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It comes as a sixth teenager was charged with terrorism-related offences after raids across Sydney as investigations continue into church stabbing

Four buildings destroyed in blast that also damaged homes in nearby villagesAn ammunition explosion at a base in south-western Cambodia has killed 20 soldiers and wounded several others, the prime minister has said.Hun Manet said in a Facebook post that he was deeply shocked" when he received the news of Saturday afternoon's blast at the base in Kampong Speu province. The cause was not immediately clear. Continue reading...

Kate Callingham, 39, died when the light aircraft crashed north of Falls Creek in Victoria

The government's scrapping of the Now Teach scheme, which has overdelivered on targets for older workers, has sparked an outcryMinisters have been accused of making a crisis in the recruitment of teachers even worse after axing funding to a much-praised programme helping older workers start a new career in the classroom.An outcry is already beginning over the decision to axe the career change programme, with organisers complaining that there will be barely anyone left to teach our children" unless Rishi Sunak lives up to his party conference pledge to prioritise education. Continue reading...

The institution hopes to shift the dial' and encourage a more diverse range of students to applyA key obstacle in the path of poorer aspiring actors is to be removed at one of the UK's leading drama schools, the Observer can reveal. The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, one of the country's top drama schools, where Dame Judi Dench, Andrew Garfield, Riz Ahmed, Jason Isaacs, Cush Jumbo and Martin Freeman all learned their craft, is to scrap audition fees for prospective students in an effort to broaden its intake.None of us want drama schools to be the preserve of the well off. Ideally, they are places where people from all backgrounds can come together and learn from each other," said Freeman, a Central graduate and star of The Responder, Sherlock and The Office. Without my grant from Richmond council many years ago, I would never have been able to enjoy my three years at Central. That seems to have become harder and harder in recent years; who knows how many young actors are lost to us, due to lack of funds. I hope this inspires others to follow suit in trying to make attending drama school fairer for all." Continue reading...

Amount paid for businessman John Jacob Astor's watch is highest ever for Titanic memorabilia, auctioneers sayA gold pocket watch that was recovered from the body of the richest man on the Titanic has sold for a record-breaking 1.2m.The watch was sold on Saturday to a private collector in the US at Henry Aldridge & Son in Devizes, Wiltshire, for the highest amount ever for Titanic memorabilia, the auctioneers said. Continue reading...

Police Scotland thanks public who helped trace 29-year-old Jamie Ross who escaped from guards while at Edinburgh crematoriumA prisoner who escaped from guards while attending a family funeral in Scotland has been found, police said.Officers began a search for Jamie Ross after he absconded from custody at about lunchtime on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Emergency services corden off large area of Darwen while army bomb disposal unit removes and destroys grenadeA town centre in Lancashire was placed in lockdown on Saturday, with British army bomb disposal experts forced to remove and destroy a grenade.It is understood that a member of the public had donated items to a heritage centre in Darwen which included the grenade. Continue reading...

The deputy prime minister says Australia remains committed to Ukraine's war effort as it struggles to hold back Russian advances

Private job providers can claim public money when jobseekers find work. But they need their payslips to do so, and some resort to extreme methods to get them

As first minister Humza Yousaf fights to stay in power, sources believe fallout from defunct coalition could help Labour win seats at general electionAn increasingly bitter split between the SNP and the Greens has brought even more Scottish parliamentary seats into play for Keir Starmer, Labour figures believe, amid a desperate fight by the first minister, Humza Yousaf, to stay in power.Yousaf has already refused to rule out a Holyrood election as he faces damaging no-confidence motions this week. On Saturday he wrote to the leaders of Scotland's political parties in an attempt to find common ground" following his decision to axe a coalition with the Scottish Greens that had propped up his government. Yousaf maintained that it would be a poor choice" for the Greens to back a no-confidence motion in his minority government. Continue reading...

UK PM points to Irish deputy PM's claim that threat of being deported led people to cross border from Northern IrelandAn increase in asylum seekers heading to to Ireland proves that the Conservative party's Rwanda plan is working, Rishi Sunak has claimed.In an interview with Sky News' Trevor Phillips that will air on Sunday morning, the prime minister said the deterrent is already having an impact because people are worried about coming here". Continue reading...

Risk-filled mission to escort aid from US-built floating pier into combat zone under consideration in defence ministryBritain's defence ministry is considering sending troops into Gaza to escort trucks of aid being driven off a giant floating pier built by the US military, a UK defence source has said.The pier is due to be completed next month in the eastern Mediterranean, and then it will be pushed towards the Gaza shore. But the US president, Joe Biden, has pledged that American forces managing the project will not set foot on land there. Continue reading...

Amendments to anti-prostitution law also enable courts to sentence trans people to three years in prisonIraq's parliament has passed a bill making same-sex relations punishable by up to 15 years in prison, in a move condemned as an attack on human rights".Transgender people will also be sentenced to three years in jail under the amendments to a 1988 anti-prostitution law, which were adopted during a session attended by 170 out of 329 lawmakers on Saturday. Continue reading...

ITV's international affairs editor became unwell while presenting News at Ten on Friday and is recovering at homeRageh Omaar has thanked everyone for their kindness and good wishes" as he recovers at home on Saturday after being treated in hospital.The ITV News international affairs editor was presenting the News at Ten on Friday evening when he appeared shaky and to be having difficulty reading the news bulletins. Continue reading...

Islamist group release new video apparently showing two hostages as UN warns famine thresholds will be breached within six weeksHamas has said it is studying the latest Israeli counterproposal regarding a potential ceasefire in Gaza, a day after media reports said a delegation from Egypt had arrived in Israel in an attempt to jumpstart stalled negotiations.The signs of renewed truce talks come as the UN warned that famine thresholds in Gaza will be breached within the next six weeks" unless massive food assistance arrives. Continue reading...

In the wake of a controversial viral video, Holocaust survivors joined pro-Palestine demonstration while fears of antisemitism growA woman is standing next to a group of Holocaust survivors and their descendants in Trafalgar Square, clutching her dog's lead and livestreaming her challenge to the pro-Palestine marchers on her phone. Why will none of you condemn Hamas?" she repeats several times, for the benefit of those watching online.Most of the marchers ignore her, preferring instead to show their appreciation for the group of 11 survivors who oppose Israel's actions in the war in Gaza. One man yells at her but is quickly ushered along by his friends. One young woman standing with the survivors kneels down to make friends with the dog. Continue reading...

Defence secretary says MPs must give the PM space as Tory figures appear to be vying for leadershipConservative MPs looking for a new party leader need to allow Rishi Sunak to get on with the job", Grant Shapps has said.Amid speculation that Sunak could announce an election next week in order to stave off potential challengers for the top job, the defence secretary said now was not the time or place" to try to put another Conservative leader in place. The party is on its fifth leader since 2015. Continue reading...

Joint UK-French investigation alleges group advertised small-boat crossings of Channel on social mediaFour Vietnamese nationals have been arrested in London after an investigation into alleged people smugglers advertising small-boat crossings of the Channel on Facebook.The joint UK-French investigation alleges the group shared posts aimed at the Vietnamese community and charged migrants thousands of pounds to make the crossing. Continue reading...

More rallies to be held across the country on Sunday with attorney general claiming state and federal governments need to cooperate on plan of action

Stephen Timms says DWP letting unpaid carers incur enormous accidental overpayments'Ministers have been told to immediately" fix the issues causing tens of thousands of unpaid carers to incur enormous accidental overpayments" amid growing anger over the carer's allowance scandal.Stephen Timms, the chair of an influential parliamentary committee, said he was very troubled" that scores of carers were being forced into financial distress as a result of the government's mistakes. Continue reading...

Professors at Emory University arrested as campuses follow Columbia's lead in demanding ceasefire and divestment

The Azov brigade, which leaders say has a culture of mutual respect', is tasked with repelling relentless Russian attacks as the invaders make most of artillery mismatchFifteen miles east of the garrison town of Lyman, a desperate fight has been taking place on Ukraine's eastern front for months. The once verdant Serebryansky pine forest has been reduced to burnt-out stumps, reminiscent of images from the Somme, destroyed amid Russian attacks aimed at eliminating Ukrainian foxholes.Fearful that the frontline could crack last summer, Ukraine's commanders deployed the Azov infantry brigade to the sector. Their task was and is to repel what Maslo", a 29-year-old staff sergeant with the unit's first battalion, described as constant assaults, every day, sometimes for 24 hours". Occasionally the brigade makes dangerous counterattacks on foot. Continue reading...

Tower Hamlets criticised by its own mayor for taking down murals, while Redbridge reviews artwork after complaintsCouncil authorities have moved to take down pro-Palestine murals in east London, while another is being reviewed after complaints were made by pro-Israel lawyers.The latter, which depicts four journalists standing against a backdrop of ruins and under the words Heroes of Palestine", went up last month in Redbridge, east London, as local authorities came under pressure over similar murals. Continue reading...

US activist, 69, speaks to NBC amid growing effort to prevent I Am Ruby Bridges and other works being available to school studentsIncreasingly, the US civil rights icon Ruby Bridges - the first Black child to integrate a school in Louisiana - has seen some adults seek to prevent grade-school students from accessing the books and films that chronicle her story, saying the tale makes white children feel bad about themselves.But that justification is ridiculous" because my biggest fans are kids all around the world", Bridges told NBC's Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker in an interview airing on Sunday morning's episode of the show. Continue reading...

Over 100 firefighters, 30 lifeguards and 32 police officers called to help as flames tore through restaurant at end of California pierA historic southern California pier caught fire on Thursday, burning for several hours until firefighters battling the blaze from boats were able to extinguish the flames.Flames tore through a restaurant at the end of the Oceanside Pier, the longest wooden pier on the US west coast, and heavily damaged the closed diner and a neighboring business. Continue reading...

Exclusive: New research shows extent to which schools are struggling to provide qualified teachers for every classHundreds of thousands of pupils in England and Wales are being educated on the cheap" by low-paid teaching assistants (TAs) covering lessons for teachers who are off sick or have quit, according to new research.A desperate teacher recruitment crisis, compounded by inadequate funding, means schools across the country are struggling to put a qualified teacher at the front of every class, unions say. Continue reading...

Campaign Against Antisemitism, led by Gideon Falter, cites safety fears and promises more protests to comeCampaign Against Antisemitism has cancelled its planned counter-protest against a pro-Palestinian march through central London on Saturday.The group, led by Gideon Falter, had said it wanted to use the walk together" initiative to support its view that the area around the planned pro-Palestinian march was not safe for Jewish people. Continue reading...

SNP leader says he will take party into general election, as Scottish Labour submits motion against his governmentHumza Yousaf is fighting for his political life as he faces two no confidence motions submitted against him and his government in the space of 24 hours.Yousaf insisted he would not resign as first minister and vowed to fight on, amid intense speculation about his leadership after he axed the SNP's governing agreement with the Scottish Greens on Thursday morning, provoking a furious backlash that resulted in his former partners pledging to vote with the Tories against him. Continue reading...

Former PM's first-week sales compare with 21,000 for David Cameron's memoir and 92,000 for Tony Blair bookLiz Truss's book about her 49-day stint as prime minister sold 2,228 copies in the UK during its first week on sale, after a wall-to-wall promotional media blitz.Ten Years to Save the West: Lessons from the Only Conservative in the Room, combines an account of Truss's time in office with a call to arms for the political right. Continue reading...

Politicians decry shameful' incident on domestic flight in which Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak's headdress was taken by airline staffCanada's largest airline has apologized to a prominent First Nations chief after her ceremonial headdress was removed from the plane's cabin, wrapped in a plastic bag and moved to the baggage hold.Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, national chief of the assembly of First Nations, was flying domestically on Wednesday when she said her headdress was taken by airline staff. Continue reading...

Pair from Sudan and South Sudan appear in court after Tuesday's incident on beach in northern FranceTwo people have been charged with immigration offences in connection with the investigation into the deaths of five people, including a child, who were trying to cross the Channel.One, from South Sudan, has been charged with assisting unlawful immigration and attempting to arrive in the UK without valid entry clearance. Continue reading...

First minister says he has every intention of winning' vote of no confidence and believes in ability to work with and negotiate' with opposition leadersHumza Yousaf is expected to make an announcement about housing this afternoon. It is expected early afternoon rather than late afternoon.Despite a report in the Times this morning saying he was considering his position, he is not going to be announcing his resignation, the BBC says. Continue reading...

The Social Network screenwriter is returning to digital chaos for a new film about how divisive material' led to the 2021 insurrectionAaron Sorkin is set to write a film about the January 6 insurrection and the involvement of Facebook disinformation.The Social Network screenwriter is returning to similar territory for an as-yet-untitled look at how social media helped radicalise Donald Trump supporters who went onto storm the US Capitol in 2021. Continue reading...

Attorney general decides atrocity that killed 15 people merits further scrutiny amid new evidenceNorthern Ireland's attorney general has recommended a new inquest into a bombing by loyalist paramilitaries that killed 15 people, including two children, in Belfast in 1971.Brenda King decided the massacre at the Catholic-owned McGurk's bar, in north Belfast, merited fresh scrutiny amid new evidence about the location of army observation posts near the atrocity. Continue reading...

All-share proposal had potential to be one of biggest deals in sector for decade but deemed opportunistic'

War has left estimated 37m tons of debris in area, requiring years of work with 100 trucks', says Pehr Lodhammar

Doctors' ability to sign people off work is crucial, say readers, particularly for those with mental health problems

Philip Pullman will help choose this year's winners of award set up in memory of the keen young writer who died aged 13 in 2021The Martha Mills young writers' prize has opened for entries on the theme of A Secret".The competition, run by the London Review Bookshop, invites 11- to 14-year-olds living in the UK to submit up to 500 words of any type of prose - such as a fictional story, a piece of schoolwork, or a diary entry - based on this year's theme. Continue reading...

Mykola Solskyi is first known minister under Volodymyr Zelenskiy to be named in a corruption caseFrance is working with Germany to convince their European partners to provide more air defence capacities to Kyiv, the French defence minister, Sebastien Lecornu, said today, Reuters reported.The advance of Russian forces west of Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, has accelerated within the past week," according to a British intelligence update. Continue reading...

Infant dies five days after caesarean delivery after mother killed by Israeli airstrike in Rafah

Employment tribunal sought over claims firm tried to induce workers to leave union in long-running rowThe GMB is taking legal action against Amazon in the long-running battle for recognition at its Coventry warehouse, accusing the US firm of trying to induce" staff to leave the union.An employment tribunal claim is being lodged on behalf of five workers at the large site, known as BHX4. Continue reading...

Allies of Scottish first minister say he will come out fighting' after Greens say they would back no confidence motion

Gary Roden resigns as general manager after tickets cancelled and gigs forced to reschedule in ManchesterThe boss of Manchester's beleaguered Co-op Live arena has resigned in its opening week after tickets were cancelled and gigs rescheduled because the venue was not ready on time.Gary Roden quit as general manager of the new arena after also being criticised for saying some small music venues were poorly run". Continue reading...

Muslim organisations say they were not consulted before counter-terrorism raids that resulted in arrests relating to a church stabbing in Sydney

Rain in Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi has damaged farmland and infrastructureEastern Africa has experienced heavy rain in recent weeks, with Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi experiencing flooding. About 100,000 people have been displaced or otherwise affected in each country, with reported deaths reaching 32 in Kenya and 58 in Tanzania, alongside damage to farmland and infrastructure.There are also fears that large areas of standing water could give rise to outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Continue reading...

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Chris Philp gets in a muddle over neighbouring African countries when questioned on BBC showThe policing minister, Chris Philp, appeared to confuse the countries of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on BBC Question Time.Responding to an audience member's question during the BBC One programme, the MP for Croydon South seemed to ask whether Rwanda is a different country to Congo?". Continue reading...

Micheal Martin says UK asylum seekers fearful of being removed to Rwanda are seeking sanctuary in IrelandThe UK government's Rwanda policy has been described as a kneejerk reaction" to migration by Ireland's deputy prime minister and said an influx of asylum seekers could arrive in Ireland as a result.Micheal Martin, Ireland's Tanaiste, reportedly said asylum seekers fearful of being removed from the UK to Rwanda are seeking sanctuary in Ireland. Continue reading...

Credit card holders who make minimum repayments warned they could be in debt for years longerSome Barclaycard customers who only make the minimum repayment each month will take an extra decade to clear their debt and pay hundreds of pounds in extra interest after the credit card provider changed its terms.Barclaycard - thought to be the UK's biggest credit card provider - has written to customers telling them it is cutting their minimum payments to give them more flexibility". Continue reading...