Global news every hour

Hooper reported at a time of cuttings libraries and copytakers but Italy’s story of instability and migrants dying in the Med is little changed Long before even meeting John Hooper, affectionately known among foreign correspondents in Rome as “the Hoops”, I considered him a guide. In 2018, in preparation for the March general election, I bought his book, The Italians , seeking insight into Italian history, culture and mindset Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3uX0H0c

Safety warnings as pubs, cinemas and restaurants fully reopen … Gaza rocked by fresh Israeli airstrikes … average house prices pass £333,564 Morning everyone. I’m Martin Farrer and these are the top stories this morning. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2QmdAls

Investigation reveals that ‘plastic waste coming from the UK to Turkey is an environmental threat, not an economic opportunity’ Turkey has become the latest destination for British plastic waste, which ends up dumped, burned or left to pollute the ocean, a Greenpeace investigation has found. More than half of the plastic the British government says is being recycled are sent overseas, often to countries without the necessary infrastructure to do so. The UK exported 688,000 tonnes of discarded plastic packaging in 2020, a daily average of 1.8m kilos. Just 486,000 tonnes were recycled in the UK. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/33MmJqL

Bridgewater, billed as ‘Europe’s biggest gardening project’, is to finally open after Covid delays The Royal Horticultural Society billed it as “Europe’s biggest gardening project”, a 154-acre garden in one of the most deprived local authorities in England that was going to open up a new audience for one of the country’s most middle-class organisations. RHS Bridgewater in Salford was supposed to open last summer, but Covid had other ideas. It will finally open to the public on Tuesday, with the curator, Marcus Chilton-Jones, saying the pandemic was a “blessing in disguise” because it gave the RHS an extra 10 months to get the gardens established. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3w2MYVY

Four years after escaping her marriage, the former Spice Girl talks about confidence, family – and why the pandemic has led to a rise in abusive relationships Melanie Brown is in her tracksuit talking to me from her Leeds home. Her mother has popped round and is chomping away on an Easter egg she has just found, despite the fact that Brown has made her some “amazing” spicy curry soup for lunch. Her oldest daughter, Phoenix, is going to extreme measures to get her attention. Meanwhile, tiny yorkshire terrier Cookie has jumped into Brown’s arms, as her French bulldogs Yoshi and Yoda and golden doodle Luna wander around making mischief. It’s a picture of contented domestic chaos. But it wasn’t always like this. Four years ago Brown, better known as Mel B or Scary Spice, was living in Los Angeles, married to the American film producer Stephen Belafonte and, she says, terrified for her life. In her 2018 memoir Brutally Honest , she documented the horror of her day-to-day existence – alleg...

Project turns trophy hunters’ hit list into a conservation tool – and reveals the animals we most want to see caught on camera For trophy hunters, the big five are the toughest, most dangerous animals to kill, but a photography project has turned the meaning of shooting on its head, creating a new list of the five most fantastic creatures to capture on camera. More than 50,000 people from around the world voted for animals they most liked seeing pictures of as part of the New Big 5 wildlife photography list. The crowning creatures are elephant, lion, polar bear, gorilla and tiger, all of which are keystone species listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as either critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3wcKfcE