Early turnout shatters record in Canada polls with 7.3m ballots cast
Elections Canada, the organisation which runs federal elections, reports a 25% jump when compared to early voting in 2021 polls.
Steve Hilton, former David Cameron adviser, to run for California governor
Ex-advertising executive, who hosted a Fox News show and has criticised Kamala Harris, will stand as a Republican
David Cameron’s former top adviser Steve Hilton has joined the 2026 race for California governor, running as a Republican to replace the Democrats’ Gavin Newsom, who is prevented by law from seeking a third term.
Hilton, who hosted a show on Fox News for six years, launched his campaign with the theme “Golden Again: Great Jobs, Great Homes, Great Kids”. His campaign said Hilton would be “reinforcing his commitment to positive, practical solutions instead of today’s ideology and dogma”, and that his brand of “positive populism” would focus on helping working families.
Continue reading...Sydney residents shaken awake by early morning earthquake in NSW Hunter Valley
Preliminary information indicates the 4.6-magnitude quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10km
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Aftershocks are expected from an earthquake that shook residents awake along a stretch of Australia’s east coast.
The quake struck at 2.55am on Wednesday near Singleton in the New South Wales Hunter Valley, about 200km north of Sydney, Geoscience Australia seismologists said.
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Continue reading...Trade unionists, conservationists and church groups unite against Dutton’s nuclear plan
Seven Regions Nuclear Free alliance launches campaign representing groups who oppose the Coalition’s proposed nuclear reactors in their communities across Queensland, NSW, SA, Victoria and WA
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Trade unions, conservationists, First Nations groups, church congregations and community organisations have launched a coordinated campaign against opposition leader Peter Dutton’s plan for nuclear reactors across Australia.
The Coalition has pledged, if elected, to build seven nuclear reactors to replace retiring or retired coal sites naming Tarong and Callide in Queensland, Liddell and Mount Piper in New South Wales, Port Augusta in South Australia, Loy Yang in Victoria, and Muja in Western Australia.
Continue reading...‘National disgrace’: US lawmakers decry student detentions on visit to Ice jails
Delegation visits jails where Mahmoud Khalil and Rümeysa Öztürk are being held and denounce ‘authoritarian’ Trump
Congressional lawmakers denounced the treatment of Mahmoud Khalil and Rümeysa Öztürk, the students being detained by US immigration authorities for their pro-Palestinian activism, as a “national disgrace” during a visit to the two facilities in Louisiana where each are being held.
“We stand firm with them in support of free speech,” the Louisiana congressman Troy Carter, who led the delegation, said during a press conference after the visits on Tuesday. “They are frightened, they’re concerned, they want to go home.”
Continue reading...Elon Musk to pull back in Doge role starting May amid 71% dip in Tesla profits
CEO to pare back White House work to one to two days weekly as analysts say role has caused branding crisis
The Tesla chief executive, Elon Musk, said he will start pulling back from his role at the so-called “department of government efficiency” starting in May. Musk’s remarks came as the company reported a massive dip in both profits and revenues in the first quarter of 2025 amid backlash against his role in the White House.
On an investor call, Musk said the work necessary to get the government’s “financial house in order is mostly done”.
Continue reading...Gaza health ministry denies manipulating death toll figures
Three thousand names were removed from an official list of those killed in Israel's offensive.
Ukraine presses for ceasefire as Russia reported to offer concession – Reuters
- Ukraine presses for ceasefire as Russia reported to offer concession Reuters
- Kyiv and Moscow accuse each other of breaking Easter ceasefire NBC News
- Ukraine ready to hold talks with Russia once ceasefire in place, Zelenskiy says Reuters
- Zelensky: Ukraine Ready for Immediate Ceasefire Newsweek
- Putin’s Easter ceasefire gimmick bodes ill for Trump’s peace deal The Economist
Will the next pope be from Africa?
Despite having the world's fastest-growing Catholic population, odds are against Africa producing the next pontiff.
The record-breaking tunnel being built from Denmark to Germany
The rail and road link will slash journey times between much of Scandinavia and continental Europe.
AI images of child sexual abuse getting ‘significantly more realistic’, says watchdog
Internet Watch Foundation report shows 380% increase in illegal AI-generated imagery in 2024, most of it ‘category A’
Images of child sexual abuse created by artificial intelligence are becoming “significantly more realistic”, according to an online safety watchdog.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) said advances in AI are being reflected in illegal content created and consumed by paedophiles, saying: “In 2024, the quality of AI-generated videos improved exponentially, and all types of AI imagery assessed appeared significantly more realistic as the technology developed.”
Continue reading...Where not walking your dog can land you in the doghouse
A total of 370 out of 882 Indian laws criminalise 7,305 acts - from missed dog walks to murder.
‘I’ve had 100 operations and will never stop’ – inside China’s cosmetic surgery boom
Face-scanning apps, social media influencers and toxic beauty standards are fuelling China's cosmetic surgery boom.
Welsh Tory to quit at next Senedd poll to fight general election betting charges
Russell George, who is among 15 people under investigation, says he wants to focus on clearing his name
A Welsh politician who is among 15 people charged after bets were placed on the timing of the 2024 general election is to quit at the next Senedd election.
Russell George, the Conservative member for Montgomeryshire, said he was withdrawing his candidacy to stand in next year’s election to focus on clearing his name.
The Senedd member was one of a number of people linked to the Conservative party reported to have made bets on the election date, which was called by then-prime minister Rishi Sunak.
Senedd Conservative leader Darren Millar withdrew the whip from George last week after the Gambling Commission announced the charges, meaning he now sits as an independent within the Welsh parliament.
George, 50, said in a statement on Tuesday: “I was shocked and surprised to have been informed by the Gambling Commission that I am facing charges for cheating.
“To be clear, I have never cheated. However, given the Gambling Commission’s decision, and my understanding of what will follow, this is likely to be a lengthy process that may not be resolved by May 2026.
“In the circumstances, I feel I have no alternative but to withdraw my candidacy for next year’s Senedd elections so that I can focus on fighting to clear my name.
“I will of course continue to serve the people of Montgomeryshire to the very best of my ability.
“I am grateful for the many messages of support that I have received in recent days, particularly from constituents.”
Among others facing charges are: Craig Williams, the former MP for Montgomeryshire; Nick Mason, a former chief data officer for the party; Laura Saunders, the Conservative candidate for Bristol North West last July; and Tony Lee, the Conservatives’ campaigns director, who is married to Saunders.
Gold climbs above $3,500 for first time as Wall Street rallies after slide
Dollar also recovers after Monday’s sell-off prompted by Donald Trump’s attack on Federal Reserve chair
Gold has climbed above $3,500 an ounce for the first time while stocks on Wall Street and the dollar rose following Monday’s sell-off prompted by Donald Trump’s blistering attack on the Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell.
Spot gold reached the record price of $3,500.01 (£2,620) on Tuesday, extending a rally that has pushed bullion up from $2,623 an ounce at the start of this year.
Continue reading...Trump Tore Up Obama’s Iran Deal. Is He Now Negotiating Something Worse? – The Free Press
- Trump Tore Up Obama’s Iran Deal. Is He Now Negotiating Something Worse? The Free Press
- US and Iran express optimism following second round of nuclear talks CNN
- Opinion | The Iranian Negotiating Tactic the Trump Administration Doesn’t Get Politico
- What to know about the tensions between Iran and the US before their second round of talks AP News
- Iran, US to hold expert-level talks on Saturday, not Wednesday, Tehran says Reuters
Canada election sees record high early voting, figures show
About 7.3m people have cast ballots over four days of advanced voting in sign of elevated interest in 28 April poll
A record 7.3 million people have cast their ballots over four days of advanced voting in Canada’s election, official figures showed on Tuesday, in a possible sign of elevated interest in the 28 April poll.
Elections Canada said its estimated tally for voting from Friday through Monday marked a 25% increase over the 5.8m advanced ballots cast in the 2021 vote.
Continue reading...Brazilian judges accept coup plot charges against more Bolsonaro allies
Panel unanimously accepts charges against six more key allies of ex-president over alleged plan to keep him in office
A panel of Brazil’s supreme court justices has unanimously accepted criminal charges against six more key allies of former president Jair Bolsonaro over an alleged coup plot to keep him in office after his 2022 election defeat.
Last month, the panel unanimously accepted charges against Bolsonaro and seven close allies over the alleged coup plot following his loss to current president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and ordered the former rightwing leader to stand trial.
Continue reading...Ukraine ready to negotiate with Russia — if it agrees to ceasefire first – politico.eu
- Ukraine ready to negotiate with Russia — if it agrees to ceasefire first politico.eu
- Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 22, 2025 Institute for the Study of War
- The Kremlin’s 30-hour truce was designed to shift blame to Ukraine. Did Trump buy it? CNN
- Ukraine presses for ceasefire as Russia reported to offer concession Reuters
- Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,154 Al Jazeera
UK ministers face questions over supreme court gender ruling repercussions
Labour backbenchers demand clarity on practical impact of transgender people’s use of toilets and hospital wards
Ministers have come under pressure to provide answers on how last week’s supreme court ruling on gender identity will affect the daily lives of transgender people, amid confusion over issues such as toilet provision and hospital wards.
Keir Starmer said he welcomed what he called “real clarity” and “a welcome step forward” in his first response to the court decision, which ruled that “woman” in the Equality Act refers only to a biological woman.
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