Kratom poisonings soar in US as experts blame synthetic versions and caution against bans 13. April 2026 (14:00) Experts say natural kratom may offer benefits and blame synthetic derivatives for surge in poisonings noted by CDCA recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report shows that kratom poisonings have soared in the US, but experts say this is probably due to synthetic derivatives like 7-OH, and that blanket kratom bans could harm people using natural kratom to aid pain management or addiction recovery.Walter Prozialeck, a pharmacology professor at Midwestern University, said he was unsurprised by the report, which found that kratom-related poisonings went up by about 1,200% over the last decade, with a marked surge in 2025. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Elon Musk’s X cuts payments to users who post clickbait 13. April 2026 (13:55) Platform says it will reward original creators as it penalises ‘aggregators’ for flooding timelines with ‘stolen posts’Business live – latest updatesElon Musk’s X has reduced payments to users who post clickbait and recycle news stories as it warned account holders against “flooding the timeline” with low-quality content.Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, wrote on the social media platform that all “aggregators” – users who quickly repackage and repost news from other accounts – had received less money from the creator revenue sharing programme. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Asylum seekers removed from UK in waist and leg restraints, report finds 13. April 2026 (13:33) Inspection reveals use of force after protest by detainees being deported under ‘one in, one out’ schemeAsylum seekers who protested against being forcibly removed to France under the Home Office’s controversial “one in, one out” scheme, were transported out of the UK in waist and leg restraints, an inspection report has revealed.The report by the chief inspector of prisons for England and Wales, Charlie Taylor, inspected a flight to France that took place on 20-21 January this year and on which it found no force was used. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Sticker shock: LA residents alarmed by price of 2028 Olympics presale tickets 13. April 2026 (13:00) LA28 set aside tickets for LA and Oklahoma City residents, but some say they faced exorbitant prices and high feesSince tickets for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles went on sale for local residents on 2 April, excitement for the Games has given way to sticker shock among some Angelenos over what they describe as exorbitant prices and an unexpected service fee.LA28 had made a wave of slots in the presale ticket lottery available for residents throughout southern California, where the majority of contests will take place, and in Oklahoma City, which will host the canoe slalom and softball events. Tickets ranged in price from $28 into the thousands. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
And the election winner is … the candidate who can afford Africa’s soaring nomination fees 13. April 2026 (13:00) Presidential elections in Djibouti and Benin at the weekend highlighted how a costly electoral system is reshaping democracyAlexis Mohamed would have loved to stand against his former boss. A longtime adviser to Djibouti’s president, Ismail Omar Guelleh, Mohamed resigned last September, citing democratic regression in the country.But at the election at the weekend, Mohamed was not on the ballot. Now outside the country, he says he cannot return home to file nomination papers or campaign freely without credible security guarantees. Even if he were allowed to compete, nomination costs would still loom as a steep barrier in a political environment many critics describe as ceremonial, with Guelleh the habitual winner. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Southport attack blamed on ‘catastrophic’ failures by agencies and killer’s ‘irresponsible’ parents 13. April 2026 (12:59) Official report says system ‘completely failed’ because some form of violence by Axel Rudakubana had been ‘unambiguously signposted over many years’Southport attack inquiry report – latest updatesAxel Rudakubana was able to carry out the Southport atrocity because of “catastrophic” failures by multiple agencies and the “irresponsible and harmful” role of his parents, a damning inquiry has found.Sir Adrian Fulford condemned the “inappropriate merry-go-round” of state bodies passing the buck and their “frankly depressing” refusal to accept responsibility, saying: “This culture has to end.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘The perception is Carney is a wartime leader’: why Canada’s PM could secure a majority 13. April 2026 (12:00) As Trump’s actions spark a desire for stability, analysts say Carney is in effect assembling a union governmentCanada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, is on the brink of securing a majority government, with his Liberal party poised to win at least two closely watched byelections and courting an “almost unprecedented” string of defections from rival parties.Carney’s ability to turn a strong minority into a narrow majority through electoral gains and floor crossing has strengthened his reputation as a pragmatic leader above the cut and thrust of partisan politics. But his efforts to bring in lawmakers from across the political spectrum has also sparked a fierce internal debate over the Liberals’ values and the risks of consolidating more power. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Middle East war will leave UK households £480 poorer this year, says thinktank 13. April 2026 (11:51) Resolution Foundation says households face rising costs from higher bills for energy and filling upHigher energy prices as a result of the Iran war are likely to deal a blow to Britons’ living standards, leaving them nearly £500 worse off this year, a thinktank has warned.The Resolution Foundation said households faced rising costs from both higher gas and electricity bills and at the petrol pump. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Magyar says his government will work for a ‘free, European’ Hungary in break with Orbán era – Europe live 13. April 2026 (11:36) Tisza leader thanks voters in Facebook post and says his administration will be ‘well-functioning and compassionate’Stanley Wade Shelton UGAF professor of international affairs at the University of Georgia, and author of The Far Right TodayHungary’s election is a reminder that much of the public discourse wildly overstates the strength of authoritarianism and the weakness of democracy. Orbán’s acceptance of the result also again drives home how exceptional Donald Trump is in refusing to recognise his election defeat in 2020. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Britney Spears enters rehab after March DUI arrest 13. April 2026 (11:01) Singer voluntarily enters facility after erratic driving incident, where she was found to have drugs and alcohol in her systemBritney Spears has entered a rehab facility after her arrest in March for driving under the influence.The pop singer was stopped by police in Ventura county, California, after driving erratically, and was found to have drugs and alcohol in her system. She was briefly detained, and her manager called Spears’ actions “completely inexcusable. Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
