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Ahead of the US's 250th birthday, the president has launched six mobile museums that celebrate a white, Christian rewriting of the nation's storyGeorge Washington greets you as you enter the truck. The great man, dressed elegantly in a black velvet coat and white cravat, stares out from the 1796 Lansdowne portrait, the lifesize image of America's first president painted during his final year in office.As you step towards the painting, something strange happens. Washington's outstretched arm begins to move. His lips part. And lo and behold, the legend is talking to you! Continue reading...

Ed Davey attacks Reform calling it Maga franchise' and says Elon Musk funnels far-right ideas into UK via X

American soccer will have truly progressed when cases like the teenagers are common enough to be unremarkableThere's something about a 16-year-old making his debut among fully grown senior professionals that makes him look like a fawn. A scrawny, wobbly baby deer, the function of his arms and legs not yet figured out, jogging on to the pitch in a kit and shin guards that always seem a few sizes too big, like a boy wearing his dad's suit.So, too, appeared Mathis Albert when coming on in the 88th minute of Borussia Dortmund's 4-0 romp over Freiburg on Sunday, which secured the team a place in next year's Champions League. Continue reading...

Republican Chris Carr accused of trying to revive bid for governor with indictment - the last gasp of a dying man'Georgia's top law enforcement official has drawn accusations of using the weight of his office to lift his own political fortunes by bringing a new indictment against protesters of the Atlanta police training center known as Cop City.Amid bluster about holding the line against antifa", Georgia attorney general Chris Carr announced charges against three activists late last week even as his bid to become Georgia's Republican nominee for governor limps along, with less than double-digit support in polling ahead of a 19 May primary. Continue reading...

Republicans hold a 217-212 majority in the House, but they could lock in more seats if reapportionments go their wayRepublicans and Democrats have been engaged in a political tug of war in legislatures, courts and the ballot box to narrow the battlefield of 2026 before a single vote is cast.Normally, redistricting only occurs after the US census counts residents in each state every 10 years. A demand from Donald Trump to lock in more Republican-leaning districts in Congress, together with a changing legal landscape around partisan gerrymandering, set off a chain of mid-decade reapportionments.

Family Connects New Orleans provides crucial postpartum support to mothers through home-based nurse visitsAbout three months ago, Amber Leduff, gave birth to her daughter, Autumn, at New Orleans' Touro hospital. The room was hectic after the delivery, with nurses and doctors bustling in and out. In the chaos, Leduff, who is 30, only half registered the representatives from Family Connects New Orleans, taking paperworks from them and moving on.But when her doctor encouraged her to enroll in the program, which provides up to three in-home visits to parents of newborns up to 12 weeks old, Leduff took it seriously. Continue reading...

Pace of sea-level rise has turned Outer Banks coastal area into a canary in the coalmine' for other east coast communitiesMoving house has a more literal meaning on Hatteras Island, the slender hook of land that juts off the coast of North Carolina. After a slew of houses toppled spectacularly into the Atlantic Ocean recently, entire buildings are now being lifted on to wheels to flee the rapidly eroding coastline.Since September, 19 homes have been lost to waves that tore them from their pilings, sending them crashing into other structures like bumper cars before breaking up in the ocean. Spooked homeowners have turned to the unusual services of Barry Crum, a lifelong Hatteras resident who has become the island's main house mover. Continue reading...

Comey, one of Donald Trump's political enemies, charged with two felonies. Plus, Disneyland introduces facial recognitionGood morning.The justice department filed new criminal charges against James Comey, the former FBI director, on Tuesday.What has he been charged with? Two felonies: making a threat against the president, and transmitting that threat, via social media, across state lines.What does the indictment say? That the seashell numbers were something a reasonable person would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States".And how about Comey? He published a video of himself saying: Well, they're back. This time, about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina beach a year ago. And this won't be the end of it, but nothing has changed with me. I am still innocent. I am still not afraid. And I still believe in the independent federal judiciary. So, let's go." He continued: It's really important that all of us remember - this is not who we are as a country, this is not how the Department of Justice is supposed to be, and the good news is we get closer every day to restoring those values. Keep the faith." Continue reading...

On Friday, the presidential personnel office sent termination notices to members of the National Science Board. This will undermine our public health effortsIn June 1981, I was a young pulmonary fellow at one of the three Los Angeles hospitals where the first five cases of an unusual pneumonia in previously healthy young men were being identified. I read about them, as my colleagues did, in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) - the small, dense bulletin the Centers for Disease Control had been publishing every week since 1952.None of us yet knew what we were seeing. What MMWR gave us was a signal early enough to act on, and a system trustworthy enough that we did. What became Aids would, over the next decade, reshape every assumption I held about clinical medicine. I have spent the 40 years since then practicing critical care at UCLA, and the federal scientific architecture that produced that signal in 1981 has been the bedrock of my work. Continue reading...

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Walt Disney Company says technology at California theme park will prevent fraud and streamline re-entryDisneyland, the beloved California adventure park, has outfitted some entrance lanes with facial recognition technology, a move its parent company says will prevent fraud and streamline re-entry.At certain entrance lanes, a camera will capture images of visitors, which can be converted via biometric technology into unique numerical values, according to the Walt Disney Company's website. Continue reading...

Justice department's lawsuit dismissed in latest setback for government's effort to amass information before midterms

New indictment marks latest instance in which Trump's justice department has used its power to target president's political enemies - key US politics stories from 28 April 2026 at a glanceThe justice department filed new criminal charges against James Comey, the former FBI director, on Tuesday.Comey was charged in federal court in the eastern district of North Carolina over a picture he posted on Instagram while on vacation last year in which sea shells were arranged to say 86 47". The post was taken as a threat to Donald Trump. The number 86 can be used as shorthand for getting rid of something, and Trump is the 47th president. Comey subsequently deleted the post and apologized, saying he didn't realize the numbers were associated with violence. Continue reading...

US representatives Jared Huffman and Jamie Raskin earlier this month called agreements outrageous and unlawful

James Lawhead was arrested after forensic DNA analysis lead in decades-old killing of Cindy Wanner

Charles quoted Wilde and Dickens in measured masterclass - and no tirade as yet from mad monarch in White HouseA flick of Oscar Wilde here, a nod to Henry Kissinger there, a sprinkling of Charles Dickens here, a dollop of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt there. Job done!The British monarch mobilised an elite squad of dead white men, leavened with humour and subliminal politicking, on Tuesday in a charm offensive aimed over Donald Trump's head and squarely at the US Congress. Judging by the cheers and minute-long applause he received at the end, the soft power flex worked a treat and the special relationship lives to fight another day. Continue reading...

The British monarch addressed US Congress on Tuesday as part of his four-day visit to the US marking the 250th anniversary of the country's independence. He called on the UK and the US to 'build' on the countries' 'indispensable partnership' in a time of uncertainty, adding that the era was 'in many ways more volatile and more dangerous' than the time his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, addressed Congress in 1991

The former FBI director is accused of calling for Trump's death with seashell picture. We explain what it stands for

Comey oversaw inquiries that directly intersected with Trump's political goals while the president, in turn, has continued to attack him publiclyThe relationship between Donald Trump and James Comey has spanned a turbulent decade, beginning during the 2016 presidential campaign and continuing into Trump's second presidency with repeated investigations and criminal charges.Comey oversaw inquiries that directly intersected with Trump's political goals, first into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server, and later into possible connections between the Trump campaign and Russia. Trump alternately criticized and praised Comey's actions during the 2016 race, but once in office their exchanges grew increasingly tense, leading up to Comey's dismissal in May 2017. Continue reading...

Limited-edition versions will place US president's portrait inside cover alongside declaration text and flag motifs

A cottage industry of women are selling courses aligned with a conservative movement that claims feminism is the source of women's discontentA thirtysomething woman with the easy smile of your favorite neighbor sits in her earth-tone living room, natural light washing over a gray couch so long it could easily fit four children. The woman speaks of a friend, a married mother, who was frustrated that she had to constantly remind her germophile husband to wash his hands. Hearing this, the woman cautioned her friend: I think it would be better for your entire family to get the black plague and die ... than for you to continue treating your husband like a toddler by reminding him to wash his hands."Welcome to Wife School, a video masterclass led by Tilly Dillehay, a 38-year-old Baptist writer, podcaster and pastor's wife who teaches women how to become the kind of woman who inspires a godly leader". That means molding them into the wives she says that husbands want: smiling, attentive and submissive, women who know not to nag - even if it means risking the bubonic plague. Continue reading...

Hinckley says bad things keep happening' at Washington Hilton and it was not a secure place to hold big events'

Lawsuit alleges DoJ breached transparency law by withholding records on Jeffrey Epstein and over-redacting disclosuresTodd Blanche, the acting attorney general, engaged in a brazen, shocking, and ongoing violation" of a law requiring the justice department (DoJ) to release the entirety of the so-called Epstein files, a lawsuit filed in Washington DC alleges.The action on Monday by Katie Phang, an investigative journalist and legal analyst, seeks to hold Blanche personally responsible for the DoJ's alleged failure to publish all the documents the government holds about Jeffrey Epstein, the late sex offender. A full release was mandated by a landmark transparency act passed by Congress in November, with a deadline of 19 December. Continue reading...

Hallucinogens have come a long way from the 60s counterculture to Trump's White House - propelled by veterans' lobbying and Silicon Valley capital

US president has accused organisation of ripping off the rest of the world' by inflating oil prices

He has said he is tormented' by his previous support for Donald Trump - and some suggest the former Fox News host is positioning himself for the GOP nominationA few years ago, Tucker Carlson was sleeping peacefully alongside his wife and four dogs when, all of a sudden, he was physically mauled" by a demon. This supernatural attack left bloody claw marks on his side, the former Fox News star claimed in a documentary about spirituality. Shaken by this unusual ordeal, Carlson called an evangelical friend who told him: Yeah, that happens - people are attacked in their bed by demons." The whole thing, he said, was a transformative experience".Fast forward to the present day and poor old Carlson seems to be plagued by demons again, although this time they're more metaphorical than metaphysical. The far-right personality, who started his own media company after parting ways with Fox in 2023, has said that he is tormented" by his previous support for Donald Trump. In a recent episode of his podcast, Carlson spoke to his brother, Buckley, a former Trump speechwriter, about their shared disappointment with the president and said he was sorry for misleading people". This was a moment, Carlson said, to wrestle with our own consciences". Continue reading...

King Charles and Queen Camilla visit the White House at a notably tense time between the two allies - key US politics stories from 27 April 2026 at a glanceKing Charles and Queen Camilla arrived at the White House on Monday for a state visit in Washington, a city still rattled by a weekend shooting and a transatlantic alliance showing fresh signs of strain.British flags could be seen lining lamp-posts outside the White House, where Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, greeted Charles and Camilla with handshakes. The four appeared to exchange pleasantries and posed for several photographs before heading inside the White House for a private tea. Continue reading...

Paramedics on Atlanta-Portland flight help Ashley Blair give birth to gorgeous' Brielle Renee just before landingWhen baby Brielle Renee was born, new mom Ashley Blair was flying high - quite literally. Blair unexpectedly went into labor shortly before her full Delta flight from Atlanta to Portland touched down on Friday night.The surprise birth was just one of two medical emergencies on board that emergency medical technicians Tina Fritz and Caarin Powell responded to during the flight, capping the end to their vacation in the Dominican Republic, the pair told the Associated Press. They were helping another passenger when flight crews called for assistance for Blair. Continue reading...

Dances With Wolves actor assaulted Indigenous women and girls, exploiting his position as a spiritual leaderNathan Chasing Horse has been sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls.A Nevada judge gave the Dances With Wolves actor his sentence Monday. A jury had previously convicted him of 13 charges, mostly related to sexual assault. He was accused by three women, including one who was 14 when the assaults began. He was acquitted on some charges. Continue reading...

Jay Bryant's admission came more than two decades after the rapper's killing, but he didn't name others involved

The case is part of a national redistricting fight with high stakes for the November midterm elections

Questions about how shooter was able to get so close to Trump, cabinet members and lawmakers are likely to be asked. Key US politics stories from Sunday 26 April at a glanceUS law enforcement officials are reportedly reassessing security arrangements after a gunman opened fire near the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, raising questions about how he was able to get so close to an event attended by president Donald Trump, cabinet members and lawmakers.Former Secret Service agents and senior US officials told the Reuters news agency that federal agents appeared to carry out their plan to protect the president effectively on Saturday night, stopping the alleged gunman before he reached the basement level of the Washington Hilton, where Trump was set to speak. Continue reading...

Law enforcement agencies name Cole Tomas Allen as Trump posts video of man sprinting through checkpointThe suspected gunman in the shooting at the White House correspondents' dinner that has roiled Washington has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from southern California.Allen, of Torrance, a suburb of Los Angeles, has no record of criminal charges or a civil court history in Los Angeles county, according to a records search. Continue reading...

Acting attorney general says suspect was believed to have been targeting top Trump administration officials

Nearly 1 million Californians supported push by Republican Carl DeMaio but it faces historic opposition from DemocratsCalifornia voters will decide in November whether to require photo identification to cast a ballot, making California the latest battleground in a long-running effort by conservatives to push voter ID laws that have been bolstered in recent years by Donald Trump's repeated and unfounded accusations of widespread voter fraud.Nearly 1 million Californians signed on to support the ballot measure championed by Carl DeMaio, a Republican state representative from San Diego. Continue reading...

Extreme weather likely to continue after devastating homes and endangering millions in US south and midwestAt least two people are dead after a very powerful tornado struck northern Texas on Saturday night, as extreme weather continued to devastate homes and put millions across the south and midwestern US at risk, with wildfires also raging on in parts of Georgia.Officials from Wise county in Texas said the storm reached the area at around 10pm and caused significant damage across multiple neighborhoods. In addition to the confirmed deaths, six people were treated or transported by emergency responders to be treated for storm-related injuries. Continue reading...

Questions raised about political violence, security and gun control after brazen attack at event attended by top officials

Smiles turned to shock and fear, Trump dived to the ground and guests ducked under tables after loud bangs were heard

Leaders of Canada, Mexico and UK denounce political violence and express thanks Donald Trump and guests are unharmed

Determining the attacker's motivation may take time. But toxic rhetoric, polarisation and the ubiquity of firearms are a dangerous mixForty-five years ago, John Hinckley Jr attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan as he left the Hilton hotel in Washington, injuring the US president and three others. Obsessed with the actor Jodie Foster, and seeking to gain her attention, the shooter had initially pursued Reagan's Democratic predecessor, Jimmy Carter.On Saturday night, the hotel again rang to shots as it hosted the annual White House correspondents' dinner.Tuxedo-clad politicians and journalists dived under tables as bangs were heard from the lobby, and Donald Trump was rushed from the stage. A secret service agent was shot, though saved by his ballistics vest. The echoes of the 1981 attack are a potent reminder that violence has long been a tragic strand of the American political tradition. Gun violence is grimly familiar. This doesnot diminish the seriousness of an incident that was widely and rightly condemned. Rather, it highlights its importance.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...

Secret Service says US president and first lady are safe and suspect is in custody after shooting incident in DC

Officials say the suspect in the shooting, which left another officer in critical condition, has been taken into custodyA shooting at a Chicago hospital on Saturday morning left a police officer dead and another critically injured, according to Chicago police superintendent Larry Snelling.The suspect, who has not been publicly identified, is in custody, according to Andre Vasquez, alderperson for the city's 40th ward. Continue reading...

Blazes in US south-east have blown smoke over a wide area, and contributed to at least one death in FloridaTwo wildfires in south-eastern Georgia that have destroyed more than 120 homes continued to threaten property and lives on Saturday as officials warned that strong winds could spread the flames.The Brantley county manager, Joey Cason, called it a dynamic situation" in a Saturday-morning video posted to social media and begged residents to please evacuate" if they are ordered to do so. Continue reading...

Hayam El Gamal and five children were held for 10 months after husband allegedly threw molotov cocktails at crowdAn Egyptian family of six has been taken back into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, days after they were released from a detention facility in Texas on Thursday, according to their attorney Eric Lee.Lee said Saturday morning that Hayam El Gamal and her five children were on a private jet in Denver bound for Egypt because of a court order violation. Continue reading...

Camp Mystic must make changes to its emergency notification processes to receive its operating licenseThe Texas Christian summer camp where 27 girls and counselors died in a catastrophic flood in July 2025 may not be allowed to open again this upcoming summer after state officials found it has not met health and safety requirements.Camp Mystic must make several changes, including to its emergency and parent-notification processes, in order to receive its license to operate, according to a letter from the Texas department of state health services. Continue reading...

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were to travel to Islamabad to attempt to revive ceasefire negotiationsDonald Trump said he has told US envoys not to go to Pakistan for more talks with Iran, shortly after Tehran's top diplomat left Islamabad late on Saturday.Trump added to Fox News: They can call us anytime they want." The White House on Friday said Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would travel to Pakistan's capital to attempt to revive ceasefire negotiations. Continue reading...