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Jedidajah Otte accuses London NHS trust of dishonesty' over three-month-old Aviva's death and infected baby feedA grieving mother has told an inquest how secretive, evasive and patronising" behaviour by NHS staff was traumatic" and led to her spending years seeking the truth about her daughter's death.Jedidajah Otte told how she encountered a stubborn refusal" by doctors and nurses at St Thomas' hospital in London to tell her what was happening with three-month-old Aviva's health. Continue reading...

Explosions and smoke reported in capital early on Saturday while Hezbollah says clashes continue with Israeli troops in Lebanon border area

Former British prime minister also criticises the Bank of England and bureaucrats in speech at rightwing conference in Brisbane

Bureau of Meteorology says temperatures should reach high 20s in NSW and Queensland over the weekend, while Victoria can expect showers

Two charter flights are expected to fly out of Beirut on Saturday as list of people seeking to leave grows

Maugein owner blames competition from China and Covid pandemic for firm's demise, but former French president says there is hopeIts distinctive sound has provided the soundtrack for some of France's most recognisable cultural classics, from Parisian dance halls to the film Amelie and the songs of Edith Piaf. It has even been played by a former president.But it seems the traditional French-made accordeon a bretelles (strap accordion) has been squeezed out of existence after Maugein, the country's last manufacturer, was forced into liquidation after 105 years of making the instrument, known as the poor person's piano". Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. Our latest live blog is here. See all our Middle East crisis coverageThe Israeli military launched a series of strikes on southern Beirut on Thursday night, in one of the most intense bombardments on the city since the campaign began last week.A source close to Hezbollah told the AFP news agency that Israel had conducted 11 consecutive strikes on the group's stronghold in the Lebanese capital. Continue reading...

Police say the man was reported missing last year and alleged his body was cut up with power tools to hide the remains

Bank-owned ATM numbers are down almost 60%, with many spots now taken by privately-owned machines charging about $3 per withdrawal

Met Office warns of unsettled weather as tail end of extreme category 4 storm sweeps towards northwest EuropeBritons may have to brace for a blast of wind and rain next week as the tail end of Hurricane Kirk passes by.The Met Office warned of unsettled weather over the weekend, before potentially disruptive conditions from midweek brought about by the remnant of the extreme storm as it sweeps towards north-west Europe. Continue reading...

In rare public address, supreme leader defends missile attack on Israel and makes appeal for Muslim unityIran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has vowed that Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza will re-emerge strongly with new leaders, as an Israeli airstrike cut Lebanon's main route to Syria.In a rare public sermon in front of tens of thousands in Tehran on Friday, Khamenei defended the legal and legitimate" ballistic missile attack on Israel this week that Iran has said was in retaliation for the deaths of the Hezbollah secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, and the Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh. Continue reading...

Beth Rigby's withdrawal after not being allowed to record conversation follows BBC cancellation over notes gaffeSky News has pulled out of an interview with Boris Johnson after its political editor was told she could not make an audio recording or transcript of the talk.The former prime minister had promised to reveal what really happened during my time as [London] mayor, foreign secretary and PM" during the conversation next week as he promotes his memoir Unleashed. Johnson's interview with the BBC was dropped earlier this week after the presenter Laura Kuenssberg mistakenly sent him her briefing notes. Continue reading...

Mexico argues negligence from makers such as Colt and Glock has led to gun trafficking to drug cartels and criminalsThe US supreme court said on Friday it will decide whether to block a $10bn lawsuit Mexico filed against US gun manufacturers and distributors that argues that their negligent and illegal commercial practices have unleashed bloodshed in the country.The lawsuit, filed in Boston in August, names Smith & Wesson, Barrett Firearms, Beretta, Colt and Glock, as well as Boston-area wholesaler Interstate Arms. Continue reading...

Campbell accepts her accountability', says spokesperson after watchdog's scathing report about Fashion for ReliefNaomi Campbell has admitted she failed in her duties as a trustee at the Fashion for Relief charity she founded - but has insisted she never engaged in financial misconduct or used the charity for personal gain during its chaotic nine-year existence.Campbell was last week banned from running a charity for five years after a scathing report found she and her two fellow trustees were culpable for multiple incidents of serious misconduct and financial mismanagement. Continue reading...

PM says deal has secured future of US-UK military base as Conservative leadership hopefuls play blame gameKeir Starmer has defended giving up UK control of the Chagos Islands, as the decision has descended into a political blame game among Conservative leadership candidates.The prime minister said the agreement with Mauritius over the islands would secure the long-term future of a joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, which he deemed as the single most important thing". Continue reading...

Helen Holland was killed in collision with motorcycle that was part of escort for Duchess of EdinburghA police officer has been charged over the death of an 81-year-old woman who was killed in a collision with a motorcycle that was part of an escort for the Duchess of Edinburgh.The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Friday it had charged Christopher Harrison, 67, with causing death by careless driving following a review of the evidence provided by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Continue reading...

Palestinian security services say attack on Tulkarm refugee camp is deadliest in the territory for 24 years

Ben Key confirms several personnel have been sacked, demoted or disciplined as a result of investigationsThe head of the Royal Navy has issued an unreserved apology for intolerable" misogyny in the Submarine Service, after a series of investigations across the navy exposed sexual harassment, bullying and assault of women within its ranks.First Sea Lord Adm Sir Ben Key said he was truly sorry" to the women who had suffered misogyny, bullying and other unacceptable behaviours" while serving their country. We must be better than this and do better than we have," he said.Senior figures forced juniors to tell them shagging dits', or personal sexual stories.Sniffing", the practice of following the few women around, was rife", with women seen as legitimate targets".At least" one report of rape.Those in command forced juniors to show them sports photos", compromising pictures of their partners, before allowing them to leave the room.Women's underwear going missing. Continue reading...

Thousands have been raised for site to commemorate victims of Satanic panic in 15th to 17th centuriesThree feminist campaigners in the Netherlands want to reclaim the insult witch" and recognise the innocent victims of Dutch witch-hunts from the 15th to the 17th centuries with a national monument.Susan Smit, Bregje Hofstede and Manja Bedner, the chair and board members of the National Witches Monument foundation, have raised 35,000 (29,000) for an official site of memory for about 70,000 people who died during a Satanic panic that swept Europe and the Americas. Continue reading...

Tim Martin criticises schooner suggestion and urges UK government not to restrict pub licensing hoursThe boss of Wetherspoon's has urged the UK government not to heed calls to restrict pub licensing hours or swap pint glasses for smaller schooners, arguing that pubs have changed radically in recent decades".Amid reports, denied by the health department, of moves to cut alcohol consumption, Tim Martin, the pub chain's chief executive, said the industry had moved away from a focus purely on beer, and Pepsi, tea and coffee were now the most popular drinks in his establishments. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Guardian Australia found Coalition politicians cited the 24-hour figure in interviews on at least 12 occasions in August

McBride has appealed his jail sentence of five years and eight months claiming he blew the whistle on the unequal application of the law' by the ADF

PM is seeking input on the impacts of phone bans in schools and ideas to maintain the social connection of kids

Survey by Independent Schools Council finds UK pupil numbers down 1.7% compared with 2023Private schools say the impending addition of VAT to school fees is a big factor in the drop in pupil numbers this year, ahead of the cost of living and the falling national birthrate.The Independent Schools Council (ISC) said a survey of 1,185 member schools in the UK found their rolls fell by 1.7% when the school year started last month, compared with 2023. Continue reading...

PM says deal ensures continuation of UK-US military base on the islands and has been welcomed with warm words' by USJonathan Powell, who was leading negotiations for the new government with Mauritius over the Chagos Islands, offered a robust defence of the government's agreement in media appearances this morning.Saying it had been a long process, involving 13 rounds of negotiations, he pointed out that 11 of them had been under the previous Conservative government, and singled out Tory leadership hopeful James Cleverly for praise, saying I think he deserves credit for starting those negotiations and leading them enthusiastically for quite a long time."The Americans have been intimately involved in the negotiations. Every single sentence and paragraph has been through an interagency process, all of the process, all of the agencies in Washington, we've agreed to all of it and secured all of their red lines in that negotiation.I will be voting for the assisted dying Bill. Obviously it will be a free vote for Members of Parliament. These are very complex and difficult issues and there are very respectable views on both sides.For my part, I know there are people who are in the late stages of terminal illnesses, and I think the current situation is rather cruel actually. Continue reading...

Independent MP Shockat Adam says his election exposed the chasm' between politicians and constituentsWhen Shockat Adam, the newly elected independent MP for Leicester South, addressed his supporters at the July election count, he brought his speech to an end with a dedication - not to the constituents of the East Midlands city he now represents, but to people more than 2,000 miles away.This is for the people of Gaza", he said, holding a Palestinian keffiyeh aloft. Continue reading...

Network Rail promises to turn round station after criticism from passengers and watchdogs

Trial forms part of government plans to expedite referrals for patients with cancer symptomsWomen who are concerned about lumps in their breasts will be able to book an appointment to see a specialist via the NHS app, without seeing a GP first, in a pilot scheme aimed at speeding up cancer diagnoses.Wes Streeting, the health secretary, announced the move in a speech to hundreds of family doctors at the Royal College of General Practitioners' (RCGP) annual conference in Liverpool on Friday. Continue reading...

Decision opposed by five countries including Germany, where car firms say it could be fatal' blow for industry

Reports suggest strikes were targeting Hashem Safieddine, seen as most likely candidate to replace Hassan Nasrallah

Mr Justice Fancourt says campaign between two obdurate but well-resourced armies' is taking up too much court timeThe Duke of Sussex's legal action against the publisher of the Sun resembles a campaign between two obdurate but well-resourced armies" and is taking up more than an appropriate amount of court time, a high court judge has said.Prince Harry, 40, alleges he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for News Group Newspapers (NGN), which also published the now-defunct News Of The World. Continue reading...

Two officers reinstated after winning appeal against ruling they had lied about smelling cannabis during searchTwo former Metropolitan police officers have been given their jobs back after winning an appeal against a ruling that they lied by saying they could smell cannabis during a stop and search of the British athlete Bianca Williams and her partner in 2020.More details soon ... Continue reading...

Overcrowded boat on Lake Kivu capsizes as it was about to dock near Goma, with death toll likely to rise significantlyAt least 78 people have drowned and many more are missing after a boat belived to be carrying 278 passengers capsized on Thursday morning just a few hundred metres from the shore of Lake Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.The accident happened just as the vessel, MV Merdy, was about to dock at the port of Kituku, just outside the city of Goma, after crossing the lake from the town of Minova. Continue reading...

Republican nominee claims Harris is threat to democracy in recording of top-dollar fundraiser in Colorado in AugustDonald Trump unleashed a foul-mouthed tirade about undocumented immigrants and predicted that this could be the last election we ever have" if Kamala Harris wins during a private fundraising dinner this summer.The Guardian obtained a 12-minute recording of a speech that the Republican presidential nominee gave at a dinner on 10 August in Aspen, Colorado, where attendees were required to donate anywhere from $25,000 to $500,000 a couple. Continue reading...

Brian Smash' Chladil made the coments while speaking at the Australian Women in Music Awards conference on Tuesday

Police interested in speaking with women around the world they believe may have met alleged victim's husband on dating apps

Marty Thomas's heroics on Indian Rocks Beach one of few uplifting stories after storm kills at least 200 peopleA man living in a Florida island city that was inundated with Hurricane Helene's deadly storm surge reportedly used his surfboard to rescue about a dozen of his neighbors - as well as pets - from flooded homes.As told by WTVT, Marty Thomas's heroics on Indian Rocks Beach provided one of a precious few uplifting stories to come in the wake of Helene, which has killed at least 200 people across six south-eastern US states Thursday as search crews continued combing through the storm's wreckage. Continue reading...

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Freedom of information documents reveal mining magnate lobbying National Gallery chair over Vincent Namatjira portraitsBillionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart not only wanted two unflattering portraits of her removed from exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia; she wanted them permanently disposed of".According to emails released by the museum under freedom of information laws on Thursday, Rinehart sought the assistance of the NGA's chair, Ryan Stokes, on 8 April, sending the following email: Hi Ryan, I know [words redacted] but now that I'm told you're chair of the national gallery can u pl permanently dispose of the 2 so called portraits of me below."Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...

NSW police fired at two men in a car allegedly driven at them, while in Hillside, Victoria police shot a man allegedly armed with a knife at scene of stabbing

West Australian senator acknowledges challenges' in office and apologised for the distress this may have caused'

Kenneth Newcombe, formerly CEO of C-Quest Capital, indicted over allegations of carbon credit manipulationA former carbon offsetting executive has been charged with fraud by US federal authorities, who allege that he helped to manipulate data from projects in rural Africa and Asia to fraudulently obtain carbon credits worth tens of millions of dollars.Kenneth Newcombe, former CEO of C-Quest Capital LLC and a leading figure in the offsetting industry, was indicted on Wednesday in New York with commodities and wire fraud. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Guardian analysis suggests foundation has reduced gambling group's tax bill by as much as 140mA charity set up by the billionaire boss of Bet365, Denise Coates, may have saved her online gambling empire more in tax than the foundation has yet given to good causes, Guardian analysis suggests.The Coates family are among Britain's biggest taxpayers, and contributed an estimated 376m to the exchequer in 2023 via business and personal taxes. That includes Bet365's corporation tax bill and levies on Denise Coates' record-breaking wages and dividends. Continue reading...

David Sullivan complains he is selling his six-storey house near Regent's Park at a loss as he reduces it to 65mDavid Sullivan, the British businessman who co-owns West Ham United football club, has cut the asking price of his London house by 10m and has blamed the promised crackdown on non-doms for rich people leaving the country.

Israeli former prime minister says in interview it is too late to significantly set back Tehran's nuclear ambitions, and that a massive' attack on Iran's oil facilities is likely

Bosses say cost of complying with zero-emission vehicle mandate is astronomical, and unsustainable'UK electric car sales hit a record high in September, even as bosses from big carmakers told the chancellor that government targets were putting too much pressure on the industry.The British industry sold 56,300 electric cars during the month, the highest on record, according to preliminary data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), a lobby group. Continue reading...

Defamation trial told of message from Sky News host to John Pesutto's chief of staff while helping to set up office

Opposition leader creates political timebomb with election pledge to resign if crime victim numbers do not fall under an LNP government

Review also finds by the time children are seven, 59% of calories come from UPFsToddlers in the UK obtain almost half of their calories from ultra-processed foods, rising to 59% by the age of seven, according to the largest study of its kind.The first comprehensive review of dietary intake at such an early age comes amid rapidly rising global consumption of UPF such as cereals, protein bars, fizzy drinks, ready meals and fast food. The findings were published in the European Journal of Nutrition. Continue reading...

Health service aims to sign up 30,000 people a year to meet rising demand and reduce use of more expensive importsMillions of women are now eligible to donate stem cells on the NHS for the first time amid rising demand for life-saving transplants and a drive to reduce reliance on expensive imports.Previously, only men aged 17 to 40 or women of Asian, black or mixed heritage aged 17 to 40 could join the NHS stem cell donor register. Now, all white women aged 17 to 40 are able to sign up. Continue reading...