Guardian reporter questions anti-vax peptide startup founder: 'There's a contradiction there'

A growing number of people across the US are injecting themselves with unregulated peptides in pursuit of weight loss, muscle growth and younger-looking skin. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 To learn more about these 'miracle' drugs, Guardian reporter Adam Gabbatt spoke with the founders of a family-run telemedicine practice providing peptide therapy about their thoughts on peptides and on vaccines. Watch the full video #peptides #peptide #covid #coronavirus #covid19 #antivax

Burnham's Britain: six days in the place that just changed our politics | Anywhere but Westminster

Andy Burnham is closing in on Downing Street after a big win in the Makerfield byelection. Subscribe to Guardian News on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/guardianwires?sub_confirmation=1 John Harris and John Domokos take a deep dive into a place where people's lives back up Burnham's insistence that we're living in an economy and society that need radical change – but they also find an infectious spirit of optimism The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://ift.tt/nwSAH5i Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► https://ift.tt/C723Bmq Website ► https://ift.tt/FAdDSoE Facebook ►https://ift.tt/vq7tN2L Instagram ► https://ift.tt/YdiH8of Bluesky ► https://ift.tt/fK3gTha The Guardian on YouTube: The Guardian ► https://www.youtube.com/@theguardian Guardian Australia ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianaustralia Football Weekly podcast ► https://www.youtube.com/@footballweeklypodcast Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport It's Complicated ► https://www.youtube.com/@itscomplicated Guardian Live ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianlive #andyburnham #makerfieldbyelection #politics #uk #labour #anywherebutwestminster

What Andy Burnham's win means for the UK: 'This feels like the start of something'

“Normally, at an election count, it feels like the climax, but now this is just the beginning,” said Guardian journalist Hannah Al-Othman, reporting from the election count in Makerfield as Andy Burnham was declared victorious in his bid to return to Westminster as a Labour MP. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 The win sets Burnham on an anticipated course to challenge the leadership of British prime minister, Keir Starmer. Starmer has repeatedly said that he intends to remain in post. Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary and a Burnham ally, said: “That wasn’t just a win, that was an emphatic win … It was an astonishing share of the votes, and I think it shows that you can beat hate and division and anger and despair”. During the campaign, the rightwing party Reform UK had been seen as a potential challenge to Labour’s chances in the seat, which is typically considered a stronghold. Burnham sought to demonstrate how Reform UK can be taken on and beaten, saying after the result: “We must now take this up and put this country back on the right path and bring people back together and get things working properly.” Watch Al-Othman’s report from Makerfield and tap the link to read more ► https://ift.tt/LKsPCB8 #makerfield #andyburnham #keirstarmer #labour #uk #politics #makerfieldbyelection

On the ground in Kramatorsk - how this fortress city has held Russia back

Guardian journalists were just around the corner when a Russian drone hit a residential building in Kramatorsk, in the Donbas region of Ukraine. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 Peter Beaumont, a senior international reporter, is on the ground in the “fortress Belt” of eastern Ukraine, where for years a costly defensive strategy has prevented Russia making a major breakthrough to territory further west. Cities such as Kramatorsk form one of the main bulwarks against Russia taking all of the Donbas, and, Ukraine fears, having an easier path to Kyiv. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has called on Europe and ⁠the US to increase sanctions on Russia’s defence and energy sectors as well as its broader economy to force President Vladimir Putin to end ‌the war. “If Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn,” Zelenskyy said after overnight Ukrainian drone strikes on the Russian capital. #ukraine #russia #ukrainewar #kramatorsk #donbas

Six multinational companies may be 'aiding and abetting' war crimes by supplying equipment to Israel

The Guardian has geolocated and verified images showing the Israeli military using excavators made by six multinational companies – Caterpillar, Volvo, Hyundai, Doosan, Hitachi and Komatsu – to destroy homes, public utilities, shops and other structures across southern Lebanon. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 According to human rights experts, these construction conglomerates may be aiding and abetting war crimes by supplying the excavators and bulldozers to Israel, which itself could be guilty of wanton destruction. The current round of fighting started on 2 March after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, triggering an Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon. After the framework peace deal between the US and Iran was announced, Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted the country’s defence minister, Israel Katz, as having said that “the IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza – indefinitely – to defend the border and Israeli communities against jihadist elements.” Israel has fiercely resisted Lebanon’s inclusion in the deal, where its forces have mounted a sweeping offensive and occupied a swath of land in the south. It is yet to be seen if the Israeli attacks will continue in Lebanon going forward, a red line for Iran and something that will derail peace talks with the US. At least 46 villages in south Lebanon have suffered heavy damage, most due to demolitions carried out after the 17 April Lebanon-Israel ceasefire, according to satellite analysis by Bellingcat. All companies that responded to a request for a comment said their practices were consistent with international and national law and denied any allegations of wrongdoing. Israeli strikes have killed over 3,500 people in Lebanon while Hezbollah have killed at least 30 Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon and three Israeli civilians. #israel #lebanon #middleeast

These scientists are trying to refreeze the Arctic

Can a group of scientists refreeze the Arctic? Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 The Guardian’s environment editor, Damian Carrington, accompanied a team from Real Ice, a company funded by the UK government, as they carried out a bold geoengineering experiment aimed at thickening Arctic sea ice at a test site in northern Canada. “The ice is very important to us,” says Kyle Weese, an Inuit guide working with Real Ice, who told Carrington that Inuit communities were involved in establishing the project and selecting the area where the experiment took place. Weese says he is only 34, and that he has seen the effects of the climate crisis up close: “The ice is thinner. The freeze-up takes longer than normal and the thaw happens faster.” Summer sea ice across the Arctic could disappear as early as the 2030s as a result of the climate emergency. The region’s sea ice has already shrunk by about 40% over the past 45 years, triggering one of the climate system’s most dangerous vicious circles: while sea ice reflects 70% of the sun’s heat back into space, open ocean reflects just 7%. Real Ice estimates that halting the annual decline of Arctic sea ice would cost about $10bn over the longer term. For comparison, Carrington notes that is equivalent to the windfall profits generated by the world’s 100 largest oil companies in less than a fortnight after the Iran war sent oil prices soaring. Watch to learn more, and follow the link for our full article #arctic #refreeze #climatecrisis #ice #realice

The peptide boom: how the US got hooked on unregulated ‘miracle’ drugs | On the Ground

Across the US, thousands of people are bypassing healthcare authorities to inject themselves with unregulated peptides for weight loss, muscle growth and anti-ageing. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 While some peptide-based medications, including Ozempic, are strictly regulated, others – labeled "not for human consumption" – can easily be purchased online. Adam Gabbatt investigates the world of peptide influencers, users and sellers to find out why people are risking unknown side effects for the promise of a quick fix, and uncovers what is actually being sold. Chapters 00:00 - The Peptide Boom 01:41 - Meeting fitness influencer Ryan Johnson 04:24 - Hitting the gym 05:13 - Why peptides can be dangerous 06:23 - Buying some Peptides 07:15 - Meeting the Peptide sellers 09:22 - The Peptide party 11:01 - Meeting peptide user, Heather Craig 13:27 - What's inside the Peptides? 14:36 - Catching up with Ryan Johnson The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://ift.tt/VbD2TzF Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► https://ift.tt/8lZzOy9 Website ► https://ift.tt/4BGU3kY Facebook ► https://ift.tt/UGwXd4k Bluesky ► https://ift.tt/ecnAWRI Instagram ► https://ift.tt/3qaEOur The Guardian on YouTube: Guardian News ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiannews Guardian Australia ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianaustralia Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball Football Weekly ► https://www.youtube.com/@footballweeklypodcast Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport It's Complicated ► https://www.youtube.com/@itscomplicated Guardian Live ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianlive #peptides #weightloss #ozempic #maunjaro #wegovy #usa

A young man's search for work in Grimsby: 'You're not hearing back from jobs'

Once one of the world’s largest fishing ports, the town of Grimsby in northern England is today often written off as a place defined by deprivation and decline. But for many young people, it’s a place they love and are proud to call home. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 Watch the full film here ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMkZ-yxL5wo&t=1s The town has a higher number of working-age adults out of employment than the national average, and 41% of under-16s in the town live in relative low-income families. Recently, as part of a year-long project called Against the tide, The Guardian’s Seascape series followed 19-year-old Cohen, who is desperate to find a permanent job while running a mascot hire company and chasing his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. #work #jobs #uk #grimsby #unemployment

This is what life is like for Ukrainians in the worst-hit area of Kyiv

“It’s definitely got worse – every week we are being hit by all these bombs,” says Kyiv resident 23-year-old Anastasiia Prymak. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 Prymak has been living in Kyiv for two years and has witnessed multiple Russian attacks outside her window. The ongoing strikes have affected her mental health and she hopes to move to a safer area. Peter Beaumont, a senior international reporter, is on the ground in one of the worst-hit areas in Kyiv, Lukianivska, in the Shevchenkivskyi District, following recent attacks. #ukraine #ukrainewar #kyiv #russia

How do you give Britain's hidden army a break? | Is Mum OK? | Documentary

There are more than one million young carers in the UK – with an average age of 12 – which is the equivalent of two kids in every school class. Do they feel supported? Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 In Walthamstow, east London, we meet a group of carers as they are collected for a rare night off that brings a sense of community and a glimpse of fun for a few hours every few weeks. It's hosted by Satvinder, a tenacious council worker who fights to improve the recognition of young carers in her borough and provides them crucial emotional support. This film is released during Carers Week in the UK, a campaign that celebrates unpaid carers across the country and calls for better recognition and support for them. The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://ift.tt/TZs7xiw Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► https://ift.tt/52fMBhm Website ► https://ift.tt/T5wqLfM Facebook ► https://ift.tt/yAOYjLS Bluesky ► https://ift.tt/LvCrXpg Instagram ► https://ift.tt/gqShdvj The Guardian on YouTube: Guardian News ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiannews Guardian Australia ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianaustralia Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball Football Weekly ► https://www.youtube.com/@footballweeklypodcast Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport It's Complicated ► https://www.youtube.com/@itscomplicated Guardian Live ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianlive #carers #uk #ismumok #carersweek

Durham Pride's funding was cut by Reform UK. Then the community – and the miners – stepped in

“Pride: One. Reform: Nil.” said one attendee at Durham Pride. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 The Pride event that took place last weekend in the northern English city almost didn’t happen. When Reform UK won control of Durham county council last year, one of their first moves in power was to take down the rainbow flag that flew over its headquarters. Soon after, it announced the council would axe funding for the city’s Pride event. But in a testament to the enduring relationship forged during the miners’ strikes of the 1980s – immortalised in the 2014 film Pride – this year’s event was bigger and better than ever, thanks to funding from trade unions and the local community. “This year has really shown us that there’s so much support and love for LGBT+ people,” said Mel Metcalf, who founded Durham Pride in 2014. Watch to hear what participants had to say about this year’s parade and read more about the day from our North of England correspondent Hannah Al-Othman via the link in bio. #durhampride #pride #miners #uk #reformuk #politics

Is the far right driving a Christian revival in the UK?

For decades, Britain seemed to be leaving Christianity behind. Then a controversial report suggested church attendance was on the rise, published just as far-right figures such as Tommy Robinson began seizing on Christianity as a symbol of national identity. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 So is the UK really experiencing a Christian revival and to what extent is it being driven by Christian nationalism? To find out, the Guardian visited churches across the country and uncovered a growing schism over how Christianity is being interpreted in modern Britain. #farright #uk #christianity #politics #religion #tommyrobinson

Vape shops but no jobs: one young man’s search for work in Grimsby | Focus

The Lincolnshire seaside town is often written off by YouTubers as a place defined by deprivation and decline. But for many young people it's a place they love and are proud to call home, even though high unemployment limits their opportunities. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 The Guardian follows 19-year old Cohen, who is desperate to find a permanent job while running a mascot hire company and chasing his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. This video is part of a year-long project, Against the tide, from the Guardian’s Seascape series, reporting on the lives of young people in coastal communities across England and Wales The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://ift.tt/l7m5bnc Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► https://ift.tt/m37kz8Q Website ► https://ift.tt/xFgeY0M Facebook ► https://ift.tt/moEr3kw Bluesky ► https://ift.tt/jw8BrhX Instagram ► https://ift.tt/IqXQZRJ The Guardian on YouTube: Guardian News ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiannews Guardian Australia ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianaustralia Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball Football Weekly ► https://www.youtube.com/@footballweeklypodcast Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport It's Complicated ► https://www.youtube.com/@itscomplicated Guardian Live ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianlive #grimsby #uk

The centuries-old Indian game bringing people together

We’ve got over 800 people trying to get tickets tonight,” says Abdus Khan, the founder of ‘Karrom’, “but we whittle that down to 44 lucky players.” Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 Khan runs a London-based community evening, bringing people together with a traditional Indian game, carrom. Widely played across South Asia, he describes it as playing pool “but with your fingers”. This tabletop game has evolved and is increasingly played around the world, including the US and the UK. “We now use this game as an exercise to promote diversity in a fragmented world,” Khan says. And it seems to be working. According to Khan, the game has grown into a grassroots movement of more than 12,000 players. His goal is to launch a super league, inspired by franchise models like cricket’s IPL, with ambitions to expand globally. The Guardian went along to one of Khan’s community nights to see how carrom is played and how it’s creating a space for connection offline. #carrom #india #uk #karrom

'How can Lebanon make peace with Israel while I am losing my children?

The people of Lebanon are weary. For years their communities have been caught in a conflict between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah: their homes destroyed; and their communities shattered. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 In the most recent conflict, sparked after the US-Israeli attack on Iran, more than 1.2 million people were displaced from their homes as Israel ordered approximately 14% of Lebanon’s territory to be vacated. And despite a ceasefire, the fighting is not over. Israel still occupies parts of southern Lebanon and insists Hezbollah must disarm in order for there to be peace – a view shared by many Lebanese. Hezbollah, which is designated by large western powers as a terrorist group – is variously characterised as a democratic political party in Lebanon’s parliament, as an organisation that provides social services and other times as a puppet of Iran. Supporters call the group “the resistance” and see the conflict as existential. With communities divided over Hezbollah’s future, reporter Matthew Cassel travels across Lebanon to find out how the conflict is widening divisions and affecting life across the country. Watch the full film here ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BrCgcjtzks #lebanon #israel #hezbollah #idf #middleeast

Is the far right driving a Christian revival in the UK? | On the Ground

For decades, Britain seemed to be leaving Christianity behind. Then a controversial report suggested church attendance was on the rise, published just as far-right figures such as Tommy Robinson began seizing on Christianity as a symbol of national identity. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 So is the UK really experiencing a Christian revival and to what extent is it being driven by Christian nationalism? To find out, the Guardian visited churches across the country and uncovered a growing schism over how Christianity is being interpreted in modern Britain The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://ift.tt/72IJgUl Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► https://ift.tt/eCyUI3f Website ► https://ift.tt/nxKHbtG Facebook ► https://ift.tt/Hh6UINP Bluesky ► https://ift.tt/tSA6Hrz Instagram ► https://ift.tt/5Rnegkx The Guardian on YouTube: Guardian News ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiannews Guardian Australia ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianaustralia Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball Football Weekly ► https://www.youtube.com/@footballweeklypodcast Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport It's Complicated ► https://www.youtube.com/@itscomplicated Guardian Live ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianlive #christianity #uk #farright #politics

'Men and women hate each other' | The Global Dating Crisis: episode 2

In the US, 60% of young men are single and sex is at a record low. Despite endless opportunities to meet the right person, it feels like dating in the US has become more fraught than ever. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 As political divides deepen and the #MeToo backlash grows, we meet the people navigating ‘heterofatalism’ and those ditching modern dating for 1950s values. From the unlimited choice of NYC dating apps to a Christian retreat in the south, reporter Carter Sherman explores a nation struggling to connect. Stateside with Kai and Carter ► https://www.youtube.com/@statesidepodcast The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://ift.tt/hISlYq9 Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► https://ift.tt/C4tI6yZ Website ► https://ift.tt/cRnWa5D Facebook ► https://ift.tt/ix24EAU Bluesky ► https://ift.tt/iVZm3xJ Instagram ► https://ift.tt/9ctQoj4 The Guardian on YouTube: Guardian News ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiannews Guardian Australia ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianaustralia Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball Football Weekly ► https://www.youtube.com/@footballweeklypodcast Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport It's Complicated ► https://www.youtube.com/@itscomplicated Guardian Live ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianlive #dating #datingcrisis #usa #metoo #incels #maga #politics

Civil rights activists react to supreme court gutting Voting Rights Act

After the supreme court’s landmark ruling striking down Louisiana’s congressional map and gutting section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, Guardian US reporter Fabiola Cineas traveled to Alabama to speak to civil rights activists who fought for the landmark bill in 1965. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 Sheyann Webb-Christburg, who was known as Martin Luther King Jr’s “smallest freedom fighter” and was eight years old during the march from Selma to Montgomery, and Benny Tucker, Martin Luther King Jr’s bodyguard, both condemned the court’s decision. “It’s an assault on the struggle of the civil rights movement,” said Webb-Christburg. #civilrights #supremecourt #votingrightsact #alabama #usa

The Muslim Vote: Democratic threat or Islamophobic myth? | On the Ground

Politicians and pundits in the UK are fuelling a moral panic around “the Muslim vote." Once seen as a reliable base for the Labour Party, the Muslim community’s growing support for independent candidates and the Green Party is now being framed as a threat to democracy. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 As the country heads towards the local elections, Taj Ali investigates whether a singular “Muslim vote” exists, and examines how these divisive narratives around sectarian politics are shaping public debate and impacting communities across Britain. The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://ift.tt/QCnuOFe Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► https://ift.tt/R3vO6NS Website ► https://ift.tt/EySvis5 Facebook ► https://ift.tt/P4vsHyY Bluesky ► https://ift.tt/0N7DyrY Instagram ► https://ift.tt/6DY7Rv4 The Guardian on YouTube: Guardian News ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiannews Guardian Australia ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianaustralia Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball Football Weekly ► https://www.youtube.com/@footballweeklypodcast Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport It's Complicated ► https://www.youtube.com/@itscomplicated Guardian Live ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianlive #uk #muslims #politics #islam #islamophobia #localelections

The Whole Picture | UK launch

In a world full of misinformation, our commitment to reporting the whole picture has never been stronger. In 1986, we created the advert Points of view, which demonstrated how the story changes when you don't have access to the whole picture. Since then, a lot has changed. We have AI-generated ‘news articles’, algorithmic feeds rife with misinformation, and billionaires controlling the news agenda. Through all of that, one thing has stayed the same: the Guardian's unwavering mission to provide journalism that’s independent, global and open to all. With our readers’ support, we can continue giving you all the facts. So you can fully understand what’s going on.

How mass drowning of chicks is putting emperor penguins at risk of extinction

Record low levels of Antarctic sea ice are having grim consequences for penguins chicks yet to grow waterproof feathers. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 The mass drowning of emperor penguin chicks as sea ice is melted by climate crisis-caused global heating has led the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to declare the species officially in danger of extinction. Emperors are the largest penguin species and have jumped from “near threatened” to “endangered” in the new IUCN analysis, which projects that the emperor penguin population will halve by the 2080s owing to the loss of sea ice. “The emperor penguin’s move to extinction is a stark warning: climate change is accelerating the extinction crisis before our eyes,” said Martin Harper, the chief executive of BirdLife International, which coordinated the IUCN assessment. “Governments must act now to urgently decarbonise our economies.” The assessment also found the climate crisis had driven a halving of the Antarctic fur seal population since 2000, owing to a reduction in the krill that the animals rely on for food. Mass drowning of chicks puts emperor penguins at risk of extinction ► https://ift.tt/fI5UCjl The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://ift.tt/Iz9lMcZ Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► https://ift.tt/YIGlNCj #emperorpenguins #antarctica #endangeredspecies #climatecrisis

An AI agent invited me to a party it's hosting – is this the future?

You may think AI agents – basically AI personal assistants – are just the realm of fringe tech bros, says reporter Aisha Down. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 ‘The problem is, AI agents are about to come to you.’ A few weeks ago an email appeared in Down’s inbox from an AI agent named Gaskell, claiming it was autonomously organising a party. Built by its three human ‘employees’, Khubair Nasir, a student in Manchester, Andy Gray, a blockchain entrepreneur, and Reza Datoo, a digital asset analyst, the agent was named after Elizabeth Gaskell, a prominent author during the industrial revolution, to reflect the new industrial revolution that AI is bringing, Datoo says. Autonomous AI agents have quietly been spreading, says Down, after a class of new, powerful AI assistants went viral in early February – and they represent a step change in AI’s rapidly improving capabilities. ‘They’re exploding. They’re only going to get more capable, they’re only going to have more users.’ But, as they prove to be chaotic, patchy and prone to hallucination, Down asks: does this mean we’re about to live in a much more chaotic world? The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://ift.tt/TE4cXBU Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► https://ift.tt/jw6N0Ip #ai #aiagents #artificialintelligence #tech

On the ground in Lebanon as Israel launches largest strike of war so far

Israel launched a large-scale attack on Lebanon in the most extensive strikes since the war began on 28 February. At least 112 people are dead with hundreds injured. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 The Lebanese prime minister, Nawaf Salam, accused Israel of killing unarmed civilians and attacking densely populated areas, particularly in Beirut. The Guardian’s @willchristou is on the scene in the city centre and witnessed the aftermath as rescue workers attempted to pull bodies from the rubble of a levelled 10-storey building. The attack came less than 12 hours after the announcement of a ceasefire in Iran. The office of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the two-week pause “does not include Lebanon”, and the head of Israel’s military said that it would “continue to strike with determination”. Iran and Pakistan said on the contrary that the ceasefire would include Lebanon. Trump did not refer to Lebanon in his ceasefire statements but is reported to have told PBS News Hour’s Liz Landers that Lebanon is not included in the deal, calling the Israel-Lebanon conflict a “separate skirmish”. Hezbollah said it would abide by a ceasefire if Israel halted its strikes, with the MP Ibrahim Moussawi threatening that the armed group and Iran would retaliate if the attacks on Lebanon did not stop. In five weeks of war in Lebanon, the country has been brought to breaking point, with more than 1.1 million people displaced, many of whom are living on the streets. #lebanon #israel #iranwar #hezbollah #idf

'Farage is the biggest danger to the country': the UK's biggest ever multicultural march

“We want to stand against the hate, the lies and the blame.” Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 Tens of thousands of people gathered in London to march against the far right, war in the Middle East and the climate crisis, in the biggest multicultural demonstration in UK history. The protest was in response to Tommy Robinson’s “unite the kingdom” rally in September, when 111,000 people marched through the streets of central London. On Saturday more than 100 charities, campaign groups and trade unions marched to Trafalgar Square in a show of unity against far-right politics, the war in the Middle East and in support of Palestine. Organisers claimed half a million people travelled to the capital for the march. Police estimated the turnout was closer to 50,000, although they admitted it was difficult to judge the number due to the widespread nature of the crowd. Some participants wore costumes, including as Jesus and the Grim Reaper. Woody, part of a group called Cut the Ties to Fossil Fuels, told the Guardian he had come dressed as “big oil”. “[It’s] one of the major funders of Reform UK,” he said. “We’re here to make that link that we need to cut the ties to fossil fuels.” He added: “I’m mid-50s now, and I hear people talking about left and right in a way that I haven’t heard since I was in school.” Video by Bryony Moore with Robyn Vinter #TogetherAllianceMarch #uk #protest #london #middleeast #climatecrisis

Revealed: Nigel Farage Cameo videos show support for neo-Nazi event and far-right slogans

Spokesperson for Reform UK leader says paid-for Cameo videos 'should not be treated as political statements or campaign activity' after Guardian unearths clips containing offensive remarks and far-right slogans. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://ift.tt/RhOZ2aH Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► https://ift.tt/BCK8X9j Website ► https://ift.tt/dicKTfe Facebook ► https://ift.tt/b4ITQvV Bluesky ► https://ift.tt/9NyO3EA Instagram ► https://ift.tt/DjkNM13 The Guardian on YouTube: Guardian News ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiannews Guardian Australia ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianaustralia Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball Football Weekly ► https://www.youtube.com/@footballweeklypodcast Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport It's Complicated ► https://www.youtube.com/@itscomplicated Guardian Live ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianlive #nigelfarage #reformuk #cameo #politics #uk

Toronto's snow mountains hide a toxic secret

Most mountains take tens of millions of years to form, but Toronto’s newest one took just days. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 The Guardian reporter Leyland Cecco visits an almost 100ft-tall snow mountain, one of six in Toronto that stores all the snow cleared from roads and paths across Canada’s largest city. While they help clear the paths, these mountains also pose an environmental risk. A toxic cocktail of road salt, antifreeze, oil, coffee cups and lost keys are mixed in with the snow. Once the mountains thaw in the summer, the salt will make its way to the groundwater, where it is poisonous to fish in freshwater systems and can even affect drinking water. You can read and watch the full report via the link ► https://ift.tt/ufgENQR #toronto #snowmountains #canada #antifreeze #oil #pollution

Three years in Russian captivity: the psychological rehabilitation of a Ukrainian soldier

In a new Guardian documentary, No Time to Heal, filmmaker Ksenia Savoskina goes deep into the forests near Kyiv, to meet the Ukrainian soldiers recovering from psychological trauma. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 After three years in Russian captivity following the battle for Mariupol, 25-year-old Kyrylo Chuvak spent just three weeks recovering at Forest Glade, the first of its kind in Ukraine. The centre offers soldiers therapy as well as tango, archery, guided breathing, medieval games, and quiet conversations over tea. After four years of war, and waning international attention, the battle is not only on the frontline but in the psyche. #ukraine #ukrainewar #russia #ukrainepows #russiaukrainewar

'No Time To Heal': My recovery after three years in Russian captivity

In a new Guardian documentary, No Time to Heal, filmmaker Ksenia Savoskina goes deep into the forests near Kyiv, to meet the Ukrainian soldiers recovering from psychological trauma. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 After three years in Russian captivity following the battle for Mariupol, 25-year-old Kyrylo Chuvak spent just three weeks recovering at Forest Glade, the first of its kind in Ukraine. The centre offers soldiers therapy as well as tango, archery, guided breathing, medieval games, and quiet conversations over tea. After four years of war, and waning international attention, the battle is not only on the frontline but in the psyche. #ukraine #ukrainewar #russia #ukrainepows #russiaukrainewar

Ukraine mother final

“I feel I owe it to people on the frontline to stay, raise kids and tell them about Ukraine,” Ivanna Didur, a mother, told our correspondent Luke Harding as she explained her decision to stay in Kyiv with her growing family. ‌Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 She described having a baby in wartime as a “patriotic act”. “We are not leaving unless Russia is going to be on the doorstep,” she said. ‌ On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Ukraine has one of the lowest birthrates in the world, with about one birth for every three deaths. According to the UN refugee agency, 5.9 million Ukrainians have fled the country, many being women with children. ‌ Before the war, Ukraine’s population was 41 million. The estimated figure today is between 30 million and 32 million, excluding citizens living under Russian occupation. If the low birthrate continues, demographers predict that by 2050 only 25 million people will live in Ukraine. ‌ Ivanna said that many Ukrainians were struggling financially and felt they “could not afford” to have children. Many are also put off by the lack of security. Ivanna tapes up the windows on her son and daughters’ bedrooms, to protect them from flying glass. ‌ She and her husband, Anatolii, try to give their children as normal a life as possible. Their eight-year-old, Anna, does acrobatics, while Andrii, five, plays football and attends scouts. ‌ The couple have bought power banks, so their flat stays warm during blackouts caused by bombing. “I don’t think Ukraine is losing. In Donbas, the Russians are taking micro-steps,” she said. ‌ Moscow’s army now occupies 20% of the country, including Crimea, which was seized in 2014. It has taken 1.2 million dead and wounded for it to advance 30 miles in the Donbas region, about the same number of casualties that the US suffered during the entire second world war. Ukrainians have held on to hope and are bringing up children despite the risks. To learn more listen to @todayinfocuspod for a special episode looking at the impact of four years of war and what could happen next. #russia #ukraine #ukrainewar

Life in the West Bank under Israel's deepening occupation

“If you hadn’t been here, he might have called us and we might have been arrested or beaten up - and this happens daily,” Tayseer Abu Mufreh, from the Tuqu’ municipal council, told the Guardian after a vehicle with two armed men pulled up while filming. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 “The Palestinian civilians in this village are very worried - afraid for their children, afraid for their land,” Mufreh added. In a new series, In Search of Palestine, reporter @matthewcassel is travelling through the West Bank to document what daily life looks like under deepening occupation. It is more than two years since Israel’s war in Gaza began and the West Bank has become an increasingly volatile front in the Israel-Palestine conflict. While international recognition of a Palestinian state has gathered momentum, the situation on the ground is moving in the opposite direction. The declaration of a ceasefire in Gaza – which has not stopped the Israeli military killing Palestinians there either – has reduced the political pressure on other governments to act. Israel’s government has advanced new annexation legislation, the rate of settlement growth is accelerating and daily life for Palestinians is becoming more restricted and precarious. Starting in Hebron and moving north to Ramallah, villages outside the city and finally Nablus, Matthew meets people across generations to ask: what does the idea of a Palestinian state mean today? #westbank #palestine #idf #israel #israelisettlers #israelisettlements #occupiedwestbank #middleeast

How Ukrainians keep warm during bitter winter and power cuts

“I’ve been through several stages, from depression-aggression to acceptance and a degree of irony. It’s not pleasant, but what can you do? There is a war in our country, unfortunately. This is our reality,” said Julia Po, an artist living in Kyiv’s Dniprovskyi neighbourhood, as she showed her seventh-floor home to Luke Harding, the Guardian’s senior international correspondent. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 She led the way with a torch up a dark staircase – with no electricity, the lights and lift do not work; frozen water pipes burst two weeks ago, causing a flood; a chill wind whipped through slatted panels. “The building dates from the 70s and the Soviet era. It’s badly designed and can’t cope,” she said. Po had insulated her front door with bubble wrap to reduce drafts. Walls, windows and a ficus house plant had also been wrapped. She sleeps under two blankets, wearing thermal underwear and a hoodie. “Underneath, from the ground, it’s just cold. When you wake up in the morning you can feel your kidneys. My electric kettle cracked. I didn’t wash my hair for two weeks,” she said. Her cat, named after the Radiohead singer Thom Yorke, sleeps under a blanket in a cupboard. Po, originally from Russian-occupied Crimea, said she felt she had been dispossessed: “It’s as if someone has stolen my home.” There are 2,600 buildings in the Ukrainian capital now without power or heating. The Kremlin has been bombing the country’s energy infrastructure since the start of its full-scale invasion nearly four years ago, targeting substations, thermal power plants and rescue workers battling to save the electricity network from multiple attacks. In recent weeks Russia has overwhelmed Kyiv’s air defences and inflicted further damage, coinciding with one of the coldest, most bitter winters for decades. There have been frequent capital-wide blackouts restricting electricity supply to three or four hours a day. To read more about the residents who have used ingenious hacks to try to make their homes a bit warmer follow the link ► https://ift.tt/yFbv1YM #ukraine #ukrainewar #ukrainewinter #winterweather #winter #freezing

Ukrainian families wait for prisoners of war released from Russia: 'We won't stop'

Watch the full video ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH8ouQh0e6Q “My brother disappeared. We think he’s been taken prisoner. We’re waiting for him here today,” said one relative waiting for Ukrainian prisoners of war to arrive in Chernihiv, Ukraine. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 Holding photos of their loved ones, families gathered to see if they would be reunited in the exchange. 157 Ukrainian prisoners of war were reunited with their families on 5 February. It is one of the few tangible outcomes from US-brokered peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. About 80,000 Ukrainians have been reported missing since the war began, most of them lost on the frontline or captured. The Guardian filmed the prisoner release in the north of the country; each exchange bringing hope and heartbreak to families still searching for news of their loved ones. Those still waiting held up photographs hoping the returned soldiers might have seen their missing relatives. #ukraine #russia #ukraineprisonerexchange #ukrainepows #ukrainewar

How pilates is bringing older men together at a mosque in Bradford

From squats to glute bridges and the butterfly stretch - every Thursday after midday prayers a group of mostly 50- to 80-year-old men take part in a 45-minute pilates class at a mosque in West Yorkshire. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 “I think sometimes people are isolated and mosque is a safe environment for them,” says Zafar Kayani, 69, the pilates instructor. “They’re coming here for their spiritual health. Then getting that physical exercise and mental wellbeing, and they’re connecting with each other,” adds Kayani – with attenders saying they feel the benefit. After a TikTok video they posted advertising the classes at Jamia Usmania mosque in Bradford went viral – to the surprise of organisers – they have had interest from mosques across the UK and farther afield, including from Malaysia and Canada, with inquiries on how similar initiatives could be implemented for their congregation. Kayani believes that the physical and mental health benefits of the classes will have a positive impact on public health and the NHS. According to government health data on physical activity published in 2024, men from Asian (59.6%) and “other” (60%) ethnic groups are less likely to be active than the overall average (65.6%). Jamia Usmania’s general secretary, Mohammed Ilyas, says he wants to make the mosque “a community hub where people can join in other activities, which were provided by the council 20 years ago but are nonexistent now”. He adds: “Make it as accessible as possible, not just for the elders, for the young generation as well, make the mosque welcoming.” Read the full story via the link ► https://ift.tt/7akLzEw #bradford #pilates #islam #muslims #mosque

A 'disturbing' lack of empathy in Minneapolis under Trump's ICE surge

After the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agents in Minneapolis, the Guardian’s Oliver Laughland travelled to Carlton county, Minnesota – one of the state’s counties that voted for Trump in 2024. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 For the latest episode of Anywhere but Washington, Laughland met with Brad Kohler, a Republican candidate running for Minnesota governor, and Republican voters. Laughland confronted Kohler on racist comments about Somali immigrants in Minnesota, and spoke with him and other voters about the killing of Renee Good. This episode was filmed before Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents on 24 January. The occupation of Minneapolis: resisting Trump’s ICE 'invasion' | Anywhere but Washington ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFBvYve92_M #minneapolis #minnesota #ice #donaldtrump #trump #reneenicolegood #reneegood #iceshooting #usa #trump #donaldtrump

Minneapolis resident violently arrested by ICE: 'Their goal is to intimidate you'

In the aftermath of the killing of Renee Good, Patty O’Keefe became one of thousands of citizen observers patrolling Minneapolis to track ICE activities. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 Just days after Good’s killing, O’Keefe told Guardian reporter Oliver Laughland about her experience of being arrested and detained by ICE. Laughland travelled to Minneapolis for the latest episode of Anywhere But Washington to speak with community members like O’Keefe and better understand their fight to defend their neighbors from violence and intimidation by ICE. Follow the link to watch the episode in full ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFBvYve92_M #ice #minnesota #minneapolis #trump #donaldtrump #reneegood #reneenicolegood #iceshooting

This photographer was tackled by ICE – and threw his camera to save it

'It’s important to see what’s going on – what’s really going on”. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 That’s what Pierre Lavie said after fellow photographer John Abernathy was taken down by federal agents at a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis, Minnesota on 15 January. John Abernathy says he couldn’t breathe after being pushed to the floor and having tear gas canisters deployed near him, and that he was afraid of what would happen to his camera – and more importantly the images on it – if he were arrested. He decided to throw his camera and phone towards a photographer he had never met before – Pierre Lavie – because the images of the protests “deserve to be seen”. The Department of Homeland Security told CNN Abernathy had been arrested for obstructing pedestrian and vehicle traffic on federal property. Abernathy says he spotted what he believed to be “far-right agitators” holding bear spray canisters, which he grabbed from one of them and threw away. When he was taken down, Abernathy says officers told him that it was because he had “bear sprayed his [own] people”, and that they had a video – which they refused to show him. Abernathy, who suffered chemical burns in his eyes and wounds from pepper bullets, is aware his experience could have been a lot worse. “I didn't have any worry of being sent to another country.” The Minneapolis-based photographer has covered protests in the past, including Black Lives Matter in 2020. But he says the violence from government agents recently is “a different type of aggression”, like nothing he has seen there before. Protests have sprung up in Minneapolis after an ICE surge in the state, and have grown further since the killing of Renee Good, an unarmed woman shot by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis earlier this month. “A lot of people are very fearful, but the community here is quite amazing,” says Abernathy. A “no work, no school, no shopping” blackout day of protest was kicked off by community leaders, faith leaders and labor unions on Friday, whose demands include that ICE leave Minnesota and the officer who killed Good be legally held accountable. Find out more via the link ► https://ift.tt/cKxuSJz #ice #minnesota #minneapolis #iceraids #iceagents #media #press

The lost their homes in the LA wildfires – now they're fighting climate gentrification

Within two days of Ellen Williams and her family losing their four homes in the LA megafires, real estate investors began calling. But she is fighting back against climate gentrification. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 As investors swoop in and try to pick up severely damaged properties across areas devastated by last year’s fires, Williams is resisting their offers and sticking to her family’s plan to return to Altadena. But she knows that other longtime residents can’t withstand the financial pressure that threatens to reshape her hometown. Her message to the investors is clear: “How dare you? Within days of people losing their homes you want to give them an offer,” she told the Guardian. “We’re still processing, yet you want to put a value on land.” #lawildfires #lafires #losangeles #altadena #usa #climategentrification #climatecrisis #black #latino

How Ukraine is surviving winter without power after Russian attacks

People feel like the ‘Russians are trying to freeze them’, said Guardian’s Senior international reporter Peter Beaumont, who is in Kyiv where temperatures are expected to fall to -20C during the night. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 Many residents are forced to use emergency shelters to warm up and use electricity after a large-scale Russian attack on the capital on 9 January damaged energy facilities. Hundreds of homes have been left without power or heating after the strikes. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said that Russia deliberately waited for freezing weather to make things worse for the Ukrainian people, and this was “a cynical Russian terror specifically against civilians.” Moscow gave no immediate response. #ukraine #ukrainewar #winter #russia #weather

'Don't take the smuggler route': how gangs punish migrants entering Europe

On the border between Serbia and Hungary, the Guardian's Ashifa Kassam speaks to a group of migrants making the journey to Europe. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 Speaking under condition of anonymity, they tell her that smuggling gangs beat and torture migrants in order to extort money from them. Their advice to young people in their homelands is to keep studying, work hard and not to undertake the same journey. Watch the full film ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xffeggLgyNk #migrants #immigration #aslyumseekers #refugees #europe

The Los Angeles wildfires devastated the city. Here's what happened next

It’s been a year of recovery and reckoning in Los Angeles since the unprecedented wildfires erupted in the parched southern California hillsides and spread into the surrounding suburbs with shocking ferocity, killing 31 people. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 While rebuilding efforts are underway, progress has been slow. Thousands of displaced Angelenos remain in limbo. Meanwhile, city officials, researchers, non-profits and new community groups combed through the horrors to puzzle together what went wrong, after the firestorm overwhelmed municipal water systems and outpaced elite firefighting crews, while evacuations slowed to a crawl along winding roads. As the issues that defined the disaster and its recovery come into sharper focus, given the lack of coordination from federal agencies hollowed out by the Trump administration, the steep financial cost of rebuilding and the ever-growing threat of the climate crisis, one urgent question looms: what can be done to stop another from striking in the future? The senior climate reporter and extreme weather correspondent for Guardian US, Gabrielle Canon, visited the worst-hit areas a year after the wildfire hit. Watch to find out more about what the affected areas look like now, and follow the link to hear the stories of three LA wildfire victims on how they survived the horror - and what came next ► https://ift.tt/klOfWPN #losangeleswildfires #lawildfires #californiawildfires #wildfires #climatecrisis #climatechange