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Director of strategy Paul Ovenden quits to avoid becoming distraction' after details of derogatory emails emergeNigel Farage has announced that Danny Kruger has defected to Reform UK from the Tories. Kruger, MP for East Wiltshire, is a leading social conservative, and co-chaired the New Conservatives group in the last parliament with Miriam Cates.Farage said that Kruger would be in charge of preparing the part for government. Continue reading...

Hayut, a convicted fraudster who was focus of a Netflix documentary, was detained on as-yet unknown chargesA convicted con artist who was the focus of the Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler has been arrested in Georgia on Interpol's request, officials have said.Shimon Yehuda Hayut, also known as Simon Leviev, was taken into custody on Sunday as he arrived at Batumi international airport in the south-west of the country. Continue reading...

Madrid-based NGO estimates at least 60,000 inmates subject to forced labour with little or no pay in Cuban jailsPrisoners in Cuba are forced to work producing the country's world-famous cigars and marabu charcoal sold to European consumers, according to a new report.The Madrid-based NGO Prisoners Defenders estimates that at least 60,000 people are being forced to work with little or no pay, under threats, in exhausting conditions and without adequate equipment, with reports of violence including the sexual abuse of female detainees. Continue reading...

Allies rehearsing scenarios of an attack on Belarus in the first such exercises since Russia invaded UkraineEU trade spokesperson Olof Gill also defended the EU's sanctions from criticism that they are not going far enough.He said:Our assessment is that the successive sanctions packages we have brought forward, which includes new initiatives plus additional initiatives to make the previous one stronger if that makes sense, our assessment is that those sanctions are working.The economic evidence shows that they are having an impact on the Russian economy, and that is precisely what they intended to do.Phasing out of Russian fossil fuels is something that we have been doing and are doing actively for a number already of years, since the beginning of the war, with a very clear roadmap, with now even a clear legislative proposal in order to phase out the remaining gas still entering the EU.... This is something on which the EU has been very actively and we have a very, very clear roadmap, and how to go about it." Continue reading...

Couple took newborn to live in a tent in wintry conditions in Brighton after going on the run to evade social servicesTwo parents who caused the death of their newborn baby after taking her to live in a tent in wintry conditions to evade social services have each been sentenced to 14 years in prison.Constance Marten and Mark Gordon went off the grid in late-2022; their four older children having previously been taken into care due to concerns for their safety if left with the couple. Continue reading...

Departure of political strategy director Paul Ovenden is yet another setback for PM after Mandelson and Rayner exits

The 013 venue in Tilburg says new statements go too far', while band responds that at no point was Kirk's death celebrated'The punk duo Bob Vylan have had a gig cancelled after their frontman Bobby Vylan called the far right commentator Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot last week in Utah, an absolute piece of shit of a human being" while performing in Amsterdam.The Tilburg venue 013 has cancelled the Ipswich band's 16 September show as a result, saying that the band went too far" at the Paradiso venue in the Dutch capital. Continue reading...

Musical, which originated on Broadway in 1981, will return in 2026 with auditions taking place in cities across the worldThe hit musical Dreamgirls will return to Broadway with a global search to find its new stars.The show originated in New York in 1981 and played until 1985, winning six Tony awards as well as two Grammys. The song And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going was also a No 1 hit on the R&B chart. Continue reading...

Sir Tony Radakin says extraordinary Teams calls with 20 or 30 people' partly at fault as he calls for action to be takenSprawling video meetings involving dozens of ministers and officials that each have a veto over the outcome are frustrating decision-making and delaying reform at the Ministry of Defence (MoD), according to the recently departed head of the armed forces.

Library of Congress, which has been under fire from Trump administration, appoints author and translator, 74At a time when its leadership is in question and its mission challenged, the Library of Congress has named a new US poet laureate: the much-honored author and translator Arthur Sze.The library announced on Monday that the 74-year-old Sze had been appointed to a one-year term, starting this fall. The author of 12 poetry collections and recipient last year of a lifetime achievement award from the library, he succeeds Ada Limon, who had served for three years. Previous laureates also include Joy Harjo, Louise Gluck and Billy Collins. Continue reading...

Speaking after Gaza protesters forced early end to cycle race, Pedro Sanchez says Israel should not be allowed to use sports to whitewash' its barbarism'Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, has called for Israel to be barred from international sports competitions for as long as its barbarism" in Gaza continues, saying the country should not be allowed to use high-profile events to whitewash" its offensive.Speaking a day after pro-Palestinian demonstrators forced a premature end to the Vuelta a Espana cycle race amid chaotic scenes and clashes with police, Sanchez said he had a deep admiration" for all those who had protested peacefully against the participation of the Israel-Premier Tech team. Continue reading...

Far right points to lax criminal justice system and racist narratives, not mental health system failures as experts sayThe random and unprovoked killing of a young woman in North Carolina several weeks ago has become a viral video, a political football, and a powerful rightwing talking point - even as the horror and anger her death has provoked obscures what experts say is a vital story about the failures of the American mental health system.The alleged perpetrator, Decarlos Brown Jr, 34, has a long history of problems with the law and mental health issues. He had been arrested 14 times and served a five-year stint for armed robbery. Brown had also come to believe that there was something alien and malevolent inside him - a man-made material", he told people, possibly a computer chip implanted by the government that was fighting him for control of his body. Continue reading...

Lee Jae Myung says bewildering' incident may scare off future investment after Ice detained about 475 people

Spencer Cox said suspect had been radicalized' and was in relationship with person transitioning from male to femaleThe Utah governor, Spencer Cox, has said the man suspected of killing Charlie Kirk comes from a conservative family" but that his ideology was very different than his family".On Sunday, the Republican governor said Tyler Robinson, 22, was in relationship with a person transitioning from male to female", and that investigators were continuing to explore a possible motive in the attack. Continue reading...

Researchers find people interpret verbose statements of atonement as more genuine than concise onesSorry may be the hardest word, but it is also rather on the short side.And that means it may not be enough to get out of trouble, a study suggests. Continue reading...

The party lost 2.1 million registered voters from 2020 to 2024 - while Republicans gained 2.4 millionThe Democrats are launching a weeklong bid to register voters nationwide, particularly in battleground House districts as their party grapples with increasing numbers of Americans registering as Republicans.The nationwide trends in party registration - detailed in an article published in August by the New York Times - heightened concern that the Democrats' drubbing in the 2024 election was not the one-off result of a chaotic presidential campaign won by Donald Trump and the Republicans, but rather signs of a broader shift by voters away from Democrats. Continue reading...

Police allege business owner used fake whale charity to secure euthanasia drugs as 53-year-old charged with aiding suicide and trafficking dangerous drugs

Nish Kumar, Jenna Coleman and Morfydd Clark will also feature in London event for Medical Aid for PalestiniansThe One Day star Ambika Mod and Star Wars' Daisy Ridley are to lead the cast for a table read of a stage adaptation of Pride and Prejudice to raise funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians.The one-off event will take place on 12 October at the Troxy in east London, hosted by Nish Kumar and also featuring the radio host Jameela Jamil, People Just Do Nothing's Asim Chaudhry, Doctor Who's Jenna Coleman and Morfydd Clark, the star of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and the sleeper horror hit Saint Maud. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Letter to CEO argued event would pose a risk of moral injury, vicarious trauma and harmful workplace behaviours' to staff and patients

Sacking of Peter Mandelson over Epstein ties threatens to overshadow fanfare of US president's two-day tripFor Donald Trump, the priority was to avoid any distractions. But as he arrives for his second state visit to the UK - an unprecedented honour for a US president - the crisis engulfing Keir Starmer's government threatens to overshadow the proceedings.The circumstances of that crisis are especially awkward. Peter Mandelson was unceremoniously sacked as the UK's ambassador to Washington on Thursday after emails were published in which he had urged his friend Jeffrey Epstein to fight for early release from prison in 2008. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: For decades, Gulf states have believed that a close relationship with US will guarantee their safety. That is no longer the caseGood morning. Last Monday, Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Saar, announced that his country had accepted the US ceasefire proposal to end the devastating war in Gaza. The very next day, Israel attempted to kill Hamas's negotiating team while they were in Qatar's capital to discuss that same proposal.Israel, initially bullish about the success of the operation, has since grown more doubtful that it killed any Hamas leaders in Doha. Hamas said that while six people were killed in the bombing - including the son of Khalil al-Hayya, the deputy head of its political bureau - the top leadership including the negotiating team survived.UK news | Britain will never surrender" to far-right protesters who use the English flag as cover for violence and to instil fear, Keir Starmer has said, condemning attacks against police officers and racist harassment after more than 110,000 people attended an extremist London rally.Crime | Christian Brueckner, prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, has refused to be interviewed by the Metropolitan police before his pending release from prison in Germany, Scotland Yard has said.US | The Utah governor, Spencer Cox, has said 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing Turning Point USA executive director Charlie Kirk, does come from a conservative family - but his ideology was very different than his family". Robinson was not cooperating with authorities, said Cox.Europe | Poland's foreign minister has said the Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace was an attempt by the Kremlin to test Nato's reactions by incremental escalations without prompting a full-scale response, as Romania became the second Nato country to report an incursion in a matter of days.Television | It was a full sweep for Adolescence at the Emmys, winning every award in which the show was nominated tonight. Fifteen-year-old Owen Cooper made history as the youngest ever actor to win the Emmy for best supporting actor in a limited series. Emmy awards 2025 - full list of winners Continue reading...

Scotland Yard made formal request to interview Christian Brueckner, due for release from seven-year rape sentenceThe prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has refused to be interviewed by the Metropolitan police before his pending release from prison in Germany, the force has said.The Met confirmed it had submitted a formal international request to question Christian Brueckner, the 49-year-old German national who has long been under investigation in connection with Madeleine's disappearance, but the suspect declined. Continue reading...

Ex-paratrooper accused of killing James Wray and William McKinney, and attempting to murder five othersAn army veteran will stand trial on Monday charged with murder in relation to Bloody Sunday, when the Parachute Regiment shot dead 13 civil rights protesters in Derry in 1972.The former paratrooper, known as Soldier F, is charged with two murders and five attempted murders during a military operation that became a defining event of Northern Ireland's Troubles. Continue reading...

Consumer group says uncertified car seats that put lives of children in danger are being sold by leading online retailersUnregulated children's car seats are being sold by leading online retailers in the UK, a Which? investigation has found.The consumer group discovered products for sale on platforms including eBay, Shein, Wish, Little Dreams and ManoMano that did not carry the orange certification labels showing compliance with regulation. Without these markings, parents cannot be sure the seats have been tested to the legal standard. Continue reading...

Author of new book suggests Kernewek continued to be spoken in the 19th century, albeit in tiny numbers'The legend that Cornish vanished as a living language with the death of the fish seller Dolly Pentreath in the late 18th century is being challenged by one of the world's leading experts on the Celtic culture of the far south-west of Britain.Pentreath, from the harbourside town of Mousehole on the Cornish south coast, died in 1777 aged 85 and the narrative developed that she was the last true speaker of Kernewek. Continue reading...

Attorney general to appeal against special circumstances' which had justified shorter non-parole period on 14-year prison sentence

Company admits allegations in four investigations brought by financial regulator Asic

Netflix drama dominated limited series categories while first season of Apple TV+ satire became most awarded comedy ever

Actor was just 14 when Adolescence was filmed and the show is his first professional credit

Polish minister says Moscow sought to gauge reaction without starting war as Romania reports new incursionPoland's foreign minister has said the Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace was an attempt by the Kremlin to test Nato's reactions by incremental escalations without prompting a full-scale response, as Romania became the second Nato country to report an incursion in a matter of days and protested to Moscow over what it called an unacceptable" act.Radosaw Sikorski confirmed that while the drones that entered Poland last week were capable of carrying ammunition, they were not loaded with explosives. Interestingly, they were all duds, which suggests to me that Russia tried to test us without starting a war," Sikorski told the Guardian in Kyiv. Continue reading...

Adolescence, Severance, Hacks and The Studio lead award tally with surprise win for Somebody Somewhere

Huge survey reveals employment rights policies are popular with public despite many not knowing about billKeir Starmer must make the populist case" for workers' rights reforms, unions have said, after a new mega-poll suggested the changes were the most popular of almost all policies but have extremely limited public recognition.The employment rights bill will return to the Commons on Monday with a pledge by senior government figures not to water down changes to zero-hours contracts or new rights at work. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Cancer experts declare national emergency' as hospitals miss targets on diagnosis and starting treatmentThree in four NHS hospital trusts are failing cancer patients, according to the first league tables of their kind, prompting experts to declare a national emergency".Labour published the first league tables to rank hospitals in England since the early 2000s this week. The overall rankings score trusts based on a range of measures including finances and patient safety, as well as how they are bringing down waiting times for operations and in A&E, and improving ambulance response times. Continue reading...

British-born Sikh woman in her 20s tells police a racist remark was made during assault in OldburyA man has been arrested after a Sikh woman said she had been left deeply affected" by what police are treating as a racially motivated rape in the West Midlands.The woman, described as a British-born Sikh in her 20s, told police a racist remark was made to her during the assault in the Tame Road area of Oldbury on Tuesday morning. Continue reading...

Peter Kyle says singular talents' were balanced against warnings as Epstein accuser's family criticise appointmentPeter Mandelson has singular talents" that meant his appointment as US ambassador was seen as worth the risks" despite warnings in the vetting process over his links with Jeffrey Epstein, the business secretary has said.It came as the family of the Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre said Lord Mandelson should never have been made ambassador. Continue reading...

Stars read Michael Rosen's 2014 poem Don't Mention the Children in film released by Save the ChildrenGuy Pearce, Annie Lennox and Vanessa Redgrave are among the celebrities calling for an end to the normalised horror" of children being killed in Gaza, as part of new short film.Released by Save the Children and Choose Love, it features the stars reciting the words to a poem by Michael Rosen. Titled Don't Mention the Children, the poem was written in 2014 in response to a Guardian article about the Israeli government banning a radio advert naming children killed in Gaza. It begins: Continue reading...

More than 110,000 people join Tommy Robinson-organised protest featuring racist conspiracy theories and hate speechMore than 110,000 people have taken part in a far-right street protest organised by the activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, in what is thought to be the largest nationalist event in decades.Marchers travelled to London by train and coach for a demonstration, which was billed as a festival of free speech", but by its conclusion had amplified racist conspiracy theories and anti-Muslim hate speech across Whitehall. Continue reading...

Party takes 16.5% of the vote in North Rhine-Westphalia, behind governing CDU and Social DemocratsGermany's far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) party has more than tripled its support in local elections in the country's most populous state, a poll seen as Friedrich Merz's first significant electoral test since he took office as chancellor four months ago.According to exit poll results from North Rhine-Westphalia, Merz's Christian Democrats won with 34% - about the equivalent of its historically worst result in the same poll in 2020 - while the AfD secured 16.5%. Continue reading...

Court case that could oust opposition leader follows detentions of more than 500 people including 17 mayors over past yearTens of thousands of people have protested in the Turkish capital, Ankara, against a court case that could oust the head of the main opposition on Monday after a year-long legal crackdown on hundreds of its members.Live footage showed crowds chanting for President Recep Tayyip Erdoan's resignation while waving Turkish flags and party banners. Continue reading...

Exclusive: PM condemns attacks against police, racist intimidation of minorities and use of flag to instil fear

Reform leader says failure to register trip to speak at Republican party dinner in Florida was due to an error by his officeNigel Farage has admitted breaching parliamentary rules by failing to register a trip to Florida to headline a fundraising event for Donald Trump.The Reform UK leader was the main speaker at the $500-a-head Republican party dinner in Tallahassee in March. Continue reading...

The duke talks about the cost of war, his portrayal in the press and boxing as the Guardian joins him on a visit to KyivIt's about midnight. It's raining. A small group is huddled around a lonely roadside cafe somewhere near the border between Poland and Ukraine, getting wet in the drizzle, sharing cartons of chips and bottles of beer.One of the bedraggled men wonders out loud why on earth the owner of the cafe would choose to close now, when surely this must have been the busiest it has ever been, stuck out here in the middle of nowhere, with a captive and hungry audience. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Research finds more than 1,000 schools have suffered cumulative real-terms cuts in excess of 1m eachSchool leaders in England are having to double up as caretakers and lollipop men and women as funding hits rock bottom", teaching unions have said.Others are having to call on relatives to help fix crumbling buildings and do other odd jobs after years of inadequate" funding for schools, they said. Continue reading...

Education secretary says now is not time to look backwards' as Powell vows to be independent voice'Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell fired the starting pistol in Labour's deputy leadership race on Sunday, with the education secretary saying now was not the time to look backward" on mistakes made by the party in its first year of government.The pair set out strikingly different approaches to the role of deputy leader, with Powell saying she would be an independent voice who would speak truth to senior leadership including Keir Starmer. Continue reading...

Met police say further arrests expected after 24 were detained during Unite the Kingdom' march in LondonPolice are searching for a man who called for Keir Starmer to be killed during Saturday's Unite the Kingdom" rally in London, with further arrests expected in the coming days after outbreaks of violence.Scotland Yard estimated that between 110,000 and 150,000 people attended the far-right event, organised by the activist known as Tommy Robinson. Continue reading...

Chloe Zhao's Shakespeare drama has picked up the people's choice award which has come to be a predictor of Oscar successChloe Zhao's adaptation of Hamnet has won this year's people's choice award at the Toronto film festival.The acclaimed drama, based on Maggie O'Farrell's award-winning novel, stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal and tells a fictionalised account of William Shakespeare and wife Agnes as they grieve for their young son. Continue reading...

Westpac economist says tighter labour market is behind changes in how the economic pie' is divided

Case in which parents were not told centre was in the very high risk' cohort illustrates a glaring safety gap, critics argue