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Reba McEntire, Lily Tomlin, Dionne Warwick, Kacey Musgraves, Donald Trump and others mourn star’s deathDolly Parton dies aged 80 | Celebrity tributes | A life in picturesParton’s peerless career turned country music cliches inside outShare your tributes and memories of Dolly PartonOur picture editors have collated Dolly Parton’s life in pictures:In the UK, top radio presenter Jo Whiley introduced her BBC Radio 2 evening show by playing I Will Always Love You, Jolene and 9 to 5 in tribute to Dolly Parton after her death was announced in the 7pm news headlines. Continue reading...

Follow updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAngela Jackson, the commissioner of the Productivity Commission, said the body stands by the interim report into the GST, which found the deal with Western Australia to be a costly mistake that should be reversed.Jackson spoke to RN this morning after WA premier Roger Cook said “east coast clowns” didn’t understand the state and any changes would “rip $6bn out of the Western Australia economy”.We are aiming, of course, to inform public policy debate, which can often get heated. Our view is that a line was crossed in terms of the nature of those comments from the Western Australian premier last month.We welcome debate and we welcome criticism of our work and our report more broadly because it makes our work stronger. But to undermine and I guess attack our integrity, I think is an additional bridge too far. And I think something that more broadly we are seeing in public debate internationally.It’s important for us to indicate that that process will not be influenced by the prime minister’s comments, that we are above politics, and that’s a very important position that we hold within the public policy landscape in Australia. Continue reading...

In today’s newsletter: A collapsing trade deal has united Canadians more than ever, in an existential confrontation with the US presidentGood morning. When the Guardian asked Canadian readers whether they planned to boycott US products after dramatic escalations in the ongoing DC/Ottawa trade war, we received more than 2,000 responses within 12 hours.This inundation is perhaps evidence of the existential crisis many Canadians feel they now face, something often lost in the granular reporting of trade negotiations: this is about so much more than the price of lumber.US news | Dolly Parton, one of the greatest singer-songwriters in country music who was also much cherished for her philanthropy, has died aged 80.UK news | UK citizens will be told to stock up on tinned food and take steps to ensure they are prepared for national emergencies as part of a new government campaign to improve the nation’s resilience.UK politics | Andy Burnham will face an immediate test of his backing for electoral reform in his first week in parliament as prime minister, with almost 100 Labour MPs supporting a bid for a new national commission.Ukraine | A man from South Yorkshire is believed to be the first British citizen to die fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine.Climate crisis | The carbon emissions from just two planned datacentres in England will exceed all of the fossil fuel company ExxonMobil’s UK emissions, analysis has revealed. Continue reading...

State’s child safety minister Amanda Camm confirms police are investigating alleged attack west of BrisbaneA Queensland teenager has allegedly been raped in a state-funded residential care home in what has been described as a “heinous” act.A staff member is accused of assaulting the girl, who is understood to be intellectually impaired, at the home west of Brisbane. Continue reading...

Spectrum Building leaseholders awaiting payouts after freeholder, Arinium, went bankrupt shortly after 2024 blazeSarah Williams vividly remembers the night in 2016 when she camped overnight in a car park to put down a deposit on a flat in the newly completed Spectrum Building in Dagenham, east London.“People started queuing for those flats 24 hours before they went on sale,” she said. “It was basically the only flat I could afford in London. This was a year before Grenfell, and the flats market in London was completely crazy.” Continue reading...

As photojournalist sentenced to 15 years, rights groups warn law would turn civic engagement into security crimeIran has taken the first step towards criminalising contact with foreign media, in a move human rights groups have said attempts to “sever the entire Iranian society from the rest of the world”.For journalists, researchers and even ordinary citizens, the proposed law being discussed by Iranian lawmakers this month could make speaking to international audiences and groups a potential criminal act and restrict coverage of events such as January’s mass anti-regime protests. Continue reading...

MPs tell regulator they are ‘deeply concerned’ over interim CEO Phil Walker’s roles at William Hill and Game NationThe national lottery is facing questions over its new boss’s record in the gambling industry, including a lucrative role in the 24-hour slot machine sector singled out by the prime minister as a blight on British high streets.Allwyn UK, which holds a licence to run the Lottery until 2034, said last week that it had appointed William Hill’s former UK and Ireland boss Phil Walker as its interim chief executive, replacing Andria Vidler. Continue reading...

NHS ombudsman warns of years-long waits and patients paying thousands to go private as demand for services soarsComplaints about autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder services in England have more than tripled in five years, official figures show, with the NHS ombudsman warning of years-long waits and patients paying thousands of pounds for private care.One woman was removed from an ADHD medication waiting list without warning after almost four years, leaving her without the support she needed for about six months. Another patient was given an autism assessment lasting just 50 minutes that failed to follow guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, while a man referred to an ADHD service that was not yet operational ended up paying almost £4,000 for private treatment. Continue reading...

The incumbent senator Dan S Sullivan has condemned ex-school teacher Dan J Sullivan, claiming he is running at the behest of Democrats to confuse supportersRepublican senator Dan S Sullivan will be joined on the November ballot in Alaska by a challenger with a nearly identical name from the same party, election officials confirmed on Tuesday, adding a twist to what is expected to be one of the most hotly contested races of the midterms.The Republican senator is running for a third term against Democrat Mary Peltola, a former US House representative whom polls show is neck-and-neck with him in a state that hasn’t sent a Democrat to the Senate since 2008. Continue reading...

Matt Stanton says company has ‘good pipeline’ of AI deals ahead even as it aims to cut $160m in costsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe head of Nine Entertainment sees a “world of growth in publishing” on the horizon backed by laws designed to force tech platforms into commercial deals, even as the network cuts costs across its newsrooms.Parliament passed revamped media bargaining laws last week, clearing the way for levies on global tech platforms that fail to strike deals with Australian news outlets for the use of their journalism. Continue reading...

Protests and petitions planned amid growing concerns over impact of climate crisis on numbers of Alpine rodentAnimal rights campaigners are gearing up for protests and petitions aimed at persuading the French government to ban the hunting of Alpine marmots.Open season on the rodents, members of the squirrel and groundhog family, begins in September, a few weeks before they go into a long winter hibernation. Continue reading...

Yorgen Fenech tells jury he had nothing to do with killing and alleges top adviser to Malta’s then PM was instigatorA businessman on trial for the murder of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has spoken about the charges for the first time in court since his arrest seven years ago, telling the jury he was framed by police and had nothing to do with the killing.During four days of questioning by defence and the prosecution lawyers, Yorgen Fenech, 44, accused the most senior adviser to Malta’s prime minister of giving the go-ahead for the murder. Continue reading...

Internal calls to end war get louder as Gulf neighbours plan alternative pipelines to cut reliance on waterwayIs the strait of Hormuz, recently cited by the office of the Iranian supreme leader as “the pillar of Iran’s new security order”, and as transformative as possessing a nuclear weapon, in reality becoming a fast-diminishing asset, leaving Iran increasingly vulnerable to the new planned US wave of economic sanctions?It is the key debate that is raging inside Iran, with many different conclusions being drawn for Tehran’s negotiating strategy. Those who warn the strait’s value as a chokehold on the world economy will erode, leaving the country without foreign exchange reserves, argue that Iran’s negotiators should seek a deal soon. Continue reading...

Commissioner Virginia Bell resists push to extend antisemitism inquiry noting need for timely recommendationsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCommissioner Virginia Bell says she will delay – by four days – handing down her final report into antisemitism and social cohesion, in order not to distract from commemorations of the Bondi terror attack.On Wednesday, the last day of public hearings of the royal commission, Bell resisted a public push to extend the commission’s work. Continue reading...

Retailer Target pulled a children's Halloween costume from its shelves after widespread social media backlash, apologizing for selling a garment critics said evoked racist minstrel caricatures.

It is believed to be one of the largest mass kidnappings in Haiti in recent years, and one gang leader is threatening to kill the hostages if authorities kill any gang members as they try to secure the community nestled in the hills above Port-au-Prince.

Storm systems are named by the World Meteorological Organization

Ratcliffe’s purpose and meetings in Russia are not immediately clear but it marks the first known trip from a US spy chief since November 2021

Trump threatens to launch new strikes on nuclear site as well as Iranian military ships in the key waterway

Dolly Parton was a beloved icon whose influence spans music, film and philanthropy

An ICE agent charged in Minnesota with firing his gun through a house door, striking a man in his leg, and then lying to justify the shooting, could walk out of a South Texas jail if a federal judge does not intervene

It is believed to be one of the largest mass kidnappings in Haiti in recent years, and one gang leader is threatening to kill the hostages if authorities kill any gang members as they try to secure the community nestled in the hills above Port-au-Prince.

Iran is betting global economic fallout and Republicans worried about the midterms will force Trump's retreat.

Two explosions have hit a fireworks facility in Tultepec, Mexico, sending a spectacular mix of flames and explosions

A truck hit a natural gas pipeline near Saxon, Wisconsin prompted nearby residents to evacuate.

Russia’s biggest online retailer, Wildberries, has once again been attacked in a drone strike by Ukraine.

A malfunction in an air conditioning unit is believed to have triggered the blaze at a government hospital in Islamabad.

Sudan Doctors Network says SPLM-N rebels killed 27 people in South Kordofan, including four children.

Meta is on trial over claims it hooked young users on its platforms despite mental health risks.

One scientist says there are thousands of sites across the UK that need investigating.

Chloe Moffat died last year, after she was told of allegations she had shared sensitive confidential information about colleagues, which she denied.

The tributes have included artists across musical genres, fans from all generations and politicians from all spectrum sharing their love for the country icon.

The death of country music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton at aged 80 dominates Wednesday's papers.

There have been decades of mistreatment and mismanagement of those who seek help later in life, say experts in a new, damning report.

The BBC's LA correspondent Shaimaa Khalil spoke to fans gathered to mourn the country music star at her Hollywood Walk of Fame star on Tuesday evening.

Our Canada bureau chief tells us how the countries got into a trade war and how people north of the border are experiencing the rift.

The National Museum of Korean Democracy, which opened last year, documents an era of brutal suppression. But that dark history has resurfaced in troubling ways.

Bank Melli, Iran’s largest lender, already faces waves of sanctions that severely limit its ability to operate abroad. Every foreign branch must be shut down, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

A long-shot candidate with the same name as the incumbent Republican senator will be on the ballot in November. That could be a problem for the G.O.P.

While the president remains the most dominant figure in the world, other leaders and institutions are pushing back more vigorously than at the beginning of his second term.

The National Museum of Korean Democracy, which opened last year, documents an era of brutal suppression. But that dark history has resurfaced in troubling ways.

Bank Melli, Iran’s largest lender, already faces waves of sanctions that severely limit its ability to operate abroad. Every foreign branch must be shut down, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

A surrogate refused to have an abortion after the fetus was diagnosed with a serious heart problem. She fled to Texas and had the child. Now she wants a judge to give custody to her instead of the biological parents.

Indonesia has set an ambitious growth target, but economists aren't sure it can get there while keeping the deficit in check.

Oil fell Wednesday, as investors continue to assess the U.S. pivot toward economic sanctions rather than military strikes to add pressure on Iran.

Structural inflation, fueled by government deficits, AI investments, low unemployment, trade barriers and energy disruptions, is reshaping markets.

It's a sign of adoption of Huawei technology outside China, despite the U.S. restricting the company from working with American suppliers such as Google.

Live updates: Sen. Darline Graham of South Carolina, with Trump’s backing, wins GOP nomination to run for a full term  The Washington PostTrump gets a much-needed South Carolina win and other takeaways from Tuesday’s elections  CNNTrump endorsement boosts sister of late Lindsey Graham to historic runoff victory  Fox NewsSouth Carolina U.S. Senate Special Runoff 2026: Live Election Results, Graham vs. Norman  The New York TimesSouth Carolina chooses Darline Graham as Republican nominee for US Senate  The Guardian

The other Dan Sullivan makes November ballot against Sen. Dan Sullivan  PoliticoIn Headache for Republicans, Second Dan Sullivan Advances in Alaska Senate Race  The New York TimesTwo Dan Sullivans to appear on Alaska’s US Senate ballot in November’s midterm elections  The GuardianThe second Dan Sullivan makes the general election in Alaska’s Senate race  NBC NewsAlaska Republicans scramble to educate voters on suspected Dem plant as 'ballot fatigue' threatens race  Yahoo

At least 15 infants killed in Islamabad hospital fire, local TV reports  ReutersMore than a dozen infants killed in hospital fire in Pakistan’s capital  CNNFire in Pakistan hospital nursery kills at least 14 newborns, officials say  CBS NewsAt least 14 newborns killed after fire breaks out in Pakistan hospital  BBCAt least 15 newborns killed in Pakistan hospital fire  Al Jazeera