NSW flash flooding and weather warnings: intense rain leads to evacuation orders, school closures and rescues

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Mid-north coast and Hunter region cops barrage of extreme weather, with more than 30 schools closed and people in Taree advised to take shelter

Persistent and heavy rain that has brought significant flash flooding to New South Wales is showing no signs of stopping, after forcing a stack of emergency calls and evacuations.

Much of NSW’s mid-north coast and Hunter region has copped the barrage, with 22 flood rescues performed overnight in those areas.

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At least 50 migrants sent to El Salvador prison entered US legally, report finds

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Cato analysis goes against Trump administration’s claim that only undocumented people were deported to Cecot

At least 50 Venezuelan men sent by the Trump administration to a prison in El Salvador had entered the United States legally, according to a review by the Cato Institute.

The report, published by the libertarian thinktank on Monday, analyzed the available immigration data for only a portion of the men who were deported to El Salvador’s notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot), and focuses on the cases where records could be found.

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One in four pupils in England ‘disengage’ when they move to secondary, report finds

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New study found a drop in enjoyment, trust and feelings of safety after year 7 and a largely positive primary experience

One in four pupils in England “disengage” when they move up to secondary school, with enjoyment, trust and a sense of feeling safe declining sharply, according to a new report.

After a largely positive experience at primary school where children report high levels of enjoyment, there is a “steep and lasting” drop in engagement after year 7 when pupils transfer to secondary at the age of 11, the survey of 100,000 pupils in England reveals.

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UK ‘the sick person of the wealthy world’ amid increase in deaths from drugs and violence

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While mortality from cancer has decreased, deaths from accidents and poisonings have risen, research finds

The UK is becoming “the sick person of the wealthy world” because of the growing number of people dying from drugs, suicide and violence, research has found.

Death rates among under-50s in the UK have got worse in recent years compared with many other rich countries, an international study shows.

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Bees face new threats from wars, street lights and microplastics, scientists warn

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University of Reading report says conflicts including war in Ukraine among 12 most pressing threats to pollinator

War zones, microplastics and street lights are among the emerging threats to the bee population, according to scientists.

Bee experts have drawn up a list of the 12 most pressing threats to the pollinator over the next decade, published in a report, Emerging Threats and Opportunities for Conservation of Global Pollinators, by the University of Reading.

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Dogs are being trained to weed out eggs of invasive spotted lanternflies in US

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Researchers are deploying sniffing dogs to combat spread of leaf-hopping pests that can damage trees and fruit crops

The spotted lanternfly, a leaf-hopping invasive pest first detected in the US a decade ago, has steadily spread across the East coast and into the midwest with little getting in its way.

But now researchers are deploying a new weapon to slow its advance: specially trained dogs with the ability to sniff out the winged insect’s eggs before they hatch.

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Trump and Putin hold phone call but Kremlin refuses Ukraine ceasefire

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Trump describes call as ‘excellent,’ despite Putin’s lack of support for ceasefire that US said was primary objective

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have held a rare phone call, which the US leader described as “excellent”, but the Kremlin refused to agree to a ceasefire in the war with Ukraine, despite pressure from Washington and European allies.

Speaking to reporters in Sochi after the two-hour conversation on Monday, Putin described the call as “very meaningful and frank” and said he was prepared to work with Ukraine on drafting a memorandum for future peace talks.

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Netanyahu Says Israel Will Take Over Gaza as It Allows Food Into Enclave – WSJ

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  1. Netanyahu Says Israel Will Take Over Gaza as It Allows Food Into Enclave  WSJ
  2. European allies pile pressure on Israel to increase aid to Gaza  The Washington Post
  3. Intel's new CEO says the company has 55% of the data centre market  Reuters
  4. First few aid trucks enter Gaza but allies threaten Israel with sanctions and urge more  AP News
  5. Israel Wavers as Far Right and Military Disagree on Gaza Strategy  The New York Times
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El Salvador arrests prominent human rights lawyer who defends deportees – Al Jazeera

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  1. El Salvador arrests prominent human rights lawyer who defends deportees  Al Jazeera
  2. El Salvador arrests prominent human rights lawyer  NPR
  3. Lawyer for Venezuelans deported to El Salvador prison arrested  The Guardian
  4. El Salvador arrests human rights lawyer critical of President Bukele  CNN
  5. Prominent Anti-Corruption Lawyer Is Arrested in El Salvador  The New York Times
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Israel says it is unleashing an “unprecedented attack” – The Economist

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  1. Israel says it is unleashing an “unprecedented attack”  The Economist
  2. As key Israel allies threaten action over Gaza catastrophe, Washington is largely unmoved  The Guardian
  3. Israel orders Khan Younis evacuation ahead of 'unprecedented attack'  BBC
  4. Eyewitness video shows Israeli airstrike on Khan Younis  Al Jazeera
  5. IDF calls to evacuate Khan Yunis as Israel intensifies Gaza operation  The Jerusalem Post
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France sparks outcry with plan for prison wing near former penal colony

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Site in French Guiana once received prisoners who were sent to notorious Devil’s Island off the coast

French plans to build a maximum-security prison wing for drug traffickers and Islamic militants near a former penal colony in French Guiana have sparked an outcry among local people and officials.

The wing would form part of a $450m (£337m) prison announced in 2017 that is expected to be completed by 2028 and hold 500 inmates. The prison would be built in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, a town bordering Suriname that once received prisoners shipped by Napoleon III in the 1800s, some of whom were sent to the notorious Devil’s Island off the coast of French Guiana.

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Nicușor Dan, the maths prodigy who beat an ultranationalist for Romanian presidency – The Guardian

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  1. Nicușor Dan, the maths prodigy who beat an ultranationalist for Romanian presidency  The Guardian
  2. Romania’s pro-EU candidate unexpectedly beats hard-right rival to win presidential election  CNN
  3. How Romania Defused Far-Right Threat in Presidential Election  Bloomberg
  4. In Eastern Europe, Centrists Hold Off 2 Nationalist Challenges  The New York Times
  5. Romania: Historic victory for pro-European candidate  DW
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