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Setback for Europe after Trump insists Ukraine has ‘immediate’ peace talks with Russia
Mon, 12 May 2025 15:20:17 GMT
Zelenskyy had no choice but to accept Putin’s invitation to talks, diplomats say
Donald Trump’s social media post insisting Ukraine must immediately start peace talks with Russia has set back, and possibly jeopardised, Europe’s carefully laid plans to persuade the US to impose sanctions on Moscow for refusing the US president’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, European diplomats have said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy had no choice but to accept Vladimir Putin’s invitation to talks in Istanbul on Thursday for fear of offending Trump, diplomats said. Putin made the offer in a bid not to alienate the US president, and avoid the growing European pressure on Trump to impose harsher sanctions. Western diplomats say they have no reason to believe that Trump acted in collusion with the Russian leader.
Continue reading...The US president’s proposed film industry tariffs have led to confusion and unrest within Hollywood
Citizen Kane, The Godfather, Gone with the Wind, Goodfellas, Sunset Boulevard and the Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle Bloodsport – Donald Trump’s favourite movies are thoroughly American and 20th century. Foreign films? Not his thing.
At campaign rally in 2020 he reacted to the South Korean movie Parasite winning the best picture Oscar by demanding: “What the hell was that all about? We got enough problems with South Korea with trade. On top of that they give them best movie of the year? Was it good? I don’t know. Let’s get Gone With the Wind. Can we get Gone With the Wind back please?”
Continue reading...After being threatened with losing their housing, several students who weren’t involved in the protests had their suspensions lifted.
The post Students Studying at Columbia Library Were Suspended for Protest They Took No Part In appeared first on The Intercept.
Truce agreement was reached after diplomacy and pressure from US but within hours there was cross-border shelling
A fragile ceasefire was holding between India and Pakistan on Sunday, after hours of overnight fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours, as US president Donald Trump said he would work to provide a solution regarding Kashmir.
The arch-rivals were involved in intense firing for four days, the worst in nearly three decades, with missiles and drones being fired at each other’s military installations and dozens of people killed.
Continue reading...A court in Paris found French film star Gérard Depardieu guilty of sexual assault
Gérard Depardieu has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two women during a film shoot in 2021.
Depardieu, France’s biggest film star, who has made more than 200 films and TV series, is the highest-profile figure in the French film industry to be convicted of sexual assault since the #MeToo movement.
Continue reading...A cargo flight will haul 14 tons of nitrocellulose from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York to an Israeli weapons manufacturer.
The post Explosive Materials Bound for Israel Are Flying Out of JFK Airport appeared first on The Intercept.
Cut in low-value ‘de minimis’ tariff marks further de-escalation of trade war and will benefit Shein and Temu
The US has announced it is cutting the tariff on small parcels sent from mainland China and Hong Kong to the US from 120% to 54%, hours after Washington and Beijing agreed a 90-day pause in their trade war.
Donald Trump signed an executive order more than halving the levy, which was brought in at the start of this month to close the “de minimis” loophole allowing low-value goods to be sent to the US without paying any import fees.
Continue reading...This blog has now closed. You can read more of our US politics coverage here
Qatar has offered to donate a plane to the United States and details are still being worked out, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Monday.
“The Qatari Government has graciously offered to donate a plane to the Department of Defense. The legal details of that are still being worked out,” Leavitt said in an interview with Fox News.
Continue reading...Remark comes as Brazil, Colombia and Chile’s leaders fly to Beijing amid international uncertainty generated by Trump
The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has heralded his desire to build “indestructible” relations with China, as the leaders of three of Latin America’s biggest economies flew to Beijing against the backdrop of Donald Trump’s trade war and the profound international uncertainty his presidency has generated.
Lula touched down in China’s capital on Sunday for a four-day state visit, accompanied by 11 ministers, top politicians and a delegation of more than 150 business leaders.
Continue reading...As an Asian giant rises and Trump postures, the UK offers commercial credibility while inching toward a pragmatic European reset it won’t name
In the theatre of 21st-century trade diplomacy, symbolism often eclipses substance. Last week’s UK-India and US-UK agreements reveal a curious asymmetry: in both, the larger partner, in terms of GDP, leveraged the relationship for political ends, while the UK supplied what matters – regulatory prestige and high-income consumers. The former deal offers India a chance to climb the “value chain” and access markets it cannot replicate at home. Donald Trump used his pact to stage a spectacle of grievance and control.
Ironically, Britain – the smaller economy – behaves like the grown-up in both rooms. India turns the agreement into genuine gains. The UK’s trade concessions offer a glimpse of Delhi’s broader ambition: to pry open rich-world markets and access critical tech, as India positions itself as the west’s manufacturing alternative to China. By contrast, Mr Trump’s America focuses on image over impact. But Washington has tacitly conceded that the real action – on AI, digital services tax and UK pharma tariffs still in place under the deal – has yet to begin. The pact falls well short of the sweeping agreement Britain once sought with the US, and lacks the depth of the UK-India deal.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...Markets rally after Washington and Beijing agree to drastically cut reciprocal tariffs as US treasury secretary says ‘neither side wants a decoupling’
Donald Trump hailed a “total reset” in relations between China and the US after the countries agreed a 90-day pause to the deepening trade war that has threatened to upend the global economy, with tariffs to be lowered by 115 percentage points.
“They’ve agreed to open up China,” the US president claimed at a press conference at the White House on Monday morning, having spent months escalating tensions with Beijing by ratcheting up tariffs on the country’s exports.
Continue reading...The rules-based world order is in retreat and violence is on the rise, forcing countries to rethink their relationships
In a week in which former allies in a redividing globe separately commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war, the sense of a runaway descent towards a third world war draws ever closer.
The implosion of Pax Americana, the interconnectedness of conflicts, the new willingness to resort to unbridled state-sponsored violence and the irrelevance of the institutions of the rules-based order have all been on brutal display this week. From Kashmir to Khan Younis, Hodeidah, Port Sudan and Kursk, the only sound is of explosions, and the only lesson is that the old rules no longer apply.
Continue reading...Three times in the last week, Trump expressed ignorance when responding to questions about his signature policies.
The post “I Don’t Know.” Trump’s Go-To Response to All Sorts of Questions appeared first on The Intercept.
As nuclear war became a real possibility, Trump tasked Marco Rubio and JD Vance to contact the feuding countries
Indian surface-to-air missiles were already soaring towards Pakistan’s most significant military bases when the first call came from the US.
It was 4am in Islamabad and Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state and recently appointed US national security adviser, was on the line to the man everyone knew was calling the shots in Pakistan: army chief Gen Asim Munir.
Continue reading...Celebrations held in both countries while Kashmir residents beg for long-term solutions over disputed territory
India and Pakistan have both claimed victory after a ceasefire was declared over the weekend, which brought the two nuclear-nations back from the brink of war.
After days of escalating clashes that culminated in both sides launching missile and drone strikes on each other’s major military bases – the closest they had come to full-scale war in decades – the ceasefire between India and Pakistan was declared by Donald Trump on Saturday evening.
Continue reading...This blog is now closed
Ryan speaks after winning re-election in Kooyong
The freshly re-elected teal independent Monique Ryan has just been speaking on RN. She said she won because of her on-the-ground approach in her electorate:
Over the last three years, since I was elected to represent Kooyong I’ve worked very hard to fulfil the contract that I made with my community, which is that I will listen to them and try to represent them as effectively as I can on the things that matter to them.
I have a great team who’ve responded to issues within the electorate really quickly and effectively, and I heard many times when people how grateful they were for help with the sorts of things that they reach out to the team for.
This is a historic moment in the pursuit of truth, justice and accountability for the victims of the downing of flight MH17, and their families and loved ones.
The ICAO council found that Russia breached the prohibition under international law on the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight and is responsible for the loss of 298 innocent lives, including 38 who called Australia home.
Continue reading...“Many of the potential issues we see with the Trump family’s crypto practices are a feature — not a bug — of the crypto industry.”
The post Democrats Woke Up to Trump’s Crypto Grift. Will They Stop Other Scammers? appeared first on The Intercept.
The Bank of England has voted to cut the cost of borrowing, reducing the base rate to 4.25%. Here’s what it means for you
The Bank of England has cut interest rates from 4.5% to 4.25%. It follows two interest rate cuts in the second half of last year, and another one in February this year.
Continue reading...After The Intercept revealed Michael Obadal’s equity in Anduril, Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for him to sell his shares.
The post Trump Army Appointee Should Sell His Anduril Stock, Sen. Warren Demands appeared first on The Intercept.
Trump’s proposal cuts SpaceX competitors out of the NASA budget and could add billions to the company’s defense contracts.
The post Elon Musk Set to Win Big With Trump’s Trillion-Dollar Pentagon Budget appeared first on The Intercept.
US president expected to offer Saudi Arabia arms package as he seeks to discuss economic deals over regional crises
Top Democrats in the US Senate are pushing for a vote on the floor of the chamber censuring Donald Trump’s reported plan to accept a $400m luxury jet from the royal family of Qatar for use as Air Force One and later as a fixture in the Trump’s personal presidential library.
Four Democratic members of the Senate foreign relations committee said on Monday that they would press for a vote later this week. They said that elected officials, including the president, were not allowed to accept large gifts from foreign governments unless authorised to do so by Congress.
Continue reading...As the US descends into chaos, China is pitching itself as the steadier player on the global stage. But Europe should be wary of its advances
How does Xi Jinping view the circus Donald Trump is ring-mastering in Washington? There is no denying that the new president has created an opportunity for Xi to drive a wedge into the flank of the battered transatlantic alliance. China’s special representative to the EU optimistically described Trump’s treatment of Europeans as so “appalling” that it was likely to make them more willing to recognise Beijing’s approach to “peace, friendship, goodwill and win-win cooperation”.
It was only a few months ago that Xi deserved his reputation as the world’s disruptor-in-chief. Beijing was (and still is) encroaching in the South China Sea, stepping up its incursions in Taiwan, and jousting with Japan over claims to the Senkaku Islands. But since Trump’s election, Xi has begun to look comparatively restrained, like the steadier player in US-China relations. His foreign minister, Wang Yi, went as far to describe China as an anchor in an increasingly uncertain world.
Orville Schell is the Arthur Ross director of the Center on US-China Relations at Asia Society
Continue reading...Influencer Brian Johnson spent years eating only raw meat – mainly testicles – to get ripped … before he was revealed to be a steroid addict. This exposé about him is truly stomach-churning stuff
We don’t get to say “Only in America!”, complete with a wry smile and a shake of the head, enough any more. The things they have are either too serious (Trump, mass shootings, their police) or we are closing in on their achievements with our own (Boris, knifings, our police).
Untold: The Liver King grants us this boon once more. For the Liver King – AKA Brian Johnson – is a phenomenon with “Only in America!” stamped through him like a stick of rock. Though in his case you would probably have to say “stick of salami”. Because the Liver King eats virtually nothing but raw meat. Usually beef liver, but other bovine organs – especially testicles – will do nicely as well. There is ample evidence available via his social media videos, should you wish to check them out. Many of them are played in this 70-minute documentary, which is how I know to advise you not to do so. I am both a committed carnivore and rarely nauseated by anything, but it turns out that even I have a hard limit on the number of bull testes I can see one man masticate over the course of an hour. If you think I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! has prepared you, it has not.
Continue reading...Church refuses White House directive, citing longstanding ‘commitment to racial justice and reconciliation’
The Episcopal church’s migration service is refusing a directive from the federal government to help resettle white South Africans granted refugee status, citing the church’s longstanding “commitment to racial justice and reconciliation”.
Presiding bishop Sean Rowe announced the step on Monday, shortly before 59 South Africans arrived at Dulles international airport outside Washington DC on a private charter plane and were greeted by a government delegation.
Continue reading...Contest for $TRUMP meme coin has prompted accusations of president boosting family business and foreign influence
On Monday, the top 220 buyers of a Donald Trump-sponsored cryptocurrency won access to an exclusive dinner with the president as a reward for pouring money into the coin. It was the culmination of Trump’s weekslong promotion of the contest, which has drawn allegations that he is using his position to enrich his family business while opening himself up to foreign influence.
The cryptocurrency, called $TRUMP, was created in mid-January and boasts a market capitalization of over $2bn after months of investors buying into the heavily promoted coin. A Trump family-linked company and another firm own a majority of the coins, according to Reuters.
Continue reading...It would give the Trump administration the power to strip the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit it deems a “terrorist-supporting organization.”
The post Republicans Sneak Nonprofit Killer Bill Into the Tail End of Trump’s 389-Page Tax Plan appeared first on The Intercept.
David Plouffe says Biden ‘totally fucked us’ and calls Harris’s 107-day sprint against Trump a ‘fucking nightmare’
Joe Biden “totally fucked us” by leaving it too late to drop out of the 2024 US presidential election, a former top campaign aide to Kamala Harris has told the authors of a new book.
David Plouffe, who was manager of Barack Obama’s winning 2008 campaign and a senior adviser in his White House, was drafted in to help Harris’s bid for president after the declining Biden withdrew from the race last summer.
Continue reading...US-born progressive streamer says officials at Chicago airport led him to private room on return from France
Hasan Piker, a US-born progressive political commentator, said he was stopped by US Customs and Border Protection agents and questioned about his opinions of Donald Trump and Israeli war policy as he returned to the country on Sunday from France.
Piker, recounting the incident on his Twitch livestream on Monday, said he was led to a private room at Chicago O’Hare airport and interviewed for nearly two hours about his political views.
Continue reading...Trump stirs controversy by calling Afrikaners, minority descended from Dutch colonists, victims of a ‘genocide’
The first group of white South Africans granted refugee status by Donald Trump’s administration has arrived in the US, stirring controversy in South Africa as the US president declared the Afrikaners victims of a “genocide”.
The Afrikaners, a minority descended from mainly Dutch colonists, were met at Dulles international airport outside Washington DC by US deputy secretary of state, Christopher Landau, and deputy secretary of homeland security, Troy Edgar, with many given US flags to wave.
Continue reading...This live blog is now closed. You can read our full report here:
At least 29 Palestinians have been killed and 94 injured in Israeli attacks across Gaza in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Four bodies of people killed in previous Israeli attacks were also recovered over the past day, it added, Al Jazeera reports.
Continue reading...American soldier Edan Alexander meets family at Israel border after masked fighters hand him over to Red Cross
Hamas has freed the last living US citizen it held in Gaza, soldier Edan Alexander, in a unilateral move Donald Trump described as a “good faith step” towards ending the war and bringing home all remaining hostages.
The release of 20-year-old Alexander, a dual national serving in the Israel Defense Forces who spent 584 days in captivity after he was seized from his base on 7 October 2023, was agreed with little Israeli involvement beyond practical coordination on the ground.
Continue reading...Four senators, including Cory Booker, say they will press for vote against president’s plan to take $400m gift from Qatar
Top Democrats in the US Senate are pushing for a vote on the floor of the chamber censuring Donald Trump’s reported plan to accept a $400m luxury jet from the royal family of Qatar for use as Air Force One and later as a fixture in the Trump’s personal presidential library.
Four Democratic members of the Senate foreign relations committee said on Monday that they would press for a vote later this week. They said that elected officials, including the president, were not allowed to accept large gifts from foreign governments unless authorized to do so by Congress.
Continue reading...Wood barrels circle the world and can be used for more than a century. They tell a story, but they’re imperiled by tariffs
No one at Tucson’s Hamilton Distillers knows exactly what wood the cognac barrels holding whiskey are made of.
“Probably Spanish oak?” one employee ventures a guess. The age of the barrels is also a question mark. No one working here is old enough to vouch for that; the distillery believes they are anywhere from 100 to 125 years old, which is old in the grand scheme of barrels’ lifespans, but not unusual. But it can say with certainty, using records of its vintages, that these barrels are on their fifth use – at least.
Continue reading...Report by UN-backed consortium of specialists tells of ‘major deterioration’ since its last assessment in October
Gaza is at “critical risk of famine”, food security experts have warned, 10 weeks after Israel imposed a blockade on the devastated Palestinian territory, cutting off all supplies including food, medicine, shelter and fuel.
In its most recent report, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said on Monday there had been a “major deterioration” in the food security situation in Gaza since its last assessment in October 2024 and that Palestinians living there faced “a critical risk of famine”.
Continue reading...Indian PM says he is ‘monitoring every step of Pakistan’ as ceasefire holds
Narendra Modi has said India has only “paused” its military action against Pakistan and would “retaliate on its own terms” to any attacks, after a ceasefire brought escalating hostilities between the two countries to a standstill at the weekend.
In his first address since attacks began between India and Pakistan – culminating in both sides launching missiles at each other’s key military bases and airfields on Saturday – the Indian prime minister said he was “monitoring every step of Pakistan”.
Continue reading...From showerheads to plastic straws, the president brags that he’s expanding options for consumers – while drastically restricting choices in almost all other spheres
Freedom of choice is a venerable American value. Donald Trump’s attachment to it is, however, highly selective.
Over the first four months of his administration, Trump has been eagerly promoting the expansion of choice in our economic lives. That’s especially the case when it comes to our role as consumers. Think kitchens, baths and automobiles; the stated goal every time he talks about commodities has been increasing the number of options so we can select and buy what we like best – environmental effects notwithstanding. Even his tariffs are only supposed to bring temporary pain, as in emptier toy shelves, before American-made abundance starts to rule the day once again.
Continue reading...“The Bukele model is built upon Kilmar Abregos — there are thousands of them.”
The post CECOT Is What the Bukele Regime Wants You to See appeared first on The Intercept.
Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will work with Australia and the Netherlands to consider reparations
The UN aviation council has ruled that Russia was responsible for the downing of a Malaysian airliner over Ukraine that killed all 298 passengers and crew, prompting calls for “reparations” for the families of victims.
Flight MH17 was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down by a Russian surface-to-air missile while flying over eastern Ukraine in 2014 as fighting raged between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces. Among the victims were 196 Dutch citizens and 38 Australian citizens or residents.
Continue reading...Groundbreaking Swiss-Cameroonian curator would have been the first African woman to head up the art event
Koyo Kouoh, the groundbreaking Swiss-Cameroonian curator who was to become the first African woman to head up the Venice Biennale, died suddenly on Saturday, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa announced.
“It is with profound sorrow that the trustees of Zeitz MOCAA announce the sudden passing of Koyo Kouoh, our beloved executive director and chief curator, on Saturday, 10 May 2025,” said the museum in a statement on Monday.
Continue reading...The man who brought Tetris to the west reveals what the movie of his life got right and wrong, how he influenced Nintendo, and why he has now swapped gaming for climate change campaigning
When game designer and entrepreneur Henk Rogers first encountered Tetris at the 1988 Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show, he immediately knew it was special. “It was just the perfect game,” he recalls. “It looked so simple, so rudimentary, but I wanted to play it again and again and again … There was no other game demo that ever did that to me.”
Rogers is now co-owner of the Tetris Company, which manages and licenses the Tetris brand. Over the past 30 years, he has become almost as famous as the game itself. The escapades surrounding his deal to buy its distribution rights from Russian agency Elektronorgtechnica (Elorg) were dramatised in an Apple TV+ film starring Taron Egerton. “I suggested that Johnny Depp or Keanu Reeves should play me, but apparently they were way too old,” Rogers says.
Continue reading...Private prison firms CoreCivic and GEO Group are thrilled about ICE’s spending spree, but they’re already facing local opposition.
The post Private Prison CEO on ICE Contracts: We’re a Better Deal Than El Salvador’s CECOT appeared first on The Intercept.
From militarized crackdowns to legal impunity, Trump’s policing agenda is designed to crush dissent and critics.
The post A Trumped Up Police State Is Coming appeared first on The Intercept.
Exclusive: Andrew Bowie says Kemi Badenoch could pull UK out of Paris climate agreement
The Conservative party’s energy spokesperson has attacked leading climate scientists as biased and claimed Kemi Badenoch could take the UK out of the Paris climate agreement.
Andrew Bowie, the acting shadow secretary for energy, told the Guardian that the target of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 – passed into law by Theresa May – was “arbitrary” and “not based on science”.
Continue reading...Aviva, Legal & General, M&G and others agree to sign new ‘Mansion House accord’ with government
The bosses of 17 of the UK’s biggest pension funds have struck a deal with the government that it claims will release up to £50bn worth of investments, with at least half earmarked for British assets including clean energy projects and homegrown startups.
Fund managers including Aviva, Legal & General, M&G, Phoenix and the Universities Superannuation Scheme have agreed to sign a new “Mansion House accord” that will lead to at least 10% of their workplace pension schemes being invested in private market assets by 2030.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Campaigners call for energy profits levy to be made permanent to enable ‘just transition’ from fossil fuels
Making permanent the UK’s windfall tax on oil and gas producers would generate enough cash to enable North Sea workers to move to green jobs, research has found.
Cutting current subsidies to fossil fuel producers would free up yet more funds to spend on the shift to a low-carbon economy, according to the report.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Decision on whether to work with turbine maker being overseen by ministers after British Steel rescue
Ministers are weighing up proposals for a Chinese company to supply wind turbines for a major offshore windfarm in the North Sea.
The government is in discussions with Green Volt North Sea over whether Mingyang, China’s biggest offshore wind company, should supply the wind turbines. Mingyang has emerged as the preferred manufacturer, but the company has sought advice from ministers on whether to proceed.
Continue reading...Maeve and Otto’s sex life took a real dip, but revealing what they like – and writing it down – has reawakened their passion
How do you do it? Share the story of your sex life, anonymously
For the first time, we openly talked about what we liked and didn’t like, which really opened up our relationship for exploration
Continue reading...The injured aviators are the latest in a growing number of casualties in the Middle East that the Trump White House prefers to ignore.
The post More Troops Injured as U.S. Planes Keep Plunging Into Red Sea appeared first on The Intercept.
The court let a military trans ban go into effect — potentially setting a precedent to accept the anti-trans myth behind Trump’s executive order.
The post The Supreme Court Just Imperiled the Rights — and Lives — of All Trans People appeared first on The Intercept.
PC, PS5, Xbox; id Software/Bathesda Softworks
This prequel takes a blunt force trauma approach to problem-solving and demon-killing, with a slower pace but more spectacular weaponry
Billed as a prequel to id Software’s 2016 revival of Doom, The Dark Ages is about as different as it could be from its predecessors while remaining recognisably part of the series. Where 2020’s Doom Eternal was about speed and evasion, The Dark Ages emphasises standing your ground. Where Eternal involved picking off enemies one by one, The Dark Ages empowers you to obliterate dozens of demons simultaneously. Where Eternal saw you juggling rapid-fire weapons in a finger-cramping frenzy, The Dark Ages lets you solve most problems by hitting things ferociously hard. Ripping and tearing are out. Blunt force trauma is in.
The kernel of The Dark Ages’ combat stretches back to the 1993 original, inspired by the slow-moving projectiles fired by enemies such as imps, cacodemons, and hell knights. The Dark Ages empowers most of its enemies to shoot such projectiles, making its interdimensional battlefields glow with drifting fireballs, scudding orbs and floating energy barriers.
Continue reading...As Trump talks of a ceasefire with the Houthis, soldiers in the Middle East have faced steady and seldom discussed attacks.
The post U.S. Troops Are Being Attacked Every Other Day in the Middle East appeared first on The Intercept.
“We are concerned at the appearance of targeting publicly pro-union worker leaders,” said a union official about a raid in western New York.
The post “They Actually Had a List”: ICE Arrests Workers Involved in Landmark Labor Rights Case appeared first on The Intercept.
Bills continued to arrive despite calls, emails and legal firm handling probate sending copy of death certificate
My sister passed away nearly two years ago but I am struggling to get British Gas to accept she is dead.
Since her death in July 2023 I have emailed, called and even got the legal firm handling probate to contact it. They sent a certified copy of her death certificate but all that happened was the address on the account was changed to the solicitor’s.
Continue reading...A Chinese company has developed an AI-piloted submersible that can reach speeds “similar to a destroyer or a US Navy torpedo,” dive “up to 60 metres underwater,” and “remain static for more than a month, like the stealth capabilities of a nuclear submarine.” In case you’re worried about the military applications of this, you can relax because the company says that the submersible is “designated for civilian use” and can “launch research rockets.”
“Research rockets.” Sure.
...A day after being attacked by a pro-Israel mob, protesters were shot by rubber bullets — whose use is restricted by California law.
The post Police Shot Them in the Head With Rubber Bullets. Now UCLA Gaza Protesters Are Suing. appeared first on The Intercept.
“The Bukele model is built upon Kilmar Abregos — there are thousands of them.”
The post CECOT Is What the Bukele Regime Wants You to See appeared first on The Intercept.
It would give the Trump administration the power to strip the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit it deems a “terrorist-supporting organization.”
The post Republicans Sneak Nonprofit Killer Bill Into the Tail End of Trump’s 389-Page Tax Plan appeared first on The Intercept.
“Many of the potential issues we see with the Trump family’s crypto practices are a feature — not a bug — of the crypto industry.”
The post Democrats Woke Up to Trump’s Crypto Grift. Will They Stop Other Scammers? appeared first on The Intercept.
Senate race will be key to future of Sara Duterte as she faces impeachment trial, while her father could become mayor despite being detained in The Hague
Millions of Filipinos began voting on Monday in a midterm election widely seen as a referendum on the explosive feud between President Ferdinand Marcos and impeached vice-president Sara Duterte.
Workers in the capital, Manila, were busily setting up polling stations on Sunday for a race that will decide more than 18,000 posts, from seats in the House of Representatives to hotly contested municipal offices.
Continue reading...David Plouffe says Biden ‘totally fucked us’ and calls Harris’s 107-day sprint against Trump a ‘fucking nightmare’
Joe Biden “totally fucked us” by leaving it too late to drop out of the 2024 US presidential election, a former top campaign aide to Kamala Harris has told the authors of a new book.
David Plouffe, who was manager of Barack Obama’s winning 2008 campaign and a senior adviser in his White House, was drafted in to help Harris’s bid for president after the declining Biden withdrew from the race last summer.
Continue reading...There’s more to this policy than merely chasing Nigel Farage. But it risks driving voters towards the Lib Dems and Greens
Immigration is a tinderbox. No one listening to voters on doorsteps in recent local elections could deny this. Nothing Labour does will satisfy those few who rate immigration as their top concern, but its new immigration plan is a serious endeavour to stop cheap labour undercutting pay. How will it go down? If Labour HQ celebrates a splash of rightwing front pages whooping up its toughest measures, those same headlines may propel more Labour people into the arms of the Liberal Democrats and Greens. But there is more depth to Labour’s policy than merely chasing Nigel Farage.
An old theory – that immigration squeezes out British people by taking available jobs – is being turned into a real-life social experiment. We shall now see if what sounds plausible works in practice. Is cheap labour really the cause of Britain’s high rate of economic inactivity and businesses’ rotten record in training new employees?
Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnist
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...The prime minister says he wants to rebuild communities and opportunities, but risks playing into opponents’ hands
Every government needs an immigration policy and the one led by Sir Keir Starmer is no exception. Laws are required to establish the terms under which migration to the UK is allowed, and to deal with the complexities surrounding irregular arrivals. But the decision to publish an immigration white paper a week after Reform UK made significant gains in local elections, when it is riding high in national polls, is hard to defend. Rather than defusing public concerns, the prime minister risks playing into the hard right’s hands – and undermining the community cohesion he says he wants to protect.
Some of the proposed measures are reasonable. Others are not. Visa rules are complicated and ministers have identified real concerns about the way the system works. But the timing and language, particularly the prime minister’s references to an “island of strangers” and forces “pulling our country apart”, were awful choices. The danger is that such rhetoric ends up reinforcing divisions and xenophobia.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...We listened to voters’ concerns and made a point of talking about the positive contribution of immigrants to our locality, writes John Hanley. Plus a letter from Howard Spencer
The local election results in the north-east of England have been understandably portrayed as disastrous for the Labour party, which lost Durham county council (The Guardian view on Labour’s drift and Tory collapse: Reform fills a vacuum they created, 6 May). Labour also lost seats in Northumberland, but there was one area of success. In the Tyne Valley, the Hexham constituency Labour party held one seat, gained another two (one from a Conservative, the other from a Socialist Independent) and came within a handful of votes of unseating two other Conservatives.
Reform UK was much less successful than elsewhere, even in “red wall” towns such as Prudhoe and Haltwhistle. The success was based on credible local candidates who exposed the poor record of the Conservative-run Northumberland county council for the past eight years.
Continue reading...Trump’s proposal cuts SpaceX competitors out of the NASA budget and could add billions to the company’s defense contracts.
The post Elon Musk Set to Win Big With Trump’s Trillion-Dollar Pentagon Budget appeared first on The Intercept.
Appointing a woman with moderate Liberal values sends a message, but that won’t be enough to win over lost voters
As Liberal MPs trudged into the opposition party room to choose a new leader, Anthony Albanese and his euphoric Labor frontbench were being sworn in to their portfolios at Government House.
There’s just six kilometres between the corridors of Parliament Houseand the governor general’s residence in Yarralumla, but a vast chasm separates the moods of the two parties after the 3 May election.
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Continue reading...US president expected to offer Saudi Arabia arms package as he seeks to discuss economic deals over regional crises
Top Democrats in the US Senate are pushing for a vote on the floor of the chamber censuring Donald Trump’s reported plan to accept a $400m luxury jet from the royal family of Qatar for use as Air Force One and later as a fixture in the Trump’s personal presidential library.
Four Democratic members of the Senate foreign relations committee said on Monday that they would press for a vote later this week. They said that elected officials, including the president, were not allowed to accept large gifts from foreign governments unless authorised to do so by Congress.
Continue reading...This blog is now closed
Ryan speaks after winning re-election in Kooyong
The freshly re-elected teal independent Monique Ryan has just been speaking on RN. She said she won because of her on-the-ground approach in her electorate:
Over the last three years, since I was elected to represent Kooyong I’ve worked very hard to fulfil the contract that I made with my community, which is that I will listen to them and try to represent them as effectively as I can on the things that matter to them.
I have a great team who’ve responded to issues within the electorate really quickly and effectively, and I heard many times when people how grateful they were for help with the sorts of things that they reach out to the team for.
This is a historic moment in the pursuit of truth, justice and accountability for the victims of the downing of flight MH17, and their families and loved ones.
The ICAO council found that Russia breached the prohibition under international law on the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight and is responsible for the loss of 298 innocent lives, including 38 who called Australia home.
Continue reading...Four senators, including Cory Booker, say they will press for vote against president’s plan to take $400m gift from Qatar
Top Democrats in the US Senate are pushing for a vote on the floor of the chamber censuring Donald Trump’s reported plan to accept a $400m luxury jet from the royal family of Qatar for use as Air Force One and later as a fixture in the Trump’s personal presidential library.
Four Democratic members of the Senate foreign relations committee said on Monday that they would press for a vote later this week. They said that elected officials, including the president, were not allowed to accept large gifts from foreign governments unless authorized to do so by Congress.
Continue reading...Three times in the last week, Trump expressed ignorance when responding to questions about his signature policies.
The post “I Don’t Know.” Trump’s Go-To Response to All Sorts of Questions appeared first on The Intercept.
From militarized crackdowns to legal impunity, Trump’s policing agenda is designed to crush dissent and critics.
The post A Trumped Up Police State Is Coming appeared first on The Intercept.
He’s worked as an actor and a hypnotherapist – and has even been arrested. The Greens’ leadership challenger has had an unconventional route into politics and he’s ready to take on Labour and Reform
By coincidence, I meet Zack Polanski, the 42-year-old deputy leader of the Green party, in a cafe on the same bridge – Waterloo – where he was first arrested for his part in an Extinction Rebellion protest. “I was leading the charge on the very first day of the very first rally,” he begins. He has a dewy, wide-eyed look and quite a nerdy delivery, very enthusiastic, with no side to it. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you have, you’re all in. “I did not intend to get arrested. XR ran training on what to do if you get arrested and the ramifications of it, and I didn’t go to any of them, because I just wanted to be on the sidelines and chant. But partly from being an actor, I’ve got a really loud voice.” Someone asked him to lead the chant from the front, which he didn’t want to do. “I always think marginalised communities should be at the front, not me. And the only reason I say that is because there’s a parallel with how I see exemplary leadership – it’s not being out in the front, saying ‘Come this way’, it’s being within and moving together.” Still, he ended up at the front, and saw between one and two hundred police officers. “I remember one pointing at me, and I heard: ‘Get him’.” Before he knew it, he was in handcuffs.
Polanski, who is also chair of the London Assembly Environment Committee, is standing for leader of the Green party, promising a radical new “eco-populism”. When he first announced his intention to stand, the move was portrayed in some quarters as a bid to oust Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, current co-leaders, which he rejects. The Greens elect new co-leaders every two years (Ramsay and Denyer had a three-year term because of the general election; both are now MPs. Denyer has already announced she won’t stand, but Ramsay is running again, in a joint bid alongside fellow new MP Ellie Chowns). Polanski says it’s a perfectly workable model to have a Green MP as a parliamentary party leader and a separate leader of the party at large. “Someone who can lead the party for the country, and be accountable to the membership … I’ve reflected on this because the Green party has never had a solo male leader before, albeit a gay and Jewish one.” He’s bashed these questions around in his head: the tensions between identity and class politics, which I guess could be distilled into “could a man ever lead a radical progressive party?”; the idea of the strong leader (rather than co-leaders) and how much the media needs to see one – and whether it’s against the Green DNA to have one. He’s basically decided that, as valid as all the arguments and counter-arguments are, sod it, he’s going for it.
Continue reading...Private prison firms CoreCivic and GEO Group are thrilled about ICE’s spending spree, but they’re already facing local opposition.
The post Private Prison CEO on ICE Contracts: We’re a Better Deal Than El Salvador’s CECOT appeared first on The Intercept.
Church refuses White House directive, citing longstanding ‘commitment to racial justice and reconciliation’
The Episcopal church’s migration service is refusing a directive from the federal government to help resettle white South Africans granted refugee status, citing the church’s longstanding “commitment to racial justice and reconciliation”.
Presiding bishop Sean Rowe announced the step on Monday, shortly before 59 South Africans arrived at Dulles international airport outside Washington DC on a private charter plane and were greeted by a government delegation.
Continue reading...Home secretary says PM’s words on immigration were ‘completely different’ when asked about comparisons with notorious Rivers of Blood speech
Good morning. Yesterday Keir Starmer unveiled the government’s immigration white paper, a significant policy intervention on a topic that is near the top of the public’s list of concerns. Yet today the debate is dominated not by the actual policies – even though they could cause big problems in some sectors of the economy, as we explain here – but by the language Starmer used to defend them.
To recap, in one section of his speech yesterday Starmer said:
Nations depend on rules – fair rules. Sometimes they’re written down, often they’re not, but either way, they give shape to our values. They guide us towards our rights, of course, but also our responsibilities, the obligations we owe to one another. Now, in a diverse nation like ours, and I celebrate that, these rules become even more important. Without them, we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together.
While, to the immigrant, entry to this country was admission to privileges and opportunities eagerly sought, the impact upon the existing population was very different. For reasons which they could not comprehend, and in pursuance of a decision by default, on which they were never consulted, they found themselves made strangers in their own country.
They found their wives unable to obtain hospital beds in childbirth, their children unable to obtain school places, their homes and neighbourhoods changed beyond recognition, their plans and prospects for the future defeated; at work they found that employers hesitated to apply to the immigrant worker the standards of discipline and competence required of the native-born worker; they began to hear, as time went by, more and more voices which told them that they were now the unwanted.
Labour and Labour governments have always listened to people in terms of their concerns about their security and the opportunities that they want to have for themselves and their children. And when we see something that we understand that people believe is unfair, then we are going to take action on that. That’s what the British people expect us to do, that’s what Labour governments do.
I don’t think it’s right to make those comparisons [between Starmer’s speech and Powell’s]. It’s completely different. And the prime minister said yesterday, I think almost in the same breath, talked about the diverse country that we are and that being part of our strength.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Andrew Bowie says Kemi Badenoch could pull UK out of Paris climate agreement
The Conservative party’s energy spokesperson has attacked leading climate scientists as biased and claimed Kemi Badenoch could take the UK out of the Paris climate agreement.
Andrew Bowie, the acting shadow secretary for energy, told the Guardian that the target of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 – passed into law by Theresa May – was “arbitrary” and “not based on science”.
Continue reading...Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss the government’s plans to drastically reduce net migration. Will it work? And how will it land with the public and the Labour party?
Continue reading...The court let a military trans ban go into effect — potentially setting a precedent to accept the anti-trans myth behind Trump’s executive order.
The post The Supreme Court Just Imperiled the Rights — and Lives — of All Trans People appeared first on The Intercept.
Home secretary says PM talked about strength in diversity, after criticism from MPs over ‘island of strangers’ rhetoric
The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has said the prime minister’s words were “completely different” to those used by Enoch Powell in his infamous rivers of blood speech, amid criticism within the party of the rhetoric used to launch the government’s immigration crackdown.
A number of MPs criticised Keir Starmer when he said the UK risked becoming “an island of strangers” if steps were not taken to address integration. Speaking on Tuesday, Cooper said that Starmer had also praised the contribution of migrants.
Continue reading...Jacinta Allan announces $727m expansion of prison system as data shows rise in remand numbers after ‘tough new bail laws’ introduced
The cost of Victoria’s crime crackdown is beginning to emerge, as the financially strained state government faces criticism over a $727m plan to expand prison capacity as the number of people on remand rises.
The premier, Jacinta Allan, visited the state’s new Western Plains Correctional Centre on Tuesday to announce next week’s state budget would include funding to open nearly 1,000 additional adult prison beds and 88 youth justice beds, along with hundreds of new corrections staff.
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Continue reading...Opponents of proposals say it is ethically wrong to allow state to help someone take their own life
Opponents of proposals to legalise assisted dying in Scotland have warned it is ethically wrong to allow the state to help someone take their own life.
Campaigners against assisted dying, including the Silent Witness actor Liz Carr, are staging demonstrations outside the Scottish parliament on Tuesday, hours before MSPs hold a free vote on new legalisation proposals.
Continue reading...This blog has now closed. You can read more of our US politics coverage here
Qatar has offered to donate a plane to the United States and details are still being worked out, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Monday.
“The Qatari Government has graciously offered to donate a plane to the Department of Defense. The legal details of that are still being worked out,” Leavitt said in an interview with Fox News.
Continue reading...US-born progressive streamer says officials at Chicago airport led him to private room on return from France
Hasan Piker, a US-born progressive political commentator, said he was stopped by US Customs and Border Protection agents and questioned about his opinions of Donald Trump and Israeli war policy as he returned to the country on Sunday from France.
Piker, recounting the incident on his Twitch livestream on Monday, said he was led to a private room at Chicago O’Hare airport and interviewed for nearly two hours about his political views.
Continue reading...Trump stirs controversy by calling Afrikaners, minority descended from Dutch colonists, victims of a ‘genocide’
The first group of white South Africans granted refugee status by Donald Trump’s administration has arrived in the US, stirring controversy in South Africa as the US president declared the Afrikaners victims of a “genocide”.
The Afrikaners, a minority descended from mainly Dutch colonists, were met at Dulles international airport outside Washington DC by US deputy secretary of state, Christopher Landau, and deputy secretary of homeland security, Troy Edgar, with many given US flags to wave.
Continue reading...Remark comes as Brazil, Colombia and Chile’s leaders fly to Beijing amid international uncertainty generated by Trump
The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has heralded his desire to build “indestructible” relations with China, as the leaders of three of Latin America’s biggest economies flew to Beijing against the backdrop of Donald Trump’s trade war and the profound international uncertainty his presidency has generated.
Lula touched down in China’s capital on Sunday for a four-day state visit, accompanied by 11 ministers, top politicians and a delegation of more than 150 business leaders.
Continue reading...UK Foreign Office criticised by campaigners as Ahmed al-Doush given sentence for charges thought to relate to deleted tweet
A British national arrested in Saudi Arabia on charges that appear to relate to a deleted tweet has been jailed for 10 years, according to British lawyers and campaign groups representing the family.
Ahmed al-Doush was arrested in August and, while it is understood that UK Foreign Office officials were allowed into the Saudi court for his hearing, the British government has been criticised for a lack of action since his arrest.
Continue reading...The US president’s proposed film industry tariffs have led to confusion and unrest within Hollywood
Citizen Kane, The Godfather, Gone with the Wind, Goodfellas, Sunset Boulevard and the Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle Bloodsport – Donald Trump’s favourite movies are thoroughly American and 20th century. Foreign films? Not his thing.
At campaign rally in 2020 he reacted to the South Korean movie Parasite winning the best picture Oscar by demanding: “What the hell was that all about? We got enough problems with South Korea with trade. On top of that they give them best movie of the year? Was it good? I don’t know. Let’s get Gone With the Wind. Can we get Gone With the Wind back please?”
Continue reading...As an Asian giant rises and Trump postures, the UK offers commercial credibility while inching toward a pragmatic European reset it won’t name
In the theatre of 21st-century trade diplomacy, symbolism often eclipses substance. Last week’s UK-India and US-UK agreements reveal a curious asymmetry: in both, the larger partner, in terms of GDP, leveraged the relationship for political ends, while the UK supplied what matters – regulatory prestige and high-income consumers. The former deal offers India a chance to climb the “value chain” and access markets it cannot replicate at home. Donald Trump used his pact to stage a spectacle of grievance and control.
Ironically, Britain – the smaller economy – behaves like the grown-up in both rooms. India turns the agreement into genuine gains. The UK’s trade concessions offer a glimpse of Delhi’s broader ambition: to pry open rich-world markets and access critical tech, as India positions itself as the west’s manufacturing alternative to China. By contrast, Mr Trump’s America focuses on image over impact. But Washington has tacitly conceded that the real action – on AI, digital services tax and UK pharma tariffs still in place under the deal – has yet to begin. The pact falls well short of the sweeping agreement Britain once sought with the US, and lacks the depth of the UK-India deal.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...The government’s claims about immigration driving down wages are so demonstrably untrue, it’s hard to feel the appropriate level of outrage
I would love to know what exactly happens, in the top-level meetings where the prime minister decides to be even tougher on immigration. Is there anyone in there saying: “This will not halt Reform. This will not make Reform less obnoxious. This will not make them more moderate, and it will not stop people voting for them. All it will do is make your own supporters despair.” If there is, are they screaming it, or whispering it, with a thousand-yard stare?
It’s bad enough that the government has swallowed this anti-immigrant rhetoric wholesale; that it’s decided to land its misdirected toughness on the care workers is dumb on so many levels. First, Starmer’s claim that that migrant care workers are “cheap foreign labour”. Pause to note how extraordinary it is, to hear this kind of denigratory language coming from a human-rights lawyer. It is also untrue that migrants are driving down wages. People who employ care workers could tell him it’s untrue; data could tell him it’s untrue. The last vestige of faith in this Labour government was that it rooted its arguments in fact. As it ceased to be the anti-austerity party, and dropped its promises that anything would get better, it would – at the very least, and it wasn’t much – not just say any old bilge that tested well with the imaginary Angry Red Wall Inhabitant.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...Zelenskyy had no choice but to accept Putin’s invitation to talks, diplomats say
Donald Trump’s social media post insisting Ukraine must immediately start peace talks with Russia has set back, and possibly jeopardised, Europe’s carefully laid plans to persuade the US to impose sanctions on Moscow for refusing the US president’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, European diplomats have said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy had no choice but to accept Vladimir Putin’s invitation to talks in Istanbul on Thursday for fear of offending Trump, diplomats said. Putin made the offer in a bid not to alienate the US president, and avoid the growing European pressure on Trump to impose harsher sanctions. Western diplomats say they have no reason to believe that Trump acted in collusion with the Russian leader.
Continue reading...Karenia mikimotoi algae can suffocate fish, cause haemorrhaging and act as a neurotoxin, one expert says
More than 200 marine species, including deepwater sharks, leafy sea dragons and octopuses, have been killed by a toxic algal bloom that has been affecting South Australia’s coastline since March.
Nearly half (47%) of the dead species were ray-finned fish and a quarter (26%) were sharks and rays, according to OzFish analysis of 1,400 citizen scientist reports.
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Continue reading...Sustainable farming initiative is part of payment package that replaced EU’s common agricultural policy
Ministers wrongly refused nature funding to 3,000 farmers in England when they shut the post-Brexit subsidy scheme, the government has admitted.
There was anger earlier this year when the environment secretary, Steve Reed, suddenly paused a key post-Brexit farming payments scheme with little information about what would replace it and when.
Continue reading...Internal Google documents show that the tech giant feared it wouldn’t be able to monitor how Israel might use its technology to harm Palestinians.
The post Google Worried It Couldn’t Control How Israel Uses Project Nimbus, Files Reveal appeared first on The Intercept.
Markets rally after Washington and Beijing agree to drastically cut reciprocal tariffs as US treasury secretary says ‘neither side wants a decoupling’
Donald Trump hailed a “total reset” in relations between China and the US after the countries agreed a 90-day pause to the deepening trade war that has threatened to upend the global economy, with tariffs to be lowered by 115 percentage points.
“They’ve agreed to open up China,” the US president claimed at a press conference at the White House on Monday morning, having spent months escalating tensions with Beijing by ratcheting up tariffs on the country’s exports.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Campaigners call for energy profits levy to be made permanent to enable ‘just transition’ from fossil fuels
Making permanent the UK’s windfall tax on oil and gas producers would generate enough cash to enable North Sea workers to move to green jobs, research has found.
Cutting current subsidies to fossil fuel producers would free up yet more funds to spend on the shift to a low-carbon economy, according to the report.
Continue reading...A deeply-researched account of the public fascination with Diana Spencer takes in royalists, republicans, lookalikes and sex workers
A thriving industry of books, TV shows and films has kept Diana, Princess of Wales’s image alive since her death in 1997. Most focus on her flawed inner world, and claim to uncover her “true” self. Edward White’s lively, deeply researched Dianaworld gives us something very different.
White, whose previous work includes an acclaimed biography of Alfred Hitchcock, approaches Diana’s story through the people who saw themselves in her – the doppelgangers, opportunists and superfans who found parallels between the princess’s life of extraordinary privilege and their own. His subjects are the frequently ridiculed devotees who fuel celebrity culture: women rushing for the Diana hairdo; impersonators opening supermarkets; psychics jolted awake the night of the fatal crash. It is, White says, “less a biography of Diana, more the story of a cultural obsession”.
Dianaworld by Edward White (Penguin Books Ltd, £25). To support the Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Decision on whether to work with turbine maker being overseen by ministers after British Steel rescue
Ministers are weighing up proposals for a Chinese company to supply wind turbines for a major offshore windfarm in the North Sea.
The government is in discussions with Green Volt North Sea over whether Mingyang, China’s biggest offshore wind company, should supply the wind turbines. Mingyang has emerged as the preferred manufacturer, but the company has sought advice from ministers on whether to proceed.
Continue reading...Prof Shafiqul Islam and Wajid Mushtaq Teli respond to an editorial on the ongoing military clashes between the two countries
Your editorial (The Guardian view on India and Pakistan: a newly dangerous moment in an old dispute, 7 May) underscores the alarming escalation between India and Pakistan, but the suspension of the Indus waters treaty and the missile strikes are more than just a return to familiar hostility. They reflect a deeper pattern that I call the urgency-actionability trap: the impulse to respond to provocation, even when those responses, whether symbolic or military, offer little durable benefit and risk spiralling escalation.
India’s suspension of the Indus treaty is technically limited – it cannot “turn off the tap” overnight – but it sets a dangerous precedent in normalising water as a weapon. Pakistan’s retaliatory posture, similarly, satisfies domestic politics while weakening regional water security. Neither action advances stability; both reinforce distrust.
Continue reading...From showerheads to plastic straws, the president brags that he’s expanding options for consumers – while drastically restricting choices in almost all other spheres
Freedom of choice is a venerable American value. Donald Trump’s attachment to it is, however, highly selective.
Over the first four months of his administration, Trump has been eagerly promoting the expansion of choice in our economic lives. That’s especially the case when it comes to our role as consumers. Think kitchens, baths and automobiles; the stated goal every time he talks about commodities has been increasing the number of options so we can select and buy what we like best – environmental effects notwithstanding. Even his tariffs are only supposed to bring temporary pain, as in emptier toy shelves, before American-made abundance starts to rule the day once again.
Continue reading...Under pressure from Reform and from the former PM, Keir Starmer is facing a series of tests of his resolve on green policy
Populist politicians are striking a chord with the public in their attack on “the green agenda” because they are right – climate policies are elitist. So says the man standing to be the next leader of the Green party in England and Wales.
“We should all be angry about net zero,” argues Zack Polanski, currently the Greens’ deputy leader. “The poorest people in our society are being expected to step up to tackle the climate crisis. But it’s the government’s fault, not the people’s fault.”
Continue reading...After being threatened with losing their housing, several students who weren’t involved in the protests had their suspensions lifted.
The post Students Studying at Columbia Library Were Suspended for Protest They Took No Part In appeared first on The Intercept.
As the US descends into chaos, China is pitching itself as the steadier player on the global stage. But Europe should be wary of its advances
How does Xi Jinping view the circus Donald Trump is ring-mastering in Washington? There is no denying that the new president has created an opportunity for Xi to drive a wedge into the flank of the battered transatlantic alliance. China’s special representative to the EU optimistically described Trump’s treatment of Europeans as so “appalling” that it was likely to make them more willing to recognise Beijing’s approach to “peace, friendship, goodwill and win-win cooperation”.
It was only a few months ago that Xi deserved his reputation as the world’s disruptor-in-chief. Beijing was (and still is) encroaching in the South China Sea, stepping up its incursions in Taiwan, and jousting with Japan over claims to the Senkaku Islands. But since Trump’s election, Xi has begun to look comparatively restrained, like the steadier player in US-China relations. His foreign minister, Wang Yi, went as far to describe China as an anchor in an increasingly uncertain world.
Orville Schell is the Arthur Ross director of the Center on US-China Relations at Asia Society
Continue reading...Deportees face inhumane treatment and torture, say lawyers contesting Labour’s migration policy
The UK government’s migration plans are facing an imminent challenge this week, with lawyers seeking to overturn deportations to Bulgaria due to allegations of brutal conditions faced by migrants and asylum seekers in the country.
There have been more than 24,000 returns – both enforced and voluntary – from Britain since Labour’s election victory in July 2024, according to government figures. More than 200 people were returned to Bulgaria in 2024.
Continue reading...Exclusive: In the wake of unrest that rattled the French overseas territory, Alcide Ponga discusses how to rebuild and his plan for the future
One year after the deadly riots that ravaged Nouméa and shattered New Caledonia’s economy and social fabric, newly elected president Alcide Ponga faces a series of challenges including deep division over the territory’s political future – and the prospect of independence from France.
Ponga, who was elected in January is an indigenous Kanak who is also anti-independence. The 49-year-old former nickel executive and mayor has vowed to get the economy back on track and support discussions on independence.
Continue reading...Former president of nation re-elected as mayor of city of Davao despite his enforced absence
Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte has been re-elected as mayor of the city of Davao, the family’s stronghold, despite being imprisoned thousands of miles away in The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity.
With more than 60% of returns in, Duterte, 80, had an insurmountable lead of 405,000 votes – far ahead of his nearest competitor who trailed on 49,000, according to unofficial results from the election commission published by local media.
Continue reading...Israeli extremist officials deny the existence of famine in Gaza as they push for harsher measures to block food.
The post Famine Haunts the People of Gaza. Israel Is Trying to Convince You It’s Fake. appeared first on The Intercept.
Do you work in the UK in any sector where there have been efforts to increase representation and have they been sustained?
Reform UK has said it will roll back diversity and inclusion initiatives in councils it controls. Nigel Farage said during a speech on Friday that he would advise staff working on diversity or climate change initiatives to seek “alternative careers very, very quickly” after the party took control of Durham county council.
What has your experience of these policies been in the workplace? Do you work in any sector where there have been efforts to increase representation and have they been sustained?
Continue reading...A Chinese company has developed an AI-piloted submersible that can reach speeds “similar to a destroyer or a US Navy torpedo,” dive “up to 60 metres underwater,” and “remain static for more than a month, like the stealth capabilities of a nuclear submarine.” In case you’re worried about the military applications of this, you can relax because the company says that the submersible is “designated for civilian use” and can “launch research rockets.”
“Research rockets.” Sure.
...Cut in low-value ‘de minimis’ tariff marks further de-escalation of trade war and will benefit Shein and Temu
The US has announced it is cutting the tariff on small parcels sent from mainland China and Hong Kong to the US from 120% to 54%, hours after Washington and Beijing agreed a 90-day pause in their trade war.
Donald Trump signed an executive order more than halving the levy, which was brought in at the start of this month to close the “de minimis” loophole allowing low-value goods to be sent to the US without paying any import fees.
Continue reading...The first African woman to curate the Venice art biennale has died. Here we publish a piece she wrote for the Guardian after taking up the role, in which she talks about championing African and women artists and her vision for the 2026 biennale
The pioneering art curator Koyo Kouoh has died at the age of 57. Kouoh, the first African woman to be named artistic director of the Venice Biennale, died on 10 May – just days before the title and theme of the 61st edition of the art biennale were due to be revealed. A statement on the organisation’s website said her death leaves “an immense void in the world of contemporary art” and that she had worked “with passion, intellectual rigour and vision on the conception and development of the Biennale Arte 2026”.
Born in Cameroon, Kouoh gained global attention for her role in championing African artists, most recently as the executive director and chief curator of Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art in Cape Town (Zeitz MOCAA).
Continue reading...For a long time the appendix was considered disposable. After all, millions of people have theirs removed each year and go on to live healthy lives. But as Heather F Smith, a professor of anatomy at Midwestern University tells Ian Sample, researchers are increasingly understanding what this small worm-shaped organ may be bringing to the table in terms of our health. Smith explains how the appendix is linked to both our immune system development and gut health, and why she thinks an increasing interest in the microbiome may bring it to greater prominence
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Continue reading...Groundbreaking Swiss-Cameroonian curator would have been the first African woman to head up the art event
Koyo Kouoh, the groundbreaking Swiss-Cameroonian curator who was to become the first African woman to head up the Venice Biennale, died suddenly on Saturday, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa announced.
“It is with profound sorrow that the trustees of Zeitz MOCAA announce the sudden passing of Koyo Kouoh, our beloved executive director and chief curator, on Saturday, 10 May 2025,” said the museum in a statement on Monday.
Continue reading...As Trump talks of a ceasefire with the Houthis, soldiers in the Middle East have faced steady and seldom discussed attacks.
The post U.S. Troops Are Being Attacked Every Other Day in the Middle East appeared first on The Intercept.
The suit says Michigan is the only state with a policy directive to use body cameras on women in invasive searches, showers, and even on the toilet.
The post Michigan Prison Films Women in Showers — and Caught Guards Saying Lewd Things, Lawsuit Says appeared first on The Intercept.
After The Intercept revealed Michael Obadal’s equity in Anduril, Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for him to sell his shares.
The post Trump Army Appointee Should Sell His Anduril Stock, Sen. Warren Demands appeared first on The Intercept.
A day after being attacked by a pro-Israel mob, protesters were shot by rubber bullets — whose use is restricted by California law.
The post Police Shot Them in the Head With Rubber Bullets. Now UCLA Gaza Protesters Are Suing. appeared first on The Intercept.
“We are concerned at the appearance of targeting publicly pro-union worker leaders,” said a union official about a raid in western New York.
The post “They Actually Had a List”: ICE Arrests Workers Involved in Landmark Labor Rights Case appeared first on The Intercept.
In the rapidly advancing landscape of AI technology and innovation, LimeWire emerges as a unique platform in the realm of generative AI tools. This platform not only stands out from the multitude of existing AI tools but also brings a fresh approach to content generation. LimeWire not only empowers users to create AI content but also provides creators with creative ways to share and monetize their creations.
As we explore LimeWire, our aim is to uncover its features, benefits for creators, and the exciting possibilities it offers for AI content generation. This platform presents an opportunity for users to harness the power of AI in image creation, all while enjoying the advantages of a free and accessible service.
Let's unravel the distinctive features that set LimeWire apart in the dynamic landscape of AI-powered tools, understanding how creators can leverage its capabilities to craft unique and engaging AI-generated images.
This revamped LimeWire invites users to register and unleash their creativity by crafting original AI content, which can then be shared and showcased on the LimeWire Studio. Notably, even acclaimed artists and musicians, such as Deadmau5, Soulja Boy, and Sean Kingston, have embraced this platform to publish their content in the form of NFT music, videos, and images.
Beyond providing a space for content creation and sharing, LimeWire introduces monetization models to empower users to earn revenue from their creations. This includes avenues such as earning ad revenue and participating in the burgeoning market of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). As we delve further, we'll explore these monetization strategies in more detail to provide a comprehensive understanding of LimeWire's innovative approach to content creation and distribution.
LimeWire Studio welcomes content creators into its fold, providing a space to craft personalized AI-focused content for sharing with fans and followers. Within this creative hub, every piece of content generated becomes not just a creation but a unique asset—ownable and tradable. Fans have the opportunity to subscribe to creators' pages, immersing themselves in the creative journey and gaining ownership of digital collectibles that hold tradeable value within the LimeWire community. Notably, creators earn a 2.5% royalty each time their content is traded, adding a rewarding element to the creative process.
The platform's flexibility is evident in its content publication options. Creators can choose to share their work freely with the public or opt for a premium subscription model, granting exclusive access to specialized content for subscribers.
As of the present moment, LimeWire focuses on AI Image Generation, offering a spectrum of creative possibilities to its user base. The platform, however, has ambitious plans on the horizon, aiming to broaden its offerings by introducing AI music and video generation tools in the near future. This strategic expansion promises creators even more avenues for expression and engagement with their audience, positioning LimeWire Studio as a dynamic and evolving platform within the realm of AI-powered content creation.
The LimeWire AI image generation tool presents a versatile platform for both the creation and editing of images. Supporting advanced models such as Stable Diffusion 2.1, Stable Diffusion XL, and DALL-E 2, LimeWire offers a sophisticated toolkit for users to delve into the realm of generative AI art.
Much like other tools in the generative AI landscape, LimeWire provides a range of options catering to various levels of complexity in image creation. Users can initiate the creative process with prompts as simple as a few words or opt for more intricate instructions, tailoring the output to their artistic vision.
What sets LimeWire apart is its seamless integration of different AI models and design styles. Users have the flexibility to effortlessly switch between various AI models, exploring diverse design styles such as cinematic, digital art, pixel art, anime, analog film, and more. Each style imparts a distinctive visual identity to the generated AI art, enabling users to explore a broad spectrum of creative possibilities.
The platform also offers additional features, including samplers, allowing users to fine-tune the quality and detail levels of their creations. Customization options and prompt guidance further enhance the user experience, providing a user-friendly interface for both novice and experienced creators.
Excitingly, LimeWire is actively developing its proprietary AI model, signaling ongoing innovation and enhancements to its image generation capabilities. This upcoming addition holds the promise of further expanding the creative horizons for LimeWire users, making it an evolving and dynamic platform within the landscape of AI-driven art and image creation.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
Upon completing your creative endeavor on LimeWire, the platform allows you the option to publish your content. An intriguing feature follows this step: LimeWire automates the process of minting your creation as a Non-Fungible Token (NFT), utilizing either the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. This transformative step imbues your artwork with a unique digital signature, securing its authenticity and ownership in the decentralized realm.
Creators on LimeWire hold the power to decide the accessibility of their NFT creations. By opting for a public release, the content becomes discoverable by anyone, fostering a space for engagement and interaction. Furthermore, this choice opens the avenue for enthusiasts to trade the NFTs, adding a layer of community involvement to the artistic journey.
Alternatively, LimeWire acknowledges the importance of exclusivity. Creators can choose to share their posts exclusively with their premium subscribers. In doing so, the content remains a special offering solely for dedicated fans, creating an intimate and personalized experience within the LimeWire community. This flexibility in sharing options emphasizes LimeWire's commitment to empowering creators with choices in how they connect with their audience and distribute their digital creations.
After creating your content, you can choose to publish the content. It will automatically mint your creation as an NFT on the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. You can also choose whether to make it public or subscriber-only.
If you make it public, anyone can discover your content and even trade the NFTs. If you choose to share the post only with your premium subscribers, it will be exclusive only to your fans.
Additionally, you can earn ad revenue from your content creations as well.
When you publish content on LimeWire, you will receive 70% of all ad revenue from other users who view your images, music, and videos on the platform.
This revenue model will be much more beneficial to designers. You can experiment with the AI image and content generation tools and share your creations while earning a small income on the side.
The revenue you earn from your creations will come in the form of LMWR tokens, LimeWire’s own cryptocurrency.
Your earnings will be paid every month in LMWR, which you can then trade on many popular crypto exchange platforms like Kraken, ByBit, and UniSwap.
You can also use your LMWR tokens to pay for prompts when using LimeWire generative AI tools.
You can sign up to LimeWire to use its AI tools for free. You will receive 10 credits to use and generate up to 20 AI images per day. You will also receive 50% of the ad revenue share. However, you will get more benefits with premium plans.
For $9.99 per month, you will get 1,000 credits per month, up to 2 ,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 50% ad revenue share
For $29 per month, you will get 3750 credits per month, up to 7500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 60% ad revenue share
For $49 per month, you will get 5,000 credits per month, up to 10,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
For $99 per month, you will get 11,250 credits per month, up to 2 2,500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
With all premium plans, you will receive a Pro profile badge, full creation history, faster image generation, and no ads.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
In conclusion, LimeWire emerges as a democratizing force in the creative landscape, providing an inclusive platform where anyone can unleash their artistic potential and effortlessly share their work. With the integration of AI, LimeWire eliminates traditional barriers, empowering designers, musicians, and artists to publish their creations and earn revenue with just a few clicks.
The ongoing commitment of LimeWire to innovation is evident in its plans to enhance generative AI tools with new features and models. The upcoming expansion to include music and video generation tools holds the promise of unlocking even more possibilities for creators. It sparks anticipation about the diverse and innovative ways in which artists will leverage these tools to produce and publish their own unique creations.
For those eager to explore, LimeWire's AI tools are readily accessible for free, providing an opportunity to experiment and delve into the world of generative art. As LimeWire continues to evolve, creators are encouraged to stay tuned for the launch of its forthcoming AI music and video generation tools, promising a future brimming with creative potential and endless artistic exploration
Are you looking for a new graphic design tool? Would you like to read a detailed review of Canva? As it's one of the tools I love using. I am also writing my first ebook using canva and publish it soon on my site you can download it is free. Let's start the review.
Canva has a web version and also a mobile app
Canva is a free graphic design web application that allows you to create invitations, business cards, flyers, lesson plans, banners, and more using professionally designed templates. You can upload your own photos from your computer or from Google Drive, and add them to Canva's templates using a simple drag-and-drop interface. It's like having a basic version of Photoshop that doesn't require Graphic designing knowledge to use. It’s best for nongraphic designers.
Canva is a great tool for small business owners, online entrepreneurs, and marketers who don’t have the time and want to edit quickly.
To create sophisticated graphics, a tool such as Photoshop can is ideal. To use it, you’ll need to learn its hundreds of features, get familiar with the software, and it’s best to have a good background in design, too.
Also running the latest version of Photoshop you need a high-end computer.
So here Canva takes place, with Canva you can do all that with drag-and-drop feature. It’s also easier to use and free. Also an even-more-affordable paid version is available for $12.95 per month.
The product is available in three plans: Free, Pro ($12.99/month per user or $119.99/year for up to 5 people), and Enterprise ($30 per user per month, minimum 25 people).
To get started on Canva, you will need to create an account by providing your email address, Google, Facebook or Apple credentials. You will then choose your account type between student, teacher, small business, large company, non-profit, or personal. Based on your choice of account type, templates will be recommended to you.
You can sign up for a free trial of Canva Pro, or you can start with the free version to get a sense of whether it’s the right graphic design tool for your needs.
When you sign up for an account, Canva will suggest different post types to choose from. Based on the type of account you set up you'll be able to see templates categorized by the following categories: social media posts, documents, presentations, marketing, events, ads, launch your business, build your online brand, etc.
Start by choosing a template for your post or searching for something more specific. Search by social network name to see a list of post types on each network.
Next, you can choose a template. Choose from hundreds of templates that are ready to go, with customizable photos, text, and other elements.
You can start your design by choosing from a variety of ready-made templates, searching for a template matching your needs, or working with a blank template.
Inside the Canva designer, the Elements tab gives you access to lines and shapes, graphics, photos, videos, audio, charts, photo frames, and photo grids.The search box on the Elements tab lets you search everything on Canva.
To begin with, Canva has a large library of elements to choose from. To find them, be specific in your search query. You may also want to search in the following tabs to see various elements separately:
The Photos tab lets you search for and choose from millions of professional stock photos for your templates.
You can replace the photos in our templates to create a new look. This can also make the template more suited to your industry.
You can find photos on other stock photography sites like pexel, pixabay and many more or simply upload your own photos.
When you choose an image, Canva’s photo editing features let you adjust the photo’s settings (brightness, contrast, saturation, etc.), crop, or animate it.
When you subscribe to Canva Pro, you get access to a number of premium features, including the Background Remover. This feature allows you to remove the background from any stock photo in library or any image you upload.
The Text tab lets you add headings, normal text, and graphical text to your design.
When you click on text, you'll see options to adjust the font, font size, color, format, spacing, and text effects (like shadows).
Canva Pro subscribers can choose from a large library of fonts on the Brand Kit or the Styles tab. Enterprise-level controls ensure that visual content remains on-brand, no matter how many people are working on it.
Create an animated image or video by adding audio to capture user’s attention in social news feeds.
If you want to use audio from another stock site or your own audio tracks, you can upload them in the Uploads tab or from the more option.
Want to create your own videos? Choose from thousands of stock video clips. You’ll find videos that range upto 2 minutes
You can upload your own videos as well as videos from other stock sites in the Uploads tab.
Once you have chosen a video, you can use the editing features in Canva to trim the video, flip it, and adjust its transparency.
On the Background tab, you’ll find free stock photos to serve as backgrounds on your designs. Change out the background on a template to give it a more personal touch.
The Styles tab lets you quickly change the look and feel of your template with just a click. And if you have a Canva Pro subscription, you can upload your brand’s custom colors and fonts to ensure designs stay on brand.
If you have a Canva Pro subscription, you’ll have a Logos tab. Here, you can upload variations of your brand logo to use throughout your designs.
With Canva, you can also create your own logos. Note that you cannot trademark a logo with stock content in it.
With Canva, free users can download and share designs to multiple platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Slack and Tumblr.
Canva Pro subscribers can create multiple post formats from one design. For example, you can start by designing an Instagram post, and Canva's Magic Resizer can resize it for other networks, Stories, Reels, and other formats.
Canva Pro subscribers can also use Canva’s Content Planner to post content on eight different accounts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Slack, and Tumblr.
Canva Pro allows you to work with your team on visual content. Designs can be created inside Canva, and then sent to your team members for approval. Everyone can make comments, edits, revisions, and keep track via the version history.
When it comes to printing your designs, Canva has you covered. With an extensive selection of printing options, they can turn your designs into anything from banners and wall art to mugs and t-shirts.
Canva Print is perfect for any business seeking to make a lasting impression. Create inspiring designs people will want to wear, keep, and share. Hand out custom business cards that leave a lasting impression on customers' minds.
The Canva app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. The Canva app has earned a 4.9 out of five star rating from over 946.3K Apple users and a 4.5 out of five star rating from over 6,996,708 Google users.
In addition to mobile apps, you can use Canva’s integration with other Internet services to add images and text from sources like Google Maps, Emojis, photos from Google Drive and Dropbox, YouTube videos, Flickr photos, Bitmojis, and other popular visual content elements.
In general, Canva is an excellent tool for those who need simple images for projects. If you are a graphic designer with experience, you will find Canva’s platform lacking in customization and advanced features – particularly vectors. But if you have little design experience, you will find Canva easier to use than advanced graphic design tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator for most projects. If you have any queries let me know in the comments section.
The walk across the North York Moors – which has to be completed in 24 hours – is a mix of trudging and wild beauty. I experienced both as I joined one of the first people to do it in 1955
One August evening in 1955, members of York Mountaineering Club had convened in the city’s Olde Starre Inne. They were, perhaps, lamenting the shortage of mountains (or indeed hills) in York, when club chair David Laughton turned up waving a copy of that month’s Dalesman magazine.
It contained a challenge, issued by Bill Cowley, author of the Farmer’s Diary column. Cowley would provide a cup – “an inexpensive one” – to anyone who traversed the North York Moors in less than 24 hours: “… You would cross Carlton Moor, Cringle Moor and Cold Moor; Botton Head and Bloworth; the long flat expanse of Stony Ridge … over Howl Moor and Simon Howe, by Tom Cross Rigg and Snod Hill to Lilla Cross, then over Fylingdales Moor … to the sea.”
Continue reading...The average weekend jaunt costs £779 a person in the UK, rising to £1,208 if going abroad. But sendoffs don’t have to be that dear
Costs can spiral quickly when you’re planning for a big group and there are lots of ideas flying around. Agree on a realistic budget from the start that works for everyone, and stay within it.
Continue reading...Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will work with Australia and the Netherlands to consider reparations
The UN aviation council has ruled that Russia was responsible for the downing of a Malaysian airliner over Ukraine that killed all 298 passengers and crew, prompting calls for “reparations” for the families of victims.
Flight MH17 was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down by a Russian surface-to-air missile while flying over eastern Ukraine in 2014 as fighting raged between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces. Among the victims were 196 Dutch citizens and 38 Australian citizens or residents.
Continue reading...Have you been on an inspiring writing or artist-led retreat, or a learning holiday focusing on music, singing or dance? If so, please send us a tip about it – the best wins £200 towards a Coolstays break
A holiday can be the perfect opportunity to try out new skills and discover your creativity with like-minded people in a relaxed environment. Whether it’s learning to paint, singing with a choir, perfecting your percussion skills or creative writing, we’d love to hear about your favourite artistic, musical and creative learning holidays and retreats.
The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet, will win a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.
Continue reading...The authors of a new marine guide share their favourite spots to catch a glimpse of submerged species – plus tips on how to snorkel safely
The British coastline is a thriving marine habitat, with a biodiversity that’s driven by high tidal range and strong nutrient-rich currents. When conditions are right, snorkelling in British waters brings a connection with a variety of species and stunning terrain: sea lochs, sheltered bays, shipwrecks, tidal pools, kelp forests, sandy seabeds and rocky reefs. You might see sharks, seals, scorpionfish, octopus and cuttlefish. These are our 10 favourite spots.
Continue reading...With three floors to fill, this 270-year-old restaurant chain’s understated approach feels rather bold
The demise of London’s Chinatown has long been predicted, what with recent rent and rate rises, and diners’ changing tastes. Yet on a spring lunchtime last week, business on Wardour Street was booming, with alfresco noodle-slurping, long queues and endless selfie sessions all in full swing.
Song He Lou, a historic restaurant brand that champions Suzhou cuisine, clearly believes there are big profits to be made in this postcode, and it has put its money where its mouth is by opening a whopping 144-seater right here in the centre of Chinatown. I’m not chucking in that “historic” willy-nilly, either: Song He Lou was founded in Suzhou near Shanghai almost 270 years ago, during the reign of Emperor Qianglong, and makes Rules in nearby Covent Garden, which is a piffling 227, look like a fly-by-night pop-up.
Continue reading...A cargo flight will haul 14 tons of nitrocellulose from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York to an Israeli weapons manufacturer.
The post Explosive Materials Bound for Israel Are Flying Out of JFK Airport appeared first on The Intercept.
A refund depends on the departure date and the booking type – no wonder more people are now selling trips on
Even the best-laid holiday plans can go awry. Illness, bereavements, break-ups, money problems, redundancy, pregnancy, jury duty, floods – all of these can throw a getaway into disarray.
But while you may miss out on a break in the sun or relaxing city break, you do not necessarily have to lose all of your money as a result of problems at home that force you to cancel your trip. You can now sell on your holiday in much the same way you sell on a concert ticket, although that is not the only way to get some money back.
Continue reading...A new Which? Travel report on overtourism also cites Mallorca and Paris as destinations suffering from an influx of visitors, but some argue that bad behaviour is as much of a problem as numbers
In Great Yarmouth there are some signs of regeneration: the vast glass palace of the Winter Gardens is being refurbished and the ornate Cafe 1903 next to the historic Hippodrome is busy. But the bustling tourist industry of the Edwardian era is long gone. “When Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show came in 1903, the tent held 5,000,” says local historian Roger Silver. “A couple of years earlier the Bass Brewery brought 10,000 workers on a day trip from Burton upon Trent. It took 16 trains.”
Coincidentally, that is the same number of visitors who poured into the Italian mountain village of Roccaraso (population 1,500) in January, drawn by the presence of Tik Tok influencer Rita de Crescenzo. But the similarities end there. The Yarmouth invasion received no complaints, while the residents of Roccaraso reacted with horror. The mayor, Francesco Di Donato, threatened to call in the army.
Continue reading...TikTok trend is inspiring tourists to seek out cheaper locations such as Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina
It will take more than a TikTok trend to break Britons’ love affair with Mediterranean beaches. But latest figures show travellers are increasingly swapping Málaga for North Macedonia and Benidorm for the Balkans as part of a social media craze for “destination dupes”.
Flights from the UK to Bosnia and Herzegovina soared by 284% in 2024 compared with the previous year, while trips to Montenegro increased by 164%. Getaways to Albania – billed by some as “the new Croatia” – rose by 61%, according to an analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data.
Continue reading...RSS Rabbit links users to publicly available RSS entries.
Vet every link before clicking! The creators accept no responsibility for the contents of these entries.
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