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New emblems approved by city councils in defiance of bans on unofficial flags' on government propertyEarlier this year, Utah and Idaho's Republican-controlled legislatures passed bans on flying the rainbow pride flags and other unofficial flags" on government property.Leaders in both states' capital cities, Salt Lake City and Boise, recently devised an inventive workaround - changing their official flags. Continue reading...

President taps wellness influencer after withdrawing initial pick, former Fox News contributor Janette NesheiwatDonald Trump has tapped Dr Casey Means, a wellness influencer with close ties to Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, as nominee for surgeon general after withdrawing his initial pick for the influential health post.The US president said in a social media post on Wednesday that Means has impeccable MAHA' credentials" - referring to the make America healthy again" slogan - and that she will work to eradicate chronic disease and improve the health and wellbeing of Americans. Continue reading...

Oscar-winning actor gives first interview to Variety since working with Trump on plan to shake up HollywoodJon Voight, the actor who inspired Donald Trump's surprise statement about placing a 100% tariff on foreign-made films, has given his first interview on the supposed plan to give people back their dignity and their jobs".Something has to be done, and it's way past time," the 86-year-old actor told Variety while he was, according to the magazine, driving through what sounded like a car wash". Continue reading...

Trump says it's possible that's right' about the vice-president's remarks amid frustrations with RussiaJD Vance has said that Russia is asking for too much" in its negotiations with Ukraine in the latest sign of growing frustration from Washington with ceasefire talks to end the war between the two countries.Speaking at a security conference of senior military and diplomatic leaders in Washington, the US vice-president said that the White House is focused on getting the two sides to hold direct talks and is ready to walk away if certain benchmarks are not reached. Continue reading...

Georgetown professor called to testify says Republican-led proceedings an attempt to chill protected speech'A congressional panel investigating antisemitism on US college campuses on Wednesday was accused of trying to chill constitutionally protected free speech and likened to a cold-war era committee notorious for wrecking the lives of people suspected of communist sympathies.The comparison was made by David Cole, a professor at Georgetown University law centre, who told the House education and workforce committee that its proceedings resembled those staged by the House un-American Activities Committee (Huac) during and after the second world war. Continue reading...

Men, who have been convicted of federal charges, found not guilty in death of Black man, 29, after he fled traffic stopThree former Memphis officers were acquitted on Wednesday of state charges, including second-degree murder, in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he ran away from a traffic stop in 2023.A jury took about eight and a half hours over two days to find Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith not guilty on all charges after a nine-day trial in state court in Memphis. After the jury's verdict was read, the defendants hugged their lawyers as relatives of the former officers cried. One relative yelled: Thank you, Jesus!" Continue reading...

Eight US senators ask Shari Redstone not to settle to end president's bogus' $20bn lawsuit over 2024 Harris interviewThe senator Bernie Sanders and his Democratic colleagues are urging Paramount Global not to settle Donald Trump's $20bn lawsuit against 60 Minutes, saying such a decision would capitulate to this dangerous move to authoritarianism".In a letter co-signed by eight senators, Sanders urged controlling shareholder Shari Redstone and Paramount Global's board to reconsider settling with Trump for as much as $75m to end his lawsuit against CBS News over its editing of last year's 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. Continue reading...

Senior negotiators hope to get agreement with US signed ahead of UK-EU summit on 19 MayA team of senior British trade negotiators has landed in Washington as talks over a deal between the two countries gather pace.Officials from the business and trade department are in the US for much of this week, attempting to get an agreement signed before the planned UK-EU summit on 19 May. Continue reading...

Telecom failure resulted in most dangerous situation you could have' and hundreds of delaysThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Wednesday that it was taking immediate steps to address ongoing problems that have disrupted hundreds of flights at the Newark Liberty international airport, one of the US's busiest hubs, which serves New York City and the surrounding region.The FAA said it was increasing air traffic controller staffing, adding three new high-bandwidth telecommunications connections and deploying a temporary backup system to the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control, which is handling Newark traffic during the switch to a more reliable fiber-optic network. Continue reading...

At its most basic level, Head Start provides free childcare - but it also creates jobs and can even have generational benefitsTanya Stanton felt a sense of relief when she heard last week that the Trump administration seems to have reversed course on eliminating the Head Start early education program. She directs early learning programs at You Thrive, a Florida nonprofit that provides Head Start services to approximately 1,100 children in the central part of the state.On Friday, the Trump administration released an updated skinny budget," which lays out the executive office's discretionary spending priorities. It doesn't contain a proposal to shut down Head Start, as mentioned in an administration memo obtained by the Associated Press in April. And that means thousands of families can breathe easier; the program served 833,000 low-income students nationwide in fiscal year 2022. Continue reading...

Move sparks outrage in Iran as diplomats try to broker deal between Tehran and Washington over nuclear programme

One America News will now provide news and video to government-funded organizationA hard-right, Trump-supporting US news network that perpetuated conspiracy theories about the 2020 election will provide news coverage for Voice of America (VoA), the Trump administration said.Kari Lake, a special adviser to the body that oversees the government-funded VoA, announced on X that One America News (OAN), which was sued by voting machine companies for promoting claims of election fraud, will provide newsfeed and video service". Continue reading...

Libya's provisional government has denied claims flight could happen as soon as this weekThe Trump administration is planning to deport a group of migrants to Libya, according to reports, despite the state department's previous condemnation of the life-threatening" prison conditions in the country.Libya's provisional government has denied the reports. Continue reading...

Trump administration launches review after what it calls recent incidents of antisemitic violence' at schoolThe Trump administration has launched a review into what it describes as recent incidents of antisemitic violence" at the University of Washington and its affiliates following a pro-Palestinian protest there on Monday that led to about 30 arrests.On Monday, protesters associated with the student group Super UW- short for Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return - temporarily occupied the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building on the university's Seattle campus. Continue reading...

Trump said the central bank should lower interest rates, but Powell demurred - and the president isn't happy with himThe US Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, has for months faced attacks from Donald Trump, who has threatened to fire the head of the central bank.While Trump has since walked back his attacks against Powell, insisting he has no intention" of terminating him after markets slumped, relations between the pair remain strained. Continue reading...

Chris Pelkey was killed in a road rage shooting in Chandler, Arizona, in 2021. Three-and-a-half years later, Pelkey appeared in an Arizona court to address his killer. Sort of. 'To Gabriel Horcasitas, the man who shot me, it is a shame we encountered each other that day in those circumstances,' says a video recording of Pelkey. 'In another life, we probably could have been friends.' Pelkey continues: 'I believe in forgiveness, and a God who forgives. I always have, and I still do.' Pelkey was 37 years old, devoutly religious and an army combat veteran. Horcasitas shot Pelkey at a red light in 2021 after Pelkey exited his vehicle and walked back towards Horcasitas's car. Pelkey's appearance from beyond the grave was made possible by artificial intelligence in what could be the first use of AI to deliver a victim impact statement.

Collins has broken with Trump in the past, but so far has been unwilling to use the full power of her committeeUnder normal circumstances, Senator Susan Collins would now be one of the most powerful figures in official Washington.In January, the Maine Republican became the chair of the Senate appropriations committee, long considered one of the most consequential panels in the upper chamber. Nicknamed the college of cardinals" for its outsized power over federal spending, it can approve funds for favored programs and slash it for others while blocking attempts by the White House to get in the way. One former chair of the committee used his power to get more than 30 federal projects named for himself in his home state. On its website, the committee boldly asserts its power, quoting from the constitution that No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in consequence of Appropriations made by law." Continue reading...

UN calls for maximum restraint from two nuclear powers. Plus, Israeli minister accused of ethnic cleansing for vowing Gaza will be entirely destroyed'

Workers at the esteemed news service say they're being silenced by the president - but they're vowing to fight backCarolina Valladares Perez, a Washington-based correspondent for the government-funded international news service Voice of America, has reported from places where press freedom is severely restricted - war zones and autocratic states - in the Middle East and across Latin America. Intimidation and threats from state officials were not unusual - but she always managed to get the story out.Now for the first time in her career, Valladares Perez says she has been silenced - not by a faraway regime, but by the government of the United States. Continue reading...

There is surprising nostalgia and humour in Gerad Argeros's story of healing after child abuse by a Catholic priest. He was an altar boy at St Cecilia Catholic church in north-east Philadelphia when, at age 11, he became one of the victims of paedophile James Brzyski. Decades later, the actor and father developed the one-man stage show Fox Chase Boy. Performing it to his close-knit parish he speaks directly about a crime cloaked in silence, and brings welcome insight into their collective trauma Continue reading...

Are schools really providing litter trays for kids whose pronouns are Puss and Purr? Or is state representative Stan Gerdes just stoking the culture war with his proposed FURRIES Act?Move over, Wagatha Christie: Furlock Holmes is investigating non-human behaviour" in Texas schools. A Republican state representative called Stan Gerdes recently filed a bill called the Forbidden Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Educational Spaces (FURRIES) Act, which would ban schoolkids from acting like animals. No hissing during history, no meowing during maths, and absolutely no relieving yourself in a litter box during lunch break, according to the FURRIES Act.Are animal impersonations a serious issue in Texas's schools? Gerdes insists so, noting in a press release that he had heard reports of a furry-related incident" in at least one school. When pressed on the issue, however, he was unable to provide any actual evidence of schools providing litter boxes for students who identify as felines.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Slowdown will deepen concerns Denmark's biggest company is losing market share to US rival Eli Lilly

Half-point cut to be made to banks' reserve requirement ratio and 1tn yuan released into banking system

Dangerous bills could pave the way for Trump's own cryptocurrency to be used in government paymentsWhen Elon Musk's department of government efficiency" (Doge) gained access to treasury payment systems in February, Democratic party leadership pledged to protect government payments from Donald Trump's influence. Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference announcing the Stop the Steal act that would prevent the takeover of critical government payment infrastructure. On that very same day, high-profile Democrats joined with Republicans to introduce legislation allowing for payments to be made in cryptocurrencies called stablecoins. The bill paves the way for the US president to require that all payments to and from the government are made with cryptocurrencies, which could include the one he has a business interest in.After making millions off a memecoin", the crypto-opportunist-in-chief recently entered the burgeoning crypto-payments market by launching a stablecoin. For the uninitiated, stablecoins are crypto products that allege to hold the value of a currency like the US dollar and are intended to be used as digital payments. In fact, stablecoins constantly fail to hold their value, aren't subject to federal consumer protections, and aren't backed by the full faith and credit of the government. If a consumer's stablecoins are hacked, fraudulently or accidentally spent, or lost due to a misplaced password, stablecoin companies will not reverse or reimburse those payments like a credit card company would. If a stablecoin company fails, consumers are not protected by anything like federal deposit insurance. Stablecoins have also become the preferred cryptocurrency for illicit finance. Continue reading...

The former Baltimore Ravens guard had a lucrative career in professional football. But he chose to concentrate on his first love in academiaJohn Urschel lifts the blinds in his second-floor office in the mathematics department of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Outside is Cambridge in all of its springtime splendor on a mid-April afternoon. Everything about his office says college professor" - the computer on one side of the desk, the stack of papers on the other, the books on the shelves behind him.He grins through his beard and his eyes sparkle behind his glasses when he describes his research in linear algebra. When he gestures enthusiastically, you can imagine those huge hands protecting his quarterback from opposing pass rushers - which he once did as a guard for the Baltimore Ravens. Continue reading...

Americans who bought foreign teams will soon be competing with domestic MLS owners in battle for fans' walletsIn 1986, the former Buffalo Bills quarterback and future Republican vice-presidential nominee Jack Kemp spoke on the floor of the US House of Representatives and said a silly thing. Football," he said, referring to the gridiron variety, is democratic capitalism, whereas soccer is a European socialist sport."Kemp was trying, apparently, to underpin his opposition to the US potentially hosting the 1994 Fifa World Cup. Later on, by which time his comments had been tucked away into the filing cabinet of infamy, he contended that he was only kidding. Kemp attended said World Cup himself and admitted that half his grandchildren were soccer players. Sure. Fine. Continue reading...

In his first interview since leaving office, former US president told the BBC he fears for US-Europe relationsJoe Biden has accused Donald Trump of modern-day appeasement" in his approach to Russia and expressed fears that Europe would lose confidence in the certainty of America" in his first interview since leaving the White House in January.He [Vladimir Putin] believes it [Russia] has historical rights to Ukraine," Biden told the BBC. Anybody who thought the Russian president would stop if Kyiv conceded territory, as recently proposed by Trump, is just foolish", he said. Continue reading...

In India, as elsewhere, menopenalisation' means women in middle age are failed by their employers and wider societyIf I take another pay cut, I might as well start working pro bono," I joked with a friend recently, during another brutal round of job hunting in my home-city, Delhi. She, in her early 40s, laughed and said: I feel the same."A few weeks later, I had deja vu on a call with another writer friend in her early 40s. I'm tired of trying to find a job that pays what I'm worth. No one will hire me unless I drop my expectations to entry level," she lamented. Continue reading...

Kyiv still relies heavily on foreign support for its war effort, and it has agreed to difficult terms to keep the US on sideDespite Russia's occupation of its territory, missile attacks on its infrastructure and the enormous human costs of the war, Ukraine's economy has been impressively resilient. Its effective military resistance against a much stronger adversary is in fact underpinned by this successful economic management. Rather than face institutional sclerosis or even collapse, Ukraine's state capacity has been strengthened by the conflict. Through a combination of tax revenue collection and substantial networks of voluntary fundraising, the state has dramatically increased the size of its armed forces, invested in defence production and maintained a decent level of public infrastructure.State spending on soldiers' wages, infrastructure and logistics - including public sector procurement from private firms - has had a positive knock-on effect, supporting demand in the civilian market economy. Soldiers on the frontline earn well above the national average wage. An innovative military industrial complex, combining traditional state-owned enterprises with an ecosystem of drone startups, has been developed. These policies have stabilised the Ukrainian economy and directed it to the goal of the country's basic survival.Luke Cooper is an associate professorial research fellow in international relations at LSE Ideas, the in-house foreign policy thinktank of the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the director of PeaceRep's Ukraine programme Continue reading...

This blog has now closed. Read our latest story hereA group of US senators wants Congress' watchdog agency to investigate whether controls on humanitarian aid deliveries by Israel and other foreign governments violate US law, according to a letter seen by Reuters.The six senators - Chris Van Hollen, Dick Durbin, Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Peter Welch - wrote to Gene Dodaro, the comptroller general, asking him to launch an investigation by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office into the US government's implementation of laws regarding the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Continue reading...

Officials recover body of girl's 14-year-old brother as her mother is hospitalized and father remains in comaA 10-year-old Indian girl remains missing at sea after a boat carrying migrants capsized outside of San Diego on Monday morning. One of the bodies recovered is the girl's 14-year-old brother. According to the Department of Justice, the family's mother is hospitalized while their father remains in a coma.The US Coast Guard announced it had stopped its search on Monday evening. The justice department stated that of the original nine people reported missing, all except for the 10-year-old girl had been found. Two Mexican nationals were killed in the boat's capsizing as well. Continue reading...

Mark Carney takes firm line with Donald Trump during White House visit; supreme court allows ban on transgender troops to take effect. Key US politics stories from Tuesday 6 May at a glanceIn the White House on Tuesday, the prime minister of Canada told Donald Trump: As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale." Trump agreed: That's true."Mark Carney continued: Having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign ... it's not for sale. Won't be for sale, ever." Never say never," said Trump. Carney smiled and mouthed never, never, never, never." Continue reading...

US president reports three deaths and laments terrible situation' but does not provide further detailsDonald Trump said Tuesday that three more hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have died, bringing the number still alive to 21.At a White House swearing-in ceremony for his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump revealed that three more Israeli hostages have died in Gaza, meaning that just 21 of the hostages taken from Israel during the 7 October attacks remain alive. Continue reading...

Ex-housekeepers accuse Motown legend of sexual battery, false imprisonment, negligence and gender violenceMotown legend William Smokey" Robinson has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct by four women - identified only as Jane Does 1, 2, 3 and 4 - who worked as housekeepers for the Robinsons.A complaint filed in Los Angeles superior court on 6 May lists charges including sexual battery, false imprisonment, negligence and gender violence. The complaint seeks $50m total in damages for the four women. Continue reading...

Clip of Chris Pelkey, who died in 2021, says: I believe in forgiveness' after his sister fed an AI model videos of himChris Pelkey was killed in a road rage shooting in Chandler, Arizona, in 2021.Three-and-a-half years later, Pelkey appeared in an Arizona court to address his killer. Sort of. Continue reading...

Same-sex couple says they were appalled after being confronted and wrongfully accused in women's restroomA couple visiting Boston says they were left confused and appalled after being forced out of the Liberty Hotel during a Kentucky Derby party on Saturday, following what they describe as being confronted and wrongfully accused in the women's restroom.Ansley Baker and her girlfriend, Liz Victor, both cisgender women, said a hotel security guard entered the women's bathroom and demanded Baker leave the stall she was using, claiming she didn't belong there. Continue reading...

But divisions over tariffs and Trump's desire to annex northern neighbor simmer under surface as leaders meet

Through a new food-access initiative, J's Grocery provides its Clarksdale community with hard-to-come-by cropsWith the recent release of Ryan Coogler's Sinners, Clarksdale, Mississippi, known as the home of the blues, has been thrust into the spotlight. But while the nation and world are captivated by a version of Clarksdale from more than 90 years ago, residents today are focused on the future.On 2 May, rain and warnings of thunderstorms were not enough to keep people in Clarksdale's Brickyard neighborhood away from the reopening of J's Grocery, a local staple since 1997 that had been under renovation for the last year. Continue reading...

It may seem a victory to some, but experts worry a win will allow the government to be coy about future attacksThe Trump administration on Monday asked a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit that takes aim at the abortion pill mifepristone - a move that stunned many observers for what seemed a defense of the drug by a president who has overseen the most dramatic rollback of abortion rights in modern US history.At first blush, it may seem a victory for abortion access - but experts worry that, in reality, the move preserves the administration's ability to play coy about any future plans to attack abortion rights. Continue reading...

Four Republicans needed to sign on to discharge petition to force vote on legislation preventing cuts to safety netHouse Democrats are making a long-shot attempt to stop Republicans from downsizing federal safety net programs including Medicaid to offset the costs of Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and tax cuts.The Democratic House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, on Tuesday announced that his lawmakers are circulating a petition which, should a majority of the chamber sign on to it, would force a vote on legislation preventing cuts to the Medicaid health insurance program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap). Continue reading...

Justices rule ban can be enforced while challenge plays out in court, a decision that could lead to thousands dischargedThe Trump administration can begin to enforce a ban on transgender troops serving in the military while a challenge to the policy plays out in the courts, the supreme court ruled on Tuesday, a significant decision that could lead to the discharge of thousands of military members.The court's order was unsigned and gave no explanation for its reasoning, which is typical of decisions the justices reach on an emergency basis. The court's three liberal members - Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson - all noted their dissent from the decision. Continue reading...

In a meeting that got pretty tense towards the end, Donald Trump dug in his heels, insisting there was nothing Mark Carney could say to make him change his mind and lift tariffs imposed on Canada. Trump insisted the US does not want cars and steel from Canada 'because we're making our own'. Carney was firm on his 'Canada will never be for sale' message, emphasising Canada's sovereignty, which propelled him to electoral victory last week, to which Trump said: 'Never say never'

Kathy Hochul announces first-ever' plans to distribute $2bn, as well as plans for free meals for 2.7 million studentsNew York governor, Kathy Hochul, announced that the state will be distributing inflation refund checks to more than 8 million New Yorkers.Last week, as part of New York's fiscal year 2026 budget, Hochul announced the state's first-ever inflation refund checks" which is slated to put $2bn back into the pockets of millions of New Yorkers. Continue reading...

Republican governor Spencer Cox signs law despite pleas of health experts, who warn that children will be most hurtUtah on Wednesday will become the first state in the US to ban fluoride in public drinking water. Dentists who treat children and low-income patients say they're bracing for an increase in tooth decay among the state's most vulnerable people.Utah's Republican governor, Spencer Cox, signed the law against the recommendation of many dentists and national health experts who warned removing fluoride would harm tooth development, especially in young patients without regular access to dental care. Continue reading...

Daniel Lozano-Camargo, 20, was deported in March in violation of a legal settlement over his asylum applicationThe identity of a second man illegally deported from the US by the Trump administration in defiance of a court order and now in detention in El Salvador has been revealed.Daniel Lozano-Camargo, a 20-year-old Venezuelan, was deported to El Salvador's notorious Cecot terrorism confinement facility in March under the White House's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act, Politico reported. Continue reading...