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Rewrite of environmental protection act could help meet climate and housing targets, Ken Henry to tell national press club

Optus says cheque refunds are not standard practice but are implemented where electronic banking is unavailable'

Search for missing man comes after series of attacks across Japan this month in which at least two people have diedAuthorities in Japan are searching for a hunter who went missing on a mountain in Hokkaido near where a brown bear was recently spotted, amid a spate of deadly attacks by the animals that has triggered the declaration of a bear emergency in one town.The hunter was reported missing by a friend on Mt Esan on Tuesday afternoon in the northern island of Hokkaido after he failed to return home. A rifle believed to belong to the missing man was found on the side of a mountain road, and bloodstains were discovered nearby. A large brown bear was seen near the road on Saturday. Continue reading...

Leading figures say skilled freelancers feel massive fear' about speaking out and are leaving industryToxic behaviour in British television is jeopardising one of the UK's most important cultural and economic assets, industry experts have warned.In the wake of a damaging report from the BBC on Monday that upheld 45 complaints about the former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace, leading figures in television said a workforce populated by financially insecure freelance workers remained too scared to speak out about harmful behaviour. Continue reading...

Jason Clare says allegations against Joshua Dale Brown, who worked across more than 20 childcare centres, shows new system is needed

Two southern states cling to past ruling that children are needed for harvest and claim the latest, most favoured slotGermany's 16 states are locked in a fierce row over when they are able to take their summer school holidays, with the southernmost two accused of permanently hogging the best slots on the grounds that their children are required to help bring in the harvest.Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg are resisting calls from the other 14 federal states to join the long-held national rotation system of school summer holidays that the other states take part in. Continue reading...

Report comes as government faces growing demands for wealth tax to improve health of public finances after welfare U-turn earlier this monthHM Revenue and Customs has been sharply criticised by parliament's spending watchdog for being unable to track how many billionaires pay tax in the UK.In a highly critical report on the collection of tax from wealthy individuals, the influential Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said HMRC could not say how much the super-rich either contributed to the exchequer or avoided. Continue reading...

Traders affiliated to Iran-backed rebel group found to have been running weapon stores on social media for yearsArms dealers affiliated with Houthi militants in Yemen are using X and Meta platforms to traffic weapons - some US-made - in apparent violation of the social media firms' policies, a report has revealed.The Houthis, an Iran-backed group of rebels who have controlled swathes of Yemen since 2014, are designated as a terrorist organisation by the US, Canada and other countries. Continue reading...

Jason Clare says racism exists in all its ugly forms' at universities and the government will consider two other key reports before responding

Adams' comments about Israel have provoked particular concern in Malaysia, a staunch supporter of PalestineFormer government ministers and youth politicians in Muslim-majority Malaysia have slammed a decision to nominate right-wing influencer Nick Adams as US ambassador to the country, calling it an insult to the nation.Donald Trump announced last week that Nick Adams, a self-proclaimed alpha male", had been announced as ambassador to Malaysia, praising him as a incredible patriot". Continue reading...

Investigation finds wind conditions at 14 July 2023 event exceeded the drones' capacity shortly after launch, triggering collisions and errors

Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, reduced military in the city, which had erupted in protest over Ice raidsThe Trump administration said it would scale down its military operation in Los Angeles with the removal of half of the national guard troops that were deployed to the area last month amid protests over the federal government's mass immigration sweeps.Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, ordered the release of 2,000 national guard troops, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday, significantly reducing the military presence in the city. Continue reading...

Government review says PAs sometimes used to fill roles designed for doctors, potentially exposing patients to riskNHS physician associates should be banned from diagnosing patients who have not already been seen by a doctor, a government review has concluded.The review calls for the government to overhaul the role of physician associates (PAs), who it says have been substituted in for doctors to fill staffing gaps despite having significantly less training. Continue reading...

Report led by former Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson warns of sometimes catastrophic' treatment of passengersAirline and airport staff should have mandatory training in disability and accessibility awareness, a government taskforce has urged, to ease the stress, confusion and harm experienced by the growing numbers of passengers requiring assistance to travel.A report from the group, led by the crossbench peer and former Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson, said the experience of flying for disabled people can be ad hoc, inconsistent and sometimes catastrophic". Continue reading...

Despite popularity of weight loss jabs, more Britons are going abroad for surgery, analysis suggestsA booming trade in medical tourism for weight loss surgery is placing patients at risk and needs urgent regulation, experts have warned.Despite the growing popularity of injections such as Mounjaro to treat obesity, the number of patients travelling to other countries for surgery is increasing, the latest analysis suggests. Continue reading...

Vance Boelter is accused of shooting dead Democratic legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband, MarkA man has been indicted on charges of murdering a prominent Minnesota state representative and her husband and seriously wounding a state senator and his wife.Vance Boelter, who is accused of shooting dead Democrat Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, while disguised as a police officer, was indicted by a federal grand jury. He could face the death penalty if convicted. Continue reading...

Body of Falconio, who Murdoch killed in the Australian outback in 2001, has never been foundBradley John Murdoch, the man who killed British backpacker Peter Falconio in 2001, has died from throat cancer at the age of 67.Murdoch died on Tuesday night at a hospital in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, a corrections spokesperson confirmed. He had been moved to the hospital from jail in June. Continue reading...

Conservative government used superinjuction to hide error that put Afghans at risk and led to 2bn mitigation scheme

Law firm representing thousands says some already killed and others in hiding as a result of government blunder'

Government decision to infill disused Queensbury railway line comes amid calls for it to be converted to subterranean cycle pathCampaigners hoping to convert a disused railway line into England's longest cycle and pedestrian tunnel are challenging a government decision to fill much of the historic structure with concrete.Earlier this month ministers decided to award several million pounds to permanently shutter the Queensbury tunnel built in the 1870s for a railway between Halifax and Keighley in West Yorkshire, despite spending 7.2m to shore up the structure less than four years ago. Continue reading...

A New York doctor faced a $113,000 penalty from Texas after being accused of shipping abortion pills across state linesA New York county clerk again rejected an effort by Texas to fine a New York-based doctor accused of shipping abortion pills across state lines, in a case that could tee up a US supreme court showdown between states that protect abortion access and those that ban it.On Monday, acting Ulster county clerk Taylor Bruck rejected a court filing by Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, which sought to collect a $113,000 penalty against Dr Margaret Carpenter. Paxton had sued Carpenter in December 2024 over allegations she shipped abortion pills to a Texas woman in defiance of the state's ban on virtually all abortions. When Carpenter didn't show up to a court hearing earlier this year, a judge automatically ruled against her and ordered her to pay the fine as well as stop mailing pills to Texas. Continue reading...

Teenagers suspected of being hired by criminals paid to carry out acts on behalf of states, it is understoodSchoolchildren have been arrested by detectives investigating Russian and Iranian plots against Britain, a police chief has said, as he warned hostile state aggression was rising and youngsters were at risk.Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan police's counter-terrorism unit, said children in their mid teens" had been investigated. It is understood they were suspected of being hired by criminals paid to carry out acts for Russia and Iran. Continue reading...

BBC show's producers Banijay UK say Torode's contract will not be renewed after allegation, which he has deniedJohn Torode will not return to MasterChef after its producers confirmed his contract would not be renewed after an allegation of using racist language.The Australian-born chef, 59, had confirmed on Monday evening he was the subject of an allegation that was upheld as part of an inquiry into the behaviour of his former co-presenter Gregg Wallace. Continue reading...

Father says 12-year-old was told event in Rugby was not for her as she gets to celebrate being British every day'A diversity day at a secondary school in Warwickshire ended in upset and apologies after a 12-year-old girl wearing a union flag dress was prevented from delivering a speech she had written about British culture.Pupils at Bilton school in the village of Bilton, Rugby, were invited to take part in culture day", dedicated to recognising and celebrating the rich cultural diversity within our school community". Children were encouraged to wear outfits that reflected their nationality or family heritage to the event last Friday. Continue reading...

EU foreign policy chief says ball is in Slovakia's court' after leader Robert Fico blocked imbecile' proposal to ban Russian gas imports from 2028. This live blog is closedFrench foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot told reporters that he hoped the new language from the US and more sanctions from the EU will force Russian president Vladimir Putin to face the facts: he has gone too far and he is now at an impasse."He said he was hoping for more alignment between the US and the EU on sanctions, as he met with American senators last week in Rome to discuss their proposed bipartisan bill on Russia.So we have some progress. We have some positive developments. It's true that we have trucks that are able to enter, but we don't know exactly how many.And what is clear is that the agreement is not fully implemented. Continue reading...

Unite union had raised concerns over roughly 500 jobs in assembly lines due to a lack of future export ordersBritish weapons manufacturer BAE Systems has said it is confident of receiving further export orders of the Typhoon fighter jet, a development that would secure the future of several hundred jobs at its factory in Lancashire.The company is hoping for as many as 150 more orders for the jet, with up to two-thirds of those expected to be assembled in the UK. It comes after Unite, a union representing manufacturing workers, raised concerns over the future of the assembly line at Warton. Continue reading...

Dataset containing details of thousands of Afghans who applied for relocation to UK released in error' in 2022. This live blog is closed

Rights group says targets of Rapid Support Forces in North Kordofan were empty of military objectives'Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have killed nearly 300 people in attacks in North Kordofan state that began on Saturday, according to Sudanese activists.The RSF has been fighting the Sudanese army in the area, one of the key frontlines of a civil war in Sudan that has raged since April 2023. Continue reading...

Conservative Lord Tariq Ahmad denies contact while in office with King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful CoexistenceA former UK Middle East minister has been accused of breaching transparency rules over a paid advisory role with an influential Bahraini centre that has links to the Gulf state's government.The Conservative peer Tariq Ahmad, who denies wrongdoing, was cleared by a watchdog to take up his role as a paid adviser to the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence (KHC). Continue reading...

Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham jailed over criminal damage of beloved tree. This live blog is closedProsecutor Richard Wright said Graham had two previous convictions for battery in 2007 and 2016 and two public order offences in 2021 and 2022.He said the offences were all relationship-based" and none resulted in a prison offence. Continue reading...

Report finds vaping rate among children aged 14-17 years has declined, with some describing embarrassment about being a vaper'

Twenty-two union leaders criticise Met over arrest of people who took part in pro-Gaza march in JanuaryMore than 20 union leaders have expressed their deep concern over the apparent erosion of the right to peaceful protest, piling pressure on the Metropolitan police over its handling of pro-Palestinian marches at the start of the year.Paul Nowak of the Trades Union Congress, Christina McAnea of Unison, Daniel Kebede of the National Education Union, Matt Wrack of the NASUWT and Eddie Dempsey of the RMT are among 22 trade union general secretaries who have criticised the Met's decision to arrest and charge former union members who took part in peaceful protest on 18 January. Continue reading...

Director general defence his performance after criticism from culture secretary over catastrophic failures'Tim Davie has insisted he is still the right person to lead the BBC, after a succession of controversies that have led the culture secretary to accuse him of overseeing a series of catastrophic failures".Davie has been under the most intense pressure of his five-year tenure as director general after incidents including the livestreaming of Bob Vylan's performance at the Glastonbury festival, as well as the broadcast of a Gaza documentary that breached the corporation's editorial guidelines. Continue reading...

Former home secretary says Reform councils could struggle if they fail to manage services like bin collections and social careReform UK might have to choose between presenting itself as a new and radical political party or as a home for disgruntled former Conservatives" who lost their seats at the election, James Cleverly has said.Cleverly, the former home and foreign secretary, who stood to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader, also argued that Nigel Farage's party could suffer if the councils it now runs struggle to properly manage key everyday services like bin collections and social care. Continue reading...

Leeds Reforms include streamlined accountability for senior bankers and a campaign to get more consumers investing in the stock market

Singh's east London running club confirms death in India of athlete thought to be first centenarian to run a marathonThe runner Fauja Singh, believed to be the oldest person to complete a marathon, has died in a road accident in India aged 114.The athlete, who lived in Ilford in east London, was hit by a car and suffered fatal injuries while trying to cross a road in his birth village of Beas Pind, near Jalandhar in Punjab, on Monday, according to reports in India. Continue reading...

Troubled utility blames rainfall as pollution incidents rise by a thirdIt will take at least a decade to turn troubled Thames Water around, the boss of the UK's biggest water company said, as it slumped to a 1.6bn annual loss.The loss for the 12 months to 31 March comes after a profit of 154m the previous year, even though revenues climbed by 8.7% to 2.7bn. It had net debt of 16.8bn, up from 15.2bn the year before. Continue reading...

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Talks between leaders came after Australian camera crews were confronted by Chinese security guards and told to hand over footage

The actor will follow stars including Lenny Henry and Sue Perkins, leading the hit show in which a performer enlists the audience's help to tell funny, sad and unique' storyMinnie Driver has joined the list of stars performing Every Brilliant Thing - a play told by one actor with the help of almost the entire audience - in London's West End. The show opens next month at @sohoplace with Lenny Henry in the principal role; later it will be played by Sue Perkins, Ambika Mod and Jonny Donahoe, the comedian who presided over its triumphant run at the Edinburgh fringe in 2014 and far beyond.For Driver it marks a return to the venue where she performed White Rabbit Red Rabbit for one night last November. That theatrical experiment required a different actor to perform the play, sight unseen, each time. Driver, who shot to fame in the 1990s films Circle of Friends and Good Will Hunting, is no stranger to the London stage. In 2003 she starred in the West End alongside Matthew Perry in David Mamet's Sexual Perversity in Chicago. Continue reading...

Matthew Drapper at C of E's St Thomas Philadelphia was told that sexual impurity' had let demons enter his bodyA gay man has been paid compensation from a Church of England parish after he was subjected to an exorcism" to purge him of his homosexuality, it has been reported.Matthew Drapper, 37, was a volunteer at St Thomas Philadelphia, a joint Anglican-Baptist congregation in Sheffield, in 2014 when he was invited to an encounter God weekend" at the contemporary, welcoming church", the Times reported. Continue reading...

Acting commissioner Shane Chelepy says other state agencies should have a greater role in responding to social issues' including DV and mental health

MP says claims filed in support of an application for a domestic violence order are rubbish' and that he has not yet been served with an order

Exclusive: More than a third of employees surveyed say stories about firms hardening stance have had impactA fear of being ordered back to the office is having an impact on workers' wellbeing, according to a poll, after a string of companies issued return-to-office mandates.More than a third (38%) of workers surveyed said recent news stories about companies hardening their stance on office attendance had negatively affected their wellbeing, highlighting the tug-of-war between employers and their employees. Continue reading...

Gibson, who was Colorado's poet laureate and diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer, died at their home on MondayAndrea Gibson, a celebrated poet and performance artist who through their verse explored gender identity, politics and their four-year battle with terminal ovarian cancer, has died aged 49.Gibson's death was announced on social media by their wife, Megan Falley. Continue reading...

Four more childcare centres added to list of Brown's workplaces and additional employment dates added for 10 other centres

Founded by Lina Lazaar, Ibraaz will host challenging conversations amid growing concerns over freedom of expression in the artsA new London art institution aimed at promoting global majority voices wants to be a space for difficult, urgent questions" alongside civil debate, according to its founder, who claims freedom of expression is under threat.Ibraaz will open this coming October in Fitzrovia, central London, and Lina Lazaar wants the 10,000-square-foot Grade II-listed building to become a bastion for respectful debate without the aggression" seen in a lot of political discourse. Continue reading...

Dozens of people have been killed in the fighting in southern Syria, with government troops sent to restore order also clashing with armed groupsIsrael's army has said it struck military tanks in southern Syria, where government forces and Bedouin tribes have clashed with Druze militias in the latest escalation in the Middle East country's struggle for stability after a 13-year civil war.Dozens of people have been killed in the fighting between local militias and clans in Syria's Sweida province. Government security forces that were sent to restore order on Monday also clashed with local armed groups. Continue reading...