Lewes rail line to reopen in September as work under way to remove train

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is leading recovery efforts in Venezuela following a series of earthquakes and floods. • OCHA is currently coordinating support across 80 local and international organizations, working alongside government authorities to provide relief.

The country risks ‘the collapse of the entire book ecosystem’ following destruction of warehouses in July and August, say Ukrainian publishersThe Ukrainian Book Institute has called on the international publishing community to support Ukrainian publishers after Russian attacks in July and early August destroyed about 10m books and a significant share of the country’s book production capacity.The institute said the attacks on publishing, printing and warehouse infrastructure had left some companies at risk of financial collapse. A major attack on 1 August hit warehouses belonging to the RNK-Ranok publishing group in Kharkiv, destroying approximately 8m books, following July attacks in Kyiv which led to the loss of more than 1.5m books. In all, the recent attacks have led to the destruction of approximately 30% of the volume of books produced annually in Ukraine. Continue reading...

Max Lederer, longtime head of the US military news outlet, says his ‘philosophy of leadership’ differs from defense’sThe long-serving publisher of the Stars and Stripes could face an early dismissal just days after the taxpayer-funded military news outlet’s reporting revealed deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, according to a news report.Pentagon officials have discussed firing Max Lederer ahead of his scheduled retirement next month, according to CBS News, which quoted anonymous sources. Lederer, the publisher of the military daily for 19 years, had previously cited fundamental differences with the Trump administration for his decision to retire soon. Continue reading...

The enormous US debt under Trump will hobble the next Democratic administration – just as the GOP plannedYou could pin the US’s staggering $40tn in government debt to Donald Trump’s Keystone Cops-style governance. Tariffs he sold as a new source of revenue were struck down by the supreme court, forcing the government to return tens of billions of dollars to importers. Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” (Doge), ostensibly created to stop wasteful government spending, decimated federal programs and likely killed millions of children, but did nothing to close the budget deficit. The burst of inflation following Trump’s misguided adventure in Iran sharply raised the cost of serving the government’s obligations.Yet as the federal debt hits an all-time high, up from about $35tn when Trump took office less than two years ago, it is worth noting that the US’s gargantuan indebtedness is in fact the product of a longstanding Republican strategy that took shape well before Trump could even dream about gold-plating the White House. It was called “starve the beast”. Continue reading...

Family relationships remain damaged and there is no clarity on how Sussexes’ security concerns have been resolvedJust as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departure from the UK six years ago came as a complete surprise, so too is their shock announcement they now intend to return.Their unilateral decision could fairly be said to have blind-sided the royals. King Charles was only informed on Sunday and is said not to have been involved in the decision making. No mention was made when Harry, Meghan and their two children visited Charles at his private home at Highgrove last month. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Federal government notified after whistleblower says controllers have ‘minimal confidence in their ability to handle’ rule changes related to second airportGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAir traffic controllers at Sydney airport have warned federal safety regulators they have “grave concerns” about changes to airspace rules introduced last month, likening the situation to the months leading up to a crash in Washington DC in which 67 people died.Guardian Australia can reveal the federal government was notified on Thursday of a confidential complaint considered by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), in which an experienced air traffic controller warned in June that changes related to the new Western Sydney International airport had been rushed, with “inadequate training for controllers, of all experience levels”. Continue reading...

Tenants can be evicted for not paying utilities even if they have paid rent – tenants and their allies are fighting backThis story was supported and co-published by the journalism non-profit the Economic Hardship Reporting ProjectIn 2024, Constance Soule got a surprise from her landlord: a “notice of termination” that gave her 10 days to move out of her apartment.Soule, a disabled Alzheimer’s patient with a housing voucher, had paid her rent at a Larkspur, California complex managed by Greystar, the country’s largest apartment manager. But she was about to be evicted from her home across from the Golden Gate Bridge solely over utility charges, court documents show. Continue reading...

Trade body says local chains would have to balance concerns with potential benefits provided by AI-enabled technologyCinemas across the UK are considering banning customers from wearing Meta’s smart glasses, amid fears they could be used to pirate films.The UK Cinema Association (UKCA) trade body said that a number of local chains could end up introducing policies that restrict camera-enabled smart glasses at the big screen, adding to a growing list of venues concerned about covert use. Continue reading...

Administration’s plan to scrap drilling-free buffer zone around New Mexico site prompts scrutiny from UnescoThe Trump administration’s push to expand oil and gas extraction across the US is set to bring drilling near cherished natural and cultural sites, raising alarm among conservationists and prompting questions from the UN’s heritage body.Unesco said it has received information on the administration’s plan to scrap a drilling-free buffer zone around Chaco Culture national historical park in New Mexico, a world heritage site and one of the most important cultural areas in the US. A Unesco spokesperson said it has procedures regarding “potential threats” to a world heritage property and was awaiting a response from the federal government as to its impact. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Bridget Phillipson says politicians have helped fuel hatred and that police are not taking violence against women and girls seriously enoughUK politics live – latest updatesRacism and sexism have become normalised in Britain, the equalities minister has said, as she warned that young men were being sucked into violent misogyny by the “cesspit” of social media.Bridget Phillipson said she was increasingly worried about how commonplace misogyny and racism had become, fuelled by online interactions and statements by politicians she said would not have been acceptable a few years ago. Continue reading...

Avenal has been rocked by the council’s refusal to accept the results of a recall election – and the repercussions extend far beyond the Central ValleyFrom the outside, the city of Avenal appears to embody every bit of its motto – an “oasis in the sun”. Approaching the community, passing through the dusty yellow hillsides of the Central Valley, Avenal emerges with a sudden burst of green on the horizon.Its small-town feel and quiet tree-lined streets offer respite from the bustling Interstate 5 some five miles away. But trouble is brewing here that has brought this lonesome city national attention. Continue reading...