The Voice Reveal

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

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

Pin down Putin over peace talks, say foreign ministers, as Peskov talks of ‘drawn-out process’; Ukraine seeks changes to minerals deal. What we know on day 1,133 Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/pvTbEYj via IFTTT

Aston Villa also made it to the last four. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/YI5VWrm via IFTTT

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...

Rory McIlroy revealed he has been troubled by an elbow problem as he tied for fifth in his final event before the US Masters. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/C8mpTso via IFTTT

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

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

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

Drone raid sparks blaze in Dnipro hotel and restaurant complex and injures 19; Ukrainian president says too early to judge Washington’s expanded proposal. What we know on day 1,130 See all our Ukraine war coverage Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/lCEydvk via IFTTT

Vice-president and US delegation visit amid growing tension and Trump targets Smithsonian Institution – key US politics stories from 28 March 2025 JD Vance told troops in Greenland that the US has to gain control of the Arctic island to stop the threat of China and Russia as he doubled down on his criticism of Denmark, which he said has “not done a good job”. As the US vice-president toured Pituffik space base, Donald Trump reiterated his previous claims that the US needs Greenland for “world peace”. “I think Greenland understands that the United States should own it,” the US president said at a press conference at the White House on Friday. “And if Denmark and the EU don’t understand it, we have to explain it to them.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/xKDt1hp via IFTTT

World number one Scheffler hit eight birdies as he tied the course record with a 62 to lead by one. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/0GfFyEI via IFTTT

Specifics of deal remain unclear, including how X’s leaders will be integrated into new company Elon Musk’s xAI artificial intelligence firm has acquired Musk’s X – the social media platform formerly known as Twitter – for $33bn, marking the latest twist in the billionaire’s rapid consolidation of power. The all-stock deal announced on Friday combines two of Musk’s multiple portfolio companies, which also include automaker Tesla and SpaceX, and potentially eases Musk’s ability to train his AI model known as Grok. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9o21DWK via IFTTT

Figures reveal 29% fall in operations in England to remove foreign bodies from children’s airways, noses and throats Cashless societies may be a sad fact of modern life for those with a nostalgic attachment to the pound in their pocket, but doctors have discovered one unexpected benefit of the decline of coins. Far fewer children are having surgery after swallowing small items that could choke or kill them, and the scarcity of loose change is likely to be the reason. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/wRE80Gk via IFTTT

Another dominant display leaves Littler eight points clear at the top of the table. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/6AKDmrE via IFTTT

Watchdog finds forces are ‘overwhelmed’ by common offences, and victims are being failed Overworked police lack the resources, time and experience to investigate crimes properly, leading to victims being failed and an erosion in faith in law enforcement, an official report has found. The report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) says that the rate of positive outcomes – when police identify a suspect and they face justice – has crashed from 25% in England and Wales a decade ago to 11% in 2024. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/IKqDv9T via IFTTT

Schools combining incentives with sanctions saw better response than those relying purely on punishment Pizza parties and iPads are being offered to pupils as incentives to improve school attendance, according to a new report which says sanctions alone are less likely to work. While some schools in England are using fines, detentions and letters home to crack down on absence, others prefer a rewards-based approach, with prize draws for bikes and iPads, trips and “praise stamps” which pupils collect then trade in for chocolates or stationery. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/01A6vYR via IFTTT

Schools, social media platforms, governments and communities can all play a role, but parents can still be powerful influences on the kinds of men their boys will become Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast There is intensified attention in Australia at present to the messages about manhood, good and bad, that boys and young men grow up with. TV series such as Adolescence , media attention to sexist “manfluencers” like Andrew Tate, and community concern about “toxic masculinity” all raise the question of how to raise good boys and men. What can parents do to help raise boys who will become positive members of their community, men who treat the people around them with respect and fairness? Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Cfq5Yj2 via IFTTT

National Gallery, London The 19th-century artist worked at a time when the Americas were a wonderland of discovery – but his unromantic, objective view of ancient rocky formations is sadly quite boring José María Velasco’s 1894 painting Rocks is the size and format of a grand portrait but, instead of a socialite in taffeta or tails, it portrays a huge reddish-brown rock formation. It isn’t even a very special outcrop, rather the kind of shapeless mass you might encounter on any mountain walk. That’s the point. Velasco is a scientific artist who worked at a time when the Americas were a wonderland of discovery. He identified a new species of salamander that lives in a lake near Mexico City, only one of the many finds, living and fossilised, uncovered in his era across the New World. In 1902, the first Tyrannosaurus rex fossil was excavated in Montana; in 1909, very early life forms were found preserved in Canada’s Burgess Shale. Most important of all, back in the 1830s, Charles Darwin...

The Dragons appeared down and out after conceding in the first minute of stoppage time but David Brooks equalised in North Macedonia. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/7gMkVUE via IFTTT

Duke of Sussex and co-founder of Sentebale step down as patrons amid infighting in the organisation The Duke of Sussex has resigned from an African charity he set up 20 years ago after infighting in the organisation, saying he is “in shock” and “truly heartbroken”. Prince Harry and the co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho both stepped down as patrons on Tuesday until further notice after trustees quit over a dispute with the chair, Dr Sophie Chandauka, a lawyer who was appointed in 2023. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/QT6geF1 via IFTTT

The Real Madrid midfielder was substituted after a mistimed challenge on Raivis Jurkovskis while already on a yellow card. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/qEeb4Dw via IFTTT

Body representing over 90 firms says it could take airport to court over costs of closure if issue not ‘amicably settled’ A body representing more than 90 airlines using Heathrow airport said there might be a case for legal action if a settlement over the costs incurred from Friday’s closure after a fire is not reached. Europe’s largest airport was closed in the early hours of Friday morning after the blaze at a major electricity substation hit electricity supplies. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Ua4LXop via IFTTT

Yunseo Chung, who partook in university’s pro-Palestinian protests, called government’s actions ‘shocking overreach’ A Columbia University student who took part in pro-Palestinian protests at the university is suing Donald Trump ’s administration for attempting to deport her. Attorneys for Yunseo Chung, a 21-year-old who has legally resided in the US since childhood, filed a complaint on Monday describing the government’s actions as “shocking overreach” and an “unprecedented and unjustifiable assault” on her rights. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/76a4sdM via IFTTT

St Catherine’s hospice in West Sussex says it has been forced to leave beds empty despite the demand for end-of-life care At the end of 2023, St Catherine’s hospice near Crawley, West Sussex, moved to a new purpose-built, state-of-the art building. Twenty-four private rooms with en suite bathrooms and French doors leading to individual terraces were designed to make the final days of a patient’s life as peaceful as possible. Medical equipment was concealed, beloved pets were welcome to visit, and a drinks trolley came round each evening. The hospice had cost almost £20m to build and equip, every penny raised by donations, legacies, charity events, trusts and foundations. The land was a gift from a local businessman. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/AfrhBlp via IFTTT

The British number two was leading 6-1 3-0 when McCartney Kessler retired after losing eight straight games. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/z0vTYo9 via IFTTT

Two other substations available to supply airport with electricity, according to chief executive John Pettigrew There was enough power for Heathrow to remain open during the entire period it was shut down on Friday, the head of National Grid has said. Speaking for the first time since a fire forced North Hyde substation to close, the National Grid chief executive, John Pettigrew, said two other substations that serve Heathrow were working and could have supplied the airport with all the power it needed to remain open. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/UlYRvFQ via IFTTT

Edwards may be out of title contention for good after failing to bounce back from last summer’s loss to Belal Muhammad from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/tjKVuHL via IFTTT

The two-time heavyweight champion, Olympic gold medalist and Hall of Fame boxer died Friday at age 76. He leaves behind a towering legacy Legendary boxer George Foreman dies aged 76 Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/lUSyiJk via IFTTT

The moves that barred the media mogul’s choice of lawyer are immune from legal challenge, giving the national security committee what one expert called ‘the powers of a police state’ The dwindling freedom in Hong Kong over the past few years has been described as “ death by a thousand cuts ”. Critics have been jailed , elections have been transformed into “ patriots only ” affairs, journalists have been harassed and hundreds of thousands of people have left . This week, an obscure legal development has, in the eyes of some legal experts, inflicted another cut on the city’s once revered legal system. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/6NQvDF4 via IFTTT

James McAtee, Harvey Elliott and Liam Delap all found the net in Lorient, but England struggled to defend. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/HUo4Wwr via IFTTT

Bird of prey’s violent reign in Flamstead could soon come to an end, according to parish council It stole two woolly hats from the head of a 91-year-old pensioner. It clawed a jogger’s scalp and left him reeling. It is said to swoop in from behind without making a sound, has a penchant for tall men’s heads and – so far – has evaded capture. But the violent reign of the Flamstead hawk, which has made men in the Hertfordshire village of Flamstead afraid to go out without covering their heads, may soon be at an end. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9IdXHV3 via IFTTT

US claims tattoos prove membership of Tren de Aragua gang but relatives describe tributes to God, family and Real Madrid Like many Venezuelans of his generation, Franco José Caraballo Tiapa is a man of many tattoos. There is one of a rose, one of a lion, and another – on the left side of the 26-year-old’s neck – of a razor blade that represents his work as a barber. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/GikTcXq via IFTTT

World Happiness Report 2024 finds volunteering more frequent in most regions as Finland tops chart again and Costa Rica and Mexico enter top 10 The world experienced a “benevolence bump” of kindness during the Covid-19 pandemic that has remained, with generous acts more than 10% above pre-pandemic levels. The annual World Happiness Report found that in 2024, acts such as donating and volunteering were more frequent than in 2017–19 in all generations and almost all global regions, although they had fallen from 2023. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/J0eBX7o via IFTTT

Olivier theatre, London James Graham has rewritten parts of his hit play to reflect the 2024 Euros, and the gaffer emerges as a progressive, gentle, alternative national leader It’s unusual for an award-winning, commercially successful play to be revived with a substantially rewritten second half and multiple new characters. James Graham’s reason for dismantling a hit is that his story of Gareth Southgate’s renewal of the England men’s football team was, in effect, written at half-time. The 2023 premiere had an implied triumphant coda in which the manager’s methods of psychology and motivation won the 2024 Euros. A 2-1 defeat to Spain in the final last July has made this version of the play more reflective than celebratory, although the fact that the Spanish winner was scored by a substitute after an agonising offside review confirms a strong theme: football as a metaphor for life’s tiny margins between good and bad outcomes. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/...

The Algerian boxer won gold in Paris amid a gender eligibility controversy. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/gRoftxX via IFTTT

Only six out of 56 treatments analysed yielded ‘small’ relief according to most comprehensive worldwide study, with some even increasing pain Five ways to help manage lower back pain Most treatments for back pain do not work and even the few that do bring little relief, a global review of the evidence on one of the world’s commonest health problems has found. Six in 10 adults in the UK live with lower back pain at some point. Symptoms can include excruciating pain, restricted movement, inability to work and reluctance to mix socially. Some people feel better within weeks but others can find their life dominated by chronic pain for years. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/nbNsjYM via IFTTT

Israeli prime minister bows to pressure from far right over majority who prioritise deals to bring back hostages As the ceasefire in Gaza extended from days into weeks, and newly freed hostages began sharing grim details of their captivity, Benjamin Netanyahu’s political room for manoeuvre seemed to shrink. He was caught between the far-right parties propping up his government, keen to return to war in Gaza, and the majority of Israelis who prioritised the fate of the remaining hostages over the “total defeat” of Hamas demanded by their prime minister. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/6qGHxYs via IFTTT

Swedish furniture retailer’s arrival is seen as crucial to hopes of reviving the London shopping street Ikea will be bringing its mix of meatballs, lampshades and kitchen planning to London’s Oxford Street from 1 May, when the world’s largest furniture retailer finally opens its store 18 months late . The company said its three-floor outlet, in the former Topshop base, would house a 130-seat Swedish deli and showrooms, as well as offering one-to-one design consultations. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/EnKZVMp via IFTTT

The 37-year-old felt discomfort during his club’s Major League Soccer win at Atlanta. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/doFKLiV via IFTTT

The pilot, whose squadron shot down 90 enemy aircraft in an 11-day period in 1940, called himself the ‘lucky Irishman’ The last surviving Battle of Britain pilot, John “Paddy” Hemingway, has died aged 105. The Royal Air Force (RAF) said Hemingway, a member of “the Few” who took to the skies during the second world war, died peacefully on Monday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/aif4NBt via IFTTT

Fossils retain microscopic structural features including stomach contents and provide first detailed evidence in Australia for fish called Osmeriformes Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Fossil fish so exquisitely preserved that scientists have been able to reconstruct their final days from up to 16m years ago have been discovered in central New South Wales. Several fossils of small freshwater fish, embedded in an iron-rich mineral called goethite at the McGraths Flat fossil site , have retained microscopic structural features including their stomach contents and the outlines of cells that determine colour. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/noLe4gE via IFTTT

Players Championship to be settled over three holes Leading pair back on Monday after weather delay Rory McIlroy’s bid for a second Players Championship will rumble into a fifth day. He may well be grateful for that; in the final meaningful act of day four, the little-known JJ Spaun came within a couple of ball rotations of snatching the PGA Tour’s marquee event from McIlroy’s grasp. How that would have stung the Northern Irishman. The pair will instead return on Monday morning for a three hole playoff. McIlroy is the clear favourite but Spaun, with nothing to lose, carries menace. As with so much involving McIlroy, this proved dramatic stuff. He was four shots adrift of the lead before a shot was struck on Sunday. Inside five holes, he was tied at the top. A four-hour weather delay ensued; when McIlroy birdied the 12th upon return, he led by three. McIlroy played the closing six in one over as Spaun birdied the 14th and 16th to force extra time. Continue reading... from The Gu...

McIlroy was caught at the top of the leaderboard by JJ Spaun in a weather-disrupted final round in Florida. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/Lfy0iRd via IFTTT

‘The players delivered under pressure,’ says manager Liverpool’s Arne Slot: ‘Exactly the way they wanted it’ Eddie Howe lauded Newcastle’s Carabao Cup final win against Liverpool as a day the club “will never forget” after securing their first major domestic trophy in 70 years. Dan Burn and Alexander Isak set Newcastle on their way to victory, with Federico Chiesa scoring a late consolation for Liverpool. There was pure elation in the black-and-white half of Wembley, packed with more than 32,000 Newcastle fans, at full time as they celebrated the end of a seven-decade long wait since winning the 1955 FA Cup. Victory earned a Uefa Conference League spot for next season. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/oM5tgD7 via IFTTT

Ten Americans sit inside the top 14, with world number 57 Spaun sitting one clear of Bud Cauley at 12 under. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/UAViegs via IFTTT

The British comedian on being shot into space by Jeff Bezos, his nightmarish run-in with a fan and the thing he loves most about Australia Read more 10 Chaotic Questions Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email Would you rather die at the bottom of the ocean or out in space? I’ve actually just learned how to dive, so I’m a bit obsessed with being at the bottom of the ocean! But I don’t know that I want to die underwater. It’s very peaceful and serene down there. I think I’d like to be fired out to space in a massive cannon. Ross Noble is touring his new live show, Cranium of Curiosities, around Australia until September, then the UK from October; check here for all dates . He is also a guest on Memory Bites with Matt Moran on SBS Food. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/OXWY6mj via IFTTT

For years many brave Filipinos have worked tirelessly, in and out of the spotlight, to expose the horrors of the deadly campaign Facing charges of crimes against humanity and hauled off to The Hague, the arrest this week of the former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is a pivotal moment for those seeking justice for the many thousands of lives lost during his reign. Soon after his inauguration in 2016, the then Philippine leader embarked on a violent crackdown on drugs and crime that catalysed a wave of extrajudicial killings. Rights groups say that up to 30,000 people were killed in Duterte’s “war on drugs”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/TP1pa0k via IFTTT

Falcon 9 rocket takes off on journey to replace duo who have been at International Space Station since June The replacements for two Nasa astronauts who have been stuck at the International Space Station for nine months launched on Friday evening, paving the way for the pair’s long-awaited return. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 7.03pm ET (11.03pm GMT) in Florida carrying the four astronauts who will take over from Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stuck on the orbital lab since June. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/uyR5CKi via IFTTT

Researchers say environmental impact from Kakhovka dam explosion comparable to Chornobyl nuclear disaster The destruction of a large Ukrainian dam in 2023 triggered a “toxic timebomb” of environmental harm, a study has found. Lakebed sediments holding 83,000 tonnes of heavy metals were exposed when the Kakhovka dam was blown up one year into Russia’s invasion, researchers found. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/UClFbhi via IFTTT

Montana-based hunting influencer flies out of Australia on Friday after home affairs minister said he couldn’t ‘wait to see the back of this individual’ A US hunting influencer who caused outrage in Australia after from its mother has left the country after the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said immigration authorities were checking if she had breached the conditions of her visa. A government source told Guardian Australia that Montana-based Sam Jones had left the country on Friday morning. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/GMczCNm via IFTTT

The Portuguese boss was left upset after claiming his side deserved three penalties over 120 minutes before the Scottish side triumphed on penalties from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/7dT5pxC via IFTTT

Villa completed a 6-1 aggregate win over Club Brugge in the last-16. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/tewLdN8 via IFTTT

Polish research also finds increased risk of both sexes being overweight if married Marriage triples the risk of obesity for men, but does not affect women, according to research. Global obesity rates have more than doubled since 1990, with more than 2.5 billion adults and children classed as being overweight or obese. Worldwide, more than half of adults and a third of children are predicted to be overweight or obese by 2050. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/efRWowL via IFTTT

Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris St Germain. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/VmgbqEw via IFTTT

Sydney surgeons ‘enormously proud’ after patient in his 40s receives the Australian-designed implant designed as a bridge before donor heart Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast An Australian man with heart failure has become the first person in the world to walk out of a hospital with a total artificial heart implant. The Australian researchers and doctors behind the operation announced on Wednesday that the implant had been an “unmitigated clinical success” after the man lived with the device for more than 100 days before receiving a donor heart transplant in early March. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/z4q9evs via IFTTT

A new study reveals a surprising trend: while younger generations are turning away from traditional church attendance, they’re not turning away from faith. from Christianity.com https://ift.tt/C79iLBY

New book by spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism will raise the stakes in a dispute with Beijing over control of Tibet The Dalai Lama’s successor will be born outside China, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism says in a new book, raising the stakes in a dispute with Beijing over control of the Himalayan region he fled more than six decades ago. Tibetans worldwide want the institution of the Dalai Lama to continue after the 89-year-old’s death, he writes in Voice for the Voiceless, which was reviewed by Reuters and is being released on Tuesday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/nkPzJoI via IFTTT

They prefer to carry branches in their teeth, like dogs. And when they swim, they hold their front paws to their chests, like a severe governess in a Victorian novel The heads of beavers, large rodents known for building dams, are their own kind of highly complex dam structure, with various retractable walls that let water in or keep it out. They can close valves in their nostrils and ears and a special membrane over their eyes; their epiglottis, the flap that stops water entering the lungs, is inside their nose instead of their throat; they use their tongue to shield their throats from water; and their lips to shield their mouths – their lips can close behind their front teeth. Their teeth are rust-orange, because they are strengthened with iron. Their back feet are webbed like a duck’s; on land, their front feet act like hands, digging, grasping and carrying things from the riverbed to the surface – rocks, for example, tucked under their chins and cradled by their arms. When they ...

Exclusive: Compulsory purchase orders will no longer need Whitehall permission under shake-up of planning rules Councils and mayors will be granted greater powers to seize land to build affordable housing under the Labour government’s shake-up of planning rules this week. Local authorities in England and Wales will no longer need permission from central government to make compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), in a change that ministers hope will unlock vacant and derelict land. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Bn1Ycly via IFTTT

Michelle Keegan is the only nurse in this 50s-set drama about Brits emigrating to Australia, but its slight take on social issues that are relevant today recalls the BBC birthing drama Sunday nights on BBC One should offer an escape from the disappointments of the working week. But what’s this? We’re thousands of miles away and in the distant past, but we’re uncomfortable and frustrated, mopping our troubled brows and wondering if we’ve all made a horrible mistake? That’s right: Ten Pound Poms is back for a second season. Based on a real scheme that saw hundreds of thousands of Britons flee postwar austerity and move to Australia, paying a tenner for their passage on the understanding that a utopian existence awaited them in Oz, Ten Pound Poms concerns a gang of unfortunate Englanders who sail from Southampton to Sydney in 1956. Their plucky optimism is instantly squished when they find that, as was often the case with the real ten-pounders , the suburban idyll they’ve been promised ...

Jack Harrison gave the visitors the lead in the first half before Marshall Munetsi opened his account for Wolves seven minutes later. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/fhK2PqT via IFTTT

Creative Acts works to get people out of prison with an unlikely tool reporting a 96% reduction in infractions from participants One Monday in July, Samantha Tovar, known as Royal, left her 6ft-by-11ft cell for the first time in three weeks. Correctional officers escorted her to the common area of the Central California Women’s Facility and chained her hands and feet to a metal table, on top of which sat a virtual reality headset. Two and a half years into a five-year prison sentence, Royal was about to see Thailand for the first time. When she first put on the headset, Royal immediately had an aerial view of a cove. Soon after, her view switched to a boat moving fairly fast with buildings on either side of the water. In the boat was a man with a backpack, and it was as if she were sitting beside him. With accompanying meditative music and narration, the four-minute scene took Royal across a crowded Thai market, through ancient ruins, on a tuk-tuk (a three-wheeled rickshaw) and int...

The 30-year-old Price dominated her 40-year-old opponent with a 98-93 100-90 98-92 score. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/XWMn1SH via IFTTT

Barbican theatre, London Thomas Ostermeier’s masterful staging has tremendous performances from a cast including Tom Burke, Emma Corrin and Kodi Smit-McPhee Chekhov described his country-house drama as a comedy, creating its serious yet silly characters “not without pleasure”. Still, it is a test of tone and performance to render, with humour, a story that scales so much thwarted life. Director Thomas Ostermeier and Duncan Macmillan’s new version rather magically balances lightness, wit and melancholy from the off, as characters gather at a country estate in hipsterish modern dress. There is the imperious actor Arkadina (Cate Blanchett) and her lover, Trigorin (Tom Burke), a famous writer who arrives from the city; her brother Sorin (Jason Watkins), whose health is failing, and her overshadowed son, Konstantin (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who aspires to be a writer and, in protest perhaps, disapproves of the middlebrow appeal of his mother’s art. Love’s arrows shoot in all the wrong directio...

Raducanu lost 6-3 6-2 while fellow Brit Jacob Fearnley was also knocked out in the first round from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/IJ3gVDZ via IFTTT

Companies claim this is ‘fair use’. I think it’s a digital heist Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Australia’s close-knit literary community – from writers and agents through to the Australian Society of Authors – have reacted with outrage. Black Inc, the publisher of the Quarterly Essay as well as fiction and nonfiction books by many prominent writers, had asked consent from its authors to train AI models on their work and then share the revenue with those authors. Now I have a dog in this race. Actually two dogs. I have published four books with Black Inc, have a fifth coming out next month, and have a contract for a sixth by the end of the year. And I have also been an AI researcher for 40 years, training AI models with data. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/xcYLFml via IFTTT

Group claims regulator signed off on ‘broken system’ making customers pay for industry’s neglect An environmental group is to take legal action against Ofwat, the water regulator, accusing it of unlawfully making customers pay for decades of neglect by the water industry. River Action will file the legal claim this month, arguing that bill rises for customers that have been approved by the regulator could be used to fix infrastructure failures that should have been addressed years ago. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/hIkxmWf via IFTTT

The Reds rode their luck with VAR decisions and were bailed out by an inspired display from Alisson Becker. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/u3tW962 via IFTTT

US president tells group to ‘release all of the Hostages now ... or it is OVER for you’ as White House enters negotiations Donald Trump has posted a fresh ultimatum to Hamas, telling the group to “release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you”. “‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye,” he wrote in a social media post on Wednesday, in an apparent reference to the beginning of direct talks with the group. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/WMU7cad via IFTTT

National Gallery, London This epochal exhibition is full of works so intimate and expressive that the painters of a medieval Italian city 700 years ago suddenly seem close at hand Seven centuries ago a poet penned the most ecstatic art review ever written. Francesco Petrarca, known as Petrarch , had commissioned the Sienese artist Simone Martini to paint a portrait of his beloved, Laura. The result was so marvellous, he wrote, that if all the famous artists of ancient Greece “competed for a thousand years they wouldn’t have seen a tiny bit of the beauty that’s conquered my heart”. Petrarch’s rave review has it right. Conquering the heart is what Martini and other 14th-century painters from Siena do in the National Gallery’s devastatingly exact, epochal exhibition about the moment western art came alive. Simone’s painting of Laura is lost but you see why he was the artist for the job. He is so expressive, so tender, exploding any idea of medieval art as remote. Continue reading... ...

Oakwood Theme Park in Pembrokeshire shut due to rising costs and declining visitor numbers, owner says The largest theme park in Wales has closed with immediate effect after nearly 40 years, its owner has announced. Oakwood Theme Park, in Pembrokeshire, west Wales, announced on Tuesday that it will shut. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/rn327qv via IFTTT

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Donald Trump is upending the world order his country helped to create. He may also upend Australian foreign policy in the process The truth was written all over the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s face in the Oval Office last week. The US is an unreliable ally. “The Trump administration seems unlikely to provide Ukraine with an adequate security guarantee even as it is demanding the ability to rinse Ukraine for its resources, and on Tuesday “ paused ” all military aid. European leaders are quickly and rightly losing faith in the Nato mutual security guarantee. America has threatened to annex allies including Canada and Greenland . Administration cronies like Elon Musk are now openly musing about the US withdrawing not just from Nato but from the UN. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CP2OdIa via IFTTT

Information Commissioner’s Office says it aims to learn about wider market by looking into two sites plus Imgur TikTok is to be investigated by the UK’s data protection watchdog, which is looking into whether social media algorithms are serving up inappropriate or harmful content to children. Growing concerns over how social media platforms are using data generated by children’s online activity have prompted the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to launch an investigation into the Chinese platform, along with the forum site Reddit and the image-sharing site Imgur. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/C283OAK via IFTTT

The Manchester City midfielder returned to individual training this week as he recovers from an ACL injury. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/BUeJGb4 via IFTTT

Midfielder sustained serious knee injury in September ‘Maybe in the Premier League, it’s going to happen’ Rodri could be back in action before the end of the Premier League season according to the Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola. The Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder, who was initially ruled out for the remainder of the campaign after sustaining anterior cruciate ligament damage in September, returned to individual training this week. While Rodri has spoken optimistically of playing again this term, Guardiola has been far more cautious, suggesting it was not worth the risk even if possible. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/pFeOHrI via IFTTT

Head coach ponders different Test, ODI and T20 captains McCullum may look to domestic game for new leader Brendon McCullum is open to the concept of three England men’s captains – and possibly even appointing one from outside the current setup – as he attempts to revive the white-ball teams and ensure a winter of misery does not bleed into the Test side. Signing off from the Champions Trophy with a seven-wicket shellacking at the hands of South Africa – a seventh successive one-day-international defeat – McCullum admitted England were poor in “all facets of the game” and lessons needed to be learned. His review will also mean identifying a successor to Jos Buttler as white-ball captain. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Cl8GYnP via IFTTT

The defending champions ran in eight tries – all by different scorers – in the first Super League match to be played in the United States. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/HFv65oU via IFTTT

Dance-pop artist picks up album and artist of the year prizes, while Ezra Collective see off big names to become first jazz artists to win British group • The Brit awards – in pictures • The full list of winners Charli xcx has won five Brit awards, including album of the year for her summer-defining, green-hued, magnificently debauched album Brat. At the ceremony in London’s O2 Arena, she was also awarded British artist of the year, song of the year for Guess (featuring Billie Eilish), and one of the five genre awards, for dance act. Earlier in the week she was named songwriter of the year. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/BnVh9zF via IFTTT

Early mornings, razor-like broken window panes, private property restrictions and territorial fellow recycling collectors – it’s all in a day’s work for a growing cohort of elderly Australians Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Liz Lee peers into a recycling bin, laughs and slams the lid shut. The 79-year-old has struck gold: the bin is three-quarters full of empty cans, each representing a 10 cent refund at recycling collection points. She reopens the bin and reaches in, passing each can to her friend, Julie Griffin, 63. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/my0HCdp via IFTTT