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Prime minister Anthony Albanese tells Labor conference to campaign like you have never campaigned before' on voice to parliament

Data shows 44% at risk of struggling to afford food and heating after leaving workplaceClose to half of individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ are heading for a retirement where they are at risk of struggling to afford such basics as food and heating, according to new UK data.Looking across various measures including amounts saved and pension scheme membership, researchers concluded that members of the LGBTQ+ community were far more likely than the general population" to struggle in retirement. Continue reading...

Guardian investigation also reveals Countess of Chester hospital executive feared contacting police would damage reputation'Lucy Letby's colleagues were ordered to apologise to her after repeatedly raising concerns that the nurse may have been behind a series of unexplained baby deaths, the Guardian has learned.Senior doctors had warned for months that Letby was the only staff member present during the sudden collapses and deaths of a number of premature babies on the Countess of Chester hospital's neonatal unit. Continue reading...

Those wanting further changes to the party's platform will have to wait another three years

Concern that convicts re-entering society after stints in Ukraine will bring wave of murder, rape and domestic violence'The 2020 murder of Vera Pekhteleva, by her ex-boyfriend, was so gruesome that even in Russia, where violence against women often goes under the radar, it caused a media outcry.Vladislav Kanyus spent hours torturing Pekhteleva before she died; neighbours repeatedly called police to report horrifying screams coming from the neighbouring apartment, but the police did not show up. At trial, it emerged there had been 111 injuries on Pekhteleva's body. Continue reading...

Eleven impressionist landscapes inspired by island's scenery, light and locals go on display from 30 SeptemberOn 5 September 1883, the French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir wrote a letter from the island of Guernsey, expressing admiration for its superb rocks ... as well as rump steak and ale at reasonable prices".Renoir spent five weeks on Guernsey, captivated by its scenery and quality of light. He painted 15 landscapes, which are among his most celebrated works.Renoir in Guernsey, 1883 is open at the Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery from 30 September to 15 December Continue reading...

Premier says days ahead will be extremely challenging', as firefighters in neighbouring Northwest Territories fight to save cityThe premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia has declared a state of emergency, saying authorities there were facing the worst wildfire season ever", as thousands were evacuated from cities east of Vancouver.Premier David Eby said on Friday night: Over the past 24 hours, the situation has evolved rapidly and we are in for an extremely challenging situation in the days ahead." Continue reading...

Saturday's newspapers dominated by jury's verdicts after more than four weeks of deliberationsThe conviction of nurse Lucy Letby for the persistent, calculated and cold-blooded" murder of five premature boys and two newborn girls reverberates across today's newspaper front pages, with some questioning whether she could have been stopped earlier.The Guardian says Britain's worst child serial killer: nurse guilty of seven murders" alongside a large image of Letby, 33, and points to further stories including an interview with a whistleblower, who said the babies would have survived if hospital executives had acted earlier on concerns. Continue reading...

The Victorian premier last month announced Victoria would not host the games after a forecast cost blowout

Southern California gets first tropical storm warning as conditions could potentially affect Baja California peninsula late FridayHurricane Hilary, which quickly grew to category 4 strength off Mexico's Pacific coast, whipping up 145mph winds, could become the first tropical storm to hit southern California in 84 years.As the hurricane barrels northward, officials have issued the first ever tropical storm watch for the US west coast. Hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings have also been issued for parts of Baja California and mainland Mexico, where fierce winds and rain could cause flooding and landslides. Continue reading...

Russia's possession of nuclear arms is response to threats, Lavrov says; rise in Ukraine battlefield casualties brings total close to half a million

Australia's newest and largest regional arts centre features malleable theatres, Indigenous art and spaces especially designed to get your camera out

Albanese government consulting on need to stop former partners legally accessing victims' counselling notes, medical details and addresses

Peter Wilby, former editor of the Independent on Sunday, had more than 100 indecent images of children on his computerA former editor of the Independent on Sunday and the New Statesman has been given a suspended sentence after admitting viewing child sexual abuse online, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Friday.Peter Wilby, 78, had more than 100 indecent images of children on his computer, dating between 2013 and 2022, according to the NCA. Continue reading...

List of 54 Britons includes Guardian reporters and executives, a defence minister and the culture secretaryRussia has banned dozens of British journalists, media representatives and senior UK politicians from entering the country, including five Guardian journalists and executives, the foreign ministry said on Friday.In a statement published on the foreign ministry's website, Moscow said the sweeping action was a response to UK sanctions and the spreading of false information about Russia", as well as London's unrelenting military support for the Kyiv neo-Nazi regime". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Man imprisoned for rape he did not commit says Criminal Cases Review Commission has yet to contact himAndrew Malkinson, who spent 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit, has accused the body that investigates miscarriages of justice of having an attitude problem" and said it had still not contacted him since he was cleared by the court of appeal last month.Malkinson and his legal team first heard that the Criminal Cases Review Commission was launching a review into its handling of his case after the Guardian contacted them about it on Thursday. Continue reading...

Jonathan Nuttall convicted of conspiring to plant two devices targeting lawyers for the National Crime AgencyA businessman with a deep-seated grudge" against two lawyers at the National Crime Agency has been found guilty of planting two devices resembling bombs at the heart of London's legal district to intimidate them.Jonathan Nuttall, 50, was convicted at the Old Bailey of planning to plant the explosives over a 1.4m legal dispute with the NCA, which put him at risk of losing his stately home, Embley Manor in Hampshire. Continue reading...

Surrey police seeking Urfan Sharif, his partner and brother, all of whom are thought to be in PakistanThe father of a 10-year-old girl who was found dead in a village in Surrey is being sought by investigating police and is believed to be in Pakistan.The body of Sara Sharif was found at her home in Horsell near Woking after officers were phoned from Pakistan by her father, Urfan Sharif, at about 2.50am on 10 August, Surrey police said. Continue reading...

Thelma & Louise star, 76, had planned entirely off-the-grid' home for her retirement but alleges faulty work by construction firmThe Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon has taken a construction firm to court over what she calls extensive problems" at what she envisioned as a $2m eco-friendly dream home she had built in Vermont for her retirement.Buckled siding, missing insulation, mold and an unfinished primary bedroom ceiling are among 47 issues found by engineers, contractors and Sarandon's staff, according to a lawsuit filed against DeGrenier Contracting and Property Management in federal court in Springfield, Massachusetts. Continue reading...

Actor died last weekend with her husband Hugh and carers at her side, her agents have announcedJane Whittenshaw, the actor best known for appearing in EastEnders and Call the Midwife, has died.A statement from her agent said she died last weekend, with her husband, Hugh, best friend and carers at her side. The cause of death has not been disclosed. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read our full story on Lucy Letby, the worst child serial killer of modern British history, hereA law firm representing two of the families of Letby's victims said the verdicts would not be the end of our search for answers and our fight for justice for our clients".Yvonne Agnew, the head of clinical negligence Cardiff at Slater and Gordon, said the parents were determined that lessons are learnt" by the Countess of Chester hospital, the NHS and the wider medical profession so that no babies or parents are put in harm's way like this again".For more than eight months, we've had to hear some of the most harrowing details about what happened to our client's children, something no parent should ever have to experience.Becoming a parent is a particularly vulnerable time in anyone's life. If your child needs special care, in that moment of helplessness, you put your utmost trust in medical professionals to do their best for you in what many people will tell you is the safest possible place - a hospital.The families that have endured this unimaginable suffering deserve to know exactly what happened, and those who use our NHS services need the reassurance that it can never happen again. That's why, today, I have written to the secretary of state for health and social care, asking for a full, independent and public inquiry into this case.Too many people now live with the consequences of the catastrophic harm caused by Letby. Continue reading...

Worst child serial killer in modern British history expected to receive whole-life sentence

Russia's military casualties are approaching 300,000, a US official saidOne civilian was injured and private houses, farm buildings and gas pipelines were damaged in the Russian shelling of the Kherson oblast in the early hours of Friday, Ukraine's prosecutor general's office said.The villages of Bilozerka and Dniprovske were the main targets of Russian troops. Continue reading...

Union leader says leaked text of party's plans shows clear rowing back' as Angela Rayner denies any watering down of policySharon Graham, the general secretary of the Unite union, has accused Labour of partly rowing back on its plans to bolster workers' rights in order to curry favour with big business", while the party said there had been no watering down of its policies.Leaked documents, first obtained by the Financial Times, show the party changed the wording of its plans to strengthen workers' rights at its national policy forum in July in an apparent attempt to head off Tory criticisms of its approach to business. Continue reading...

Sacking of star presenter over pay scandal stirs debate about his treatment by Irish broadcasterIreland's national broadcaster faces an uncertain future after axing its star presenter, Ryan Tubridy, in a scandal over under-declared payments.RTE surprised the public and divided opinion by announcing Tubridy would not return to the airwaves, capping two months of turmoil over accounting and governance practices that has cast doubt on the organisation's future funding. Continue reading...

Deputy leader says party would legislate to improve workers' rights within 100 days as policy forum tweaks plans for day one' rights such as sick payThe government has been trying to make this NHS week" in their comms strategy, hoping that announcements on changes to cancer targets and funding for an extra 900 beds might catch voters' eyes. One of today's announcements is that all GP surgeries in England will move to a digital phone system by spring.The government says it could potentially bring an end to the 8am scramble" when patients usually rush to secure an appointment. Continue reading...

Mother and father whose twin boys survived nurse's attack say Countess of Chester hospital did not act on doctors' concerns

Inquiry will look at circumstances surrounding babies' deaths at Countess of Chester hospital

Concerns are growing over the effects of a warming climate on production and the danger of high grocery prices getting embedded into Australia's economy

Constituents of MPs such as Alex Chalk are expressing frustration at endorsement of hard-right views

Events such as Barbenheimer partly blamed as epidemiologists warn country could have a summer waveGerman epidemiologists are warning of a summer wave of coronavirus infections, blaming in part mass gatherings such as the Barbenheimer double feature craze.The government's disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), says that while infections remain low compared with at the height of the pandemic, they have been on the rise for the past month. Continue reading...

British Association for Shooting and Conservation and Countryside Alliance advising supporters how to answer consultation launched after Plymouth mass killingsThe powerful UK gun lobby has been accused of mobilising tens of thousands of shooting enthusiasts to skew" a government consultation on tightening firearms laws launched after the Plymouth mass killings in 2021.Gun control campaigners, victims of crime involving weapons and families of people killed in shootings have expressed concern that the government will use the results of the consultation as an excuse to not make extensive changes to firearms laws despite widespread calls for fundamental reform after the Plymouth tragedy. Continue reading...

Health officials reiterate support for private provision as lower age limit for NHS booster vaccines raised to 65Covid booster vaccines may become available for the UK public to buy for the first time after health officials reiterated their backing for the proposal.Pharmacists and private clinics will be allowed to offer jabs for sale on the high street, as they do with the flu vaccine. They are unlikely to be available in time for an autumn booster campaign but could become available next year. Continue reading...

BBC presenter apologises while denying Irish Times report that team planted producers in TV audienceThe BBC presenter Stephen Nolan has apologised in the wake of allegations that he sent unsolicited sexually explicit photographs to colleagues.Nolan used his Radio Ulster show on Friday to respond to reports that he had shared explicit images of the Celebrity Big Brother winner Stephen Bear. Continue reading...

Administrators try to secure rescue deal for retailer, with talks expected to go on well into next weekWilko has launched an everything must go" sale with significant discounts on Christmas decorations and Halloween gear months before the seasonal events as administrators try to secure a rescue deal for the collapsed retailer.No bidder is expected to take on the entire 400 store chain, which fell into administration last week after running short of cash, but several buyers are looking at parcels of stores, and it is hoped that at least part of the chain can be rescued. Continue reading...

Winner of Sunday's vote will face huge public demand to tackle violence after killing of candidate Fernando VillavicencioThe brazen assassination of a presidential candidate will hang heavy over Ecuadorian voters as they choose a new president this weekend, following the latest eruption of drug cartel violence in the once-peaceful nation.The winner of Sunday's vote will face an overwhelming public demand for security - but may not have the budget or the political capital to overhaul failed crime-fighting policies and fund new ones. Continue reading...

Jordanian security services are abducting, harassing and outing' LGBTQ+ people, activists say, despite repeal of anti-gay lawsJordanian secret police have been accused of intimidating gay people by outing" them to their families and of forcing the closure of two LGBTQ+ organisations.Human rights groups say activists have been abducted, harassed and monitored, as well as having their sexuality revealed to religiously conservative families. Continue reading...

It comes a week after RMT said 20,000 members would take action on two consecutive SaturdaysTrain drivers are to stage a fresh strike in their long-running dispute over pay, threatening more travel chaos for passengers.Members of Aslef will walk out on 1 September and will be subject to an overtime ban on 2 September, the same day as a strike by rail staff. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Talking points advised Jo Haylen to tell media ex-Labor staffer was chosen as transport secretary after global search'

This blog is now closed

Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria police turned down request for escort for Fifa president, which is normally reserved for foreign heads of stateFifa asked Australian police in multiple jurisdictions to provide escorts for president Gianni Infantino during his travel for the Women's World Cup, but was turned down.Infantino asked Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales police to provide him with escorts, the Guardian has confirmed. Continue reading...

No casualties reported after air defences destroyed drone, which fell on building in Expo Center complex, say officials

Canada's ongoing fight with social media company Meta and the resulting ban has led to difficulties with staying on top of informationCommunication issues, fast-spreading rumours and a Facebook news ban have all disrupted evacuation efforts by residents of Yellowknife, in Canada's Northwest Territories, as they race to leave the city before an out-of-control wildfire hits in the coming day or so.On Wednesday night, officials told the city's 20,000 residents they had to be out by Friday at noon (1900 BST) before a massive wildfire gets any closer. Continue reading...

Singer Eva Amaral this week created headlines by baring her chest at a festival, joining a string of other artists asserting this freedom in the name of defending women's rightsIn the middle of her performance at the Sonorama festival in the northern Spanish town of Aranda de Duero on Saturday, Eva Amaral was about to lead her band Amaral into her song Revolucion when she took off her red sequin top and threw it on the floor.This is for Rocio, for Rigoberta, for Zahara, for Miren, for Bebe, for all of us," she said, listing the names of fellow artists before uncovering her breasts. Because no one can take away the dignity of our nakedness. The dignity of our fragility, of our strength. Because there are too many of us." In a concert marking the Spanish band's 25-year career, going topless was a way of defending women's dignity and freedom to go nude, and a very important moment", Amaral later told El Pais. Continue reading...

Labor MP openly dissents on Aukus but Marles says it's a modest step'. This blog is now closed

Shoppers shun high street as quantity of goods bought falls 1.2% month on month in July

Heckling, outrage and claims of appeasement' as stage-managed debate at ALP event gives way to genuine disagreement

Defence committee report says British military needs urgently to adapt over coming decades to be effectiveThe Ministry of Defence (MoD) must urgently tackle the impact of the climate crisis on its operations to make sure the capability of the UK armed forces is not eroded by rising temperatures and harsh climatic conditions, MPs have said.The impact of global heating on the armed forces covers every aspect of their operations. These include high temperatures making training locations such as Cyprus unusable at certain times of the year, increasingly harsh conditions for armed service personnel operating abroad, the threat that armoured vehicles will break down in rising temperatures and the risk to the UK from a collapse in security across the world. Continue reading...

Travellers' rest' stones were idea of Warrington doctor and part of wider scheme to help migrant workersThey are found on busy road junctions, a traffic island and a petrol station forecourt and have been passed by countless numbers of walkers, runners, cyclists and drivers without a second glance.But hiding in plain sight" are fascinating travellers' rest" stones between Liverpool and Manchester that tell a largely forgotten story of 19th-century ingenuity, compassion for migrant workers and a Victorian version of crowdfunding. Continue reading...

Border Force speaking with 23-year-old man in relation to raid and allege illicit substances' had been detected in air cargo