World news | The Guardian

Rishi Sunak urges allies to arm Ukraine in party conference speech; Victoria Roshchyna has not been heard from since 3 August, says International Women's Media Foundation

Businesses unimpressed by announcement of alternative Network North'

Young people's needs were forgotten, with no one made responsible by UK government for ensuring their rights were met, says legal expertChildren were disproportionately affected by pandemic policies, with their voices not listened to and no one made responsible by the government for ensuring their legal rights were met, the Covid inquiry has heard.Questions about how lockdown policies affected young people weren't even asked", said the barrister Jennifer Twite, giving evidence on behalf of Save the Children UK, Just for Kids Law and the Children's Rights Alliance. Continue reading...

Cheshire force says it will consider areas including senior leadership and decision-making at Countess of Chester hospitalPolice have launched a corporate manslaughter investigation into the Countess of Chester hospital after the neonatal nurse Lucy Letby's convictions for the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of six others.Cheshire constabulary said the investigation would examine senior leadership and decision-making to determine if there was criminality at the time of the charges Letby faced. Continue reading...

Local health department believe woman was victim of failed infanticide by her parents during second world warAn elderly woman in Russia's far east has lived her whole life with a 3cm-long needle in her brain, it was revealed after doctors made the unexpected discovery during a CT scan.Doctors believe the woman, 80, was the victim of a failed infanticide carried out by her parents, and said they would not attempt to remove the needle for fear of worsening her condition. Continue reading...

Prime minister says HS2 move will release 36bn, that he will raise smoking age by one year, every year and announces five-subject qualification

Ilham Aliyev will not attend meeting with Armenian PM amid anger over French decision to supply military aid to YerevanAzerbaijan will not attend an EU-brokered event in Spain where its president, Ilham Aliyev, was set to hold talks with his Armenian counterpart over the future of Nagorno-Karabakh.Aliyev had been considering taking part in a meeting to discuss the breakaway region - which has largely emptied out after the mass exodus of ethnic Armenians - with the leaders of France, Germany, Armenia and the EU Council president, Charles Michel. Continue reading...

West Midlands mayor says he remains committed to high-speed rail link to Manchester after suggestion he might quit over move

PM dresses up HS2 cancellation as fresh start as he attempts to portray himself as candidate for change

Cost of certificate of entitlement', introduced in 1990 to control number of cars, now equivalent to four Toyota Camry Hybrids in USTo own a car in Singapore, a buyer must bid for a certificate that now costs $106,000, equivalent to four Toyota Camry Hybrids in the US, as a post-pandemic recovery has driven up the cost of the country's vehicle quota system to all-time highs.Singapore has a 10-year certificate of entitlement" (COE) system, introduced in 1990, to control the number of vehicles in the small city-state, which is home to 5.9 million people and can be driven across in less than an hour. Continue reading...

Chief prosecutor Bruno Cherchi says he is proceeding with road multiple homicide investigation after tourist bus crashed off overpass in northern ItalyMassimo Fiorese, the chief executive of the transport company that owned the bus that crashed, said this morning the vehicle appeared to have been leaning on a railing, TGcom24 reported.His comments add to speculation about the quality of infrastructure on the stretch of road where the accident took place. Continue reading...

Course exploring impact of magic and witchcraft on society comes amid growing interest in folkloreIf you've been getting into crystals, manifesting your dream board or exploring feminist readings of witchcraft, you can now take your hobby to the next level - with the UK's first postgraduate degree in magic and the occult.The University of Exeter is seeking to harness growing interest in the subjects with a course that will explore the history and impact of witchcraft and magic around the world on society and science. Continue reading...

Reed Wischhusen, who allegedly plotted series of revenge' attacks, pointed handgun at police officer, jury toldA police firearms officer has told a jury he thought he was going to die when a man accused of plotting to carry out a series of revenge" attacks ran towards him pointing a gun.The officer, identified only by the codename L4, became emotional as he described drawing his own gun and shooting Reed Wischhusen, who had allegedly stockpiled an armoury and plotted attacks on his former primary school, his workplace and a police headquarters. Continue reading...

Fox held 'on suspicion of conspiring to commit criminal damage and encouraging or assisting offences to be committed'Police have arrested the rightwing commentator Laurence Fox at his home after comments encouraging people to vandalise Ulez cameras.On Wednesday morning Fox's Reclaim party posted a video on X, formally known as Twitter, which showed him sitting on the sofa in his living room, as several people dressed in police uniforms and wearing protective plastic gloves milled around him. Continue reading...

PM makes expected announcement axing Manchester leg of rail link as he attempts to portray it as positive

New York college hit with lawsuit alleging school has been systemically' paying women less than men for nearly 20 yearsA group of professors at Vassar, the historic US women's college in New York, tried for years to internally resolve an issue of being paid less than their male counterparts but now they have finally resorted to legal action, a lawyer for the group said.Vassar has been hit with a federal lawsuit brought by five senior female professors who allege their employer has knowingly" and systematically" been paying them and other female professors less than the men for nearly 20 years. Continue reading...

Boss of rising singer's former music label has denied any involvement in unexplained deathPolice in Nigeria have detained the Afrobeats star and record label boss Naira Marley for questioning over the death of the fast-rising singer MohBad last month.MohBad death's in unexplained circumstances on 12 September at the age of 27 led to an outpouring of grief among his fans and sent ripples through the multibillion-dollar Afrobeats music genre. Continue reading...

Man arrested on suspicion of murder after death of 54-year-old who witnesses say sustained throat injuriesA murder investigation has been launched after a man was fatally injured in Wearside by a dog believed to be an American XL bully.Northumbria police said said they received a report of an attack at about 6.55pm on Tuesday evening at an address in Shiney Row near Houghton-le-Spring, Sunderland, and a man aged 54 was taken to hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries. Continue reading...

Advocacy group said Elizabeth Polanco de los Santos, 21, accused of assaulting and insulting' contact, faced up to year in prisonElizabeth Polanco de los Santos, a New York college student, arrived in Dubai in July meaning to take only an hours-long layover during an international trip. But because she allegedly touched an airport security officer's arm, she was detained there for more than two months and endured the threat of spending more than a year in prison before she was cleared to return home Tuesday, according to an advocacy group which supported her.Polanco's nightmare stay in Dubai began as she traveled back to New York City from Istanbul with a friend on 14 July when her ordeal began. The 21-year-old, a business arts major at Lehman College in the Bronx, had stopped there for a connecting flight when airport customs officers told her to take off a waist compression device she was wearing after having surgery. Continue reading...

Council says without help it may be forced to make drastic cuts to local services to avoid bankruptcyOne of the UK's largest Conservative-run councils has warned it faces financial meltdown" and has called on ministers to fix the broken" local government funding system to avoid it and many other authorities plunging into effective bankruptcy.Hampshire county council said without a major overhaul of council finances in England - which it admitted was unlikely to come in time to prevent further cuts - it would be forced to push ahead with drastic reductions to local services over the next 18 months. Continue reading...

Knock-on effect forecast to turn many countries from net financial receivers into net contributorsExpanding the size of the EU to include nine new countries including Ukraine would cost the existing members more than 256bn (220bn), internal calculations have revealed.The knock-on effect would be to turn many countries that currently enjoy net financial benefits of the EU into net contributors. Continue reading...

Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck experienced intense period of unwelcome behaviour', inquiry findsA 19-year-old soldier is believed to have taken her own life after sexual harassment from her boss, according to an internal army inquiry report.Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck was found dead at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire in December 2021 after experiencing an intense period of unwelcome behaviour", the inquiry report said, according to the BBC.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Guardian Australia understands the group - believed to be 11 people - was intercepted in September and taken to the Pacific nation

Peter Dutton claims Anthony Albanese was hanging out on the red carpet with Alan Joyce' and did not change voice wording as former Qantas boss told him not to

This blog is now closed.

Average 12% reduction comes as more affordable own-brand products introduced in Express storesTesco says food inflation has fallen in the past six months, with the grocer cutting prices on 2,500 products, including bread and broccoli, by an average of 12%.The supermarket also revealed a 14% rise in adjusted operating profit and said it expected the pace of prices rises to continue slowing for the rest of the year. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: From dithering on HS2 to playing the culture war hits, the Conservative conference is all out of ideas Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. Today in Manchester, Rishi Sunak is expected to stand in front of a lectern reading LONG-TERM DECISIONS FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE" and announce the scrapping of the HS2 rail link to that very city - and with it a key plank of his promise to level up the north.The Conservative party conference - which closes today and is likely the last before a general election in 2024 - has been completely dominated by the prime minister's repeated refusal to confirm whether or not the 100bn high speed line will continue as planned.US | Kevin McCarthy has been abruptly removed from his role as House speaker, ousted by hard-right members of his own Republican party less than a year after his election. It is the first time in US history the speaker has been dismissed, and came after he led a bipartisan effort that avoided a government shutdown.Italy | At least 21 people died and 18 were injured when a tourist coach crashed off an overpass near Venice, falling 30 metres on to power lines and catching fire. Those on board included Ukrainians, German and French citizens, said Venice prefect Michele Di Bari, adding the bus was totally crushed".Transport | Two planned strikes by London Underground workers this week have been called off, the RMT union announced. Its members had been due to strike on Wednesday and Friday, closing the tube over plans to reduce staff numbers by up to 600 posts to save costs.Health | Trans hospital patients in England will be banned from being treated in female- and male-only wards, under plans announced by the health secretary. Steve Barclay also said patient requests to have intimate care provided by someone of the same biological sex would be respected.Diplomacy | India has told Canada it must remove 41 diplomats from its embassy in Delhi as the diplomatic spat continues between the two countries. The Indian foreign ministry has given Canada a week to repatriate two-thirds of its diplomats stationed in India, reducing the number to 21. Continue reading...

Attorney general Yvette D'Ath warns against sensationalised' reporting due to new laws, which allowed Ashley Paul Griffith to be named

Emergency downgraded but RFS warns residents near Bermagui not to be complacent amid fire across more than 5,000 hectares

Ruling party portrays opposition leader Donald Tusk as subservient to Berlin in run-up to 15 October electionAs campaign videos go, it's arguably one of the less sophisticated. To the booming soundtrack of Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries, a man with a strong foreign accent makes a phone call from the German embassy in Warsaw. His request: to arrange a call between Germany's chancellor and Jarosaw Kaczyski, the leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice party (PiS).Asked if he would like to speak with Olaf Scholz about Poland's retirement age, raised under Donald Tusk, Poland's former prime minister and the current opposition leader, Kaczyski refuses. Tusk has gone; these customs have changed," he says, and hangs up. An economically resurgent Poland, implies the video, will not dance to Berlin's tune, all thanks to the firm nationalist leadership of the PiS. Continue reading...

Lawyers for Alexander Csergo say a search using AI tools used to check plagiarism at universities verified his claim he provided open source material

Law firm was engaged well before cabinet decision to cancel 2026 event, but Jacinta Allan says it came amid rising cost estimates

Former Victorian police chief commissioner's report revealed sexual exploitation, human trafficking and organised crime

Joe Biden said this week he expected the speaker to keep a commitment to secure support needed for Ukraine, but with McCarthy ousted, the outlook is less clearThe historic ousting of House speaker Kevin McCarthy adds further uncertainty to the outlook for US aid to Ukraine, after support for Kyiv was excluded from the recent US government funding bill, leaving Joe Biden to rely on the Republican speaker for a separate deal.The president said at the weekend that US support for Ukraine could not be interrupted under any circumstances" and that he fully expected McCarthy to keep his commitment to secure the passage and support needed to help Ukraine as they defend themselves against aggression and brutality". Continue reading...

Fate of ex-US navy pilot remains uncertain as legal team seeks 2,000 documents relating to claim he was lured' back to Australia

Attorney general Jaclyn Symes confirms guard's keys were allegedly stolen in incident' at Malmsbury youth justice centre

Henry Puna's intervention comes after Vanuatu's ex-foreign minister said a no win on 14 October would be a blow to Australia's relationships with region

Diesel up by more than 8p to 163p in September and petrol by 4.5p to 152p amid global oil production cutsThe price of diesel in the UK has shot up at one of its fastest rates in more than 20 years - while retailers have been accused of charging unjustifiably" high petrol prices.Diesel prices rose by more than 8p a litre to 163p in September, the fifth biggest monthly rise since 2000, and on top of another 8p rise the previous month, the RAC said. Petrol prices rose by 4.5p a litre to 152p, the fourth consecutive monthly increase. Continue reading...

Lawyers for stateless Rohingya refugee seek to overturn 20-year-old precedent that allows those who can't be deported to be kept detained

Chief scientific adviser in 2020 found the ex-PM completely inconsistent' in his evidence to the Covid inquiryBoris Johnson's decision-making during the coronavirus pandemic was described as bipolar" and completely inconsistent" by Sir Patrick Vallance, the Covid inquiry has heard.The government's then chief scientific adviser acknowledged his frustration in his diary entries, which he has submitted to the panel as evidence, at the chaos" in Downing Street and Johnson's flip-flopping" when making decisions about restrictions. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Without action, a generation of young people' could be addicted to gambling, says independent MP pushing for government to urgently intervene

Female, black, Asian or less well-off patients are less likely to receive the life-saving procedure in EnglandPatients who are female, black, Asian or less well-off are significantly less likely to be offered heart valve surgery on the NHS in England, according to a report that experts say is deeply concerning".People develop aortic stenosis when their aortic valve narrows as a result of calcium buildup, impeding normal blood flow. This causes shortness of breath, light headedness and chest pain. Continue reading...

Research by NHS trust found simple blood test could help people avoid complications from type 2 diabetesThousands of people unaware they have type 2 diabetes could be diagnosed and avoid serious complications if screening was introduced in emergency departments, a study suggests.The prevalence of the disease has risen dramatically in countries of all income levels in the last three decades, according to the World Health Organization. More than 400 million people have been diagnosed, but millions more are estimated to be in the dark about the fact they have the condition. Continue reading...

Intimidating behaviour beside procession of worshippers seen as another sign of victimisation and was condemned by NetanyahuA video of ultra-Orthodox Jews spitting on the ground beside a procession of foreign Christian worshippers carrying a wooden cross in the holy city of Jerusalem has ignited intense outrage and a flurry of condemnation in the Holy Land.The spitting incident, which the city's minority Christian community lamented as the latest in an alarming surge of religiously motivated attacks, drew rare outrage on Tuesday from the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and other senior figures. Continue reading...

Butler becomes only the third Black female senator in history, following the death of Feinstein last week at age 90In a unique and historic moment on Capitol Hill, former union leader and Democratic strategist Laphonza Butler was sworn in by Kamala Harris on Tuesday as the newest member of the Senate, replacing California Senator Dianne Feinstein after her death last week and becoming only the third Black female senator in history.Butler, 44, was appointed by California's governor, Gavin Newsom, on Sunday, just two days after Feinstein died at her home in Washington DC. Butler is a longtime fundraiser and strategist in California's Democratic circles and was the head of Emily's List, a national organization that raises money for female candidates who support abortion rights. Continue reading...

Cause unclear as coach veers off road and falls near railway lines in Mestre outside VeniceAt least 20 people have died after a coach crashed off an overpass near Venice in northern Italy, the city's mayor told Italian newspaper la Repubblica.The coach veered off the road and fell close to railway lines in the district of Mestre, which is connected to Venice by a bridge, Italian news agencies and television reported, but the cause of the accident was still unclear. Continue reading...

Maria Rooney's action against Leicester city council is first tribunal case to consider the symptoms as a disabilityA former children's social worker has told an employment tribunal that she felt colluded against" by the council she worked for due to suffering symptoms of menopause.Maria Rooney initiated legal action against Leicester city council in the first tribunal case to consider the symptoms as a disability. She has alleged she was constructively dismissed after discrimination over suffering menopause symptoms. Continue reading...

The second day of Trump's trial got off to another combative start after Trump branded the case a fraud' and scam'The judge overseeing Donald Trump's civil fraud trial issued a gag order on Tuesday after the former president made comments about the judge's clerk.Consider this statement a gag order forbidding all parties from posting, emailing or speaking publicly about any of my staff," the judge, Arthur Engoron, said on Tuesday afternoon. Personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable, inappropriate and I will not tolerate them in any circumstances. Continue reading...

Contractors offer to review project and identify ways to cut costs, so Rishi Sunak keeps it on track

Louis Feutren joined a nationalist group in occupied France and went on to teach at a prestigious Dublin schoolThere was never any mystery about the fact that Louis Feutren, a French teacher at St Conleth's school in south Dublin, was a Nazi collaborator.He had a taste for violent punishments and bizarre humiliations that terrorised pupils. He liked to reminisce about the second world war, when he had joined a Breton nationalist group that fought on the side of Germany. And he showed pictures of himself in uniform. Continue reading...