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Exclusive: Max Hill KC says it is imperative to protect free speech when setting limits on protestingThe former director of public prosecutions for England and Wales has warned against the risk of creating thought crimes" amid the recent clampdown on protesters and demonisation of demonstrators by politicians.In an interview with the Guardian, Max Hill KC, who was head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) from 2018 until November last year, said it was imperative to protect free speech when setting limits on protest. Continue reading...

Nearly half of workers experienced clinical stress, findings suggest, and many say Israel-Gaza war has added to fearsMPs' staff are suffering from growing levels of serious psychological distress amid heightened tensions over the war in the Middle East, a survey has found.Nearly half of the 3,700 workers employed by MPs experienced clinical stress similar to emergency service workers last year, the findings suggest. Continue reading...

Labour says fallout from Tata decision to close blast furnaces at steelworks will be felt for decades Am I going to be homeless in June?': workers fear return to 1980sSouth Wales is heading for an economic shock on the same scale as Thatcher-era deindustrialisation as Tata prepares to close the blast furnaces at its Port Talbot steelworks, a shadow cabinet minister has warned.Jo Stevens, the shadow Wales secretary, said the fallout from the company's decision to close the blast furnaces will be felt for decades as it was in the 1980s, as she pushed ministers to do more to help workers facing redundancy. Continue reading...

UK chancellor defends remarks about high salaries after being criticised for being out of touchJeremy Hunt has doubled down on his claim that earning 100,000 a year doesn't go as far as you might think" for people in his Surrey constituency, after he was criticised for being out of touch.The chancellor had previously tweeted that the sum was not a huge salary" for people in South West Surrey. The median salary for a full-time worker last year was 34,963 and in Surrey it is 42,000. Continue reading...

Poland says Russian missile targeting Ukraine's Lviv region violated its airspace while Kyiv suffers third pre-dawn attack in four daysUkraine's capital of Kyiv and the western region of Lviv have come under a massive" Russian air attack, officials have said, and Polish forces have also been placed on heightened readiness.Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in a series of deadly aerial attacks, with Sunday's early morning strikes coming a day after the Russian military said it had seized the Ukrainian village of Ivanivske west of Bakhmut. Continue reading...

Ministers asked to pause scheme that allows police to step back from responding to callouts or risk further deathsMinisters should order police forces in England to keep attending mental health calls until more funding is in place for the NHS to plug the gap or risk further deaths, a charity is urging.Rethink Mental Illness has written to the home and health secretaries asking them to immediately pause the right-care-right-person scheme, which allows police forces to step back from responding to mental health callouts, after a series of tragic deaths" associated with the change. Continue reading...

Jane Richardson says it is a chance to reimagine role of museums, while defending Museum Wales from culture war attacksMuseums in Wales need to be less about buildings and more about the wonderful collections they hold and the diverse stories they tell, the chief executive overseeing them has said.Jane Richardson, the head of Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales, said a 4.5m cut to its budget meant it may have to close sites and be better at finding new income streams. But she argued it was also a chance to reimagine what museums could and should be. Continue reading...

Government rule changes on Airbnb-style rentals could lead to loss of more than 10,000 long-term rentable propertiesA loophole in government proposals to clamp down on Airbnb-style holiday lets could lead to the loss of thousands of long-term rental properties for families in London.The government scrapped tax breaks for holiday homes in the budget and last month unveiled a registration scheme to help councils control the booming holiday let market, which Michael Gove, the levelling-up secretary, claims is denying local people the opportunity to buy or rent a home. Continue reading...

The father of Michaela Hall, the charity worker killed by her partner in Cornwall after he was wrongly assessed as only medium risk' says lessons must be learnedA serial violent offender who previously tried to strangle his partner was free to murder her after being wrongly assessed as medium risk" by the probation service.When Lee Kendall killed charity worker Michaela Hall on 31 May 2021, police had received 34 pieces of intelligence about his domestic abuse against her and he had almost 50 convictions, relating to 100 offences. Continue reading...

A better testing regime is required as official figures show deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is three times higher in deprived parts of the countryMinisters are being urged to roll out a better testing regime for one of the country's biggest killers, with the most recent figures showing death rates for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease more than three times higher in some of the most deprived areas of the country.More than 20,000 people a year in England die from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The most significant cause of COPD is smoking, but a significant proportion of cases are work-related, triggered by exposure to fumes, chemicals and dust at work. Continue reading...

Cressida O'Hanlon has significant lead in Dunstan though there are many early votes yet to be countedLabor's Cressida O'Hanlon is nervously waiting, hoping to be confirmed as the next member of South Australia's House of Assembly.The 51-year-old business mediator is on track to win the seat of Dunstan with a 2.9%, two-party-preferred lead over her Liberal rival Anna Finizio.Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

Five-decade UK study finds that aggression at school leads to better-paying jobs, while those with emotional instability went on to earn lessChildren who displayed aggressive behaviour at school, such as bullying or temper outbursts, are likely to earn more money in middle age, according to a five-decade study that upends the maxim that bullies do not prosper.They are also more likely to have higher job satisfaction and be in more desirable jobs, say researchers from the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex. Continue reading...

New arts lobby group says plight that hits even top bodies such as Royal Shakespeare Company makes entire country poorerThe vast majority of England's biggest subsidised cultural institutions are now operating at a loss, including many internationally renowned venues and arts brands. Financial data gathered for a new national lobbying group called Culture Makes ..., started by the Cultural Philanthropy Foundation (CPF), revealed the severe plight of even theatres, galleries and museums that receive regular stategrants.The success of these national gems is usually considered a matter of pride. But end-of-year accounts recently submitted by the 100 organisations that get the most annual funding from Arts Council England show 73 have reported a loss, and this averages at about 300,000. Among them is the Royal Shakespeare Company, which has dipped into the red by a few thousand pounds, despite some stringent budgeting. While not all of these leading venues and cultural attractions are actually in debt, several are. And even though commercial profitability is not always the bottom line - since levels of subsidy will always be required - many have fallen well short of attempts to break even. Continue reading...

Former MP held the seat in Melbourne's bayside suburbs from 2016 to 2022

As the dust settles from an unnecessary election, premier Jeremy Rockliff has some serious work to do to form a stable government

Royal fans hope that news of princess's cancer diagnosis will end the online stormThere was no carpet of roses outside Windsor Castle yesterday, no bunches of daffodils blocking the entrance to Kensington Palace - just an occasional bouquet. The royal family wanted things to be business as usual after the Princess of Wales revealed her cancer diagnosis the day before, and the public has been keen to oblige.Tourists watched the changing of the guard at Windsor, while visitors in London trooped into Kensington Palace to see the regalia of past monarchs, or posed outside for selfies. Continue reading...

Many local authorities are increasingly rejecting requests to assess children who need help in schools, new data revealsCouncils are increasingly rejecting requests to assess children for special needs such as autism amid the financial crisis in the education system, according to figures seen by the Observer. Long-term underfunding combined with rising demand aggravated by the pandemic has left many councils facing significant deficits on their schools budgets.Freedom of information data sourced by the website Special Needs Jungle shows that councils in England have responded by increasingly refusing to carry out education, health and care needs assessments (EHCNAs). Continue reading...

Kensington Palace says Catherine and Prince William are extremely moved by the public's warmth and support'The Princess of Wales and her husband, Prince William, have been enormously touched" by the messages of support received since she announced her cancer diagnosis, a Kensington Palace spokesperson has said.Catherine said on Friday she was undergoing preventive chemotherapy after tests done following her major abdominal surgery in January revealed cancer had been present. Continue reading...

Painter and storyteller, who revived father's picture-book series about elephant king, said he didn't consciously write for young peopleBabar author Laurent de Brunhoff, who revived his father's popular picture-book series about an elephant-king and presided over its rise to a global multimedia franchise, has died at the age of 98.De Brunhoff, who was from Paris and moved to the US in the 1980s, died on Friday at his home in Key West, Florida, after being in hospice care for two weeks, according to his widow, Phyllis Rose. Continue reading...

Ivan Korcok won most votes in first round, ahead of parliament speaker Peter PellegriniA pro-EU former Slovak foreign minister has scored a surprise victory in the first round of a presidential election, setting up a runoff vote with a key ally of the populist prime minister, Robert Fico.Slovakia's presidential election is a chance for Fico, whose views on Ukraine have angered critics for veering too close to Russia, to strengthen his grip on power. Opposition forces want a counterbalance to his rule. Continue reading...

This blog has now closed. You can read our full report on the attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow hereState-owned media RIA reports that so many people have turned up to donate blood after the attack that the Buyanov hospital in Moscow has had to ask people to return in the following days.Maia Sandu, the president of Moldova, has posted to social media to say that they were terrible images" at the scene of the attack. She said Moldova condemns all forms of terrorism. Our thoughts are with those who lost loved ones and the injured." Continue reading...

Telcos promised no loss of coverage but farmers outside official coverage areas fear their lifeline will turn off

As the state government considers reforming its contentious stamp duty, here are the benefits and pitfalls of replacing it with an annual tax

At least 133 people killed and scores wounded, according to authorities, after gunmen opened fire at Crocus City Hall. Islamic State has claimed responsibility

West Yorkshire police appeal for witnesses after Vauxhall Corsa involved in fatal crash in early hours of SaturdayPolice are appealing for information following a fatal collision involving a car driving in the wrong direction on the M62.West Yorkshire police received a report at 2.06am on Saturday of a Vauxhall Corsa travelling westbound on the eastbound carriageway of the motorway. Continue reading...

The Princess of Wales's cancer diagnosis has put a stop to the internet's wilder conspiracy theories, but it could be temporaryAfter Friday's filmed statement from the Princess of Wales, it is now TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, who are in the dock. This weekend thousands of individual users have expressed contrition over the conspiracy theories they aired and the boss of X herself tried to reposition her platform by urging compassion.A brave message delivered by Princess Kate with her signature grace," CEO of X, Linda Yaccarino, posted, adding, Her request for privacy, to protect her children and allow her to move forward (without endless speculation) seems like a reasonable request to respect." Continue reading...

Asio bosses fear growing threat' as foreign governments are allowed to gain knowledge of tradecraft

The federal opposition leader's calls to include nuclear power in Australia's energy mix has so far failed to win support from his state colleaguesThe federal Coalition faces a battle with the states on its proposal for nuclear power stations at the sites of decommissioned coal power plants, with state premiers and opposition leaders alike largely against Peter Dutton's proposal.Labor governments and Coalition oppositions in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia are either outright opposed to the plan or have failed to endorse it. Continue reading...

Fewer engagements are being conducted, and possible role of Harry as regent could raise constitutional issuesA decade ago, the royal family notched up more than 4,000 engagements in a year, travelling across the UK and criss-crossing the globe.The then Prince of Wales travelled to Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Colombia; Prince Harry went to Brazil and Chile and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh carried out more than 660 engagements between them, including trips to France andItaly. Continue reading...

Labour lead would soar to 24 points if Kemi Badenoch or Suella Braverman became leader, according to Opinium pollThree out of the four Tory MPs seen as the most likely replacements for Rishi Sunak would fare even worse than the current prime minister in a general election battle against Keir Starmer, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer.The Conservatives have been involved in a fresh bout of leadership speculation over the past week, after rumours surfaced of a plot to dump Sunak and replace him with Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House, before the next election. Continue reading...

Antonio Guterres says Palestinian people remain stuck in a non-stop nightmare' as Israel stands accused of blocking aid

Richard Bong downed 40 aircraft in a Lockheed P-38 Lightning before it crashed while being flown by another pilotA Wisconsin museum is partnering with a historical preservation group in a search for the wreckage of the second world war ace fighter pilot Richard Bong's plane in the South Pacific.The Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior, Wisconsin, and the non-profit second world war historical preservation group Pacific Wrecks announced the search on Friday, Minnesota Public Radio reported. Continue reading...

Exclusive: newly obtained footage and leaked documents show how a mass casualty event' could arise from aggressive tactics employed by border forcesFrench police funded by the UK government have endangered the lives of vulnerable migrants by intercepting small boats in the Channel after they have set out for the UK, using tactics that search and rescue experts say could cause a mass casualty event".Shocking new evidence obtained by the Observer, Lighthouse Reports, Le Monde and Der Spiegel reveals for the first time that the French maritime police have tried physically to force small boats to turn around - manoeuvres known as pullbacks" - in an attempt to prevent them reaching British shores. Continue reading...

Antonio Guterres, standing beside a queue of waiting aid trucks, warns against ground assault on border townUS fighter jets from the USS Dwight D Eisenhower aircraft carrier struck three underground storage facilities in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen late on Friday, according to a US official, reports the Associated Press (AP).The official, who spoke to the news agency on condition of anonymity to discuss a military operation not yet made public, said the ship is in the Red Sea.

With his father and wife diagnosed with cancer and estranged from his once beloved brother, the blows have come thick and fastFor the Prince of Wales, the blows have come swiftly one after the other. First his father, King Charles, revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and then came the news from doctors that his wife, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, also has cancer.The stress on the heir to the throne will be considerable. Not only must he support his wife and father, he must also shepherd his young children through a family medical crisis in the glare of global media coverage. And he must shoulder much of the responsibility of steering the monarchy through challenging months ahead. Continue reading...

Sardonic tribute to cheating husband Roger' on bench in Bristol prompts mention of elusive graffiti artistThe amateur sleuths, conspiracy theorists and mischief makers on the sweeping Royal York Crescent in Clifton, Bristol, all have opinions about a mysterious plaque appearing to out an adulterous husband.The brass plate engraved with For My Love/Husband, Father, Adulterer/Yes, Roger, I Knew" quickly attracted attention after it was attached to a wooden bench on the grand crescent's terrace at the end of last week. Continue reading...

Taylor dedicated years to improving lives of disadvantaged children after killing of his 10-year-old son on a London stairwell in 2000Richard Taylor, who spent the past 24 years campaigning against knife crime after his son Damilola Taylor was killed at the age of 10, has died, his family have announced.The former Nigerian civil servant worked for years to improve the lives of disadvantaged children after his son's stabbing in November 2000, and set up the Damilola Taylor Trust to campaign against knife crime. Continue reading...

Remarks scribbled in a Finnish copy of the much-loved book, to be featured in an exhibition on the author, reveal how the story was misunderstoodIt is Raymond Briggs's most loved book, notching up sales of 5.5m, while the TV adaptation is a hardy perennial in the Christmas schedules. However, the discovery of a Finnish edition of The Snowman with notes scribbled in the margin by its author decades after publication reveal that parts of the story have been misinterpreted.It has frequently been assumed that the melting and disappearance of the snowman was symbolic of the loss of Briggs's parents and wife in the 1970s. Not the case, according to the author's remarks. Continue reading...

Universities fear an autumn election will not leave undergraduates enough time to registerHundreds of thousands of students could be left unable to vote if the government calls an October general election, because there may not be enough time to register them, universities and student unions havewarned.Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, last week hinted at a possible election October date during questioning by a House of Lords select committee. Universities and student unions were already nervous about the idea of an autumn election, when students are settling into new halls or houses and less likely to be focused on applying to joining the electoral register or acquiring photo ID that will be compatible with the government's new voter rules. Continue reading...

The US actor apologized for post poking fun at Princess of Wales while other celebs face criticism for mocking the royalAfter the Princess of Wales announced on Friday that she is undergoing treatment for cancer, the US actor Blake Lively apologized to Catherine for joking about a manipulated family photograph that the latter recently published as speculation about her whereabouts ran rampant.I'm sure no one cares today but I feel like I have to acknowledge this. I made a silly post around the Photoshop fails' frenzy, and oh man, that post has me mortified today," Lively wrote on Instagram. The star of Gossip Girl and A Simple Favor added: I'm sorry. Sending love and well wishes to all, always." Continue reading...

Party leading poll with 36.6% of vote, but suffered 12% swing against it since last election three years agoThe Liberal party faces having to negotiate with an expanded crossbench to hang on to power in Tasmania after winning the biggest share of the vote in the state election, but falling short of a majority of seats in parliament.By late on Saturday, the Liberals, led by premier Jeremy Rockliff, were leading the poll with nearly 36.6% of the vote, but had suffered a 12% swing against it since the last poll three years ago. Continue reading...

Monuments erected on the Stadtschloss are an infiltration' of the city and its skyline by nationalists, say criticsSilently towering into the grey Berlin sky, the latest addition to the German capital's skyline is easily missed by passengers passing along the Unter den Linden boulevard below. Eight statues of Old Testament prophets, each more than 3 metres tall and weighing 3 tonnes, were installed last week in a circular formation around the cupola of the palace in the centre of the metropolis.Whether these wise men made of sandstone are mere innocent bystanders overlooking the ebb and flow of German history or warriors in a culture war over the country's future, however, has been the subject of heated debate. Critics say the erection of Isaiah, Ezekiel and co is emblematic of the silent manipulation of a prestige architecture project by a shady group of donors with nationalist leanings. Continue reading...

Households renting outside cities rose by 19% with 450,000 more privately letting in 2021 compared with 2011A dramatic rise in the number of renters in rural areas has prompted England's largest councils to call for a new long-term plan for housing.The number of households in private and social rentals has increased by more than half a million in rural areas over the past decade, outpacing London and major cities, according to a report from the County Councils Network. Continue reading...

Princess of Wales says she has explained her diagnosis to George, Charlotte and Louis, which Cancer Research says is better than keeping a secret

Several McGill University students have spent more than three weeks demanding it divest $20m from various companiesA group of students at McGill University have spent more than three weeks on hunger strike in an effort to force the Canadian college to divest from companies supporting the Israeli military".The move follows months of protests and sit-ins at McGill and at universities around the world, as students and faculty members have protested against Israel's military offensive in Gaza. Continue reading...

Cancer Research UK's chief executive says high-profile cancer cases such as Catherine's can help others to seek help early

Islamic State claims responsibility after gunmen in combat gear opened fire and reportedly set off explosives at Crocus City Hall

Country's reputation as one of Africa's model democracies under threat after weeks of violenceSenegal heads to the polls on Sunday after weeks of chaos, violence and uncertainty prompted fears that democracy had been fatally undermined in one of west Africa's most stable countries.Analysts say the presidential election is the most wide open in Senegal since it secured independence from France more than 60 years ago. Continue reading...

Labor's Rebecca White is hoping to unseat Australia's only remaining Liberal government and return her party to power after 10 years in opposition

Police allege the accused dumped an injured man on a street in Melonba and left him to dieA man will face court accused of murder following a pre-arranged fight after which he allegedly dumped his opponent in a western Sydney street and left him to die.Emergency services were called to Georgina Crescent in Melonba about 8.45pm on Friday after reports a man had been found and was likely deceased. Continue reading...