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UK government adviser's report says claims not supported by data and could prompt under-18s to take own lifeA government-ordered review has dismissed claims that suicide rates in young people with gender dysphoria have risen sharply since the NHS restricted access to puberty-blocking drugs.A report by the government's adviser on suicide prevention also found that the claims - made by the campaign group the Good Law Project - were not supported by data and could prompt children under the age of 18 to take their own life. Continue reading...

The Boss, who sold his musical catalogue to Sony in 2021 for a reported $500m, has an estimated net worth of $1.1bnThe Boss is now a billionaire - at least according to Forbes.Bruce Springsteen, the New Jersey-bred musician who became rock 'n' roll's voice of the working class, now has an estimated net worth of $1.1bn, according to a conservative" estimate by the magazine. Continue reading...

Police say Serbian man detained near Paris after 74-year-old Ian Cameron was stabbed to death at home in GermanyThe alleged killer of a British former Rolls-Royce designer who was stabbed to death at his home in Bavaria last week has been arrested outside Paris after a Europe-wide search, German police said. A motive was not immediately established.Ian Cameron, 74, was attacked with a knife on 12 July and fatally wounded. A Serbian citizen, 22, was identified as the prime suspect based on tips from the public, the Furstenfeldbruck police department said. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Demand by victim of wrongful conviction comes after role Karen Kneller played in handling his case revealedAndrew Malkinson has called for the chief executive of the Criminal Cases Review Commission to resign as the key role she held during the organisation's most problematic handling of his case was revealed.Karen Kneller was director of casework when the miscarriages of justice body did very poor" work on Malkinson's first application to overturn his conviction for a 2003 stranger rape he did not commit. Continue reading...

Former Royal Mail boss Moya Greene says Vennells and top team grossly understated' Horizon scandal

Previous UK government had built up backlog of 90,000 people whose claims it deemed inadmissible'Thousands of asylum seekers left in limbo for more than two years as they awaited a decision on the Rwanda scheme will now have their cases decided in the UK.The decision, revealed during a high court challenge on Friday, is a sharp shift in position from the previous government, which had passed various laws declaring that the claims of those who arrived after January 2022 were inadmissible" - and so could not be processed in the UK. Continue reading...

More than 3,000 flights cancelled worldwide after problem affecting Microsoft Windows

Judy Deacon will lead a Sydney rally to press her case that police no longer be sent as first responders in mental health emergencies

Jason Struhs, his wife Kerrie, and 12 other members of Toowoomba religious sect the Saints' are on trial over the eight-year-old girl's death

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereGerman foreign minister Annalena Baerbock has again called for a humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza.In a statement, Baerbock said: This war in Gaza must come to an end at long last. There are no safe places in Gaza for civilians." Continue reading...

International court of justice says exploitation of natural resources in Palestinian territories also break lawThe top United Nations court has ruled that Israel's settlement policies and use of natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territories violate international law.The international court of justice said the transfer by Israel of settlers to the West Bank and Jerusalem as well as Israel's maintenance of their presence, is contrary to article 49 of the fourth geneva convention". Continue reading...

Lengthy prison sentences seen by many as heavy-handed and prompt comparisons with other offencesThe lengthy jail terms handed to five supporters of the Just Stop Oil (JSO) climate campaign on Thursday - believed to be the longest ever meted out in the UK for non-violent protest - have sent shock waves through the protest community an d beyond.The five-year sentence for Roger Hallam and four-year terms imposed on Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu and Cressida Gethin are being seen by many as the latest heavy-handed response to protesters, particularly those urging action on the climate crisis. Continue reading...

PM's promise to draw line under years of factious relations greeted with plaudits and relief by European mediaKeir Starmer's promised reset" of the UK's ties with the rest of Europe has drawn a positive response in European media, with one longtime journalist rejoicing that she will never again have to cover Britain as a basket case".The prime minister told leaders at a meeting of the European Political Community at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire on Thursday that he wanted to draw a line under years of fractious relations with the rest of Europe. The relaunch was greeted with a sense of relief that after years of chaotic leadership in London a new age of cooperation was beginning. Continue reading...

Consultation launched as surveys show people have little chance to meet partners and worry about high cost of livingThe Japanese government has begun to consult young people about their interest in marriage - or lack thereof - as Japan continues to struggle with a demographic crisis that is expected to result in a sharp population decline over the next decades.The Children and Families Agency, launched in April 2023, held its first working group meeting on Friday to support young people in their efforts to find partners through dating, matchmaking and other means. Attenders included those considering marriage in the future and experts versed in the challenges facing younger people. Continue reading...

Tourists and residents swelter in heat as temperatures rise to 44C in Spain, with forest fires in Greece and CroatiaA fierce heatwave is continuing to roll across southern and central Europe, bringing temperatures of up to 44C (111.2F) to parts of Spain, sparking forest fires in Greece and Croatia, and prompting governments to urge people to take special care as the mercury rises.In Spain, the state meteorological agency, Aemet, said temperatures on Friday could hit 40C across large parts of the country - and even 44C in areas of Andalucia - as the first heatwave of the summer hit. Aemet said the high temperatures, caused by a mass of very hot, dry and dusty air" from North Africa, were expected to last until Saturday. Continue reading...

CEO and CFO given total of 616,000 for a year in which some residents struggled to go about daily livesTwo bosses of Yorkshire Water have been handed a combined 616,000 in bonuses for a year in which thousands of its customers struggled to go about their daily lives" for weeks due to a burst water pipe.The payouts, part of a bonus system that could be banned in future under proposals outlined by the new Labour government in this week's king's speech, were detailed in the company's annual report. Continue reading...

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...