5 h. ago How memories of clean water, frogs and fresh air could help save Rio’s favelas from future climate disaster

A new exhibition in the Brazilian city looks at how water, the environment and extreme weather is interwoven with personal stories from 10 marginalised communitiesLeticia Pinheiro grew up hearing stories about the Acari River. Her grandmother bathed in its clean waters; her father caught frogs on its margins; and many in the community made a living from fishing there.Now, Pinheiro, 28, and her peers do not even call it a river; it’s become known as a valão – an open canal for sewage and rubbish. It borders the Acari favela, which spread over swampy terrain in northern Rio de Janeiro from the 1920s. Continue reading...

Society

17 h. ago Shocking moment plane passenger opens emergency exit door because he 'wanted to get some fresh air'

A China Eastern Airlines flight turned chaotic upon landing on 11 May when a passenger suddenly opened an emergency exit - claiming he wanted 'to get some fresh air.' 

Events

55 h. ago Plane passenger opens emergency exit because he 'wanted to get some fresh air'

Witnesses reportedly said the man needed 'to get some fresh air' before he yanked on the handle of the emergency exit door while the plane was taxiing on the runway

Politics

59 h. ago Climate crisis threatens the banana, the world’s most popular fruit, research shows

Fourth most important food crop in peril as Latin America and Caribbean suffer from slow-onset climate disasterThe climate crisis is threatening the future of the world’s most popular fruit, as almost two-thirds of banana-growing areas in Latin America and the Caribbean may no longer be suitable for growing the fruit by 2080, new research has found.Rising temperatures, extreme weather and climate-related pests are pummeling banana-growing countries such as Guatemala, Costa Rica and Colombia, reducing yields and devastating rural communities across the region, according to Christian Aid’s new report, Going Bananas: How Climate Change Threatens the World’s Favourite Fruit. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Netflix movie branded 'too real' as people terrified by 'haunting' disaster film

The End We Start From is a film that shows a world in which the UK is hit by the devastating effects of climate change - and viewers have branded the disaster movie 'too real'

Events

5 d. ago ‘If I had to choose, I’d prefer the earthquake’: the 2015 disaster left Nepal in ruins, now record rains wreak fresh havoc

Despite attempts to build resilience by improving infrastructure and first response, extreme weather events and US aid cuts have left many feeling vulnerableWhen the monsoon rains came last September, they swept away most of the village of Panauti, in the foothills of the Nepali Himalayas. The Roshi River overflowed after the unprecedented rainfall, triggering landslides and destroying most of the roads and bridges.Peering through the thick blanket of relentless rain “felt like waiting for morning to arrive so we could see the world again”, says Bishnu Humagain. “We lost everything – our home, our agriculture, and all of our belongings.” Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago US retires database tracking billions of dollars of climate change

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it is retiring its public database meant to keep track of the cost of losses from weather and climate disasters, including floods, heat waves, wildfires and more

Politics

6 d. ago Pogacar’s absence from Giro d’Italia may offer breath of fresh air for competition

Dominance of last year’s champion can become predictable and this event could be volatile with more opportunities for the pelotonThe 2025 Giro d’Italia may lack the star power of the Tour de France, but it is likely to make up for it with dynamic and unpredictable racing when it gets under way in Tirana on Friday.Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel, the top three riders in last year’s Tour de France, are not racing, but the Giro will, as ever, throw up plentiful drama. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago The cities most vulnerable to climate disasters: Shocking report reveals the urban areas set to be battered by deadly infernos and flooding

A shocking report has revealed the 'sitting duck' cities most vulnerable to climate disasters.

Events

9 d. ago Trump cuts will increase devastation after disasters, expert warns: ‘It is really scary’

Layoffs and funding cuts to Fema and Noaa will hamstring emergency managers, warns professor Samantha MontanoThe Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to disaster management will cost American lives, with hollowed-out agencies unable to accurately predict, prepare for or respond to extreme weather events, earthquakes and pandemics, a leading expert has warned.Samantha Montano, professor of emergency management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and author of Disasterology: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis, said the death toll from disasters including hurricanes, tornadoes and water pollution will rise in the US unless Trump backtracks on mass layoffs and funding cuts to key agencies. That includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), whose work relies heavily on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), which is also being dismantled. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago Trump cuts will lead to more deaths in disasters, expert warns: ‘It is really scary’

Layoffs and funding cuts to Fema and Noaa will impact how they predict and respond to disasters, warns professor Samantha MontanoThe Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to disaster management will cost lives in the US, with hollowed-out agencies unable to accurately predict, prepare for or respond to extreme weather events, earthquakes and pandemics, a leading expert has warned.Samantha Montano, professor of emergency management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and author of Disasterology: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis, said the death toll from disasters including hurricanes, tornadoes and water pollution will rise in the US unless Trump backtracks on mass layoffs and funding cuts to key agencies. That includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), whose work relies heavily on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), which is also being dismantled. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago ‘Sitting ducks’: the cities most vulnerable to climate disasters

Extreme weather means wildfires and flooding are becoming more likely, posing a risk to urban areas around the world

Events

1 week ago Ukraine war briefing: Russia attacks Kharkiv with drone barrage, injuring 46

Nighttime strikes in four districts prompt fresh appeal from Volodymyr Zelenskyy to boost air defences. What we know on day 1,165See all our Ukraine war coverage Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago How Kneecap became most controversial band in the UK – podcast

They shot to fame with their provocative blend of rap and republicanism, but their on-stage pronouncements have sparked shock and led to a media storm. Rory Carroll reportsKneecap are no strangers to controversy. They rap about drugs – and are named for the notorious punishment meted out by the IRA at the height of the Troubles to drug dealers, while one of the trio wears a tricolour balaclava.But for their fans – especially those “ceasefire babies” who, like them, grew up in the aftermath of the Good Friday agreement – they are a breath of fresh air. They play with Republican imagery – often mocking it – but are staunch in their nationalism, explains the Guardian’s Ireland correspondent, Rory Carroll. A semi-fictionalised film about their origins won a Bafta. And they have won more praise and fans for their unusual and political choice to rap in Irish. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago How Kneecap became the most controversial band in the UK – podcast

They shot to fame with their provocative blend of rap and republicanism, but their on-stage pronouncements have sparked shock and led to a media storm. Rory Carroll reportsKneecap are no strangers to controversy. They rap about drugs – and are named for the notorious punishment meted out by the IRA at the height of the Troubles to drug dealers, while one of the trio wears a tricolour balaclava.But for their fans – especially those “ceasefire babies” who, like them, grew up in the aftermath of the Good Friday agreement – they are a breath of fresh air. They play with Republican imagery – often mocking it – but are staunch in their nationalism, explains the Guardian’s Ireland correspondent, Rory Carroll. A semi-fictionalised film about their origins won a Bafta. And they have won more praise and fans for their unusual and political choice to rap in Irish. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago UK is not ready for coming climate ‘disaster,’ government advisers warn

Despite increased examples of extreme weather, advisers say “we are seeing no increase in action”

Events

2 w. ago Trump dismisses contributors to key US report on climate crisis preparedness

The assessment, mandated by Congress, is used by federal and local governments to prep for climate disastersDonald Trump’s administration has dismissed all contributors to the US government’s flagship study on how to prepare for climate change impacts, prompting strong criticism from experts over a “senseless” move.The climate assessment is used by federal and local governments to understand how to prepare for climate crisis impacts including from extreme heat, hurricanes, flooding and drought. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Loss of FEMA program spells disaster for hundreds of communities and their projects

For hundreds of communities nationwide, plans to protect against natural disasters and climate change have been upended because of the Trump administration's elimination of a federal grant program

Events

2 w. ago How beloved princess was 'a breath of fresh air' for the British Royal Family

Alexandra of Denmark, firstly Princess of Wales and then Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India, was renowned as one of the most elegant ladies of her era.

Politics

2 w. ago The Honesty Box by Lucy Brazier: Marmalade and marrows saved my marriage

Lucy Brazier battled through her marriage with the help of country air, fresh veg and marmalade.

Politics