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US officials did not say who had the 16th-century page that was missing from Mexico's archives for decadesNearly five centuries after Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes signed it and decades after someone swiped it from national archives, a priceless manuscript page has been returned by the FBI to Mexico.The document contains a detailed accounting of the logistics related to Cortes's journey to what eventually became New Spain - a territory that stretched from Central America to modern-day Washington state. Continue reading...

US president indicates in interview that any deal would not be made without Zelenskyy ahead of Friday's meeting in Alaskain BerlinGerman chancellor Friedrich Merz's stab at heading up Ukraine diplomacy has received measured praise at home, with a perception that Donald Trump's declarations after Wednesday's video conference sounded slightly less alarming to European ears than before. Continue reading...

As gap between strongest and weakest performing areas in England grows, experts say more needs to be done about structural inequalitiesOne of the messages the education secretary was keen to get across during her media round on A-level results was the government's commitment to tackling the yawning inequalities" in educational attainment in England.Bridget Phillipson, a Sunderland MP who grew up in the north-east, is all too well aware of educational disadvantage and how some regions are worse affected than others. In the run-up to results day, she has made a point of drawing attention to poor exam outcomes for students from white working-class backgrounds. Continue reading...

Inquest told Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, received little, if any, therapeutic care' at privately run Huntercombe hospitalShe was loving, sporty and bright. At the start of Ruth Szymankiewicz's inquest her parents, Kate and Mark, a GP and a surgeon, described her passion for life, for adventure, for justice.Ruth was always thinking about making the world a better place," they said in a pen portrait of the teenager. She had big ideas."In the UK, the youth suicide charity Papyrus can be contacted on 0800 068 4141 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org, and in the UK and Ireland Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is at 988 or chat for support. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis text line counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.orgFor help with eating disorders, in the UK Beat can be contacted on 0808-801-0677. In the US, help is available at nationaleatingdisorders.org or by calling ANAD's eating disorders hotline at 800-375-7767. In Australia, the Butterfly Foundation is at 1800 33 4673. Other international helplines can be found at Eating Disorder Hope Continue reading...

Israel's far-right finance minister claims Netanyahu and Trump have agreed to the plan although there has been no confirmation from either leaderThe health ministry in Gaza has just issued a statement, saying four more people have died from famine and malnutrition in the past 24 hours.This brings the total to 239 since the start of the war, including 106 children, according to the health ministry. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president says leaders discussed how to make peace truly durable if US succeeds in pressing Russia to stop the killings'Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has vowed to tackle the yawning inequalities" in educational attainment.Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, she said:Alongside the post-16 white paper that we'll be publishing later on this year, I will also bring a big focus through our schools white paper on how we tackle these thorny generational challenges where white working-class kids across our country don't get the start that they deserve.Now the school system is an important part of how we respond to that, but I would say alongside it so much of this develops and opens up in the early years.

Suit filed in Louisiana says agency didn't give parents choice as to whether children should be deported with themA lawsuit filed in Louisiana on behalf of two mothers and their four minor children, including one with cancer, claims the two families were unlawfully denied due process and deported by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) to Honduras in April 2025.The lawsuit, which names attorney general Pam Bondi, Department of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem and various Ice officials as defendants, alleges Ice violated its own policies, and multiple federal laws, when officers secretly detained the families, denied access to counsel and swiftly deported them to Honduras, ignoring legal filings. Continue reading...

Jury finds failings of worker before Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, took own life amount to gross negligence manslaughter

Ruling upheld that there was insufficient evidence of copyright infringement on song that is YouTube's most viewed videoSouth Korea's supreme court has rejected a US composer's allegation that the producers of the catchy children's song Baby Shark plagiarised his work, ending a six-year-long legal battle.The court upheld two lower court verdicts in favour of Pinkfong, the South Korean company behind the tune with the famous doo doo doo doo doo doo" refrain. Continue reading...

Council says measure at Danescourt cemetery in Tettenhall is in response to increase in obesity levels in cityResidents of Wolverhampton have criticised what is being called a fat tax" on burial plots after a city cemetery imposed a premium on wider graves.Danescourt cemetery in Tettenhall will charge an extra 20% to families whose loved ones need a 6ft-wide plot, as opposed to a standard 5ft grave. Continue reading...

The shadow treasurer will liken the gathering to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and urge government to reject a number of reform proposals

Lifesaving goods for starved people in Gaza blocked by vague rules on anti-Israeli activity, say humanitarian bodies

Perhaps not coincidentally, the timing of tariff discussions was closely followed by the transfer of wanted criminalsMexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has denied that the transfer of 26 alleged cartel members to the United States was part of any kind of deal with Washington and was instead about her country's own security priorities.This week's expulsion marked the second time Mexico had sent top criminals to the US this year: in February, Mexican authorities handed over 29 cartel members, including druglord Rafael Caro Quintero, who was responsible for the murder of a DEA agent in 1985. The latest transfers took place after US authorities vowed that prosecutors would not seek the death penalty in any of the cases. Continue reading...

Former Fox and Friends host's ultra-conservative Christian nationalism causing frustration' within ranks, say expertsWhile secretary of defense Pete Hegseth's links to an extremist church and crusader tattoos caused a stir during his confirmation hearings, the former Fox & Friends host is now openly bringing his ultra-conservative brand of christianity to the Pentagon.Veterans tell the Guardian that Hegseth's religiosity - rubbing off in new recruitment ads and official US Department of Defense social media activities - is dividing the ranks and doing untold damage to the future of the US military. Continue reading...

Anthony Albanese says Australians loved his wit and insight' while actor Rachel Griffiths remembers a servant to creativity'

Professional body says firefighters pushed to brink' by climate crisis-fuelled blazes, as wildfire in North Yorkshire continues to burnUK firefighters have warned that 2025 is on track to beat the national record for wildfires, with frontline staff pushed to their limits".On Wednesday, a major incident was declared in the North York Moors national park, with 20 fire engines deployed to tackle at least 5 sq km of moorland which has been burning since Monday. Continue reading...

Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah among those to boycott Bendigo writers festival, arguing she cannot appear as a Palestinian' due to speaker code

Exclusive: Michael Weston King, grandfather of Bebe King, warns government against kowtowing to the likes of Farage'The family of Bebe King, one of the three girls killed in the Southport attack last year, have urged ministers to reconsider their support for disclosing the ethnicity of serious crime suspects, saying this information is completely irrelevant" and that the propensity to commit crime happens in any ethnicity, nationality or race".Bebe was six when she was murdered by 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, a Welsh-born black Briton from a Christian family who had lived in the local area for a number of years. Continue reading...

Text messages from Sebastian Robinson's phone were read out in Darwin's supreme court, detailing regular exchanges about the alleged supply of cocaine

Of more than 1.1m entries, 28.2% gained A or A* and 9.4% gained A*, though regional variations remain

Documents filed included references to nonexistent case citations and inaccurate quotes from a parliamentary speech, judge says

All the day's news as it unfolded

Hamas account claims quotes attributed to co-founder Hassan Yousef unlikely to be true given he's been in jail since October 2023

Human Rights Watch also finds that Iran abused survivors of June attack, which killed 80 peopleIsraeli airstrikes on Tehran's Evin prison in June killed scores of detainees, visitors and staff in what Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called an apparent war crime". Iranian authorities have since subjected survivors to abuse, enforced disappearances and inhumane detention conditions, the rights group said on Wednesday.HRW's investigation, based on satellite imagery, videos and witness accounts, found the 23 June Israeli airstrikes destroyed visitation halls, prison wards, the central kitchen, the medical clinic and administrative offices. No evident military targets were identified in the facility, which held more than 1,500 prisoners at the time, many of whom had been jailed for peaceful activism. Continue reading...

Head of NSW police child sex abuse squad also advises parents to report concerns directly to police - not their childcare centre

In today's newsletter: Doctors are sounding the alarm over a surge in cancers and irreversible skin damage linked to bleaching creams, as colourism continues to shape beauty ideals from Africa to AsiaGood morning. The slogan black is beautiful" rang out from civil rights marches in the US and UK during the 1960s and echoed through liberation struggles across the global south. It became a rallying cry against racist beauty standards that had long cast Black skin, facial features and hair as undesirable.These movements urged pride in what had been denigrated for centuries, and their message was not limited to people of African or Caribbean heritage. Calls to embrace natural beauty resonated across Asia and much of the global south, directly challenging the colonial belief that lighter skin conferred greater worth.Ukraine | Donald Trump told European leaders on Wednesday he would be seeking a ceasefire in Ukraine at his summit with Vladimir Putin on Friday and gave reassurances that he would not make any territorial concessions without Kyiv's full involvement.UK news | David Lammy has referred himself to the environment watchdog after going fishing with JD Vance without the required licence during the US vice-president's trip to the UK.Immigration | At least 20 people have died after a boat capsized off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, a United Nations agency and local media reported on Wednesday.UK politics | Keir Starmer is to formally revive Northern Powerhouse Rail this autumn with an announcement expected before the Labour conference.Palestine | The United Nations special rapporteur for the occupied territories has warned that moves to recognise a Palestinian state should not distract member states from stopping mass death and starvation in Gaza. Continue reading...

The international cinema expert was beloved for his film reviews, particularly on television with Margaret Pomeranz

Monthly report from surveyors' body sees firmly negative trend' that is expected to push up rental pricesThe flow of new rental properties coming on to the market has fallen at the fastest rate since the first Covid lockdown five years ago, according to research by Britain's property surveyors.Although the demand for properties is steady, there are fewer new rentals from landlords coming available, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) found. Continue reading...

Despite huge numbers of casualties, Russian leader believes he is slowly winning war - so he can afford to string talks outFor Ukraine, the break in the frontline is unfortunately timed. Lightly armed Russian saboteur groups - three on one count - cut though Ukrainian positions in the Donbas countryside east of the key junction at Dobropillia. Though one group has been eliminated, as of Tuesday two were thought to remain at large - and although their numbers are small for now, perhaps 20 to 30, the breach is significant.At the beginning of the year it was safe to visit Dobropillia, which had become a bustling market centre busy with soldiers and locals, nearly 15 miles north of the frontline in Pokrovsk. But since then the town, where once busy supply roads from Pokrovsk to Kramatorsk split, has come under sustained attack with glide bombs, while FPV (first person view) drones strike targets on the move. Continue reading...

National Army Museum's Beyond Burma exhibition examines stories of soldiers from Britain's coloniesThe forgotten story of African and Indian troops who fought in south Asia against Japanese forces during the second world war and who have largely been omitted from the official history is to be brought to life in a London exhibition.The National Army Museum's Beyond Burma: Forgotten Armies show includes rare items from Indian and African soldiers who toiled in some of the harshest conditions seen anywhere during the conflict. Continue reading...

Not just boiled or steamed desserts in danger, charity finds, households also rarely make fruit pies and crumblesAt the end of the 17th century a French travel writer who crossed the Channel was clearly impressed by the sweet, comforting treats offered to him, declaring with relish: Ah! What an excellent thing is an English pudding!"More than three centuries on, English Heritage has sounded the alarm that the good old British pudding is facing extinction. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Parliamentary Budget Office analysis shows any loss of revenue from betting would be offset by lower government spending

Environmental groups had lodged a reconsideration request over a 2012 decision to allow for the expansion of salmon farming

Rod Price recounts frantic' call he received from Sarah Shaw after her detention at US border while returning from CanadaThe father of a New Zealand woman who has been held in a US immigration detention centre for three weeks with her six-year-old son is hopeful the pair will be released by the end of the week.US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detained Sarah Shaw and her youngest son after they attempted to re-enter the US from Canada on 24 July. Continue reading...

Stephen Fleming admits killing 67-year-old Annette Brennan at Coolaroo on 1 July 2024

Murray Watt and Sussan Ley survey devastation in Adelaide as scientists call for urgent funding for affected species

Environment minister says blazes, in which two people have died, are proof of country's vulnerability to global heatingThe heatwave-fuelled wildfires that have killed two people in Spain over recent days, devouring thousands of hectares of land and forcing thousands of people from their homes, are a clear warning" of the impact of the climate emergency, the country's environment minister has said.Speaking on Wednesday morning, as firefighters in Spain, Greece and other Mediterranean countries continued to battle dozens of blazes, Sara Aagesen said the 14 wildfires still burning across seven Spanish regions were further proof of the country's particular vulnerability to global heating. Continue reading...

Lai has been detained since December 2020, with western nations and rights groups calling for his releaseJailed Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai's national security trial, which began in late 2023, will enter its final stages on Thursday as lawyers present closing arguments.The 77-year-old founder of the Apple Daily newspaper is charged with foreign collusion under Hong Kong's national security law, which Beijing imposed following huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019. Continue reading...

US president also says he would push for three-way summit with Volodymyr Zelenskyy if Alaska meeting goes wellVladimir Putin will face very severe consequences" if he does not agree a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine at his summit with Donald Trump in Alaska, the US president said on Wednesday.Speaking after a call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders, including Britain's Keir Starmer, Trump also suggested he would push for a second summit if his meeting with Putin goes well - this time including his Ukrainian counterpart. Continue reading...

Calls via foreign-owned platforms curbed as critics say Kremlin is pushing for greater control over Russia's internetRussia has announced restrictions on the messaging apps WhatsApp and Telegram, accusing the foreign-owned platforms of failing to share information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism cases.Moscow has clashed with foreign tech platforms for several years over content and data storage in a simmering dispute that intensified after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Critics say Russia is trying to expand its control over the country's internet space. Continue reading...

Foreign secretary reports oversight' to Environment Agency after failing to acquire necessary rod licenceDavid Lammy has referred himself to the environment watchdog after going fishing with JD Vance without the required licence during the US vice-president's trip to the UK.The foreign secretary hosted Vance and his family at Chevening House in Kent last week, where the pair fished from the property's private lake. Anglers aged 13 and over must hold a rod licence to fish for freshwater species such as carp in England and Wales. Lammy failed to land a catch, but all of my kids did", Vance said. Continue reading...

Families of victims and advocacy groups condemn law that covers internal armed conflict from 1980 to 2000Human rights groups and families of victims of Peru's two-decade internal armed conflict have expressed outrage after the country's government granted a blanket amnesty for all military and police officers accused of human rights crimes from 1980 to 2000.The Peruvian president, Dina Boluarte, signed the amnesty - which was approved by the country's congress last month - into law on Wednesday, to the applause of military top brass and ministers at Lima's government palace. Continue reading...

The Indian author is the next Future Library writer, set to submit a secret work to be locked in a library until 2114The next manuscript by Indian writer Amitav Ghosh will not be read for 89 years, as he becomes the 12th author to contribute to the Future Library project.Ghosh joins Margaret Atwood, Han Kang, Ocean Vuong and other prominent authors who have written secret manuscripts, which are locked away until 2114. Continue reading...

New York judge says he wants charge - which jury could not reach verdict on - to be tried again before year's endNew York prosecutors are looking to try Harvey Weinstein for a third time on a sexual assault charge on which a jury failed to reach a decision earlier this summer but which had succeeded in 2020 before being vacated by an appeals court.New York judge Curtis Farber said on Wednesday he wants a charge involving the actor Jessica Mann as the alleged victim to be tried again before the end of this year, though prosecutors indicated they would not be ready for trial until 2026. The news was first reported by NBC News. Continue reading...

Netflix summer hit in which girl band Huntr/x protect fans from supernatural threats will appear on the big screen over bank holiday weekendYounger audiences will be singing their hearts out in cinemas across the UK this month as KPop Demon Hunters arrives on the big screen for a series of special sing-along events.The unexpected Netflix hit, which has become the most popular animated film of all time on the streaming platform, has hooked children (and many parents) worldwide since its release in June. Continue reading...

Allowing police to disclose ethnicity and nationality of suspects could have consequences for race relations

Exclusive: Critics warn move could worsen impact of Donald Trump's rollback of funding for diversity and aid projects abroadMinisters are considering scrapping a commitment to spend 80% of foreign aid on projects supporting gender equality, the Guardian has learned.Critics warned the move could worsen the impact of Donald Trump's rollback of funding for diversity and aid projects abroad, which has affected maternal and reproductive health services in developing countries. Continue reading...

Veteran actor played antagonist in Sam Raimi's acclaimed horror hit and appeared in The Young and the RestlessLorna Raver, who played Mrs Ganush in Sam Raimi's hit horror Drag Me to Hell, has died at the age of 81.According to the Hollywood Reporter, her death was included in the in memoriam" section of the Screen Actors Guild's summer magazine. She died in May. Continue reading...

Democratic socialist edges further ahead of former state governor Andrew Cuomo and incumbent mayor Eric AdamsNew York City's mayoral race is heating up, with Zohran Mamdani, the young progressive who leapt ahead of establishment figures in the primary to win the Democratic party nomination, appearing to widen his lead over his main rivals this week.Mamdani, 33, edged further ahead of the former New York state governor Andrew Cuomo, with the incumbent mayor, Eric Adams, far behind, in advance of the election this November to pick a leader for the largest city in the US. Continue reading...

Hashem Abedi charged over incident in which four prison officers were injured at a maximum security prison in AprilThe brother of the Manchester Arena bomber has been charged with three counts of attempted murder after prison officers were injured at a maximum security prison.The charges follow an investigation by counter-terror police into an attack at HMP Frankland in Durham on 12 April. Continue reading...