More food aid needed to end starvation in Gaza despite 'modest' raise - WFP
The World Food Programme has called for more food aid to be allowed in to Gaza to quell widespread starvation....
Two men were sentenced to more than four years in prison on Tuesday for felling Britain’s iconic 'Sycamore Gap' tree, a world-famous landmark whose striking silhouette was once featured in a Hollywood film.
Sentencing Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, to four years and three months in prison, Judge Christina Lambert told the men they had cut down the tree out of "sheer bravado".
“Mr. Carruthers, your account that you had so much to drink that you had no memory of what you did that night is not plausible. The tree felling demonstrated skill. It required deliberate and coordinated actions by you. As Mr.Graham commented the next day, having seen the photograph of the stump, you didn’t get a bad angle on the stump, and the job seemed professional,” said Judge Lambert.
Estimated to be almost 200-years-old, the sycamore tree stood in the middle of a deep natural hollow in the landscape alongside the historic Hadrian’s Wall in northern England, which made it a popular spot for photographers, hikers, and even marriage proposals.
The pair were found guilty last month of travelling from their homes in the middle of the night in September 2023 to deliberately cut it down using a chainsaw.
Described by the prosecutors as “moronic mission,” the pair filmed the act on Graham’s mobile phone and later bragged about it, before their friendship turned into hostility as their actions caused widespread anger.
Both had denied any involvement in the annihilation of the tree that was featured in the 1991 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'. The duo also damaged part of Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago.
Eventually, Graham and Carruthers did accept their responsibility when speaking to the probation officers, their lawyers said.
Carruthers’s lawyer, Andrew Gurney, described the crime as "drunken stupidity."
The National Trust, a heritage conservation charity responsible for the site, announced last August that new growth was visible at the tree’s base, raising hopes it could survive.
Meanwhile, last week, the Northumberland National Park said that the largest remaining section of the tree will be displayed in an installation near its original location.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
Kuwait says oil prices will likely stay below $72 per barrel as OPEC monitors global supply trends and U.S. policy signals. The remarks come during market uncertainty fueled by new U.S. tariffs on India and possible sanctions on Russia.
The World Food Programme has called for more food aid to be allowed in to Gaza to quell widespread starvation.
The United Kingdom has summoned the Russian envoy over its latest attack on Kyiv which killed civilians and damaged buildings including the EU delegation and the British Council.
China plans to triple Artificial Intelligence (AI) chip production within a year, boosting self-sufficiency for firms such as Huawei, despite U.S. export curbs, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers and bolster domestic innovation, in a move that could reshape global tech competition.
The Kremlin said on Thursday it was still interested in pursuing peace talks over Ukraine, despite a large overnight Russian strike on Kyiv that Ukrainian officials said killed at least 15 people, including four children.
At least 15 people died and nine were injured after a building collapsed in Palghar, near Mumbai in India, with police arresting the builder on charges of negligence and attempted murder.
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