Post Office had ‘no interest’ in exonerating operators, says former chair

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Henry Staunton tells inquiry Post Office and government ‘dragged their feet’ on compensation for Horizon IT failures

The former chair of the Post Office has told a public inquiry there was no interest at all in the exoneration of post office operators at the state-owned body, arguing it and the government “dragged their feet” making compensation payments.

Henry Staunton, who was sacked by the former business secretary Kemi Badenoch in January, said that his first impression upon taking up the role in late 2022 was there wasn’t an acceptance among management of the conclusions of damning high court judgments that the Post Office had been wrong to pursue prosecutions.

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Small firms face near-30% rise in water bills, Ofwat letter reveals

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Businesses in England and Wales say they are paying for ‘historic errors’ by water suppliers

Small businesses have accused water suppliers of saddling them with the cost of “historic errors” made by bosses in the scandal-hit industry, as it emerged their bills will rise nearly 30% by 2030.

The water industry regulator, Ofwat, has told businesses that it expects average wholesale charges for non-household customers – which include small firms, charities and hospitals – to increase by about 27% before inflation over the next five years, outstripping the anticipated rise in household bills.

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Cruise ship stuck in Belfast for four months to return hours after leaving

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Villa Vie Odyssey reportedly forced to sail back to Northern Ireland to complete paperwork

The luxury cruise liner stranded in Belfast for four months is reportedly to port only hours after it set sail to cheers and applause from the 125 passengers who thought when they departed on Monday they were finally on their way around the globe.

The Ville Vie Odyssey only made it a few miles out of Belfast lough, however, before it dropped anchor again for the night. Passengers were told it would finally depart at 11pm on Tuesday.

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Pro-Palestinian protesters call NSW police attempt to block rally on 7 October ‘an attack on fundamental democratic rights’

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Exclusive: police will ask state supreme court to prevent the protests due to safety concerns as Palestine Action Group says it ‘unequivocally opposes’ move

The organisers behind the weekly pro-Palestine protests have criticised New South Wales Police for their decision to apply to the state’s supreme court to prevent two rallies from going ahead on 6 and 7 October.

Palestine Action Group (PAG) had informed police of the protests and submitted the required paperwork request, known as form 1, for both.

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Biden urges port operators to increase wages after 45,000 workers go on strike

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Strike – the first by port workers on US east coast since 1977 – threatens to shut down ports from Maine to Texas

Joe Biden has urged port operators to give workers a “meaningful increase” in pay after tens of thousands went on strike, prompting some of the busiest ports in the US to brace for crippling disruption.

About 45,000 port workers represented by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) began walking off the job after their contracts expired at midnight, with 36 ports along the east and Gulf coasts affected. They typically handle about half of the nation’s ocean shipping.

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Julian Assange says he ‘chose freedom over unrealisable justice’

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WikiLeaks founder says he pleaded ‘guilty to journalism’ in deal for his release and calls for protection of press freedom

Julian Assange has said he chose freedom “over unrealisable justice” as he described his plea deal with US authorities and urged European lawmakers to act to protect freedom of expression in a climate with “more impunity, more secrecy [and] more retaliation for telling the truth”.

In his first public statement since the plea deal in June ended his nearly 14 years of prison, embassy confinement and house arrest in the UK, the WikiLeaks founder argued that legal protections for whistleblowers and journalists “only existed on paper” or “were not effective in any remotely reasonable time”.

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Many children feared dead after fire on school bus in Thailand

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Double-decker coach carrying 38 children and teachers reportedly caught fire after crashing with burst tyre

More than 20 people, including young children, are feared dead after their school coach caught fire during a field trip on the outskirts of the Thai capital, Bangkok.

The double-decker coach, which was carrying 38 students and six teachers, is reported to have caught fire after a burst tyre caused the vehicle to scrape along a metal crash barrier, creating sparks that ignited the petrol tank.

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Doctors issue stark warning as Louisiana reclassifies abortion pills

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Officials class mifepristone and misoprostol as ‘controlled substances’ – which medics say could imperil women’s lives

Two common abortion pills are, as of Tuesday, classified as “controlled substances” in Louisiana, due to a first-of-its-kind law that medical professionals warn will endanger the lives of women by restricting medication used to treat postpartum hemorrhage and other conditions.

Louisiana, which already bans abortion, passed a law reclassifying mifepristone and misoprostol as schedule IV drugs – a designation typically reserved for drugs that carry a risk of abuse or dependence. People caught with the drugs without a valid prescription could face up to five years in prison, although pregnant women who procure it for their own use are exempted from punishment under the law.

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Walz-Vance debate: when is it and how can I watch?

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The debate between the Ohio senator and Minnesota governor will be hosted by CBS News at 9pm ET on Tuesday

Tim Walz and JD Vance will face off Tuesday night in the first – and only – vice-presidential debate before the November election. With the campaigns currently neck-and-neck in the polls, and with voting under way in some states, it’s a chance for the would-be vice-presidents to introduce themselves to a wide US audience.

While VP debates don’t usually tip the scales much, they could matter in a close race – and they build profiles for lower-profile politicians who will probably stay on the national scene for years to come.

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US couple blocked from suing Uber after crash say daughter agreed to Uber Eats terms

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New Jersey appeals court sides with ride-hailing company, saying arbitration provision in terms was ‘valid’

A New Jersey couple seriously injured when their Uber driver ran a red light and collided with another car has lost a bid to take legal action against the company in court.

John McGinty and Georgia McGinty argue Uber is enforcing an arbitration agreement after their daughter clicked “agree” when presented with updated terms and conditions while ordering food via her mom’s Uber Eats account.

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Girl, 14, sustains potentially life-changing injuries in ‘acid’ attack at London school

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Substance, believed to be acidic, was thrown at pupils and staff at a west London school, say police

A teenage girl has been left with potentially life-changing injuries after a substance, believed to be acidic, was thrown at pupils and staff at a west London school, according to police.

Officers on patrol were flagged down at 4.42pm on Monday by staff at Westminster academy in Alfred Road after the substance was allegedly thrown.

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Shigeru Ishiba, Japan’s newly elected prime minister, forms Cabinet with emphasis on defense – The Associated Press

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  1. Shigeru Ishiba, Japan’s newly elected prime minister, forms Cabinet with emphasis on defense  The Associated Press
  2. Japan's new PM Ishiba unveils cabinet ahead of snap election  Reuters
  3. Japanese parliament confirms Ishiba as new PM  Al Jazeera English
  4. What Japan’s New Prime Minister Means for the US  POLITICO
  5. A party’s seven-decade dominance raises concerns for Japan’s democracy  The Washington Post
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Australia financially assisting some citizens to leave Lebanon as Israel launches ground incursion

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It is thought there are 15,000 Australians in Lebanon, and plans for an emergency evacuation have been in place for months

The federal government is understood to be financially assisting some Australians in Lebanon to leave the country as part of an escalated bid to expatriate citizens as Israel begins a ground incursion.

Guardian Australia understands Beirut-Rafic Hariri international airport – the only operational commercial airport in Lebanon – remains open and both Australian passport and visa holders were being assisted on to flights by diplomatic staff. An estimated 15,000 Australians are in Lebanon.

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Israeli Forces Conduct Operations in Lebanon After Crossing Border Overnight – The Wall Street Journal

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  1. Israeli Forces Conduct Operations in Lebanon After Crossing Border Overnight  The Wall Street Journal
  2. Israel begins ground incursion in southern Lebanon  CNN
  3. Israeli military orders evacuation of several Lebanese communities near the border  The Associated Press
  4. Israel Launches Invasion Into Southern Lebanon: Live Updates and News  The New York Times
  5. Israeli Special Forces Launch Raids Into Lebanon Ahead of Expected Ground Incursion  The Wall Street Journal
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School bus catches fire outside Bangkok and more than 20 are feared dead, officials say – The Associated Press

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  1. School bus catches fire outside Bangkok and more than 20 are feared dead, officials say  The Associated Press
  2. As many as 25 children, teachers feared killed in Thai school bus blaze  UPI News
  3. 25 feared dead after school bus catches fire in Thailand  NBC News
  4. Multiple deaths in school bus fire in Thailand: PM  Yahoo! Voices
  5. School bus catches fire outside Bangkok and 25 on board are feared dead, government officials say  New York Post
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Controversial Queensland mayor labels Steven Miles’ move to oust him a ‘political hit job’

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Premier issues show cause notice to Troy Thompson as investigation into the Townsville mayor’s military service record continues

The Queensland premier, Steven Miles, has launched an 11th hour bid to stand down controversial north Queensland mayor Troy Thompson as the Labor state government enters caretaker mode and faces an uphill state reelection campaign.

Miles’ office confirmed on Tuesday it had sent a show cause to the Townsville mayor.

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Woman killed in NT town’s second suspected DV death since July

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Emergency services unable to save 22-year-old after responding to reports of a distressed man in Katherine on Monday night

A woman has been killed in a suspected domestic violence assault in the Northern Territory.

Emergency services found the 22-year-old after responding to reports of a distressed man on O’Shea Terrace in Katherine on Monday night.

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In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org

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