PM Boris Johnson signs security declaration with Sweden
The UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has signed a declaration with Sweden promising UK support should its military come under attack. Johnson is now expected to travel to Finland to make a similar deal. Both countries have a history of wartime neutrality, yet are considering joining NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation), despite warnings from Russia that there will be consequences should they do so.
Gove dismisses suggestions of emergency budget
Michael Gove, secretary for levelling up, has dismissed suggestions that the UK government should deliver an emergency budget to help relieve the rising cost of living. Labour has said that the Queen’s speech (delivered by Prince Charles this year as the Queen pulled out due to mobility issues) did not contain enough measures to help people through the economic crisis, and that more needs to be done. However, Michael Gove has stated that there are no plans for any sort of emergency budget, nor should they be expected.
Al Jazeera journalist killed
Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist and one of the Arab world’s best-known reporters, was shot in the head on Wednesday morning. She had been covering a military raid in Jenin, a historical flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Although she was wearing body army and a helmet which clearly marked her as ‘press’, colleagues at the scene and the network are saying she was deliberately shot by Israeli forces. Israel have denied the accusation and have offered the Palestinians a joint pathological investigation.
91% of reefs in the Great Barrier Reef affected by sixth mass bleaching event
Climate change and rising sea temperatures have caused coral bleaching in 91% of reefs along the great barrier reef this year. This is the sixth mass bleaching event since 1998 and the fourth since 2016. Scientists say time is running out for the reefs to be able to recover and that governments need to urgently tackle the climate crisis should they wish to preserve the habitat.
