North Carolina land trust saves 200 acres at Tuckertown; 3,800 more remain at risk of development
Times of India •

North Carolina land trust saves 200 acres at Tuckertown; 3,800 more remain at risk of development

With its first significant purchase in the Save Tuckertown campaign, the Three Rivers Land Trust has acquired 200 acres to safeguard public access near Tuckertown Reservoir, much to the delight of outdoor lovers. This endeavour was made possible through contributions from over 1,400 supporters and outdoor industry partners. Nevertheless, nearly 3,800 acres remain vulnerable, highlighting the trust...

Andy Burnham expected to say he will push ahead with electoral reform plans
The Guardian •

Andy Burnham expected to say he will push ahead with electoral reform plans

Exclusive: Labour conference speech will kick off process that could replace current system with proportional representationUK politics live – latest updatesAndy Burnham is expected to announce that he will push ahead with plans for electoral reform in his first conference speech as Labour leader, in the latest sign that he intends to radically transform the UK’s political system.The prime ministe...

Pokimane explains how her cat Mimi died after balcony fall and addresses online criticism
Times of India •

Pokimane explains how her cat Mimi died after balcony fall and addresses online criticism

In a heartbreaking revelation, Twitch streamer Pokimane opened up about the tragic accident leading to her cat Mimi's death. The unfortunate incident occurred when Mimi fell from a balcony due to an open screen door, a security measure not available in her new residence. While live-streaming, Pokimane received the devastating news after rushing to the vet. In the aftermath, she addressed criticism...

Campaigners welcome Miliband’s claim Palestine Action ban not meant to criminalise ‘grannies’ – UK politics live

Campaigners welcome Miliband’s claim Palestine Action ban not meant to criminalise ‘grannies’ – UK politics live

The Guardian •

Defend Our Juries welcomes ‘honesty’ from foreign secretary and says his remarks will help in its legal challengeBurnham promises to roll back privatisation with government-backed grid planAngela Rayner, the housing secretary, has apparently confirmed that Andy Burnham will float the prospect of getting rid of the pensions triple lock to help fund the creation of an NHS-style care service.Asked ab...

Mahathir ‘lonely’ as family and Malaysia mourn Siti Hasmah

Mahathir ‘lonely’ as family and Malaysia mourn Siti Hasmah

SCMP •

As Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, wife of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, was laid to rest on Monday, one poignant image stood out. Footage of her family members sobbing served as a reminder that before the 100-year-old was “Ibu Negara” (Mother of the Nation), she was first a mother of seven, grandmother to 18 and great-grandmother to four. Her latest great-grandchild, Eden Zakaria, wa...

Danger zone: why war in the Middle East has landed the RBA’s inflation fight in tricky territory

Danger zone: why war in the Middle East has landed the RBA’s inflation fight in tricky territory

The Guardian •

The Reserve Bank appears ready to push harder against inflation but it comes with a greater risk for the economyThe fight against inflation has entered a new, more dangerous phase.For years, the Reserve Bank has been attempting, as gently as possible, to steer inflation back to its 2.5% target while trying to retain as many of the post-pandemic job gains as possible. Continue reading...

OpenAI scraps release of its latest AI model over safety concerns

OpenAI scraps release of its latest AI model over safety concerns

France 24 •

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has decided to cancel the release of its latest agentic model Astra 6.1 because it did not meet safety standards. Rival AI firm Anthropic, meanwhile, is dedicating a large majority of its IPO prospectus to laying out the risk factors associated with AI, according to Reuters. Also in this edition: Russia adds another layer of secrecy to its energy sector and NASA...

Police dog’s heatstroke death prompts criminal investigation in Tennessee

Police dog’s heatstroke death prompts criminal investigation in Tennessee

The Guardian •

Dog’s handler resigned from sheriff’s office after it emerged Bart had died due to severe dehydration in nearly 101F heatThe recent death of a Tennessee sheriff’s office dog after being left in an outdoor kennel without water for a day and a half in excessive heat has prompted the animal’s handler to resign amid administrative and criminal investigations, according to authorities.Bart had been a p...

Death of Tenessee sheriff’s office canine leads to criminal investigation

Death of Tenessee sheriff’s office canine leads to criminal investigation

The Guardian •

Patrol dog’s handler resigned after it emerged Bart had died of heatstroke due to severe dehydration in nearly 101F heatThe recent death of a Tennessee sheriff’s office dog after being left in an outdoor kennel without water for a day and a half in excessive heat has prompted the animal’s handler to resign amid administrative and criminal investigations, according to authorities.Bart had been a pa...

AstraZeneca, Merck, Novo deals boost Chinese biotech as global interest grows

AstraZeneca, Merck, Novo deals boost Chinese biotech as global interest grows

SCMP •

Shares of Akeso surged after British drug maker AstraZeneca moved to advance the Chinese biotech firm’s flagship cancer drug, while a new deal from US giant Merck further underscored the sector’s global momentum amid easing fears of US curbs. AstraZeneca on Tuesday announced a US$2 billion equity investment in Florida-headquartered Summit Therapeutics, which holds the exclusive rights to develop a...

Estonia says arson attack on robotics firm ‘consistent with other acts of sabotage carried out on behalf of Russia’ - Europe live

Estonia says arson attack on robotics firm ‘consistent with other acts of sabotage carried out on behalf of Russia’ - Europe live

The Guardian •

Foreign minister summons Russia’s chargé d’affaires over attack on Milrem Robotics as security agency says incident was ‘deliberate and pre-planned’Rutte begins by recalling a drone shot down in Lithuanian airspace by Nato fighter jets two weeks ago.He says “the repeated drone incidents along our eastern flank showed the evolving nature of the threat, and we are strengthening our integrated air an...

RaKai denies Reggie’s childhood abuse allegations and breaks silence on the viral controversy

RaKai denies Reggie’s childhood abuse allegations and breaks silence on the viral controversy

Times of India •

In a recent livestream, streamer RaKai vehemently denied allegations of childhood abuse made by fellow streamer Reggie. RaKai stated he has never experienced inappropriate touching or abuse during his formative years. While expressing solidarity for Reggie amid his emotional claims, RaKai reassured his fans about his mental well-being. This unfolding situation has sparked significant online discus...

Campaigners claim Miliband saying Palestine Action ban not meant to criminalise ‘grannies’ will help legal challenge – UK politics live

Campaigners claim Miliband saying Palestine Action ban not meant to criminalise ‘grannies’ will help legal challenge – UK politics live

The Guardian •

Defend Our Juries welcomes ‘honesty’ from foreign secretary who has said ban was not intended to criminalise ‘elderly people, vicars and grannies’Burnham promises to roll back privatisation with government-backed grid planHaroon Siddique is the Guardian’s legal affairs correspondent.Ed Miliband has said it was never anyone’s intent to criminalise “elderly people, vicars and grannies” who have been...

Estonia says arson attack on robotics firm ‘consistent with other acts of sabotage carried out in Europe on behalf of Russia’ - Europe live

Estonia says arson attack on robotics firm ‘consistent with other acts of sabotage carried out in Europe on behalf of Russia’ - Europe live

The Guardian •

Foreign minister summons Russia’s chargé d’affaires over attack on Milrem Robotics as security agency says incident was ‘deliberate and pre-planned’It will be interesting to see if Nato’s Mark Rutte or Lithuania’s Mindaugas Sinkevičius choose to comment on the latest from Ukraine and Estonia.They should be up for their press conference soon. Continue reading...

It’s the end of the world – and I don’t feel fine

It’s the end of the world – and I don’t feel fine

SCMP •

Armageddon is what will happen when billionaires, or even trillionaires, are given free rein. Could this be the final outcome of late-stage American capitalism and democracy? Imagine a human-extinction event: a rogue artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, a new world war or runaway climate change. You likely already have a fair idea of where the safest places on earth and beyond are, if you have...