UK watchdog criticises ‘offensive’ portrayal of older people in adverts

ASA report finds many use negative stereotypes and highlights concerns about targeting of end-of-life services

An elderly man fires off a tirade at a child who has asked “grandad” to return a mud-covered football that has landed on his gleaming car. He is then seen eating a microwave dinner for one and chuckling, with the now-deflated ball pinned to the table next to him by a large kitchen knife.

The TV advert for the Scotland-based Strathmore Foods, maker of the McIntosh of Strathmore ready meals stocked by most big supermarket chains, has been identified in a report by the UK advertising watchdog as showing an “offensive” portrayal of older people – by stereotyping them as grumpy and intolerant, and implying many are lonely and isolated.

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English universities barred from enforcing blanket bans on student protests

Office for Students guidance urges ‘very strong’ approach to permitting lawful speech on campus

Universities in England will no longer be able to enforce blanket bans on student protests under sweeping new guidance that urges a “very strong” approach to permitting lawful speech on campus.

The detailed regulations set out for the first time how universities should deal with inflammatory disputes, such as those between the University of Cambridge and students over the war in Gaza, and rows over academics who hold controversial but legal opinions, such as the gender-critical professor Kathleen Stock.

The guidance issued by the Office for Students (OfS) will make it harder for universities to penalise students and staff for anything other than unlawful speech or harassment.

Academics should not be pressed to support particular views.

Protests should not be restricted for supporting legal viewpoints.

Students or staff should not be “encouraged to report others” for lawful speech.

Universities must “secure freedom of speech” for visiting speakers.

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‘Wake-up call’ for Australian universities as 70% suffer a fall in latest global ranking

Australia still had two universities, the University of Melbourne and University of NSW, in the top 20 of the QS World University Rankings

Dozens of Australia’s top universities have dropped in a global ranking amid a “turbulent year” for higher education, as attacks from Donald Trump’s second administration exacerbated years of disruption for the embattled sector.

The University of Melbourne, Australia’s highest performer, dropped seven places to 19th in the QS World University Rankings, run by the global higher education specialist Quacquarelli Symonds, while the University of Sydney dropped from 18th in the world to 25th.

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Flavour of gin and tonic could be impacted by climate change, study finds

Volatile weather patterns may be altering taste of juniper berries – a key botanical in the spirit – scientists say

The flavour of a gin and tonic may be impacted by climate change, scientists have found.

Volatile weather patterns, made more likely by climate breakdown, could change the taste of juniper berries, which are the key botanical that give gin its distinctive taste.

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Israel at War Day 621 IDF: Two Missiles Downed in Latest Barrage From Iran, Two Drones Downed in Jordan Valley – Haaretz

  1. Israel at War Day 621 IDF: Two Missiles Downed in Latest Barrage From Iran, Two Drones Downed in Jordan Valley  Haaretz
  2. June 18: Netanyahu convenes cabinet as Israel awaits US decision on joining Iran fight  The Times of Israel
  3. Israel-Iran conflict: How ballistic missiles work and where can they reach?  Al Jazeera
  4. Iranian Strikes Kill at Least 8 in Israel, Including 4 in Petah Tikva  The New York Times
  5. What to know about Iran’s missiles and Israel’s air defence system  Euronews.com
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Macron launches European ‘initiative’ to resolve Iran-Israel crisis – politico.eu

  1. Macron launches European ‘initiative’ to resolve Iran-Israel crisis  politico.eu
  2. Macron urges Israel to end strikes on targets not related to nuclear, ballistic programs, pushing for EU peace initiative  The Times of Israel
  3. Israel-Iran War Day 5: Regime change in Iran would spark 'chaos', Macron warns  France 24
  4. "Biggest Error Would Be To...": What Macron Said on Army Action Against Iran  NDTV
  5. Trump demands Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’ and says US won’t kill supreme leader ‘for now’ – latest updates  The Guardian
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Rodney Scott confirmed as head of CBP by US Senate despite ‘cover-up’ claim

Senate backs Trump’s nominee to lead Customs and Border Protection despite accusation by former official

The US Senate on Wednesday confirmed Rodney Scott as commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), despite a former top official accusing him of orchestrating a “cover-up” over the death of a man detained while trying to enter the country from Mexico.

Scott was confirmed on a party-line vote, with 51 Republicans in favor and 46 Democrats opposed, along with three absences.

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Only two years left of world’s carbon budget to meet 1.5C target, scientists warn – The Guardian

  1. Only two years left of world’s carbon budget to meet 1.5C target, scientists warn  The Guardian
  2. Three years left to limit warming to 1.5C, leading scientists warn  BBC
  3. Scientists warn that greenhouse gas accumulation is accelerating and more extreme weather will come  AP News
  4. Earth set to exhaust ‘carbon budget’ within 3 years as Paris hopes fade  Financial Times
  5. Climate indicators 'moving in wrong direction' - report  RTE.ie
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Scottish government faces legal action over failure to implement biological sex ruling

Campaign group accuses Holyrood of ‘intolerable’ delays to new policies required after landmark case

The Scottish government has been given a deadline to implement the UK supreme court’s ruling on biological sex across all public bodies or face further legal challenges.

Sex Matters, the UK-wide gender-critical campaign group, has threatened legal action in 14 days if ministers continue “intolerable” delays to new policies and guidance required by April’s landmark ruling that the legal definition of a woman in the Equality Act 2010 does not include transgender women who hold gender recognition certificates.

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Heat dome to bring fierce temperatures and humidity to much of US

Midwest set to experience temperatures in the 90s (30s celsius) and east coast also to be affected

Summer will make a dramatic entrance in the US this week with a heat dome that will bring stifling temperatures and uncomfortable humidity to millions.

The heat will be particularly worrisome this weekend across wide stretches of Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, where forecasters are warning of extreme temperature impacts.

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Exclusive: European ministers to hold nuclear talks with Iran on Friday in Geneva, source says – Reuters

  1. Exclusive: European ministers to hold nuclear talks with Iran on Friday in Geneva, source says  Reuters
  2. British, German and French foreign ministers plan meeting with Iranian counterpart  The Guardian
  3. European Foreign Ministers to Meet With Iran’s Araghchi in Geneva on Friday  WSJ
  4. Germany tells Iran: 'It is never too late to come to the negotiating table,' says Israel's strike is 'comprehensible'  The Times of Israel
  5. European Ministers Set For Nuclear Talks With Iranians This Week  Newsweek
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Pepper spray use in youth prisons irresponsible amid racial disparities, watchdog warns

Head of monitoring boards urges justice secretary to suspend rollout of Pava in England and Wales

The rollout of synthetic pepper spray for use to incapacitate jailed children is “wholly irresponsible” while black and minority prisoners are more likely to be subjected to force than white inmates, a watchdog has said.

Elisabeth Davies, the national chair of the Independent Monitoring Boards, whose members operate in every prison in England and Wales, said the justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, should pause the use of Pava spray in youth offending institutions (YOIs) until ministers had addressed the disproportionate use of force on minority prisoners.

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Boeing 787 Crash: What We Know and What Comes Next – Barron’s

  1. Boeing 787 Crash: What We Know and What Comes Next  Barron's
  2. Exclusive | Boeing 787’s Emergency-Power System Likely Active Before Air India Crash  WSJ
  3. British couple and children who lost their lives in air crash laid to rest in Malad  Times of India
  4. A Takeoff, a Mayday Call, and Two Pilots Who Never Made It Home  The New York Times
  5. Black boxes analyzed for cause of Air India crash that killed 270  AP News
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New US visa rules will force foreign students to unlock social media profiles

Diplomats to look for ‘indications of hostility towards citizens, culture or founding principles of United States’

Foreign students will be required to unlock their social media profiles to allow US diplomats to review their online activity before receiving educational and exchange visas, the state department has announced. Those who fail to do so will be suspected of hiding that activity from US officials.

The new guidance, unveiled by the state department on Wednesday, directs US diplomats to conduct an online presence review to look for “any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States”.

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Czech government survives no-confidence vote over bitcoin scandal – politico.eu

  1. Czech government survives no-confidence vote over bitcoin scandal  politico.eu
  2. Czech Government Wins Confidence Vote Months Ahead of Election  Bloomberg.com
  3. Czech coalition government faces a parliamentary no-confidence vote over bitcoin scandal  AP News
  4. $46M Bitcoin Donation Pushes Czech Government to the Brink  Bitcoin.com News
  5. Czech coalition government survives no-confidence vote over bitcoin scandal  ABC News
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Jury finds Karen Read not guilty of second-degree murder in death of police officer boyfriend

Read, who was found guilty of drunk driving, was accused of fatally striking her boyfriend, Boston officer John O’Keefe

A jury has found Karen Read not guilty of second-degree murder, but guilty of drunk driving in the death of her police officer boyfriend in a divisive and high-profile case that dueling lawyers presented as either a tragic love story or a sinister cover-up.

Read, 45, was accused of fatally striking her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, 46, with her SUV and leaving him to die in the snow outside a house party where other local police and a federal agent were closing out a night of drinking in 2022.

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Did Iranian state TV say, ‘Tonight, a great surprise will occur, one that the world will remember for centuries’? – Snopes

  1. Did Iranian state TV say, 'Tonight, a great surprise will occur, one that the world will remember for centuries'?  Snopes
  2. Unpacking rumor Iranian state TV said, 'Tonight, a great surprise will occur, one that the world will remember for centuries'  Yahoo
  3. 唐华斑竹(@tang)'s insights  Binance
  4. Iran to activate new nuclear enrichment site as tensions with US rise  MSN
  5. major crypto analyst(@Abbu2shah)'s insights  Binance
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