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Oliver Campbell exonerated 30 years after conviction that followed false confessions in police interviewsOliver Campbell, a man with severe learning difficulties who was jailed for life for the murder of a shopkeeper three decades ago after confessing in police interviews, has had his convictions quashed by the court of appeal.The judgment clearing Campbell, 54, of conspiracy to rob and murder ends what has been described as one of the longest miscarriages of justice in British criminal history, and will throw a new focus on past policing failures and the current approach of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). Continue reading...

Mockery and indignation follow unveiling of sculpture of late monarch at Antrim Castle Gardens in Northern IrelandOne critic said it made the late queen look like Mrs Doubtfire. Others faulted the shape of the face, the posture and the wellies. Some called it offensive and ridiculous, and demanded it be melted down.Mockery and indignation began within hours of the unveiling of the bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth II at Antrim Castle Gardens in Northern Ireland on Friday. Continue reading...

Rise in travel-related sales benefits retailer, with group revenue up 7% in year to end of AugustWH Smith is to give investors a 50m windfall as holidaymakers snapping up travel essentials helped boost summer sales at the retail chain.The retailer said it would launch a 50m share buyback - a move that could increase its share price - in a reflection of the strong cashflow in the business, a healthy balance sheet and after receiving 85m from the buyout of its pension fund. Its shares jumped more than 12% on the announcement. Continue reading...

Ruling party secures votes for overhaul, which has sparked protests amid fears it could undermine rule of lawMexico's senate has given general approval to sweeping judicial changes in which judges will be elected by popular vote, a profound transformation that critics fear could threaten the rule of law and damage the economy.The senate will now debate reservations raised by lawmakers before giving final approval to the overhaul proposed by the outgoing president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and which passed the lower house last week. Senators voted 86 to 41 in favour of the general approval. Continue reading...

Police accuse some protesters of throwing acid and other objects amid criticism of officers' tactics outside Land Forces weapons expo

Early day motion expresses alarm at data showing black people are disproportionately prosecuted under legislationMPs are making a fresh attempt to change the law on joint enterprise, which allows for individuals in England and Wales to be convicted of crimes they did not physically carry out if they are deemed to have encouraged or assisted the perpetrator.An early day motion (EDM), a way for MPs to indicate opinion, was published on Tuesday night calling on the government to request a Law Commission review of joint enterprise with a view to narrowing the scope of current legislation and providing a fairer framework for prosecution and sentencing". Continue reading...

Brett Button had obligation to protect and maintain safety of 35 people on board his bus and abandoned his moral responsibility, judge says

Message chain shows Walter Sofronoff sent transcripts and strictly confidential' information to Janet Albrechtsen

Housing minister says policy will not be watered down day after dozens of Labour MPs abstained in key votePlans to scale back winter fuel payments for pensioners will not be watered down, a UK government minister has said, after dozens of Labour MPs abstained on a key Commons vote on Tuesday night.The housing and planning minister, Matthew Pennycook, was speaking the morning after MPs voted to remove the winter fuel allowance from all but the poorest pensioners in England and Wales. Continue reading...

Barnaby Joyce warns history pulsates in and out' in wide-ranging speech backing Aukus plan. Follow today's news live

Board rejects non-binding indicative proposal of 705p a share for UK's biggest online real-estate portalREA, the Australian property company majority-owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, has made a 5.6bn offer for Rightmove, the UK's biggest online real-estate portal.The Rightmove board rejected the 705p a share offer, worth 18.6% of the enlarged company post-deal, which comes a week after REA confirmed it was considering a cash and share offer for Rightmove. Continue reading...

Victoria police arrest 47-year-old after alleged theft of Drew Ginn's medals in Docklands last week

Brian Earl Johnston, who stabbed and set wife on fire, tells Brisbane court Bradley Bell did not know of murder plot

Footage that seems to show fighters glorifying abuse of prisoners with little fear of consequences' could be used in war crimes prosecutionsFootage of rebel fighters in Sudan appearing to glorify the burning of homes and the torture of prisoners could be used by international courts to pursue war crime prosecutions, observers have told the Guardian.Fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, have been accused of waging a campaign of ethnic cleansing in Sudan for the past year as they try to take control of the country. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: His advisors wanted him to tie Harris to the Biden administration - but instead he lost his temper. Here are the key moments Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. If you had a sinking feeling on 28 June when you woke up to the news that Joe Biden had turned in an utterly incoherent debate performance, you will probably have a bit more appetite for your boiled egg this time. A few hours ago, the only scheduled debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris came to an end - and even Fox News said Harris won.Democrats' moods can only have been improved by the news, a few minutes after it ended, that Taylor Swift had endorsed Harris, and signed her post childless cat lady". And CNN's snap poll suggested that voters thought Harris won by a margin of 63% to 37% - nearly as big a margin as Trump achieved over Biden last time around. Key to Harris' success was baiting her opponent into rants on marginal topics, instead of talking about the issues that voters are interested in.Winter fuel allowance | MPs have voted to remove the winter fuel allowance from all but the poorest pensioners in England and Wales. Just one Labour MP, Jon Trickett, voted for the opposition motion but 52 abstained - at the higher end of predictions.Conservatives | Mel Stride has been knocked out of the race to succeed Rishi Sunak as Conservative party leader after the second round of voting by MPs. On Tuesday, the former work and pensions secretary became the second casualty in the weeks-long leadership contest, which is due to culminate in early November.Israel-Gaza war | Israeli airstrikes on al-Mawasi humanitarian zone" in the Gaza Strip have killed at least 19 people and injured a further 60, according to witnesses and medical officials in the blockaded Palestinian territory.Port Talbot steelworks | The British steel industry is braced for 2,500 job cuts at the Port Talbot steelworks, with thousands more jobs at risk in the UK, as the government prepares a taxpayer-backed deal for the south Wales plant. Owners Tata Steel are expected to get a rescue deal worth 500m.UK news | An inquest into a man who killed himself a week after appearing on The Jeremy Kyle Show has found insufficient evidence" to rule that participating in the programme caused his death. Continue reading...

In an Instagram post published minutes after the US presidential debate ended, Swift said the simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth'

Revenue plunges as cash-strapped broadcasters spend less on commissioning amid ad slump and shift to streamingThe TV production sector in the UK suffered a 400m fall in revenues last year as cash-strapped British broadcasters reduced spending to the lowest level since the height of the pandemic.The latest annual industry survey found that total revenues made by UK production companies fell by 392m to 3.61bn in 2023. However, just as traditional broadcasters struggle, global streaming companies such as Netflix and Amazon continue to become an increasingly important income stream, the study showed. Continue reading...

Campaigners say MPs should overturn previous government's decision not to strengthen restrictionsLabour ministers are under pressure to overturn the previous government's bizarre" decision not to impose stricter regulation on gambling advertising, particularly around sport, from politicians, campaigners and figures from the world of football.At a summit held close to the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, a succession of experts called on the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, to impose much stricter controls on how gambling is marketed, in order to protect children and vulnerable people. Continue reading...

Report reveals how US Christians, Catholic schools and Islamists fight sex education, LGBTQ+ and equal rightsExtreme religious groups and political parties are targeting schools around the world as part of a coordinated and well-funded attack on gender equality, according to a new report.Well-known conservative organisations aim to restrict girls' access to education, change what is on the curriculum, and influence educational laws and policies, according to Whose Hands on our Education, a report by the Overseas Development Institute. Continue reading...

Inspector of detention services warns of catastrophic consequences' of locking up young people in places not suitable for detaining children'

Despite criticism of the series in France, Macron will appear as herself in the show's fourth season when new episodes arrive on ThursdayFrench first lady Brigitte Macron will make a cameo appearance as herself in the Netflix series Emily in Paris when new episodes are released on Thursday.Macron will wear her own clothing, Elle magazine revealed on Tuesday, with no particular instructions given to her" by the series known for its fashion. Continue reading...

Exclusive: About 70 people who sought asylum in Australia remain in Port Moresby, having been previously held in immigration detention

Greenwich was awarded $140,000 in damages in the defamation action against Latham after the former federal Labor leader posted a tweet on 30 March 2023Former New South Wales One Nation leader Mark Latham has been found to have defamed independent politician Alex Greenwich and has been ordered to pay $140,000 in damages.Federal court justice David O'Callaghan handed down his judgment on Wednesday morning in Melbourne after the case was heard in May and June in Sydney. Continue reading...

The bodies of the boys, aged nine and 11, were discovered in the Faulconbridge home by their father, who contacted police

War damage, demolition and refurbishment blamed for disappearing roundels now themselves part of historyThe very first commemorative blue plaque was awarded in 1867, in honour of the poet Lord Byron at his house and birthplace in Holles Street, near Cavendish Square in London.But the plaque - the first in a long, prestigious tradition of recognising some of the most influential figures in history - was lost when the house was demolished in 1889. Continue reading...

Post-Brexit uncertainty partly blamed for low rate with just half of companies surveyed measuring their carbon footprintJust 65% of UK businesses have a plan to reduce their emissions to net zero by the 2050 deadline, the largest ever industry survey has revealed.The report covering 2,005 organisations across all sizes and sectors by UK Business Climate Hub, which included the CBI, the Institute of Directors and the British Chambers of Commerce, found that only half of those surveyed were even measuring their carbon footprint. Continue reading...

Nabil Arif, 36, told MP she would burn until her skin is no more' in messages Phillips said curbed her freedom and workA man has been jailed for three months for emailing Jess Phillips abusive messages including that she would burn until her skin is no more", which the MP said changed her life immeasurably" and limited her freedom.Nabil Arif, 36, was sentenced to 12 weeks for the abusive messages, which prosecutors said began with the start of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023 and continued through to February 2024. Continue reading...

Jessica Leeds said the Republican nominee grabbed and tried to kiss her while they were on a plane in the 1970s

Irishman ends sponsorship deal described as deeply offensive' after years of pressure from campaignersOne of the world's leading golfers, Shane Lowry, has ended his sponsorship deal with the insulation company Kingspan after it was criticised for persistent dishonesty" in the Grenfell Tower inquiry final report.The Ryder Cup player wore the logo of the Irish construction materials manufacturer on his sleeve for more than seven years but did not respond to previous calls to end the deeply upsetting and deeply offensive" deal from the bereaved and survivors of the 2017 fire that claimed 72 lives. Continue reading...

At least 19 people killed as missiles hit overcrowded area in attack that Israel says targeted a Hamas command centre

Accused tells police Brian Earl Johnston mentioned multiple times how he wanted to kill Kelly' and tie her up and burn her' in video shown to court

Fallout over Libyan central bank governor's dismissal presents immediate challenge for Sisi and ErdoanA new alliance between Egypt and Turkey designed to end a long-running dispute over events in the Middle East faces it first major test in the shape of a worsening political crisis in Libya linked to control of its oil wealth.Egypt and Turkey fell out in the aftermath of the 2011 Arab spring, primarily because of the Egyptian president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi's coup against his Islamist predecessor, Mohamed Morsi, an ally of the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoan. Continue reading...

Critics decry Christian-dominated blueprint in country with South America's second-highest rate of teenage pregnancyParaguay, which has the second highest rate of teenage pregnancy in South America, is about to approve its first national sex education curriculum.But activists, students and parents have expressed concern about the new guidelines, which warn that condoms cannot be trusted, masturbation leads to loneliness and make no mention of LGBTQ+ people. Continue reading...

Sales of fromage frais, cereal and fruit bars rise 14% over last week of August compared with a year ago

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State passes groundbreaking legislation to regulate fertility industry in win for donor-conceived people

Major insurance brokerage says it will look into inappropriate strata title insurance behaviours' but denied brokers misled customers

Concern has been growing in the popular tourist destination about the strain that visitors place on the local infrastructure, environment and cultureIndonesia will suspend the construction of new hotels in some areas of Bali, amid fears about overdevelopment of one of its most famous tourist destinations.Tourism has rebounded in Bali after the Covid pandemic, but there is growing concern about the strain visitors are placing on local infrastructure, the environment, and culture. Continue reading...

Peter Dutton's opposition also puts up new roadblocks to potential deal on government's aged care reforms

Premier says agreeing to 15% pay rise this year would lead other workers to knock on my door' demanding the same

Sizeable minority' of survivors of crime have not been informed that perpetrators will be freed on TuesdayHundreds of survivors of crime are unaware that their perpetrators will be freed on Tuesday despite requests that this would not happen, the victims' commissioner has claimed.As the government prepares to release 1,700 offenders to ease overcrowding in prisons in England and Wales, Helen Newlove said some victims were unaware of their offender's release" and could not seek protective measures. Continue reading...

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary report gives police largely clean bill of health on impartiality after accusations of biasThe former prime minister Rishi Sunak and his home secretary Suella Braverman have been criticised in an official report for wrongly lambasting the Metropolitan police's handling of pro-Palestinian protests.The report from HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services gives police a largely clean bill of health about its impartiality. Continue reading...

Changes proposed after as many as 750,000 people may have been excluded from 2024 election due to lack of documentsMinisters should expand the ID that people can use to vote, the elections watchdog has recommended, after a report found as many as 750,000 people might not have voted in the 2024 general election because they lacked the necessary documents.The Electoral Commission said the government should also look at allowing people without ID to vote if someone who did have proof of identity was able to vouch for them at a polling station. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Foreign minister Penny Wong says she welcomes' the British move and Palestinian civilians cannot pay the price' of defeating Hamas

Rachel Reeves tells Labour MPs that axing allowance for all but poorest pensioners will help plug 22bn hole in financesThe chancellor has faced down would-be rebels in a private meeting of Labour MPs ahead of the crunch vote on the government's controversial plan to scrap the winter fuel allowance.Rachel Reeves told a gathering of the parliamentary Labour party that the move was necessary, despite fears about the impact on millions of less-well-off pensioners, as it would help to plug a 22bn gap in the public finances. Continue reading...

PM expected to make clear in key Brighton speech that he will not risk economic stability under any circumstances'Keir Starmer will warn public sector unions on Tuesday that future pay deals will be constrained by the tough choices" necessary to protect economic stability.Soon after coming to power, Rachel Reeves signed off plans for above-inflation pay increases in the NHS and for teachers; and the transport secretary, Louise Haigh, settled a long-running dispute with train drivers. Continue reading...

Mother tells hearing the loss of Yousef Al-Kharboush at nine days old in 2014 was worst experience a parent could have'A mother whose premature baby died in hospital after receiving contaminated intravenous food has told her son's inquest it was the worst experience a parent could have".Yousef Al-Kharboush was nine days old when he died at St Thomas' hospital in London on 1 June 2014 after developing sepsis from liquid food infected with bacteria called Bacillus cereus. Continue reading...

Public warned not to approach men believed to have escaped high-security facility with help from outsideA British inmate is among five prisoners on the run after breaking out of a high-security prison in Portugal, local authorities have said.The man, named locally as Mark Roscaleer, and his fellow fugitives were said to have escaped from the Vale de Judeus facility on Saturday with help from people on the outside. He is serving a nine-year prison sentence for kidnap and robbery, according to Portuguese media. Continue reading...

Policy always shot down immediately' by Tories but was part of prepared series of options presented to Rachel Reeves, insiders say

Conductor who attacked singer at French performance last year says he has learned important lessons'An internationally renowned conductor who pulled out of the BBC Proms last year after punching and slapping a soloist has started a new orchestra and choir.