The Voice Reveal

Ukrainian foreign ministry says deliberate strikes on civilian energy facilities violate international law as fears of a winter crisis grow. What we know on day 1,347 Ukraine’s foreign ministry has denounced what it described as Russian attacks on substations critical to supplying external power for Ukraine’s nuclear power stations. Russia has carried out “targeted strikes on such substations”, a ministry statement issued late on Friday said. “Deliberate strikes on civilian energy facilities that directly affect the safe operation of nuclear installations bear the hallmarks of nuclear terrorism and constitute a grave violation of international humanitarian law,” it added. The foreign ministry referred to a statement issued on Thursday by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, reporting military activity “that has led to damage to substations critical to nuclear safety and security in Ukraine”. The IAEA statement reported incidents near two nuclear plants ...

President Trump received a trio of legal setbacks – key US politics stories from 31 October at a glance President Trump received a trio of legal setbacks Friday related to the government shutdown and his attempts to tweak voting access in US elections. First, two federal judges issued back-to-back rulings in separate cases ordering the administration to use contingency funds to continue paying for food stamps under the Snap program. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/DY2cOxH via IFTTT

Over-by-over updates, 1am GMT start, 2pm local Sign up to The Spin newsletter | And email Tanya Though this is a dead game, it could still give England valuable points as they scramble to automatically qualify for the 2027 World Cup. Simon has the details: New Zealand XI: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (capt), Nathan Smith, Zak Foulkes, Blair Tickner, Jacob Duffy. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/jqaW4il via IFTTT

Toronto one win from first title since 1993 Drop David a line at Bluesky or via email E-mail! David Athya writes: Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/BMS5i91 via IFTTT

Sydney researchers commercialising a product they say can cool indoor spaces and will cost little more than standard premium paints Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here Australian scientists have developed roof coatings that can passively cool surfaces up to 6C below ambient temperature, as well as extract water from the atmosphere, which they say could reduce indoor temperatures during extreme heat events. Heatwaves are becoming more intense, more frequent and more deadly due to human-caused global heating. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/n72qaU0 via IFTTT

Hearts stay top after battling 2-2 draw at St Mirren Danny Röhl’s Rangers win 1-0 against Hibernian Martin O’Neill celebrated his Celtic homecoming with a thumping 4-0 win over Falkirk at Parkhead. The 73-year-old former manager was installed along with the former Celtic player Shaun Maloney as the interim management team after the stunning resignation of Brendan Rodgers on Monday night. Celtic fans continued their protest against Dermot Desmond, the club’s major shareholder, and the board outside the stadium before the game due, in part, to a perceived poor summer transfer window. Desmond sat in the directors’ box and watched his fellow Irishman Johnny Kenny fire Celtic into the lead after half an hour and then head in a second 10 minutes later, before goals from Benjamin Nygren and Sebastian Tounekti in the second half increased the fun factor. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/AKCzSNp via IFTTT

The 2026 Winter Olympics start in 100 days in Italy. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/NmCuFX4 via IFTTT

Vote passes 52-48 with Republican support in rare bipartisan rebuke of US president’s trade policies The US Senate on Tuesday approved a measure that would terminate Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on Brazilian imports, including coffee, beef and other products, in a rare bipartisan show of opposition to the president’s trade war. The vote passed 52-48. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/nKSMANg via IFTTT

Peers say ‘woeful’ record on prosecutions has led to a ‘low-risk, high-reward’ criminal culture Organised crime groups in the UK are making millions every year from illegally dumping and burning rubbish , peers have told ministers, after an inquiry found a lack of enforcement made it a “low-risk, high-reward” criminal enterprise. “Criminality is endemic in the waste sector,” a Lords committee told the government on Tuesday, after it found at least 38m tonnes of waste was illegally managed every year, “leading to serious environmental, economic and social consequences”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/L1NwcE8 via IFTTT

Former boss Martin O’Neill and ex-Celtic player Shaun Maloney have been put in temporary charge following Rodgers’ second mid-season exit. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/mI2XP6y via IFTTT

Dave Richards, 75, who suffered full-thickness burns, given mimetic prosthetic by new NHS 3D medical centre A cyclist who received severe third-degree burns to his head after being struck by a drunk driver has been fitted with a printed 3D face. Dave Richards, 75, was given a 3D prosthetic by the NHS that fits the space on his face and mimics his hair colour, eye colour and skin. His face received full-thickness burns after a speeding drunk driver hit him while he was out cycling with friends. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/JrHcNDj via IFTTT

Jets come back from 14-point deficit in fourth quarter Costly injuries blight Eagles’ win over Giants Breece Hall rushed for two second-half touchdowns and threw a four-yard TD pass to Mason Taylor with 1:54 left, helping the New York Jets edge the Cincinnati Bengals for their first win of the season. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2jbG9fL via IFTTT

Juventus have not won since 13 September Roma win 1-0 at Sassuolo to keep pace with Napoli Juventus lost 1-0 at Lazio in Serie A on Sunday to pile more pressure on their coach, Igor Tudor. The Bianconeri have not won in any competition since 13 September, when they beat Inter 4-3 , and they went a fourth straight match without scoring a goal as they lost in Rome. A mistake from the Juventus forward Jonathan David led to Lazio’s goal in the ninth minute. The Canada international was deep in his own half and — under no pressure — when he headed the ball to the home side’s Danilo Cataldi, who laid it off to Toma Basic to drive into the bottom right corner. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/gxoYXey via IFTTT

Trump said he would not schedule any talks with Putin unless it was clear that the Russian leader was serious about ending the war. What we know on day 1,341 See all our Ukraine war coverage The Trump administration has prepared additional sanctions it could use to target key areas of Russia’s economy if Vladimir Putin continues to delay ending Moscow’s war in Ukraine , officials have told the Reuters news agency. It was not clear whether Washington will actually levy further sanctions, but some of the measures being discussed reportedly included targeting Russia’s banking sector and the infrastructure used to get oil to market, said a US official and another person familiar with the matter. Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Russia on Wednesday for the first time since returning to office in January. Trump said on Saturday that he would not schedule any talks with Putin unless it was clear that the Russian leader was serious about making a deal to end the war in Ukraine. “I’m ...

Sgt Kevin Bollaro accused of misconduct and falsifying report after blowing off investigation of a double homicide A New Jersey officer has been charged with misconduct after prosecutors say he didn’t quickly respond to and properly investigate reports of a shooting that turned out to be a double murder, instead stopping at an ATM and pizzeria. Franklin township police sergeant Kevin Bollaro was the on-duty officer on the evening of 1 August when police received 911 calls reporting gunshots and screaming in Pittstown, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) from Manhattan in central New Jersey, according to Hunterdon county prosecutor Renée Robeson’s office. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/vyJKZ2L via IFTTT

Prime minister Charnvirakul cancels trip to Asean summit in Malaysia after news of the Queen Mother’s death Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit, who brought glamour to a postwar revival in the country’s monarchy and who, in later years, would occasionally wade into politics, has died aged 93, the Thai Royal Household bureau has announced. The palace said she had been hospitalised since 2019 due to several illnesses and developed a bloodstream infection on 17bOctober before passing away late on Friday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/irToW2z via IFTTT

Police say one person critical and one person in serious condition but no details on suspect or suspects A shooting near Howard University has left at least four people shot, police in Washington DC said. The shooting happened as thousands descended on the campus for homecoming celebrations. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/WU7kAv0 via IFTTT

Authorities report progress in controlling pests – the yellow ant invaders – that are threatening the charismatic crustaceans Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Christmas Island’s red crabs begin their famed annual migration as authorities report progress to control pests threatening the charismatic crustaceans. More than 100 million red crabs making their annual trek from Christmas Island’s rainforest to the coast are creating a migration spectacle that occupies countless bucket lists. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/FCnVxlc via IFTTT

Treasury committee says move in November budget could push up mortgage rates instead Cutting the annual cash Isa allowance will not encourage many savers to switch to shares but could push up mortgage costs, MPs have warned the chancellor. Adults can put up to £20,000 a year in a tax-free Isa and spread the money between cash and stock market investments as they choose. In the 2023-24 tax year, 66% of all contributions went into cash savings. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/y8oU0SD via IFTTT

Banking industry data shows £629m was stolen in six months from fraud that included gold, wine and property The amount of money lost to investment scams by UK consumers has leapt 55% in a year as cryptocurrency fraudsters intensify their efforts to cheat people out of their savings, data shows. Official UK banking industry data shows that while the total amount stolen by fraudsters increased 3% to £629m in the first six months of this year compared with last year, investment scam losses surged, reaching £97.7m during the period – more than £500,000 a day. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/NDyaHMU via IFTTT

Shutdown contributes to 27% slump across the UK sector, which says it remains under ‘immense pressure’ Car production in British factories slumped in September to the lowest level for the month since 1952 after Jaguar Land Rover was hit by an unprecedented cyber-attack . JLR, Britain’s largest automotive employer, was forced to shut down all its computer systems at the start of September and was unable to make another car until early October . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/uay3TYx via IFTTT

Zhi Dong Zhang, known by alias ‘Brother Wang’, is also wanted by US and has alleged ties to Mexican drug cartels Cuba has arrested an alleged Chinese fentanyl kingpin who escaped custody in Mexico in July and is also wanted by the US, Mexican security sources told AFP on Wednesday. Zhi Dong Zhang, known by the alias “Brother Wang” and with alleged ties to Mexico’s Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation drug cartels, will remain in Cuba awaiting a decision on his possible extradition, the sources added. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/cljUJdC via IFTTT

Paul Ingrassia dropped out of consideration after racist text messages he sent surfaced this week. Key US politics stories from 21 October 2025 at a glance Donald Trump’s nominee to lead a federal watchdog agency, Paul Ingrassia, withdrew on Tuesday following a report that Ingrassia described himself as having a “Nazi streak.” Ingrassia said in a social media post that he was pulling out of a scheduled Thursday hearing before a Senate panel that was set to consider his nomination because “I do not have enough Republican votes at this time.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/YuAVIGy via IFTTT

Lindsay Sandiford, 68, has been on death row in Indonesia since 2012, after authorities found 3.8kg of cocaine in her suitcase A British woman will avoid execution for drug smuggling in Indonesia under an agreement between the two nations to repatriate her and another Briton serving a life sentence. Lindsay Sandiford , 68, has been imprisoned in Bali since 2012. She was arrested at the resort island’s airport after authorities found 3.8kg of cocaine worth $2.5m hidden in the lining of her suitcase. During the trial, she said she was forced to carry the drugs by a gang that threatened her children. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/jBcPbOd via IFTTT

Expected reduction in contributions by wealthy countries likely to cost millions of lives and billions in lost growth Slashed contributions from wealthy countries to an anti-malaria fund could allow a resurgence of the disease, costing millions of lives and billions of pounds by the end of the decade, according to a new analysis. The fight against malaria faces new threats, including extreme weather and humanitarian crises increasing the number of people exposed, and growing biological resistance to insecticides and drugs, the report warns. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/rxOmPz6 via IFTTT

Chancellor to tell business leaders at government’s first regional investment summit she plans to ‘cut pointless admin’ The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is poised to launch a renewed “blitz on business bureaucracy” ahead of next month’s budget to target savings for companies worth £6bn. With Labour under pressure to reboot the economy, Reeves is expected to tell business leaders in Birmingham for the government’s first regional investment summit that she plans to “cut pointless admin”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/iKPZFDJ via IFTTT

Post-summer bounce in activity fails to materialise as buyers and sellers, in the south especially, opt to ‘wait and see’ The UK’s housing market is showing signs of slowing down amid speculation that Rachel Reeves could announce tax increases on property in next month’s budget. In a sign of growing caution among house hunters, figures from Rightmove showed that both the number of new buyers contacting estate agents about homes for sale, and the number of new sellers coming to market, slumped by 5% in September compared with the same month a year earlier. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9OKFSNb via IFTTT

Polling finds majority consider £1bn funding for Aids, TB and malaria vaccines a UK success story Pressure is mounting on Keir Starmer not to cut the UK’s contribution to the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria after polling found 62% of Britons believe the government should maintain or increase its support. The prime minister must decide this year whether to maintain the UK contribution at £1bn or implement a cut in line with recent reductions to the aid budget. A cut of 20% has been rumoured . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/HK0cuVm via IFTTT

Customs and Border Protection implemented rule this week, sending Americans with ‘X’ marker into panic US Customs and Border Protection implemented a rule this week that will require airlines to disregard “X” sex markers on passports and input an “M” or “F” marker instead, sending those people with an “X” marker into panic. “X” markers became available to US passport holders in 2022 , in an effort to allow people with gender identities other than male and female to obtain more accurate travel documents. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/orAblce via IFTTT

No 8 to leave Saracens at end of the season Only Gallagher Prem players eligible for England Tom Willis will leave Saracens at the end of the season after signing a contract with Bordeaux that will make him ineligible for Steve Borthwick’s England squad. In a major blow to the head coach, Willis has rejected a new deal from Saracens in order to return to the club where he spent a chunk of the 2022-23 campaign once Wasps had entered administration. Since heading to north London in 2023, he has established himself as England’s first-choice No 8 and was awarded an enhanced contract by the Rugby Football Union in recognition of the impact he has made. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/klucAQg via IFTTT

In this week’s newsletter: As they chase the streamers, our national broadcasters’ once-distinct identities have melded into faceless programming punchbowls For seasoned tea-leaf readers of the future of TV in the UK, two stories will have stood out this week, swirling around at the bottom of their cups. There was the news that MTV is shutting down its music channels – sad for those of us who misspent their youth watching them, though hardly surprising either, given MTV’s decades-long shift away from music and towards rolling repeats of Teen Mom and shows about tattooists. And there was a media piece in the Guardian about the demise of British TV’s once-gold plated 9pm slot, which for the first time last month failed to achieve a rating of 1m or more among any of the major broadcasters. That second story was a little surprising. Overnight viewing figures are in constant decline in the streaming age, but even by those standards, not one solitary rating over 1m is eye-catching. Con...

Former cabinet secretary seen as favourite despite running risk of angering No 10 with China spy trial comments Mark Sedwill has emerged as the frontrunner to become the UK’s ambassador to the US, according to senior government figures. The former cabinet secretary and national security adviser is seen by ministers as the likeliest choice for the top diplomatic posting in Washington. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/WbDTkyS via IFTTT

FCA cites study showing victims’ ‘red flags’ are often missed and calls for improved monitoring systems The City regulator has called on banks and payment firms to bring in stricter controls protecting customers from romance fraud after a study showed a number of missed “red flags” that led to people losing huge sums of money. The review by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) highlighted one case where someone lost £428,000, another where a customer made 403 payments totalling £72,000 to a fraudster and a case where someone wanted money to transfer cryptocurrency to their “partner” in Iraq. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/BwWzsdn via IFTTT

Sutton Trust’s research reveals huge inequalities in how parents navigate Send system, with poorer children ‘doubly disadvantaged’ One in eight children in special schools have parents who spent £5,000 or more on their assessments, according to research that reveals huge inequalities in how parents navigate England’s special educational needs system. The research comes as the government is planning to overhaul special educational needs and disabilities (Send) provision in schools. Despite earlier reports that education, health and care plans (EHCPs) that detail support for each child would be scrapped as part of the overhaul, sources have told the Guardian that the plans will now survive the reforms. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/zPQCh13 via IFTTT

Tillbridge solar farm will be built in county where Reform UK’s anti-renewables agenda has rising support Ed Miliband has approved the UK’s biggest solar farm, which will be built in a county where Reform UK’s anti-renewables agenda has won rising support. The energy secretary on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for the Tillbridge solar farm to be developed near Gainsborough in Lincolnshire. Once built, it will generate enough electricity to power 300,000 UK homes. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/St5YdZB via IFTTT

Longtime organizer and founder of House of gg earned reputation as champion for liberation of Black trans women Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, a trailblazer of the transgender rights movement , longtime community organizer and veteran of the Stonewall riots, died on Monday, her representatives announced. The acclaimed activist died at her home in Little Rock, Arkansas, surrounded by family, the House of gg (the final organization she founded and led) announced. She was 78, and the group’s statement did not give a cause of death. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/mkGJhAn via IFTTT

First minister tells SNP conference older people should not ‘pay the price for Westminster’s prejudice’ over immigration John Swinney has said the Scottish government will help hundreds of overseas care workers stay in the UK, as he attacked Westminster for its rising hostility to immigrants . The first minister said it was unfair Scotland’s older people had to “pay the price for Westminster’s prejudice”, and that his devolved government would sponsor visa applications for workers needed to staff care homes, at a cost of about £500,000. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/s1CUTY3 via IFTTT

Unless global heating is reduced to 1.2C ‘as fast as possible’, warm water coral reefs will not remain ‘at any meaningful scale’, a report by 160 scientists from 23 countries warns Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here The earth has reached its first catastrophic tipping point linked to greenhouse gas emissions, with warm water coral reefs now facing a long-term decline and risking the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people, according to a new report. The report from scientists and conservationists warns the world is also “on the brink” of reaching other tipping points, including the dieback of the Amazon, the collapse of major ocean currents and the loss of ice sheets. Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/O0bGgzr via IFTTT

Five people taken to hospital after crash at Huntington Beach in front of beachgoers A helicopter flying above a popular southern California beach suddenly began spiralling out of control, eventually losing altitude and crashing into a row of palm trees as beachgoers looked on. Videos posted online show the aircraft starting to spin above Huntington Beach then plunging towards the edge of the beach, where it becomes wedged between palms and a staircase near the Pacific Coast highway. The Huntington Beach fire department said five people were taken to hospital including two who were in the helicopter and were “safely pulled from the wreckage” after the crash on Saturday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Yeb45lZ via IFTTT

Scotland will bid to boost their hopes of reaching the World Cup with a win over Belarus. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/EUKc6FH via IFTTT

Donald Trump says he has directed the defence secretary to release funds on 15 October. Key US politics stories from 11 October at a glance Donald Trump claimed he had found a way to pay US military troops despite the federal government shutdown, saying he had instructed his defence secretary, Pete Hegseth , to release funds. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote: “I am using my authority, as commander-in-chief, to direct our secretary of war, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our troops PAID on October 15.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/d0qQ2n6 via IFTTT

Speaking on Desert Island Discs, guitarist says pair, who were in the Faces in 1960s, have ‘good body of songs going’ Ronnie Wood and Sir Rod Stewart are again working on songs together before a potential Faces reunion, the Rolling Stones guitarist has said. Wood told BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs that “absolutely nothing has changed” since the band came together in the late 1960s. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/oIxCGuU via IFTTT

Promised crackdown on corruption is not happening fast enough for many who saw government toppled within a day of protests Prakash Bohora was one of the first of Nepal’s gen Z protesters to feel the sting of a police bullet. Like thousands of other young people, he had taken to the streets of the capital last month to protest against corruption and a draconian ban on social media. He had no idea on that day in Kathmandu that the demonstration would escalate into what is now described as Nepal’s gen Z revolution, which has led to the toppling of the government within a day, the dissolution of parliament and appointment of a new interim prime minister, the anti-corruption hardliner Sushila Karki, by the end of the week. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/8DZr3Ga via IFTTT

Zelenskyy says attacks targeted energy infrastructure as winter looms; boy killed as drones and missiles hit Zaporizhzhia. What we know on day 1,326 Power was restored to 270,000 consumers in Kyiv after attacks from Russia knocked it out, Ukraine’s energy minister Svitlana Hrynchuk wrote on Facebook on Friday. People in Kyiv heard blasts throughout Thursday night and many woke up without power on Friday after the huge air attack targeted Ukraine’s energy system. Images posted online showed firefighters working to tackle burning blocks of flats. Hrynchuk did not say how many people had lost power. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said the Russian strikes targeted civilian and energy infrastructure as Ukraine prepares for winter temperatures. Russian drones and missiles damaged 12 apartment buildings in the south-eastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, killing a seven-year-old boy and injuring four people, according to the regional governor. The Kyiv mayor, Vitali Klitschko...

A thriving movement is reclaiming the genre and bringing more diverse audiences to live venues Ask Cathy Loughead the most punk thing she’s ever done, and she doesn’t miss a beat: “I went on stage with my neck broken in two places. I couldn’t bounce around, so I blinged the brace up instead. That was a great gig.” Loughead is part of a growing movement of women redefining punk. When Riot Women , Sally Wainwright’s new BBC drama spotlighting female punk, airs this Sunday, it will reflect a scene that’s already thriving far beyond television. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Hp3tL1f via IFTTT

The Philippines seismology agency said it strongly advises people in coastal towns in central and southern Philippines to immediately evacuate A note on earthquake measurements It is worth mentioning that different agencies often generate different readings of earthquakes immediately after the event, which are sometimes revised up or down in subsequent hours. Today the magnitude measurement of the Mindanao quake has fluctuated between 7.2 to 7.6, depending on the agency. A bigger difference is, however, apparent in the recorded depth of today’s earthquake, with the Philippines Phivolcs agency saying it occurred at a depth of 10km, while the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre put the quake at a depth of 58 km. We will continue to provide updates and clarification as they become available. Tsunami warning center says hazardous waves possible within 300km of epicenter Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1KR2q9j via IFTTT

More than 1,000 people were stuck in mountain hiking areas for days, sparking extensive rescue efforts by local authorities and villagers The weather wasn’t great. A bit drizzly and cold. But about 1,000 people steeled themselves on Mount Everest’s eastern flank to spend the national day long weekend trekking. As he led the group along the path lined with stunning icy peaks, 32-year-old guide Shu Wei felt increasingly uneasy. He knew the weather on the mountains could be unpredictable and dangerous, but this snowfall was something else. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/abYfijl via IFTTT

Rescue was carried out under Zelenskyy’s ‘Bring Kids Back UA’ programme; Trump ‘stepping up pressure’ to end war. What we know on day 1,325 Twenty-three Ukrainian children and adolescents have been brought out of Russian-occupied areas of the country to territory under Kyiv’s control, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff said on Thursday. Andriy Yermak, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the rescue was carried out under the president’s “Bring Kids Back UA” programme aimed at bringing to safe areas children deported to Russia or confined to Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Washington and Nato allies were “stepping up the pressure” to end the war in Ukraine , after his outreach to Russia’s Vladimir Putin failed to achieve a ceasefire. “Yeah, we are stepping up the pressure,” Trump said in an Oval Office during a meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb. “We’re stepping it up together. We’re all stepping it up. Nat...

Communication must be freed from clickbait and misguided thinking, head of Catholic church tells journalists The pope has condemned clickbait as a “degrading” part of journalism, at a private audience with global newswires. Australian media representatives were among those to hear directly from Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday with about 150 members of newswire alliance Minds International. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/vyjugOJ via IFTTT

Many US-built AI systems fall short but competing against tech giants neither easy nor cheap In Singapore, a government-funded artificial intelligence model can converse in 11 languages , from Bahasa Indonesia to Lao. In Malaysia, ILMUchat , built by a local construction conglomerate, boasts that it “knows which Georgetown you’re referring to” – that is, the capital of Penang and not the private university in the US. Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Apertus, unveiled in September , understands when to use the Swiss German “ss” and not the German-language character “ß”. Around the world, language models like these are part of an AI arms race worth hundreds of billions of dollars mostly driven by a few powerful companies in the US and China. As giants such as OpenAI, Meta and Alibaba plough vast sums into developing increasingly powerful models, middle powers and developing countries are watching the landscape carefully, and sometimes placing their own, expensive bets. Continue reading... ...

Survey finds 58% backing restricting armed forces to external threats amid Trump deployments to US cities US politics – live updates More than half of Americans believe that the US government should only deploy armed troops in the event of external threats, according to a new survey. The Reuters/Ipsos survey released on Wednesday found that 58% of Americans believe that the president should only send in armed forces to areas with external threats. Meanwhile, 25% said that they believed the US military could be used for other purposes and 18% said that they were not sure. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/MGPnpEw via IFTTT

Ex-Beatle spoke of performing ‘for another 60 years’ in interview to be aired for 85th anniversary of his birth A long-lost interview with John Lennon, rediscovered in a basement by the young DJ who conducted it 50 years ago and in which the former Beatle speaks of fears the US government was tapping his phone, is being aired on the eve of what would have been the singer-songwriter’s 85th birthday. Nicky Horne was 24 and an up-and-coming DJ with London’s Capital Radio when he was invited to the star’s New York apartment for a wide-ranging interview. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/4scqzK6 via IFTTT

Fred Ramsdell was among those honoured with a 2025 Nobel Prize in Medicine but might not know because he is somewhere in Idaho and uncontactable The Nobel committee has been unable to reach a winner of this year’s prize for medicine who is “living his best life” on an “off the grid” hiking foray. Fred Ramsdell shared Monday’s prestigious prize with Mary Brunkow of Seattle, Washington and Shimon Sakaguchi of Osaka University in Japan for their discoveries related to the functioning of the immune system. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/hzdesAx via IFTTT

Record solar expansion and steady wind growth driving world’s shift away from fossil fuels in 2025, report finds The world’s wind and solar farms have generated more electricity than coal plants for the first time this year, marking a turning point for the global power system, according to research. A report by the climate thinktank Ember found that in the first six months of 2025, renewable energy outpaced the world’s growing appetite for electricity, leading to a small decline in coal and gas use. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Lf8HGeq via IFTTT

South Wales police issue public appeal for information after burglary at one of Wales’s most beloved museums Raiders have broken into one of Wales’s most beloved museums and stolen gold jewellery from the bronze age. Staff at St Fagans National Museum of History in Cardiff said its “Wales is …” gallery was specifically targeted in the burglary, which was discovered in the early hours of Monday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/JRP4mOG via IFTTT

Andrej Babis’s pledge to halt military aid aligns him with PMs of Hungary and Slovakia; Cubans fight in their thousands for Russia, says US. What we know on day 1,321 The prospect loomed of the EU’s support for Ukraine being further hampered by some of its members after the billionaire Andrej Babis won the Czech Republic’s parliamentary elections . Babis’s campaign pledge of halting military aid to Ukraine aligns him with the prime ministers of Hungary and Slovakia, Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico. It marks a stark turnaround, because the outgoing Czech centre-right government of Petr Fiala has backed Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia in 2022. The likely incoming prime minister has pledged to review a Czech-led international drive launched by the current Czech government, which has supplied 3.5m artillery shells to Ukraine since 2024. After meeting the Czech president, Petr Pavel, Babis said labelling him as a potential troublemaker was “not fair”. The 71-year-old, Slovak-born Bab...

‘I have an incredible striker and keeper’ says manager Pep ‘honoured’ to gain 250th Premier League win Pep Guardiola was thankful his Manchester City team has Erling Haaland scoring goals and Gianluigi Donnarumma stopping them after victory at Brentford came at the cost of another Rodri injury. “I have an incredible striker and keeper,” Guardiola said, the Norwegian’s ninth-minute goal proving the winner. Haaland’s form is reaching the levels of City’s 2022-23 treble season, the No 9 scoring in a ninth consecutive game. “He’s the best,” said his manager. “The year of the treble, he scored – what? – 50 million goals? I think he’s part of the club now, he’s settled. He feels now that it’s mine.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/mRtdSkf via IFTTT

US president says he will push to finalize agreement in the coming days even as scores of Palestinians killed in latest Israeli attacks Donald Trump’s son-in-law and a senior envoy are heading to Egypt to begin ceasefire negotiations, the White House has said, as the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he hoped to bring all remaining hostages home in the coming days. A White House official said the US president was sending his envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, to Egypt on Saturday to finalise the technical details of a hostage release and discuss a lasting ceasefire deal a day after Hamas said it was ready to free hostages under Trump’s plan to end the two-year-old war. In an interview, Trump said “we are very close” to reaching an agreement. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Mkh9WJc via IFTTT

Social media isn’t just entertaining you. It may be quietly reshaping what you believe. from Christianity.com https://ift.tt/BdbIQom

US president has proposed measures that Royal Swedish Academy of Science VP says will ‘have devastating effects’ One of the Nobel prize awarding bodies has warned that academic freedom is under threat in the US and elsewhere, with political interference risking long-lasting negative effects – as scientists get ready for next week’s award announcements. Donald Trump has introduced or proposed a swathe of measures in his second term that critics argue will hamper education and scientific research. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/mgpr3Q4 via IFTTT

Proposed changes to address the spread of harmful content in PNG also include new rules for social media companies and more monitoring Papua New Guinea is in “early” discussions with Meta on imposing age restrictions to reduce the impact of harmful content, amid criticism of the government’s “heavy-handed” approach so far on social media regulation. The government expects its proposed Social Media Policy 2025 will be taken to parliament later this month. Under the policy, users aged 14 and over will need a SevisPass digital ID before they can log in to platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and X. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/rJKlnp2 via IFTTT

The Trump administration ultimately gave the King a replica sword on the president’s recent state visit The Eisenhower Presidential Library’s director has exited his position after advocating against giving a sword from the collection to King Charles as a gift during Donald Trump’s recent state visit , according to US media reports on Thursday. Todd Arrington left his post on Monday after being told to “resign or be fired”, he told CBS News, which did not specify who had relayed the message to the historian. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/nYvW5uK via IFTTT

Sunderland eye an upset at Old Trafford, Arsenal hope to settle old scores with West Ham and Everton look blunt Unbeaten in the league since their Friday night opener at Anfield, Bournemouth’s early momentum has been stalled by consecutive draws: at home to Newcastle and at Leeds last week. Fulham visit the Vitality on Friday, offering Andoni Iraola’s side a presentable chance of recapturing winning ways and going second in the table. After a turbulent summer, Iraola has sought consistency in his team selection. Trailing 2-1 at Leeds, the Bournemouth manager made a triple change to restore three usual starters – David Brooks, Alex Scott and Marcus Tavernier – to his XI and was rewarded with a late leveller. Bournemouth have also maintained defensive stability, conceding just once in four games between the trips to Liverpool and Leeds. Marcos Senesi, often playing in an otherwise brand-new back five, has been key to the team’s continuity. The centre-back earned praise from Iraola for h...

Don Rea Jr writes letter to organization’s members European players and wives were verbally abused The president of the PGA of America, who had initially dismissed abuse directed at Europe’s players during this year’s Ryder Cup as no worse than at “a youth soccer game”, has issued an apology. “Let me begin with what we must own. While the competition was spirited – especially with the US team’s rally on Sunday afternoon – some fan behavior clearly crossed the line,” Don Rea Jr wrote in an email to PGA of America members. “It was disrespectful, inappropriate, and not representative of who we are as the PGA of America or as PGA of America golf professionals. We condemn that behavior unequivocally.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3PIQgwV via IFTTT

Country moves to deepen policing ties with China as Australia continues negotiations on Nakamal agreement, which was not signed last month as hoped Vanuatu remains open to signing a wide-ranging deal with Australia but must assert its sovereignty and will not be subject to pressure or “bullying” from larger countries, the country’s internal affairs minister, Andrew Napuat, said. Australia failed to seal the $500m Nakamal agreement in Port Vila last month amid concerns from Vanuatu that it would block other countries providing infrastructure funding. Weeks later, Vanuatu said it planned to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to deepen policing cooperation with China. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/fReAIUS via IFTTT

Trains packed with volunteers arrive at tourist town of Guangfu, days after typhoon sent millions of tonnes of mud and water crashing through its streets They arrived by train, car and motorbike, in boots and bucket hats and carrying shovels. Students, monks, and retirees. Gym bros, migrant workers, mums and dads with their children, even tourists. As a crowd of hundreds disembarks from the train a crowd of people cheer “jiayou”, a chant of encouragement which translates to “add oil”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/VrzOwuv via IFTTT

Helen Garner and Richard Holmes among authors of nonfiction books that also encompass international terrorists and ‘ghastly literary men’ “Formidable female novelists, ghastly literary men, a faith-shaken poet, eunuchs, pirates, horny wolves, international terrorists” are among the subjects covered by books on this year’s Baillie Gifford shortlist, according to its judging chair, Robbie Millen. Literature is a theme of this year’s list, which features the collected diaries of the Australian writer Helen Garner alongside books about the Scottish novelist Muriel Spark and the poet Tennyson. To explore all shortlisted titles, visit guardianbookshop.com . Delivery charges may apply. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/idPYcq5 via IFTTT