The Guardian

Expanding plume of fuel exhaust crystalized in the sky and reflected sunlight off frozen particles after Florida launch A SpaceX rocket provided a stunning pre-dawn display over Florida as a massive, luminescent “jellyfish cloud” spread for miles, caused by an expanding plume of fuel exhaust crystalizing in the sky and reflecting sunlight off the frozen particles. The phenomenon occurred shortly …

A fresh wave of protests by India’s youth-led Cockroach movement has been met with a brutal crackdown by Narendra Modi’s government and the closure of a historic protest site in Delhi. Two of the movement’s leaders have been imprisoned for five days for violating suppression measures. The protests, which began over frustration about education and unemployment, are now focused on voting rights. Mo…

Comedian faces three charges of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault against six women Russell Brand rape and sexual assault trial – latest updates Russell Brand was a ruthless, calculated and manipulative sexual predator who boasted about wanting to have sex with 5,000 women, a court has heard. The 51-year-old comedian is accused of having an “insatiable desire” to get what …

Two-mile stretch of Huntington Beach closed after sighting at location popular with surfers and swimmers A popular southern California beach was closed after a great white shark was reportedly spotted “exhibiting aggressive behavior” on Tuesday afternoon. The Huntington Beach fire department said there was a “credible report” of a 10-12ft great white shark circling near a lifeguard tower, which i…

Government building and two banks set on fire as tens of thousands take to streets over education costs and corruption Tens of thousands of students have taken to the streets of Tirana, the Albanian capital, setting alight a government building and two banks and hurling stones at police during a protest over rising education costs and ⁠corruption. Police responded with water ⁠cannons and teargas …

Global human rights commitment adopted by government extends reach to enablers of unlawful activity The UK is expanding its sanctions powers to freeze assets and target entities enabling illegal Israeli settlements, obstructing humanitarian aid or unlawfully holding prisoners. The statutory instrument introducing the Global Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law sanctions adds three new …

Ben Norris says cost-cutting measure that means show will be recorded outside its home city risks ‘extraordinary burden’ for crew A cast member of The Archers has said its actors have been angered by the BBC’s decision to axe the show’s new studio, in a move that could lead to it being recorded away from its home in Birmingham. Ben Norris, who plays Ben Archer in the world’s longest-running soap …

Exclusive: Greater Manchester mayor Bev Craig invited City representative on trade trip organised by business secretary A club representative from Manchester City was invited on a government-backed trade delegation to India this week, despite the club being found guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League rules. Andy Burnham’s successor as Manchester mayor Bev Craig took a representative from the c…

Government says ambition for 2036 will be good for food and climate resilience, but concerns remain over funding The government has set an ambition to increase the share of English land farmed organically to 10% by 2036, but concerns remain over how the transition will be funded. Currently, just 3.4% of England’s agricultural land is farmed organically, one of the smallest shares in Europe. Franc…

Phillips sought to buck up his fellow London bureau colleagues during a contentious staff meeting on Tuesday The veteran British broadcaster Sir Trevor Phillips had some strong words of advice for his CBS News colleagues when facing off against critics who question the editorial integrity of the network: “Why don’t you just fuck off and let us do our jobs?” Phillips made his blunt suggestion duri…

International grouping of China-sceptic legislators warns of risks inherent in misjudging bilateral relationship The UK’s approach to China is “beset by incoherence” and plagued by a lack of senior expertise, according to a report warning of the risks inherent in misjudging the bilateral relationship. Wednesday’s audit by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac), an international grouping…

Michael Kotlikoff addressed his administration’s handling of the 2024 allegations as the faces calls for his resignation Michael Kotlikoff, the president of Cornell University, spoke to the New York Times about sexual assault allegations at the school, acknowledging for the first time that he knew a student had reported being sexually assaulted in November 2024, but did not follow up with the Jan…

Pontiff has begun walking in his hospital room and is eating normally after operation to remove growth, doctors say Pope Leo’s recovery from a lung cancer operation is progressing as planned, his doctors have said, as the pontiff received good wishes from around the world, including a letter from Britain’s King Charles. Leo, who had a cancerous mass removed from his right lung late on Tuesday , b…

Peak of French mountain now 4,807 metres high and fluctuates year by year due to changes in Alpine climate Europe’s highest peak shrank by more than a metre last year, data has shown. Mont Blanc in France now stands 4,807.47 metres above sea level, a team of surveyors from the Haute-Savoie regional department said on Wednesday, putting “the roof of Europe” 1.29 metres lower than in 2025. Continue…

Second vessel also reportedly sinking as uptick in strikes suggests Iran trying to close waterway before US elections A container ship has ⁠sunk near the strait of Hormuz and a second cargo vessel was reportedly sinking amid the sharpest uptick in Iranian attacks on shipping since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran. The surge of attacks suggests Iran is trying to fully close the strategic w…