The Guardian

Drivers suspended as prosecutors investigate group said to have been used to share and comment on CCTV images A group of tram drivers in Milan have been suspended from their jobs amid an investigation into a WhatsApp group in which they allegedly exchanged sexist and vulgar comments about images of female passengers. Milan prosecutors placed at least one employee of ATM, the city’s public transpo…

Images show Israeli military using six companies’ bulldozers and excavators to demolish south Lebanon villages Human rights experts have alleged that six multinational construction equipment conglomerates may be aiding and abetting war crimes by supplying excavators and bulldozers to Israel, after photos and videos showed the Israeli military using their equipment to demolish villages in south Le…

Campaigners welcome announcement cutting levies on menstrual health items, but say their work to end period poverty is ‘far from over’ Pakistan plans to abolish “period tax”, in a victory for young campaigners who had taken the government to court over the charges. Finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced that sanitary towels and related items were “daily necessities that are indispensable f…

Sudden shifts from wet to dry weather, or vice versa, may foil typical drought and flooding prevention measures Rising temperatures may trigger a dangerous increase in “hydroclimatic whiplash” in rivers that would make traditional approaches to flood and drought planning insufficient, a study has found. As temperatures rise owing to the worsening climate crisis, rivers will experience increasingl…

Group of hikers encountered a bear and her cubs and the mother bear charged the group, swiping at one of the teens A teenage hiker was injured by a black bear in a mountainous recreation area outside Seattle on Tuesday, according to officials, who closed the trail where it happened. About 12.45pm on Tuesday, a group of three basketball players from Thomas Jefferson high school were about 2.7 mile…

Jimmy Chilimigras graduated high school at 12 and is now pursuing a master of laws degree – and he wants to find ‘an area to do some good’ A Mississippi teenager who in May became one of the youngest ever law school graduates says he wants to help reform US tax law as well as litigate against social media companies over claims that they design their products to be addictive – and therefore harmfu…

Two-thirds of Americans say they are worried about climate but level of media coverage does not reflect this US political and media discourse has drifted away from the climate crisis amid a frontal assault by Donald Trump upon policies to limit global heating and the president’s pugnacious demands to “drill, baby, drill” for more oil and gas. Yet while elite attention on climate has waned , even …

PM says Greater Manchester mayor is ‘huge asset’ who can play big part in Labour government if he wins byelection UK politics live – latest updates Keir Starmer has indicated he would give Andy Burnham a cabinet job, describing him as a “huge asset”, as he attempted to head off a challenge to his leadership that is expected to come after the Makerfield byelection on Thursday. Starmer, who is figh…

Move will allow Trump’s controversial pick, Bill Pulte, to assume role and remain in place for at least several weeks Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Donald Trump abruptly halted the confirmation process for Jay Clayton as the US’s top intelligence chief early Wednesday, in a move that will allow Trump’s controversial selection for acting director of national security, Bill Pult…

About 150 jobs have already been lost in Bolton as company reports 145% rise in profits and hands £20m to shareholders Business live – latest updates The online electrical goods seller AO World has revealed it is outsourcing up to 200 UK call centre roles to South Africa blaming rising labour costs, as it handed £20m to shareholders. As the retailer reported a jump in profits, it said it was shif…

Online uproar in China follows Canadian brand’s use of taiko drum at sponsored festival held to celebrate Chinese culture The activewear brand Lululemon has apologised after a promotional event held on the Great Wall of China appeared to mistakenly feature a Japanese drum, prompting an uproar. The Canadian-headquartered company, known for its upmarket yoga leggings, has been growing rapidly in Ch…

Pamphlets from event featured projects in West Bank and East Jerusalem despite previous denials by organisers An Israeli real estate event in north London appears to have advertised the sale of land in Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, despite previous denials that illegal settlement properties would be marketed at the event. Pamphlets shared with the Guardian from…

Broadcast channels under review and 10% of senior leaders to go as part of drive to cut £500m in costs Entire BBC programmes will be scrapped and compulsory redundancies will be necessary as part of sweeping cuts at the corporation, its new director general, Matt Brittin, has told staff. The former Google executive also announced he was reviewing the BBC’s broadcast TV channels and radio network,…

Major operation launched after spate of pet thefts in Ho Chi Minh City, according to local media Police in Vietnam have rescued more than 400 cats in a major bust of a cat meat crime ring in Ho Chi Minh City, according to animal welfare groups and local media reports. More than 40 cats were reunited with their owners after the multiday operation last week, but several dozen of those rescued have …

Arrest of Min Zin, who writes about Myanmar and Chinese foreign policy, comes just month after Trump visit to Beijing China has arrested a US scholar who writes about Myanmar and Chinese foreign policy on suspicion of spying. Min Zin was suspected of “engaging in espionage activities that endanger China’s national security,” China’s ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson, Lin Jian, said on Frid…