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Exclusive: Guardian Australia found Coalition politicians cited the 24-hour figure in interviews on at least 12 occasions in August

McBride has appealed his jail sentence of five years and eight months claiming he blew the whistle on the unequal application of the law' by the ADF

PM is seeking input on the impacts of phone bans in schools and ideas to maintain the social connection of kids

Survey by Independent Schools Council finds UK pupil numbers down 1.7% compared with 2023Private schools say the impending addition of VAT to school fees is a big factor in the drop in pupil numbers this year, ahead of the cost of living and the falling national birthrate.The Independent Schools Council (ISC) said a survey of 1,185 member schools in the UK found their rolls fell by 1.7% when the school year started last month, compared with 2023. Continue reading...

PM says deal ensures continuation of UK-US military base on the islands and has been welcomed with warm words' by USJonathan Powell, who was leading negotiations for the new government with Mauritius over the Chagos Islands, offered a robust defence of the government's agreement in media appearances this morning.Saying it had been a long process, involving 13 rounds of negotiations, he pointed out that 11 of them had been under the previous Conservative government, and singled out Tory leadership hopeful James Cleverly for praise, saying I think he deserves credit for starting those negotiations and leading them enthusiastically for quite a long time."The Americans have been intimately involved in the negotiations. Every single sentence and paragraph has been through an interagency process, all of the process, all of the agencies in Washington, we've agreed to all of it and secured all of their red lines in that negotiation.I will be voting for the assisted dying Bill. Obviously it will be a free vote for Members of Parliament. These are very complex and difficult issues and there are very respectable views on both sides.For my part, I know there are people who are in the late stages of terminal illnesses, and I think the current situation is rather cruel actually. Continue reading...

Independent MP Shockat Adam says his election exposed the chasm' between politicians and constituentsWhen Shockat Adam, the newly elected independent MP for Leicester South, addressed his supporters at the July election count, he brought his speech to an end with a dedication - not to the constituents of the East Midlands city he now represents, but to people more than 2,000 miles away.This is for the people of Gaza", he said, holding a Palestinian keffiyeh aloft. Continue reading...

Network Rail promises to turn round station after criticism from passengers and watchdogs

Trial forms part of government plans to expedite referrals for patients with cancer symptomsWomen who are concerned about lumps in their breasts will be able to book an appointment to see a specialist via the NHS app, without seeing a GP first, in a pilot scheme aimed at speeding up cancer diagnoses.Wes Streeting, the health secretary, announced the move in a speech to hundreds of family doctors at the Royal College of General Practitioners' (RCGP) annual conference in Liverpool on Friday. Continue reading...

Decision opposed by five countries including Germany, where car firms say it could be fatal' blow for industry

Reports suggest strikes were targeting Hashem Safieddine, seen as most likely candidate to replace Hassan Nasrallah

Mr Justice Fancourt says campaign between two obdurate but well-resourced armies' is taking up too much court timeThe Duke of Sussex's legal action against the publisher of the Sun resembles a campaign between two obdurate but well-resourced armies" and is taking up more than an appropriate amount of court time, a high court judge has said.Prince Harry, 40, alleges he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for News Group Newspapers (NGN), which also published the now-defunct News Of The World. Continue reading...

Two officers reinstated after winning appeal against ruling they had lied about smelling cannabis during searchTwo former Metropolitan police officers have been given their jobs back after winning an appeal against a ruling that they lied by saying they could smell cannabis during a stop and search of the British athlete Bianca Williams and her partner in 2020.More details soon ... Continue reading...

Overcrowded boat on Lake Kivu capsizes as it was about to dock near Goma, with death toll likely to rise significantlyAt least 78 people have drowned and many more are missing after a boat belived to be carrying 278 passengers capsized on Thursday morning just a few hundred metres from the shore of Lake Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.The accident happened just as the vessel, MV Merdy, was about to dock at the port of Kituku, just outside the city of Goma, after crossing the lake from the town of Minova. Continue reading...

Republican nominee claims Harris is threat to democracy in recording of top-dollar fundraiser in Colorado in AugustDonald Trump unleashed a foul-mouthed tirade about undocumented immigrants and predicted that this could be the last election we ever have" if Kamala Harris wins during a private fundraising dinner this summer.The Guardian obtained a 12-minute recording of a speech that the Republican presidential nominee gave at a dinner on 10 August in Aspen, Colorado, where attendees were required to donate anywhere from $25,000 to $500,000 a couple. Continue reading...

Brian Smash' Chladil made the coments while speaking at the Australian Women in Music Awards conference on Tuesday

Police interested in speaking with women around the world they believe may have met alleged victim's husband on dating apps

Marty Thomas's heroics on Indian Rocks Beach one of few uplifting stories after storm kills at least 200 peopleA man living in a Florida island city that was inundated with Hurricane Helene's deadly storm surge reportedly used his surfboard to rescue about a dozen of his neighbors - as well as pets - from flooded homes.As told by WTVT, Marty Thomas's heroics on Indian Rocks Beach provided one of a precious few uplifting stories to come in the wake of Helene, which has killed at least 200 people across six south-eastern US states Thursday as search crews continued combing through the storm's wreckage. Continue reading...

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Freedom of information documents reveal mining magnate lobbying National Gallery chair over Vincent Namatjira portraitsBillionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart not only wanted two unflattering portraits of her removed from exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia; she wanted them permanently disposed of".According to emails released by the museum under freedom of information laws on Thursday, Rinehart sought the assistance of the NGA's chair, Ryan Stokes, on 8 April, sending the following email: Hi Ryan, I know [words redacted] but now that I'm told you're chair of the national gallery can u pl permanently dispose of the 2 so called portraits of me below."Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...

NSW police fired at two men in a car allegedly driven at them, while in Hillside, Victoria police shot a man allegedly armed with a knife at scene of stabbing

West Australian senator acknowledges challenges' in office and apologised for the distress this may have caused'

Kenneth Newcombe, formerly CEO of C-Quest Capital, indicted over allegations of carbon credit manipulationA former carbon offsetting executive has been charged with fraud by US federal authorities, who allege that he helped to manipulate data from projects in rural Africa and Asia to fraudulently obtain carbon credits worth tens of millions of dollars.Kenneth Newcombe, former CEO of C-Quest Capital LLC and a leading figure in the offsetting industry, was indicted on Wednesday in New York with commodities and wire fraud. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Guardian analysis suggests foundation has reduced gambling group's tax bill by as much as 140mA charity set up by the billionaire boss of Bet365, Denise Coates, may have saved her online gambling empire more in tax than the foundation has yet given to good causes, Guardian analysis suggests.The Coates family are among Britain's biggest taxpayers, and contributed an estimated 376m to the exchequer in 2023 via business and personal taxes. That includes Bet365's corporation tax bill and levies on Denise Coates' record-breaking wages and dividends. Continue reading...

David Sullivan complains he is selling his six-storey house near Regent's Park at a loss as he reduces it to 65mDavid Sullivan, the British businessman who co-owns West Ham United football club, has cut the asking price of his London house by 10m and has blamed the promised crackdown on non-doms for rich people leaving the country.

Israeli former prime minister says in interview it is too late to significantly set back Tehran's nuclear ambitions, and that a massive' attack on Iran's oil facilities is likely

Bosses say cost of complying with zero-emission vehicle mandate is astronomical, and unsustainable'UK electric car sales hit a record high in September, even as bosses from big carmakers told the chancellor that government targets were putting too much pressure on the industry.The British industry sold 56,300 electric cars during the month, the highest on record, according to preliminary data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), a lobby group. Continue reading...

Defamation trial told of message from Sky News host to John Pesutto's chief of staff while helping to set up office

Opposition leader creates political timebomb with election pledge to resign if crime victim numbers do not fall under an LNP government

Review also finds by the time children are seven, 59% of calories come from UPFsToddlers in the UK obtain almost half of their calories from ultra-processed foods, rising to 59% by the age of seven, according to the largest study of its kind.The first comprehensive review of dietary intake at such an early age comes amid rapidly rising global consumption of UPF such as cereals, protein bars, fizzy drinks, ready meals and fast food. The findings were published in the European Journal of Nutrition. Continue reading...

Health service aims to sign up 30,000 people a year to meet rising demand and reduce use of more expensive importsMillions of women are now eligible to donate stem cells on the NHS for the first time amid rising demand for life-saving transplants and a drive to reduce reliance on expensive imports.Previously, only men aged 17 to 40 or women of Asian, black or mixed heritage aged 17 to 40 could join the NHS stem cell donor register. Now, all white women aged 17 to 40 are able to sign up. Continue reading...

People of Nabatieh are told to leave, adding to mass displacement, and multiple airstrikes are heard in capital

Republican former president made similar promises before 2016 election in Rust belt states with little resultDonald Trump has promised to make Michigan the car capital of the world again" as he told a rally in the bellwether county of Saginaw that he will bring back thousands of jobs lost when General Motors moved more than a dozen factories to Mexico.However, the former president made similar promises to Rust belt states before he was elected in 2016, with little result. Continue reading...

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith convicted of witness tampering in 2023 beating deathA jury has convicted three former Memphis police officers of violating Tyre Nichols' civil rights in a 2023 beating that led to the 29-year-old father's death.Jurors convicted Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith of witness tampering in the death of Nichols. Continue reading...

International Association of Fire Fighters vote by a margin of 1.2% to not back either White House candidateThe International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has declined to endorse a candidate ahead of next month's US presidential election, despite efforts by both the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump campaigns to court the union.This decision, which we took very seriously, is the best way to preserve and strengthen our unity," the IAFF said in a statement. Continue reading...

Tina Peters, who was lauded by election deniers, convicted over scheme inspired by false claims about 2020 resultA local elections official who became a hero to election deniers was sentenced to nine years in prison on Thursday for leading a voting system data-breach scheme inspired by the rampant false claims that fraud altered the 2020 presidential outcome.Tina Peters allowed a man affiliated with the pillow salesman and election-lie trafficker Mike Lindell to misuse a security card to access to the Mesa county election system. Continue reading...

Business students at 9,250-a-year Regent College London raised series of complaints with Office for StudentsStudents at a private higher education college charging 9,250 a year were taught by staff reading out bullet points and showing videos, according to an investigation that found one tutor held an online class while appearing to be on public transport.The students attending Regent College London told investigators from England's higher education regulator that teaching staff changed frequently, including one cover tutor who arrived almost half an hour late" to host an online class and was clearly travelling or in a public place". Continue reading...

Villa Vie Odyssey passengers spent four months stuck in Northern Ireland while their vessel underwent repairsThe luxury cruise liner stranded in Belfast for four months has finally set sail after three days marooned in Belfast Lough.But in another twist to the beleaguered round-the-world voyage, passengers were initially under the impression they were taking a detour to Scotland, a reflection of a saga beset by chaotic communication. Continue reading...

President's off-the-cuff remark outside White House over possible retaliation triggers global oil price rise

Crisafulli tells TV debate that if he became premier and could not reduce the number of victims of crime he would stand down

Fashion Museum exhibition charts how shortlived Taboo and its founder, Leigh Bowery, inspired decade's fashionWith ITV's drama Joan on our screens and the bubble skirt back on the catwalks, the 80s are once again having a moment. An exhibition at London's Fashion Museum, Outlaws: Fashion Renegades of 80s London, takes a different look - by going deep into the creative explosion on the dancefloors of the decade.It focuses on Taboo, a London club that lasted barely a year but was pivotal in the careers of people including the singer Boy George, the designers John Galliano and Katharine Hamnett, the choreographer Michael Clark and the performance artist Leigh Bowery, who started the club in 1985. Continue reading...

Former PM's doorstop-sized tome, Unleashed, recounts chequered political career in familiar boosterish toneBoris Johnson's 772-page doorstop of a memoir, Unleashed, recounts a chequered political career in his familiar boosterish tone. Here are five things we learned (spoiler: he hasn't learned much at all): Continue reading...

Deveca Rose convicted of manslaughter after leaving two sets of twins at Sutton home while she went to supermarketA woman has been found guilty over the deaths of her four young sons in a fire at their home in London after she left them alone to go shopping.Deveca Rose went to Sainsbury's and left her two sets of twins - three-year-olds Leyton and Logan, and four-year-olds Kyson and Bryson - in the locked terrace house in Sutton before the blaze broke out. Continue reading...

Former security minister says UK decision to cede sovereignty means Mauritius could lease islands to ChinaThree of the four Tory leadership candidates have issued statement strongly denouncing the government's decision to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.Robert Jenrick, the favourite in the contest, called this a dangerous capitulation".It's taken three months for Starmer to surrender Britain's strategic interests.

Former PM argues in Unleashed he was victim of witch-hunt' and broke no rules with lockdown parties

Crew will include amputee ex-serviceman and cabin manager who began her career at age of 59A former serviceman who was injured on duty and a cabin manager who began her flight career at the age of 59 are part of an all-black airline crew flying from Manchester and London in celebration of Black History Month.The two flights, operated by the airline Tui, were flying from Manchester to Boa Vista in Cape Verde, and from London Gatwick to Jamaica on Thursday. Continue reading...

Uluru statement from the heart architect argues it is incontrovertible' current policies are not working and need consultation through an elected body

Advocates urge state government to scrap approval system and adopt charter of human rights similar to Victoria and Queensland

State counties are required to offer at least 13 days of in-person early voting. Many may struggle to meet thatThe devastating path charted by Hurricane Helene has taken at least 190 lives, decimated entire communities, and cut off access to food, water, and power for many. It could also disrupt voting, including in North Carolina, one of just a handful of states that will likely decide the 5 November presidential election.Long before the storm made landfall on Thursday, politicos have kept a close eye on North Carolina as a key battleground state, with polls showing the state is closely divided in the choice between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Continue reading...

The UK has agreed to hand the archipelago over to Mauritius after decades of diplomatic disputeThe UK has agreed to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a historic deal. Here we detail the history of the archipelago. Continue reading...

Hundreds of arachnophiles flock to La Junta to watch the creatures emerge in droves and look for love on the plainsLove is in the air on the Colorado plains - the kind that makes your heart beat a bit faster, quickens your step and makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.It's tarantula mating season, when male spiders scurry out of their burrows in search of a mate, and hundreds of arachnophiles flock to the small farming town of La Junta to watch them emerge in droves. Continue reading...