Afrika Bambaataa, hip-hop pioneer, dies aged 67 09. April 2026 (23:27) The Bronx born rapper and DJ helped introduce hip-hop to the mainstream and was also accused of child sexual abuseThe American rapper and DJ Afrika Bambaataa has died aged 67. The musician died in Philadelphia at around 3am local time due to complications from cancer, TMZ reported.The Hip-Hop Alliance, a group headed by musician Kurtis Blow, wrote: “Today, we acknowledge the transition of a foundational architect of hip-hop culture, Afrika Bambaataa. As the founder of the Universal Zulu Nation, Afrika Bambaataa helped shape the early identity of hip-hop as a global movement rooted in peace, unity, love, and having fun. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
California man shot by ICE says officials falsely labeled him a gang member 09. April 2026 (22:54) Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez was hit by more than six bullets, says lawyer, with ICE facing scrutiny over shootingA California man shot by US immigration agents said officials have falsely accused him of being a gang member and that officers fired on him without justification during a traffic stop.Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, 36, was pulled over and shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Tuesday in Patterson, a rural agricultural town in California’s central valley. Patrick Kolasinski, Hernandez’s attorney, visited him in the hospital on Thursday morning and summarized his client’s comments. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US conservatives sue to dismantle Native Hawaiian healthcare scholarships 09. April 2026 (22:50) Do No Harm activist group alleges ‘racial discrimination’ in program designed to support under-served communitiesSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxConservative campaigners are targeting a decades-old federal scholarship program designed to provide Native Hawaiian students with funding to pursue healthcare careers and place practitioners in the state’s most medically under-served communities.Do No Harm, a Virginia-based advocacy group for healthcare clinicians “focused on keeping identity politics out of medical education, research, and clinical practice”, filed its federal lawsuit challenging the US health department’s Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program (NHHSP) last week. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US agency proposes rolling back rules for safe disposal of toxic coal ash 09. April 2026 (22:28) Advocates warn changes could increase risks of pollutants contaminating water and exposure to toxic wasteThe Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday proposed weakened rules governing the safe disposal of ash produced by burning coal. Those regulations were strengthened under the Biden administration as part of a wider crackdown on pollution from coal-fired power plants.The Trump administration proposed easing standards for monitoring and protecting groundwater near some coal ash sites, rolling back rules forcing the cleanup of entire coal properties instead of just places where ash was dumped. The revisions would also make it easier to reuse coal ash for other purposes. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Vladimir Putin announces Orthodox Easter ceasefire with Ukraine 09. April 2026 (22:23) Kremlin proposes 32-hour ceasefire starting on Saturday afternoon – with Ukraine expected to agree to planVladimir Putin has declared a 32-hour ceasefire in Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter weekend, after an earlier call from Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a pause.The president’s decree, released by the Kremlin on Thursday, orders Russian forces to observe a ceasefire starting on 4pm Saturday and lasting until the end of Sunday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
X Factor star Chico Slimani found guilty of drink-driving by London court 09. April 2026 (20:36) Singer, 55, said he had broken his sobriety after three ‘devastating’ bereavements and has not drunk alcohol sinceChico Slimani, a memorable X Factor contestant, was found guilty of drink-driving on Thursday, telling the court his arrest came hours after he broke his sobriety.The singer, 55, whose real name is Yousseph Slimani, reached the quarter-final of the TV talent show in 2005 and later released a No 1 single, It’s Chico Time. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Wild chimpanzees recorded waging ‘civil war’ with coordinated attacks between two groups 09. April 2026 (20:00) New study describes what may be the first case of a unified community of chimps, in Uganda, turning on itselfOn a June day in 2015, primatologist Aaron Sandel was quietly observing a small cluster of the Ngogo chimpanzee group in Uganda’s Kibale national park when he noticed something strange. As other members of the chimpanzees’ wider group moved closer through the forest, the chimpanzees in front of him began to display nervous behaviour. They grimaced and touched each other for reassurance, acting more like they were about to meet strangers than close companions.In hindsight, Sandel said, that moment was the first sign of what would become a years-long bloody conflict between a once close-knit group of chimps. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US accused of pressuring Latin America to cut ties with Cuban doctors program 09. April 2026 (19:59) Cuba accuses US of ‘extorting’ countries in pushing them to axe deals with Havana to send doctors on medical missionsCuba’s foreign minister has accused the United States of “extorting” Latin American countries by putting pressure on them to cancel decades-old deals with Havana for the supply of doctors.Bruno Rodríguez said the United States was trying to “strangle” the economy of the communist island, which earns billions from its foreign medical missions, after several countries stopped deploying Cuban doctors. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pink to host 2026 Tony awards: ‘It’s the honor of an entire lifetime’ 09. April 2026 (19:40) The artist will follow in the footsteps of Ariana DeBose, Cynthia Erivo and Kevin Spacey this JuneThe Tony awards have turned to a singer with a reputation for a high-energy, physical live show to be the next telecast host – Pink.The three-time Grammy award winner will make her debut as emcee for the awards on 7 June at its familiar home of Radio City Music Hall. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Israel’s attacks on Lebanon should not be happening, says Keir Starmer 09. April 2026 (19:32) In article for Guardian, PM also calls for Iran conflict to become watershed moment for future UK securityThe Iran war is a warning: Britain must build resilience – at home and with our allies in EuropeIsrael’s continued attacks on Lebanon “shouldn’t be happening”, Keir Starmer has said on his visit to the Middle East, as he called for the Iran conflict to become a watershed moment for the future security of the UK.In an article for the Guardian, the prime minister said the UK’s response to the crisis must involve a fundamental reset in terms of making the country more resilient, including by boosting defence and having closer links to Europe. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
