Trump criticized $2.4bn rehab amid attempts to pressure then Fed chair Jerome Powell into lowering interest ratesAn internal watchdog said the Federal Reserve mismanaged costs associated with a $2.4bn renovation of its Washington DC headquarters, but noted that no criminal violations occurred, according to a report released Wednesday.For over a year, Donald Trump has centered his attacks against the Fed and former chair Jerome Powell around the renovations, including a months-long Department of Justice criminal probe that was dropped in April. Continue reading...
While the country's screen sector is growing, only a fraction of production staff are Scottish themselvesScotland's striking Ardross Castle, the oldest star of Celebrity Traitors, which kicks off on Thursday night, is just one of the stops on the Scottish tourist board's screen tourism" trail.From Outlander and The Odyssey filming in the Highlands and islands, to Glasgow city centre standing in for New York and Gotham City respectively in the latest instalments of Indiana Jones and Batman, film and TV is increasingly big business in Scotland. Continue reading...
Met calls move milestone' moment that paves way for very best possible evidence for charging decisions'Police investigating the Grenfell Tower fire have asked prosecutors to consider charges including manslaughter and fraud against a range of companies and individuals.The Metropolitan police announced it had given prosecutors evidence relating to 20 companies and organisations and 54 individuals, ahead of charging decisions, in what the force described as a milestone moment". Continue reading...
by Tom Ambrose (now) and Taz Ali (earlier) on (#78QWP)
This blog is now closed, you can read our full report on this story hereNetanyahu said one of the FlyDubai pilots stabbed his fellow pilot and intended to crash the plane.He added that one of the passengers on the flight managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members, and together they neutralised" the attacking pilot.Almost all the passengers on the flight were Israelis. During the flight, as they were approaching Israel, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot, and it appears he was attempting to crash the plane with everyone on board." Continue reading...
by Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent on (#78R4V)
Developing North Sea fields does not contradict net zero goals, according to Simone RossiNew oil and gas projects are a no-brainer" that pose no contradiction" to the net zero agenda, according to the head of EDF Energy.Simone Rossi has joined a string of renewables leaders in making the case for more North Sea production as the government prepares to decide on two projects there. Continue reading...
Prime minister's pure political argument marks new era for party as he sets out his plans and prioritiesThe hottest ticket at Labour conference - after Andy Burnham's speech - was an afterparty in Liverpool's Baltic Triangle, headlined with a set by the noughties girlband Sugababes.As Labour activists and ministers belted out the lyrics under pink spotlights, it was hard not to draw some parallels with the party's recent history. There have been painful lineup changes and a lot of internal division, but this week onstage in Liverpool, the originals are back together and they only played the hits. The fans can't get enough. Continue reading...
by Jakub Krupa (now and earlier) and Martin Belam (ea on (#78QSC)
This blog is now closedMeanwhile, Ukraine's total war costs will reach $155bn this year and the government is struggling to close a $27bn funding gap to ensure it can still conduct combat operations at the start of 2027, prime minister Sergii Koretskyi said.Koretskyi said the government planned to cover $7bn of the gap by postponing expenditure, reallocating money from other parts of the budget and cutting some costs, and was in talks with partners on how to cover the remaining $20bn, Reuters reported. Continue reading...
Unprecedented university donation from Citadel CEO Ken Griffin will go toward building a new Miami campusCarnegie Mellon University will receive an unprecedented $3bn donation from billionaire investor Ken Griffin, making it the largest single donation in the history of US education.Griffin, 57, is the founder and CEO of Citadel, described as the most profitable hedge fund in history. The money is going toward a new Miami campus as well as big investments at the university's longtime home in Pittsburgh. Continue reading...
Plane made emergency landing after pilot tried to crash aircraft, Israeli PM says, as officials investigate whether it was an attempted terror attackOne of the pilots of a plane flying from the UAE to Israel stabbed his co-pilot and appeared to try to crash the plane, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said, as Israeli officials said they were investigating whether the incident was an attempted terror attack on Israelis. Here is what we know so far:A commercial plane travelling from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Israel was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, after an apparent brawl between its pilots prompted distress signals that briefly raised fears of an attempted hijacking. The flydubai flight was over Jordan when it diverted to Saudi Arabia, transmitting three emergency signals, one of which indicated a possible unlawful interference.The plane dipped dramatically during the reported fight, descending about 16,000ft in just two minutes. Israeli officials scrambled fighter jets, fearful of a possible hijacking attempt on a plane containing dozens of Israelis, and the plane landed at Tabuk airport in north-western Saudi Arabia.Netanyahu said one of the flydubai pilots stabbed his co-pilot and appeared to be intending to crash the plane. He added that a passenger managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members, and together they neutralised" the attacking pilot.Netanyahu described it as an extremely severe security incident". Other officials, including the defence minister, Israel Katz, have called it an attempted terrorist attack. Netanyahu thanked the passengers and crew who helped to stop the attack, saying they showed exceptional resourcefulness and courage".An Israeli official has identified the attacker as an Omani national, Reuters reported.The Boeing 737 plane, which Israeli officials said had between 160 and 180 passengers onboard, transmitted a general emergency signal about two and a half hours after leaving Dubai, according to the flight-tracking website Flightradar24.A passenger on the flight, Miryam Shira Ohayon, said the plane was pretty much out of control" when the alleged stabbing took place. The co-pilot tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane," she told reporters, using a speakerphone held up by her mother, who was waiting at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.The plane transmitted the initial general emergency signal again before landing at Saudi Arabia's Tabuk airport. The airport said the plane landed at 9.45am local time and both pilots were taken to hospital after sustaining injuries.A second flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed safely at its destination. Flightradar24 initially showed flight FZ1081 diverting back towards the UAE but it was later shown to be on its way to Israel, where it landed in Tel Aviv on Wednesday afternoon. Continue reading...
Burundi joins several other African nations in accepting people deported under Trump's hardline policyBurundi has agreed to join a clutch of other African nations in receiving migrants from other countries deported from the US under Donald Trump's hardline immigration policy.However, the authorities in Bujumbura, the country's economic capital, said Burundi will only accept those not accused of crime or terrorism links, said Nancy Ninette Mutoni, a spokesperson for the country's president, Evariste Ndayishimiye. Tuesday's announcement gave no details of numbers, timing or financial details. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Alexander Millington-Cotes says call from police has given him hope concerns are being taken seriouslyThe stepson of Sir Ranulph Fiennes has been contacted by police and says he intends to speak to them this week over his concerns about the wellbeing of the explorer.Alexander Millington-Cotes - who is estranged from his mother, Louise, Fiennes' second and current wife - said an officer from Cheshire police had called him in recent days. Continue reading...
The data suggest Burnham may be able to win the argument with the public amid lobbying effortsAndy Burnham has suggested that it would not be legitimate for a party to form a majority government with less than 30% of the vote.In his Today interview, asked why he wanted electoral reform and a move towards proportional representation, Burnham replied:I found it better being elected under a different system as mayor of Greater Manchester, where people had one or two, they could put that on the ballot paper.Because you had a reason to stop on every doorstep and chat to people who might not always support your party and try and get their second preference.No, it could happen with any political party. It's whether that would be a legitimate government.I think you've got it completely wrong really, if you don't mind me saying, to put it like that, because I have put out ... a vision for a national care service.There are pensioners out there who watch your programme who are paying for care costs from their basic state pension. Now, is that right or fair? Continue reading...
Iranian court upholds sentence against 29-year-old star Parastoo Ahmadi and other musicians in crackdown on women flouting hijab lawAn Iranian court's decision to uphold a sentence of 74 lashes against the popular singer Parastoo Ahmadi for performing without a hijab has sparked outrage among rights groups, who described it as a form of torture".In June, Ahmadi, 29, and eight members of her production team, including musicians, were sentenced by a court in the city of Qom over a concert that was streamed online in 2024, which went viral and racked up millions of views. The court said the group had violated the country's legal and cultural norms" and called the performance obscene and vulgar". Continue reading...
Insects provide protection, sanitation and even shelter to vertebrates, making them a priority for conservation effortsFor many vertebrates, insects are more than a food source. As little things that run the world", insects provide critical functions such as protection, sanitation and shelter across ecosystems, according to a new study.The study, published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity on Wednesday, sheds light on the various ways insects support vertebrates, ranging from birds and bats to reptiles, amphibians and mammals. Continue reading...
Ex-Asda boss Andy Bond linked to plan, with buyout team understood to be negotiating with financial backerPoundland's management team are in advanced talks" to lead a rescue bid for the ailing cut-price retailer that could save more than 11,000 jobs.The former Asda boss Andy Bond, who ran Poundland for a number of years from 2016 then stepped up to its former parent Pepco before leaving in 2025, is understood to be part of the negotiations to take on the business. Continue reading...
Blast during search operation near border fuels political tensions amid attempts to revive diplomatic channelsSouth Korea has demanded an apology from North Korea over a landmine blast that injured three soldiers, saying they were hurt by North Korean mines on the southern side of the border.Kang Hyun-woo, the director of operations at South Korea's joint chiefs of staff, demanded an apology and responsible measures" from Pyongyang over the blast, which occurred on 21 September during a search operation south of the border. Continue reading...
Minister tells Guardian of trade-offs Kyiv facing as it tries to keep normal life moving amid Russian strikesMissile alerts are costing Ukraine an estimated $45m (34m) for every hour they bring business to a halt, according to the country's economy minister, as Kyiv searches for ways to keep the economy running under an intensifying Russian bombardment.Russia has increasingly targeted the infrastructure underpinning Ukraine's economy, striking industrial sites, warehouses, logistics hubs and datacentres in what Oleksandr Kravchenko, the minister for economy and the environment, described as an effort to destroy pretty much the entire economy". Continue reading...
by Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent on (#78QR8)
Cap poised to rise by 16% to equivalent of 1,999 for dual-fuel bill as impact of Iran war puts squeeze on homesHousehold energy bills in Great Britain are predicted to soar by 276 a year for the typical household from January as the impact of the Middle East war continues through the coldest months of winter.The government's cap on energy prices is poised to jump by 16% to the equivalent of 1,999 for the average annual dual-fuel bill in a further blow to struggling households, according to figures from the leading forecaster Cornwall Insight. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Environment secretary Angela Eagle to make pledge as part of efforts to protect against extreme weatherHalf a million trees will be planted across England in the next three years to protect against extreme weather, the environment secretary, Angela Eagle, will pledge on Wednesday morning.Mayors, local authorities, charities and grassroots groups will be given new funding and responsibilities for restoring natural landscapes such as wetlands, river edges and meadows, which can provide natural flood management and reduce the damage done by droughts. Continue reading...
Kuala Lumpur plans to send a total of 5,000 Myanmar nationals back to the war-torn country despite persecution concernsMalaysia began sending back about 1,500 Myanmar nationals on Tuesday, the government confirmed, as it launched a scheme that rights groups say may endanger migrants and asylum seekers by returning them to the war-torn country.The group is the first of 5,000 Myanmar citizens that Kuala Lumpur says agreed to voluntary" repatriation from detention centres amid a huge uptick in anti-migrant sentiment in Malaysia. Continue reading...
The injection of thermal energy, 40 times that used by humanity in total, comes amid an increasing rise in sea levels and continuing acidificationA record-breaking 23 zettajoules of heat was sunk into the world's seas last year, leaving ocean waters hotter, higher and less hospitable, a report has found.The explosive addition of thermal energy, which was almost 40 times greater than all the energy humanity used that year, comes amid far-reaching changes to the deep water bodies fundamental to life on Earth. Continue reading...
by Anna Bawden Health and social affairs corresponden on (#78QRC)
Many products aimed at women over 45 lack meaningful quantities of key nutrients, consumer watchdog Which? foundMenopause supplements costing more than 400 a year are no better than a 22-a-year multivitamin, according to analysis by the consumer watchdog Which?.Which? found that many popular supplements that are aimed at women over 45 going through menopause or perimenopause lack meaningful quantities of key nutrients, yet cost 20 times more than standard multivitamins. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: At Labour conference members are basking in the glow of the Burnham bounce. But beneath the enthusiasm lies a growing sense that delivery must follow hopeful messagingGood morning from Liverpool (and hello again to the newsletter subscribers I met in person, as I took First Edition on tour to Labour party conference).It's the first gathering of the party faithful since Andy Burnham ousted Keir Starmer in July, in what I've heard delicately referred to as a soft coup", and the theme of this conference is Hope again."UK news | One of the five men arrested near RAF Fairford as part of a terror investigation that prompted fears of an Iran-backed plot called the police to report the incident. The call from the man, in his 20s and from London, was one reason armed police were scrambled to arrest the men.Football | The Premier League has confirmed Manchester City have been found guilty of all charges of breaching its financial rules over a nine-year period, with the club found to have boosted their income by a staggering amount of more than 900m.France | More than 400 people, most of them children, have been detained in France on Tuesday after teenagers across the country blockaded their schools in protest at class sizes, teacher shortages and long timetables.US politics | The Trump administration can resume quickly deporting immigrants to a third countries", or countries other than those immigrants' homeland, without giving them any opportunity to contest their removals, the supreme court ruled on Tuesday.UK news | A six-month trial of live facial recognition technology in London's railway stations cost more than 320,000 and led to one false match against a watchlist of suspects and no arrests. Continue reading...
Scheme will follow principles of Sure Start, helping families with infant feeding, mental health and bonding with babiesThe government is rolling out a Healthy Babies programme to every local authority in England, as part of its efforts to expand a Sure Start-type system of help for deprived children and families.It aims to support parents with infant feeding, their mental health and building strong bonds with their babies, alongside health visits, midwifery care and wider services. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#78QPY)
National Trust says latest figures encouraging - with numbers of birds on the rise - but work still to be doneEngland's most important tern colonies are showing signs of recovery after being hit by years of bird flu, flooding and increasingly unpredictable weather, new figures from the National Trust reveal.The trust reported record numbers of little terns at Long Nanny in Northumberland, one of the UK's most important breeding sites for what is the country's second-rarest breeding seabird. Continue reading...
More than 400 detained as police and students clash over class sizes, exhausting timetables and staff shortagesMore than 400 people, most of them children, have been detained in France on Tuesday after teenagers across the country blockaded their schools in protest at class sizes, teacher shortages and long timetables.Interior minister Laurent Nunez told BFM TV: 440 were detained across national territory. We don't have the final tally yet, but I'm told two-thirds led to police custody." Continue reading...
State passes law banning local, state and federal officers from using gloves that deliver painful electric shocksCalifornia has passed a law Tuesday banning local, state and federal law enforcement officers from using gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks to people.The ban on shock gloves will take effect next year and remain in place until 2030. It comes weeks after US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) moved to equip its officers with the gloves, which are designed to gain compliance from combative individuals. Last month, the agency awarded a nearly $17m contract to buy 6,000 pairs. Continue reading...
US cannabis and drinks firm Tilray, which took over in March, says it will improve beers, pubs and working conditionsBrewDog's new owner has urged drinkers to give the ailing brand a second chance" as it invests more than 50m in improving the company's beers, pubs and working conditions.The US cannabis and drinks company Tilray bought BrewDog for 33m in March this year, after the company collapsed into administration after five years of losses and a series of controversies relating to the treatment of workers under the founder James Watt. Continue reading...
Over half of 260 workplace child fatalities between 2013 and 2023 lacked data on cause of death or the industry workedInformation is missing on over half of deaths at work of people under the age of 18 in the US because of significant gaps in child labor data, according to a government accountability office (GAO) report released on Tuesday.The report found that between 2013 and 2023, an average of 24 children under the age of 18 died each year due to work-related incidents. Over half of the 260 child fatality cases did not contain detailed data on the cause of death or the industry the child worked in. Continue reading...
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing defends decision to bail five British men arrested in connection with incidentNo explosive devices were found in three vans searched near RAF Fairford as part of a terrorism investigation but a quantity of petrol was recovered, police have said.Five British nationals were arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning after a resident living near the Gloucestershire airbase reported suspicious activity involving three vans. Continue reading...
by Kalyeena Makortoff Banking correspondent on (#78QCR)
Bank allows employees to delay being in workplace at least three days a week until 2027, if permission grantedBarclays has watered down its return-to-office plans after a major staff backlash, with the bank allowing some employees to wait until next year before having to be in at least three days a week.The bank this summer announced the attendance requirement would come in for its 45,000 UK staff from 5 October, with more senior employees expected to come in for at least four days. That compares with current rules requiring staff to come in for two.automatic exemptions of in-office attendance rules during school holidays and Christmas;capping in-office requirements at one day a week for any carers or people with disabilities;flexible start and finish times to allow for cheaper off-peak travel costs and to accommodate school pickup and drop-offs;subsidised onsite meal costs;and a single, consolidated payment made to all staff to make up for the costs of coming into the office, before March 2027. Continue reading...
by Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent on (#78QBT)
Pennsylvania has reported over 900 measles cases and four deaths as governor and health chief RFK Jr spar over dataA second measles death in the US has been announced on Tuesday by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as the country grapples with an outbreak affecting 47 states.As of 24 September, a total of 3,659 measles cases have been confirmed by the CDC, with the two deaths having been confirmed on Tuesday. The confirmation did not specify in which states the deaths had occurred. Continue reading...
Relations between the two countries soured in January when a UAE-backed force was defeated by Saudi Arabia in YemenSaudi Arabia is being urged to reconcile with the United Arab Emirates over Yemen as the price Riyadh must pay to form a military alliance capable of driving the Houthis back.Relations between the UAE and Saudi Arabia in Yemen, where both had backed anti-Houthi forces, plummeted in January this year when a force with which it had been aligned - the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) - was attacked and defeated by Saudi Arabia in a move intended to squash its attempt to recreate a separate southern state. The UAE subsequently effectively quit Yemen. Continue reading...
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