‘Point of no return’: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds 04. May 2026 (11:00) Louisiana’s cultural hotspot could be surrounded by Gulf of Mexico before end of this century, authors sayThe process of relocating people from New Orleans should start immediately as the city has reached a “point of no return” that will see it surrounded by the ocean within decades due to the climate crisis, a stark new study has concluded.Ongoing sea level rise and the rampant erosion of wetlands in southern Louisiana will swallow up the New Orleans area within a few generations, with the new paper estimating the city “may well be surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico before the end of this century”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Coalition accused of secretly giving big tobacco lobbyists private platform in parliament 04. May 2026 (10:42) Exclusive: A Senate committee considering the illegal tobacco trade in Australia hears closed-session evidence from cigarette manufacturersGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnti-smoking campaigners have accused the Coalition of secretly giving tobacco giants access to a parliamentary inquiry, a move they say undermines more than 15 years of precedent to protect public health.On Monday, representatives from tobacco company Philip Morris appeared before a Senate committee considering the illegal tobacco trade in Australia. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
London schools trialling VR to relieve pupils’ stress 04. May 2026 (10:00) Phase Space pilot programme with NHS mental health trust used to calm anxiety around exams, ADHD and home troublesSchools have begun deploying virtual reality to help pupils cope with stress caused by impending exams, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or difficult home lives.All 15 secondary schools in the London borough of Sutton are using VR headsets made by tech firm Phase Space in a pilot in conjunction with the local NHS mental health trust. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Queensland government in ‘integrity crisis’ over alleged undisclosed affair between two ministers, opposition says 04. May 2026 (09:50) The Olympic Games minister, Tim Mander, and the child safety minister, Amanda Camm say they were not in a relationship when they were sworn inFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastQueensland’s opposition has accused the LNP government of being in an “integrity crisis” over an allegedly undisclosed affair between two ministers and has urged the government to show how the pair are avoiding conflicts of interest.But one prominent political commentator has warned Labor’s attack strategy may backfire – saying the issue “would not even make the list of things to be tested in the pub”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Wikipedia founder brands Australia’s social media ban an ‘unmitigated disaster’ and an ‘embarrassment’ 04. May 2026 (08:49) Jimmy Wales remembers a toxic internet even before social media and says AI is ‘not a disaster’ for the free – and freely edited - online encyclopaediaFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastWikipedia’s founder, Jimmy Wales, has branded the Australian social media ban an “unmitigated disaster” and an “embarrassment” that is teaching kids to accept surveillance from tech companies when they go online.The online encyclopaedia that anyone can edit was born in a world before social media, in 2001. But Wales told Guardian Australia that many of the ills of social media existed even in the earlier stages of the internet. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Middle East crisis live: Iran warns it will attack US forces if they enter strait of Hormuz after Trump says US will help ‘guide’ stranded ships 04. May 2026 (08:40) Iranian military says it will ‘respond harshly’ to any threat after Trump warns that interference with US operation in Hormuz will be ‘dealt with forcefully’Trump says US navy will ‘guide’ trapped ships from strait of Hormuz amid ‘very positive’ talks with IranThe head of the Iranian military’s unified command has said US or any other foreign armed forces will be attacked if they enter the strait of Hormuz.The command warned US forces to stay out of the strait and said its forces would “respond harshly” to any threat, telling commercial ships and oil tankers to refrain from any movement in the absence of coordination with Iran’s military.We have repeatedly said the security of the Strait of Hormuz is in our hands and that the safe passage of vessels needs to be coordinated with the armed forces.We warn that any foreign armed forces, especially the aggressive US army, will be attacked if they intend to approach and enter the Strait of Hormuz.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Flaws in Kenya’s AI-driven health reforms driving up costs for the poorest 04. May 2026 (08:00) Exclusive: amid unrest, President William Ruto promised to give all Kenyans access to healthcare. But the algorithm favours the rich, an investigation has found
An AI system used to predict how much Kenyans can afford to pay for access to healthcare, has systemically driven up costs for the poor, an investigation has found.The healthcare system being rolled out across the country, a key electoral promise of President William Ruto, was launched in October 2024 and intended to replace Kenya’s decades-old national insurance system. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Wake-up call’: methane emissions from Australian coalmines more than double official estimates, report finds 04. May 2026 (07:31) International Energy Agency findings show government must commit to rapid cuts in emissions of greenhouse gas, climate experts saySign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter hereEmissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane from Australian coalmines are more than double official government estimates reported to the UN, according to a new International Energy Agency report.Climate and energy analysts said the report had again highlighted an “enormous gap” in the country’s reported methane emissions from coalmines and should serve as a wake-up call.Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Baby found dead at Wagga beach homeless encampment as mother and another infant taken to hospital 04. May 2026 (07:15) Police say ‘no suspicious circumstances’ while local councillor argues ‘tragedy’ shows housing crisis has gotten out of hand in regional AustraliaFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA baby has been found dead in a tent in regional New South Wales, prompting renewed calls to address homelessness across regional Australia.Police were called to a homeless encampment near Wagga beach on the Murrumbidgee River on Saturday, where they found a 37-year-old woman with two infants, one of whom was deceased. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Japan sees largest protest in support of pacifist constitution as PM Takaichi pushes revisions 04. May 2026 (07:14) Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi has called for discussions to revise the constitution, saying it should ‘reflect the demands of the times’Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has called for “advanced discussions” on revising the pacifist constitution, as large demonstrations were held nationwide to oppose any changes to the country’s supreme law.Speaking during an official visit to Vietnam, Takaichi said the constitution, which was written by US occupation forces after the second world war, “should periodically be updated to reflect the demands of the times”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
