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British mother of Egyptian political prisoner to press Lammy to take action
Laila Soueif is to meet the foreign secretary, who in opposition called for the release of Alaa Abd el-FattahThe British-born mother of an Egyptian political prisoner who has been on hunger strike for 58 days is preparing to meet the foreign secretary, David Lammy, to urge him to secure her son’s release.Laila Soueif’s son Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a British and Egyptian dual citizen who wrote eloquently about the Arab spring and its aftermath, was jailed for five years for “spreading false news”. He was due to be released in September, but has not been freed. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 06:00:51
Namibia goes to polls amid anger at high unemployment rate
Swapo party could lose its majority for the first time since independence in 1990, if youth voter turnout is highNamibians are going to the polls with the longtime ruling party’s parliamentary majority under threat if dissatisfied young people turn out in big numbers amid a wave of anti-incumbent sentiment globally.The Swapo party could also be forced to contest a second round in the presidential election for the first time since the sparsely populated southern African country became independent from South Africa in 1990. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 03:00:48
Catholic priest accused of sexual assault fathered children of victims, court hears
Revelation emerges at hearing for Anthony Odiong, 55, charged with several counts and held in Texas on $5.5m bailA Roman Catholic priest with links to Texas and Louisiana who is facing criminal charges for allegedly abusing his position of authority within the church to pursue sex with vulnerable women fathered at least two children with them, authorities have alleged.The stunning information about Anthony Odiong surfaced at a bail hearing on Tuesday in Waco, Texas, where prosecutors have charged him with several counts of sexually assaulting women to whom he ministered. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 02:57:28
Four bodies recovered from Red Sea day after tourist boat capsizes
Five more rescued and seven still missing from the Sea Story, which was carrying 30 tourists and 14 crewEgyptian naval forces recovered four bodies and rescued five more people from the Red Sea a day after a large tourist boat sank in rough waters, officials have said. Seven people are still missing.The Red Sea governor, Amr Hanafi, said the yacht, called Sea Story, had been struck by high waves on Monday and sank in less than 7 minutes. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:03:58
Thirty-five million Africans driven from homes by war and climate disasters – report
Data shows a threefold increase in internal displacement across the African continent since 2009, with flooding and drought posing a growing threatWars and climate disasters have driven a threefold increase in the number of internally displaced people in Africa over the past 15 years, according to new data.There are now 35 million people internally displaced on the continent, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), compared with 11.6 million in 2009, when African governments signed a landmark deal legally binding them to tackle the causes of displacement. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:47:47
Two Britons among 16 missing after tourist boat capsizes in Red Sea
Sea Story was on diving trip with 31 tourists and 14 crew when it sent distress signalTwo Britons are reported to be among 16 people missing after a tourist boat on a diving trip capsized in the Red Sea.The Sea Story was carrying 30 tourists from several countries and 14 crew when it sent a distress signal at 5.30am local time (0330 GMT), according to Egypt’s Red Sea governorate. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 19:05:42
Canada leaders agree to unite against Trump tariff threat amid reports of retaliatory measures
Deputy PM says ‘we need to be smart, strong and united’ after meeting on threat by US president-elect of a blanket 25% tax on imports from Canada Canada’s federal government and the premiers of the 10 provinces have agreed to work together against a threat by US president-elect Donald Trump to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian imports, with one official saying the country was already examining possible retaliatory measures.“We agreed that we need to be smart, strong and united in meeting this challenge,” deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters on Wednesday after a virtual meeting with the premiers called by the prime minister, Justin Trudeau. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 01:41:27
Colombia-led operation seizes world record 225 tonnes of cocaine, and uncovers new Australia trafficking route
Operation Orion, a cooperative operation between 62 countries, finds some of the record haul on a new drug route being used by a ‘narco submarine’Colombian authorities working with dozens of other countries have seized 225 tonnes of cocaine in the space of six weeks, a global record for any single anti-narcotics operation, finding some of that haul on a “narco submarine” travelling on a new drug trafficking route to Australia.In the six-week Operation Orion, law enforcement agencies and other organisations from 62 countries halted six semi-submersible vessels stuffed with cocaine and confiscated 1,400 tonnes of drugs in total, including more than 1,000 tonnes of marijuana. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 23:30:52
Bombshell police report details alleged Bolsonaro plot to stage rightwing coup
Former president accused of leading role in apparent scheme to overturn 2022 election defeat by rival LulaBrazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro, has moved a step closer to jail after a federal police investigation laid bare what it called a murderous authoritarian plot to explode the country’s democratic system with a military coup that the far-right populist allegedly helped mastermind.Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied involvement in an attempt to overturn the result of the 2022 presidential election, which he narrowly lost to his leftwing rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 19:57:40
Elusive deer spotted wearing high-vis jacket in Canada: ‘Who is responsible?’
‘Double takes’ as British Columbia mountain community tries to figure out how local animal came to don neon jacketIn a town of fewer than 1,000 people, it can be hard to keep a secret. And yet no one in McBride, a mountain community in British Columbia, can figure out how a local deer came to be wearing a zipped-up high-visibility jacket – or why the day-glo-clad cervid has been so hard to track down.The mystery began on Sunday, when Andrea Arnold was driving along the snowy outskirts of McBride on Sunday and witnessed a sight so baffling she slowed her vehicle to a crawl. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 11:00:06
Bolsonaro allies nearly launched military coup in 2022, police report says
Senior Brazil military figures backed plot to seize power after Bolsonaro’s election defeat, federal documents allegeBrazil came within a whisker of a far-right military coup and the assassination of a supreme court judge just days before President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took power in January 2023, a federal police report has claimed.The report about the alleged plot to help the rightwing populist Jair Bolsonaro cling to power was made public on Tuesday, and paints a chilling portrait of how close one of the world’s largest democracies came to being plunged back into authoritarian rule. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 21:48:44
Mexico president vows to retaliate with own tariffs against Trump’s tax threat
Claudia Sheinbaum rebukes Trump and says his plan would do nothing to stem flow of migrants or drugs bound for USMexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has rebuked Donald Trump’s threat to impose steep tariffs on Mexico, arguing the plan would do nothing to halt the flow of migrants or drugs bound for the US border, and vowing that Mexico would hit back with tariffs of its own.“One tariff would be followed by another in response, and so on until we put at risk common businesses,” Sheinbaum said, warning that tariffs would cause inflation and job losses in both countries. “What sense is there?” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 18:20:17
Four killed and flights cancelled as heavy snowfall blankets Seoul
South Korea’s capital has been hit by some of the heaviest snowfall in a century, with dangerous conditions wreaking havoc on transportSouth Korea grappled with heavy snowfall for a second day on Thursday, with dozens of flights cancelled, ferry operations suspended and at least four people reported dead in a bitter winter, though conditions showed signs of easing.Thursday’s snowfall was the third-heaviest in capital Seoul since records began in 1907, the Yonhap news agency said, citing city data. The previous day broke all snowfall records for November. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 04:50:19
China releases three US citizens held for years in prisoner swap
Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung freed after Biden administration forges rare agreement with BeijingThree American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released in a prisoner swap, the White House has said, announcing a rare diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration.The three are Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung, all of whom had been designated by the US government as wrongfully detained. Swidan had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while Li and Leung were imprisoned on espionage charges. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 16:34:18
Seoul slows down under blanket of heaviest November snow in 100 years
First day of snowfall this season is heaviest on record, says weather bureauSouth Korea’s capital has been blanketed by what the weather agency said was the heaviest November snowfall since records began over a century ago. It was the first snowfall of this year’s winter.The Korea Meteorological Administration said 16.5cm (6.5 inches) of snow fell by 7am on Wednesday, compared with Seoul’s previous record of 12.4cm on 28 November 1972. It was the heaviest snowfall since records began in 1907, the KMA said. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 07:02:24
China’s CO2 emissions have peaked or will in 2025, say 44% of experts in survey
Research reflects rising optimism about country’s green transition as it takes leading position on climate actionNearly half of experts surveyed by a climate thinktank believe China’s carbon dioxide emissions have already peaked, or will do so in 2025, reflecting increasing optimism about the country’s green transition at a time when it is being called on to take a leading position on global climate action.According to a report published on Tuesday by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a research organisation, 44% of climate experts from academia and industry believe that China’s CO2 emissions will peak, at the latest, in 2025. In last year’s survey, only 21% of experts gave the same response. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 00:01:44
Eight Laos hostel staff held over suspected methanol poisoning deaths
Manager and seven staff at Nana backpackers hostel detained after death of six touristsPolice in Laos have detained the manager of a backpacker hostel in Vang Vieng as well as seven of its staff after the deaths of six tourists in a suspected mass methanol poisoning.Two Danish citizens, an American, a Briton and two Australians died after becoming ill after a night out in the small riverside town. A third Australian, a dual national, also fell ill, and is understood to be in a stable condition. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 18:50:43
Third Australian fell ill after suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos
Exclusive: Dual national understood to be in stable condition after tragedy which has claimed six livesFull Story podcast: The suspected methanol poisonings in LaosGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA third Australian also fell ill after a suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos that has claimed six lives, Guardian Australia has confirmed.Melburnians Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, died in hospital in Thailand after the tragedy, which also claimed the lives of people from Denmark, the UK and the US.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 07:41:51
Australia politics live: Simon Birmingham says he fears era ‘where populism trumps policy’ as he announces retirement
Follow today’s news liveSenate likely to pass 31 bills in frantic end to year after Labor strikes deal with GreensGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNuclear costings coming ‘in coming weeks and months ahead of election’: TaylorThe shadow treasurer was also asked when the Coalition would release the costings of its nuclear plan.We will not be announcing it on your program this morning, as much as you might like me to. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 06:30:00
South Australia bans political donations and gifts to MPs in ‘world-leading’ reform
Peter Malinauskas says the laws were not in his party’s best interest, but critics say it’ll mean more taxpayer dollars going to major partiesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast“World-leading” laws banning political donations have passed the SA parliament, but a democracy expert says they divert millions of dollars from the public purse to the major parties without justification.The state Labor government secured support from the Liberal Party, Greens and other members of the crossbench to pass the Electoral (Accountability and Integrity) Amendment Bill 2024 on Wednesday night.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 05:46:16
Environmental Defenders Office to pay $9m in costs to Santos over failed challenge to Barossa gas project
The case, brought by the EDO on behalf of three Tiwi Island traditional owners, was dismissed in January in a scathing judgment Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal court has ordered the Environmental Defenders Office to pay $9m in costs to Santos after a failed legal challenge to the company’s Barossa offshore gas project.The case, brought by the EDO on behalf of three Tiwi Island traditional owners, was dismissed in January when Justice Natalie Charlesworth delivered a scathing judgment that made adverse findings against the legal firm.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 05:40:53
Senate likely to pass 31 bills in frantic end to year after Labor strikes deal with Greens
Albanese government will rely on Coalition to pass three controversial migration bills and the under 16 social media banFollow our Australia politics live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Senate will likely pass 31 government bills on its final scheduled sitting day, after the Greens agreed to support a vote on 27 bills in return for $500m for social housing energy upgrades and commitments against fossil fuel investment.While the Albanese government will rely on the Greens and crossbench to pass its Future Made in Australia agenda and a range of treasury and attorney general’s portfolio bills, it will work with the Coalition to pass three controversial migration bills and the under-16s social media ban.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 04:54:10
NSW sex crimes detective jailed after misusing position to abuse teen complainant
Glen Coleman sentenced to minimum two years’ jail after sexually touching 19-year-old without her consent in 2022Follow our Australia politics live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA teenager came forward to police to report a sexual assault only for a senior officer to abuse her.The New South Wales detective, 58-year-old Glen Coleman, will now spend at least two years in jail after being found guilty of abusing his position as an officer by twice sexually touching the 19-year-old without her consent in 2022.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 04:50:43
‘Stay true to yourself and hit post’: a flashy, absurd night at Australia’s TikTok awards
More than 3m votes were cast for this year’s awards, which went heavy on T-shirt guns and brand activations, but stayed quiet on the government’s proposed social media banBetween them, the Australian online personalities who took the stage at the annual TikTok awards on Wednesday have more than 100 million followers – but if you’re over the age of 30, you probably haven’t heard of any of them.About 3.4m public votes were cast for this year’s TikTok awards, which honour the top creators in categories like beauty, fitness, food, comedy and music. Just about everyone at the invite-only event found fame in a particular niche. Among the online stars in attendance were a quartet of brothers who perform highly choreographed dances in public (160,000 followers), a gay couple who constantly redecorate their home (3.4m followers), and a woman who has built her following on having very long hair (The Aussie Rapunzel, 1.3m followers). Another woman has amassed 1.5m followers by posting videos where she asks strangers if they are currently on their period. These are people who are regularly stopped on the street by fans, and who have so many followers they can make their living from brand deals. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 04:44:23
‘Massive attack’ on Ukraine’s power network under way, says minister
Emergency power cuts being brought in across the country amid missile alerts and freezing temperaturesUkraine’s power infrastructure was “under massive enemy attack” on Thursday, the country’s energy minister said, after a nationwide air raid alert was declared due to incoming missiles.“Once again, the energy sector is under massive enemy attack. Attacks on energy facilities are taking place across Ukraine,” German Galushchenko said in a Facebook post. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 06:26:47
Iran says it could end ban on possessing nuclear weapons if sanctions reimposed
Comments made after nuclear inspectorate board passed motion censuring Iran for building uranium stockpileThe nuclear debate inside Iran is likely to shift towards the possession of its own weapons if the west goes ahead with a threat to reimpose all UN sanctions, the country’s foreign minister has said.Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in an interview that Iran already had the capability and knowledge to create nuclear weapons, but said they did not form part of its security strategy. He also said Tehran was prepared to keep supplying arms to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:35
Swedish PM says Baltic sea now ‘high risk’ after suspected cable sabotage
Regional leaders meet after undersea telecoms cables severed, while Chinese ship remains at anchor nearbyThe Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, has said the Baltic sea is now a “high risk” zone as he met Nordic and Baltic leaders days after a suspected sabotage attack on undersea cables.The Swedish prime minister declined to speculate on who may have been responsible for the severing of two fibre optic telecoms cables in the Baltic last week. A Chinese ship – the Yi Peng 3 – that sailed over the cables about the time they were severed has remained anchored in the Kattegat strait between Sweden and Denmark since 19 November. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 22:14:27
Russia’s sabotage of western targets ‘could trigger Nato defence clause’
German intelligence chief warns continued hybrid warfare by Moscow increases risk of alliance invoking Article 5Russia’s acts of sabotage against western targets may eventually prompt Nato to consider invoking the alliance’s Article 5 mutual defence clause, the head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service has warned.Speaking at an event of the German Council of Foreign Relations (DGAP) think tank in Berlin on Wednesday, BND chief Bruno Kahl said he expected Moscow to further step up its hybrid warfare. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 22:05:40
France says Netanyahu is immune from ICC warrant as Israel is not member of court
Claim comes after Paris signalled it would fulfil obligations as signatory to Rome statute after arrest warrant issuedThe French government has claimed that Benjamin Netanyahu has immunity from arrest warrants issued by the international criminal court for war crimes on the grounds that Israel is not an ICC member.The claim came soon after Netanyahu’s cabinet agreed to a French-backed ceasefire in Lebanon and is in contrast to Paris’s attitude towards last year’s ICC war crimes warrant issued against Vladimir Putin, another leader of a non-member country. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 19:32:34
Romania regulator calls for TikTok suspension amid vote interference fears
Far-right, pro-Moscow candidate Călin Georgescu came from 5% in polls to win presidential election’s first roundRomania’s telecoms regulator is asking for TikTok to be suspended as the country’s defence council prepares to discuss cyber risks to its elections, after a little-known ultranationalist came from nowhere to win the first round of the presidential vote.The country’s constitutional court will also examine two allegations of electoral fraud after Călin Georgescu, a Moscow-friendly, EU-sceptic and anti-Nato independent, topped the ballot in a result that upended Romanian politics. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 18:58:09
Thousands return to southern Lebanon amid uneasy ceasefire
Displaced people make their way home despite volatile situation and warnings from Israeli militaryMiddle East crisis – live updatesThousands of people displaced from war-torn southern Lebanon have begun returning home after a ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday, amid fears on both sides of the border about whether the truce would hold.Israel heavily bombed the capital, Beirut, and the south of the country throughout Tuesday, killing 42 people, until the truce began at 4am local time, while Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel, triggering air raid sirens. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 22:06:04
UN chief says Lebanon ceasefire ‘first ray of hope amid darkness’ in conflict – as it happened
This live blog is now closed. You can read our latest full report here:Full report: Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire comes into forceDown to the final half-hour before the ceasefire comes into effect and AFP is reporting strikes on south Beirut after the Israel army’s evacuation warning.“Urgent warning to residents of the Beirut area,” army spokesperson Avichay Adraee had earlier said in a post on X, telling people in the Bachoura area in the city centre to leave, as well as “all residents in the southern suburb area”, specifically in Ghobeiry. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 19:52:24
Biden administration claims win with Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire – but will it hold?
Peace is shaky at best, as Israel will still strike targets in Lebanon and a power transition looms in the USThe Biden administration has claimed the long-awaited ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel as a diplomatic triumph achieved under tremendous pressure during a lame-duck period with a hostile Donald Trump administration waiting in the wings.Speaking from a lectern in the Rose Garden of the White House, Joe Biden called the result “historic” and said that it “reminds us that peace is possible”. It would return civilians to their homes, he said, and had “determined this conflict will not be just another cycle of violence”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 19:39:45
Israel’s ceasefire with Lebanon makes peace in Gaza ever less likely
Joe Biden may have revived diplomatic efforts, but after compromising in Lebanon, Netanyahu has even less leeway in GazaJoe Biden has revived diplomatic efforts to achieve a truce in Gaza with the hope of building on momentum generated by the newly agreed ceasefire in Lebanon.There are doubts, however, that such momentum exists outside the Biden administration, which is anxious to use its last few weeks to salvage scraps of diplomatic honour after the bloody past 14 months in the Middle East. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 18:51:27
‘Thank God we are home’: Lebanese return south after ceasefire with Israel
People are relieved to be home but face having to rebuild lives among destroyed homes and villagesBefore the ceasefire had even come into effect, Zeinab and Dina were already driving south. The two sisters had been forced to flee to Tripoli, northern Lebanon, for 64 days – they had counted – and they could not bear another day without seeing home.“We were laughing and crying at the same time when we heard the news of the ceasefire. We were packing our stuff and still we didn’t believe it was happening, it was like a dream,” said Zeinab, 28, a resident of the town of Zibqeen in south Lebanon. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 18:20:03
What are the terms of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and will it succeed?
A truce between Israel and the Lebanese militant group has come into effect after 14 months of fightingMiddle East crisis – latest updatesA ceasefire to end 14 months of fighting between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah has come into effect, with Lebanese civilians already returning to the devastated south of the country. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 11:10:00
Pakistan army and police accused of firing on Imran Khan supporters
Multiple protesters said to have been killed and hundreds injured in Islamabad amid calls for Khan’s release from jailPakistan’s army and police have been accused of firing on civilians, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries to hundreds of protesters who had stormed Islamabad on Tuesday to demand the release of the former prime minister Imran Khan from prison.As tens of thousands of Khan’s supporters stormed the capital on Tuesday in defiance of government orders, the army and paramilitary forces were deployed in huge numbers and issued with shoot-to-kill orders to try to stop the crowds reaching the heart of Islamabad’s sensitive Red Zone, which houses the parliament, supreme court and prime minister’s residence. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 15:19:05
ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Myanmar junta chief
Min Aung Hlaing accused of crimes against humanity over deportation and persecution of Rohingya minorityThe chief prosecutor of the international criminal court (ICC) is seeking an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, for crimes against humanity over the deadly crackdowns against the country’s Rohingya minority that drove hundreds of thousands to flee to Bangladesh.Karim Khan said that “after an extensive, independent and impartial investigation” his office had concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe that the Myanmar junta chief “bears criminal responsibility for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya committed in Myanmar and in part in Bangladesh”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 10:40:24
Pakistani security forces raid supporters of Imran Khan after unrest in Islamabad
More than 50,000 people had earlier forced their way into capital to demand former prime minister’s releasePakistani security forces have launched a sweeping midnight raid on supporters of the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan who had earlier forced their way through security barriers and entered Islamabad.Thousands of protesters had gathered in the centre of the capital after a convoy, led by Khan’s wife, broke through several lines of security all the way to the edge of the city’s highly fortified red zone. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 20:55:31
Pakistani capital under lockdown to block rally by Imran Khan supporters
Government shuts down internet, blocks highways and brings in troops to stop protest by former PM’s supportersPakistan’s capital was put under lockdown as the government shut down the internet, blocked highways and brought in thousands of police and paramilitaries in an attempt to prevent supporters of the former prime minister Imran Khan protesting in Islamabad.Khan, who has been in jail for more than a year facing hundreds of charges, had issued a “final call” for his supporters to descend on Islamabad to demand his release and protest against recent changes to the judiciary and constitution. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 09:42:43
Hundreds flee deadly sectarian violence in north-west Pakistan
About 300 families relocate after fresh violence between Sunni and Shia Muslims kills 32 peopleAbout 300 families have fled sectarian violence in north-west Pakistan as fresh clashes killed 32 people.Sporadic fighting between Sunni and Shia Muslims in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan has killed about 150 over the past months. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 14:50:30
Tributes paid to ‘kind and loving’ British tourist who died in Laos
Simone White was one of six people to die in suspected methanol poisoning incident in Vang ViengTributes have been paid to the “beautiful, kind and loving” British tourist Simone White, one of six people to die in a suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos.The six died after allegedly being served drinks laced with methanol in Vang Vieng, a town popular with backpackers. These include the Australian teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, an American man and two Danish women aged 19 and 20. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-22 17:00:07
UK government failing to list use of AI on mandatory register
Technology secretary admits Whitehall departments are not being transparent over way they use AI and algorithmsNot a single Whitehall department has registered the use of artificial intelligence systems since the government said it would become mandatory, prompting warnings that the public sector is “flying blind” about the deployment of algorithmic technology affecting millions of lives.AI is already being used by government to inform decisions on everything from benefit payments to immigration enforcement, and records show public bodies have awarded dozens of contracts for AI and algorithmic services. A contract for facial recognition software, worth up to £20m, was put up for grabs last week by a police procurement body set up by the Home Office, reigniting concerns about “mass biometric surveillance”.The Department for Work and Pensions has been using generative AI to read more than 20,000 documents a day to “understand and summarise correspondence” after which the full information is then shared with officials for decision-making. It has automated systems for detecting fraud and error in universal credit claims, and AI assists agents working on personal independence payment claims by summarising evidence. This autumn, DWP started deploying basic AI tools in jobcentres, allowing work coaches to ask questions about universal credit guidance in an attempt to improve the effectiveness of conversations with jobseekers.The Home Office deploys an AI-powered immigration enforcement system, which critics call a “robo-caseworker”. An algorithm is involved in shaping decisions, including returning people to their home countries. The government describes it as a “rules-based” rather than AI system, as it does not involve machine-learning from data. It says it brings efficiencies by prioritising work, but that a human remains responsible for each decision. The system is being used amid a rising caseload of asylum seekers who are subject to removal action, now at about 41,000 people.Several police forces use facial recognition software to track down suspected criminals with the help of artificial intelligence. These have included the Metropolitan police, South Wales police and Essex police. Critics have warned that such software “will transform the streets of Britain into hi-tech police line-ups”, but supporters say it catches criminal suspects and the data of innocent passersby is not stored.NHS England has a £330m contract with Palantir to create a huge new data platform. The deal with the US company that builds AI-enabled digital infrastructure and is led by Donald Trump backer Peter Thiel has sparked concerns about patient privacy, although Palantir says its customers retain full control of the data.An AI chatbot is being trialled to help people navigate the sprawling gov.uk government website. It has been built by the government’s digital service using OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology. Redbox, another AI chatbot for use by civil servants in Downing Street and other government departments, has also been deployed to allow officials to quickly delve into secure government papers and get rapid summaries and tailored briefings. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 06:00:35
MPs’ big assisted dying moment, and the people watching every move – Politics Weekly UK
As MPs prepare to vote on a bill that would, for the first time, pass assisted dying into UK law, what are the arguments on either side? The Guardian’s John Harris speaks to two campaigners: Liz Carr, an actor and disability activist who believes the bill would endanger many marginalised groups, and Mark Mardell, a broadcaster who thinks the legislation doesn’t go far enough. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:37
David Lammy to appoint envoy to support Britons detained abroad
After Guardian reporting, foreign secretary looks at cases of thousands who need consular help each yearDavid Lammy has said he plans to appoint an envoy to deal with “complex detention cases” involving Britons abroad and give them a legal right to consular access.After the Guardian’s reporting on detained Britons, the foreign secretary said he had been “looking hard” at the thousands of cases a year involving people who require consular assistance. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:37
One in three consultant child psychiatrist posts in England are vacant, analysis shows
Child and adolescent mental health services have highest vacancy rates of any psychiatric specialismConsultant psychiatrist on why early intervention is key and why delays are unacceptableOne in three child and adolescent consultant psychiatrist posts in England are vacant, according to a “shocking” analysis laying bare the workforce crisis that experts say is fuelling “unacceptable” long waits for NHS care.The number of children and young people requiring mental healthcare has soared in recent years, but many face lengthy delays before they can access treatment. Some are deteriorating to a dangerously severe state of mental ill-health while they wait. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:35
Reddit overtakes X in popularity of social media platforms in UK
Discussion platform takes fifth place in rankings and is the fastest growing large social media platform in the UKReddit, the American online discussion platform, has overtaken X to become the fifth most popular social media platform in the UK, according to the communications watchdog.Ofcom said Reddit, where users post on discussion threads within topic-based communities, was visited by 22.9 million UK adults in May this year, compared with 22.1 million on X. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 00:01:27
Prisoners denied dignity while receiving NHS care, watchdog finds
Health Services Safety Investigation Body reveals difficulties inmates have when they leave jail for treatmentA female inmate remained handcuffed to a male prison officer while she had a mammogram, in an example of prisoners being denied their dignity while receiving NHS care, a watchdog has revealed.The incident is highlighted in a report by the Health Services Safety Investigation Body (HSSIB) into the difficulties prisoners can face when they leave jail to see a GP or visit a hospital. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 00:01:27
Democrats win California House seat from Republican incumbent – as it happened
This live coverage is ending now, thanks for following along. You can read the latest on Democrats winning a California house seat here: Democrat Derek Tran ousts Republican rival in key California House seatLeavitt wrote that the threats transpired Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, and included bomb threats and swatting, which refers to false reports of a crime to prompt police raids on a person’s home.Law enforcement “acted quickly,” wrote Leavitt, adding that “President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action.” Leavitt did not say who specifically was targeted. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 00:50:02
Democrat Derek Tran ousts Republican rival in key California House seat
Son of Vietnamese refugees beats Michelle Steel in seat drawn to give Asian Americans stronger voice in capitalDemocrat Derek Tran ousted Republican Michelle Steel in a southern California House district Wednesday that was specifically drawn to give Asian Americans a stronger voice on Capitol Hill.Steel said in a statement: “Like all journeys, this one is ending for a new one to begin.” When she captured the seat in 2020, Steel joined Washington state Democrat Marilyn Strickland and California Republican Young Kim as the first Korean American women elected to Congress. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-28 00:03:01
Republican senator introduces bill to abolish US Department of Education
Mike Rounds submitted bill that needs supermajority to pass, unlikely even in GOP-controlled Senate next yearA bill that would accomplish Donald Trump’s goal of abolishing the federal Department of Education has been introduced into the US Senate.The Republican senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota introduced the bill, called the Returning Education to Our States Act, on Thursday. If passed, the bill would see $200bn in funding and the work of the education department redistributed to other federal agencies and states. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 22:27:53
Trump picks Keith Kellogg to serve as special envoy to Ukraine and Russia
Retired US army general and former Pence aide tapped for newly conceived role to negotiate amid ongoing warDonald Trump has picked Keith Kellogg to serve as a special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, a newly conceived role given the ongoing war between the two countries.Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired US army lieutenant general, would start in the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues into its third year. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 20:52:24
Democrats criticize Harris for ‘self-congratulatory’ review of election loss
Top campaign staff also under fire for saying party has to ‘dominate the moderate’ in Pod Save America appearanceUS politics – live updatesSome Democratic figures have accused Kamala Harris’s campaign of being self-congratulatory after a series of recent public appearances from the candidate and her senior staff in which they declined to admit making any errors that could have contributed to her defeat.Some of the criticism was aimed at Harris herself, following a video call to thank campaign donors in which the vice-president expressed pride in her failed race for the White House. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 19:42:21
New York City found in contempt over conditions in city jails
Despite 2015 settlement and consent decree, judge says conditions have worsened over the last decadeA federal judge found New York City in contempt on Wednesday over conditions in its city jails, saying things have only worsened in the nine years since the city settled accusations of abuse and violence.The judge, Laura Taylor Swain, in Manhattan issued a written ruling finding the city in contempt over 18 separate contempt claims. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 19:40:41
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