88 m. ago Shimmering with an opal shine: New Zealand’s unique blue pearls face threat of warming seas

In New Zealand only a handful of farms produce pearls from abalone, known as pāua, but the molluscs need delicate conditions to surviveRoger Beattie was diving off the Chatham Islands, about 800km east of New Zealand, when he saw his first pāua pearl. Beattie was familiar with pāua, the Māori word for abalone, and their iridescent shells of shimmering purples and greens. But the pearl that had formed inside was unlike anything he had ever seen, gleaming with layers of the pāua’s natural colours.“I just thought ‘heck, that would make amazing jewellery,’” Beattie says. Continue reading...

Events

1 hour ago Chelsea Flower Show fans accused the BBC of turning it 'woke' after axing a veteran presenter and replacing him with two women

Joe Swift has been a part of the Royal Horticultural Society's event coverage for 24 years, co-anchoring with Monty Don.

Sport

1 hour ago Britain's zoo OVERHAUL: UK animal parks will be forced to introduce larger habitats for elephants, ban touching in aquariums and ditch tethering birds under new government rules

Under new legislation the minimum size of elephant enclosures will increase sixfold, there will be a touching ban in aquariums and the practice of tethering birds of prey long-term will be ditched.

Politics

2 h. ago Restraining order against Maui doctor is dismissed because he's being held without bail

A judge has dismissed a petition for a temporary restraining order against a Maui anesthesiologist accused of attempting to kill his wife on a Honolulu hiking trail

Politics

2 h. ago Taylor Swift 'leaker' UNMASKED: Insider who exposed Blake Lively 'threat' is revealed... as someone you'd never expect

When Taylor was subpoenaed as a witness in the case between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni earlier this month, it seemed the pop princess would have her day in court.

Events

2 h. ago Sir Keir warned not to cosy up to EU as President Trump now threatens Brussels with 50 per cent tariffs

The US President made the threat amid trade talks between Washington and Brussels, warning he could impose the tariffs next month.

Events

4 h. ago Colorado couple found guilty over cross burning meant to draw sympathy for Black candidate

A jury in Colorado has found that a couple who burned a cross to generate sympathy for a Black mayoral candidate is guilty of conveying false information about a threat

Events

4 h. ago Apple sees stock drop after Trump threatens 25 percent tariffs unless they build iPhones in America

President Donald Trump made the threats after he reportedly met with Apple CEO Tim Cook at the White House earlier in the week

Politics

4 h. ago X’s ‘Creator Revenue Sharing Program’ gets totally pwned by Vietnamese click farm, lawsuit reveals

Exclusive: An eight-man crew operating out of a dingy office in downtown Hanoi, Vietnam, is accused of extracting payouts from X “by manufacturing the appearance of content engagement where none really exists.”

Politics

5 h. ago Five New Orleans jailbreak fugitives still at large as police arrest alleged helpers

Several people held in connection with jailbreak as manhunt enters second week and criticisms mount over jail managementSeveral people have been arrested on accusations of helping some of the 10 men who broke out of New Orleans’ jail on 16 May – and half of the escapers remained on the run as a manhunt for them entered its second week, according to authorities.Police said on Friday that they had booked Casey Smith, 30, a day earlier on allegations that she provided transportation to at least two of the escapers in the hours after the jailbreak. She had allegedly admitted to doing that alongside another woman whom police took into custody on Wednesday, identified as 32-year-old Cortnie Harris, Smith’s cousin and the girlfriend of one of the escaped men, Leo Tate, 31. Continue reading...

Events

5 h. ago Glam influencer punched in face but says cops acted like 'it wasn’t a big deal'

In an Instagram post featuring footage of the New York ordeal, the influencer accused the police of downplaying her terrifying situation and said she had to beg them to arrest the suspect

Economics

5 h. ago Gary Neville outraged as he joins Bonnie Blue and is banned from Premier League club

Nottingham Forest have made the remarkable move to insist that Gary Neville does not attend their final game of the season at home to Chelsea over comments he made about the club

Politics

5 h. ago Kim Kardashian 'grandpa robbers' found guilty in Paris diamond heist trial

10 people were accused of robbing reality star Kim Kardashian of millions of dollars' worth of jewellery, including a diamond ring, during Paris Fashion week in 2016

Events

5 h. ago Trump’s Harvard visa threat could wipe out several of school’s sports teams

Trump visa move threatens 21% of Harvard athletesForeign-heavy teams like crew, squash could foldHarvard: Ban ‘unlawful,’ vows to fight for studentsSome of Harvard’s sports teams would be virtually wiped out by a Trump administration decision announced on Thursday that would make the Ivy League school with the nation’s largest athletic program ineligible for international student visas.Seven of the eight rowers on the men’s heavyweight crew team that just won the Eastern Sprints title – and is headed to the national championships – list international hometowns on the school’s website. Mick Thompson, the leading scorer last season, and Jack Bar, who was a captain, are among a handful of Canadians on the men’s hockey roster; 10 of the 13 members of the men’s squash team and more than half of the women’s soccer and golf rosters also list foreign hometowns. Continue reading...

Politics

6 h. ago Military intervention must be used to stop the genocide in Gaza | Ahmed Ibsais

In Kosovo, Nato intervened in 1999 after mass killings and the threat of further ethnic cleansing. Why aren’t Gazans being protected in the same way?On 20 May, the secretary-general for humanitarian affairs at the United Nations stated that 14,000 babies would be dead unless the blockade was lifted immediately. The day before, the former Knesset member Moshe Feiglin said: “Every child in Gaza is the enemy.” And now, world leaders in the UK and France threaten vague “concrete actions” if Israel “does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid”. But undefined “concrete actions” are woefully insufficient. To those leaders I say: Gaza’s children cannot eat statements.Bezalel Smotrich, the Israeli finance minister, declared last week: “We are destroying everything in Gaza, the world isn’t stopping us.” So let’s say what must be said, without apology: military intervention to defend Gaza is not only justified – it is required. It is humanitarian...

Events

7 h. ago European markets suffer losses after Trump ‘recommends’ 50% tariff on EU, and threatens Apple with 25% tariff – business live

US president Donald Trump reignites trade war with threat to impose high tariffs on European goods, and Apple iPhones made overseasTrump says he is hitting EU with 50% tariff as trade talks are ‘going nowhere’As well as cutting UK energy costs (see earlier), Donald Trump can also take credit for growing the German economy!New GDP data this morning shows that Germany’s GDP rose by 0.4% in January-March, twice as fast as the first estimate of 0.2% growth in the quarter.“The reason for the slightly higher growth compared to the initial estimate was the surprisingly positive economic development in March.”“In particular, production in the manufacturing sector and exports performed better than initially expected.The German economy had its best quarterly performance since the third quarter of 2022, and the reason for it seems to be Donald Trump. As a result of the announced tariffs and in anticipation of ‘Liberation Day,’ German industrial production and exports surged in March.Net export...

Economics

7 h. ago Fresh legal challenge over Brockwell Park festivals as campaigners accuse council of 'silencing residents'

Lambeth Council approved a Certificate of Lawfulness less than 24 hours before Wide Awake opened its gates to revellers

Politics

7 h. ago Nottingham Forest BAN Gary Neville from City Ground and make Sky Sports demand

Nottingham Forest have made the remarkable move to insist that Gary Neville does not attend their final game of the season at home to Chelsea over comments he made about the club

Politics

7 h. ago Max Johnston insists he's Sturm Graz lucky charm ahead of Austrian title shoot out for 2

The former Motherwell kid knows avoiding defeat at home to rivals Wolfsberger will see them crowned champions again

Events

8 h. ago Met Office gives verdict on the weather this half term and many won't be happy

Any half term outdoor fun you have planned could well be disrupted by heavy rain showers

Society