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Bakery chain reports 27% rise in sales, led by strong growth for chicken goujons and potato wedgesGreggs has revealed its sales in large cities and locations near offices are lagging behind those elsewhere in the country amid the shift to working from home.The bakery chain reported a 27.4% rise in sales at established outlets in the 19 weeks to 14 May, led by strong growth for chicken goujons and potato wedges, as sales surged back after the loosening of Covid-19 restrictions. Continue reading...

Safdar Ahmed’s Still Alive: Notes from Australia’s Immigration Detention System lands top prize and $30,000, alongside books by Tony Birch and Kate Holden

Regulator says it wants to deliver price falls quickly to consumers and help suppliers manage riskGreat Britain’s energy regulator has confirmed it is planning to update the energy price cap four times a year from October to allow it and consumers to adjust more quickly to volatile markets.Ofgem on Monday published a consultation on proposals to introduce new reviews of the price cap in January and July, adding to existing changes in April and October. Continue reading...

Hawkesbury council’s Liberal mayor Patrick Conolly was injured in the early hours of Monday morning when six men broke into his house

Friend tells court that Lynette Dawson, who Chris Dawson denies killing in 1982, knew her husband was sleeping with their babysitter

Shoppers warned the price of fresh fruit and vegetables will rise after latest rain event

NSW premier says allowing up to $50,000 or 40% from superannuation accounts for deposits will not solve crisis

Creditor Greensill has received big sum but Grant Thornton decides cost of assessing other claims is too highAdministrators for the collapsed rent-to-own firm BrightHouse, which specialised in loans for big-ticket items such as fridges and sofas, have warned they will not have enough money to compensate thousands of customers who were left with unaffordable debts.The latest report from the accountants Grant Thornton, which is managing the administration, shows a plan to set aside £600,000 for payouts to customers who may have been mis-sold expensive loans by BrightHouse has been scrapped. Continue reading...

Opposition claims government is whipping up fear for election votes as WA premier Mark McGowan slams Peter Dutton’s ‘inflammatory’ rhetoric

Authorities say restrictions to ease in stages after extended lockdown that has sent shockwaves through Chinese economy and global supply chainsShanghai has set out plans for the return of more normal life from 1 June and the end of a painful Covid-19 lockdown that has lasted more than six weeks and contributed to a sharp slowdown in China’s economic activity.In the clearest timetable yet, deputy mayor Zong Ming said on Monday that Shanghai’s reopening would be carried out in stages, with movement curbs largely to remain in place until 21 May to prevent a rebound in infections, before a gradual easing. Continue reading...

Saul Eslake points to ‘unambiguous and unequivocal evidence’ showing such policies lift prices rather than home ownership

Know what’s behind the innocent-sounding names of more than 30 minor and micro parties running this election, and find out what the lesser-known groups are after – before you cast your vote

Omar Abu al-Ouf’s father, mother, brother and sister were all killed in the attack on their apartment building last MayOmar Abu al-Ouf is revising for his final school exams, hoping to do well enough to pursue his dream of becoming an engineer, but it’s difficult for the 17-year-old to focus. His mind constantly drifts to his family, all of whom died last year when an Israeli airstrike destroyed their apartment building in a middle-class neighbourhood of Gaza city.“It’s like he goes somewhere else,” said his grandmother, Manar, in the living room of the boy’s uncle’s house, where he now lives. “His whole family is gone, for nothing.” Continue reading...

Know what’s behind the innocent-sounding names of more than 30 minor and micro parties running this election, and find out what the lesser-known groups are after – before you cast your vote

Thirteen people have been killed in suspected gang violence in Sydney’s west and south-west over the past 18 months

Residents refused to let a few showers stop them enjoying a star-studded show featuring Paul Kelly and Lime Cordiale

Sweden follows Finland in application to join Nato; Nato pledges open-ended military support to Ukraine; British intelligence estimates Russia has lost a third of invasion forceSweden has indicated it will follow Finland in applying for Nato membership. The two countries’ move abandons decades of military non-alignment triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and would redraw the security map of Europe.

Exclusive: chief constables and commissioners criticise plans to make it easier for home secretary to intervenePolice leaders have accused Priti Patel of a “power grab” that would allow the home secretary to intervene in local law enforcement matters and silence chiefs who want to speak out on issues deemed politically sensitive.An extraordinary row has broken out behind the scenes, with police bosses accusing Patel of trying to obtain new powers without parliamentary approval. Continue reading...

Finland and Sweden confirm intention to join Nato, prompted by Russian invasion of Ukraine

Only about a third of children and young people are meeting recommended activity levels, Bristol study findsChildren have become more sedentary and their physical activity levels have deteriorated in the wake of the pandemic even after the lifting of restrictions, a study suggests.Researchers said child physical activity levels fell below national guidelines during the Covid-19 crisis and did not recover when lockdowns ended. Continue reading...

A memorial garden is the most popular option but families and the community have different views on the future of the towerBereaved relatives of those killed in the Grenfell Tower fire and the community living in its shadow are struggling to agree on the best way to commemorate the disaster.Next month marks five years since a fire engulfed the tower block in North Kensington, west London, killing 72 people. Continue reading...

Party confident of winning at least one seat in Brisbane, where it will launch its campaign on Monday

A Gallop Through History pageant included stars such as Tom Cruise and Helen Mirren as well as the Household CavalryThe Queen was honoured with a standing ovation as her platinum jubilee celebrations kicked off with a star-studded equestrian extravaganza featuring some of the world’s leading performers.Hollywood actors Tom Cruise and Dame Helen Mirren – once again playing a queen of England – led the cast of entertainers who appeared in the first major event marking the Queen’s 70-year reign. Continue reading...

Allowing access to up to $50,000 of retirement savings ‘like throwing petrol on a bonfire’, industry super group warns

Police investigating after child dies from wounds after incident in Milnrow, RochdaleA three-year-old boy has died in a suspected dog attack in Greater Manchester, police said. Officers were called by North West ambulance service after the child was injured in the incident in Rochdale at about 1.15pm on Sunday.Greater Manchester police (GMP) said the victim was taken by ambulance to hospital but died from his wounds. Continue reading...

Prime minister gambling move will restart stalled talks as he flies to Belfast for crunch meetingsBoris Johnson is poised to give the green light to controversial legislation on the Northern Ireland protocol this week as he flies to Belfast for crunch meetings, gambling that the move will restart stalled talks.The prime minister warned that it was a “necessity to act” if negotiations with the EU did not resume and said new measures would be put to parliament in the coming days. Continue reading...

Tenth Doctor and his assistant Donna Noble will reappear in episode to celebrate BBC show’s 60th anniversaryDavid Tennant and Catherine Tate will return to Doctor Who for the show’s 60th anniversary celebrations, the BBC has announced.The duo have reunited after 12 years to film scenes that are due to air next year. Continue reading...

Footage seemingly shows protester being hit five times by police as they attempt to arrest him in east LondonThe Metropolitan police are investigating social media footage which appears to show a man being repeatedly struck on the head by officers while on the ground in an incident in east London on Saturday evening.During a pre-planned operation to tackle moped and e-scooter crime in Dalston, an area which is often crowded with food delivery riders, police attempted to arrest a man for immigration offences and a crowd gathered to prevent it. Continue reading...

Where is fighting happening and how did we get here?

Exclusive: Ombudsman demands response from ministers after recommendation to prohibit fully naked body searches of children was ignored

Veteran human rights advocate, a lifelong republican, says Queen has snubbed LGBT+ people for 70 years

DNA shows body exhumed in the country was Protais Mpiranya, Rwanda’s most wanted fugitiveZimbabwe has denied harbouring Rwandan genocide fugitive Protais Mpiranya after it emerged that he died in 2006 and was buried in the country after living there for four years.The 20-year manhunt for one of the world’s most brutal killers came to a decisive end in an overgrown cemetery outside Harare, but Zimbabwean authorities say they did not conceal his whereabouts. Continue reading...

Local chair accuses Richard Holden of ‘wasting police time’ with claims about Durham gathering attended by Keir StarmerLabour activists in Durham have called on a Conservative MP to withdraw allegations made to the police, accusing him of presenting misleading evidence about Keir Starmer.The move was backed by the dean of Durham University’s law school, Prof Thom Brooks, who said the evidence provided by the Conservative MP Richard Holden in a letter to Durham constabulary appeared to have been proven incorrect. Continue reading...

Kenton Cool, 48, was told he would never walk unaided again after injuring both his feet in an accident in 1996A British man has claimed the record for the most ascents of Mount Everest by a foreigner after standing on the summit of the world’s tallest mountain for the 16th time.Kenton Cool from Gloucestershire reached the top of the mountain in Nepal early on Sunday morning, according to a post on his Instagram page. The 48-year-old’s initial push for the summit was delayed due to high winds, which forced his team to wait below the peak. Continue reading...

Local party’s executive walks out en masse over candidate choice, which it says is stitch-up by party HQWakefield’s Labour party executive has walked out of the final selection meeting for the party’s byelection, in protest at the candidate choice, which members termed a stitch-up by Labour HQ.In a rebellion by activists that could harm the party’s chances of taking the crucial West Yorkshire seat, the local party’s executive walked out en masse ahead of the vote on the final two shortlisted candidates. The vote was won by Simon Lightwood, a former staffer for the ex-Labour MP Mary Creagh. Continue reading...

State-controlled e&, formerly known as Etisalat, is now UK mobile phone company’s biggest shareholderA Middle Eastern telecoms group has taken a near-10% stake in Vodafone as the UK mobile phone company comes under pressure for a business shake-up.The state-controlled Emirates Telecommunications Group, which recently rebranded from Etisalat to e&, is now Vodafone’s biggest shareholder after confirming a £3.3bn raid on the UK group on Saturday. Continue reading...

Targeting of Catalan independence leaders and Spanish ministers must be independently investigated, says cybersecurity expertThe use of Pegasus spyware to target both Catalan independence leaders and Spanish politicians – including the prime minister – has plunged Spain into a “crisis of democracy” and national security that can only be tackled with an independent investigation, a leading cybersecurity expert has warned.Last month, researchers at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab revealed that at least 65 individuals connected with the Catalan independence movement had been targeted with spyware between 2017 and 2020. Continue reading...

Judge has found 34-year-old, who needs support with basic tasks, would ‘struggle to survive’ if deportedUrgent legal action has been launched to halt the deportation to Jamaica of a man with such severe learning disabiilties that a judge found he would “struggle to survive” if sent back to the country of his birth.The 34-year-old needs support with basic tasks from his mother and his sister, and is a suspected victim of exploitation. The case has parallels with that of Osime Brown, the young autistic man who faced deportation to Jamaica but won the right to remain in the UK after legal intervention. Continue reading...

Ministry of Defence says Putin’s campaign in the east has lost momentum and has failed to make big gains in past month

Leader Ed Davey says his party is ‘an anti-Tory campaigning machine’ key to removing Boris Johnson from powerThe Liberal Democrats have already begun campaigning for the Tiverton and Honiton byelection before its date has even been set, Ed Davey has said, calling his party “an anti-Tory campaigning machine” which is key to removing Boris Johnson from power.Winning the Devon seat vacated by long-serving Tory Neil Parish, who resigned for watching pornography in the Commons, would be another huge coup for the Lib Dems. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Communities for Ukraine aims to provide a more streamlined route for refugees seeking safety in the UKThey looked pale and exhausted as they waited for their cases – containing the few possessions they were able to pack into their car when they fled their home in Ukraine – at Luton irport’s baggage reclaim.But the smiles of relief beamed out when the family, mum, dad and their three children, stepped into arrivals hall to be greeted by a welcome banner, goody bags and the warm hugs of their host, retired teacher Cora Hall, who has opened up her Staffordshire home as part of a new refugee sponsorship programme. Continue reading...

World’s most valuable company benefits from increase in demand and higher crude pricesSaudi Aramco, the world’s biggest oil company, has announced an 82% rise in quarterly profits to a new record of $39.5bn (£32.2bn), boosted by an increase in demand and higher crude prices.The company, which last week overtook technology group Apple to become the world’s most valuable company, said it would pay an $18.8bn (£15.3bn) dividend and hand out $4bn (£3.2bn) in bonus shares to its investors after the better than expected performance. Continue reading...

Foreign minister criticises ‘sabre-rattling’ from UK amid signs British rhetoric is softening over Northern Ireland protocolPlans to shred parts of the Northern Ireland protocol “would send headlines around the world” that the UK is prepared to break treaties, Ireland’s foreign minister has said, as a British cabinet minister insisted the UK did not intend to break the law.The business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, said the UK had “the right to act in a sovereign way” and to “reopen or re-examine the protocol” but denied the actions would constitute a breach of international law. Continue reading...

Spate of self-disconnections reflects rising costs, punitive debt collection and disproportionately high charges, says charityA food bank charity has called for the energy watchdog to intervene after a spate of reports of penniless families self-disconnecting from their gas and electricity, leaving them unable to wash clothes, use cookers or even switch on lights.Feeding Britain said people on low incomes who used prepayment energy meters were increasingly being pushed into destitution by rising costs, punitive debt collection rules and disproportionately high standing charges. Continue reading...

Celebrations to be spread out across country during extended bank holiday weekend but royal family urge more to get involvedThe UK is preparing to celebrate the platinum jubilee weekend in style, with 1,458 public events and 1,775 street parties or private events officially registered to take place from 2 to 5 June.The celebrations are spread out across the country, with 240 in and around London, 208 around Manchester, 133 near Birmingham, 98 in Scotland – including four in the Orkneys and one on the Isle of Lewis – 21 in Northern Ireland and two in Guernsey. Continue reading...

Many are struggling to pay fee – which is five times higher than administrative cost – and face destitution and deportationBereaved spouses with the right to remain in the UK are facing destitution and deportation because the Home Office is charging them thousands of pounds to stay, the Guardian has learned.People whose British spouses or partners have died are calling on the Home Office to waive the £2,404 fee for the “bereaved partner concession”, which grants a husband or wife indefinite leave to remain. Continue reading...

The memorial of the former prime minister in her home town of Grantham was unveiled without ceremonyWarnings that a new statue of Margaret Thatcher would attract egg throwing protests came true within two hours of it being installed in her home town of Grantham on Sunday.The bronze statue was, without ceremony, placed on a 3m (10ft) high plinth to make it more difficult for protesters to inflict any damage. Continue reading...