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ACCC fields 66 complaints about Meg's Flowers, which fulfilled orders by using other brands under the Flowercorp group parent company

TUC and Unite leaders express real concerns' over policy as many Labour MPs expected to abstain in Commons voteThe government is facing renewed pressure from unions to change course over its decision to strip the winter fuel allowance from the bulk of pensioners, as a minister said she understood why many Labour MPs could struggle to back the policy.With as many as 50 backbenchers predicted to abstain or be absent when the policy is voted on in the Commons on Tuesday, union leaders reiterated their call for a U-turn as the Trades Union Congress (TUC) gathered for the start of its annual conference in Brighton. Continue reading...

National Audit Office says trail of tax debts left by small UK retailers is widespread and increasing every yearThe UK is missing out on billions of pounds of revenue each year from small retail businesses that exploit weaknesses in government systems to evade paying tax, the public spending watchdog has warned.The National Audit Office (NAO), which monitors tax and spending by the government, said the trail of tax debts left by small retailers was widespread and increasing every year. Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, Diane Abbott, Suella Braverman and Sadiq Khan received between them 85,000 abusive messages, study findsThe UK's most prominent politicians were subjected to a deluge of abuse on X during the general election period, one of the most comprehensive studies of online abuse in politics has found.Five politicians - Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, Diane Abbott, Suella Braverman and Sadiq Khan - were, between them, sent more than 85,000 clearly abusive messages between 1 May and 30 July, according to the findings from researchers at the University of Sheffield. Continue reading...

Mark Saxby, 56, says he is in limbo because of Spanish authorities' petty' concern about his medical insuranceA British teacher has told how he is sick" with nerves about returning to his home in Spain amid a three-year battle to get post-Brexit residency after being denied it because he was missing one month's medical insurance in the first year after the UK left the EU.Mark Saxby, 56, says he feels trapped" in a nightmarish limbo unable to convince anyone that he has the right to live in Spain despite the EU-UK withdrawal agreement guaranteeing residency rights for those in the country before Brexit. Continue reading...

Group praises nearly 70% of UK adults who bought Fairtrade products in past year despite cost of living crisisNearly 70% of UK adults have bought Fairtrade products such as bananas, tea or coffee in the past year despite pressure on personal finances, as concern that the climate crisis could push up the price of imported food drives conscious consumerism", the charity said.Against the backdrop of this year's big spikes in the price of coffee and cocoa, a YouGov poll, commissioned by the Fairtrade Foundation, revealed that 79% of Britons were concerned that climate breakdown could affect the price of food while 69% were worried it could disrupt supply to the UK. Continue reading...

The global review found more than half of female doctors (52%) were affected, 34% of male doctors and 45% overallAlmost half of doctors internationally have been sexually harassed by patients, new research has found, prompting calls for medics to be given panic alarms to help repel such behaviour.Globally, 45% of doctors have suffered sexual harassment of different sorts from patients, according to a review covering seven countries published in the Internal Medicine Journal. Continue reading...

Dozens said to be considering abstaining from Tuesday's vote over pensioners' payments, as PM says dealing with dissent is matter for chief whip'As many as 50 Labour MPs could refuse to back the government's controversial plan to cut the winter fuel allowance, despite Keir Starmer urging back benchers to get behind a measure he has conceded is unpopular".While few on the government benches are expected to vote against the policy in Tuesday's vote, dozens are believed to be considering abstaining or being absent - though rebels say the numbers in their ranks are very hard to predict. Continue reading...

NHS hospital reviews care of 700 patients after inquiry found orthopaedic doctor caused lifelong damage to some, one of whom underwent an avoidable limb amputation'

Exclusive: Europe's biggest bank hopes to double UK arm of its wealth and private banking operationsHSBC is recruiting hundreds of bankers to serve rich clients in the UK as it looks to head off growing competition from British rivals and take a larger slice of the wealth management market.Europe's biggest bank is hoping to fortify the UK arm of its wealth and private banking operations by bulking up its team of relationship managers, who offer bespoke services and advice to rich clients in exchange for lucrative fees. Continue reading...

Research challenges idea that vaping could be healthier alternative to smoking, say authors of researchVaping damages young people's lungs as much as smoking, according to research that has sparked fresh debate over the health risks of e-cigarettes.The study compared vapers and smokers in a strenuous exercise test and found both emerged as being less fit and much more out of breath than People who have neither habit. Continue reading...

Peter Kyle, who applied to university three times, said Tory government's war' on higher education was overBritain's future Nobel prizes will come from encouraging young people into university rather than making sandwiches in high street chains, according to the science secretary Peter Kyle, who declared that the previous government's war on universities" had ended.Taking aim at claims that too many school-leavers went to university, Kyle said attacks on rip-off" degrees from the former prime minister Rishi Sunak risked putting off future innovators and scientists. Continue reading...

Flowers also featured on a string of classic rock hits, including those for David Bowie, T Rex, Bryan Ferry and Elton JohnTributes have been paid after the death of Herbie Flowers, the session musician whose instantly recognisable bassline on Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side is considered one of the greatest in pop music history.Flowers, who also played bass for David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Paul McCartney, Bryan Ferry and Elton John, has died aged 86, family members confirmed on Facebook. Continue reading...

Australian actor learned of mother's death upon arriving in Venice for film festival, where she won best actress award for new film BabygirlNicole Kidman has announced the death of her mother, Janelle, as the Oscar-winner was named best actress at the 2024 Venice film festival on Saturday.The Australian actor was not in the Italian city to accept the award for her new film Babygirl, after arriving in Venice to hear that her beautiful, brave mother" Janelle had died. Continue reading...

Open letter to culture secretary also proposes freelancers' commissioner' to champion cause of the low-paid in creative industriesMore than 4,000 artists have called on the government to create a levy on smartphone sales to fund visual art in the face of cuts, studio closures and the rise of generative AI.Creatives including Sir John Akomfrah, Britain's representative at the Venice Biennale, and Dame Sonia Boyce, the first black woman elected to the Royal Academy of Arts, as well as film director and photographer Sam Taylor-Johnson and Turner prize nominee HeatherPhillipson have signed an open letter to Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary. Continue reading...

The shadow home secretary's allies say his charm and lack of political enemies could win him cross-party supportAllies of James Cleverly believe his likability factor" will now hand him a serious chance of reaching the final runoff to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader, as MPs prepare to eliminate another candidate from the contest this week.The next vote of MPs will take place on Tuesday to whittle the field down to the four contenders who will have the chance to make their case at the party's conference this autumn. The race is seen by most as being wide open after a close result in the first round last week. Continue reading...

South Australia premier says proposed laws would see platforms hit with severe' penalties for allowing under 14s to create accounts

The pontiff visited the small town of Vanimo after delivering mass to an estimated 35,000 people in the capital of Port MoresbyPope Francis travelled to Vanimo, on Papua New Guinea's remote north-west coast, after celebrating a mass in the capital of Port Moresby in front of an estimated audience of 35,000 people.The pope received an enthusiastic welcome in the town located on a peninsula close to the border with Indonesia. He was greeted by members of the small Catholic community who are served by missionaries from his native Argentina. Continue reading...

The CDU chief has had a smooth lead but he must act to halt the march of far-right voters before the general election Everyone is terrified of a far-right return in Germany. Here's why it won't happenFriedrich Merz, Germany's mercurial conservative opposition chief and a passionate hobby pilot, should be flying high these days as the country's hotly tipped next leader.One year before the next general election, his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has enjoyed a comfortable lead for months with about 32% support, nearly double the score of its nearest competitors, as the fractious government led by Social Democrat Olaf Scholz plumbs new depths of disfavour. Continue reading...

As documents reveal EU not prepared' to change, Keir Starmer is reminded of Labour's manifesto pledgeIndustry insiders have urged the UK government to find a solution to post-Brexit restrictions on live music touring, after EU documents suggested Brussels was not prepared" to change regulations.In Labour's manifesto, Keir Starmer pledged to improve trade and investment relations with the EU to help our touring artists" . Since Brexit, musicians touring the EU have faced barriers introduced in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). They can work up to 90 out of every 180 days, which causes problems for longer tours, musicians who work in multiple bands or orchestras, and crew required on site before and after performances. Continue reading...

Bates and Suzanne Sercombe invited to Necker Island after publicly soliciting a holiday from Virgin tycoonThe Post Office campaigner Alan Bates has married his partner, Suzanne Sercombe, on Richard Branson's Necker Island in a ceremony officiated by the Virgin tycoon.The wedding took place last month on the entrepreneur's private island in the British Virgin Islands, the Sunday Times reported. Continue reading...

Broadcaster says episode will celebrate gift of giving' after news revealed in a cryptic teaser trailer for medical dramaCasualty is to return to TV screens for an innovative" Christmas special, the BBC has revealed. The news was announced in a cryptic teaser trailer, which followed Saturday's season finale on BBC One.The BBC says the Christmas special will celebrate the gift of giving" and be told in an innovative, format-breaking way". A teaser image for the trailer showed a hospital ward covered in snow, with a fluorescent jacket on the ground. Continue reading...

We hear about the weakest growth in decades' and being smashed' by the RBA, but positive tidings abound - if you want to look for them

Former prime minister also under fire for hiring ex-aide Charlotte Owen as VP despite her lack of energy sector experienceBoris Johnson failed to disclose that he met a uranium lobbyist while prime minister before entering into a new business with a controversial Iranian-Canadian uranium entrepreneur, the Observer can reveal.Johnson's new company Better Earth Limited also employs Charlotte Owen, a junior aide with just a few years work experience whom he elevated to the House of Lords last year at the age of 29, sparking intense controversy. Continue reading...

Rydon, lead contractor on the tower's refurbishment, won deals from councils and the NHS despite pressure to ban it from bidsThe building firm found to have borne considerable responsibility" for the Grenfell fire with its casual attitude to fire safety" was handed contracts worth tens of millions of pounds by councils, colleges and NHS trusts after the tragedy.Property group Rydon was the lead contractor overseeing the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower between 2014 and 2016, including the installation of combustible cladding. The inquiry found that the firm should have been aware of the risks of using combustible materials in the external walls of high-rise buildings". Continue reading...

Crossbench peer will table fatal' Lords motion, as Starmer faces damaging rebellion in Commons vote Steve Webb: There's no need to cut poorer pensioners' income. Smarter winter fuel solutions are at handThe respected former pensions minister Ros Altmann has tabled a fatal" parliamentary motion to kill off the government's controversial plan to limit winter fuel payments, describing it as one of the worst decisions I have ever seen".The move by Baroness Altmann, a crossbench peer and leading expert on issues affecting elderly people, comes amid growing pressure on the prime minister, Keir Starmer, from across the political spectrum, to drop or modify the plan ahead of a series of key votes this week. Continue reading...

Yagi registers as the world's second-most powerful tropical cyclone this year and has caused power outages in more than 800,000 homesAsia's strongest storm this year, Super Typhoon Yagi, made landfall in northern Vietnam on Saturday, the meteorological agency said, killing at least four people after tearing through China's island of Hainan and the Philippines.Super Typhoon Yagi hit island districts of north Vietnam at about 1pm (0600 GMT), generating winds of up to 160kph (99mph) near its centre, having lost power from its peak of 234kph (145mph) in Hainan a day earlier. Continue reading...

Government hoping' it will not have to create safe and legal route or change asylum law, says Home Office sourceDeaths in the English Channel are expected to rise to devastating" new highs over the coming months, with charities and experts warning that Labour's action against smugglers could trigger increasingly dangerous methods to launch boats.A record of 43 people have died attempting to cross the Channel this year, 35 of them at sea, with six children and a pregnant woman among 12 people who drowned in a disaster on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Starmer to hold talks with Irish counterpart on first official visit of a British PM to country for five yearsKeir Starmer has said he believes there can be a deep" reset of relations with Ireland after arriving in Dublin for his first official visit, with Northern Ireland, Brexit and joint international interests on the agenda.It is the first official visit of a British prime minister since Boris Johnson visited in 2019 to try to salvage a Brexit deal after years of strained relations. Continue reading...

One driver says rates do not account for waiting times, traffic, and customers taking time to answer the doorDeliveroo has been accused of paying drivers below a minimum pay floor the company agreed earlier this year as part of the first-ever union agreement to cover earnings in the gig economy.Analysis carried out by Rodeo, an app that helps gig economy workers track their payments, showed that of 531 food orders completed in the past four months, 278 fell below the rate of 12 an hour agreed with the GMB union in May. Continue reading...

West Yorkshire police called to address in Crosland Moor area on Thursday to discover 59-year-old who had suffered serious injuriesA murder investigation has been launched after the body of a 59-year-old man was discovered at a property in Huddersfield.West Yorkshire police were called to an address in Park Road in the Crosland Moor area of Huddersfield at 8.19pm on Thursday. They discovered a man, who had suffered serious injuries, inside the property. Continue reading...

Bill Burns calls Vladimir Putin a bully' whose sabre-rattling' should not always be taken literallyWestern leaders should not be intimidated by Kremlin threats of nuclear escalation, the head of the CIA said on Saturday, and be willing to consider allowing Anglo-French Storm Shadow missiles to be used inside Russia.Bill Burns, on a visit to London alongside the head of MI6, said the US had brushed off a previous Russian nuclear scare in autumn 2022, demonstrating that threats from Moscow should not always be taken literally. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our Israel-Gaza war coverage hereCIA director William Burns, the chief US negotiator trying to help secure a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages by Hamas, said a more detailed proposal on the ceasefire would be made in the coming days.We will make this more detailed proposal, I hope in the next several days, and then we'll see," Burns said at an FT event in London on Saturday. Continue reading...

Family of Turkish-American woman shot dead during protest against settlements says Israeli investigation not adequate'

Former children's laureate says rather than punishing absenteeism the UK's education system should changeThe former children's laureate Anne Fine has said parents should consider letting pupils learn online instead of going to school.Instead of punishing families for child absenteeism, society should ask itself what school refusers are trying to say - and how it can accommodate them, she said. Continue reading...

Two former senior advisers to Keir Starmer say their UK election strategy could benefit Democratic campaign

Rosie Duffield latest MP to voice concerns as she reveals letters from cancer patients worried about keeping warm

Investigation ramps up into blaze that killed 17 boys in dormitory, as president declares three days of national mourningKenyan police stepped up their investigation on Saturday into a fire at a boarding school that killed 17 boys, as the president announced three days of national mourning.Detectives said DNA testing was due to begin to identify the remains of the children who died in the blaze. Continue reading...

Research finds cannabis use increases among college-educated and high-income AmericansA new study found that cannabis use in the US has been increasing ... but not among teenagers.The research, which looked at data on more than 500,000 people's cannabis habits during different time periods from 2013 to 2022 and was published in this month's edition of Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, also revealed that cannabis use had increased among Americans in households earning more than $75,000 a year, as well as those with a college degree. Continue reading...

PM's White House visit will be second since taking office, though no meetings with Kamala Harris have been announcedKeir Starmer will meet Joe Biden for the first time since the US president announced he would not run for re-election.The prime minister's visit to the White House - Starmer's second since taking office - will take place next Friday . His first visit took place at the Nato summit days after Labour won the election, when questions were raging about the US president's age and health and Starmer described him as being on good form". Continue reading...

Ireland's deputy PM welcomes warmer relations as Keir Starmer arrives for official visit - but cautions UK cannot cherrypick' issuesThe UK cannot have an a la carte" reset of the Brexit agreement, Ireland's deputy prime minister has said, just hours before Keir Starmer headed to Dublin for his first official visit to Ireland.The tanaiste said the EU wanted an improved EU-UK relationship but that the UK could not cherrypick". Continue reading...

There will be joy over Labour's victory at the trades union congress this week - but also a determination to see that promises are keptTwelve months ago, when the TUC met for its annual bash in Liverpool as Labour stood on the brink of power, Keir Starmer's message to union leaders was eyes on the prize".Fresh from thrashing out the details of Labour's workers' rights package - the new deal for working people - in late-night talks, union leaders were upbeat. Continue reading...

Anastasia Trofimova's film Russians at War criticised for distorted picture of reality' in Ukraine after Venice premiereA new documentary portraying the lives of Russian soldiers near the Ukrainian frontlines has faced fierce criticism for attempting to whitewash Moscow's war crimes.Russians at War, directed by the Russian-Canadian film-maker Anastasia Trofimova, chronicles seven months spent embedded with a Russian army battalion in eastern Ukraine, presenting itself as a unique window into the daily lives of Russian soldiers. Continue reading...

Police appeal for information over disappearance of Khasha Smith, 35, who was last seen 11 months agoPolice have charged a 39-year-old man in connection with the death of an Edinburgh woman who went missing 11 months ago.Khasha Smith, a mother of three, from Calder, Edinburgh, was last seen on a FaceTime call with a friend on 10 October 2023, and was reported missing in January. Continue reading...

Singer speaks at Toronto film festival after announcing eye infection had left him with limited vision in one eyeSir Elton John has made his first public appearance at Toronto international film festival, days after announcing a severe eye infection had left him with limited vision in one eye.The British singer, 77, was pictured in good spirits as he arrived on the back of a buggy at the Canadian festival, alongside his husband, David Furnish. Continue reading...

Bureau of Meteorology says higher-than-average temperatures and moisture levels could spell more wild weather

British cosmetics tycoon Mike Jatania leads consortium to acquire UK's 113 outlets and outposts in Australia and North AmericaThe Body Shop has been rescued from administration by a consortium led by the British cosmetics tycoon Mike Jatania in a deal that will keep the ethical beauty brand's remaining 113 UK stores trading.Aurea, the growth capital firm founded by Jatania and former UBS, Credit Suisse and Merrill Lynch executive Paul Raphael, said it had bought all the Body Shop International's assets, which include its UK stores and control of outposts in Australia and North America for an undisclosed sum. Continue reading...

Country music star's down to earth' range at Asda goes head to head with Kylie for the easy drinking' top spotWhether it's 9 to 5, Jolene or Islands in the Stream, Dolly Parton fans are no stranger to belting out her hits with a glass of wine in hand, but now they can sip her vino, too, as the singer's down to earth" wine range goes on sale in the UK.The brains behind Dolly Wines say they have bottled Parton's vivacious spirit and love for life" with the decision to branch out from selling albums to alcohol pitting the US country music star against the pop princess Kylie in the battle for the easy drinking" top spot. Continue reading...

Frontbenchers say they have had string of complaints from constituents and policy won't be worth the political hit'Cabinet ministers have grave concerns about Rachel Reeves's plan to axe the winter fuel allowance for all but the poorest pensioners, the Guardian can reveal.Frontbenchers believe the government will have to announce extra support in the budget or even earlier to cushion the blow for some of the people worst affected by the cut. Continue reading...

Siberian kitten at No 10 may get frosty reception from chief mouser Larry, who took on George Osborne's cat, FreyaOn the face of it, the kitten that joined Keir Starmer's family appears to have had a peaceful first week at an address where feline and human rivals have been known to get their claws out.The arrival of the Siberian cat - as yet unnamed in public - was revealed on Monday by the prime minister, who said his children had been pushing for a dog to join them at Downing Street. Continue reading...