The Guardian

Hamas says six captives expected to be freed from Gaza on Saturday in swap for about 600 Palestinian prisoners and detaineesIsraelis are gathering in Tel Aviv as they wait for the anticipated release of six hostages held by Palestinian militants in Gaza. These images have come in from Israel:The Israeli military expects Hamas to release the six Israeli hostages from two separate locations in Gaza starting from 9am local time, the Times of Israel is reporting a defence official as saying. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/feb/22/middle-east-crisis-live-israel-hamas-new-gaza-hostage-prisoner-exchange Author : Adam Fulton Publish date : 2025-02-22 07:06:00 Copyright for syndicated content

In speech at Arc conference, podcaster argues ‘identity politics and multiculturalism … are two failed experiments’Konstantin Kisin has until this week been best known as a libertarian, pro-free speech independent podcaster, and for a viral appearance at the Oxford Union arguing that “woke culture has gone too far”.His profile has suddenly risen, however, after hosting the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, on his podcast, and arguing in an episode with Fraser Nelson, the former editor of the Spectator, that Rishi Sunak was not English owing to his “brown Hindu” background – triggering criticism on social media. Continue reading... Source link :

Adam Abeldon rules that president’s efforts to ban DEI programs likely violate first amendment of constitutionA federal judge in Maryland on Friday temporarily blocked Donald Trump from implementing bans on diversity, equity and inclusion programs at federal agencies and by businesses that contract with the federal government.US district judge Adam Abelson said the directives by Trump and an order urging the Department of Justice to investigate companies with DEI policies likely violate the first amendment of the US constitution. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/21/judge-temporarily-blocks-trumps-anti-dei-purge Author : Guardian staff and agencies Publish date : 2025-02-22 00:55:00 Copyright for syndicated content

Pete Hegseth supports cuts of up to 8% of civilian workforce as Trump bids to institute massive government cutsThe Pentagon announced plans Friday to fire 5-8% of its civilian workforce, staring next week with layoffs of 5,400 probationary workers, a Department of Defense official said in a statement.The initial civilian layoffs will be followed by a Department of Defense hiring freeze to analyze the military’s personnel needs in compliance with Donald Trump’s political goals, Darin Selnick, the acting under-secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said in the statement. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/21/pentagon-layoffs-civilian-workers Author : Lois Beckett and

Weather bureau forecasts temperatures as high as 39C in Adelaide, 36C in Melbourne, 30C in Canberra and 29C in HobartGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastExtreme fire danger and total fire bans have been declared for much of South Australia and Victoria, including Melbourne, as hot and dry winds bring sweltering temperatures to the region on Saturday, and cyclones threaten to form off the Queensland and Western Australian coasts.Forecast temperatures were between six and 12C above average in many places for Saturday, with expected maximums of 39C in Adelaide, 36C in Melbourne, 30C in Canberra and

Rapper is a vocal supporter of Palestine but has received criticism over restaurant’s links to Israeli militaryStormzy has denied that he “compromised beliefs for commercial gain”, after his advertising partnership with McDonald’s was criticised over the company’s ties to Israel.In a new campaign, the rapper appears in filmed adverts and on billboards promoting the “Stormzy meal” featuring a selection of his favourite menu items. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/feb/21/stormzy-denies-he-compromised-beliefs-with-mcdonalds-partnership Author : Ben Beaumont-Thomas Publish date : 2025-02-21 23:48:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Keith Kellogg takes different tone from Trump, who contrasted ‘very good talks’ with Putin with cooler relationship with Ukraine’s leaderThe US envoy to Ukraine, Gen Keith Kellogg, has praised Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war”, striking a dramatically different tone from Donald Trump, who has called Ukraine’s president a “dictator”.Kellogg left Kyiv on Friday after a three-day visit. Posting on social media, he said he had engaged in “extensive and positive discussions” with Zelenskyy and his “talented national security team”. “A long and intense day with the senior leadership of Ukraine,” he said.

Caleb Vitello reassigned as administration reportedly unhappy that arrests and deportations have been slower than expectedDonald Trump’s presidential administration has reassigned its top official at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) after the agency’s arrests and deportations have been slower than expected, Reuters reported, citing a senior administration official and two other sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.The official, Caleb Vitello, was in the role in an acting capacity and had been grappling with pressure to step up enforcement after other top Ice officials were reassigned days earlier. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/21/trump-ice-caleb-vitello Author : Maya Yang

Luigi Mangione faces state-level murder and terrorism charges, as well as federal countsLuigi Mangione appeared in Manhattan state court on Friday in the 4 December killing of the United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.Mangione, 26, faces state-level murder and terrorism charges, as well as federal counts, for allegedly gunning down Thompson in a brazen street assassination. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/21/luigi-mangione-manhattan-court Author : Victoria Bekiempis Publish date : 2025-02-21 19:46:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Outside lawyer appointed to present arguments against prosecutors seeking to drop case against New York mayorA New York judge on Friday said he would not immediately dismiss Eric Adams’s corruption case, but ordered the Democratic New York City mayor’s trial delayed indefinitely after the justice department asked for the charges to be dismissed.In a written ruling, US district judge Dale Ho in Manhattan said he would appoint an outside lawyer, Paul Clement of the law firm Clement & Murphy PLLC, to present arguments against the federal prosecutors’ bid to dismiss, in order to help the judge make his decision. Continue

Polling shows US president is deeply unpopular with British voters but Keir Starmer is keen not to rock the boatKeir Starmer is striking a delicate balancing act on the world stage by trying to maintain a good relationship with Donald Trump while giving his full-throated support to Ukraine and pursuing closer ties with the EU.But the prime minister faces increased domestic pressures when it comes to Trump, whom he will meet in Washington DC next week. Polling consistently shows the US president is deeply unpopular with British voters, a majority of whom think ministers should now prioritise building bridges with

MP was sacked as a minister and suspended from Labour party after messages were revealedParliament’s standards watchdog has launched an investigation into Andrew Gwynne, who was sacked as a minister over offensive comments made on a WhatsApp group.The MP was also suspended from the Labour party after messages were revealed in which he said he hoped a pensioner who did not support him would die before the next set of elections. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/feb/21/watchdog-launches-investigation-into-andrew-gwynne-over-offensive-whatsapp-messages Author : Ben Quinn Publish date : 2025-02-21 15:40:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Senate Republicans approve spending plan that will pay for hardline immigration policies; mass layoffs get all-clear after judge lifts blockMass firings could cause ‘monumental’ bill, say expertsThe defense department will delay a plan to fire civilian employees on probation as it assess whether the move complies with the law and if it affects military readiness, CNN reports.The cuts were to be made as part of Donald Trump’s effort to dramatically downsize the federal government, which is being led by Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency”. Here’s more, from CNN:The pause comes after CNN reported on Wednesday that the mass terminations,

This is ‘probably one of the most alarming times for Britain’s defence since the second world war’, says Lib Dem leader Ed Davey as he calls for more spendingThe government’s suicide prevention adviser has said that legalising assisted dying in England and Wales may cause major issues in suicide prevention work if the state effectively concedes that taking one’s own life should be allowed in some circumstances.Prof Louis Appleby, who chairs the government’s national suicide prevention strategy advisory group, also said he took issue with MPs who said it was offensive to call assisted dying “suicide” – saying that it

US government stripping funds from domestic and overseas research amid warnings for health and public safetyThe Trump administration is stripping away support for scientific research in the US and overseas that contains a word it finds particularly inconvenient: “climate.”The US government is withdrawing grants and other support for research that even references the climate crisis, academics have said, amid Donald Trump’s blitzkrieg upon environmental regulations and clean-energy development. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/21/trump-scientific-research-climate Author : Oliver Milman Publish date : 2025-02-21 12:00:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Democratic party chair, Lo Kin-hei, would not comment on whether Beijing put pressure on membersHong Kong’s oldest pro-democracy party, which became an influential voice of opposition before Beijing cracked down on dissent, will start preparations to shut down, its leader has said.Lo Kin-hei, chair of Hong Kong’s Democratic party, said on Thursday: “We are going to proceed and study on the process and procedure that is needed for the disbanding.” Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/21/hong-kong-democratic-party-disbanding-lo-kin-hei Author : Staff and agencies Publish date : 2025-02-21 10:52:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

French president and UK prime minister are due to meet Donald Trump next weekSweden is investigating a possible breach of an undersea cable off the island of Gotland on the country’s southwestern coast in the Baltic Sea, the coastguard said on Friday, in an area where multiple seabed cables have been damaged in recent months.The Baltic Sea region is on alert and the Nato alliance has boosted its presence after a series of power cable, telecom and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Most were caused by civilian ships dragging their anchors, Reuters noted. Continue reading... Source

The opposition leader picked up on News Corp claims that Tony Burke was conducting ‘industrial-scale’ ceremonies. Labor denies it has anything to do with the electionThis is the first in a series that will run throughout the election campaign pulling apart contested claims from politiciansFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThis week Peter Dutton has claimed Labor wants to “expressly push” new Australians through citizenship ceremonies ahead of the federal election – allegations the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, has strongly denied, accusing critics of a “whinge”.In the

Critics say NGA decision ‘is nothing less than a disgraceful act of censorship’ that is ‘rooted in political cowardice’The National Gallery of Australia claims it covered Palestinian flags in a major exhibition after undertaking a security threat assessment, but critics say the decision was “rooted in political cowardice”.The Guardian this week revealed two Palestinian flags on a large tapestry hanging in an exhibition currently showing in Canberra have been covered with white fabric.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/21/national-gallery-of-australia-says-it-covered-palestinian-flags-on-tapestry-after-security-assessment-ntwnfb Author : Nour Haydar Publish date : 2025-02-21 06:39:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs

From bats to moths, species working the night shift are suffering as light pollution soarsWhen we think about invertebrates, most of us picture bees, butterflies, worms, crabs or perhaps even a jellyfish. But did you know that at least two-thirds of invertebrates are active at night, meaning many are unlikely to be seen? Invertebrates carry out many of the same functions as their daytime counterparts, in some cases doing so with greater efficiency and variety.For centuries, artificial light has been a symbol of progress. From the flickering flames of early fires to the dazzling LED displays of modern cities, light

Agriculture Victoria says H7N8 strain of avian influenza has been detected at a poultry farm at EuroaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA highly pathogenic strain of bird flu has been detected at a third property in Victoria, with farmers warning it could exacerbate Australia’s egg shortage in coming months.Agriculture Victoria on Thursday said the H7N8 strain of avian influenza had been detected at a third poultry farm at Euroa in Victoria’s north-east.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/21/australia-bird-flu-outbreak-victoria-farm-euroa Author : Adeshola Ore Publish date : 2025-02-21 03:57:00 Copyright

Statement from IDF comes hours after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders further crackdown on occupied West Bank over bus explosions Middle East crisis - live updatesOne of the four bodies returned by Hamas to Israel on Thursday is not that of Shiri Bibas, Israel’s military has said, calling it a “violation of utmost severity” of a ceasefire deal that was already precarious.The Israeli military confirmed that two of the bodies belonged to Bibas’ children, Ariel and Kfir, in the early hours of Friday. However, it added “During the identification process, it was determined that the additional body received is not

Train passengers will be able to tap-and-go with a bank card, phone or smart watch early next year, with trams and buses to followFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastTrain passengers in Victoria will finally be able to pay their fare using a bank card, phone or smartwatch from next year, in a long-awaited update to the state’s ticketing system.The public transport minister, Gabrielle Williams, on Friday announced more than 20,000 new card readers would be installed across the metropolitan and V/Line networks over the coming

Israel has demanded the return of Shiri Bibas after it said testing showed that one of the four bodies released by Hamas did not belong to any other hostageThe Israeli military has said the two Bibas boys were “murdered by terrorists” in Gaza.The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said earlier that Ariel and Kfir Bibas had been identified after their bodies were released by Hamas on Thursday under the current ceasefire agreement.According to the assessment of professional officials, based on the intelligence available to us and forensic findings from the identification process, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were brutally murdered by terrorists

Andrew Buen found guilty of homicide in death of Christian Glass, 22, who showed signs of mental health crisis at sceneA former Colorado sheriff’s deputy was convicted Thursday in the shooting death of a 22-year-old man in distress who called 911 for help after his car got stuck in a small mountain community.Jurors found Andrew Buen guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the June 2022 death of Christian Glass, whose death drew national attention and led to changes in how officers are trained to respond to people in mental health crises under a $19m settlement with his family. Continue reading...