Trump’s interior secretary dismisses calls to identify donors for ‘nonpartisan’ concert series

• UN Assistant Secretary-General Mohamed Khaled Khiari warned the Security Council on Monday that recent deadly drone and missile attacks in Ukraine signal a "dangerous cycle of escalation" in the ongoing war. • Edem Wosornu, crisis response director at OCHA, emphasized that the decisions made by the Council are critical and will directly determine whether lives are saved or lost.

• U.S. officials, including JD Vance, met with representatives from Iran, Pakistan, and Qatar at a Swiss resort for a first round of talks to end the current conflict. • Iran reaffirmed its commitment to not procure or develop nuclear weapons, a primary catalyst for the attacks initiated by Donald Trump.

• Vice President JD Vance announced on Monday that high-level talks in Switzerland between the U.S. and Iran have established a "good foundation" for a deal to end the war. • As a key outcome of the marathon negotiations, Tehran has agreed to allow United Nations nuclear inspectors to return to the country.

• JD Vance stated that recent discussions with Iranian officials in Switzerland have established a "good foundation" for a potential deal to end the ongoing war. • The talks represent a diplomatic effort to stabilize regional tensions through direct engagement between the U.S. and Iran.

UK regulator has increased its scrutiny of fashion retailers over potentially misleading environmental statementsAds for Calvin Klein, Adidas and Uniqlo promoting “recycled” clothing and shoes have been banned by the UK watchdog after the advertisers were unable to prove their green claims.Each of the fashion companies ran paid-for Google ads, with Adidas promoting “recycled running shoes”, Calvin Klein “recycled” tops for women, and Uniqlo advertised fleece coats and jackets made from “recycled materials”. Continue reading...

However, Imperial College team also find that pollution has worse health impact than previously understoodDeaths linked to air pollution fell by an estimated 40% in London over the five years from 2019, according to new analysis.The city’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, welcomed what he called “overwhelming evidence” that his ultra-low emission zone was saving lives. Continue reading...

Climate Change Committee chair Nigel Topping says U-turns damage investor confidence and disrupt businessesWeakening the UK’s net zero policy would disrupt business and damage the economy, the UK’s chief climate adviser has warned.Nigel Topping, chair of the Climate Change Committee (CCC), said: “The U-turns are really damaging to inward investor confidence. If we really want to grow the economy, then investing and getting good at building stuff is essential.” Continue reading...

Decision is one of Makerfield MP’s most significant since his Westminster return as he builds his team for governmentAndy Burnham has chosen his Blairite former colleague James Purnell as his chief of staff, the Guardian understands, as he begins to finalise his team for government.The Makerfield MP has picked his former cabinet colleague to be his right-hand man in Downing Street, in one of the most significant decisions he has made since returning to Westminster. Continue reading...

Airbus to inspect 15 Emirates and one Qantas plane after cracks found in structural wing beam of some jetsAirbus will inspect 16 A380 planes, five of them immediately, after cracks were found in a key wing component on aircraft used by the Emirates and Qantas airlines.The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has ordered urgent inspections requiring airlines to examine the wing-spar structure on the affected jets after inspectors found cracks during routine maintenance checks. Continue reading...

Customers report having to use cash at stores such as Tesco and to buy drinks due to outage at payments processor WorldPayShoppers reported problems with making card payments at British pubs and supermarkets on Tuesday after a power outage affected one of the world’s largest payment processing platforms.Customers said contactless payments were not working at a number of stores including Tesco branches at a time when football fans were watching the World Cup group game between England and Ghana at pubs, screenings and restaurants. Continue reading...

Review shows majority of procedures offered alongside standard IVF not backed by reliable evidence Most IVF “add-on” treatments sold to people hoping to boost their chances of having children are not backed by reliable evidence, fail to boost fertility and may be a complete waste of money, the largest study of its kind has concluded.There has been a surge in extra procedures, medicines or techniques offered to patients in addition to standard IVF with bold claims they will increase the probability of success. Take-up is widespread, with more than 70% of IVF patients in the UK, Australia and New Zealand paying for one or more add-on during IVF treatment.Acupuncture – inserting thin needles into points on the body.Corticosteroids – medication to reduce inflammation and suppress immune system activity.Endometrial receptivity testing – a biopsy of the uterine lining to assess gene expression patterns.Intralipid infusion – a liquid containing fats that is administered into the blood.Intraovarian injection of platelet-rich plasma – injecting platelet-rich plasma into the ovaries.Intrauterine infusion of platelet-rich plasma – insertion of platelet-rich plasma into the uterus.Pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy – a screening test to check whether embryos have the expected number of chromosomes.EmbryoGlue – an embryo transfer medium containing hyaluronic acid. The evidence review found it may increase the probability of pregnancy and live birth; however, the effect on live birthrates was not robust.Endometrial scratching – a minor procedure undertaken to scratch or disturb the lining of the uterus. The review found this may increase the probability of pregnancy and live birth.Physiological intracytoplasmic sperm injection (PICSI) – a technique used to select sperm based on their ability to bind to hyaluronic acid. There was weak evidence this may lower the risk of miscarriage. Continue reading...

Curtin University researchers use innovative techniques to date three-billion-year-old impact crater in Pilbara regionA meteorite that struck Earth three billion years ago left behind a “smoking gun” – evidence of the world’s oldest impact crater in a remote part of Australia.Ancient rocks in Western Australia’s Pilbara region record the event, which occurred during the Archean eon, a period 4 to 2.5 billion years ago, when tectonic plates were beginning to form and early life emerging. Continue reading...