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- Wagner-linked Putin ally: ‘Dying west thinks Russians are third world scum’
- Presence of Russian mercenaries in Mali risks bloody backlash, say experts
- Russian mercenaries linked to civilian massacres in Mali
- Bid to overturn Sierra Leone loitering laws that activists claim ‘criminalise poverty’
- Erosion of abortion rights gathers pace around the world as US signals new era
- Small boat asylum seekers undeterred by Rwanda plan, survey finds
- BVI premier accused of cocaine trafficking granted bail in Miami
- For the first time in 200 years, people on this Canadian island will be without a doctor
- Drone carrying guns into Canada from US intercepted after crashing into tree
- Ukrainian refugees waiting at Mexico camp urge US to open doors
- Canadian police fatally shoot polar bear that wandered into Quebec community
- British Virgin Islands premier demands release from US custody in cocaine case
- Survivor found in rubble six days after China building collapse
- Philippines election 2022: what you need to know about the vote for president
- Christchurch attack inquiry to examine if Australian terrorist was radicalised online
- New Zealand foreign minister blames ‘relationship failure’ for China-Solomons security deal
- ‘Authoritarian nostalgia’: Philippines seem set to return Marcoses to power
- Beijing orders ‘stress test’ as fears of Russia-style sanctions mount
- Election 2022 live updates: Morrison government’s legacy ‘a toxic miasma of division’, Kooyong challenger says
- Leading scientist calls for Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching report to be released before election
- Rio Tinto warns Australia’s slow renewable energy rollout threatens fossil fuel phase out
- Albanese fails to recall NDIS policy details as Morrison pushed on Solomons relationship
- Bum-breathing Irwin’s turtle detected in north Queensland for first time in 25 years
- Australian Greens party Grindr election ad: a gifted strategy or just grating?
- Russia-Ukraine war: ‘bloody battles’ inside Mariupol steelworks; Ukraine claims it has retaken areas near Kherson – live
- Fierce fighting under way in Mariupol’s Azovstal plant, says Azov commander
- Zelenskiy says another 344 people have been rescued in second evacuation from Mariupol – as it happened
- ‘We are already at zero’: Italian resort counts cost as Russian visits dry up
- Russia-Ukraine war: what we know on day 71 of the invasion
- Sweden says US has offered security guarantees if it applies to join Nato
- UK aid cuts have forced 40,000 Syrian children out of school, charity says
- Israel scraps Independence Day fireworks after appeals from veterans
- Russia accuses Israel of backing ‘neo-Nazis’ in Kyiv as diplomatic row grows
- Israel independence day overflight decried by Palestinians and left
- Iraq engulfed by dust storm, leaving dozens hospitalised and flights grounded
- Aung San Suu Kyi on trial in fresh bribery case against ousted Myanmar leader
- ‘We are living in hell’: Pakistan and India suffer extreme spring heatwaves
- Flying insect numbers have plunged by 60% since 2004, GB survey finds
- Frustration at Met as Boris Johnson not sent key Partygate questionnaire
- Care homes in England demand revival of Covid fund to pay isolating staff
- Bank of England expected to raise interest rates despite faltering economy
- Degrees underfunded by £1,750 per student, Russell Group says
- Election leaflets distance ‘Local Conservatives’ from Boris Johnson
- US is recycling just 5% of its plastic waste, studies show
- Donald Trump Jr testifies before the committee on the events of January 6
- Amber Heard testifies in Johnny Depp defamation trial: ‘This is horrible for me’
- Militia group leader tried to ask Trump to authorize them to stop the transfer of power
- Biden warns LGBTQ+ children could be next target of Republican ‘Maga crowd’
- Biden condemns efforts of extremist ‘Maga crowd’ to overturn Roe v Wade abortion protections – as it happened
| Wagner-linked Putin ally: ‘Dying west thinks Russians are third world scum’ Posted: 04 May 2022 04:31 AM PDT Yevgeny Prigozhin accused of financing Wagner mercenary group responds to accusations of massacres in Mali A Russian businessman and close ally of Vladimir Putin accused by the US, EU and others of financing the private military company Wagner Group has said that "a dying-out western civilisation" will be defeated by Russia. The Guardian had approached Yevgeny Prigozhin seeking his reaction to evidence implicating Wagner fighters in massacres in Mali. In response he said he had "repeatedly said that the Wagner Group does not exist" and that he had "nothing to do with it". Continue reading... |
| Presence of Russian mercenaries in Mali risks bloody backlash, say experts Posted: 04 May 2022 04:30 AM PDT Analysis: Wagner Group 'like a bull in a china shop' in unstable parts of Africa, say experts Western officials told the Guardian earlier this year that the Wagner mercenary group was the "thin end of the wedge" and a "Trojan horse" for a Russian effort to extend its influence covertly in resource-rich and unstable parts of Africa. In Mali, the group is filling a vacuum left by departing French troops who led international efforts to counter a decade-long insurgency. That effort, which included one of the largest UN peacekeeping missions in the world, failed, and the violence has spilled across the volatile Sahel region, displacing tens of millions and destabilising fragile countries such as Niger and Burkina Faso. Continue reading... |
| Russian mercenaries linked to civilian massacres in Mali Posted: 04 May 2022 04:30 AM PDT Exclusive: Internal Malian army documents show Wagner operatives took part in 'mixed missions' Russian mercenaries in Africa have been linked to massacres in which several hundred civilians have died, raising new fears about the impact of Moscow's intensifying interventions on the stability and security of countries across the continent. Western officials have so far largely steered clear of naming the perpetrators of killings but witnesses, local community leaders, diplomats and local analysts blamed many of the deaths on fighters deployed by the Wagner Group, a network of private companies run by a close ally of Vladimir Putin. Continue reading... |
| Bid to overturn Sierra Leone loitering laws that activists claim ‘criminalise poverty’ Posted: 03 May 2022 10:30 PM PDT Citing claims of violence and rape by police, lawyers and activists mount legal challenge to laws brought in under British rule A case has been filed against the government of Sierra Leone to overturn the country's loitering laws, which activists and lawyers claim are discriminatory, and used by police to extract bribes from people and sexually abuse women. The laws are used to target poor and vulnerable people, say critics, and to subject them to criminal sanctions for potential conduct rather than actual harm caused. Continue reading... |
| Erosion of abortion rights gathers pace around the world as US signals new era Posted: 03 May 2022 10:29 AM PDT A leaked supreme court draft ruling shows the US is set to end 50 years of a woman's right to choose. Elsewhere, the battle still rages In 2022, abortion remains one of the most controversial and bitterly contested ethical and political battlegrounds. It is illegal for women to terminate their pregnancies in any circumstance in 24 countries, with a further 37 restricting access in any case except when the mother's life is in danger. As a leaked document signals that the US supreme court is poised to strike down the landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v Wade, millions of American women face losing their access to legal abortions, joining millions more living in those countries rejecting a woman's right to choose. Continue reading... |
| Small boat asylum seekers undeterred by Rwanda plan, survey finds Posted: 02 May 2022 03:29 PM PDT Survey of asylum seekers in northern France finds three-quarters will try to reach UK despite government's offshoring plans Deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlikely to deter those in northern France hoping to cross the Channel in small boats, according to a survey that found that three-quarters said they would still try to make the journey. The snapshot survey of more than 60 asylum seekers in Calais and Dunkirk was carried out by the charity Care4Calais, which provides practical support to asylum seekers in both northern France and across the UK. Continue reading... |
| BVI premier accused of cocaine trafficking granted bail in Miami Posted: 04 May 2022 02:47 PM PDT Judge rejects prosecutors' claim that Andrew Fahie, arrested in DEA drug sting, could flee US if freed from prison The premier of the British Virgin Islands, whom US prosecutors described in court as "corrupt to the core", has been given a $500,000 bond that would allow him to be released from prison as he awaits trial on charges tied to a US narcotics sting. Federal court judge Alicia Otazo-Reyes rejected prosecutors' argument that Andrew Fahie would flee the US and possibly engage in criminal activity if he is freed. Continue reading... |
| For the first time in 200 years, people on this Canadian island will be without a doctor Posted: 04 May 2022 03:45 AM PDT Fogo Island will lose its only full-time physician in June, leaving the community to journey six hours away to find care For more than two centuries, residents of a remote Canadian island in the north Atlantic knew they could count on a nearby doctor for relief of most ailments. But this June, Fogo Island will lose the community's only full-time physician, a trend mirrored in many of Newfoundland's towns and villages as the region battles economic decline and a looming demographic crisis. The closest doctor will be a six-hour round-trip by ferry, subject to the vagaries of powerful maritime storms. Continue reading... |
| Drone carrying guns into Canada from US intercepted after crashing into tree Posted: 03 May 2022 09:14 AM PDT Police in Port Lambton, Ontario, called after device carrying shopping bag of guns flew into tree and operator fled in vehicle Police in Canada have intercepted a drone which crossed the border from the United States carrying a shopping bag with nearly a dozen handguns – but only after the pilot crashed the device into a nearby tree. Officers in southern Ontario were called to a home near the town of Port Lambton, north-east of Detroit, after residents reported seeing a stranger maneuvering a commercial drone. Continue reading... |
| Ukrainian refugees waiting at Mexico camp urge US to open doors Posted: 03 May 2022 08:11 AM PDT Fifty to 100 people arriving at camp every day as some told at US border in Tijuana they would no longer be admitted On a dusty field on the east side of Mexico's sprawling capital, about 500 Ukrainian refugees are waiting in large tents under a searing sun for the United States government to tell them they can come. The camp has only been open a week and 50 to 100 people are arriving every day. Some have already been to the US border in Tijuana where they were told they would no longer be admitted. Others arrived at airports in Mexico City or Cancún, anywhere they could find a ticket from Europe. Continue reading... |
| Canadian police fatally shoot polar bear that wandered into Quebec community Posted: 03 May 2022 03:01 AM PDT Bear had wandered hundreds of kilometres south of species' territory in incident experts say could become more common Canadian police have shot and killed a polar bear that wandered into a Quebec community hundreds of kilometres south of the species' normal territory, in an incident that experts warn could become more common as sea ice coverage becomes more unpredictable thanks to global heating. The Sûreté du Québec, the provincial police service, warned residents this weekend that a polar bear had been spotted near the town of Madeleine-Centre – the first time the Arctic's apex predator had been spotted in the community. Continue reading... |
| British Virgin Islands premier demands release from US custody in cocaine case Posted: 02 May 2022 03:47 PM PDT Andrew Fahie was arrested last week in a US Drug Enforcement Administration sting as he was preparing to board a private jet The premier of the British Virgin Islands has demanded his immediate release from US custody, arguing he is immune from prosecution on cocaine-smuggling charges because he is the elected, constitutional head of government of the British overseas territory. An attorney for Andrew Fahie made the request in a filing with Miami federal court on Monday. Continue reading... |
| Survivor found in rubble six days after China building collapse Posted: 04 May 2022 10:08 PM PDT Woman the 10th survivor of the disaster, in which at least five people perished after a six-storey building in Changsha caved in Rescuers in central China have pulled a woman alive from the rubble of a building that partially collapsed almost six days earlier, state media reported Thursday. The unidentified woman is the 10th survivor of the disaster in the city of Changsha, in which at least five people have died and an unknown number, possibly dozens, are still missing. Continue reading... |
| Philippines election 2022: what you need to know about the vote for president Posted: 04 May 2022 08:09 PM PDT Ferdinand Marcos Jr, known as Bongbong Marcos, frontrunner in race to replace populist president Rodrigo Duterte On 9 May about 67.5 million Filipinos will go to the polls to decide who should replace the populist president Rodrigo Duterte. He has reached the end of his six-year term and is constitutionally barred from running again. Continue reading... |
| Christchurch attack inquiry to examine if Australian terrorist was radicalised online Posted: 04 May 2022 05:58 PM PDT Muslim group say coroner's decision to include gunman's social media activity in investigation a 'landmark moment for the accountability of digital platforms' The online activities of the Australian white supremacist who opened fire on two New Zealand mosques – and how much of a role social media and internet platforms played in his radicalisation – will form part of a coroner's inquiry into the deaths of 51 Muslim worshipers in the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack. But the presiding coroner, Brigitte Windley, who announced the scope of her inquiry in a decision released on Thursday, has warned of "monumental hurdles" to exploring the terrorist's online activities – including Brenton Tarrant's attempts to wipe parts of his digital footprint before committing the attacks. Continue reading... |
| New Zealand foreign minister blames ‘relationship failure’ for China-Solomons security deal Posted: 04 May 2022 04:34 PM PDT Nanaia Mahuta confirms 'unwelcome and unnecessary' deal came as a surprise to New Zealand and Australia, saying the Solomons must provide transparency The shock over China's security deal with Solomon Islands is evidence of "a relationship failure" , New Zealand's foreign affairs minister has said, confirming that the pact took New Zealand, Australia and other Pacific nations completely by surprise. The deal marks Beijing's first known bilateral security agreement in the Pacific. The text of the final deal is secret, but a draft leaked on social media in March granted Chinese military and police significant access to the country, allowing China to "make ship visits to, carry out logistical replenishment in, and have stopover and transition in Solomon Islands". Continue reading... |
| ‘Authoritarian nostalgia’: Philippines seem set to return Marcoses to power Posted: 04 May 2022 09:18 AM PDT Ferdinand Marcos Jr leads polls despite father's dictatorship and energetic opposition campaign The colour they are clad in is an unmissable shade of fuchsia pink. They walk the streets across the Philippines, waving banners along the way and stopping anyone who will listen. Many are young or first-time voters, and some travel for hours to join campaign teams. For them, next week's election is a make-or-break moment for their country. Continue reading... |
| Beijing orders ‘stress test’ as fears of Russia-style sanctions mount Posted: 04 May 2022 07:02 AM PDT Exclusive: exercises are to prepare China for the possibility of similar embargos from the US and its allies Concerned about sweeping Russia-style sanctions from the west, Beijing has ordered a comprehensive "stress test" to study the implications of a similar scenario for its economy, the Guardian has learned. According to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, an extensive exercise began around late February and early March when western allies imposed unprecedented sanctions against Moscow. Several key Chinese government agencies – from banking regulation to international trade – have been asked to come up with responses if the west imposed the same embargos on to China. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 04 May 2022 10:44 PM PDT Josh Frydenberg debates Kooyong challenger Monique Ryan; Defence debate at National Press Club; Labor accuses Coalition of 'cynical and stupid' lack of attention to Indonesia relationship; Scott Morrison says he doesn't have a 'magic pen' for wages; at least 56 Covid deaths recorded. Follow all the day's news live
In that exchange, Stuart Robert said he had been acting as the education minister for a year. But Alan Tudge didn't announce he was stepping down until 2 December last year. Perhaps the last five months have just felt like a year for Robert. I'm the acting education minister, and have been for almost 12 months. So I've got full authority in terms of running the education portfolio, as well as skills and workplace and the other things that I do. I suggest in his electorate. I don't know where he is. I tend not to keep track of my colleagues' whereabouts. I'm not across those issues so, unfortunately, I can't give you any degree of answer. They're issues that are dealt with by the Department of Finance, very much at arm's length from anyone. Certainly arm's length from me. My responsibility as required by the prime minister as the acting education minister and the acting minister for youth, is to use all of those resourcing and requirement and continue to act in the best interests of the people of Australia, which I've been doing with my state and territory colleagues. That's why just before the election, of course, we signed off on the national curriculum, which was a landmark piece of work that we did together as education ministers right across the country. Again, Lisa, I'm just not across those issues in any detail at all. I'm still not across what the details are. I'm not across what the legalities are. Again, I'm not going to comment on things that I'm just not across. I don't think that the Australian people expect the acting education minister to wade into every issue, especially issues that I'm simply not briefed on. My brief is to ensure that we can get the best possible curriculum and the best possible teacher education quality out of our universities, and that's exactly what we're doing. Continue reading... |
| Leading scientist calls for Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching report to be released before election Posted: 04 May 2022 10:17 PM PDT 'We're not supposed to live in a secret society,' expert says after agency delays publishing maps of damage
One of the world's leading coral reef scientists has called on the agency responsible for managing the Great Barrier Reef to release maps showing the extent of coral bleaching, after a key report was delayed with no reason given. Aerial surveys of the sixth mass bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef were completed in March and are yet to be released. Previous events have been published within two weeks of completion. Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning Continue reading... |
| Rio Tinto warns Australia’s slow renewable energy rollout threatens fossil fuel phase out Posted: 04 May 2022 09:49 PM PDT Mining giant also apologises for bullying culture at annual shareholder meeting Australia needs to accelerate the rollout of renewable energy, the chief executive of the country's second-biggest mining company, Rio Tinto, has said. "We're just not developing renewable energy fast enough," Jakob Stausholm said, speaking after Rio's annual shareholder meeting in Melbourne. Continue reading... |
| Albanese fails to recall NDIS policy details as Morrison pushed on Solomons relationship Posted: 04 May 2022 09:37 PM PDT Labor leader eventually handed briefing notes from an advisor after struggling to list party's six-point plan
Anthony Albanese failed to recall the details of a major policy at a press conference, on the same day Scott Morrison was again evasive on when he had last spoken to his Solomon Islands' counterpart, during a morning of tense interactions with the media. Under a barrage of questions, the Labor leader was initially unable to name the six points of his party's plan to improve the national disability insurance scheme, and was later handed briefing notes by an advisor. Continue reading... |
| Bum-breathing Irwin’s turtle detected in north Queensland for first time in 25 years Posted: 04 May 2022 09:16 PM PDT The turtles, named after Steve Irwin and his father, Bob, had not been spotted in the Burdekin River since the 1990s
DNA detection methods from water samples in north Queensland have unearthed the existence of a "bum-breathing" species of turtle last seen in the region more than 25 years ago. James Cook University researchers analysed environmental DNA (eDNA) from the water in the Burdekin River, near Ayr, confirming the presence of Irwin's turtles across numerous sites. Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning Continue reading... |
| Australian Greens party Grindr election ad: a gifted strategy or just grating? Posted: 04 May 2022 09:00 PM PDT Each week we ask experts to break down a political advertisement: who are the candidates trying to reach, and are they succeeding?
Greens candidate for Brisbane, Stephen Bates, has taken out an advertisement on Grindr, "the world's largest social networking app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people". "You always come first with the Greens," one reads, and another says: "Spice up Canberra with a third". Continue reading... |
| Posted: 04 May 2022 10:40 PM PDT Ukraine MP says Russian troops are 'already on the territory of Azovstal'; Russian forces 'lost control over several settlements' on the border of Mykolayiv and Kherson, Ukraine's military claims
Russian forces rehearsed for a Victory Day Parade set for 9 May in Moscow on Wednesday as the Kremlin denies it is preparing to declare all-out war in Ukraine. Russia has dismissed speculation that it will declare all-out war in Ukraine in the coming days as "nonsense" amid speculation from western officials that President Vladimir Putin could use the 9 May Victory Parade to announce an escalation of military action. Continue reading... |
| Fierce fighting under way in Mariupol’s Azovstal plant, says Azov commander Posted: 04 May 2022 10:20 PM PDT Leader of Ukrainian forces says they are engaged in 'difficult bloody battles' against Russian troops, as another 344 civilians are evacuated Fierce fighting has continued inside Mariupol's Azovstal steelworks, the commander of Ukrainian forces in the plant said, as more civilians fled the city on evacuation buses following weeks of brutal bombardment that have reduced much of it to rubble. Ukrainian forces were fighting "difficult bloody battles" against Russian troops for a second day, Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Azov regiment, said in a brief video released on Telegram late on Wednesday. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 04 May 2022 10:13 PM PDT This blog has now closed. You can find our latest coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war in our new live blog Daniel Boffey reports for us from Brussels on the contents of Ursula von der Leyen's speech to the European parliament: The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has been detailing her proposal to the member states on the sixth package of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, which includes a total ban on oil imports. This will be a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline, crude and refined. We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimises the impact on global markets. This is why we will phase out Russian supply of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year. Continue reading... |
| ‘We are already at zero’: Italian resort counts cost as Russian visits dry up Posted: 04 May 2022 09:00 PM PDT Covid pandemic and invasion of Ukraine have brought sudden halt to years of flourishing business in Calabrian town of Scalea The services listed on the billboard outside Rotondaro Costruzioni, an estate agency and builder, are written in Italian and Russian, as are the details of the properties advertised for sale in the window display. Inside, about a dozen thick red folders, filled with plastic envelopes containing details of customers dating back to 2010, spill out of a cabinet. The majority of those property buyers were Russian. A short distance away is a stretch of Italy's southern Calabrian coastline lapped by clear-blue sea. This is not the glitzy Costa Smeralda in Sardinia or Tuscany's Forte dei Marmi, where lavish villas and yachts belonging to Russian oligarchs have been seized over the last two months, but Scalea, a low-profile holiday resort with a medieval hilltop village whose economy has flourished over the past decade, partly thanks to the ordinary Russians who flocked here for the cheap property and sunshine. Continue reading... |
| Russia-Ukraine war: what we know on day 71 of the invasion Posted: 04 May 2022 05:31 PM PDT Russian and Ukrainian forces remain engaged in 'bloody battles' inside Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol as 344 more people are evacuated Continue reading... |
| Sweden says US has offered security guarantees if it applies to join Nato Posted: 04 May 2022 03:25 PM PDT Foreign minister Ann Linde spoke after meeting with US secretary of state Anthony Blinken Sweden has received assurances from the US that it would receive support during the period a potential application to join Nato is processed by the 30 nations in the alliance, foreign minister Ann Linde said in Washington on Wednesday. Sweden and neighbour Finland stayed out of Nato during the cold war, but Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its invasion of Ukraine have led the countries to rethink their security policies, with Nato membership looking increasingly likely. Continue reading... |
| UK aid cuts have forced 40,000 Syrian children out of school, charity says Posted: 04 May 2022 10:30 PM PDT Funding for 133 schools run by Syria Relief ended on 30 April, leaving pupils at risk of child labour and early marriage More than 40,000 Syrian children are out of school as a direct result of British aid cuts and more schools could soon close, a leading charity has said. British funding for 133 schools run by Syria Relief ended on 30 April, as the government cut its total foreign aid spending from its commitment of 0.7% of gross national income to 0.5%. Continue reading... |
| Israel scraps Independence Day fireworks after appeals from veterans Posted: 04 May 2022 07:43 AM PDT Cities to mark occasion without usual displays out of consideration for former soldiers with PTSD For the first time, cities across Israel have scrapped fireworks displays that normally mark the country's Independence Day out of consideration for military veterans and others with post-traumatic stress disorder. Parties and celebrations that begin on Wednesday evening in more than a dozen cities, including Tel Aviv, will not be accompanied by the cracks and bangs of fireworks. Israeli authorities in Jerusalem have opted instead for a silent pyrotechnic show. Continue reading... |
| Russia accuses Israel of backing ‘neo-Nazis’ in Kyiv as diplomatic row grows Posted: 03 May 2022 09:56 AM PDT Moscow hits back at Israeli criticism of Sergei Lavrov's claim that Adolf Hitler 'had Jewish blood' Russia has accused Israel of supporting the "neo-Nazi regime" in Kyiv as it escalates a diplomatic row with one of the few close US allies that decided not to join in sanctions against the Kremlin or send lethal military aid to Ukraine. The dispute over remarks by Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, who said in an interview that Adolf Hitler "had Jewish blood" and that the "most rabid antisemites tend to be Jews", has threatened to unsettle Israel's careful position over Russia's war in Ukraine. Continue reading... |
| Israel independence day overflight decried by Palestinians and left Posted: 03 May 2022 02:58 AM PDT Military flight over Hebron in occupied West Bank criticised as 'provocative show of force' Plans to include an overflight of Hebron in the occupied West Bank in Israel's annual independence day airshow have been met with angry responses from Palestinians and leftwing Israelis. The Israel air force said on its website at the weekend that the controversial overflight sought by settler leaders would take place on Thursday. The decision puts an end to uncertainty over the display after an initial announcement was taken down amid criticism from Mossi Raz, a legislator in the leftwing Meretz party, which is part of the ruling coalition, who termed it "a provocative show of force and superiority". Continue reading... |
| Iraq engulfed by dust storm, leaving dozens hospitalised and flights grounded Posted: 01 May 2022 05:27 PM PDT Thick sheet of orange shrouds country as experts say phenomenon to become more frequent due to drought and declining rainfall Iraq was yet again covered in a thick sheet of orange on Sunday as it suffered the latest in a series of dust storms that have become increasingly common. Dozens were hospitalised with respiratory problems in the centre and the west of the country. Continue reading... |
| Aung San Suu Kyi on trial in fresh bribery case against ousted Myanmar leader Posted: 02 May 2022 05:32 PM PDT Supporters say cases against the deposed leader are an attempt to discredit her and legitimise the military's seizure of power Ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has gone on trial in a new corruption case against her, alleging she took $550,000 in bribes from a construction magnate. She is charged with two counts under the country's the Anti-Corruption Act, with each count punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine. Continue reading... |
| ‘We are living in hell’: Pakistan and India suffer extreme spring heatwaves Posted: 02 May 2022 08:07 AM PDT April temperatures at unprecedented levels have led to critical water and electricity shortages For the past few weeks, Nazeer Ahmed has been living in one of the hottest places on Earth. As a brutal heatwave has swept across India and Pakistan, his home in Turbat, in Pakistan's Balochistan region, has been suffering through weeks of temperatures that have repeatedly hit almost 50C (122F), unprecedented for this time of year. Locals have been driven into their homes, unable to work except during the cooler night hours, and are facing critical shortages of water and power. Ahmed fears that things are only about to get worse. It was here, in 2021, that the world's highest temperature for May was recorded, a staggering 54C. This year, he said, feels even hotter. "Last week was insanely hot in Turbat. It did not feel like April," he said. Continue reading... |
| Flying insect numbers have plunged by 60% since 2004, GB survey finds Posted: 04 May 2022 10:30 PM PDT Scientists behind survey of car number plates said drop was 'terrifying', as life on Earth depends on insects The number of flying insects in Great Britain has plunged by almost 60% since 2004, according to a survey that counted splats on car registration plates. The scientists behind the survey said the drop was "terrifying", as life on Earth depends on insects. The results from many thousands of journeys by members of the public in the summer of 2021 were compared with results from 2004. The fall was highest in England, at 65%, with Wales recording 55% fewer insects and Scotland 28%. Continue reading... |
| Frustration at Met as Boris Johnson not sent key Partygate questionnaire Posted: 04 May 2022 10:00 PM PDT Officials call Met approach to investigations 'scattergun' with some facing police action after assisting Sue Gray Officials under police investigation over lockdown breaches in Downing Street have expressed frustration after it emerged that Boris Johnson has not yet received a questionnaire for at least one key leaving do. Amid growing anger at what one official branded a "scattergun approach" by Scotland Yard – including different people being sent questionnaires two months apart for the same event – the Metropolitan police are expected to make an announcement soon after the local elections, with expectations of further Partygate fines. Continue reading... |
| Care homes in England demand revival of Covid fund to pay isolating staff Posted: 04 May 2022 10:00 PM PDT Providers and Unison tell Sajid Javid workers are changing jobs or turning to food banks as they cannot afford to stay at home Care homes in England are demanding the return of full pay for staff isolating with Covid, saying the withdrawal of government funding has pushed carers to work while infected or to turn to food banks. The Care Provider Alliance (CPA) and Unison, which represents thousands of care staff, have called on the health secretary, Sajid Javid, to restart the adult social care infection control and testing fund, saying cancelling it in March was an "incredibly dangerous move [that] will cost lives". Continue reading... |
| Bank of England expected to raise interest rates despite faltering economy Posted: 04 May 2022 10:00 PM PDT Economists predict a minimum 0.25 point rise as households contend with cost of living crisis The Bank of England is poised to raise interest rates to the highest level since the recession caused by the 2008 financial crisis, despite mounting concern that the economy is weakening amid the cost of living crisis. City economists widely expect the Bank will increase its base rate by at least 0.25 percentage points to 1% on Thursday, lifting borrowing costs to the match the level set in February 2009 when it was in the process of cutting rates to historic lows as the global financial system imploded. Continue reading... |
| Degrees underfunded by £1,750 per student, Russell Group says Posted: 04 May 2022 04:01 PM PDT Group says deficit would widen to £4,000 under plan to freeze tuition fees in England until 2024-25 Each undergraduate costs England's leading universities nearly £2,000 as tuition fees and teaching grants fail to fully fund a degree, and that amount is likely to double soon unless the government acts to fill the gap. A submission by the Russell Group of research-intensive universities – including the University of Manchester and University College London – to a consultation on higher education funding revealed that the average cost per student was £1,750 more than they receive in tuition fees and teaching grants. Continue reading... |
| Election leaflets distance ‘Local Conservatives’ from Boris Johnson Posted: 04 May 2022 11:32 AM PDT Tory candidates ask voters not to punish them for 'mistakes' in Westminster in wake of Partygate Hundreds of Tories are distancing themselves from Boris Johnson by standing as "Local Conservatives" in Thursday's council elections, with rebel MPs saying they will gauge support over the weekend for a move against the prime minister. Election leaflets seen by the Guardian show local candidates across England playing down their Tory affiliations, eschewing pictures of Johnson and styling themselves as "Local Conservative" on voting ballot papers. Continue reading... |
| US is recycling just 5% of its plastic waste, studies show Posted: 04 May 2022 10:00 PM PDT According to the Last Beach Cleanup and Beyond Plastics report, about 85% of plastic ends up in landfills with 10% incinerated When most people toss a plastic bottle or cup into the recycling bin, they assume that means the plastic is recycled – but a new report lays bare how rarely that actually happens. According to the Last Beach Cleanup and Beyond Plastics, the organization behind the report released on Wednesday, the recycling rate for post-consumer plastic was just 5% to 6% in 2021. Continue reading...This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Donald Trump Jr testifies before the committee on the events of January 6 Posted: 04 May 2022 05:35 PM PDT House panel also released text messages in which Donald Trump's son begged the White House to get his father to condemn the riot Donald Trump's oldest son has met with the congressional committee investigating the January 6 insurrection, according to two people familiar with the matter. The interview Tuesday with Donald Trump Jr comes as the bipartisan House committee moves closer to the former president's inner circle of family members and political advisers. Continue reading... |
| Amber Heard testifies in Johnny Depp defamation trial: ‘This is horrible for me’ Posted: 04 May 2022 02:28 PM PDT Actor takes witness stand in Virginia court and tells jurors trial 'has been one of the most painful things I've ever gone through' Amber Heard took the witness stand in a Virginia court on Wednesday afternoon during Johnny Depp's defamation lawsuit against her – a make-or-break moment for the actors in a four-week trial that had so far largely focused on Depp's version of events during their turbulent 15-month marriage. "I struggle to find the words to describe how painful this is … this is horrible for me to sit here for weeks and relive everything, to hear people that I knew, some well, some not, my ex-husband with whom I shared a life, speak about our lives in the way they have," she said. Continue reading... |
| Militia group leader tried to ask Trump to authorize them to stop the transfer of power Posted: 04 May 2022 02:26 PM PDT The justice department has alleged that Oath Keepers leadership called the president's confidant to allow them to use force Stewart Rhodes, the Oath Keepers militia group leader charged with seditious conspiracy over the January 6 attack on the Capitol, asked an intermediary to get Donald Trump to allow his group to forcibly stop the transfer of power, the justice department has alleged in court papers. The previously unknown phone call with the unidentified individual appears to indicate the Oath Keepers had contacts with at least one person close enough to Trump that Rhodes believed the individual would be a good person to consult with his request. Continue reading... |
| Biden warns LGBTQ+ children could be next target of Republican ‘Maga crowd’ Posted: 04 May 2022 02:00 PM PDT President warns of new attacks by Trump-dominated political party after supreme court ruling draft leak on abortion Joe Biden has warned of new attacks on civil rights as the supreme court prepares to strike down the right to abortion, telling reporters at the White House that LGBTQ+ children could be the next targets of a Trump-dominated Republican party he called "this Maga crowd" and "the most extreme political organisation … in recent American history". "What happens," the president asked, if "a state changes the law saying that children who are LGBTQ can't be in classrooms with other children? Is that legit under the way the decision is written?" Continue reading... |
| Posted: 04 May 2022 01:09 PM PDT
The judge overseeing the federal civil rights cases of four former Minneapolis police officers in the killing of George Floyd said Wednesday that he has accepted the terms of Derek Chauvin's plea agreement and will sentence him to 20 to 25 years in prison. When the white former office is sentenced he will serve the term concurrently with the state criminal sentence he is currently serving (and appealing), of 22.5 years, following his conviction last spring for the May 2020 murder of Floyd, a Black father who had moved from Houston to Minneapolis to start a new chapter after being released from prison. Continue reading... |
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