West planned for months to repel long-range Iranian attack – but Israel did not need them

Most of the defensive effort appears to have been undertaken by Israeli air defence systems

Quiet planning by the US, UK and other allies to help Israel repel an Iranian long-range attack have been going on for several months or more – but most of the defensive effort appears to have been undertaken by Israeli air defence systems.

The only reported military engagements in support of Israel were a dozen interceptors fired by two US warships in the eastern Mediterranean, while Jordan said its own air defence systems and air force were involved in targeting Iranian missiles.

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Keir Starmer pays back £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality

Prime minister is covering cost of Taylor Swift tickets and designer clothing rental agreement after donations row

Keir Starmer has paid back more than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality, including Taylor Swift tickets and rented clothing for his wife, after a row over his acceptance of freebies.

The prime minister handed back some tickets and gifts he had received since he entered No 10 in July as he vowed to overhaul the rules on what ministers are allowed to accept.

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Israel bans UN secretary-general over anti-Israel actions: ‘Doesn’t deserve to set foot on Israeli soil’ – Fox News

  1. Israel bans UN secretary-general over anti-Israel actions: 'Doesn't deserve to set foot on Israeli soil'  Fox News
  2. Video: UN secretary general calls for ceasefire. Former Israeli prime minister calls him a ‘coward’  CNN
  3. 'The time for empty calls for deescalation is over,' says Israeli UN envoy after Iran missile attack  The Times of Israel
  4. Middle East latest: UN ponders how to calm the conflict as Israel battles militants on two fronts  ABC News
  5. Israel bars UN chief from the country over Iran attack response  Al Jazeera English
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Over 100 rockets cross from Lebanon into northern Israel on Rosh Hashanah – The Jerusalem Post

  1. Over 100 rockets cross from Lebanon into northern Israel on Rosh Hashanah  The Jerusalem Post
  2. IDF: Over 240 rockets fired from Lebanon at north, including 100 this evening  The Times of Israel
  3. Israel at War Day 361 | Israel Eases Emergency Guidelines; IDF Warns Residents of Beirut Suburb to Evacuate  Haaretz
  4. Hezbollah Targets Mossad Headquarters, Military Base Near Tel Aviv  NDTV
  5. Dozens of Lebanon rockets fired toward Israel's North, hits to 4 Metula houses  The Jerusalem Post
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Prosecutors call for 15-year sentence for McCann suspect in unrelated rape trial

Prosecutors say Christian Brückner, main suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, should be kept in preventive detention

German prosecutors have called for a sexual offences conviction and 15-year prison sentence for a man who is also under investigation separately over the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann.

The 47-year-old German national, who has been identified by local media as Christian Brückner, is on trial at the Braunschweig state court in northern Germany over offences he is alleged to have committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.

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Pink Floyd reaches deal with Sony to sell music catalog for $400m – report

British rock band also agree to sell rights to their name and likeness after years of reported infighting among members

Pink Floyd has reportedly reached a deal with Sony to sell their music catalog, as well as their name and likeness, for about $400m.

The British rock band agreed to sell the rights to their recorded music catalog, their name and their likeness, but not the rights to their songwriting, according to the Financial Times, who first reported the news of the deal on Tuesday, citing two people familiar with the matter.

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Keir Starmer tells Brussels press conference it was ‘right’ for him to repay £6,000 worth of gifts – as it happened

Announcement that PM is returning gifts comes after news Labour peer Lord Alli is under investigation by Lords commissioner

Richard Fuller, the Tory chair, is on the conference platform now introducing the morning session.

He starts with thanks to various people who have helped with the conference.

After a frenetic Conference for Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat and Robert Jenrick the tiredness will be kicking in, but also for the teams of advisers who want, and maybe need, their principal to take another go at delivering the twenty-minute speech of their career.

It’s a four hoarse race.

The problem for the party, and for me, is that none of this gossipy chatter has taken the conference attendees much further forward – nor has any of the four taken conference by storm.

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John Boyega to play Otis Redding in new biopic alongside Danielle Deadwyler

Star Wars actor will lead Otis & Zelma, which will celebrate the ‘eternal love story’ between the singer and his wife

John Boyega is set to play Otis Redding in a new film telling the story of the soul singer’s decade-long relationship.

Otis & Zelma will see the Star Wars and Attack the Block actor play the tragic star with the Till breakout Danielle Deadwyler playing his wife, Zelma.

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Hurricane Helene leaves thousands without clean water in its wake

Damage to sewage systems and pipes means widespread boil water notices and conservation orders could last weeks

Hurricane Helene left a path of devastation behind, with storm-ravaged areas struggling to access safe water for days because flooding damaged sewage systems, wastewater treatment plants and pipes that deliver drinking water to residents in the affected areas.

Boiling water advisories and water conservation orders are in place in counties in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia.

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Sellafield ordered to pay nearly £400,000 over cybersecurity failings

Nuclear waste dump in Cumbria pleaded guilty to leaving data that could threaten national security exposed for four years, says regulator

Sellafield will have to pay almost £400,000 after it pleaded guilty to criminal charges over years of cybersecurity failings at Britain’s most hazardous nuclear site.

The vast nuclear waste dump in Cumbria left information that could threaten national security exposed for four years, according to the industry regulator, which brought the charges. It was also found that 75% of its computer servers were vulnerable to cyber-attack.

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