Trump’s 50% tariffs on metals come into effect
Trump doubles down on his tariffs, while sparing the UK from the latest duties.
US vetoes resolution for unconditional Gaza ceasefire at UN security council
Russia, China, France and the UK all voted in favour of ‘immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire’
The United States has vetoed a United Nations security council resolution calling for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza while the 14 remaining countries on the council voted in favour.
The vetoed resolution also called the situation in Gaza “catastrophic”, and demanded the “immediate and unconditional lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and its safe and unhindered distribution at scale, including by the UN and humanitarian partners”.
Continue reading...‘I was pushed across the border into Bangladesh at gunpoint’
The BBC met people in India's Assam who say they were accused of being illegal immigrants and forced across the border.
US vetoes UN call for unconditional Gaza ceasefire
The US ambassador to the UN said the resolution failed to call on Hamas to disarm and leave the Gaza Strip.
Canadian wildfires prompt air-quality alerts across five US states
Officials in New York, New Jersey, Iowa, New Hampshire and Maine issued alerts due to smoke from fires in Canada
Smoke from wildfires in Canada is spreading across multiple states in the US including the eastern seaboard, prompting multiple states to issue air-quality alerts.
The poor air quality stretching across the US came as a result of dozens of wildfires burning across Canada as the country’s annual wildfire season roars into destructive action.
Continue reading...Kremlin and Trump aides raise nuclear war fears after Ukraine drone strike
Vladimir Putin has warned Russia will respond to Kyiv’s attacks on nuclear-capable aircraft at airfields
As Vladimir Putin pledges to retaliate against Ukraine for last weekend’s unprecedented drone attack, Kremlin advisers and figures around Donald Trump have told the US president that the risk of a nuclear confrontation is growing, in an attempt to pressure him to further reduce US support for Ukraine.
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and an important intermediary between the Kremlin and Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, called the Ukrainian drone strike an attack on “Russian nuclear assets”, and echoed remarks from Maga-friendly figures warning of the potential for a third world war.
Continue reading...A new satellite TV channel allows Alexei Navalny’s videos to reach Russian audiences – NPR
Are the surprise airfield attacks a turning point for Ukraine?
Ukraine is still digesting the full implications of Operation Spider's Web, writes our correspondent.
Putin will seek revenge for Ukraine drone attack, warns Trump
Trump says a call with the Russian president was a "good conversation" but would not lead to "immediate peace".
‘Wake-up call’: Ukraine drone strike exposes dangers to US aircraft – Politico
- ‘Wake-up call’: Ukraine drone strike exposes dangers to US aircraft Politico
- Opinion | Ukraine’s Drone Strike Is a Warning—for the U.S. WSJ
- Russia claims strategic bombers only damaged by Ukraine, will be patched up The Times of Israel
- Satellite images show destruction of Russian planes by Ukraine's drones NBC News
- Drone Attacks Are the New Front in War. Can NATO Keep Up? The New York Times
GHF suspends aid: Timeline of a ‘death trap’ in Gaza
More than 100 Palestinians have been killed trying to get aid at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution centres.
200-year-old condom ‘in mint condition’ says museum
The sheath is part of an exhibition on 19th Century prostitution and sexuality.
Leaders of Canada and Mexico lash out at Trump steel tariff hike
Canada's Mark Carney calls the 50-percent tariff increase 'illegal', while Mexico's Sheinbaum weighs countermeasures.
Super Trouper meets supercomputer: AI helping Abba star to write musical
Björn Ulvaeus tells audience at SXSW London the technology is ‘very bad at lyrics’ but has helped him break through creative impasses
After bringing a blockbuster hologram version of Abba to a purpose-built venue in east London, Björn Ulvaeus’s next technological exploration is a musical that he’s written with the help of artificial intelligence.
Ulvaeus, 80, told an audience at SXSW London that he was “three-quarters” of the way through writing a new musical which he has created with assistance from AI songwriting tools.
Continue reading...MyPillow’s Mike Lindell faces trial and plans to testify about 2020 election lies
The case, brought by former Dominion employee Eric Coomer, could deepen Lindell’s legal and financial troubles
A trial underway in Colorado could add to the financial problems facing the pillow salesman and prominent election denier Mike Lindell and will serve as another test of whether defamation law can be effective to fight false claims about elections.
Opening statements began Tuesday in a case brought by Eric Coomer, who formerly worked in security and voting technology strategy for voting machine company Dominion. Coomer sued Lindell and a host of others who spread unproven claims that he interfered with the 2020 election. .
Continue reading...Keir Starmer calls Israel’s recent actions in Gaza ‘appalling and intolerable’
PM tells MPs he is considering imposing sanctions on Israeli government members but is resisting ban on arms sales
Keir Starmer has called Israel’s recent actions in Gaza “appalling, counterproductive and intolerable”, as the UK government comes under mounting pressure to take stronger action after the killings of dozens of civilians at food points in recent days.
The prime minister told MPs on Wednesday the UK was considering imposing sanctions on members of the Israeli government, but is so far resisting growing calls for a complete ban on arms sales and immediate recognition of Palestine.
Continue reading...Hungary postpones vote on law to curb foreign-funded organisations
Orbán’s ruling party delays vote on legislation allowing government to ban organisations with foreign funding
Hungary’s ruling party has postponed a planned vote on draft legislation aimed at organisations that receive foreign funding, following weeks of protests and warnings that the law would “starve and strangle” civil society and independent media.
Viktor Orbán’s rightwing populist party, Fidesz, put forward legislation last month that would allow the government to monitor, penalise and potentially ban organisations that receive any sort of foreign funding, including donations or EU grants.
Continue reading...Trump: Putin says Russia will ‘have to’ respond to Ukraine attacks
US president says Putin also suggested he would participate in talks aimed at reaching a new nuclear deal with Tehran.
France plans to begin intercepting small boats at sea, says UK Home Office
Officials have agreed to begin offshore interceptions, it is claimed, in change of policy that NGOs say will risk lives
The French government plans to begin intercepting small boats carrying asylum seekers even if they are already at sea, a Home Office source has said.
In a move that NGOs claim will endanger lives, it was claimed that French officials agreed this week to draw up plans to begin intervening in waters close to beaches and inland canals.
Continue reading...British-Palestinian writer NS Nuseibeh wins Jhalak prose prize for writers of colour
‘Timely’ essay collection explores identity, religion and colonialism as Nathanael Lessore takes children’s and young adult prize and Mimi Khalvati wins for poetry
British-Palestinian writer NS Nuseibeh has won the Jhalak prose prize for writers of colour for a “timely” and “timeless” essay collection, Namesake, which explores identity, religion and colonialism.
The inaugural Jhalak poetry prize went to Mimi Khalvati for a book of collected poems, while the children’s and young adult prize was awarded to Nathanael Lessore for King of Nothing, a teen comedy about an unlikely friendship between two boys.
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