The Guardian

The London school that has screen-free days for pupils, teachers – and parents

Holy Family Catholic primary school says enthusiastic response from parents has been biggest surpriseSchools banning pupils from having smartphones are commonplace. But what about a school where pupils ban teachers from using their smartphones, and then get their parents to join in?And not just phones: at Holy Family Catholic primary school in west London teachers are also barred from using laptops, monitors or tablets during the school’s screen-free Mondays, after an idea that came from the pup

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The Guardian

Manhole mystery grips New York – just what are city’s ‘mole people’ up to?

Video of figures clambering in and out of manholes sparks intrigue – and comparisons with crime-fighting turtlesIt started in early May. Under cover of darkness, three people pried open a manhole cover in Queens, New York, and clambered down into the sewer.The incident might have gone unnoticed, but the subterranean quest, which was caught on film, captured New Yorkers’ interest when it happened again, and again, in the same month, with two other groups filmed making their way in and out of the

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The Guardian

Russian drone hits building storing spent nuclear fuel near Chornobyl

Attack was ‘extremely vile’ and deliberate, says Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy A Russian Shahed drone has substantially damaged a building used to store spent nuclear fuel close to the disused Chornobyl nuclear power plant, in what Ukraine’s president described as a deliberate and “extremely vile” attack.While the structure – the reception building of the spent fuel storage facility – was empty of containers at the time, the targeting of the sensitive site appeared to be direct messagi

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The Guardian

Arkansas sheriff’s candidate focused on ‘family’ after dismissal of murder charge

Aaron Spencer never denied fatally shooting Michael Fosler, 67, the sexual abuser of his daughter, aged 13An Arkansas sheriff’s candidate who was alleged to have killed his teenaged daughter’s sexual abuser says he is focused on “family and getting back to a normal life” after the dismissal of a murder charge filed against him.“I’m grateful this chapter is closed,” Aaron Spencer also said in a statement after the dismissal on Thursday. Continue reading...

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The Guardian

‘Görli is our garden’: Berliners fight to stop mayor locking their park at night

Kreuzberg campaigners win court ruling against €2m fence aimed at shutting out drug dealersThe “hollow” in Görlitzer Park was heaving with revellers who had gathered in reaction to a court ruling against Berlin’s mayor who wanted to lock it up at night. “Görli is our garden,” said Monika, a retired psychiatric nurse who lives nearby and had joined the crowds on Monday night for a beer and a bop on the popular deep bowl-shaped meadow in the Kreuzberg district.“Görli is where we socialise and wher

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The Guardian

US insurers’ move to back vaccines sends ‘powerful’ message about safety of shots, experts say

As Trump officials take aim at vaccine schedule, scientists encouraged by companies’ desire to continue coverageA group of insurers will continue covering routine vaccines through 2027 as the Trump administration once again takes aim at the shots and outbreaks of preventable illnesses such as measles and whooping cough lead to hospitalizations and deaths.Experts told the Guardian that the move has raised questions ahead of the November midterms, but certainly indicates that insurance companies b

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NY Times World

Gunman Kills at Least One in Attack on Central Israel

Israeli authorities described the shootings as a terrorist attack. Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, praised the assault, but did not claim responsibility.

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The Guardian

More than a million people join Pope Leo for outdoor Mass in Madrid

In his first visit to an EU country outside Italy, pope urges world leaders to stop dividing electorates and to respect ‘every human being’More than a million people have filled the streets near one of Madrid’s main squares to join Pope Leo for an outdoor Mass, likely to be the largest event of his week-long visit to Spain.Throngs of people pressed along barriers near the landmark Cibeles Square, waving flags and shouting “Long live the pope”, as Leo arrived in his white popemobile for the event

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The Guardian

BA boss warns costly aviation taxes and rail tickets are stunting UK growth

UK lagging behind rivals on tourism growth because of travel costs and lack of joined-up planning, says CEO Sean DoyleThe cost of travel to and around the UK is keeping millions of tourists away and slowing economic growth, the boss of British Airways said, as he urged a rethink of aviation taxes.The airline’s chief executive, Sean Doyle, said the UK had some of the highest aviation taxes in the world and was falling behind countries such as Japan, France and Germany in boosting its inbound tour

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The Guardian

‘A driver of political violence’: how the breakneck AI boom is fueling anti-tech extremism

Backlash against AI is taking an extremist turn, following in the footsteps of earlier techno-pessimist militantsSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email When a 20-year-old man from Texas was arrested earlier this year for allegedly trying to burn down OpenAI’s headquarters and Sam Altman’s house, authorities found an anti-AI manifesto alongside his lighter and a jug of kerosene. It was one of a spate of attacks that has caused alarm among researchers, the tech industry and law enforcem

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The Guardian

‘It’s time to move forward’: Armenians vote in election closely watched by Russia and EU

Voters to choose between pro-Russian opposition and incumbent Nikol Pashinyan, who is more closely aligned with the westArmenians are going to the polls in an election that could cement the country’s shift towards Europe and away from its traditional alliance with Russia.Prime minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party enters the vote as the favourite, ahead of three opposition candidates who advocate for closer ties with Moscow. His main challenger, Samvel Karapetyan, a Russian-Armenian bi

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The Guardian

David Lammy: I told JD Vance he was wrong about Henry Nowak murder

Deputy PM says he spoke to US vice-president about post that blamed ‘mass invasion of migrants’ for teenager’s death David Lammy has said he told the US vice-president, JD Vance, he was “wrong” to blame the murder of the British teenager Henry Nowak on mass migration.The deputy prime minister said he spoke to Vance in a phone call on Saturday to tell him “our democratic process is working well” and that he was wrong in his commentary about the murder. Continue reading...

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The Guardian

Delays to defence investment plan have damaged UK’s credibility, say MPs

Committee calls for apology from government amid reports navy’s hunter-killer submarines are all dockedA parliamentary committee that scrutinises public spending has made scathing comments about the impact of delays in the publication of the government’s defence investment plan (Dip).The Dip, originally expected last autumn, has been repeatedly postponed amid warnings that the military faces a huge funding gap over the next four years. It is due to be published before a Nato summit early next mo

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The Guardian

Weekly diabetes jab shown to reduce blood-sugar levels and body weight

Experts say results from trial of new triple hormone drug for type 2 diabetes are striking but further tests neededA new triple-action weekly jab for type 2 diabetes could significantly reduce blood sugar and body weight, according to phase 3 trial results. Patients in the trial receiving weekly retatrutide injections for 40 weeks lost more than four times as much weight as those on placebo, while the average drop in long-term blood sugar (HbA1c) was more than twice that of the placebo.The trip

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NY Times World

Peru’s Presidential Runoff Could Swing the Country to the Right: What to Know

Facing a surge in violence, voters will choose between a newly moderated left and a right-wing candidate representing an autocrat’s divisive legacy.

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NY Times World

Trump Says Iran Has Made a ‘Big’ Nuclear Promise. It Isn’t New.

President Trump’s boasts of securing a commitment from Iranian leaders not to develop a nuclear weapon have puzzled nuclear experts who note that Tehran has made that pledge for more than 50 years.

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NY Times World

Mexico City’s Airport Got a $500 Million Renovation for the 2026 World Cup. Was It Enough?

The nearly 100-year-old airport has undergone a rapid $500 million renovation. But experts say it’s not enough.

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NY Times World

Americans Love Soccer Stars Who Aren’t Made in America

The United States has gone wild over foreign-born players on several occasions. Now the largest World Cup ever is arriving.

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BBC World

Huge crowds throng Madrid streets for Pope's open-air mass

The pontiff waved at those gathered from his popemobile as he arrived at the Plaza de Cibeles.

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The Guardian

‘So rogue’: country superstar Shania Twain turns London pub into saloon

Fans from across UK descend on Shacklewell Arms for intimate gig that leaves them wanting one thing moreIn the Shacklewell Arms in east London, the usual crowd of hipsters and indie music fans had been replaced by a throng dressed in leopard print, double denim and cowboy hats to pay tribute to the night’s headliner: Shania Twain.“We thought we might have been scammed when we saw the ticket announcement,” said Jack, 28, who came with his sister Amy. “Why would she do a pub this small?” Continue

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