Cummins and Starc guide Australia into final to inflict more pain on South Africa

As Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc hugged each other in relief, the pair’s tail-end nous having booked a showdown with India in Sunday’s World Cup final, it was hard not to feel for the latest set of South Africans to fall at the penultimate hurdle.

Hotel Chocolat founders land £280m payout after Mars agrees takeover

Hotel Chocolat’s founders are poised for a £280m payday after the upmarket chocolates maker agreed to a £534m takeover by the US food company Mars at a big premium to the UK firm’s market value.

Permission to launch: SpaceX prepares test flight of world's largest rocket

SpaceX will attempt a second test flight of the world's largest rocket today, with expectations high for a big show after April's launch, when the spacecraft pulverised the launchpad during lift-off and then exploded at altitude.

US politician to stand down next year after damning ethics report

The New York Republican congressman, fabulist and criminal defendant George Santos said he would not seek re-election next year, after the US House ethics committee issued a report detailing \"grave and pervasive campaign finance violations and fraudulent activity\" and recommended action against him.

Father of boy killed by mould in flat urges tenants with similar issue to leave

The father of Awaab Ishak, the two-year-old who died because of mould in a social housing flat, has pleaded with tenants to “waste no time” in complaining and to simply “get out” if they find themselves exposed to similar problems.

Sánchez prepares for fraught second term after Catalan deal infuriates opponents

Pedro Sánchez is preparing for a fraught and turbulent second term as Spain’s prime minister after his socialist party regained power by agreeing to a deeply controversial amnesty for Catalan separatists that has infuriated rightwing parties and led to huge protests across the country.

Met chief: protesters did not break law by climbing on memorial

The actions of pro-Palestinian protesters who climbed on to a war memorial were \"inflammatory\" but not illegal, the Metropolitan police commissioner said yesterday, as the government announced it would consider giving police new powers to prevent \"offensive\" demonstrations.

Al-Shifa IDF claims it has found tunnel in hospital

The Israeli military said late yesterday that it uncovered a Hamas tunnel shaft and a vehicle with weapons at Gaza's al-Shifa hospital complex.

'A huge moment' Labour's left wing emboldened by scale of rebellion

For the past few weeks, Keir Starmer has been trying to avoid a confrontation with his party over Gaza. With dozens of MPs preparing to rebel and vote for the Scottish National party's amendment calling for a ceasefire in the region, the Labour leader and his top team held a series of agonised meetings as they tried to thrash out a compromise.

Hospitals Building plan 'unlikely to hit 2030 target'

Boris Johnson's flagship hospital-building programme and three levelling-up funds are mired in delays and unlikely to deliver on time, two highly critical reports by parliamentary watchdogs have found.

'A living art gallery' Durham illuminated during free festival

This is about artists ' transforming the world... making it better,\" said Helen Marriage before one of Europe's most important light art festivals.

Parents of woman killed by stalker say police let her down'

The parents of Gracie Spinks have said the police response to their daughter's stalking case was \"diabolical\" as they called for more funding for stalking support workers in forces to protect future victims.

'Eyes tracking me' List of allegations suggests culture is institutionalised

It is impossible not to conclude that the Ministry of Defence faces a crisis of sexism, an epidemic of harassment and in some cases the allegations are far worse.

'It was like a lion coming' Iceland town living in fear of magma blast

Sólný Pálsdóttir tries S in vain to emulate the sound that emerged from under her home before she fled on Friday night. \"It was like a big animal coming, it was like a lion - and of course we saw the earth moving,\" says the teacher and photographer.

Officials warned of tower block risk last year, leak reveals

Government safety experts last year warned that many tower blocks built from concrete panels that may pose a collapse risk have not been fixed, leaked documents reveal.

Israeli hostage found dead in Gaza

The Israeli military has recovered the body of an Israeli hostage from a building near al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, as soldiers continued to search the hospital complex after Wednesday’s early morning raid.

Pledge to derail PM's Rwanda legislation

Rishi Sunak’s target of flying out asylum seekers to Rwanda by next spring is in doubt, with opposition parties and some Conservative peers having pledged to try to block emergency legislation intended to rescue the plan.

Senior female staff report sexual assault and harassment at MoD

Sixty senior women at the UK’s Ministry of Defence have described a “hostile” and “toxic” culture at the department in a letter that alleges sexual assault, harassment and abuse by male colleagues.

Best in the world' Williamson hails India and Kohli after thriller

Kane Williamson described India's World Cup juggernaut as the best team in the world after a thrilling semi-final in Mumbai, where New Zealand pressed hard but ultimately fell well short of India's 397 batting first. Victory made it 10 wins in succession for India before the final on Sunday.

Inspired Klaasen out for taste of Boks' success in Australia semi-final

World Cup semi-finals are supposedly nervous affairs but a day before South Africa's encounter with Australia at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Heinrich Klaasen, their middle-order powerhouse, was happily discussing his team's underwear.

'It's my time' Palmer cool after red-hot start at Blues

England's rising star on his fearless penalty against City and the soul-searching before leaving his boyhood club

Carmona double denies Chelsea ideal start in hunt for ultimate glory

Chelsea were held to a 2-2 draw by a resilient Real Madrid side in their Champions League opener at Estadio Alfredo di Stéfano. Olga Carmona's early strike was cancelled out by Niamh Charles's header just before the break.

Police investigate after tycoon tried to move assets on day of EU's sanctions

The Cypriot police force is investigating how an oligarch attempted to transfer a £1bn stake in a public company on the day he was placed under EU sanctions, government insiders have told the Guardian.

French court issues warrant for Assad on war crimes charges

A French court has issued an international arrest warrant for the Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad for complicity in crimes against humanity linked to chemical weapon attacks on civilians.

Ukrainians establish foothold on eastern bank of Dnipro

Ukrainian troops have established a foothold on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, officials from Russia and Ukraine have acknowledged, in an operation Kyiv says will open new avenues of attack toward Crimea.

Confiscate homes from rulebreaking landlords, says senior Labour MP

Rental homes should be confiscated from private landlords who repeatedly break the rules and exploit tenants, the head of the Commons housing committee has said.

Boys, 12, held on suspicion of murdering 19-year-old

Two 12-year-old boys were arrested on suspicion of murder after a 19-year-old man was stabbed to death in Wolverhampton, West Midlands police said yesterday.

Residents who were told to leave unsafe Bristol high-rise may not return for weeks

Residents evacuated from an ageing Bristol tower block may not be able to return for weeks, after the city council confirmed major flaws in its construction 65 years ago had left it at serious risk.

On the ground in Gaza Wary soldiers look on as families flee shattered city

Gaza tabout 4pm A yesterday, a column of men, women and children moved slowly through the rubble of the city they had once called home.

Census reveals scale of decline in seabirds in two decades

More than half the seabird species breeding on the British and Irish coasts have declined over the past 20 years, according to the most comprehensive census to date.