Guardian Headlines
Guardian Headlines
Sun, 22 Dec 2024 02:52:50 GMT
The sinking comes less than four days after another boat capsized in the country’s north-east, leaving 25 people dead
A ferry overloaded with people returning home for Christmas capsized on the Busira River in north-eastern Congo, leaving 38 people confirmed dead and more than 100 others missing, officials and eyewitnesses said on Saturday.
Twenty people have been rescued so far.
Continue reading...Fri, 20 Dec 2024 16:24:39 GMT
French president makes remark when confronted by residents still without water after huge storm last week
Emmanuel Macron swore during a furious exchange with residents of the cyclone-hit islands of Mayotte on Thursday night, telling a jeering crowd in the French territory: “If it wasn’t for France, you’d be 10,000 times deeper in shit.”
Cyclone Chido swept through Mayotte, which lies between Madagascar and Mozambique, on 14 December, destroying vital infrastructure and flattening many of the tin-roofed shacks that make up its large slums. Almost a week after its worst storm in 90 years, France’s poorest territory still has shortages of water.
Continue reading...Fri, 20 Dec 2024 10:35:33 GMT
Torrential rainfall driven by north-east monsoon displaces thousands of people as buildings collapse
Southern Thailand is grappling with severe flooding as torrential rainfall, driven by the north-east monsoon, continues to affect the region. During the north-east monsoon, which runs from November to March, winds from the north-east pick up moisture from the Gulf of Thailand and deposit it as heavy rain across the islands in the gulf and into exposed eastern parts of Thailand’s southern peninsula.
While high rainfall totals in southern Thailand are not unusual at this time of year, this year’s has been significantly above average. Ko Samui, Thailand’s second largest island, has recorded 571mm (22.48in) of rain this month – approximately 375% of the December average – with nearly a third of the month yet to go. In the nearby province of Nakhon Si Thammarat on the mainland, another weather station has surpassed 1009mm, more than four times the December norm.
Continue reading...Fri, 20 Dec 2024 10:00:09 GMT
Deo Kato says journey from Cape Town gave him hope in humanity, despite facing racism from police and passersby on a daily basis
A Ugandan athlete who arrives in London this weekend after running 7,730 miles (12,440km) from South Africa to raise awareness about racism has revealed he suffered repeated abuse on reaching Europe.
Deo Kato set off from Cape Town in July 2023, running steadily north on a 516-day odyssey that has seen him jailed for weeks, laid low with serious illness and having to pass through war zones.
Continue reading...Thu, 19 Dec 2024 19:53:53 GMT
Police arrest eight people after incident at Basorun Islamic high school in Ibadan
At least 35 children have died and six others were seriously injured in a crowd crush at a school fair in Nigeria’s third largest city, Ibadan.
Police said eight people had been arrested “for their various involvements” in the incident. Among those detained was the main sponsor of the event on Wednesday at the Basorun Islamic highschool, which was organised by the Wings Foundation and Agidigbo FM radio.
Continue reading...Thu, 19 Dec 2024 13:15:53 GMT
Relatives say Al-Bara’ ibn Malik brigade killed young men in Khartoum North during advance from Omdurman
Relatives and rights groups have accused fighters from an Islamist paramilitary force aligned with the Sudanese army of executing dozens of young men on suspicion of cooperating with the Rapid Support Forces in the Khartoum area.
The alleged killings occurred in September after fighters crossed a bridge over the Nile River into the city of Khartoum North from neighbouring Omdurman after weeks of trying.
Continue reading...Sun, 22 Dec 2024 05:00:36 GMT
Automatic cameras in the Brazilian rainforest show images of the Massaco people, who are flourishing despite environmental threats
Remarkable images taken by automatic cameras in the Brazilian rainforest reveal an isolated community that appears to be thriving despite pressure from ranchers and illegal encroachment into the Amazon.
The pictures, of a group of men, offer the outside world its first glimpse of the community – and give further evidence the population is growing. The group is known as the Massaco after the river that runs through their lands, but no one knows what they call themselves, while their language, social fabric and beliefs remain a mystery.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 19:40:53 GMT
Further 13 people taken to hospital after vehicle crashed into lorry then burst into flames
At least 38 people have been killed in a “tragic” traffic collision between a bus and truck in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, the Associated Press reported, citing fire department officials who attended the scene. The death toll had initially been put at 22.
A further 13 people were taken to hospitals near the city of Teófilo Otoni.
Continue reading...Fri, 20 Dec 2024 22:14:53 GMT
Court finds Central American country violated rights of a pregnant woman who was denied an abortion in 2013
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) has ruled that El Salvador violated the human rights of a Salvadoran woman who was denied an abortion despite her high-risk pregnancy in 2013.
The court has ordered the Central American country to adopt “all necessary regulatory measures” so that doctors are authorised to terminate “pregnancies that pose a risk to the woman’s life and health”.
Continue reading...Fri, 20 Dec 2024 20:05:28 GMT
Canada’s PM races to infuse fresh blood into cabinet while New Democratic party announces withdrawal of support
Justin Trudeau has carried out a major reshuffle of his cabinet, changing a third of his senior team – even as a series of blows seemed to guarantee the end of his term as prime minister and a spring election for Canada.
The move on Friday came at the end of a disastrous week that saw the shock resignation of his deputy, calls for his resignation from within his own party and public mockery from Donald Trump.
Continue reading...Fri, 20 Dec 2024 14:00:52 GMT
Exclusive: Experts believe the alleged ‘shuttle support’ program used by Uline – a company owned by billionaires Liz and Dick Uihlein – is likely illegal and exploitative of workers
A company owned by two of Donald Trump’s top mega-donors has routinely brought dozens of its workers from Mexico to staff its warehouses in Wisconsin and other locations even though they do not appear to have permission to work in the US, according to a Guardian investigation.
Uline – a giant Wisconsin-based office and shipping supply company controlled by billionaires Liz and Dick Uihlein – shuttles in its own workers from Mexico, who are using tourist visas and visas meant for employees who are entering the US temporarily to receive professional training, known as B1 visas. But instead of being part of a dedicated training program, the Mexican employees stay for one to six months and – sources with direct knowledge of the matter allege – perform normal work in Uline’s US warehouses.
Continue reading...Fri, 20 Dec 2024 05:00:02 GMT
Scientists surprised to find so many animals unknown to science in Alto Mayo, a well-populated region
Researchers in the Alto Mayo region of north-west Peru have discovered 27 species that are new to science, including a rare amphibious mouse, a tree-climbing salamander and an unusual “blob-headed fish”. The 38-day survey recorded more than 2,000 species of wildlife and plants.
The findings are particularly surprising given the region’s high human population density, with significant pressures including deforestation and agriculture.
Continue reading...Sun, 22 Dec 2024 02:52:09 GMT
Magnitude 6.1 quake shakes country’s main island as RAAF flights carrying 144 passengers land in Brisbane and Sydney
Vanuatu has been hit by another earthquake after hundreds of Australians landed on home soil from the islands and the federal government announced a new round of financial assistance.
The latest magnitude 6.1 quake shook buildings on the country’s main island at 2.30am on Sunday after it struck 30km west of the capital, Port Vila.
Continue reading...Fri, 20 Dec 2024 14:02:37 GMT
Chinese president calls for city to ‘focus on cultivating new industries’ as he attends inauguration of new leader
China’s president, Xi Jinping, has urged the gambling hub of Macau to diversify away from casinos, as he addressed the Chinese territory at the inauguration of its new leader.
Xi was in Macau to mark the 25th anniversary of its return from Portuguese to Chinese rule on 20 December 1999. In the quarter-century since then, Macau has been run as a special administrative region of China, a semi-autonomous territory with a similar legal status to Hong Kong, but it has traditionally been much more pliant to Beijing’s rule than the former British territory. More than half of its 700,000 population have immigrated from China in recent decades.
Continue reading...Thu, 19 Dec 2024 05:00:08 GMT
Japan’s complex defence alliances built up over years as protection against China could be put at risk in a Trump-launched trade war
Arguably, no country in Asia has better reason to be in a state of anxiety over the return of Donald Trump to the White House than Japan, since the US has been the linchpin of Japanese foreign and security policy since the second world war.
Back in 2017, well before he became prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba described Trump’s method as one of “placing his counterpart in a state of anxiety and tension, creating psychological instability and then initiating a deal”.
Continue reading...Thu, 19 Dec 2024 04:55:45 GMT
Malaysians imprisoned in US prison camp agreed to testify against alleged ringleader of attacks that killed 202
Two Malaysian held in Guantánamo Bay since 2006 have been returned to Malaysia, after they pleaded guilty to charges related to the deadly 2002 Bali bombings and agreed to testify against the alleged ringleader of that and other attacks.
Mohammed Farik bin Amin and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep arrived back in Malaysia, state media reported, where they will undergo a rehabilitation process before being reintegrated into society.
Continue reading...Wed, 18 Dec 2024 23:54:26 GMT
Pio Tikoduadua tells the Guardian the Pacific is ‘not a space for missile testing’ after China’s launch earlier this year raised concern in the region
Fiji’s defence minister has stressed the need for stability in the Pacific and welcomed moves to strengthen security ties with the US, while adding to criticism over China’s recent missile test for posing a threat to peace in the region.
Fiji, a country of about 1 million people strategically located in the Pacific, maintains ties and receives support from Washington and Beijing amid a wider struggle for influence by the two powers in the region.
Continue reading...Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:20:10 GMT
Imagination Technologies had licences with two Chinese firms – but said it had not ‘implemented transactions’ that would enable the use of technology for military purposes
Chinese engineers developing chips for artificial intelligence that can be used in “advanced weapons systems” have gained access to cutting-edge UK technology, the Guardian can reveal.
Described by analysts as “China’s premier AI chip designers”, Moore Threads and Biren Technology are subject to US export restrictions over their development of chips that “can be used to provide artificial intelligence capabilities to further development of weapons of mass destruction, advanced weapons systems and hi-tech surveillance applications that create national security concerns”.
Continue reading...Sun, 22 Dec 2024 04:53:29 GMT
Opposition leader says there is now a ‘definite absolute majority’ of MPs who want Deeming to be welcomed back
Victorian Liberal MPs will vote again on whether to readmit Moira Deeming to the party room after an extraordinary backflip by state leader John Pesutto.
In a statement on Sunday, Pesutto announced that he had called a special Liberal party room meeting for 15 January, to vote on a motion moved by him to readmit the ousted MP who successfully sued him for defamation in the federal court.
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email
Continue reading...Sun, 22 Dec 2024 04:08:41 GMT
Police search for two men after 23-year-old found dead on Railway Parade in Caboolture, north of Brisbane
A manhunt is under way after a 23-year-old woman was fatally shot in south-east Queensland overnight after she was allegedly chased down a street by two men.
Queensland police believe the incident in Caboolture, a town around an hour north of Brisbane, was not a “random attack”.
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email
Continue reading...Sun, 22 Dec 2024 02:05:57 GMT
Firefighters battle to contain out-of-control blaze ahead of hotter conditions on Boxing Day
Firefighters battled to contain an out-of-control bushfire in Victoria’s west on Sunday before temperatures spike in the region on Boxing Day as rain continued to soak parts of Queensland.
The fire in Grampians national park, about three hours west of Melbourne, grew to 34,000 hectares on Sunday after it was ignited by a series of lightning strikes almost a week ago.
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email
Continue reading...Sun, 22 Dec 2024 00:14:31 GMT
Albanese government bows to pressure from Qantas and other airlines and omits compensation scheme from aviation customer rights charter
The Albanese government has bowed to pressure from Qantas and other airlines advocating against laws that would force them to pay cash compensation to passengers whose flights are delayed or cancelled.
The omission of a compensation scheme in the government’s draft aviation customer rights charter follows claims from airlines such as Qantas that compensation rules – which exist in the European Union – would force them to preempt costs and increase air fares. The charter was released on Sunday.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 04:59:55 GMT
NSW minister renews calls for action to end as people are urged to avoid non-essential travel days out from Christmas
The New South Wales transport minister is calling on rail unions to end industrial action amid hundreds of cancellations across the train network on Saturday, saying “no level of disturbance or disruption” over the new year period is “tolerable”.
But the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) said it had given “ample” notice periods of their actions to allow the trains operators to “make alternative arrangements”.
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 03:34:38 GMT
Increase in cases ‘linked to Ascot Vale’ leads health officials to warn the disease is ‘spreading geographically’
Victoria has seen a surge of cases of a flesh-eating bacteria, prompting warnings from the chief health officer to take protective measures after it spread through suburban Melbourne.
Buruli ulcer has been known to occur in Australia since the 1940s, with cases noted from Victoria to the Northern Territory and far-north Queensland.
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email
Continue reading...Sun, 22 Dec 2024 05:00:37 GMT
Women are challenging the law that prevents them giving their kids both family names without father’s consent
When 43-year-old Rebecca Lee took her birth mother’s Korean surname, it was a revelation. “I was adopted and got a Dutch name but I never felt completely Dutch,” she says. “When, a few years ago, I first went to Korea, things fell into place. You don’t just go ‘one, two, three’ and change your name, but now I feel more whole.”
The entrepreneur from Groningen split from her husband and wants to give her five-year-old daughter “Lee” as part of a double-barrelled surname – but she cannot, under a Dutch law that some women, a leftwing MP and legal experts believe is unfair.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 20:09:19 GMT
Child among five dead while 40 people remain in critical condition
Bild, German public-service broadcaster ARD and other media are reporting that four people were killed and 41 were seriously injured in the attack.
In addition, 86 people were treated with significant injuries in hospital, while 78 people suffered light injuries.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 20:03:26 GMT
Saudi national, alleged to have killed five and injured more than 200, had issued a warning on social media
A Saudi national alleged to have carried out a deadly attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg, which killed five and injured more than 200, had warned on social media that “something big will happen”.
The 50-year-old doctor is in police custody after a black BMW SUV ploughed 400 metres through a crowded market at speed, driving over some people and flinging others up into the air. A nine-year-old girl is among the dead.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 20:00:46 GMT
Prime minister announces move after meeting with parents’ groups and teachers over social media fears
Albania has announced a one-year ban on TikTok following the killing of a teenager last month that raised fears over the influence of social media on children.
Edi Rama, the prime minister, confirmed the ban, part of a broader plan to make schools safer, after meeting parents’ groups and teachers from across the country.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 17:32:32 GMT
The 72-year-old is relieved but takes ‘no satisfaction’ in seeing other families broken up, lawyer says
It took just over four years, and 67 days in court, but Gisèle Pelicot is said to feel “relieved and appeased” about the judges’ decision to convict all the men accused of raping or sexually assaulting her while she was drugged and unconscious.
After a final declaration that she “respected” the sentences handed down in Avignon, her lawyers said she was now “absolutely exhausted” and glad the marathon trial was over.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 04:40:05 GMT
Ministry says ‘historically pending matter’ is being resolved as late king’s relatives acknowledge government – but choice of surname ruffles feathers
Members of Greece’s former royal family have applied for Greek citizenship and formally acknowledged the country’s republican system of government, in a landmark move 50 years after the monarchy was abolished, officials have confirmed.
The late king Constantine II and his family members were stripped of Greek citizenship in 1994 in a dispute with the government over formerly royal property and claims that he refused to renounce any right to the Greek throne for his descendants.
Continue reading...Sun, 22 Dec 2024 01:21:13 GMT
Military says the strikes aim to ‘disrupt and degrade’ Houthi operations such as attacks against US navy warships and merchant vessels
The US military said it conducted precision airstrikes on Saturday against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility operated by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a.
In a statement, the US military’s Central Command said the strikes aimed to “disrupt and degrade Houthi operations, such as attacks against US navy warships and merchant vessels in the southern Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb and Gulf of Aden”.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 12:20:56 GMT
This live blog is now closed, you can read more coverage of the Middle East here
An article on the Israeli news site Walla, owned by the Jerusalem Post, revealed Israel has used civilian contractors to demolish buildings and build military infrastructure in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
The story, written by a journalist embedded with the IDF, describes how the Israeli military operate in the Shaboura neighbourhood on the outskirts of the Rafah refugee camp.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 03:07:24 GMT
Villagers say Israel’s forces have sown ‘fear and horror’ as they continue to expand into Syria’s territory
The Israeli military said its forces shot a protester during a demonstration against the army’s activities in a village in southern Syria on Friday, injuring him in the leg.
Since Islamist-led rebels toppled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad on 8 December Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes on Syrian military facilities in what it says is a bid to prevent them from falling into hostile hands.
Continue reading...Fri, 20 Dec 2024 19:04:50 GMT
In face-to-face meeting, Ahmed al-Sharaa gave assurances IS would not be allowed to operate in Syria, US official says
The US has lifted a $10m bounty on Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the strongest force to emerge in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, after the first face-to-face meeting between American diplomats and the HTS leadership.
Barbara Leaf, the state department’s senior diplomat for the Middle East, said Sharaa had given assurances in the meeting in Damascus that Islamic State (IS) and other terrorist groups would not be allowed to operate in Syrian territory.
Continue reading...Fri, 20 Dec 2024 18:41:52 GMT
Thirty-three of 44 current and former contract workers who paid large recruiting fees say they didn’t receive refunds after working within the company’s Saudi operations
In February, one of the world’s richest employers, Amazon, announced it had refunded nearly $2m to more than 700 overseas workers who had been forced to pay big recruiting fees to get work at the company’s warehouses in Saudi Arabia.
It was a rare win for migrant laborers, a class of vulnerable workers who are often targeted for deceptive recruiting tactics and other abuses. One Nepali laborer said he was so shocked when a refund from Amazon appeared in his bank account that he stayed up much of the night, rechecking his account balance on his phone.
Continue reading...Fri, 20 Dec 2024 16:45:29 GMT
Abdul Hamid Dabaiba says country must not be a platform for settling international scores after fall of Assad in Syria
Russia’s move to reinforce its military base in eastern Libya after the toppling of the Assad regime in Syria is facing resistance from the country’s UN-backed government.
The prime minister of the Tripoli-based government, Abdul Hamid Dabaiba, said he rejected any attempt to turn Libya into a centre for major-power conflicts, stressing that the country would not be a platform for settling international scores.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 07:26:28 GMT
The regional command at Ann would be the second regional military command to fall to ethnic rebels in five months, and a huge blow to the military
A rebel army in Myanmar said it had captured a major military headquarters in the country’s west, marking the fall of the junta’s second regional command as it faces mounting setbacks against a nationwide armed resistance movement.
The Arakan Army (AA) said the western military command in Rakhine state, which borders Bangladesh, fell on Friday after two weeks of intense fighting, according to a statement posted on Telegram late on Friday.
Continue reading...Fri, 20 Dec 2024 16:01:48 GMT
Key roads closed in Kurram, a hotbed of sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni Muslims for decades
At least 30 children have died due to drug shortages in part of north-west Pakistan after the regional government closed key roads in and out of the district in an attempt to quell an outbreak of deadly sectarian violence.
The district of Kurram, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, has been a hotbed of sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni Muslims for decades, and since July disputes over farmland have escalated.
Continue reading...Thu, 19 Dec 2024 17:00:48 GMT
Exclusive: Dan Jarvis has written to the Sikh Federation after allegations of people being stopped at UK airports
The UK will not tolerate attempts by foreign countries to harass or intimidate British citizens, the security minister has warned, after a number of Sikhs complained they were being targeted either by or on behalf of the Indian government.
Dan Jarvis has written to the Sikh Federation after reports of harassment involving British Sikhs, including people being stopped at UK airports and asked about their views on the Indian state.
Continue reading...Thu, 19 Dec 2024 16:07:31 GMT
Tulip Siddiq denies claims that she brokered corrupt deal with Russia to build nuclear power plant
Keir Starmer has given his full support to Tulip Siddiq, the Treasury minister, after Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission accused her and family members of embezzling billions as part of a deal for a nuclear power plant.
Siddiq’s role as economic secretary to the Treasury includes responsibility for tackling financial corruption. She has denied any involvement in the claims.
Continue reading...Wed, 18 Dec 2024 12:53:10 GMT
Climate-vulnerable pair add weight to proposed treaty seeking transition from coal, oil and gas in equitable way
Pakistan and the Bahamas have joined a growing bloc of climate-vulnerable countries seeking to broker a global pact to phase out fossil fuels in an equitable way, the Guardian can reveal.
The Bahamas is the 15th nation to fully endorse the proposed fossil-fuel non-proliferation treaty, which would provide a binding global roadmap to explicitly halt expansion of coal, oil and gas in a fair way – with wealthy nations responsible for the highest emissions transitioning first and fastest.
Continue reading...Tue, 17 Dec 2024 04:07:41 GMT
Teenager receives raucous reception after defeating China’s Ding Liren in tense 14-game series
Indian chess star Gukesh Dommaraju returned to a hero’s welcome in his home city on Monday after becoming the youngest world champion aged only 18.
Hundreds of fans crowded the arrivals area of Chennai airport, cheering alongside banks of television cameras as Gukesh made his way out of the airport after victory in taking the World Chess Championship title.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 23:35:03 GMT
Plan for pregnant royal go overseas for festive period scrapped after doctors advise against travel
Princess Beatrice will be joining the royal family at Sandringham this Christmas after changing her travel plans due to medical advice, it is understood.
Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, are expecting their second child in early spring and were planning on spending the festive period overseas with his parents.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 22:29:42 GMT
Travellers urged to allow more time for journeys amid ‘perfect storm’ of festive season and bad weather
Some flights and ferries were cancelled on Saturday amid a “perfect storm” of the Christmas getaway and bad weather.
The disruption has been caused by strong gusts after the Met Office announced yellow warnings for parts of the country.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 22:26:48 GMT
Mark Burnett, who also created Survivor, Shark Tank and The Voice, lacks diplomatic and foreign policy experience
Donald Trump has appointed Mark Burnett, a British television producer who helped produce Trump’s show The Apprentice, as the US’s special envoy to the UK.
In an announcement on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump hailed 64-year-old Burnett, saying: “With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role.”
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 22:05:36 GMT
Dawn of shortest day of year welcomed with drumming, chanting and singing at neolithic monument in Wiltshire
Thousands of people greeted the dawn with cheers and applause at Stonehenge on Saturday as they marked the winter solstice.
Those who observed the spectacle at the neolithic monument in Wiltshire encountered a windy morning as they marked the shortest day of the year.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 19:56:56 GMT
Singer says successful operation is ‘best Christmas present I could’ve wished for’
Max George, a member of the boyband the Wanted, has revealed he has had a pacemaker fitted after an operation to address a 2:1 heart block.
George, 36, who announced he had been taken to hospital due to “issues with my heart” earlier in the month, said the pacemaker was “the best Christmas present”.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 19:35:14 GMT
Nigel Farage’s party is building on the unpopularity of the government and is set to challenge it in next year’s polls
For many Labour and MPs and party officials, it was a nightmarish image that encapsulated the forces buffeting politics across the west.
A gleeful Nigel Farage standing next to Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, having discussed the possibility of a political donation big enough to bankroll any British party, with cash to spare.
Continue reading...Sun, 22 Dec 2024 00:06:39 GMT
Trump, who is married to Donald Trump’s son Eric, co-chaired Republican National Committee in 2024 election
Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of Donald Trump, said on Saturday she had removed her name from consideration to replace the outgoing US senator Marco Rubio.
Rubio has been tapped by Trump to serve as secretary of state. The Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, will pick a replacement for Rubio, who is expected to resign as senator when Trump takes office on 20 January.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 17:07:39 GMT
Average price of eggs rose nearly 30 cents since October, with egg production down 4% from prior year
The accelerating spread of bird flu through US poultry flocks is pushing the price of eggs to highs rivaling or exceeding the cost in December 2022 at the height of the post-pandemic inflation scare.
The average cost of a dozen Grade A large eggs was $3.65 in November, up from $3.37 in October, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week, up from $2.50 at the start of the year, as farmers battle with a fatal strain of H5N1 that continues to disrupt the US egg supply.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 17:00:22 GMT
Interest in the United Healthcare CEO shooting suspect’s background underscores research that the media covers white and Black perpetrators differently
Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old who allegedly shot and killed the United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has received an avalanche of media attention as people attempt to understand what may have driven him to commit such a violent crime.
Since Mangione’s arrest, news reports have attempted to piece together his supposed motivations, with some suggesting that a back injury – and his resulting inability to have intercourse – fueled his alleged resentment against the healthcare industry. Other reports have painted Mangione as a recluse who rejected his affluent upbringing, openly speculating on the “baffling journey” of a “star student”.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 16:31:37 GMT
Measure averting government shutdown did not include demand by Trump to raise debt ceiling
The US Senate has approved a stop-gap funding measure to avert a government shutdown shortly after a midnight deadline with a bill that defied Donald Trump’s demand for a debt-limit suspension. The legislation was signed by Joe Biden on Saturday morning, the White House confirmed.
The Senate passed the bill in an 85-11 vote, hours after an overwhelmingly bipartisan 366-34 vote in the House. It was passed 38 minutes after the deadline but the government did not invoke shutdown procedures in the interim.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 15:00:21 GMT
Musk’s role in government shutdown drama could be a preview of role he plays for incoming president next year
Donald Trump’s relationship with Elon Musk is showing no signs of fraying, even after at times he appeared to eclipse the president-elect’s influence as he bullied House Republicans into paring down their bipartisan spending deal to avert a government shutdown with just hours to spare.
The move by Musk to detonate the political equivalent of a nuclear bomb – by demanding that Republicans sink the deal or face a primary challenge – was viewed as a test run of the kind of role Musk might play to pressure Congress once Trump takes office, people familiar with the matter said.
Continue reading...Sat, 21 Dec 2024 14:18:07 GMT
Investigation by Senate Democrats found that Thomas accepted gifts and travel worth more than $4.75m since 1991
A nearly two-year investigation by Democratic senators of supreme court ethics details more luxury travel by Justice Clarence Thomas and urges Congress to establish a way to enforce a new code of conduct.
Any movement on the issue appears unlikely as Republicans prepare to take control of the Senate in January, underscoring the hurdles in imposing restrictions on a separate branch of government even as public confidence in the court has fallen to record lows.
Continue reading...