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Experts also found that more than 60% of the EU's agricultural soils had been similarly degradedMore than 60% of the EU's agricultural soils are degraded due to intensive agriculture, with similar damage to about 40% of British soils, a report has found.Experts from the Save Soil initiative said nourishing and restoring agricultural soils could reduce the impact of the climate crisis and provide protection against the worsening extremes of weather, as well as the food shortages and price rises likely to accompany them. Continue reading...

Pope will hold private mass in the Sistine Chapel at 0900 GMT, during which he will give his first papal homily

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Russia staging a lavish, biggest ever' parade in Moscow to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world warRussian president Vladimir Putin has just delivered a fairly brief (for his standards) speech at the Victory Day parade in Moscow.He spoke of joy and sadness, of pride and gratitude ... to the generation that crushed the nazism at the cost of millions of lives." Continue reading...

CrowdStrike CEO announces 5% of workforce to be slashed globally, citing artificial intelligence efficiencies created in the businessThe cybersecurity company that became a household name after causing a massive global IT outage last year has announced it will cut 5% of its workforce in part due to AI efficiency".In a note to staff earlier this week, released in stock market filings in the US, CrowdStrike's chief executive, George Kurtz, announced that 500 positions, or 5% of its workforce, would be cut globally, citing AI efficiencies created in the business. Continue reading...

Previous negative remarks by Pope Leo XIV about homosexual lifestyle' at odds with papacy of Pope FrancisAfter years of sympathetic and inclusive comments from Pope Francis, LGBTQ+ Catholics expressed concern on Thursday about hostile remarks made more than a decade ago by Father Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV, in which he condemned what he called the homosexual lifestyle" and the redefinition of marriage" as at odds with the Gospel".In a 2012 address to the world synod of bishops, the man who now leads the church said that Western mass media is extraordinarily effective in fostering within the general public enormous sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the Gospel - for example abortion, homosexual lifestyle, euthanasia". Continue reading...

Former Coalition minister Dan Tehan rules himself out of Liberal race as Jacinta Nampijinpa Price insists she wanted to defect from Nationals in a respectful way'

This blog has now closed. Our live updates coverage on Pope Leo XIV's first full day in office has moved here.Historically, some of the conclaves were really drawn out: in 13th century, they needed three years, over 1,000 days, to choose Gregory X.There was also one that ended on the first day, when Julius II in 1503 was elected after just 10 hours. Continue reading...

April trade data comes the day before representatives from Washington and Beijing were set to meet to discuss Trump's tariffsChinese trade with the United States slumped in April even as its total exports beat forecasts, official figures show, as trade representatives from both nations prepared to meet this weekend in the midst of a gruelling trade war between the superpower rivals.Exports to the United States - one of China's top trading partners - fell 17.6% in April, data showed. Against that backdrop, analysts polled by Bloomberg had expected exports to rise just 2% year-on-year last month. However they beat expectations, coming in at 8.1%. Continue reading...

Local mayor says inner west GreenWay and new Metro line will be truly transformative', getting people out of cars on to bikes, scooters and walking

Decision announced at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, where all finalists will be exhibited to the public from Saturday

Melbourne was barely on the ALP's radar as a seat it could win - but a sparsely funded campaign proved powerful

Leo XIV is a fan of Tim Tams but not Vegemite, one church leader says, and is humble' and gentle'

Announcement makes UK the first country to agree deal with US since Trump imposed sweeping tariffs in April

Trusts having to think the previously unthinkable' to make savings demanded by new NHS England bossHospitals in England are cutting staff, closing services and planning to ration care in order to make eye-watering" savings demanded by NHS bosses.Rehabilitation centres face being shut, talking therapies services cut and beds for end-of-life care reduced as part of efforts by England's 215 NHS trusts to comply with a financial reset".47% were cutting services and another 43% were considering doing so.37% were cutting clinical posts and a further 40% may follow suit.26% were closing some services and 55% more may do so. Continue reading...

Lai Ching-te says message of history is clear' as Taiwan for first time officially commemorates end of second world warTaiwan's president, Lai Ching-te, has compared his nation to the European countries heading for conflict with Nazi Germany in the 1930s, in a punchy speech commemorating the end of the second world war in Europe.Eighty years after the end of the European war, the message of history is clear. Today, 80 years later, we share the same values and face similar challenges as many of the democracies that participated in the European war," Lai said to a group of foreign dignitaries gathered in Taipei. Continue reading...

Leo XIV celebrated as second Latin American pope having spent many years in Peru's churchThe election of Pope Leo XIV has been celebrated across Latin America, where many hailed him as the second pontiff from the region, following his Argentinian predecessor, Francis.The news prompted particular elation in Peru, where he lived and worked for more than 20 years and was granted citizenship in 2015. In the capital, Lima, the bells of the cathedral rang in celebration.

Charles says sacrifice of second world war heroes must not be in vainKing Charles called for a renewal of global commitments to restoring a just peace where there is war, to diplomacy and to the prevention of conflict", as the UK marked the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.Westminster Abbey was the focal point for national commemorations with a service of thanksgiving weaving poignant reminders of wartime deprivation and loss with the hopes for the future that historic day had promised. Continue reading...

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Some users wonder whether new pope has had Chicago's favorite liqueur Malort while others reference The BearThe internet exploded with humor and Chicago pride on Thursday following the historic announcement that Robert Francis Prevost, a 69-year-old American clergyman from Chicago, has been named the new pope.Now known as Pope Leo XIV, Prevost has become the first clergyman from the United States to lead the Roman Catholic church, ending the Vatican's longstanding opposition to the idea of a US pontiff. Continue reading...

The film-maker, whose credits also included many Madonna music videos, died of brain cancerDirector James Foley, whose credits included Glengarry Glen Ross and the Fifty Shades sequels, has died aged 71.According to the Hollywood Reporter, his death was confirmed by his representative who said he died peacefully in his sleep earlier this week following a years-long struggle with brain cancer". Continue reading...

Pakistan tried to hit Indian-administered Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan, according to India, which reported no losses'

Prince Harry and King Charles will need to put past grievances to one side if they are to move on from their estrangementFor most families, fallouts and squabbles are a regular occurrence. But what happens when those rifts deepen to an estrangement, such as appears to have beset the royal family and the Beckhams, and how can relationships be rebuilt?According to the following psychologists and psychotherapists, family reconciliation requires both sides taking accountability for their behaviour and not letting past grievances and trauma block efforts to meaningfully re-engage with estranged relatives. Continue reading...

City official says it will not comply with request seeking to impose Donald Trump's rollback of diversity measuresA city official in Stockholm has said the municipality has no plans to comply after one of its offices received a letter seeking to impose Donald Trump's rollback of diversity measures, in what is believed to be the first such missive sent to a foreign government.It's so bizarre," said Jan Valeskog, Stockholm's vice-mayor for planning. It's our political priorities that count, not the ones from this embassy or any other embassies." Continue reading...

The deal definitely puts the UK in a better position, but its impact on the wider economy might be limited

Car exports will face 10% tariffs while levies on steel and aluminium are cut to zero

Mauritshuis in The Hague says guarantees would be needed of artworks' safety amid uncertainty caused by US funding cutsA leading museum in the Netherlands has said it is reconsidering lending works from its collection to museums in the US amid the uncertainty wreaked by Donald Trump's funding cuts and ideological impositions.Martine Gosselink, the director of the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, whose collection includes Vermeer's Girl With a Pearl Earring and Rembrandt's The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp, said the turmoil had left her team wary of lending pieces to the US. Continue reading...

Commemorations take place across the UK and Europe against backdrop of Ukraine conflictAnother from the Guardian archive:St Peter Port, Guernsey Continue reading...

Office for Students says declining international student numbers will lead to more cuts on campusUniversities in England have experienced a fall in income for the third year in a row, according to the higher education regulator, as it warned that declining international student numbers would translate into more cuts on campuses.The Office for Students' (OfS) annual financial health check found that many universities were trying to repair budget deficits by slashing building and maintenance spending as well as cutting courses and staff, with the sector expected to sell off more than 400m worth of land and property this year. Continue reading...

Chinese leader describes talks as friendly and fruitful' during visit for Victory Day commemorationsXi Jinping and Vladimir Putin exchanged warm words in the Kremlin on Thursday during a grand ceremony welcoming the Chinese leader for his 11th visit to Russia, ahead of a military parade to mark 80 years since the end of the second world war.After nearly four hours of talks, Xi described his meeting with his Russian counterpart as in-depth, friendly and fruitful". Continue reading...

Nicola Packer, 45, was prescribed medication but was accused of believing she was more than 10 weeks pregnantA woman has been cleared of illegally terminating a pregnancy, after taking abortion pills during lockdown.Nicola Packer, 45, took the pills at home in November 2020. She had been prescribed mifepristone and misoprostol after a remote consultation. Continue reading...

South Korean skincare retailers want to capitalise on viral sales of beauty ranges by opening stores across the UKKorean beauty products are moving from phone screens to UK high streets as social media drives sales of skincare with the help of eye-catching ingredients such as snail slime and salmon sperm.Retailers are looking to capitalise on the TikTok and Instagram trend for skincare and makeup ranges from South Korea - known as K-beauty - by opening physical stores and launching brands in a push to get consumers to pick up products that havegone viral online. Continue reading...

Likes of Lyse Doucet and Jonathan Dimbleby say they have at times turned away from current affairsShe is perhaps the UK's most prominent war correspondent, broadcasting from the world's toughest regions, interpreting its most intractable and bloody conflicts. Yet, like many others when the news agenda is so tough, even Lyse Doucet has said she finds herself tempted to turn off.I just want to say as a broadcaster that even though I'm on one side of the microphone and you're on the other, that I too have been turning away from news and listening to Radio 3 instead of Radio 4, because the news is difficult," said Doucet, the BBC's chief international correspondent, as she picked up an award last week. We all think: Oh, it's so depressing. It's so gloomy.'" Continue reading...

RTE asks European Broadcasting Union to discuss matter after 72 former contestants call for Israel's exclusionIreland's public broadcaster has asked the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) for a discussion about Israel's inclusion in the Eurovision song contest, as 72 former contestants called for the Israeli broadcaster Kan to be banned from next week's event in the Swiss city of Basel.The director general of Ireland's RTE, Kevin Bakhurst, said in a statement on Wednesday that he was appalled by the ongoing events in the Middle East and by the horrific impact on civilians in Gaza, and the fate of Israeli hostages". Continue reading...

Matildas captain shares Instagram post welcoming couple's first childSam Kerr and her partner, Kristie Mewis, have announced the birth of their first child.In an Instagram post on Thursday, the Matildas captain wrote: Our little man is here, Jagger Mewis-Kerr." Continue reading...

Northern Territory senator switches from Nationals to Liberals where she believes she can be more effective' in fighting for best interests of all Australians'

Suspicious activity ruled out after investigation into blaze that left London hub and homes without power

Grammy-nominated and chart-topping singer says he has no fear' of illness in kidney and lungBrad Arnold, the frontman with chart-topping US rock band 3 Doors Down, has been diagnosed with stage four cancer.The singer said he has kidney cancer that has spread to his lungs. He discovered the illness after feeling unwell in recent weeks, then I went to the hospital and got checked out and actually got the diagnosis that I had a renal carcinoma that had metastasised into my lung". Continue reading...

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Exclusive: Announcement comes at time of change for party as deputy leader Zack Polanski launches leadership bid with eco-populism' vision

No 10 says prime minister will give update later after Donald Trump said he was ready to announce major trade deal'Keir Starmer will make a statement on trade talks with the US on Thursday amid reports the UK has reached an agreement with Donald Trump.The agreement, which the two leaders are expected to unveil later in the day, is likely to focus on lowering US tariffs on specific products, such as British steel, aluminium and cars. Continue reading...

Jury in Western Australia finds two men guilty of 15-year-old's murder and another guilty of manslaughter

Erin Patterson has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder relating to a lunch she served at her Leongatha home in 2023. Follow live updates

A nine-year-old boy is believed to have died in the fire while girls aged four and seven died later in hospital from critical burns

The forecast said low growth would place the Bank of England in difficult position ahead of next interest rate decisionSlow growth and persistent inflation will wreck Rachel Reeves' budget plans and increase the likelihood of further tax rises in the autumn, according to forecasts by a leading economic thinktank.The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) said the UK was on course to suffer a long period of stagnation, cutting tax receipts and forcing the chancellor to balance the books only months after a tough budget in March that reduced welfare benefits. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Charity posts several senior corporate roles, months after saying it faced tough financial climate'Macmillan Cancer Support has come under fire after launching a recruitment drive for a series of senior corporate roles just months after axing a quarter of its staff.The Guardian revealed in February that more than 400 workers had been let go as the charity reduced its workforce by 26%, downgraded its helpline and scrapped its 100-year-old hardship scheme that provided millions of pounds in grants to the poorest cancer patients. Continue reading...

Labor's Sarah Witty is projected to take back the seat which has been held by the Greens since 2010

On the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war in Europe, survivors, including veterans from both sides, remember what happenedEighty years ago today, on 8 May 1945, the second world war in Europe came to an end with the unconditional surrender of Germany's armed forces. The number of people who remember the war - and how it finished - decreases every year, even as European security feels ever more precarious.Here, seven people, aged between 85 and 100, from Estonia, Poland, Britain, Germany and Romania, talk to the Guardian about their memories.Dorothea is a passionate supporter of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans and recently launched its Our Heroes Fund, to raise money for future trips for veterans to the continent and across the UK. Continue reading...

Events to take place against backdrop of Ukraine conflict, rises in defence spending and US foreign policy shiftSolemn ceremonies will be held at war memorials in towns and villages across France on Thursday as the country honours its dead and marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, a public holiday this year, as it is every year.In Paris, the president, Emmanuel Macron, will lay a wreath at the foot of Charles de Gaulle's statue, walk up the Champs-Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, rekindle the eternal flame at the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, and inspect the troops. Continue reading...

After a 2016 high court ruling, the conviction rates 10- to 13-year-olds in NSW have plummeted, report finds