The Guardian

Activists had called for the firm’s boycott after it announced a roll back of diversity, equity and inclusion effortsOn Thursday morning, Rev Al Sharpton met with Brain Cornell, the Target CEO, to discuss the fallout from the company’s decision to walk back its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts earlier this year. The meeting happened in New York at Sharpton’s National Action Network (NAN) headquarters, and also included the NAN national board chair Dr W Franklyn Richardson and the NAN senior advisor Carra Wallace.In January, activists in Minnesota called for a boycott of Target following the Minneapolis-based company’s decision to

Trump called for university to lose tax-exempt status after it defied him; federal law bars president from requesting the IRS investigate or audit specific targetsDonald Trump’s administration will ask a US federal appeals court on Thursday to pause a judge’s ruling lifting access restrictions the White House imposed on the Associated Press (AP) for referring to the Gulf of Mexico in its coverage.The Trump administration has argued that the lower-court ruling, which mandates AP journalists be granted access to press events in the White House, infringes on the president’s ability to decide whom to admit to sensitive spaces. The White

French president welcomes US representatives as meeting to discuss Ukraine gets under way at Élysée palace in ParisAs we await further updates from the talks taking place at the Élysée, let me bring you some other stories from around Europe.Meanwhile, Russia’s top economic negotiator claimed that some countries were trying to “derail” Moscow’s talks with the United States, as the two sides work towards normalising ties. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/apr/17/us-envoys-paris-meeting-ukraine-meloni-trump-europe-latest-updates-news Author : Jakub Krupa Publish date : 2025-04-17 13:43:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

As the first climate summit in the Amazon approaches, a gulf is opening between what the area’s farming lobby wants, and what the world needsRevealed: world’s largest meat company may break Amazon deforestation pledges againThe life and death of a ‘laundered’ cow in the Amazon rainforestYellowstone in Montana may have the most romanticised cowboy culture in the world thanks to the TV drama series of the same name starring Kevin Costner. But the true home of the 21st-century cowboy is about 7,500 miles south, in what used to be the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, where the reality of raising cattle

Health minister Karin Smyth says ‘it’s good we have clarity for women’ as Tories call for ruling to be ‘reinforced with legislation’Kishwer Falkner, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), has described yesterday’s supreme court ruling as “a victory for common sense, but only if you recognise that trans people exist.”Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Falkner said:It’s a victory for common sense, but only if you recognise that trans people exist. They have rights, and their rights must be respected – then it becomes a victory for common sense.It’s not a victory for an increase

UK foreign secretary to join Trump envoys and Emmanuel Macron to hear European concerns about Russia and elusive truceDavid Lammy, the UK foreign secretary, is expected to attend talks on Ukraine and Iran on Thursday with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and Donald Trump’s envoys Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff.Rubio, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and Witkoff, a special envoy, are due in Paris to hear European foreign ministers’ concerns about Russia amid so-far fruitless US attempts to arrange a ceasefire in Ukraine, while Britain and France are forming a “coalition of the willing” that would back the

E-tailers also hiking prices after Donald Trump ends ‘de minimis’ exemption for cheap shipments from China and Hong KongTemu and Shein are cutting back their spending on US social media advertising as they lose an exemption on tariffs for many of their shipments from China and Hong Kong.The online e-tailers, both of which ship low-priced China-made goods direct to US shoppers, had been on an ad spree until recently. But under an executive order from Donald Trump, as of 2 May their sales valued at under $800 will no longer be exempt from US tariffs. Continue reading... Source link :

A small Michigan community banded together to help a beloved local bookstore move its stock to a new storefrontResidents of all ages in a small Michigan community formed a human chain and helped a local bookshop move each of its 9,100 books – one by one – to a new storefront about a block away.The “book brigade” of about 300 people stood in two lines running along a sidewalk in downtown Chelsea on Sunday, passing each title from Serendipity Books’ former location directly to the correct shelves in the new building, down the block and around the corner on Main

Opposition leader was hesitant to say that the impacts of climate change are getting worse in last night’s debate. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBoth parties claim victory in last night’s debateThe political reaction to last night’s debate is coming in thick and fast. No surprises here that the Liberals believe their leader Peter Dutton won with flying colours, while Labor has backed Albanese for the victory.I saw a very weak, indecisive Prime Minister and a very strong Opposition leader. And I was particularly blown away, Bridget, by the prime minister not

Indiana University leads the push for a pact among 18 institutions as Donald Trump targets diversityFaculty members from US universities – including public ones which do not receive endowments – are banding together in attempts to resist the Donald Trump administration’s attacks on academic freedoms.This month, Indiana University’s Bloomington faculty council followed in the footsteps of Rutgers University in passing a resolution to establish a pact with all 18 universities under the Big 10 academic alliance to defend academic freedoms. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/16/trump-universities-response Author : Maya Yang Publish date : 2025-04-16 19:29:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs

State department’s R/Fimi hub closed after rightwing critics alleged it censored conservative American speechThe Trump administration is shuttering the state department’s last remaining bastion to monitor foreign disinformation campaigns.Known as the Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (R/Fimi) hub, the closure represents a huge victory for rightwing critics who had alleged that the office, despite only looking at foreign state-level disinformation attacks on other countries, was involved in censoring American conservative speech. It comes as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to dismantle what it describes as government overreach in monitoring speech. Continue reading... Source link :

Upheaval follows decision to shift timing of first debate over fears of clash with Montreal Canadiens ice hockey gameCanada’s Green party has been removed from the country’s two election debates amid accusations it would “undermine the integrity” of the events, just hours before leaders square off in Montreal.The last-minute upheaval follows a decision to shift the timing of the first televised debate on Wednesday evening over fears the French language showdown would clash with a closely watched Montreal Canadiens ice hockey game. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/16/canada-green-party-election-debates Author : Leyland Cecco in Toronto Publish date : 2025-04-16 15:03:00 Copyright

President doubles down on cutting public funding for leading US university in fresh social media rantSecretary of state Marco Rubio and White House envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Paris on Wednesday and Thursday to meet with their European counterparts about ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, the State Department said in a statement.Witkoff, who has taken a leading role in the ceasefire talks, met with Vladimir Putin last Friday, their third meeting in recent months. He told Fox News on Monday that the meeting was “compelling” and said he sees a deal “emerging”.It was a compelling meeting. And toward the

Judges were asked to rule on whether the definition of woman in the Equality Act 2010 included transgender women with gender recognition certificatesFull report: Critics of trans rights win UK supreme court case over definition of womanThe definition of a woman and sex in the Equality Act relates to “a biological woman and biological sex”, the supreme court has ruled as it unanimously allowed an appeal from gender critical campaign group For Women Scotland.A possible outcome of the case is that the court will agree with the previous interpretation of the law as it stands, but suggest parliament considers amending

March annual rate comes before expected rise because of household bills going up this monthBusiness live – latest updatesUK inflation dropped to 2.6% in March, increasing the pressure on Bank of England policymakers to cut interest rates next month asDonald Trump’s tariff wars cast an uncertain outlook.Prices growth was weak ahead of an expected rise in April as households begin to pay higher council tax and utility bills. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/16/uk-inflation-falls-bank-of-england-interest-rates Author : Phillip Inman Publish date : 2025-04-16 07:33:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Providers reprimanded for pressuring customers, exploiting women’s insecurities or trivialising medical risksThe Advertising Standards Authority has reprimanded six cosmetic treatment providers for pressuring customers, exploiting women’s insecurities or trivialising medical risks after an investigation into adverts for liquid Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs).The cosmetic procedure, which involves injecting fillers into the buttocks to enhance their shape and size, is unregulated in the UK and can carry significant health risks, not least from potentially life-threatening infections. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/16/asa-bans-brazilian-butt-lift-ads-cosmetic-treatment-providers Author : Ian Sample Science editor Publish date : 2025-04-16 05:00:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Post office says it ‘definitely’ won’t collect tariffs on Washington’s behalf and Hongkongers should prepare to pay exorbitant feesHong Kong Post said on Wednesday it had suspended goods mail services by sea to the US and will suspend its air mail postal service for items containing goods from 27 April due to “bullying” US tariffs.When sending items to the US, people in Hong Kong “should be prepared to pay exorbitant and unreasonable fees due to the US’s unreasonable and bullying acts”, Hong Kong Post said in a statement. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/16/hong-kong-halts-postal-service-for-us-bound-goods-over-trumps-bullying-tariffs Author : Reuters in Hong Kong

Testimony that Instagram was ‘better’ seems to bolster allegations Meta used ‘buy or bury’ tactic to snap up rivalsMeta’s chief executive Mark Zuckerberg considered spinning off Instagram in 2018 in anticipation of a potential antitrust suit, documents unveiled at a trial in Washington showed on Tuesday.​​“While most companies resist break-ups, the corporate history is that most companies actually perform better after they’ve been split up,” he wrote in an email at the time. He said there was a “there is a non-trivial chance” his company would be forced to spin Instagram and WhatsApp out anyway. Continue reading... Source link :

Greens leader tells 7.30 that falling vote share means major parties have to cooperate more. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJust a quick recap, the “verballing” Wong is accusing Peter Dutton of, was from his comments to ABC Afternoon Briefing yesterday.Dutton told host Patricia Karvelas that if “negotiations were taking place, then surely Australia would have been consulted”, and if not, that would have been a “catastrophic failureThere’s commentary I have seen reported from the Indonesian spokesperson. That’s obviously come from the administration. There are reports of negotiations or discussions that have

Harvard faces funding freeze as Yale faculty asks leadership ‘to resist and legally challenge any unlawful demands’US politics live – latest updatesBarack Obama has come out in support of Harvard after the Trump administration elected to cut $2bn of its federal grants after the Ivy League school in Massachusetts rejected what it said was an attempt at “government regulation” of the university.Meanwhile, faculty at Yale University – another prominent Ivy League institution – has asked its leadership “to resist and legally challenge any unlawful demands that threaten academic freedom and … self-governance”. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/apr/15/obama-yale-harvard-trump-cuts Author :

Ukrainians grieve and clear away wreckage in north-eastern city after morning attack that killed at least 35Europe live – latest updatesOn a warm spring day relatives gathered to say goodbye to Viktor Boiko and his wife, Olha. Their open coffins were laid out next to one other. Viktor wore his best suit. Olha was in a flowery blouse, with carnations heaped around her slippered feet. A priest sang prayers. Gravediggers lowered the couple into the ground, and shovelled earth on top. It landed with a percussive thud.“Give me a weapon. Any weapon. I want to kill those butchers in Moscow,”

Former president to address Chicago conference as concerns grow over Trump policy effects on social security; Obama condemns Harvard funding freezeObama and Yale faculty back Harvard as Trump cuts $2bn, alleging antisemitismFormer US President Joe Biden is expected to return to the national stage later today as he delivers his first major post-presidency speech.The 82-year-old Democrat, who reluctantly dropped out of the presidential race last year amid concerns about his cognitive functioning, will talk about how social security is being threatened by the policies of the Trump administration. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/apr/15/donald-trump-harvard-funding-tariffs-immigration-dei-us-politics-live-updates Author : Lucy Campbell (now); Yohannes

US president questions Ukraine counterpart’s competency as his envoy outlines ‘detail attached’ to any peace dealThe EU has said that “significant joint efforts will be needed” for a successful outcome to trade talks at the end of Donald Trump’s 90-day pause on tariffs.The European Commission, which handles trade policy for the 27 EU member states, was reporting back on a meeting between its lead trade official Maroš Šefčovič and US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and US trade representative Jamieson Greer in Washington on Monday.The EU will continue to approach these talks in a constructive manner, with a view to identify

US vice president says Trump ‘loves the UK’ and is working ‘very hard’ with Keir Starmer on a trade dealAlison McGovern, minister at the Department for Work and Pensions, has commented on those latest job statistics, which showed that the number of payrolled workers in UK fell by 78,000.The Labour MP for Birkenhead said:We’re determined to get Britain working again as part of our plan for change by overhauling job centres, creating good jobs, transforming skills, transitioning to net zero and delivering the biggest upgrade to rights at work for a generation.This month, local areas are also starting to roll