by Robert Mackey (now); Anna Betts, Shrai Popat and T on (#76W3X)
Republican nominee has made slate of unsubstantiated claims about fighting human trafficking overseas and pledged to continue performing exorcisms, in person and by phone, if elected governor
Bipartisan Election Assistance Commission maintains mail-voter registration form, among other dutiesDonald Trump has terminated the remaining members of the independent, federal commission that assists election administration officials nationwide just a few months before the midterm elections, multiple outlets reported Thursday.The remaining three commissioners of the four-member bipartisan commission were forced out on Thursday in different ways. The one Republican appointee resigned and the other two, Democratic appointees were notified of their terminations via email from the White House presidential personnel office. Continue reading...
Plans to build a NZ$3.5bn datacentre in Makarewa in the country's south has drawn concern about electricity and water use, and potential noise pollutionPeople living near the site of New Zealand's first planned AI datacentre are calling for more transparency about the project, especially about how the centre's huge electricity and water use and potential noise pollution could affect them.Singapore-based company Datagrid has secured approval to build a NZ$3.5bn (US$2bn) AI datacentre on a 49-hectare site in Makarewa, just north of New Zealand's southern-most city, Invercargill. Construction is due to begin this year, with the centre becoming operational by 2028. Continue reading...
by Uwa Ede-Osifo, Richard Luscombe and Dani Anguiano on (#76WBF)
Testimony from Lance Twiggs heard in court on fourth day of hearing to determine whether case can proceed to trialTyler Robinson, the 23-year-old charged with murdering the far-right pundit Charlie Kirk, told his roommate a day after the fatal shooting that he wished he hadn't done it", according to testimony heard on Thursday in court.On the fourth day of a hearing to determine whether the case against Robinson has probable cause to proceed to trial, the state presented video of a prosecutor interviewing Lance Twiggs, Robinson's then roommate, with whom he was romantically involved. Continue reading...
NCPC gives preliminary approval to plan for skyline-altering arch despite overwhelming public oppositionDonald Trump's plans to build a skyline-altering arch in the nation's capital won initial approval Thursday from a key federal commission, but its members put off a decision on whether a federal law that limits building heights should be applied to this project.Despite overwhelming public opposition, the National Capital Planning Commission voted to approve preliminary site and building plans for the 250ft (76m) arch the Republican president wants to build on a traffic circle at the Virginia end of the Memorial Bridge from Washington. Continue reading...
Group accused of planning sniper and drone attack on Donald Trump's UFC cage-fighting show in JuneEight men were indicted on murder and terrorism conspiracy charges Thursday for their alleged roles in a thwarted drone and sniper attack on the UFC cage-fighting show staged at the White House in June.The indictment, returned in Ohio, charges all eight in two separate conspiracies, one to provide material support to terrorists and a second to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official. Continue reading...
Hollywood actor signs recording deal with Decca after decades of composing pieces inspired by his Welsh childhoodAnthony Hopkins says he has achieved his first desire" of signing a record deal, with his debut single being released on Friday.The 88-year-old Hollywood actor's first album, Life Is a Dream, will be released next month by Decca Classics . It is a collection of pieces he has composed over six decades.Life Is a Dream will be released on 21 August Continue reading...
by Sarah Marsh Consumer affairs correspondent on (#76WPB)
Ministers consider bringing e-cigarette laws in line with tobacco as data shows 20% of teenagers have tried vapingVapes could be sold in plain packaging as part of a range of proposals to stop them being marketed to children.The UK-wide plans also include limiting device colours to white, black or grey, and keeping vapes out of sight in shops, according to the Department of Health and Social Care. Continue reading...
by Lanre Bakare Arts and culture correspondent on (#76WPA)
Presenter, 77, says for now life goes on as normal and I continue to broadcast' as he shares diagnosis received in 2025The longtime radio and TV broadcaster Paul Gambaccini has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.The 77-year-old presenter, who has been a regular on the BBC since the 1970s and has one of the most recognisable voices on British radio, shared a statement revealing the diagnosis he received in 2025. Continue reading...
Iran responds by targeting US-allied Kuwait and Qatar and accusing US of striking near its sole nuclear power plantThe US has launched new airstrikes against Iran, hours after Donald Trump threatened to escalate the conflict unless Iran stopped attacking ships in the strait of Hormuz.Iran, which was burying its former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday, responded by targeting US-allied Kuwait and Qatar and accused the US of striking near its sole nuclear power plant. Continue reading...
Outgoing PM has not ruled out drawing up honours list when he stands down, despite previously opposing itKeir Starmer has signalled he could hand out resignation honours when he leaves Downing Street, despite pledging three years ago he would not do so when he eventually stood down.The prime minister twice declined to rule out drawing up a list of honours when he stands down in just over 10 days' time, to be succeeded by Andy Burnham. Continue reading...
George Cottrell's mother, Fiona, at centre of criminal inquiry over potential evasion of restrictions on donationsPolice are investigating donations worth 500,000 made to Reform UK by the mother of a convicted fraudster and ally of Nigel Farage.The investigation concerns two donations of 250,000 made by Fiona Cottrell, whose son George has often accompanied Farage to Reform events and media appearances. The May 2024 donations are under investigation over whether they were intended to conceal a donation by an impermissible donor. Continue reading...
Father Ted co-creator detained by armed officers at Heathrow airport last year over gender-critical posts on XThe Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan has been paid 25,000 in compensation by the Metropolitan police and received an apology after his arrest over his gender-critical social media posts.Linehan, 57, was detained by armed officers at Heathrow airport last September after a 10-hour flight from Arizona. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Source close to co-claimant Prince Harry says he is protective of social campaigner and will not see her out of pocket'Doreen Lawrence, the social justice campaigner, will not foot any of a multimillion-pound bill for the failed attempt to sue the publisher of the Daily Mail, the Guardian understands.Lawrence, the mother of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, whose case was the subject of a long-running Daily Mail campaign from the late 1990s, was one of seven claimants defeated in court over claims the Mail titles used unlawful methods to source stories. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Call for ministers to tighten bill amid Nigel Farage funding controversiesLabour MPs are to rebel next week over the government's reforms to political funding, pushing ministers to introduce tougher measures including a ban on cryptocurrency donations and much lower spending limits.MPs on the all-party anti-corruption group are canvassing support for four amendments to the representation of the people bill that would significantly tighten the government's plans. Continue reading...
Reporting suggests FBI involved in seizure of Ismael El Mayo' Zambada Garcia from Mexican territory in 2024Mexico has launched an investigation into whether the US lied about its involvement in the capture and secretive transfer of a top Sinaloa cartel member in 2024, in what would be a potential violation of the country's sovereignty.The US has long denied it played any role in the operation to detain the drug lord Ismael El Mayo" Zambada Garcia, a founder of the Sinaloa cartel, inside Mexico. Recent reporting by the local media outlet Pie de Nota, however, suggested that the FBI was involved in his capture. Continue reading...
Cross-party group backs call from science and technology committee to look at alternative options, citing serious mistrust'A second parliamentary committee has urged Labour to scrap Palantir's 330m contract with the NHS, increasing pressure on the next prime minister over government deals with the US tech company.MPs on the health and social care select committee want the NHS to cut ties with Palantir and find a replacement for its system, which is supposed to unify and analyse huge amounts of often highly sensitive NHS health data. Continue reading...
Businessman stands trial over death of Maltese journalist killed by bomb in her car after she reported on corruptionMoments before the explosion that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia, the journalist screamed in panic, a witness has told the trial of the man accused of ordering her murder.Caruana Galizia was killed in 2017 by a remotely detonated bomb placed under the driver's seat of her car, after writing a series of reports on political and financial corruption in Malta. The government's handling of the investigation led to mass protests and ultimately to the resignation of the Maltese prime minister, Joseph Muscat. Continue reading...
by Seham Tantesh in Gaza and Julian Borger in Jerusal on (#76WER)
The local truckers association has said it may suspend operations, after several eyewitnesses decried the murder of Ahmad EsleemA Palestinian driver bringing food aid from the World Central Kitchen (WCK) into Gaza has been killed by an Israeli soldier, according to eyewitnesses and the local truckers association, which said it may suspend operations in protest.Ahmad Esleem was shot in the head on Wednesday when an aid convoy stopped because of a breakdown to one truck soon after entering Gaza, according to three accounts. Israeli soldiers ordered the drivers to dismount and one of them shot Esleem in the head when his hands were raised. Continue reading...
Britain expands heat alerts while estimates suggest June's death toll could surpass 20,000 across continentThe UK is sweltering through the peak of its third heatwave of the year as countries around Europe struggle to recover from an early onslaught of baking summer heat.Punishing temperatures pushed higher by fossil fuel pollution have broken records across the continent in recent weeks. Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record, scientists confirmed on Thursday, accompanied by high global ocean temperatures that could cause mass-mortality events" for some species. Continue reading...
Recep Tayyip Erdoan presented engraved revolvers - with bullets - to his guests in Ankara, causing security concernsWhat does a world leader do with a gun and six bullets? That was the conundrum Nato leaders faced after the Turkish president offered them each a revolver after the Ankara summit.Keir Starmer was the first to mention the highly unusual gift presented by Recep Tayyip Erdoan to his guests. On the flight back from Ankara, where Nato leaders had gathered for two days, the British prime minister said he and others had received a revolver engraved with their names. Continue reading...
President ordered investigation after fictitious federal body allocated funding and office space, triggering renewed scrutiny of corruptionA fictitious federal entity that was allocated 1.3 billion naira (705,248) in Nigeria's 2026 budget has precipitated a political storm in Africa's largest democracy in the run-up to January's general election.The fake agency came to light last October when Femi Gbajabiamila, the president's chief of staff, wrote to the police alleging that his signature, along with official seals and reference numbers, had been forged by Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who was claiming to have been appointed by the presidency to head the presidential foreign intervention promotion council (PFIPC). Continue reading...
Demonstrations at 18 sites set up as radical transformation plan put to board of Europe's biggest carmakerVolkswagen's proposal to slash up to 100,000 jobs and close factories faces a major test on Thursday as it is formally put to its supervisory board, with protests planned at all plants in Germany.IG Metall organised demonstrations involving shop stewards and union council members at 18 sites at Europe's biggest carmaker, including at its headquarters. The influential staff union told the chief executive, Oliver Blume, that he could not pass the buck for failures of recent years on to the workforce". Continue reading...
Highly unprecedented anomaly' meant 135 people given incorrect scores and wrongly informed of promotionsThe air force has canceled the promotions of dozens of service members after discovering what it said was a grading error in a test of their security knowledge.The isolated and highly unprecedented anomaly" was announced in a press release on Tuesday, which said 135 airmen and women had been awarded incorrect scores on the security forces specialty knowledge test (SKT) and been wrongly informed they had earned promotion. Continue reading...
Some stations in Spain recorded temperatures of up to 44C after western Europe experienced the warmest June on recordA high temperature warning has also been issued for a dozen counties in the Republic of Ireland, PA reported.Irish national forecaster Met Eireann said temperatures could exceed 27C during the day with overnight temperatures staying above 15C. The agency warned of water safety issues, heat stress, and uncomfortable sleeping conditions as a result. Continue reading...
Measures would make it easier for victims to seek compensation, with companies such as Bolt and Lime held responsible for damageVictims hit by rental e-scooters on German streets will have an easier time gaining compensation from their operators under legislation due to pass parliament that would put the vehicles on a similar legal footing to cars.The draft law by the right-left coalition government, which has been welcomed by consumer rights advocates, says that given the rapid rise in the use of e-scooters in recent years coupled with high accident rates, rental operators such as Lime and Bolt should be held liable. Continue reading...
As Trump's immigration crackdown continues, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo's death marks another high-profile killing by ICE officersEarly on Tuesday morning, 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo took his coffee and a meal his wife had prepared for him, said goodbye to his dog, and left the house he built. He drove his white van, picked up three co-workers, and headed towards a construction site to work on some houses.But Salgado never made it to work. During a targeted enforcement operation", officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shot and killed Salgado and arrested the three other men. Continue reading...
The advocacy group's Where We Are In Film study finds a decrease in queer people of color and zero trans characters in 2025 filmsLGBTQ+ characters are slowly disappearing from film in a trend that disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ characters of color, according to a report published today.An annual study of films by Glaad (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has found that just 46 of 225 films released in 2025 contained LGBTQ+ characters, making only 20.4% of last year's movies inclusive of the queer community. Continue reading...
Versatile Essex-born hitmaker known for Rhinestone Cowboy, It Only Takes a Minute and many more had been living with Alzheimer's diseaseBrian Potter, one of the most versatile and successful British producers and songwriters of his generation, has died aged 87. He had been living with Alzheimer's disease in recent years, his daughter told Billboard.Working with American songwriting partner Dennis Lambert, the Essex-born Potter was behind an astounding array of 1970s hits spanning pop, soul, soft rock, country and beyond. The best-known include Glen Campbell's Rhinestone Cowboy, a US No 1 in 1975; It Only Takes a Minute, a barnstorming disco hit for Tavares and later Take That; Player's super-smooth Baby Come Back, another US No 1; and Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got), one of the biggest hits for soul-poppers the Four Tops. Continue reading...
Welsh singer and Eurovision entrant's other hits included Footloose soundtrack smash Holding Out for a Hero Alexis Petridis on Bonnie Tyler: She totally eclipsed her power-ballad peers, and created an astonishingly wide variety of pop
Local media in Hengzhou report king ratsnakes and cobras among hundreds in flood waters caused by typhoon MaysakHundreds of snakes, including cobras, have escaped from flooded breeding farms in southern China as severe storms continue to batter parts of the country.State media reported that a snake farm in Hengzhou, in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, was hit by flood waters after days of heavy rainfall caused by typhoon Maysak, prompting warnings for nearby residents. Continue reading...
Neso asks for extra supplies from electricity generators to cope with added demand on Thursday nightGreat Britain's energy system operator has warned that extreme temperatures" could hit power supplies on Thursday night, as the UK entered its third heatwave of the year.The National Energy System Operator (Neso) issued a notice overnight asking for extra supplies from power generators to cope with the added demand from households turning on fans and air conditioners to cope with the high temperatures. Continue reading...
Reputation for frumpiness is over as M&S wins over younger audience with shows at Silverstone, Ibiza and now LFWThis autumn's London fashion week boasts plenty of familiar labels, from Burberry to Alexander McQueen, ready to show off their wares. But on Wednesday there was an unexpected addition: Marks & Spencer is joining the luxury lineup.The British high-street retailer will celebrate its 100th anniversary in the fashion industry by staging a catwalk show in September highlighting its latest women's and menswear collections. Continue reading...
by Emine Sinmaz, Rob Evans and Harry Davies on (#76VZW)
Two women who alleged they were raped by Tyrion Davis in Suffolk had to testify at an invasive court martial on a US baseMinutes after fleeing the home of an American airman, Rebecca called 999 in tears to report that he had raped her. She recalls vomiting at a police station in Suffolk as she described being repeatedly and violently attacked.Officers took her to a sexual assault referral centre for an intimate examination. There, a nurse measured and photographed her injuries, including bruises and bite marks on her neck. Continue reading...
Author argues symbols such as daisy wheels are no more than the working marks of stonemasonsOver the years, English Heritage and Historic England have claimed to have identified large numbers of witches' marks" or ritual protection symbols" on the walls of historic buildings, including medieval churches and houses.Now a leading architectural historian has said there is absolutely no evidence" that these marks have anything to do with witches or any mystical meanings". Continue reading...
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