Camp Mystic halts summer reopening after Texas flood deaths 30. April 2026 (20:52) Decision follows pressure from lawmakers and families as investigations continue into response to deadly disasterThe embattled Camp Mystic organization on Thursday halted plans to reopen this summer in a decision that followed months of intensifying outrage by political leaders in Texas and the families of 27 young campers killed last July when massive floodwaters swept through the all-girls Christian camp in the middle of the night.The decision comes after days of pointed questioning by Texas lawmakers who are investigating camp officials’ response to the devastating flood on July 4 that claimed the lives of the campers and two teenage counselors. The camp’s owner, Dick Eastland, also died in the flooding. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US House passes bill funding much of DHS, ending agency’s longest shutdown 30. April 2026 (20:42) Bipartisan measure includes funding for Secret Service and TSA, but excludes immigration enforcement operationsPartial government shutdown ends after Congress votes to fund DHS The US House of Representatives has voted to fund much of the Department of Homeland Security – excluding immigration enforcement operations – and end the longest government agency shutdown in history.The deal struck on Thursday aims to draw a line under a 75-day impasse that had threatened airport chaos and exposed fresh strains within the Republican party. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Hegseth ‘dangerously exaggerated’ US military triumph in Iran, Senate hears 30. April 2026 (20:37) Senator Jack Reed says at hearing that defense secretary failed to give Trump accurate picture of war in IranUS politics live – latest updatesSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailPete Hegseth has failed to give Donald Trump an accurate picture of the war on Iran while resorting to “dangerously exaggerated” statements to create an inaccurate picture of a US military triumph, a senior Democrat told a Capitol Hill hearing on Thursday.Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate armed services committee, told Hegseth, the defense secretary, that far from victory, US citizens were having to bear the cost of a war they did not support in the form of increased fuel prices. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Starmer restores powers to ousted hereditary peers in Lords shake-up 30. April 2026 (20:31) Dozens handed life peerages in apparent concession, enabling their return to red benchesDozens of hereditary peers whose seats have been abolished have had their lawmaking powers restored as Keir Starmer seeks to accelerate changes to the House of Lords.It is understood that 15 Conservative hereditary peers, two Labour and nine crossbenchers have been handed life peerages, enabling their return to the red benches. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
British soldiers lost control in 1972 Springhill shootings, inquest finds 30. April 2026 (20:30) Coroner says none of the five civilians killed in incident in Belfast during Troubles should have been shotBritish army soldiers “lost control” and used force that was “not reasonable” in the killing of five civilians in Northern Ireland in 1972, an inquest judge has ruled.Four of the victims – two teenagers, a father of six and a Catholic priest – posed no risk when they were shot in the Springhill and Westrock areas of west Belfast on 9 July 1972, Mr Justice Scoffield said on Thursday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
German artist Georg Baselitz dies aged 88 30. April 2026 (20:21) Prominent contemporary visual artist explored range of techniques across six decades of workGeorg Baselitz obituary The German artist Georg Baselitz, whose expressive paintings and sculptures stirred controversy before winning him global acclaim and the admiration of politicians in high office, has died aged 88.The Thaddaeus Ropac gallery, which had a longstanding professional relationship with the artist, confirmed his death on Thursday. It said Baselitz had “defined German visual art for a generation” and had died peacefully. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Venice Biennale jury quits amid row over participation of Russia 30. April 2026 (20:18) Decision follows backlash from Italian government and European CommissionThe jury of the Venice Biennale has quit just days before the prestigious art exhibition is due to begin, amid a row over the decision to allow Russia to participate.The resignation of the five-member international jury was announced late on Thursday in a brief statement by the Venice Biennale organisers, and came a day after the Italian culture ministry sent inspectors to Venice in search of information about the decision to allow Russia to have a pavilion at the event. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
AI outperforms doctors in Harvard trial of emergency triage diagnoses 30. April 2026 (20:00) Researchers say results mark a ‘profound change in technology that will reshape medicine’From George Clooney in ER to Noah Wyle in The Pitt, emergency department doctors have long been popular heroes. But will it soon be time to hang up the scrubs?A groundbreaking Harvard study has found that AI systems outperformed human doctors in high-pressure emergency medicine triage, diagnosing more accurately in the potentially life and death moments when people are first rushed to hospital. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Four rescued from Seine after bus plunges into river near Paris 30. April 2026 (18:59) Vehicle was travelling through Juvisy-sur-Orge when it veered off the road into the riverFour people have been rescued from the Seine near Paris after a bus driven by a trainee driver collided with a parked vehicle before plunging into the river.The bus was travelling through the town of Juvisy-sur-Orge, south-east of the French capital, on Thursday when it veered off the road into the Seine, prosecutors said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump tells Merz to ‘fix his broken country’ in new attack on German chancellor 30. April 2026 (18:37) US president’s latest outburst comes a day after he suggested a ‘possible reduction’ in US troops in GermanyWhy does the US have military bases in Germany – and will Trump follow through on his threat?Donald Trump has again lashed out at Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, saying he should focus on “fixing his broken country” and trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war – and spend less time “interfering” in Iran.“The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!),” Trump wrote in a social media post. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
