News- UK

Ocean acidification can cause mass extinctions, fossils reveal Carbon emissions make sea more acidic, which wiped out 75% of marine species 66m years agoOcean acidification can cause the mass extinction of marine life, fossil evidence from 66m years ago has revealed.A key impact of today’s climate crisis is that seas are again getting more acidic, as they absorb carbon emissions from the burning of coal, oil and gas. Scientists said the latest research is a warning that humanity is risking potential “ecological collapse” in the oceans, which produce half the oxygen we breathe. Continue reading... Go to Source

Facebook discloses operations by Russia and Iran to meddle in 2020 election The company confirmed it had dismantled the four accounts and announced initiatives to prevent foreign interference in US campaignsFacebook on Monday disclosed it had taken down four new foreign interference operations originating from Iran and Russia, including one targeting the US 2020 presidential elections that appears to be linked to the Russian troll agency, the Internet Research Agency (IRA).The suspected IRA campaign “had the hallmarks of a well-resourced operation that took consistent operational security steps to conceal their identity and location”, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s head of cybersecurity policy, said in a blogpost. Continue reading... Go to Source

Electric cars to get green number plates under government plan Plates will mean perks such as free parking as part of scheme to push zero-emission vehiclesGreen coloured number plates will be issued for electric cars under government plans to encourage drivers to buy zero-emission vehicles.The government said the new licence plates would make the least polluting cars easily identifiable and help their drivers benefit from incentives such as free parking or access to clean air zones. Continue reading... Go to Source

Man arrested on suspicion of murder of Milton Keynes teens 21-year-old man in custody after weekend attack that saw two 17-year-olds dieA man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of two 17-year-old boys and the attempted murders of two other males at a house party in Milton Keynes, in what detectives believe was a targeted attack.The 21-year-old, whom Thames Valley police have not named but who comes from Milton Keynes, was arrested on Monday evening and remains in custody. Continue reading... Go to Source

John Bercow denies Boris Johnson second vote on Brexit deal Speaker rules it would be ‘repetitive and disorderly’ for MPs to vote again on dealLatest Brexit news – live updatesBoris Johnson has been denied the opportunity to hold a second vote on his Brexit deal in the House of Commons after the Speaker, John Bercow, ruled that it would be “repetitive and disorderly”.Bercow said it would break longstanding conventions for MPs to debate and vote on the agreement struck in Brussels last week, little more than two days after Saturday’s historic sitting. Continue reading... Go to Source

Chile on edge as worst unrest in three decades claims 11 lives More clashes likely after Piñera expands state of emergency following ‘weekend of rage’Latin America’s most prosperous country is braced for fresh upheaval after Chile’s president expanded a state of emergency beyond the capital and the death toll from three days of violence rose to 11.“We are at war with a powerful and uncompromising enemy that respects nothing and no one,” Sebastián Piñera declared in an unyielding late-night address on Sunday. Continue reading... Go to Source

Trump attacks constitution's 'phony Emoluments Clause' over scrapped G7 plans – live Trump unhappy with constitutional clause that forbids holders of public office from accepting gifts from foreign states – follow the latestSign up for the US briefing and get a new perspective 6.54pm BSTMeanwhile, energy secretary Rick Perry, who informed Trump last week of his intention to resign by the end of the year, has confirmed that his last day on the job will be December 1.NEW: @SecretaryPerry gives an end date, speaking in Europe. "I will be gone after the first of December. That will be my last day as secretary of energy." (via @bjlefebvre and @AncaGurzu)https://t.co/GTcjyo1MQs 6.31pm BSTTrump bounced from one falsehood to another while speaking to reporters during his cabinet meeting a...

Paul Burrell and James Hewitt among latest phone-hacking cases Dozens of celebrities join Prince Harry in new cases against Sun and Mirror publishersPrincess Diana’s former lover James Hewitt and her butler Paul Burrell are among dozens of individuals who have joined Prince Harry in the latest round of phone-hacking claims against tabloid newspaper publishers.Hewitt and Burrell recently filed their cases against the publisher of the Daily Mirror at the high court, according to court filings seen by the Guardian, joining the Duke of Sussex in alleging the publisher intercepted their voicemails. Their claims will focus attention on the extent to which British newspapers targeted the royal family and those around them in the hunt for stories during the 2000s. Continue reading... Go ...

Northern Ireland set to legalise abortion and same-sex marriage Equality campaigners celebrate ahead of a midnight deadline for new laws to come into forceNorthern Ireland is poised to legalise abortion and same-sex marriage after an 11th-hour attempt by the region’s assembly to block change collapsed into farce.Equality campaigners celebrated on Monday as the clock ticked towards midnight when laws extending abortion and marriage rights were due to come into force, ushering in momentous social change as Northern Ireland aligned with the rest of the UK. Continue reading... Go to Source

EU would agree to Brexit delay, says German minister Merkel ally Peter Altmaier says ‘it goes without saying’ Brexit extension would be grantedLatest Brexit news - live updatesThe unconventional “form” of Boris Johnson’s extension request is irrelevant to the EU, the European commission has confirmed, as Germany’s finance minister said “it goes without saying” that a further Brexit delay would be granted.Peter Altmaier, a key ally of the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said he believed either a technical extension to allow extra-time for legislation to pass, or a longer period to accommodate a general election or second referendum would be offered. Continue reading... Go to Source

Brexit: European commission confirms it is considering extension - live news Rolling updates on latest political developments, including whether Speaker will allow ‘meaningful vote’ on Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill this afternoonEU would agree to Brexit delay, says German ministerHow the numbers add up on Brexit and possible amendmentsLabour seeks new alliance to kill off deal 12.56pm BSTGuardian Scotland editor Severin Carrell is in court in Edinburgh where Lord Carloway has rejected a call by the UK government to halt proceedings because the prime minister has met his legal requirements under the Benn Act. (See my earlier post.)The judge said he would continue with the case until it was clear that Downing Street has complied with the act in full – ie. to seek and, if offered, acce...

How the numbers add up on Brexit deal and possible amendments Could the Commons back PM’s deal, an all-UK customs union or a second referendum?Brexit latest: the day’s developmentsAs the longstanding political maxim goes, the first rule of being a party whip is knowing how to count. There will be a lot of totting-up of votes this week as MPs consider Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal and a series of possible amendments to it.There are 650 MPs in the Commons, but with the seven non-sitting Sinn Féin representatives, as well as the Speaker, John Bercow, and his two deputies not taking part in votes, the magic number for any victory is 320. Continue reading... Go to Source

Syria: estimated number of UK children trapped doubles to 60 Many of the stranded children are under five years old, figures compiled by UK charity suggest At least 60 British children – twice the number initially feared – are trapped in north-east Syria after fleeing areas held by Islamic State during the recent escalation in fighting, according to Save the Children.Figures compiled by the UK-based charity suggest many of the children are under five years old. All were born to British parents suspected of joining Isis. Continue reading... Go to Source

Meghan: I was warned British tabloids would destroy my life Royal speaks of struggling to cope with her new life in interview for ITV documentaryThe Duchess of Sussex has revealed she was warned before her marriage to Prince Harry that the British tabloids would “destroy” her life, as she spoke of struggling to cope with the reality of being part of the royal family.In an interview for the ITV documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, she said the last year had been “hard” and that she had had “no idea” of what she would face. Continue reading... Go to Source

Labour seeks new alliance to kill off Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal Labour approaches Tory rebels and DUP in bid to force through amendments to PM’s dealWhat next for Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal?Boris Johnson’s hopes of winning a clear majority for his Brexit plan faced a new threat on Sunday night as Labour declared that it would seek the backing of rebel Tories and the DUP for amendments that would force him to drop the deal – or accept a softer Brexit.As both sides sought to gather parliamentary support after Saturday’s vote to force Johnson to seek a new delay to the UK’s departure from the European Union, Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, said Labour was prepared to talk to the prime minister’s former allies in the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) about forging a be...