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Tasmanian senator Wendy Askew tells court former defence minister faced aggressive behaviour' that took a toll on her

Change.org says online petition, described as bullying and defamatory by the AOC, was flagged for misinformation' and taken down

Exclusive: Centre for Cities analysis shows more new towns would have to be built than ever before to dent 1.5m targetAngela Rayner has been warned that the government could risk missing its housing targets by placing too much emphasis on creating new towns across England.The deputy prime minister announced plans last month for the largest housebuilding programme since the postwar period", kickstarted by the construction of a generation of new towns. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: Israel's reluctance to compromise is under mounting pressure - will Tehran's intentions change the prospect of peace? Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. Ten months after Israel's invasion of Gaza began, the death toll compiled by health officials there has reached 40,000 - one in 50 of the territory's prewar population. There are thousands more killed by Israeli forces whose bodies have not yet been recovered. Among those known to have died recently are Ayssel and Asser, four-day-old twins killed in an Israeli airstrike along with their mother and grandmother while their father, Mohamed Abuel-Qomasan, was out registering their births.While a ceasefire is catastrophically overdue for Palestinians in Gaza, there is still no sign that one will soon be agreed. A new round of talks yesterday in Doha with Israel and mediators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar were said to have got off to a promising start". They are expected to continue today. But Hamas is not participating.Contaminated blood | Victims of the contaminated blood scandal will begin receiving compensation before the end of the year, with some entitled to more than 2.5m, the government has confirmed. About 3,000 people who contracted HIV or hepatitis C as a result of the infusions have already registered as potential recipients.Ukraine | Volodymyr Zelenskiy has claimed Kyiv's troops have full control over the Russian town of Sudzha, which had a prewar population of 5,000 people and contains infrastructure pumping Russian gas towards Europe. Both Ukraine and Russia claimed advances elsewhere in Kursk region on Thursday.Education | Pupils achieved the best A-level results in a generation on Thursday, with marks that highlighted the growing gap between the strongest and weakest-performing parts of the country.Mpox | Sweden confirmed its first case of the more contagious variant of mpox, a viral infection that spreads through close contact, marking the first time it has been found outside Africa. The person was infected while in a part of Africa where there was a large outbreak of the disease.US news | Five people have been arrested and charged over the death of Matthew Perry, prosecutors said, including the actor's personal assistant and two doctors. The doctors supplied the Friends actor, who died at his Los Angeles home in October 2023, with a large amount of ketamine, the US attorney Martin Estrada said, and took advantage of Mr Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves". Continue reading...

Proposed bans on online ads and inducements would make a difference to problem gambling, campaigners concede

Arrests in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire are in relation to alleged extreme rightwing activity but not connected to Southport riots, says MetTwo teenagers have been charged with terrorism offences in relation to suspected extreme rightwing activity, the Metropolitan police has said.

Paetongtarn was selected as a candidate after a court ruling ousted Srettha Thavisin last weekPaetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of the billionaire former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has been approved as Thailand's next prime minister, after securing enough support from lawmakers.Paetongtarn, 37, will be the youngest prime minister to lead the country. Her appointment on Friday followed 24 hours of frantic negotiations triggered by a court ruling that ousted the former prime minister Srettha Thavisin. Continue reading...

Aaron Govendir originally told police his Dover Heights home had been broken into and he was knocked unconscious, but police have new allegations on wife's cold-case killing

ABM, owned by the billionaire Coates family, was also named and shamed for not paying staff the minimum wageA catering company owned by the billionaire Coates family has reported a return to profit, after it emerged that the company had served food from a mouse-infested kitchen to primary school children and failed to pay staff the minimum wage.ABM Catering Solutions is owned by the Labour donor Peter Coates and his family, including his daughter Denise, who is known for her record-breaking pay deals for running the family's Bet365 gambling empire. Continue reading...

Opposition leader says he refuses to be a punching bag' after saying he doesn't believe people fleeing Gaza should be allowed into Australia

Clade I case comes after World Health Organization declares a global public health emergency

Greens secure amendment to youth justice bill days after Allan government criticised for scrapping commitment to raise age to 14

Former Queensland premier will serve a three-year term, replacing a Coalition appointment - the former Liberal party federal director Tony Nutt

MPower' would be Australia's largest scheme of its kind - with neighbouring councils invited to join in

Two women and two MPs under the age of 50 are on potential list of candidates after current PM Fumio Kishida decided to step downAfter a week in which Japan's citizens braced themselves for a possible megaquake, the biggest seismic shift came from its political epicentre, as the prime minister, Fumio Kishida, announced his decision to step down next month.His three years in office will end in late September when his ruling Liberal Democratic party [LDP] selects a new president, who is assured of being approved as Japan's next prime minister in the LDP-controlled parliament. Continue reading...

Individuals could get up to 2.6m in compensation over blood products that caused HIV and hepatitis CVictims of the contaminated blood scandal will begin receiving compensation before the end of the year, and some people will be entitled to more than 2.5m, the government has confirmed.An outline of the long-awaited compensation scheme was set out in May, after the final report of the infected blood inquiry laid bare what Rishi Sunak, the then UK prime minister, called a decades-long moral failure at the heart of our national life". Continue reading...

In letter to Ilham Aliyev, campaigners urge release of Gubad Ibadoghlu after pre-trial process halted indefinitelyA group of British MPs have called on the Azerbaijan government to free an academic from the London School of Economics and Political Science who was detained after writing articles critical of the country's environmental policies.Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, who is based in the UK, was arrested and held by Azerbaijan authorities while visiting members of his family in July 2023. He has been a prominent critic of the ruling elite in the Eurasian nation, which is preparing to host the Cop29 Climate Summit in November. Continue reading...

Workers in adult gender clinics allege chaotic' administration and out of control' waiting listsThe NHS has set out plans for a review into the safety of adult gender services, in response to detailed concerns raised by the author of the Cass report on gender care for children and young people.Dr Hilary Cass, the leading consultant paediatrician, listed 16 separate points of concern about the quality of treatment being offered to adults with gender dysphoria in a strongly worded letter to NHS England. Continue reading...

Fans in sequins and cowboy hats arrive undeterred at first of five Taylor Swift concerts in LondonThousands of fans have arrived at Wembley stadium in London to see Taylor Swift perform for the first time since her shows in Vienna were cancelled after a foiled terror attack.Despite heightened security concerns, fans have arrived unfazed, wearing sequins, cowboy hats and friendship bracelets. Angelina Morris, 20, said her mum had spent more than 50 hours hand-sewing her outfit and had not thought twice about attending the concert after the attack plot. Continue reading...

The figure given by the strip's health officials does not tell the full story of Palestinian losses, excluding those missing or buried in rubble

Pupils in England delivered strong A-level results this summer, with 42% of entrants getting A* or As in maths. Here are three questions to ponderThe class of 2024 proved exceptional at maths - but are you? Here are some questions pupils faced in last year's A-level exams. The answers are at the bottom.Turn over your exam paper and begin! Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed. For more on the Israel-Gaza war, read our full report:

Stem subjects most popular among this year's students, who secured higher proportion of A*s than pre-Covid yearsAnother year, another cohort of A-level students in England experiencing the unique, nerve-racking experience of results day. Yes, the results are in. And for many more students than expected, the news is good.Here is what we have learned in the course of this year's A-levels ... and be grateful that there will be no exam on it at the end.Additional contribution by Chris Watson and Tural Ahmedzade Continue reading...

US, Qatar, Egypt and Israel meet in Doha in effort to prevent fighting spiralling into region-wide Middle East conflictA new round of negotiations aimed at brokering a ceasefire in the war in Gaza and preventing the fighting from escalating into a region-wide conflict has begun, as the death toll in the Palestinian territory reached a grim milestone of 40,000 people, according to local health authorities.Mediators from the US, Qatar and Egypt met an Israeli delegation in the Qatari capital of Doha on Thursday afternoon, with talks expected to continue into the next day. Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, is not directly participating in the talks, meaning expectations of a breakthrough are low. Continue reading...

Agency says long-running investigation into company run by Tory peer Michelle Mone's husband will be concluded as quickly as possibleThe National Crime Agency has said it is not scared" of lawyers acting for PPE Medpro, the company led by the Conservative peer Michelle Mone's husband, Doug Barrowman, and is progressing an investigation into it as fast as we can".The NCA is conducting a long-running investigation into suspected criminal offences committed in the procurement by PPE Medpro of 203m of government contracts to supply personal protective equipment during the Covid pandemic. Continue reading...

Personal assistant and two doctors among those indicted after Friends star died last October of acute effects of ketamine'Multiple people have been arrested and charged over the death of Matthew Perry, prosecutors said, including the actor's personal assistant and two doctors.The doctors supplied the Friends actor, who died at his Los Angeles home in October 2023, with a large amount of ketamine, the US attorney Martin Estrada said, and took advantage of Mr Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves". Continue reading...

Military commandant's office is being established in city, says president as discussions over prisoner exchanges restartUkraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has claimed Kyiv's troops have full control over the Russian town of Sudzha, which had a prewar population of 5,000 people and contains infrastructure pumping Russian gas towards Europe.Sudzha, roughly six miles inside Russian territory, is the biggest of 80 settlements that Ukraine claims to have taken during the ten days since its surprise incursion into Russia began. Continue reading...

Brazilian president suggests fresh elections or coalition government as potential solutions to political crisisThe Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has made clear he does not yet accept Nicolas Maduro's claim to have been re-elected as Venezuela's president, and has suggested fresh elections or a coalition government as potential solutions to the country's intensifying political crisis.Maduro's claim to have won Venezuela's 28 July vote - despite compelling evidence that he was heavily beaten - has plunged the South American country into uncertainty and spooked regional governments who fear possible conflict and the consolidation of a dictatorship on their doorstep. Continue reading...

Ksenia Khavana jailed for treason over donation to US charity that helps Ukraine

UK foreign secretary will reportedly meet Benjamin Netanyahu amid increasing tensions with Iran

Director general warns that people taking nitazenes, often without knowing it, can absolutely die the very first time'There has never been a more dangerous time to be taking drugs" in Britain, according to the National Crime Agency, which said a rise in deaths from synthetic opioids and a surge in global cocaine production was driving an increased threat to life.Since June last year there have been 284 deaths confirmed from the synthetic opioids nitazenes after a surge in use began last summer. Continue reading...

Joel Souza was shot in same incident that killed Halyna Hutchins and tells Vanity Fair no one deserved this'Joel Souza, the director of the movie Rust, has said that although he survived being shot in the shoulder in the same on-set incident involving Alec Baldwin that killed the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and shocked the industry, a part of him feels like it did not.When I tell someone it ruined me, I don't mean in the sense that people might generally think," he told Vanity Fair in a lengthy interview, speaking publicly for the first time since the tragedy. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed you can read more of our UK political coverage hereChief secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones has said the pay deal offered to train drivers was good deal for the taxpayer", because it was resetting the relationship between government and public sector workers" and preventing strikes.PA Media reports he said:There is a direct cost to the economy if the strikes continue and we need to work together in partnership with workers and trade unions and business in order to get sustainable growth back into the economy. So this is a good deal for the taxpayer, it's a good deal for the economy.Making pensioners freeze, slashing services, cutting defence projects, increasing rail fares and raising tax all to fund inflation busting pay deals for trade union donors are political choices made by Labour. They are choosing to placate their union donors over everyone else. Continue reading...

President says military commandant's office being established in city. This live blog is closedRussia's defence ministry said today that its forces had regained control of the settlement of Krupets in the Kursk region, Reuters reported.Here are some of the latest images from eastern Ukraine. Continue reading...

Emmy-nominated actor says she would catch herself doing a lot of head tilting' after finishing Netflix seriesThe Crown actor Elizabeth Debicki took a long time to shake off the mannerisms of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, whom she portrayed in the award-winning Netflix series.The 33-year-old Australian found herself imitating Diana for a long while" after the filming of the series' sixth and final season, she said. Continue reading...

MAIB report says dinghy that collapsed with 47 onboard in December 2022 was in worse condition than similar vesselsAn investigation into the sinking of a migrant boat in the Channel that claimed at least eight lives in December 2022 has found that the dinghy was wholly unsuitable and ill-equipped" for its hazardous journey and even more poorly constructed than other similar vessels making the crossing.Of those who died, at least four bodies were never recovered and three of the four that were recovered have not yet been formally identified. The body that was identified has been returned to his family. Continue reading...

Over three-quarters of English applicants gain enough points for their favoured coursePrivate schools which could close as a result of the government's plans to impose 20% VAT are already facing big budget shortfalls", Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said.She told Sky News:Private schools are businesses that can make choices about how they manage their budgets, the level of fees that they charge, and ultimately, it's about how attractive they are to families in terms of the numbers of students that are sent there.We have seen private schools in recent years whack up their fees year on year, way beyond inflation, and that has priced out lots of people.Overall, 425,680 applicants (all ages, all domiciles) have been accepted into university or college - an increase on 414,940 (+3%) in 2023.In total, 376,470 students (all ages, all domiciles) have been accepted at their first (UCAS firm') choice, a 4% increase on last year. This represents 82% of those holding an offer who received their decision this morning up from 79% in 2023.The overall number of accepted international students stands at 51,170, in line with 51,210 in 2023. However, accepted applicants from China are slightly down compared to last year - 10,950 (-6%).The top three subjects with the largest increase in total placed applicants are engineering and technology (+11% on last year), architecture, building and planning (+9%) and law (+9%).Acceptances for UK students (all ages) to nursing have risen slightly compared to 2023, with 18,450 applicants securing a place (up 1%). This still represents a decline from the peak seen during the pandemic.I'm particularly thrilled to see free school meals students securing a place at university or college in record numbers. I know how important it is to everyone working in education that every student, no matter their background, has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Widening access and participation is not just about numbers; it's about opening up doors and transforming the lives of students through higher education so they can pursue their passions and career aspirations.Ucas is here to help all applicants take their next step, including students who received different results than expected, or those who are looking to change their mind. Continue reading...

Protests reflect anger at 31-year-old's killing, as well as a failure to address the daily struggles faced by many womenAt the stroke of midnight, thousands of women holding flaming torches and blowing conch shells began to march through dark streets across the state of West Bengal.The processions in the early hours of the morning on Thursday 15 August, India's Independence Day, were part of several days of protest against the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor inside a hospital in the state capital, Kolkata, last week. Continue reading...

Kyiv says it has also launched a major drone attack on four Russian airbases and shot down an enemy jetUkraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has said his country's forces are continuing to advance into Russian territory after their surprise offensive, as Kyiv said it had launched a major" drone attack on four Russian airbases.Zelenskiy said Ukraine's troops had advanced several kilometres in the largest attack on Russia since the second world war. In his nightly address on Wednesday he said Kyiv was achieving its strategic goal in the operation and reiterated his appeal to western partners to allow long-range strikes on targets inside Russia. The bolder the partners' decisions, the less Putin can do," he said. Continue reading...

Kyiv's push into Russia has psychological and political advantages, but it knows Putin cannot let it lie

Four firms including Northern and Greater Anglia unlawfully prosecuted more than 74,000 alleged fare dodgersTens of thousands of prosecutions for alleged fare dodging brought by train companies are to be quashed after a court ruling.Four companies including Northern Trains and Greater Anglia unlawfully prosecuted more than 74,000 passengers in England and Wales using the single justice procedure (SJP), which allowed fast-track magistrates hearings on fare evasion cases to be held behind closed doors. Continue reading...

There are stark differences between north and south England, private and state schools and in Northern Ireland and Wales

Senior aides see challenges from enemies real and perceived as the ex-president struggles against HarrisDonald Trump has privately expressed faith in his campaign leadership and no personnel changes are currently expected, but senior advisers find themselves in the most vulnerable moment as they struggle to frame effective attacks against Kamala Harris, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.The past month, starting with Joe Biden's withdrawal and his endorsement of Harris to succeed him, which propelled her to draw roughly even in key swing state polls, has easily been the most unstable moment for the Trump campaign since its formal launch in late 2022. Continue reading...

Proportion of top grades is best outside pandemic but results in Wales and Northern Ireland fall compared with last year

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Close associate of Nathaniel Train tells Queensland coroner's court they forwarded emails to NSW police hours before deadly shootings

Petition amassing more than 45,000 signatures repeats falsehoods about breakdancer's selection for Paris 2024, says AOC

Transport minister says Rex customers now have certainty they will either fly or get their money back'

Consumer advocate says result from country's biggest energy retailer, as well as AGL's 189% profit rise, don't pass the pub test'

Councils warn misleading codes may lead drivers to fraudulent websites where personal data is stolenMotorists have been urged not to scan QR codes to pay for their parking after a spate of scams that take advantage of the move to mobile payments.The RAC said drivers should be very vigilant" and pay for their parking with cash, card or via official apps, rather than using a QR code that takes them to a website. Continue reading...