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Executions at 10-year high after huge increases in Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia

Amnesty International confirms 1,518 people executed in 2024 but says real total is likely to be thousands more More people were executed in 2024 than in any other year over the past decade, mainly reflecting a huge increase in executions in Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, according to Amnesty International’s annual report on the use of the death penalty. The human rights NGO said that although the number of countries carrying out executions was the lowest on record, it had confirmed 1,518 executions globally in 2024, a 32% increase over the previous year and the highest since the 1,634 carried out in 2015. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/R74Ewmk via IFTTT
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Madonna and Elton John make peace after decades-long strained relationship

Briton apologised for his ‘big mouth’ and asked for forgiveness, saying he had written a song for the female star Madonna has said she has “buried the hatchet” with Sir Elton John and hinted she will collaborate with him, after watching the pianist and singer perform with Brandi Carlile on Saturday Night Live (SNL). The strained relationship dates back to 2002, when John was quoted by CBS News as describing her theme to Die Another Day as “the worst Bond tune ever”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/is0uCo3 via IFTTT

Nikkei plunges as Asian markets brace for further tariff fallout; Trump says ‘sometimes you have to take medicine’ – business live

Japan’s stock index plummets almost 9% on Trump tariff concerns after almost $5tn was wiped off the value of global stock markets last week Hong Kong stocks have plummeted more than 9% at open, while Singapore stocks dropped over 7%, according to reports. Hong Kong and Chinese stocks dived on Monday as markets around the world crumbled in the face of the widening global trade war and fears it will unleash a deep recession, Reuters says. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Nyt42FD via IFTTT

We have more data on ourselves than ever before. But can we really track our way into happiness? | Samantha Floreani

Self-tracking is regularly promoted as a way toward self-improvement. But life is not a mathematical problem waiting to be solved Inspired by a curiosity to factcheck my own feelings, I’ve been tracking my mood: Far too often a bad day can feel like a permanent state rather than a passing experience. As it turns out, observing the little coloured emojis on my mood chart, one bad day does not, in fact, mean I am doomed to live a blue crying-face life forever. Thank goodness. Others track themselves in different ways : monitoring daily step counts, tracking sleep cycles and bodily functions, counting calories, logging meals and so on. Digital technologies, wearable devices and an array of platforms make this easier than ever. Many people set reading targets and log books read on Goodreads or films watched on Letterboxd. Some track daily outfits online with the goal of perfecting personal style. Self-tracking is regularly promoted as a way toward self-improvement. Samantha Floreani is ...

One in four Britons victim of ticket scams for in-demand events, says Nationwide

Building society makes warning to fans desperate not to miss out as resale for Glastonbury festival approaches One in four Britons say they have fallen victim to a ticket scam involving an in-demand event and lost £82 each on average, according to research issued ahead of the official Glastonbury festival ticket resale. High demand and low availability, fuelled by “fomo” (fear of missing out), were creating a “perfect storm” for scammers, said Nationwide building society, which commissioned the analysis. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/U4cJhQS via IFTTT

US revokes all visas for South Sudanese over country’s failure to repatriate citizens

State department ‘taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and prevent further entry’, secretary of state says Washington is revoking all visas for South Sudanese passport holders and blocking new arrivals, secretary of state Marco Rubio said on Saturday, complaining the African nation is not accepting its nationals expelled from the US. The state department “is taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and prevent further issuance to prevent entry”, Rubio said in a statement. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/mMt63fD via IFTTT

George Santos prosecutors seek seven-year prison term for campaign fraud

Disgraced Republican congressman ‘made a mockery’ of election system and merits long sentence, US officials say Prosecutors are seeking more than seven years in prison for disgraced former congressman George Santos after he pleaded guilty to federal fraud and identity theft charges. The US attorney for the eastern district of New York argued in a court filing on Friday that a significant sentence was warranted because the New York Republican’s “unparalleled crimes” had “made a mockery” of the country’s election system. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/P47oDXe via IFTTT

Trump insists he won’t back down from global trade war as markets slump

On social media, the president said, ‘My policies will never change’, before suggesting possible change with Vietnam US politics live – latest updates Donald Trump doubled down on his decision to launch a global trade war, declaring that he would “never” back off from sweeping tariffs on US trading partners. The US president’s announced action sent shock waves around the world this week, prompting fierce threats of retaliation and sharp sell-offs in stock markets . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/EnMuDcG via IFTTT

BBC and ITV opt against bids to televise Fifa Club World Cup in summer

Dazn has global rights and will show games on app Dazn remains confident of securing agreement The BBC and ITV have declined to pursue the chance to televise this summer’s Club World Cup, leaving Fifa increasingly concerned about the visibility of its flagship new tournament in a key market. The streaming platform Dazn agreed to pay $1bn (£787bn) for global Club World Cup rights in a deal which involved the company pledging to make all 63 matches available free-to-air on its app. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/fTXH7Dx via IFTTT

First trailer for Liam Neeson’s Naked Gun reboot released

Neeson steps into the role of the bumbling detective made famous by Leslie Nielsen in the TV show and film series created by the Zucker Abrahams Zucker team The first footage has been released of Paramount’s upcoming reboot of the much-loved Naked Gun series of spoof police movies. The new film stars Liam Neeson has Frank Drebin Jr – revealed to be the son of Leslie Nielsen’s bumbling detective from the original films. The trailer introduces him a considerably slicker operator to his late father, disabling a baddie in a schoolgirl disguise with a sharpened lollipop. He is then seen tearfully addressing a photograph of Drebin Snr, as offspring of Captain Ed Hocken (George Kennedy) and, more controversially, Officer Nordberg (OJ Simpson) are seen following suit. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/bCUFO4l via IFTTT

Will Trump’s tariffs ignite a global trade war? Today in Focus Extra – podcast

Donald Trump has introduced eye-watering tariffs on countries around the world. Will they ‘make America wealthy again’? Richard Partington reports Donald Trump is on a mission to ‘make America wealthy again’. Speaking outside the White House, he said for too long the country had been ‘looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike’. Now that would come to an end, he said, as he slapped eye-watering tariffs on countries around the world. The Guardian’s senior economics correspondent, Richard Partington , explains why Trump has taken such action and how it could affect the global economy. ‘It could come at huge costs to consumers,’ he says, as markets around the world react with confusion. With prices in the US also likely to rise, will voters soon rue what the president has called ‘liberation day’? Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/6Eysvic via IFTTT

The best cordless vacuum cleaners for a spotless home: 10 tried and tested favourites

Stick vacuums are a convenient alternative to corded designs, but which model wins for overall cleaning prowess? Our expert reveals all • The best robot vacuums to keep your home clean and dust free Choosing a cordless vacuum isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly. You’re likely to keep a vacuum cleaner for years, relying heavily on its ability to suck up dust, crumbs, mud, pet hair and any other dry spillages or sheddings that end up on your floor. Choosing the right model can be the difference between an effective cleaner that’s a delight to pull out of the cupboard and a dud that you dread having to unblock, detangle and clean after every use. In this review, I took 10 of the leading cordless vacuum cleaners from a range of manufacturers and at various prices and inflicted the same cleaning tests on each one. That takes all the guesswork out of picking your next cleaner: I can tell you exactly which ones picked up the most mess. Best cordless vacuum cleaner overall: Shar...

‘Reminds me of sun cream’: the best (and worst) supermarket coconut milk, tasted and rated

Whose brand tastes like a tropical ambrosia, and whose tastes like soapy gunk? Restaurateur Ravinder Bhogal dives in … • The best rice cookers for gloriously fluffy grains at home Coconut milk is always found front and centre in my pantry because it is a cornerstone of so much of my cooking. I buy it in bulk and rely on it to bring a voluptuous, fragrant, dairy-free creaminess to so many of my favourite dishes, from curries and dals to soups and rice dishes. It’s also indispensable for puddings for vegan friends, and for my sweet-toothed, lactose-intolerant husband. It mellows out spices and pulls a dish together, adding a silkiness to sauces and a sweet, nutty richness to cakes, batters and vegan custards. I appreciate the convenience of the canned stuff because making coconut milk from scratch, as my mother used to do when I was growing up in Kenya, is laborious: a mature brown coconut has to be broken, its flesh grated, then soaked in hot water, before being strained and squeezed...

Patient satisfaction with NHS has hit record low of 21%, survey finds

Dissatisfaction also at record 59% in Great Britain, with A&E, GPs and dentists causing the most discontent Public satisfaction with the NHS is at a record low and dissatisfaction is at its highest, with the deepest discontent about A&E, GP and dental care. Just 21% of adults in Britain are satisfied with how the health service runs, down from 24% a year before, while 59% are dissatisfied, up from 52%, the latest annual survey of patients found. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9UFthk1 via IFTTT

Trump prepares to unveil reciprocal tariffs as markets brace amid trade war fears

President promises he will be ‘very kind’ but critics warn his strategy risks triggering chain reaction and global trade war As Donald Trump prepared to unveil a swathe of reciprocal tariffs, global markets braced and some Republican senators voiced their opposition to a strategy that critics warn risks a global trade war, provoking retaliation by major trading partners such as China, Canada and the European Union . The US president said on Monday he would be “very kind” to trading partners when he unveils further tariffs this week, potentially as early as Tuesday night. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/nZQGBdk via IFTTT

Coyote vs Acme: $70m Looney Tunes film to be released after being canned by Warner Bros

Live-action animated film starring John Cena and Will Forte will hit cinemas in 2026, after it was controversially shelved in favour of a $30m tax write-down For once, things are working out for Wile E Coyote. The film Coyote vs Acme, which stars John Cena and Will Forte acting alongside beloved Looney Tunes cartoon characters, will finally be released to the public, almost two years after the completed film was shelved by Warner Bros as part of a tax write-off . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/BC0vxZd via IFTTT

Ukraine war briefing: Trump sanctions threat on Russian oil buyers could hit China, India

Trump threatens Putin over ceasefire; Russia claims it has taken control of a Donetsk village. What we know on day 1,132 China and India could be affected if Donald Trump introduces tariffs of 25-50% against countries buying Russian oil , analysts and officials have suggested. Dan Sabbagh reports that the US president told NBC he would impose such measures within a month “if a deal isn’t made, and if I think it was Russia’s fault”, as he vented frustration at Vladimir Putin’s delaying tactics and attempts to discredit Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president. Some countries, including China and India, are not participating in anti-war sanctions against Russian oil . Secondary sanctions or tariffs imposed directly on them by the US could further limit Putin’s access to oil revenue to fund the war . While not joining the international sanctions against Russia, China has been wary about breaching them in case it attracts secondary penalties. Some Chinese banks, for example, have c...

Peatland burning ban aims to protect wildlife and England’s carbon stores

Labour’s measures to ban deep-peat burning aim to safeguard habitats, tackle carbon emissions, and protect wildlife, so why are hunters up in arms? Burning vegetation on deep peat will be banned under government plans to protect nature and reduce carbon emissions. Vegetation on peatland is often burned to create habitat for grouse, which like to feed on the fresh shoots of new plants that grow after the burn. This increases the number of birds available to be shot for sport. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/d0KWBQC via IFTTT

With elite Eberechi Eze, Crystal Palace will be a match for any team at Wembley | Barney Ronay

Maverick attacker seemed utterly in control as he produced two stunning moments of skill to decide Cup quarter-final Play at Wembley. Score at Wembley . Score again. Go back to Wembley again. Yeah. Did I mention Wembley? Eberechi Eze has had a fairly decent last five days of his footballing life, bookended here by a performance of supreme incision on a crisp, boisterous day in south-west London, when he was the very obvious point of difference between Crystal Palace and Fulham. Not just in his numerical contribution to Crystal Palace’s 3-0 win: a jaw-dropper of an opening goal, all thrilling, controlled power; followed by a proper, actual high-skill assist. But also in terms of style and a Palace system that leans right into its own strengths when all the parts function like this. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/U32n5wY via IFTTT

Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones: ‘I like to fart in front of people. You can tell if someone’s cool from their reaction’

The punk guitarist on the ideal length of gigs, stealing from David Bowie’s trucks and dealing with an ornery Jerry Lee Lewis Is it true you nicked some of your early equipment from David Bowie’s trucks outside the Hammersmith Odeon at the last Ziggy Stardust show , in 1973? There’s definitely some truth in that. It wasn’t outside in trucks though – it was on the stage! They played two nights, and after the first night they left all the gear up, because they were playing there the next night. I knew the Hammersmith Odeon like the back of my hand, I used to bunk in there all the time. I was like the Phantom of Hammersmith Odeon. The Sex Pistols are touring Australia 5 -11 April; see here for dates . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/FNrCd2A via IFTTT
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