- China Presses Taiwan by Querying Foreign Ships for First Time Bloomberg.com
- Taiwan says it won't tolerate Chinese patrols, vows expulsions Reuters
- What’s behind Beijing’s seabed mapping east of Taiwan? South China Morning Post
- Chinese Flotilla Surges East of Taiwan Amid Spat with the Philippines, Japan USNI News
- Chinese government vessels enter prohibited waters of Taiwan’s Taiping Island for first time Taiwan News
Thursday briefing: What would it take for streets to be safe for all?
In today’s newsletter: With violent crime declining but hate crime increasing, a look at what we can all do to make our shared spaces safer
Good morning. Who is safe on Britain’s streets? Two acts of gross violence – the murder of Henry Nowak in Southampton and the stabbing of Stephen Ogilvie in Belfast – have been ruthlessly exploited by the far-right and now the spaces we all share are contested.
It is an entirely human response to feel unsafe when we watch a clip of an assailant wielding a knife over his victim, or police officers handcuffing a distressed, dying young man. Much as it is when we see ethnic minority families fleeing burning homes in Belfast, or a menacing crowd in Glasgow setting about black people as they pass.
Middle East | The US launched new strikes against targets in Iran for the second consecutive day after Donald Trump promised to “hit them hard again” as a two-month-old ceasefire appears close to collapse.
UK politics | Keir Starmer’s closest aides are “war-gaming” how to win a leadership contest ahead of Andy Burnham’s much-anticipated return to Westminster if he wins the Makerfield byelection, the Guardian understands.
Belfast | Elon Musk’s X will face no action to remove a mass of posts inciting violence in Northern Ireland for at least two months, despite widespread condemnation of the platform and its billionaire owner.
Environment | Temperatures in the Antarctic climbed above 15C this month, shattering the previous winter heat record for the usually frozen region and raising concerns about the speed of climate breakdown.
UK news | One of the government’s key contractors has launched an investigation into allegations of racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia and hate speech among staff working in immigration removal centres, the Guardian has learned.
Continue reading...Iran war day 104: Iran attacks US bases, closes strait after Trump strikes
Iran closes Strait of Hormuz, launches retaliatory strikes on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan after US attacks.
Why India’s deadly dengue crisis is now no longer confined to the monsoons
Experts warn that rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and rapid urbanisation have transformed the seasonal disease.
Knicks one win away from NBA title after record comeback against Spurs
New York Knicks rally to defeat the San Antonio Spurs by a point in a thrilling Game 4 of the NBA finals series.
Bolivian farmers clash with police as ex-president vows resistance
Bolivian farmers clash with police as ex-president vows resistance.
Thousands rally in Albania in largest protest yet against Kushner resort
Protesters chant 'Albania is not for sale' as demonstrations swell against Kushner-backed luxury resort plan.
Social media on trial: Four important cases to watch
Social media firms face thousands of lawsuits, the BBC looks at four which could be significant.
Funerals held after deadly Pakistani strikes in Afghanistan
Hundreds gathered in eastern Afghanistan for the funerals of civilians killed in Pakistani airstrikes.
Lightning stops play: how electrical storms could disrupt the World Cup
Under US rules, even a distant strike can suspend a game – and some will take place in Florida, the thunderstorm state
Hot weather will be a major concern at the World Cup, but lightning may also prove a particular problem. Under US safety regulations, a strike within 10 miles (16km) of a stadium triggers a 30-minute suspension of the game, during which players must leave the pitch.
The size of the safety zone was dictated by research on the distance that lightning can strike from a storm even with no clouds overhead. This is more than a theoretical risk. During a game in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1998, an entire team was killed by a single bolt of lightning. There have been many other deadly incidents.
Continue reading...Millions of homes in London, Essex and Kent at risk of sinking as climate crisis worsens
Analysis pinpoints areas most vulnerable to hotter, drier weather causing ground to shrink and drag foundations down
Millions of homes are at risk from climate-related subsidence, according toan analysis by the British Geological Survey (BGS).
As hotter, drier summers driven by global heating become more frequent, the ground under houses can shrink and drag down a property’s foundations. The most vulnerable areas include London, Essex, Kent and a tranche of land from Oxford up to the Wash on England’s east coast, according to scientists, who say mitigation measures will be needed.
Continue reading...Home Office contractor investigates claims of staff racism and hate speech
Whistleblowers from Mitie allege some employees have made offensive remarks or liked abusive social media posts
One of the government’s key contractors has launched an investigation into allegations of racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia and hate speech among staff working in immigration removal centres, the Guardian has learned.
Whistleblowers from the company, Mitie, have alleged that some staff members working in immigration removal centres and deporting migrants have made offensive comments at work and in social media posts.
Continue reading...How the Belfast stabbing was the spark to a fuse loaded with grievance and provocation
Politicians, social media and far-right agitators convinced people that migrant-targeting violence would solve all their problems
Within minutes of the footage going online – of a Black man stabbing a white man – there was a sense of inexorability to what came next in Northern Ireland.
The grievances, the social media platforms, the politicians’ doublespeak and the international cheerleaders all provided a fuse. On Monday night came the spark.
Continue reading...South Korea fines Coupang $408m over biggest data leak in country’s history
Data protection watchdog says e-commerce giant failed to implement safety measures and delayed reporting breach.
Anti-immigrant protesters clash with police, torch car at Belfast rally
Anti-immigrant demonstrators rallied for another day in Belfast, Northern Ireland, lighting a car on fire.
One in 70 people worldwide is forcibly displaced: UNHCR
At least 117.8 million people worldwide remain forcibly displaced due to conflict, violence, and persecution.
Escaped prisoner who fled brother’s funeral believed to be in Melbourne, police say
Orijol Rukaj was on pallbearer duties when he evaded corrections staff – and has been on the run for the six weeks since
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Police say it was a busy funeral – with about 300 people gathering at a Melbourne cemetery on Anzac Day to farewell the brother of Orijol Rukaj.
Before assuming his duties as a pallbearer, Rukaj was escorted to the Keilor East service by corrections staff. But corrections staff didn’t bring him back to prison.
Continue reading...Family of British toddler criticises police as Australian inquiry into cold case murders begins
NSW inquiry will also examine whether notorious serial killer Ivan Milat was responsible for more murders.
What Made FP-5 Flamingo Strike on russia’s VNIIR-Progress Plant Successful, How Many Missiles Were Used – Defense Express
- What Made FP-5 Flamingo Strike on russia's VNIIR-Progress Plant Successful, How Many Missiles Were Used Defense Express
- Ukraine says missiles hit military plant deep inside Russia BBC
- Ukrainian strikes are inflicting pain deep inside Russia The Economist
- Ukraine war briefing: Flamingo missiles hit more far-flung Russian targets The Guardian
- Ukraine Strikes St. Petersburg in Long-Range Drone Attack The New York Times
The War in Ukraine Has Now Gone On Longer Than World War I – The New York Times
- The War in Ukraine Has Now Gone On Longer Than World War I The New York Times
- 5 Grim Warning Signs for Putin in Ukraine Newsweek
- Ukraine’s fight is longer than the First World War, and looks similar in the trenches The Globe and Mail
- Ukraine war now longer than the first world war – the similarities are unsettling The Conversation
- Ukraine’s war is now longer than the first world war The Economist