Standing

Fires that spread during drought in Georgia and Florida have blanketed cities hundreds of miles away in smokeSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxWildfires tearing through the south have forced hundreds of Georgia residents to flee in minutes, leaving them distraught about the homes and animals they left behind.The fires that spread this week during an extreme drought in Georgia and Florida have blanketed cities hundreds of miles away in smoke, leading to more air quality warnings Thursday across the southeast. Continue reading...

Islamabad has seized chance to act as mediator in Iran war and hopes to reap diplomatic and economic benefitsMiddle East crisis – live updatesAs Pakistan works frantically to narrow differences between Iran and the US in its newfound role as global peacemaker, it is also seeking to recast its diplomatic standing and attract business.Pakistani officials, mediating between an unpredictable US president and hardliners in Tehran, were on Monday trying to coax both sides to put the conditions in place for a second round of talks in Islamabad this week, including easing the standoff in the strait of Hormuz. Pakistan was optimistic that the meeting would happen, viewing objections voiced by the Iranian side and Donald Trump’s threats as posturing for domestic audiences. Continue reading...

Flamengo footballer previously accused pop star’s security of aggressive behavior to his 11-year-old stepdaughterThe Chappell Roan security incident raises a bigger question: what do celebrities owe their fans?The Flamengo footballer Jorginho has clarified his comments on last month’s incident between his 11-year-old stepdaughter and a security guard in Brazil, calling his previous claims against Chappell Roan “a misunderstanding”.“I made my initial statement in the heat of the moment, after hearing that my child and wife had been approached by an adult male security guard in an intimidating way,” Jorginho wrote on Instagram. “I reacted as any father would. My priority is, and always will be, protecting my family, and that is exactly what I did.” Continue reading...

The actor whose husband is charged with child sexual abuse says she believes ‘his side of the story’ is ‘the truth’ Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxMelissa Gilbert contends she is “neither naive nor … complicit” having married and deciding to stand by her fellow actor Timothy Busfield amid numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, saying she exclusively has “heard his side of the story” and that it is “the truth”.“I know this man in my bones,” the former Little House on the Prairie cast member remarked in an interview on Monday’s edition of Good Morning America. “No one knows him better than I do.” Continue reading...

• Scientists warn that rapid advances in artificial intelligence and neurotechnology are advancing faster than our scientific understanding of consciousness, creating serious ethical risks. • The acceleration of AI capabilities and brain-computer interface technologies raises urgent questions about the nature of consciousness and ethical implications. • Researchers emphasize the need for parallel development of ethical frameworks to accompany technological progress.

PM’s deadline to establish the biggest gun buyback in 30 years passes with half of the nation’s governments refusing to joinGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal government has accused state and territory leaders who refuse to sign up to its proposed national gun buy back scheme, of “standing in the way” of efforts to get dangerous weapons off Australian streets.Anthony Albanese’s end of March deadline to establish the biggest gun buyback in 30 years has now passed with half of the nation’s governments refusing to join. There is no timeline for the buyback, announced in the weeks after the Bondi terror attack, and it remains unclear how costs will be split. Continue reading...

• Researchers made a major breakthrough in solving the mystery of static electricity, explaining how it causes hair to stand on end and related phenomena. • The findings elucidate the physics behind volcanic lightning and other electrostatic events, providing new insights into charge separation mechanisms. • This peer-reviewed discovery advances fundamental physics knowledge with potential applications in materials science and atmospheric studies.