Australian billionaire Brett Blundy wages high-stakes campaign to oust chair of Victoria’s Secret

• The UAE is positioning its energy transformation as a global model for balancing economic growth with long-term environmental sustainability. • The strategy focuses on reconciling the urgent need for energy security with accelerated climate action to meet international goals.

• The United States launched a second consecutive day of military strikes against Iran, following Donald Trump's vow to "hit them hard again" after accusing Tehran negotiators of deception. • Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baqaei, stated that these attacks have jeopardized ongoing ceasefire negotiations and accused Washington of undermining diplomatic efforts.

• The US and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on April 8 following weeks of intense conflict and retaliatory attacks. • The agreement aims to halt hostilities and initiate protracted negotiations between the two nations.

Analysis pinpoints areas most vulnerable to hotter, drier weather causing ground to shrink and drag foundations downMillions of homes are at risk from climate-related subsidence, according toan analysis by the British Geological Survey (BGS).As hotter, drier summers driven by global heating become more frequent, the ground under houses can shrink and drag down a property’s foundations. The most vulnerable areas include London, Essex, Kent and a tranche of land from Oxford up to the Wash on England’s east coast, according to scientists, who say mitigation measures will be needed. Continue reading...

Whistleblowers from Mitie allege some employees have made offensive remarks or liked abusive social media postsOne of the government’s key contractors has launched an investigation into allegations of racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia and hate speech among staff working in immigration removal centres, the Guardian has learned.Whistleblowers from the company, Mitie, have alleged that some staff members working in immigration removal centres and deporting migrants have made offensive comments at work and in social media posts. Continue reading...

Under US rules, even a distant strike can suspend a game – and some will take place in Florida, the thunderstorm stateHot weather will be a major concern at the World Cup, but lightning may also prove a particular problem. Under US safety regulations, a strike within 10 miles (16km) of a stadium triggers a 30-minute suspension of the game, during which players must leave the pitch.The size of the safety zone was dictated by research on the distance that lightning can strike from a storm even with no clouds overhead. This is more than a theoretical risk. During a game in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1998, an entire team was killed by a single bolt of lightning. There have been many other deadly incidents. Continue reading...

Politicians, social media and far-right agitators convinced people that migrant-targeting violence would solve all their problemsWithin minutes of the footage going online – of a Black man stabbing a white man – there was a sense of inexorability to what came next in Northern Ireland.The grievances, the social media platforms, the politicians’ doublespeak and the international cheerleaders all provided a fuse. On Monday night came the spark. Continue reading...

US launches second round of airstrikes on Iran, and Tehran responds by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and JordanUS strikes Iran for second day, as ceasefire appears close to collapseWelcome to our live coverage of the conflict in the Middle East.The US has launched a second round of airstrikes, after Donald Trump warned that Tehran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations, and Iran responded with strikes targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.US Central Command said it had “completed” its latest round of airstrikes just before sunrise in Iran. It said the strikes targeted “Iranian military surveillance capabilities, communication systems and air defense sites,” and were carried out by the US air force, Marines and Navy.The sounds of explosions echoed around Tehran, the port city of Bandar Abbas and other southern areas along the strait of Hormuz.Iran responded by launching strikes on Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.Kuwait closed its airspace as its air defences fought off the attack. Kuwait’s directorate general of civil aviation said flights were being diverted to other airports, without elaborating.Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had fired ballistic missiles at a US command centre in Jordan, according to state media.Iran’s UN envoy said the US should refrain from threats of force if it wants a deal.Israel early on Thursday warned residents in the north to seek shelter after the detection of suspected incoming fire from Lebanon.The international benchmark for crude oil traded above $93 a barrel on Wednesday, up more than 25% since the start of the war. Continue reading...

Orijol Rukaj was on pallbearer duties when he evaded corrections staff – and has been on the run for the six weeks sinceFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPolice say it was a busy funeral – with about 300 people gathering at a Melbourne cemetery on Anzac Day to farewell the brother of Orijol Rukaj.Before assuming his duties as a pallbearer, Rukaj was escorted to the Keilor East service by corrections staff. But corrections staff didn’t bring him back to prison. Continue reading...

The UCL study also found physically punished children were more likely to struggle in schoolChildren smacked by their parents struggle to get good exam results and are more likely to bully others, causing a negative impact on society, according to new research calling for smacking to be banned.The study by University College London (UCL) found that children in England who were physically punished at the ages of three, five and seven were significantly less likely to pass GCSE exams compared with other children, even after factors such as family background were taken into account. Continue reading...

Director of Picnic at Hanging Rock and Gallipoli celebrated for defining Australian culture and ‘global influence on craft, form and storytelling’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPeter Weir, the director of Dead Poets Society, The Truman Show, Picnic at Hanging Rock and Gallipoli, was presented with the inaugural lifetime achievement award from the Australian Film Television and Radio School on Wednesday night.At an event hosted by Sydney film festival, the AFTRS council chair, Rachel Perkins, called the now-retired 81-year-old director and screenwriter “the greatest film-maker this country has produced”. Continue reading...