âEvery tree used to be blanketed with themâ: photographer captures campaign to save monarch butterfly
Climate change and pesticides have combined to pose a deadly threat to the vivid species. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards celebrate the fightback Jaime Rojo has been following the fate of the monarch butterfly for more than 20 years. In the process the Spanish photographer has watched one of the planetâs most colourful, flamboyant insect species succumb to the combined onslaught of habitat destruction, climate change, pesticides, drought and wildfires. Its population has crashed in the process. It is a dramatic, disturbing story that will be recognised next month when Rojo is given a highly commended award for his photojournalism at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London. Continue reading...
Harrods must reveal all NDAs signed by Mohamed Al Fayedâs victims, say lawyers
As store confirms non-disclosure agreements will be waived, investigation continues into full extent of the late ownerâs abuse Lawyers acting for women attacked by Mohamed Al Fayed say Harrods must reveal how many people were silenced by non-disclosure agreements after its new owners pledged not to enforce any signed during his ownership. Fayed covered up his sexual abuse by intimidating victims into signing NDAs in exchange for money, as well as taking libel action against media outlets that tried to expose him. Continue reading...
Middle East crisis live: Israel continues bombardment of Lebanon as Hezbollah mourns leaderâs death
More than 1,000 people killed in Lebanon and one million displaced by Israeli strikes, Lebanese minister says China says it is âdeeply concernedâ and is âclosely followingâ soaring tensions in the Middle East, after Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in strikes on Lebanon. âChina is closely following this incident and deeply concerned about the escalation of tensions in the region,â Beijingâs foreign ministry said in a statement. The ministry urged âall parties, particularly Israel, to take immediate steps to cool down the situation.â The ministry said it opposes any violation of Lebanonâs sovereignty. Continue reading...
Cabinet ministers call for Jonathan Ashworth role at 10 Downing Street after weeks of infighting
Senior party figures want the former Leicester MP to be given key post after party squanders electoral honeymoon over rivalry and free gifts row Cabinet ministers are demanding a rapid shake-up of Keir Starmerâs Downing Street operation, which they say has failed to spot obvious political banana skins, indulged in weeks of post-election infighting and been unable to promote a sufficiently positive story of Labourâs mission in government. Some senior figures in Starmerâs team want the prime minister to bring in Jonathan Ashworth, the former frontbencher who was a regular and, many believe, effective media performer during the general election campaign, to beef up the team and give it a sharper political edge. Continue reading...
More than 100 killed and 64 missing as flooding and landslides hit Nepal
Officials expect death toll to rise as flood waters inundate Kathmandu after highest rainfall since 1970 Flooding and landslides caused by continuous rainfall have killed at least 101 people in Nepal while 64 people are missing, officials have said. Rain began pouring down on Friday night and continued into Saturday, with low-lying neighbourhoods in Nepalâs capital, Kathmandu, inundated by surging floodwaters. âThe death toll has reached 101, and 64 people are missing,â police spokesperson Dan Bahadur Karki told AFP early on Sunday. Continue reading...
Qantas engineers warn of âflight disruptionsâ in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane as they walk off job over pay
But the national carrier says contingencies are in place to prevent traveller chaos in capital cities on Monday morning Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast More than 1,000 Qantas engineers across Australia will walk off the job in industrial action they claim could kick the week off with peak-hour travel chaos, but the airline says it has contingencies in place and is not expecting any disruptions to travel. Flights between 7am and 9am across three timezones on Monday morning are set to be affected in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Sign up for Guardian Australiaâs breaking news email Continue reading...
Queensland LNP promise voters âcheaper GP visitsâ but Miles government calls it ânonsenseâ
The stateâs shadow treasurer, David Janetzki, says general practitioners would be exempt from payroll tax with David Crisafulli as premier Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Queenslandâs opposition claims visits to the doctor would be cheaper under an LNP government, but Labor said they havenât explained how they will pay to make GPs exempt from payroll tax. The shadow treasurer, David Janetzki, announced on Sunday that the party would make general practitioners a special category under the payroll tax act. Sign up for Guardian Australiaâs breaking news email Continue reading...