Simon Harris has called a vote for 29 November because he is leading in the polls. But the current economic boom masks serious inequalities

Ireland’s imminent general election on 29 November has aroused little interest in Britain. Many here may not even know it is taking place. No surprise there, unfortunately. It was ever thus for Britain’s insular political class. Compared with the attention lavished on the American election, albeit this year an exceptionally important one, the Irish election has barely registered. But is what happens in Wisconsin really more important for Britain than what happens in Wicklow ? Centuries of history suggest the opposite.

It does not, however, require specialist knowledge of Irish politics to see why the Fine Gael taoiseach, Simon Harris, has called a snap election in just two weeks’ time. The previous Dáil, elected in 2020, could in theory have remained in existence until next March. But Mr Harris, who succeeded Leo Varadkar as his party’s leader in April , has long wanted a contest this month. He has gone to the country now because he sees it as Fine Gael’s best chance.

A new legal framework for talking therapies would take careful work. But better signposting could happen now

Hundreds of thousands of people each year in the UK seek help from counsellors and psychotherapists. But the case earlier this year of Ella Janneh , who was awarded £217,000 in damages after suing a sex therapist for personal injury and negligence, has reignited calls for statutory regulation .

This was considered by the last Labour government, is backed by a number of MPs , and is certain to be on the agenda of the all-party parliamentary group on mental health. What campaigners want is for “psychotherapist” and “counsellor” to become legally protected titles. Among other things, this would enable people found guilty of professional misconduct to be struck off. Ms Janneh is rightly appalled by the prospect that the man who abused her, Michael Lousada, could do the same thing to someone else. Currently, there is no law to stop anyone from setting themselves up in business as a therapist or counsellor without qualifications – even if they have faced sanctions before.

Alleged offences included sexual assault and indecent images, while £152m in congestion charges said to be owed

Diplomatic officials and their dependents in the UK allegedly committed offences including sexual assault, possession of indecent images of children and indecent exposure last year, a Foreign Office minister has said.

Catherine West told parliament of nine serious offences allegedly committed by individuals with diplomatic immunity in 2023, and gave an update on fines and taxes owed by diplomatic missions.

• Updates from the group match in Turin
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And there was good news for Britain’s Henry Patten. He and doubles partner Harri Helivaara beat Wesley Koolhof & Nikola Mektic 4-6, 6-3, 12-10 to swing into the semis undefeated.

There’s currently a dramatic doubles match in play in Turin . After a 20- minute tie break, Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson won the first set against Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 16-14. The win means they are through to the semis (they only needed one set). Granollers and Zeballos are distraught.

Work and pensions secretary confirms stance, as Wes Streeting faces criticism for saying law could bring NHS cuts

Liz Kendall has become the first cabinet minister to confirm she will vote for the assisted dying bill since it was published, as the row intensified over the proposed law change.

Some supporters of assisted dying have expressed anger after Wes Streeting, the health secretary and an opponent of the plan, warned it could be a potential drain on NHS resources .

Donald Trump has shocked Democrats and Republicans by announcing far–right congressman Matt Gaetz as his pick for the role of attorney general.

As the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, he would direct the government’s legal positions on critical issues, including abortion, civil rights and first amendment cases. Gaetz has himself been investigated for sex-trafficking and sexual misconduct, although never charged.

What else do we know about congressman Matt Gaetz and has his nomination got any chance of being voted through the Senate? Jonathan Freedland is joined this week by Chris Michael, the Guardian US live news editor

Confession met with scepticism after other war criminals made similar statements to win early release from prison

A Bosnian Serb general jailed by the Hague war crimes tribunal for the 1995 Srebrenica massacre has confessed to having “aided and abetted the genocide”.

Survivors and families of the more than 8,300 who died in the mass killing reacted with scepticism to the confession by Radislav Krstić, a corps commander who led the assault on the Muslim enclave of Srebrenica, and oversaw the execution of captured men and boys .

Report reflects persistence of inequity, with strong disparities across ethnicity, geography and socioeconomic background

Infant mortality has risen for the third year in the row, with the risk of death for babies born in deprived areas almost three times higher than those from wealthier postcodes, new figures show.

The rate of deaths for children under one year old increased from 3.8 to 3.9 per 1,000 births last year, although the overall number of infant deaths has decreased by 2%, due to a lower birthrate.

After stunning collapse in profits, chief executive aims to ‘course correct’ and ‘celebrate heritage’

The prize for the most hubristic share buyback of recent years goes to Burberry. Only 12 months ago the fashion group was boasting about how it had just completed a £400m buyback , its second of that size in two years. Now, after a stunning collapse in profits , the company can’t even afford to give its shareholders a dividend and the (inevitably) new chief executive is talking about the need to “course correct” and stabilise the business “with urgency”. That 2023 buyback saw stock bought around the £20 level. Price now: 868p. What a waste of shareholders’ funds.

The better news is that 868p was a 19% gain on the day because the new course, described on Thursday by Joshua Schulman, the new man from Coach, read as realistic after predecessor Jonathan Akeroyd’s failed attempt to push the brand relentlessly upmarket. Akeroyd was searching for fatter profit margins but delivered profit warnings .