Monday briefing: What can Andy Burnham learn from Spain’s Pedro Sànchez?

• President Donald Trump announced the launch of "major combat operations" against Iran on February 28, involving massive joint strikes conducted by the U.S. and Israel. • In a related diplomatic effort, Jared Kushner, adviser and son-in-law to the President, is traveling to Egypt and Israel this week.

Jared Kushner set to meet Netanyahu following talks with HamasJared Kushner meets with Hamas ahead of talks with Netanyahu on GazaWelcome to our live coverage of the latest in the continuing conflicts in the Middle East.Donald Trump’s envoys met with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo on Sunday, a diplomatic source said, aiming to advance the US president’s Gaza peace plan, even as Israel pressed on with airstrikes ⁠in the territory.Israel resumed its airstrikes on Gaza in the past few days ‌after scaling back the attacks earlier this month. One of those wounded in the Khan Younis strike died from their wounds, medics at Nasser hospital said later. A separate airstrike, which the Israeli military said targeted another militant, hit an apartment in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, wounding several people, medics said.A senior Israeli official said on Sunday that Israel was concerned about Washington’s demand to end targeted assassinations of Hamas militants in Gaza as the group rebuilds its forces, Reuters reported. Trump’s peace ⁠plan calls for the immediate cessation of military operations in Gaza and foresees Hamas disarming as Israeli troops withdraw from the territory and Gaza is rebuilt.Several regional powers including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Sunday condemned Israel’s rejection of the peace road map, saying the country is obstructing peace efforts.The top US military commander in the Middle East visited the USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea amid reports of mental health and supply issues onboard. Adm Brad Cooper praised the leadership of the long-deployed aircraft carrier. Continue reading...

The new measure falls short of calls for gambling ads to move to an opt-in model, or for an outright banFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Labor government has pledged a new single-service opt-out register for gambling ads - an idea similar to the Do Not Call register for spam calls - as part of amendments to its wagering ad bill, as well as restrictions on inducements and limiting commissions for agents.Communications minister Anika Wells has also confirmed gambling companies will face a new levy to pay for the register, a beefed-up measure to curb wagering ads, after concerns were raised through a Senate inquiry that Australians would struggle to find or complete individual opt-out options on each online service. Continue reading...

Parents of Michaela Hall, whose partner killed her after he left prison in 2021, say Probation Service cannot cope with mass releaseMore women will die if ministers include domestic abusers in the early prison release scheme, the parents of a woman murdered by her partner shortly after he was freed have warned.Michaela Hall, a 49-year-old charity worker, was killed in her home in Cornwall, by Lee Kendall in 2021 two weeks after he was released from prison, where he had been serving a sentence for assaulting her. Continue reading...

Research from King’s College London finds that Reform voters’ perceptions were furthest from the truthThe public overestimate how many minority ethnic people are killers, as well as how many foreign national offenders there are, a new study has found.The research from King’s College London tested knowledge and perceptions of crime at a time when radical right parties are trying to link offending to ethnicity and nationality to gain votes. Continue reading...

Panettiere’s death was announced by her father, who called her ‘an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her’Hayden Panettiere, the actor known for her roles in television shows such as Heroes and Nashville, has died aged 36.Panettiere’s death was confirmed in a statement from her representative to the Guardian on Sunday night, after it was first reported on US network ABC News. No cause of death was given. Continue reading...

Angela Rayner to launch guidance for ‘default yes’ on developments near transport hubs, including on green belt sitesThousands more homes could be built within 10 minutes of transport hubs, including on green belt sites, under a loosening of planning policy announced by Angela Rayner on Monday.The housing secretary will set out changes to national planning guidance for England that will include an order for councils to have a “default yes” approach to housing developments that are within a reasonable walking distance of well-connected train and tram stations.Stronger support in principle for development, meaning a more explicit presumption in favour of building in sustainable locations.Pubs will get protection from being turned into housing or offices with developers having to prove there is no reasonable prospect of keeping a pub as a going concern, including evidence that it was marketed for sale for at least a year.A requirement for at least 40% of homes to be accessible on bigger developments and stronger protections for community facilities.Stronger support for growth and infrastructure including support for AI growth zones and datacentres. Continue reading...

Fierce competition in some areas of London means landlord purchasers are making successful lowball offersThe average price of a home coming up for sale in Britain’s richest borough has dropped by almost £100,000 in a month as fierce competition among sellers in many areas prompts some to slash their price expectations, data shows.The property website Rightmove said that for Britain as a whole, average newly listed asking prices for homes had fallen by 2% over the past month, the largest August price drop in eight years. Continue reading...

Lawyer for the entertainment industry and AFL figure says his career is ‘destroyed’ following convictionFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastEntertainment industry and AFL figure Ralph Carr says he is in “living hell” and has been “destroyed” after being convicted of rape, a Victorian court has heard.Carr was convicted of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault after a trial in the county court of Victoria last month. Continue reading...

Former 2GB and 2UE radio broadcaster is facing 22 indecent assault and sexual touching charges. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guiltyFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAlan Jones allegedly kissed his driver, a young man, inside a walk-in wardrobe in James Packer’s personal suite at the Crown Towers hotel in Melbourne, a court has been told.Complainant C said he and a friend went for a drink in Jones’s room when they were visiting Melbourne for a sporting event and they knew it was “nice” because it was Packer’s personal suite. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Guardian analysis finds one section of report includes links to academic articles that do not exist, but authors deny the references were made up by AIFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe authors of a report testing the technology underpinning Australia’s social media ban have conceded ChatGPT was used in editing, but denied a number of citation errors in the report were due to AI hallucinations.The $3.48m age assurance technology trial, run by the UK-based Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS) last year, tested various types of technology that could be used by social media platforms as part of Australia’s under-16 social media ban. Continue reading...