Is the Israeli-Lebanon truce a ceasefire or a cover?
Did Israel use the Lebanon ceasefire as a cover to solidify its military presence?
Thames Water wins court backing for £3bn debt package
Deal approved at high court gives company £1.5bn in upfront cash to stave off collapse
Thames Water has won court approval for an emergency debt package worth up to £3bn that should stave off the collapse of Britain’s biggest water company for at least another few months.
London’s high court said on Tuesday that the deal could proceed, after hearing four days of complex arguments earlier this month over whether it should go ahead. The deal will allow the company to avoid special administration, in effect a temporary nationalisation.
Continue reading...A letter from Gaza to Mr Trump
Gaza was already the 'Riviera of the Middle East' and it will be again - when we, the Palestinians, rebuild it.
Was this man really swallowed by a whale? Experts analysed the video and here’s what they think – BBC Discover Wildlife
- Was this man really swallowed by a whale? Experts analysed the video and here’s what they think BBC Discover Wildlife
- Rafter Is Briefly ‘Swallowed’ by Whale in Chile, as His Father Films The New York Times
- A humpback whale briefly swallows kayaker in Chilean Patagonia — and it's all captured on camera The Associated Press
- Did a whale swallow a kayaker? The truth behind the viral video NPR
- 'I thought I was dead': Kayaker gets swallowed by humpback whale in dramatic moment caught on camera Fox News
As an election looms, will Australians remember Labor for one rate cut or the 12 hikes before that?
The Albanese government had been sweating on the RBA decision, which clears the way for an election as soon as early April
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Jim Chalmers tried to say he wasn’t taking credit for the big banks dropping their interest rates, but the sense of satisfaction – or perhaps relief – among other Labor MPs was palpable in the moments after the Reserve Bank of Australia announced its cut of 25 basis points.
Labor MPs Justine Elliot and Kristy McBain, both under pressure in tough races, tweeted “breaking” updates within two minutes of the announcement. Within a few more minutes, the likes of Jerome Laxale, Josh Wilson, Pat Conroy, Shayne Neumann, Mark Butler, Helen Polley, Tony Sheldon and the retiring Graham Perrett had also taken to their social media accounts to broadcast the news.
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Continue reading...Syrian authorities arrest three men with suspected links to Tadamon massacre
Men are accused of involvement in the execution of nearly 300 civilians by government forces in Damascus in 2013, which the perpetrators filmed
Authorities in Damascus have arrested three men they claim were involved in a notorious massacre of civilians by Syrian security forces revealed by the Guardian three years ago.
Footage posted online purported to show one of the men, Monzer al-Jazairi, with his hands bound and being led through the heavily damaged streets of Tadamon, the Damascus suburb where nearly 300 people were killed in an atrocity filmed by the perpetrators themselves and then leaked by a whistleblower to activists in Europe.
Continue reading...Why are white South Africans mocking Donald Trump?
Thousands of white South Africans have been mocking their privilege after US President Donald Trump offered them asylum.
British motorcycling couple detained in Iran charged with espionage
Craig and Lindsay Foreman accused of entering country ‘under guise of tourists’
A British couple detained in Iran have been charged with espionage after travelling to the country as part of a round-the-world motorbike trip.
The Iranian judiciary’s Mizan news agency said Craig and Lindsay Foreman, who are in their early 50s, had been charged after allegedly gathering information in different locations in the country.
Continue reading...US-Russia talks sideline Ukraine and Europe
The talks could lead to a summit later this month between US President Trump and Russian President Putin.
Energy bills in Great Britain forecast to rise by 5% from April
Households face greater than expected rise in Ofgem price cap after Europe’s gas storage levels slump, analysts say
Millions of households face a greater than expected increase to their energy bills of about 5% from April after a slump in Europe’s gas storage levels caused market prices to climb, according to analysts.
The average gas and electricity bill for a typical household in Great Britain is expected to rise by £85 from April to £1,823 a year under the energy regulator’s price cap.
Continue reading...Villagers killed execution-style in Sudan, activists say
More than 200 civilians have been killed by paramilitaries, a rights group says.
Sudan civil war: RSF kills 200 civilians in White Nile state, say activists – BBC.com
Nigel Farage calls for reindustrialisation of Britain and higher birthrates
Reform leader tells ARC conference the UK needs ‘some sense of optimism’ and praises ‘Judeo-Christian culture’
Nigel Farage has called for the “reindustrialisation” of Britain and “180-degree shift” to reverse the declining birthrate, as he praised the “Judeo-Christian culture” that he claimed underpinned western civilisation.
Addressing a global gathering of rightwing activists in London, the Reform leader said the UK should rebuild its heavy industry, including through the domestic production of steel, oil and gas.
Continue reading...UN human rights chief accuses M23 rebels of ‘summary executions’ in DRC
Volker Turk says his office has 'confirmed' cases of rebels killing and recruiting children in eastern DRC.
Israel accused of series of Gaza ceasefire violations
Israel has been accused of a series of violations to the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Thousands of tourists flock to see Etna eruption, blocking rescue services
Tourists blocking streets and indulging in ‘dangerous’ behaviour, say Sicilian officials
Thousands of tourists have flocked to Mount Etna to watch spectacular eruptions on the volcano, but some people are blocking streets and preventing rescue services from reaching those in need of assistance, the local authorities have said.
Sicily’s head of regional civil protection, Salvo Cocina, described the tourism of recent days at Etna as “wild” and “extremely dangerous”, warning that day-trippers drawn by the exceptional views had parked their cars along narrow streets, impeding rescue vehicles.
Continue reading...‘He targeted me’: Guy Pearce says he ‘sobbed’ over Kevin Spacey encounters
The Oscar-nominated actor has said he is attempting to be more candid about his former co-star’s alleged behaviour
Guy Pearce, the actor Oscar-nominated for his role in Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, has opened up about his experiences when working with Kevin Spacey on 1997 film LA Confidential.
Pearce had previously been oblique about his time with Spacey, who has been dogged by accusations of sexual misconduct, which Spacey has always denied, calling him “a handsy guy” in 2018. But speaking on Hollywood Reporter’s podcast Awards Chatter, the actor said he was now attempting to be franker about his co-star’s alleged behaviour.
Continue reading...Trump-Putin meeting not imminent, as first US-Russia talks on Ukraine finish in Riyadh – POLITICO Europe
- Trump-Putin meeting not imminent, as first US-Russia talks on Ukraine finish in Riyadh POLITICO Europe
- U.S.-Russia Talks in Saudi Arabia Set to Go Beyond Ukraine The New York Times
- US and Russia to appoint teams to negotiate end of Ukraine war in talks that excluded Kyiv CNN
- US, Russian officials propose peace plan, lay 'groundwork for cooperation' in Riyadh Fox News
- U.S. and Russia agree to restore embassy staffing in high-level talks on Ukraine war NBC News
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan vs New Zealand – start, teams, preview
Al Jazeera takes a close look at hosts Pakistan against New Zealand before their Champions Trophy opener on Wednesday.