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Documents published alongside Rishi Sunak's first king's speech show that a new duty is being considered by ministersMinisters are considering a new tax on vapes in a significant expansion of moves to create a smokefree generation" that also includes the gradual introduction of a total ban on smoking for children.Documents published alongside Rishi Sunak's first king's speech revealed that an eight-week consultation on smoking and vaping would explore a new duty" on vapes as about 40 other countries have already introduced. Continue reading...

Russia withdraws from treaty of conventional armed forces in Europe, which was aimed at preventing cold war rivals from massing forces at borders

Outpouring of grief, anger and community as vigils held to remember the 1,400 killed and the hostages still held in Gaza

Civilians given four-hour window to leave encircled capital but fears many are still trapped

PM's once unthinkable assertion Israel will reclaim security in territory would come with responsibilities towards Palestinians

Labour party leader criticises speech as admission that government has no faith in Britain's ability to avert decline'Here is Ben Quinn's guide to what will be in the king's speech.In a statement about the king's speech issued overnight, Keir Starmer said:Britain is crying out for the long-term change that harnesses the ambition of our young people, the innovative drive of our businesses, and the ordinary hope and optimism that exists around every kitchen table.A government acting in the national interest would deliver a big build programme to kickstart growth in every region and begin to turn around 13 years of decline with a plan for a decade of national renewal. Continue reading...

Academic suggests seven short stories, five poems and one non-fiction work were written by the Little Women author under the name EH GouldA researcher has uncovered a trove of stories and poems he believes to have been written under a pseudonym by Little Women author Louisa May Alcott.In late 2021, American academic Max Chapnick read about a story, The Phantom, while working on his PhD. The story is known to be Alcott's - it features in the lists the writer made of her works - but had not yet been found. Continue reading...

Planning Inspectorate says Captain Tom Building' harms Grade II-listed home where Moore's daughter and her family liveThe family of Captain Sir Tom Moore have lost a planning application appeal for a spa complex in their garden and have been given three months to demolish the structure.Moore's daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore, 53, and her husband, Colin, 66, appealed against a demolition order by Central Bedfordshire council for what they have called the Captain Tom Foundation Building in the grounds of their Bedfordshire home. Continue reading...

Covid investigation also told taskforce coordinating pandemic policy had no warning of eat out to help out'

Since 2020 more than 7,500 children in UK have waited more than a year for initial asylum decision - and 57 for more than five years

Seven vessels have been turned back or returned to their place of origin as Labor quietly continues Coalition policy of operation sovereign borders

Australia's Aukus submarine deal and Japan's discharge of Fukushima waste makes the issue a priority as leaders gather in Cook Islands

Exclusive: Suppliers for firm linked to UK peer Michelle Mone helped source Covid masks for Australian government that were found unusableSuppliers of PPE for a company linked to the Conservative peer Michelle Mone were also involved during the Covid pandemic in supplying millions of face masks to the Australian government that were rejected over safety concerns.Australia's Department of Health and Aged Care told the Guardian that of 50m face masks supplied to fulfil a government contract awarded to a small online retailer, Australian Business Mobiles (ABM), the overwhelming majority - 45.7m - were deemed unusable for its health service. A department spokesperson said five of seven manufacturers that supplied the masks were deemed non-compliant with quality regulations". Continue reading...

RBA governor Michele Bullock's debut rate rise as governor looks unlikely to be repeated next month

WeWork says its commitment to Australia is unwavering' after US parent files for bankruptcy

Francesca Albanese says crisis is result of failing to heed concerns about Israel's repression of Palestinian human rights

Dutch police detain 62-year-old in relation to death of Aleksandr Levin, whose torso was found in IJ RiverDutch police have arrested a suspect in connection with the gruesome cold case murder of a wealthy Russian art dealer whose torso was found in a blue plastic bag in Amsterdam's IJ River in 2013.In a statement shared with the Guardian, police said they had arrested a 62-year-old man from Amsterdam on Tuesday after the suspect's DNA allegedly matched traces found on the remains of Aleksandr Levin, an art dealer from St Petersburg who was 65 years old at the time of his killing. Continue reading...

Swiss banking group has cut 13,000 jobs this year as it recovers from rushed rescue dealUBS has reported a $785m (637m) quarterly loss, its first in nearly six years, as the Swiss banking group counted the costs of rescuing its rival Credit Suisse earlier this year.The loss was nearly double the $444m that analysts had forecast, with UBS saying it would have reported profits worth $844m in the third quarter had it not been for the $2bn in expenses linked to the emergency takeover. Continue reading...

The first visit by an Australian PM in seven years was hailed an example of win-win cooperation' in China's dutiful state media

Market likely to fall in short term amid high interest rates and living cost pressures, says Halifax

Greens senator Janet Rice says welfare agency in crisis after Senate hears nearly 20% plan to depart in next 12 months

Public servants' concerns over Kieren Ash's appointment not conveyed to me at the time', Jo Haylen tells budget estimates hearing

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Quarter-point increase to the cash rate will add roughly $100 to monthly repayments for a standard mortgage of about $600,000

Court told the government only sought resettlement options for the man, known as NZYQ, under the shadow of this litigation'

Rising inflation has made it harder for patients to continue fertility treatment, experts sayFertility patients are being forced to destroy embryos because they cannot afford to transfer or store them during the cost of living crisis, experts have said.Dr Catherine Hill, Fertility Network UK's head of policy and public affairs, spoke of a dire situation for fertility patients" who struggled to get help on the NHS and were then forced to turn to the expensive private sector. She said rising inflation had made it much harder for couples racking up mountains of debt". Continue reading...

Plan drawn up by handful of leaders was unknown to men who would carry it out until morning of attacks on Israel a month ago

Exclusive: Nitrogen dioxide limits and approval tests practically unchanged from current rules under Euro 7 proposalsThe EU is poised to water down a landmark piece of car pollution legislation after extensive lobbying from the automotive industry, which experts say will cause an estimated 100bn in health and environmental costs.Analysis provided by the Consortium for Ultra-low Vehicle Emissions (Clove) exclusively to the Guardian and Voxeurop shows that half of the projected financial savings from the new Euro 7 standards on car emissions will be lost due to damage caused by excess nitrogen dioxide. This toxic gas is the main contaminant released by combustion engines, especially diesel ones, and was responsible for 49,000 premature deaths in the EU and 5,750 in the UK in just one year. Continue reading...

Magistrate said he was not convinced the man knowingly lied to law enforcement body despite incorrectly stating his wife had never harmed a child

Gennadiy Chastiakov, aide to commander-in-chief of army, died in explosion on his birthdayA close adviser to the commander-in-chief of Ukraine's army has been killed after a grenade amongst his birthday presents exploded, according to officials.Under tragic circumstances, my assistant and close friend, Major Gennadiy Chastiakov, was killed ... on his birthday," Gen Valery Zaluzhny posted on Telegram on Monday, saying that an unknown explosive device detonated in one of his gifts". Continue reading...

Brands' accounts are targeting children with unhealthy promotions while collecting their data, Sydney health conference hears

The men, aged 23 and 27, were arrested at Wetherill Park police station and taken to Liverpool hospital for assessment of injuries

With storms predicted later in the day, French horse Vauban is the bookmakers' choice

SA police say officers have been removed from duty while incident at a care facility is investigated

Former PM dismisses suggestions Anthony Albanese should visit Israel and says he must advance interests of Australians

NSW police say the 27 seized cars worth $2m were destined to be used in organised crime network homicides or firearm violenceDozens of kill cars" allegedly stolen to carry out violent crimes across Sydney have been seized in the latest crackdown on the city's gang wars.From Porsches to Ford Rangers, a total of 27 cars worth more than $2m are now in police custody.Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

Among five people killed in accident in Victoria were Pratibha Sharma, her daughter Anvi and her partner Jatin Chugh

Laszlo Simon dismissed after National Museum allowed children to visit a World Press Photo showHungary's government dismissed the director of the National Museum on Monday after it allowed under-18s to visit a World Press Photo exhibition featuring images of LGBT people, despite laws banning the promotion of homosexuality" to minors.Tensions over the exhibition surfaced last month when the far-right Mi Hazank (Our Homeland) party launched a government inquiry over the issue. The photos at the heart of the inquiry, Home for the Golden Gays by the photojournalist Hannah Reyes Morales, follow the inhabitants of a community-run aged care home for LGBT people in Manila, the Philippines. Continue reading...

Deputy premier Steven Miles says it's too late' to cancel projects and any effect on demand is likely to be years away

Country, estimated to be owed up to $1.5trn, is increasing penalties for late payments and cutting back on infrastructure projectsChina has become the world's biggest debt collector, as the money it is owed from developing countries has surged to between $1.1tn (889bn) and $1.5tn, according to a new report. An estimated 80% of China's overseas lending portfolio in the global south is now supporting countries in financial distress.Since 2017, China has been the world's biggest bilateral lender; its main development banks issued nearly $500bn between 2008 and 2021. While some of this predates the belt and road initiative (BRI), Beijing's flagship development programme has mobilised much of the investment in developing countries. Continue reading...

PM to announce tougher sentences for rapists and killers ahead of upcoming general electionRishi Sunak's first king's speech will include a series of hardline criminal justice measures promising tougher sentences for rapists and killers in the run-up to a general election.With crime and punishment a major point of contention with Keir Starmer's Labour, the prime minister will confirm the introduction of a new sentencing bill under which murderers whose crimes involved sadistic or sexual conduct will face spending the rest of their lives in jail. Continue reading...

Neighbouring country would house up to 3,000 people rescued at sea by Italian boats, with some exceptions for vulnerable groupsItaly's far-right government has announced plans to create centres in Albania to accommodate asylum seekers, the prime minister said on Monday, hailing it as a historic" deal with Tirana to manage migration flows.I am pleased to announce with Albanian prime minister Edi Rama a memorandum of understanding between Italy and Albania concerning the management of migration flows," said Giorgia Meloni. Italy is Albania's top trading partner. There is already close collaboration in the fight against illegality." Continue reading...

University says incident being investigated as possible hate crime after Abdulwahab Omira suffered non-life-threatening injuriesAn Arab Muslim student at Stanford University was hospitalized after being struck in a hit-and-run that authorities are investigating as a hate crime, amidst rising threats against Arab and Muslim people across the US.The student, Abdulwahab Omira, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by an SUV. The driver is reported to have made eye contact with the victim, accelerated and struck the victim and then driven away while shouting fuck you and your people' out the lowered window of the vehicle," according to the university's department of public safety. Continue reading...

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Force could apply to outlaw protest on grounds of risk of disorder, but move would be shocking' threat to freedom of expression, rights campaigners say

Frontman's Liverpool bandmates and fellow touring band the Wombats post tribute message and pictures onlineThe indie band the Night Cafe have said they are devastated" as they announced the sudden death of their lead singer, Sean Martin. The group, from Liverpool, announced the news on Instagram: We are devastated to share the sudden passing of our best friend Sean.Words can't describe the pain we are feeling right now. We're still struggling to process it all. We ask everyone to respect the privacy of Sean's family and friends during this difficult time. Continue reading...

UN official, medics and displaced people tell of overcrowding, panic and lack of essentials as bombardment continues

Letters from loved ones of captured ship's crew during seven years' war lay forgotten for centuriesA forgotten bundle of love letters sent to French sailors more than 260 years ago - but never before opened or read - has been discovered among British naval archives, revealing intimate details of 18th-century marital and family life.The remarkable stash of more than 100 letters was discovered by chance at the National Archives in Kew by Renaud Morieux, professor of European history at the University of Cambridge, who asked archivists if they could be opened so he could read them for the first time. Continue reading...

Even number of aid trucks passing in to Gaza falls during visit of US secretary of state to region

USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative finds that representation behind and in front of the camera remains stagnantHispanics and Latinos remain underrepresented in film, a trend that has carried for 16 years, according to a new report from the University of Southern California. Even when movies did feature Hispanic or Latino characters, they were usually stereotyped as immigrant or as having low income.The latest study from the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative examined 1,600 of the top-grossing films released between 2007 and 2022 and more than 62,000 speaking characters, as well as 13,000 directors, producers and casting directors. Continue reading...