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Singer who now goes by Yusuf Islam was set to tour in support of his book, Cat on the Road to Findout, out in the US in OctoberCat Stevens, who now goes by Yusuf Islam, has postponed the North American leg of his book tour due to unspecified visa issues, the singer announced on social media Monday.The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member was set to tour in support of his book, Cat on the Road to Findout, which will release in the US on 7 October and was made available in the UK earlier in September. The book release won't be impacted, Islam wrote, noting that books don't need visas!" Continue reading...

His poetry often explored love and relationships and he wrote books for children including Gargling With JellyBrian Patten, who made his name in the 1960s as one of the most prominent Liverpool poets, has died, his agent has confirmed. Patten was 79.His poetry often featured lyrical explorations of love and relationships and he also wrote books for children. Continue reading...

Three men had fled in taxi after allegedly piloting vessel carrying 3.65 tonnes of cocaine to Galicia, Spanish police sayPolice in Spain have arrested three men thought to have piloted a narco-submarine" carrying more than 3.6 tonnes of cocaine from South America to the north-western region of Galicia, after the trio's wet clothes, accents and claims to be pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago raised suspicions.The investigation, which has led to a total of 14 arrests, began in August after Policia Nacional officers, working with the US Drug Enforcement Agency, detected an alleged drug-smuggling gang based in the Galician town of Outes that was said to be concealing its activities by posing as a company selling and repairing nautical equipment. Continue reading...

Ministers signal Labour will take stronger approach to attacking Reform rather than just respond to crazy things they're saying'

British companies are trialling no-shoes policies as a way to improve focus, comfort and morale - but not everyone is convincedSlippers, socks and the occasional novelty toe warmer are fast becoming part of the office dress code for startups hoping to ease stress and boost creativity.It might sound like a gimmick conjured up during a yoga retreat, but asking staff to leave their shoes at the door taps into something more serious: how to make the workplace feel a little less like work. Continue reading...

The Israeli PM threatens to finish the job' if Hamas does not agree. Plus, do AI actors' pose an existential threat to their human counterparts?Good morning.President Donald Trump and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, have given Hamas an ultimatum, warning the militant group to accept their 20-point peace plan or face the consequences.What does the plan call for? A ceasefire, a swap of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas disarmament and a transitional government led by an international body.Head to our live blog for the latest updates.What healthcare provisions are Democrats demanding? An extension of subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans, which expire at the end of the year, and a reversal of Medicaid cuts.How would a shutdown be received? 45% of voters would blame congressional Republicans for a shutdown, while 32% would blame Democrats, according to polling from Morning Consult. Continue reading...

Thames Valley police say any speculation is unfounded and unhelpful as they investigate weekend attackThere is no information to link the rape of a woman by a group of men in a Banbury churchyard to migrant accommodation, police have said as they attempt to quell online speculation.The woman, who is in her 30s, was raped by a group of men in the grounds of St Mary's church and the surrounding area of Banbury town centre overnight on Saturday, Thames Valley police said. Continue reading...

Despite signs of rising prices, economists believe the Reserve Bank's choice is still when, not whether, to cut rates further

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Vietnamese authorities said the typhoon was the most devastating storm to hit the country this yearThe death toll from Typhoon Bualoi in south-east Asia has risen to more than 30, as heavy rains continued to lash the region.In Vietnam, authorities said 19 people had been killed, with 21 still missing, making it the most devastating storm to hit the country this year. Heavy rains on Tuesday raised the risk of more flooding and landslides in northern regions. Continue reading...

Productivity commission under fire for failing to consult Australian artists about copyright issues around AI recommendations

National cyber security centre raises alert level to caution' as technicians race to restore government systems after battery fire sparked nationwide chaosSouth Korea's intelligence agency has raised the national cyber threat level, amid concerns that hackers could take advantage of the chaos caused by a fire at a government datacentre that paralysed critical digital infrastructure across the country.The national cybersecurity centre, operating under the intelligence service, elevated the alert from attention" to caution" on Monday, citing fears hackers could exploit vulnerabilities as recovery work continues. Continue reading...

The community development program required those in remote areas - mostly Indigenous people - to work more than city-based participants

Anthony Albanese applauds commitment to denying Hamas a role in any future governance of Gaza, and urges Hamas to agree to the terms

Members were told on Tuesday the mixed dining trial was over three months earlier than planned

In a combative speech, the prime minister will pledge to raise living standards and face down' threats of a volatile worldKeir Starmer will attempt to brush aside critics of his economic strategy by insisting it can be the antidote to division" being sown by the populist right.Under pressure to be more radical, the prime minister will tell the Labour party on Tuesday that economic growth can either build a nation or it can it pull it apart" depending on who and which parts of the country might benefit. Continue reading...

The US president has won regional backing, but Hamas's response and Israel's intentions leave the outcome in doubtAt first glance, the 20-point plan outlined by President Trump and agreed by Benjamin Netanyahu appears more likely to end the two-year conflict in Gaza than anything we have seen so far. Trump has sunk a lot of political capital in bringing peace to the Middle East after thousands of years", as he put it. There is apparent deep and wide regional support and, seemingly, that of the Israeli prime minister.But this is less a detailed roadmap than a rough back of an envelope sketch that allows an equal chance of getting badly lost as reaching the desired destination. Continue reading...

Organization earlier this year came to the tech mogul's aid over his widely criticized salutes at Trump's inaugurationElon Musk has accused the Anti-Defamation League, one of the most prominent Jewish organizations in the US, of being a hate group" against Christians, suggesting that it encourages murder.The ADL hates Christians, therefore it is is [sic] a hate group," Musk responded on Sunday night to an X account that posts anti-immigrant content. Continue reading...

Demonstrations over water and power cuts inspired by gen-Z' protests elsewhere have left at least 22 dead, says UNMadagascar's president, Andry Rajoelina, has dissolved the government after youth-led protests over water and power cuts in which the UN says at least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 injured.Inspired by the gen Z" protests in Kenya and Nepal, the three days of demonstrations are the largest the Indian Ocean island has seen in years, and the most serious challenge Rajoelina has faced since his re-election in 2023. Continue reading...

Canadian government accuses the Lawrence Bishnoi gang of being involved in murder of prominent Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar near VancouverCanada's federal government has announced that a powerful and ruthless Indian gang which uses murder, shootings and arson" to extort and intimidate diaspora communities - and has alleged links to India's ruling government - has been designated as a terrorist entity.Canada has accused the Lawrence Bishnoi gang of possible involvement in the murder of prominent Sikh activist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar near Vancouver. Continue reading...

Mayor of Greater Manchester says he would have to be wrenched' out of city and says he wants UK to rejoin EUIn her Today interview Rachel Reeves was asked about a FT report saying she will urge business leaders to highlight the risks of a Reform UK government in her speech later.The FT say Reeves will tell the Labour conference.Who is standing up for Britain's stability. A Labour government that is resolute in cutting interest rates and borrowing or a Reform party that cheered on Liz Truss' mini-budget?Who is standing up for Britain's businesses? A Labour government that is forging a closer relationship with our nearest trading partners or a Reform party that talks Britain down and is hungry to cut us off from the world? Continue reading...

Both there and not there, no minister dares mention his name but he's etched on to everyone's subconscious

A third of Etosha national park has been burned despite efforts of volunteers, who say troops were sent in too lateWildfires that raged through one of Africa's largest national parks have been brought under control, Namibia's government has said, amid criticisms over the response mechanism and limited resources.The fire broke out in Etosha national park, in the arid desert nation's north, on 22 September. The government said it suspected charcoal production next to the park, which is home to 114 mammal species including the critically endangered black rhino, was to blame. Continue reading...

Yasmeen Ali, 43, accused of killing seven-year-old Fares Bash, three-year-old Joury Bash and nine-month-old Mohammed BashA woman has been charged with murder after three siblings, including a baby, were found dead at a house in Bristol.Yasmeen Ali, 43, is accused of murdering seven-year-old Fares Bash, three-year-old Joury Bash and nine-month-old Mohammed Bash. Continue reading...

Telecoms disrupted nationwide after authorities cut fibre-optic connections in several provinces to prevent vice'A huge communications blackout has hit Afghanistan after Taliban authorities began severing fibre-optic connections in several provinces to prevent vice".A nationwide telecoms blackout is now in effect," said Netblocks, a watchdog organisation that monitors cybersecurity and internet governance. Continue reading...

Men removed from US by Ice say they were held near Accra then taken over border and left without passports or IDWest Africans deported by the US to Ghana are now fending for themselves in Togo after being dumped in the country without documents, according to lawyers and deportees.The latest chapter in Donald Trump's deportation programme, their saga became public earlier this month when the Ghanaian president, John Mahama, disclosed that his country had struck a deal to accept deportees from the region. Continue reading...

Chief commercial officer Luke Miels to take over as CEO at Britain's second-biggest drugmaker

Performance of the once controversial poem was planned for its 40th anniversary but will now double as a tribute to writer who died last weekTony Harrison's state-of-the-nation poem V is to be performed in the Leeds cemetery that directly inspired the Yorkshire writer, who died last week.The seeds of V, first printed in the London Review of Books (LRB) in 1985, were sown when Harrison visited his parents' graves at Holbeck cemetery in Beeston and found the graveyard to be vandalised and daubed with racist graffiti. In the poem Harrison used this location of the family plot", where he envisions his own epitaph, to represent a divided and dejected society, juxtaposing the inscriptions on tombstones with spray-painted expletives. Continue reading...

Motion backed by unions calls for tougher action, including trade suspension, to end risk of UK complicity

Modella Capital warns of inevitable' closures and job losses at accessories chain while administrators will run remaining stores

Protesters aged between 21 and 83 held on suspicion of supporting proscribed terror group at rally in LiverpoolPolice have arrested 66 people, including an 83-year-old, on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action at a rally outside the Labour party conference in Liverpool.Dozens of protesters gathered outside the venue on Sunday, many holding signs that read: I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action." Continue reading...

Chancellor says world has changed' and UK not immune to effects of wars, US tariffs and higher borrowing costs

Optus says it confirmed the welfare of all callers who called triple zero after an issue affected Illawarra region in NSW

A pedestrian was allegedly struck on Exhibition Street before boys abandoned car and fled on foot, police say

Judge says Tufi Junior Tauese-Auelua, who assisted in targeted attack in 2022, was used as muscle for third parties'

PAS garners 50.03% of vote after more than 99.5% of ballots counted in poll deciding whether country steers closer to EU or RussiaMoldova's ruling pro-European party has retained its parliamentary majority after Sunday's pivotal election, seen as a test of the president's push to keep the country of 2.4 million on track for EU membership rather than drifting back towards Moscow.With more than 99.5% of the ballots counted, Maia Sandu's pro-western Action and Solidarity party (PAS) garnered 50.03% of the vote to elect members of the 101-seat parliament. Continue reading...

Telco says nine 000 emergency services calls failed during outage in Dapto region and apologises to customers

Consultation comes after concerns raised about impact of membership on investigations, promotions and misconduct'The Metropolitan police are considering measures that could require officers to inform superiors if they are a member of the Freemasons after concerns were raised about the impact that being part of the group could have.The force, which is the largest in the country, has started a consultation on adding the group to its declarable associations policy. Continue reading...

Opposition leader unconcerned by speculation over possible Liberal leadership tilt by shadow home affairs minister

Eliza Manningham-Buller points to extent of cyber-attacks and other hostile activity orchestrated by MoscowBritain may already be at war with Russia because of the depth and intensity of cyber-attacks, sabotage and other hostile activity orchestrated by Moscow against the UK, according to a former head of MI5.Eliza Manningham-Buller, who led the domestic spy agency two decades ago, said she agreed with comments made by the Russia expert Fiona Hill, who argued in a Guardian interview earlier this year that Moscow was at war with the west. Continue reading...

EU officials warn climate breakdown and wildlife loss are ruining ecosystems that underpin the economy'The European way of life is being jeopardised by environmental degradation, a report has found, with EU officials warning against weakening green rules.The continent has made important progress" in cutting planet-heating pollution, according to the European Environment Agency, but the death of wildlife and breakdown of the climate are ruining ecosystems that underpin the economy.More than 80% of protected habitats are in a poor or bad state, with unsustainable" consumption and production patterns driving loss of wildlife.The EU's carbon sink" has declined by about 30% in a decade as logging, wildfires and pests damage forests.Emissions from transport and food have barely budged since 2005, despite progress in other sectors.Member states have failed to adapt to extreme weather as fast as risk levels have risen.Water stress already affects one in three Europeans and will worsen as the climate changes. Continue reading...

Secretary of state Marco Rubio welcomes release as important step forward' as Taliban seek to normalise relations with USThe Taliban on Sunday freed a US citizen from an Afghan prison, weeks after they said they had reached an agreement with US envoys on a prisoner exchange as part of an effort to normalise relations.US secretary of state Marco Rubio welcomed the release of Amir Amiry, saying it marked the administration's determination, reinforced by Donald Trump's recent executive order, to protect American nationals from wrongful detention abroad. Continue reading...

The country's fastest bird has taken out the top prize in a scandal-free year for the annual pollNew Zealand's fastest bird, capable of flying 200km/h in its pursuit of prey, has been crowned bird of the year - a long-running annual competition that has previously been a lightning rod for scandal and hijinks.The threatened krearea is New Zealand's only falcon. It is small and tawny, with impressive talons and large dark eyes. Krearea are powerful aerial hunters and watch other birds, lizards or small mammals - sometimes larger than themselves - from a high vantage point before diving at high speed to snatch their prey. Continue reading...

Australian PM received a hero's welcome in Liverpool but his UK counterpart navigates a very different political landscape

Festival made 3.4m profit in 2024, generating 2.6m dividend for its parent company, part of Live NationPet Shop Boys and The Prodigy helped the Isle of Wight music festival increase its profits last year, generating a 2.6m dividend for its parent company, a division of the events industry's biggest player, Live Nation.In a year when many smaller music festivals lost money or were cancelled amid wet weather and soaring costs, the summer showpiece on the island, a ferry ride across the Solent from England's southern coast, managed to prosper. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Chancellor also set to unveil plans to get young people back into work in party conference speechRachel Reeves will deliver a library in every primary school in England as part of Labour's plans to give all children the best start in life regardless of their background.The scheme, which will create libraries in the 1,700 primaries currently without them, will be funded from 132.5m of dormant assets that will be unlocked to give young people access to cultural opportunities. Continue reading...

Defend Our Juries says about 100 people had gathered holding signs outside conference venue in LiverpoolPolice have arrested protesters on suspicion of supporting the banned group Palestine Action outside the Labour party conference in Liverpool.About 100 people gathered silently on Sunday to hold signs reading I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action", according to protest organisation Defend Our Juries, who said there were dozens of arrests. Continue reading...

Greater Manchester mayor calls for change as he continues criticism of party under Starmer at conference fringe eventAndy Burnham has said there is a climate of fear in Labour and it needs to change, as he defended his actions in launching a debate" about the future of the party - seen by many as a challenge to Keir Starmer.The Greater Manchester mayor has prompted outrage within No 10 and among cabinet ministers after he said last week that many MPs had urged him to run as Labour leader and questioned the government's economic approach. Continue reading...

Energy minister says platform's owner Elon Musk is a dangerous man' who is part of a global network of right'It's possible" the government should come off X, Ed Miliband has said, because Elon Musk is a dangerous man".The energy minister said Musk was part of a global network of the far right" that includes Nigel Farage. Continue reading...

New York City mayor abandons faltering bid to win re-election in social media video set to strains of song My WayThe mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, announced on Sunday that he is abandoning his faltering bid to win re-election, just over a month before election day, delivering the message in a social media video set to the strains of My Way.Adams, who was trailing in the polls, was elected as a Democrat but ran for re-election as an independent after he was indicted on federal corruption charges, which were then dropped by the Trump administration in exchange for his cooperation on immigration raids. Continue reading...