24 h. ago The Guardian view on the BBC World Service: a boon to the UK, as well as audiences elsewhere | Editorial

Britain would benefit from pledging more sustained and committed support in this age of disinformation and global turmoilTwo years ago, BBC Arabic radio left the airwaves after decades. Soon afterwards, Russia’s Sputnik service began broadcasting on the frequency left vacant in Lebanon. That detail illuminates a larger picture. China, Russia and others see global-facing media as central to their global ambitions and are investing accordingly – pumping out propaganda to muddle or drown out objective, independently minded journalism. These outlets are state-controlled as well as state-owned.Meanwhile, conspiracy theories and disinformation proliferate online, attacks on press freedom intensify and the Trump administration is dismantling media organisations including Voice of America and Radio Free Asia (RFA), which have been essential sources of information for audiences under repressive regimes. Official Chinese media were gleeful at what RFA’s president, Bay Fang, cal...

Events

4 d. ago DOGE’s ‘brute force’ takeover of Institute of Peace was illegal and should be ‘null and void,’ judge says

Judge Beryl Howell blasts ‘gross usurpation of power’ in Trump efforts to dismantle congressionally funded agency

Events

5 d. ago Cuts to National Weather Service tested Kentucky office staffing ahead of deadly tornadoes

Deadly tornadoes ripped across Kentucky on Friday, killing at least 18 people

Society

6 d. ago Libraries are cutting back on staff and services after Trump's order to dismantle small agency

Libraries across the United States have cut back on some digital services weeks after the Trump administration's move to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services

Politics

7 d. ago Primary school evacuated after little boy brings in unusual item for 'show

Emergency services rushed to the primary school following reports from concrened staff members - the children were moved to safety while police and army explosive experts investigated

Culture

8 d. ago Gatwick airport travellers warned of major disruption due to staff strike action

Staff working for Redline Oil Services are striking over eight days, including the Spring Bank Holiday weekend

Events

9 d. ago South Africa says Trump's aid cuts stripped more than 8,000 health workers from its HIV program

The Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID has put more than 8,000 health workers in South Africa’s national HIV program out of work

Politics

1 week ago Residents' anger over council's plans to shut county's libraries

Caerphilly County Borough Council wants to close 10 smaller libraries and develop seven hybrid 'community hubs' in cost-cutting measures

Politics

1 week ago New NHS Lanarkshire Chief Executive praises staff after first week in post

Louise Long spent time visiting frontline health and care services and meeting with the staff delivering those services in both primary and secondary care settings.

Politics

2 w. ago Hospitals in England reducing staff and services as part of NHS ‘financial reset’

Trusts having to ‘think the previously unthinkable’ to make savings demanded by new NHS England bossHospitals in England are cutting staff, closing services and planning to ration care in order to make “eye-watering” savings demanded by NHS bosses.Rehabilitation centres face being shut, talking therapies services cut and beds for end-of-life care reduced as part of efforts by England’s 215 NHS trusts to comply with a “financial reset”.47% were cutting services and another 43% were considering doing so.37% were cutting clinical posts and a further 40% may follow suit.26% were closing some services and 55% more may do so. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Pub owner claps back at scathing review slamming 'disgusting' service and 'incompetent' staff

The owner of the popular boozer was praised for hitting back at the customer with timestamped CCTV footage of the incident.

Politics

2 w. ago Weather Service staff urged not to visit sites alone after threats from militia group that believes radars are ‘weather weapons’

Doppler radars bounce radio waves off of precipitation to provide scientists with data used in forecasting and predicting storm movements

Events

2 w. ago Pub slammed by customer for 'disgusting' service and 'incompetent staff' serves up CCTV response

The pub has been inundated with support after defending itself against the negative review

Economics

2 w. ago ‘Fight back’: journalist taking Trump administration to court calls for media to resist attacks

Patsy Widakuswara, lead plaintiff in lawsuit fighting order to dismantle Voice of America, says US government is becoming more aggressiveThe lead plaintiff in a lawsuit fighting Donald Trump’s order to dismantle Voice of America has said the media has to resist as the administration becomes increasingly aggressive against the press.“I never in a million years thought I would have to fight for freedom of the press in the United States of America. And yet here we are,” says Patsy Widakuswara, the White House bureau chief for the broadcasting network. “As journalism is under attack, it feels empowering to fight back. We need more people to resist and fight back.” Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Voice of America to resume airing after court halts Trump’s dismantling of broadcaster

The broadcaster, a target of president’s sweeping cuts to US media agencies, could be back on air as soon as next weekVoice of America (VoA), the US-taxpayer funded news service for overseas listeners, could be back on the air as soon as next week, after a federal appeals court granted a temporary stay on an executive order dismantling the broadcaster.VoA was effectively shut down after Trump signed an order on 14 March dismantling or shrinking seven agencies including the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago CCTV appeal after KFC staff member racially abused at M6 service station

Police were called to the KFC restaurant at Lymm Services on April 21

Events

3 w. ago Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from dismantling library services agency

A federal judge has agreed to temporarily block the Trump administration from taking any more steps to dismantle an agency that funds and promotes libraries across the nation

Politics

3 w. ago US funds supported Nepal's growing LGBTQ+ community. Now that money is gone

Many support centers for Nepal’s LGBTQ+ community have closed since the Trump administration began dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development

Economics

3 w. ago AmeriCorps cuts prompt two dozen states to sue Trump administration

About two dozen states have sued the Trump administration over the dismantling of AmeriCorps

Politics

3 w. ago In Poland, we know all about fighting illiberal regimes. Here are our lessons for the Trump age | Jarosław Kuisz and Karolina Wigura

Our political history is one of catastrophe, communism, and developing powerful antibodies against oppression In 2016, one year after the rightwing populist Law and Justice party won an overall majority in Poland, there was a knock at a door. The mother of a young journalist opened it. To her astonishment, it was the security services looking for her son. No details were provided. Thus began an informal campaign by the authorities against the media and civil society in Poland, including our thinktank, Kultura Liberalna. After hearing the news about the journalist, we called Aleksander Smolar. The legendary anti-communist dissident, who ran his own NGO, told us that the security services were also trying to arrange “informal” meetings with his staff. And he comforted us: “Don’t worry, we’ve had a playbook for this kind of situation since the 1960s.”At that moment, we almost travelled back in time. We spoke about responding to this new regime as if we were once again under communism. ...

Politics