had no intention of supporting and developing the women's sideFormer players and a coach at Wakefield AFC women's side have spoken out after the club cut training facilities for the team and then disbanded it without prior notice.Despite the growing popularity of women's football, especially after England's Lionesses won the Euros in 2022, many women's teams still struggle to survive due to a lack of investment and institutional support compared with the men. Continue reading...

Some Muslim and LGBTQ+ constituents say they would feel uneasy approaching their new MPs including Nigel FarageIt was a few days before the general election when Arjun* was targeted in the seaside resort of Clacton-on-Sea. I was with my friends ... we were laughed and giggled at. They said: What are you doing here?' So I ignored it," he said. They picked on us because we looked different to everybody else."Arjun moved to the Essex town more than six years ago after growing up in the East Midlands. He described feeling happy" living and working in the area but is now fearful, speaking to the Guardian anonymously due to concerns he could be harassed again. Continue reading...

Friends of the Earth says older people and young children are most at risk in heat-vulnerable neighbourhoodsInadequate climate protections mean at least 6 million lives are at risk from extreme heat in England, an analysis has found.A report by the campaign group Friends of the Earth found older people and young children were the most high-risk groups for heatwaves, with 1.7 million under-5s and 4.3 million people over 65 living in the most heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods in England. Continue reading...

Officials and analysts warn of evidence of increased Islamic State and al-Qaida militant activity across Middle East

Bureau of Meteorology predicts strong winds for SA, NSW and Victoria that will make temperatures feel colder than what is forecast

People told to stay at home due to unrest in Harehills area of West Yorkshire cityA police car was flipped on its side and a bus set alight after unrest broke out in Leeds on Thursday evening and residents were advised to stay at home.Footage appeared to show people throwing objects at the police vehicle before it was pushed over in Harehills, just east of the city centre. The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, condemned the shocking scenes and attacks", saying disorder of this nature has no place in our society." Continue reading...

Prime minister says very significant cyber event' still under investigation by federal police and he is not aware' if he is among the 12.9m victims

Tech firm will require global telemedicine services to register with Portland, Oregon-based certifications company LegitScript

Jury had found former Jetstar pilot guilty of killing Carol Clay, but not of murdering Russell HillFormer Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn will appeal against his conviction for the 2020 murder of elderly camper Carol Clay, a Victorian court has heard.After a five-week trial, a supreme court jury last month found Gregory Stuart Lynn guilty of murdering Clay and acquitted him of murdering Russell Hill in Victoria's high country in 2020. Continue reading...

State roads minister says the government has zero tolerance for anyone trying to subvert the system'

Star of game-changing sitcoms The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart, and Christmas comedy Elf, had period of illnessBob Newhart, the revered US comedian and star of two classic sitcoms known for his deadpan delivery, died on Thursday at the age of 94.The Chicago native and titular star of game-changing sitcoms The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart in the 1970s and 80s, died at his home in Los Angeles after a period of short illnesses, his publicist Jerry Digney confirmed in a statement. Continue reading...

Gaza ministry warns thousands of people displaced by the Israel-Gaza war are at risk of contracting the disease which can cause deformities and paralysisThe poliovirus has been found in sewage samples from Gaza putting thousands of people living in crowded displaced persons' camps at risk of contracting the highly infectious disease that can cause deformities and paralysis.The Gaza ministry said tests carried out with the UN children's agency, Unicef, showed the presence of poliovirus" in the territory that has endured a devastating Israeli military offensive since the 7 October Hamas attacks. Continue reading...

Funding and staffing shortages mean plan to introduce cap in October 2025 impossible to deliver, councils sayLong-awaited changes designed to protect individuals from having to sell their homes to meet large social care bills must be further delayed because of funding and staffing shortages, the leaders of England's largest councils have said.Plans to introduce a cap on social care costs - which would limit people's lifetime care cost contributions to a maximum of 86,000 - in October 2025 will be impossible to deliver, the County Councils Network (CCN) said. Continue reading...

Northumbrian village was named as nation's favourite, just ahead of Portmeirion and St AndrewsBamburgh, the Northumbrian village known for its sprawling sand dunes and imposing castle, has retained its title as the UK's best seaside destination for the fourth consecutive year.A survey of 4,700 people by the consumer group Which? placed the Northumberland coastal village as the nation's favourite, ahead of Portmeirion in Gwynedd and St Andrews in Fife. Continue reading...

Fox News host recently had his show canceled after joining in the false narrative of 2020 election being stolenLou Dobbs, a longtime cable news anchor known in recent years for supporting Donald Trump and for spreading misinformation, has died at age 78, according to statements posted on his social media accounts.Trump paid tribute to Dobbs as a friend, and truly incredible Journalist, Reporter, and Talent" in a post on his social media site, writing: He understood the World, and what was happening,' better than others." Continue reading...

Jesmin Akter left aluminium phosphide around Tower Hamlets flat to deal with infestation, killing Fatiha SabrinA woman has been given a suspended sentence for accidentally killing her neighbour, a child on her 11th birthday, with poisonous gas she brought from Italy to exterminate bedbugs in her flat in London.Jesmin Akter, 34, had illegally imported aluminium phosphide without a licence to deal with an infestation in her flat in Tower Hamlets, east London. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Rideshare company failed to gather evidence that driver with near-perfect rating had breached its code of conduct, tribunal finds

Ukraine's president will ask for more help to block Putin's growing shadow fleet' of tankers carrying sanctioned crude to buyersThe Ukrainian president, Volodmyr Zelenskiy, will attend an extraordinary meeting of the British cabinet on Friday to bring fresh impetus to efforts to stop Russia evading sanctions on its oil exports.Zelenskiy will be the first foreign leader to visit Downing Street since Keir Starmer was elected prime minister two weeks ago and the first foreign leader to address cabinet in person since the US president Bill Clinton in 1997. Continue reading...

Vote for centrist MP Yael Braun-Pivet marks first step out of governing limbo since snap elections left country dividedFrench lawmakers have re-elected a member of President Emmanuel Macron's centrist bloc as president of parliament's lower house, a possible breakthrough in attempts to form a majority amid deadlock.French politics have been in gridlock after a snap election this month left the country without any clear path to forming a new government as Paris prepares to host the Olympic Games. Continue reading...

Those close to Criminal Cases Review Commission's work hope review will pave way for change in leadership and purposeAndrew Malkinson had only just stepped outside the court of appeal last summer when he received a message of apology from Greater Manchester police. It was the force's work that ultimately led to his wrongful conviction for rape, leaving him incarcerated for 17 years.Malkinson was unimpressed by their late contrition, but there was another body that refused to apologise at all that day. Yet their work - or lack of it - prolonged his time behind bars by a decade. Continue reading...

Spokesperson for Graziano Di Prima says he accepts he crossed the line' in the incident with Zara McDermottGraziano Di Prima was removed from Strictly Come Dancing after he kicked his celebrity partner Zara McDermott during rehearsals, his spokesperson has said.Di Prima, who joined the Strictly lineup in 2018, announced last weekend he was leaving the programme. Continue reading...

Data showed happiness gap between wealthy and middle-income participants was wider than between middle- and low-income participantsThis just in: money apparently does buy happiness.A new study conducted by a senior fellow at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania found an increasingly positive association between money and happiness. Continue reading...

PM wants to rethink UK's immigration policies but did not make progress on returns deal at summit with EU leadersKeir Starmer is looking into plans to process asylum seekers outside the UK as part of a rethink of the government's immigration policies, even as a returns agreement with the EU appears more distant than ever.The prime minister said on Thursday he was open to the idea of Britain processing claims offshore, after a day spent discussing illegal migration with fellow European leaders at Blenheim Palace. Those talks, as part of the European Political Community summit, included a meeting with Edi Rama, the Albanian prime minister, whose country processes asylum claims on behalf of Italy. Continue reading...

Prime minister says summit has been successful and productive' as world leaders discuss Ukraine and European securitySome more of the arrivals pictured at Blenheim Palace for a summit for the European Political Community (EPC) today, courtesy of the newswires:Here are some of the discussions that have taken place at previous EPC summits, according to the gov.uk website:At the last meeting in Granada, the UK led discussions on AI and illegal migration. In Moldova, the focus was on supporting the host country in the face of Russian hybrid threats, as well building energy resilience. While at the first EPC meeting in Prague, talks centred around Putin's invasion of Ukraine and the need for Europe to stand united against his aggression. Continue reading...

Idea for interim leader and candidates not chosen until autumn conflicting with desire to act soonerSenior Tories have failed to reach agreement about a timetable for their leadership contest, with a big split existing between key figures in the party.It means no decision will be made on selecting a new leader until at least next week, when the executive of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers will meet again. Continue reading...

Ex-minister and current Lib Dem leader tells inquiry he rejected campaigner when he first asked for meetingLiberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has accused the Post Office of lying to him, as he apologised to Sir Alan Bates for turning down a meeting as the former post office operator tried to expose the scandal over the Horizon computer system.Davey, who served as postal affairs minister between 2010 and 2012, was giving evidence at the inquiry into the wrongful prosecution of hundreds of post office operators on the basis of flawed accounting data from Horizon. It is often described as one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British history. Continue reading...

Gallery apologises for any hurt and distress' as two artworks withdrawn from Young Artists' Summer ShowThe Royal Academy of Arts (RA) has removed two works inspired by Gaza from its Young Artists' Summer Show after an open letter from the Board of Deputies of British Jews raised significant concerns" about their content.In a letter posted on X this week, a board vice-president, Andrew Gilbert, described three works on display at the gallery as containing antisemitic tropes and messaging", which had caused significant concern to members of our community". Continue reading...

Tributes paid to BBC presenter who says she will enjoy lie-ins after six years of 3am startsMartha Kearney has stepped down as a presenter of Radio 4's Today programme, saying she will be enjoying the lie-ins" after six years of 3am starts on the job.Colleagues and friends on Thursday paid tribute to the long-serving BBC presenter, while Kearney said she had loved the ability to form a deep connection with listeners. Continue reading...

Attempted assassination bolsters Trump's support in a key part of the Republican base - conservative evangelicalsRocio Cleveland was at a wedding on Saturday when she heard the news that something had happened to Donald Trump. He had fallen, clutching his ear, while giving remarks at a rally and it wasn't yet clear if he was injured or even dead.It took a little bit for it to sink in," said Cleveland, a conservative activist from Illinois who attended the Republican National Convention this week. I was speechless, I was crying, I was in tears."

Suspect had searched for details of many public figures, including Trump and Biden, but significance is unclearThe gunman who attempted to shoot Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday carried out internet searches before the attack for images of both Trump and Joe Biden, as well as the dates of both the current Republican National Convention and next month's Democratic National Convention.Top FBI and secret service officials told members of Congress on Wednesday that the initial investigation into the shooting had thrown up new information about the would-be assassin's interests, but had brought agents no closer to finding a motive. Continue reading...

Mainstream groups unite to grant her an emphatic victory and defeat anti-EU and extreme-right forcesUrsula von der Leyen has won a second term as European Commission president, securing an emphatic victory in the European parliament as mainstream lawmakers united against anti-EU and extreme-right forces.The Strasbourg chamber erupted in applause when it became clear that von der Leyen, the first woman to lead the EU executive, had cleared the hurdle by 41 votes - a stronger result than her first election in 2019. Continue reading...

Group says it is relieved' at many of report's recommendations but calls for more measures to tackle inequality and improve capacity of public servicesThe UK was dangerously mistaken" to believe that it was one of the best prepared countries in the world to respond to a pandemic, Lady Hallett said.In 2019, it was widely believed in Britain and abroad that the UK was not only properly prepared but was one of the best-prepared countries in the world to respond to a pandemic," she said.There will likely be a next time. The expert evidence suggests it is not a question of if' another pandemic will strike but when'.The evidence is overwhelmingly to the effect that another pandemic - potentially one that is even more transmissible and lethal - is likely to occur in the near to medium future. Continue reading...

Criminal Cases Review Commission could have exonerated Malkinson of rape almost a decade earlier, says inquiryA report on the Criminal Cases Review Commission's handling of the Andrew Malkinson case has laid bare a catalogue of failures", finding that he could have been exonerated almost a decade earlier.The review by Chris Henley KC found that the watchdog missed multiple opportunities to help Malkinson, who spent 17 years in jail for a 2003 stranger rape he did not commit. Continue reading...

Victims include three children and a teenager at apartment building in Les Moulins neighbourhoodPolice are hunting three arson suspects after a fire in an apartment building killed seven people in the southern French city of Nice, the country's prime minister said.The dead included three children aged five, seven and 10 years old and a 17-year-old who tried to escape by jumping from a window, Gabriel Attal added. Continue reading...

European Commission president to remain in post after 401 MEPs voted in favour, 284 against and 15 abstainedRenew Europe's leader, Valerie Hayer, has posted a photo with Ursula von der Leyen, ahead of the vote.The Greens group said it will back Ursula von der Leyen, a centre-right politician, for a second term as European Commission president. Continue reading...

Brazilian Forum on Public Safety finds every indicator of gender-based violence increased in 2023, including murder, harassment and stalkingFor the second year running, Brazil has recorded unprecedented levels of gender-based violence, according to new figures underlining just how unsafe the country is for its women and girls.The data, released on Thursday in the annual report by the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety, showed that reported cases of rape rose by 6.5% from the previous year to a historic high of 83,988 - or one every six minutes. Continue reading...

Keith Edmund Gavin scheduled to receive lethal injection for shooting man who stopped for cash at ATM to take his wife to dinnerA man convicted of killing a delivery driver who stopped for cash at an ATM to take his wife to dinner is facing scheduled execution on Thursday night in Alabama.Keith Edmund Gavin, 64, is set to receive a lethal injection at a prison in south-west Alabama. He was convicted of capital murder in the shooting death of William Clayton Jr in Cherokee county. Continue reading...

Leon Panetta says lapses particularly disturbing' given reports of threats from Iran towards former presidentThe former CIA director Leon Panetta decried security failings around the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania last Saturday, particularly given reports of Iranian threats to the former president.Speaking on the One Decision podcast, which he co-hosts with Sir Richard Dearlove, a former head of the British intelligence service MI6, Panetta said: It's particularly disturbing because of what we found out: that the intelligence community provided information to the Secret Service that there's ... assassination threats from Iran, on former President Trump as well as others, but they as a result of that supposedly increased the deployment of Secret Service protection." Continue reading...

Juan Cifuentes and Farooq Abdulrazak reported missing by families after failing to return home from work tripThe Metropolitan police have said they are trying to establish if two Londoners reported missing in Sweden are the two people whose bodies were found in a burned-out rental car in Malmo.Juan Cifuentes, 33, and Farooq Abdulrazak, 37, from north London, were reported missing by their families after failing to return home on Sunday from a business trip to Denmark and Sweden. Continue reading...

The pandemic caused grief, untold misery and economic turmoil' which could have been cut if preparations had been in place, report states

Semiconductor and related tech shares hit hard by former US president's calls for Taipei to pay US for protection