Iran claims attacks in strait of Hormuz; Houthis announce blockade of Red Sea shipping route – Middle East crisis live

• Iranian Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf stated that the old United States-led global order has collapsed and called for Islamic nations to implement a new one. • Ghalibaf noted that Tehran's specific messages and conditions regarding this shift were explicitly conveyed to the U.S. through intermediaries.

• Global leaders are meeting in New York this week for the UN General Assembly to discuss the Middle East crisis, the war in Ukraine, and artificial intelligence risks. • President Donald Trump will address the assembly, while Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the event.

• World leaders gathered at the UN General Assembly to address escalating conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East alongside risks from artificial intelligence. • The assembly focused on managing global instability and the regulatory challenges posed by emerging AI technologies.

• Ed Sheeran's current United States tour has drawn the global pop music industry into a public debate regarding art, activism, and Palestine. • The situation highlights a culture clash as artists face increasing public pressure to take political stands on polarizing global conflicts.

• A top Iranian official announced on September 19 that the country has provided specific conditions to mediators to facilitate talks with the United States. • The US State Department notified Congress of a determination approving a possible foreign military sale to Ukraine for air defense development upgrades and related services.

Wife of former PM takes part in designer Edeline Lee’s show inspired by the Greek myth of SisyphusVictoria Starmer has taken part in a London fashion week show, in one of her first public appearances since her husband, Keir Starmer, stepped down as prime minister.Lady Starmer appeared at Sunday’s Edeline Lee show. The London-based, Canadian British designer’s clothes are a favourite of the Princess of Wales, and have also been worn by celebrities including singer Taylor Swift and actor and screenwriter Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Stark health inequalities in terms of deaths before age of 75, NHS data revealsAdults with severe mental illness are nearly five times more likely than their peers to die from serious physical diseases before the age of 75, according to research.The analysis of NHS data by the Rethink Mental Illness charity reveals that people with severe mental health problems die 15-20 years earlier than the wider adult population, largely due to preventable physical conditions. Continue reading...

Exclusive: James Ashby also drives new Ford Ranger given to party and is main pilot of plane donated by Gina Rinehart, which he says are not for personal useGet our new political email, free app or daily news podcastPauline Hanson’s right-hand man, James Ashby, is enjoying generous benefits as a result of his role working for One Nation, with documents showing that a company linked to the party built a $56,000 shed on his central Queensland property.Guardian Australia understands that Ashby, formerly Hanson’s chief of staff and now the party’s national director, also drives a new Ford Ranger that was “personally” gifted to One Nation by Hancock Agriculture’s chief executive, Adam Giles, in April. Hanson said the vehicle would help the party’s campaign efforts and “provides us the presence we need in the lead-up to the next federal election”.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...

Action against Ofcom comes as social media companies are being accused of using courts to slow down implementationMeta has launched a fresh legal challenge against Britain’s media regulator in the latest of a slew of actions by social media companies who are accused of using the courts to slow down implementation of the Online Safety Act.Lawyers for the parent company of Facebook served notice during the week in an appeal against placing WhatsApp and Instagram, which are also owned by Meta, in a category that subjects them to additional duties. Continue reading...

People are increasingly crossing paths with the wild animals as homes ring the outskirts of forests, sparking a new era of coexistenceEvery year, as summer draws to a close and fall begins, California’s bears get hungry.Black bears have long roamed the state, hunting for acorns, ants and pine nuts by the bucketload to pack on calories before hibernation. But increasingly, for every berry and root, there’s an even greater temptation: our trash and the detritus of human existence. Continue reading...

US president on Truth Social claims his new plan for the 250ft arch comes at the ‘strong request’ of the US militaryDonald Trump is proferring a new argument for building his triumphal arch in Washington DC: it will be converted into a “top grade military complex” replete with drone and ammunition storage space and customised sniper facilities on the roof and plaza.In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday morning, Trump claimed that his new plan came at the “strong request” of the US military. He said the 250ft structure would be able to “house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage”. Continue reading...

Unit1 hopes to offer cheaper version of shows such as Abba Voyage, showcasing living and dead artists in any venueThe former chief executive of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s entertainment group has obtained a near-£15m investment for his UK music tech startup that hopes to recreate classic concerts by manifesting musicians as digital avatars.Unit1 was set up last year by Barney Wragg, an entertainment executive who ran Lord Lloyd-Webber’s Cats-to-Evita empire for five years from late 2011. It has secured the $20m in funding from a group of investors, including tech backer Balderton Capital through its partner Daniel Waterhouse, who made early investments in Spotify. Continue reading...