6 d. ago Criminal probe into West Lothian schools cyber attack continues as staff thanked for patience

West Lothian’s education executive councillor also paid tribute to council IT staff for their prompt response to the incident.

Events

7 d. ago The Trump administration is defending abortion pill access in court. What?

It may seem a victory to some, but experts worry a win will allow the government to be coy about future attacksThe Trump administration on Monday asked a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit that takes aim at the abortion pill mifepristone – a move that stunned many observers for what seemed a defense of the drug by a president who has overseen the most dramatic rollback of abortion rights in modern US history.At first blush, it may seem a victory for abortion access – but experts worry that, in reality, the move preserves the administration’s ability to play coy about any future plans to attack abortion rights. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago US agrees ceasefire with Houthis in Yemen after dozens killed in airstrikes

The Houthis have agreed to stop targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea, but said attacks against Israel will continueThe US will halt its bombing campaign against Yemen’s Houthis after the Iran-aligned group agreed to stop targeting shipping in the Red Sea.The halt – announced by the US president, Donald Trump, during an Oval Office meeting with Mark Carney, Canada’s prime minister, came on a day in which Israel claimed its jets had fully disabled Yemen’s main airport, including three civilian aircraft on the ground, in retaliation for a missile strike on Sunday that hit within the perimeter of Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago UK falling behind on tackling microplastic pollution, scientists say

Researchers call for urgent action as fragments of plastic found in human brains and pollute food, water and airThe UK is falling behind on international efforts to tackle microplastics, scientists have said, as the pollutants continue to infiltrate food, ecosystems and human bodies.The tiny fragments of plastic have been found in human testicles and brains, and they burrow into plants, inhibiting their ability to photosynthesise. The impact on human health is largely unknown, but they have been linked to strokes and heart attacks. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Detained Tufts student seeking transfer says asthma attacks worsened in custody

A Turkish Tufts University student says her asthma attacks continue to worsen since being detained in March

Events

9 d. ago US scientist who touted hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid named to pandemic prevention role

Steven J Hatfill, who promoted the drug despite scant evidence of efficacy, becomes special adviser at HHSUS politics live – latest updatesA proponent of using the drug hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19 despite scant evidence of its efficacy has been named to a top pandemic prevention role at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Washington Post reports.Steven J Hatfill is a virologist who served in Donald Trump’s first administration, during which he promoted hydroxychloroquine to treat the virus in the early months of the pandemic, when vaccines and treatments were not yet available. He recently started as a special adviser in the office of the director of the administration for strategic preparedness and response, which prepares the country to respond to pandemics, as well as chemical and biological attacks. Continue reading...

Science

1 week ago ‘Trans women have never felt a threat’: women’s refuges grapple with supreme court ruling

UK gender decision ignites debate among professionals working in the domestic abuse and rape crisis spheres“I have a list as long as my arm that I worry about daily,” says Katie Russell, the chief executive and co-founder of the service Support After Rape and Sexual Violence Leeds (SARSVL). “The funding landscape, a broken criminal justice system, the global threat of violent misogyny.”She lives a few streets away from where two women were seriously injured last weekend in a crossbow attack perpetrated by a man who espoused misogynist hate online. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago ‘Trans women have never felt like a threat’: women’s refuges grapple with supreme court ruling

UK gender decision ignites debate among professionals working in the domestic abuse and rape crisis spheres“I have a list as long as my arm that I worry about daily,” says Katie Russell, the chief executive and co-founder of the service Support After Rape and Sexual Violence Leeds (SARSVL). “The funding landscape, a broken criminal justice system, the global threat of violent misogyny.”She lives a few streets away from where two women were seriously injured last weekend in a crossbow attack perpetrated by a man who espoused misogynist hate online. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Man Utd fans all say the same thing after Harry Maguire magic vs Athletic Bilbao

Manchester United went into half-time leading Athletic Bilbao 3-0 with their opening goal owing to some brilliance from Harry Maguire down the ring wing as he continues to produce in the attacking third

Politics

1 week ago Second Italian journalist allegedly targeted with ‘mercenary spyware’

Ciro Pellegrino of Fanpage, who has been critical of Meloni government, says notification provoked ‘horrible feeling’A second Italian journalist whose news organisation exposed young fascists within the prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right party was targeted with sophisticated “mercenary spyware”, according to an Apple notification received by the reporter.Ciro Pellegrino is the second reporter at the investigative news outlet Fanpage to fall victim to an alleged spyware attack, after his editor-in-chief, Francesco Cancellato. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Denied, detained, deported: the faces of Trump’s immigration crackdown

The administration has torn up the rule book as it seeks to implement a hardline agenda to expel people from the US Donald Trump retook the White House vowing to stage “the largest deportation operation in American history”. As previewed, the administration set about further militarizing the US-Mexico border and targeting people requesting asylum and refugees while conducting raids and deportations in undocumented communities, detaining and deporting immigrants and spreading fear.Critics are outraged, if not surprised. But few expected the new legal chapter that unfolded next: a multipronged crackdown on certain people seen as opponents of the US president’s ideological agenda. This extraordinary assault has come in the context of wider attacks on higher education, the courts and the constitution. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Denied, detained, deported: the people targeted in Trump’s immigration crackdown

These are some of the people ensnared by the administration’s unprecedented measures to target people it believes oppose its agendaDonald Trump retook the White House vowing to stage “the largest deportation operation in American history”. As previewed, the administration set about further militarizing the US-Mexico border and targeting people requesting asylum and refugees while conducting raids and deportations in undocumented communities, detaining and deporting immigrants and spreading fear.Critics are outraged, if not surprised. But few expected the new legal chapter that unfolded next: a multipronged crackdown on certain people seen as opponents of the US president’s ideological agenda. This extraordinary assault has come in the context of wider attacks on higher education, the courts and the constitution. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Some M&S shops hit by availability issues as cyber attack fallout continues

Some Marks & Spencer stores have been left with empty shelves as Ocado also witnessed disruption to some food deliveries from M&S.

Events

2 w. ago Press freedom and pluralism face ‘existential battle’ across EU, report finds

Exclusive: Several governments are attacking or weakening media independence, Civil Liberties Union for Europe saysMedia pluralism in many EU member states is being increasingly strangled by a high concentration of ownership, even in countries with traditionally free media markets, according to a report that concludes press freedom is crumbling across the bloc.The report, produced by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) based on the work of 43 human rights groups from 21 countries, said several EU governments were attacking press freedom or weakening media independence and regulation. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy calls Putin’s offer of brief ceasefire ‘manipulation’

Ukraine president urges month-long truce after Russia suggests three-day one to mark a world war two victory. What we know on day 1,161Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for an immediate month-long ceasefire after Vladimir Putin unilaterally announced a three-day truce for next month during a second world war anniversary. The Ukrainian president said: “Now there’s a new attempt at manipulation. For some reason, everyone is supposed to wait for May 8 and only then have a ceasefire to ensure calm for Putin during the parade.” He added: “We value people’s lives and not parades. We believe that the world believes that there is no reason to wait for May 8. And the ceasefire should be not for a few days only to resume the killing afterward.” Ukrainian officials also pointed out that Russia announced a similar truce over the Easter period only to violate it. The Russian president suggested the ceasefire in May to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union in the second world ...

Events

2 w. ago Russia claims it is ‘ready’ for Ukraine talks but demands recognition of occupied territories – Europe live

Comments from foreign minister Sergei Lavrov about ‘ownership’ follow suggestions from Trump that Ukraine could cede CrimeaAt the European Commission’s midday press briefing, the chief spokesperson Paula Pinho has just been asked about the EU’s reaction to Donald Trump’s comments over the weekend after he met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral.She said:President Zelensky has been very much aligned with the EU position, and vice versa, we’ve been very much aligned with President Zelensky on the position with regard to peace and negotiations regarding a ceasefire agreement, where absolutely the position of Ukraine is the determining position.We’ve also heard, indeed, the comments by President Trump after these talks, and we welcome those comments that go in the sense of also acknowledging that the attacks of Russia on Ukraine, which, by the way, continued over the weekend, cannot be accepted. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Yemen’s Houthi rebels vow to continue fighting after alleged US airstrike

Attack on prison, which Houthis say killed 68, raises fresh questions over US military operations in regionYemen’s Houthi rebels have vowed to continue attacks in the Red and Arabian seas hours after a suspected US strike targeting the militia killed dozens of African migrants.The airstrike struck a detention centre holding hundreds of African migrants in the city of Saada, killing 68 and injuring 47, according to the Houthis. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Houthi rebels say US airstrike on detention centre killed dozens of African migrants

Yemeni group vows to continue attacks at sea after latest strike, which raises fresh questions about US military operations in regionYemen’s Houthi rebels have vowed to continue attacks in the Red and Arabian seas hours after a suspected US strike targeting the militia killed dozens of African migrants.The airstrike struck a detention centre holding hundreds of African migrants in the city of Saada, killing 68 and injuring 47, according to the Houthis. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Trump steps up criticism of Putin over continuing attacks on Ukraine

Secretary of state says US will decide this week whether to withdraw from negotiations

Politics

2 w. ago Russia continues to strike Ukraine after Trump questions Putin’s commitment to peace

Airstrike in Donetsk kills three while drone attack in Dnipro leaves one dead, according to local sourcesRussia has continued its assault on Ukraine with a series of drone attacks and airstrikes, hours after US president Donald Trump cast doubt on Vladimir Putin’s readiness to end the conflict.Three people were killed and four were wounded on Sunday morning in airstrikes on Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region, according to the regional prosecutor’s office. In a drone attack on the city of Pavlohrad in the Dnipro region, a person was killed and a 14-year-old girl was wounded after a third consecutive night of assaults, local governor Serhii Lysak said. Continue reading...

Politics