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There is no evidence Elliott Broidy's links to Trump helped AI company win contract to monitor prisoners' phone callsThe day before Donald Trump's first term ended in 2021, he inked a pardon for Elliott Broidy, a scandal-plagued Republican fundraiser and former Republican National Committee official who had pleaded guilty three months earlier to trying to illegally lobby Trump and his administration.Last month, a company headed by Broidy won a $106m contract from the Department of Justice, according to federal contracting records. Continue reading...

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Former MP charged with 18 sexual offences involving two alleged victims, and his wife charged with aiding and abettingJeffrey Donaldson sexually assaulted a child and apologised to her years later at a church-brokered meeting, a court has heard.The former MP and Democratic Unionist party leader allegedly committed the abuse with complicity from his wife, Eleanor Donaldson, a prosecutor told Newry crown court, in County Down, on Wednesday. Continue reading...

US president tells cabinet Tehran is delaying in hope of better terms after November congressional electionsDonald Trump has accused Iran of trying to stall on making a peace agreement by running down the clock before November's US midterm elections in the hope of getting better terms.They thought they were going to out-wait me, you know, We'll out wait him, he's got the midterms," the US president told a meeting of his cabinet at the White House on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Anne Keast-Butler says Russian forces are going backwards on the battlefield' for first time since late 2022Nearly half a million Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine since the start of Vladimir Putin's invasion more than four years ago, according to a new estimate from the head of the British spy agency GCHQ.Anne Keast-Butler, the chief of the electronic intelligence agency, said in her first speech in the job that Russian forces were going backwards on the battlefield" inside Ukraine for the first time since late 2022. Continue reading...

Sharyn Alfonsi confirms contract expiration after decrying network over the spread of corporate meddling' last monthThe Veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi has accused CBS News of penalizing her for refusing to sanitize factually accurate reporting" and sending a chilling message" to the newsroom by declining to renew her contract for the show.Alfonsi was at the center of a national firestorm after the CBS News editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, shelved a segment she had reported on a notorious prison in El Salvador. She confirmed to the Guardian that she had not been offered a contract to return for the show's 59th season, which begins in the fall. Continue reading...

Igor Lytvynchuk is scheduled to appear in court on charges of harassing and attempting to harass a protected animal

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereZack Polanski, the Green party leader, posted this on social media about Tony Blair's latest intervention this morning.Tony Blair.What the billionaire class have paid for.Spot the difference between Tony Blair says" and Nigel Farage says" Continue reading...

People in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, say school that the signage on their street relates to moved long agoHassan Ali was on holiday in Budapest when he was contacted by his neighbour about a sign that had been painted on the road directly outside his semi-detached home in Staffordshire.The bright yellow sign, which read School: Keep Clear", was painted on Greendock Street in the early hours of Friday morning, his neighbour informed him - a bewildering update considering there was no school to keep clear of and had not been one for the past 15 years. Continue reading...

Local conservationist says a fishing boat hoping for a more commercial catch may have thrown them overboardHundreds of dead sharks and fish believed to be part of a discarded catch have washed up on two Welsh beaches.Dogwalkers found a full net of dogfish, also known as catshark, on Carmarthenshire's Cefn Sidan on Saturday. The discovery came after hundreds more dead sharks and fish had been found on Saundersfoot beach in neighbouring Pembrokeshire a few days earlier. Continue reading...

Nature groups say cygnets and their parents need to be left alone by people trying to stay cool in heatwaveNature groups have pleaded with swimmers to give wildlife a wide berth after dozens of people swam in a nature pond on Hampstead Heath among nests of baby birds.Swans and their 12-day-old cygnets were disturbed by hordes of splashing revellers in the north London park on Monday as London reached record 35C temperatures. In one video, a swan was seen poking an unhatched egg with its beak after it fell into the water during the chaos. Continue reading...

This blog is now closedIn recent days across parts of Europe, temperatures have soared, heat records have been broken and spring has felt more like the height of summer.Meteo France, the French national weather service, has attributed this to a heat dome", with warmth held in place by a high-pressure weather front that has produced temperatures more than 10C above what used to be usual for this time of year. Continue reading...

Of 11 seasonal items in Guardian price comparison, six hit highest price in last three months, with some nearly doubling in price in last weekThe heatwave has triggered a surge in prices for seasonal items, with the cost of one inflatable hot tub nearly doubling in a week, while an industry expert said air conditioning units have risen by about 17% since April.The Guardian looked at the cost of popular items across a range of websites and examined their price on PriceRunner, an independent price comparison service. One of the biggest price increases was for the Bestway inflatable hot tub Lay-Z-Spa Cancun AirJet, which was available for 160 on 21 May but now retails for a minimum of 299. Continue reading...

Video appears to show divers discovering group sitting on a rock surrounded by flood waterRescuers have reached five of seven people who have been trapped for a week in a flooded, remote cave in Laos, after days spent navigating narrow, inundated passageways amid persistent rains.Video footage shared on social media by rescue divers showed the five men crouched together on a rocky ledge in a dark cave chamber, surrounded by muddy water. There's no need to cry," one of the rescue team told the men, who first entered the cave on Wednesday. Two men remain unaccounted for. Continue reading...

Domestic abuse commissioner deeply concerned' by move as councils in England and Wales struggle to fund reviewsThe Home Office has rejected a proposal to allocate government funds for reviews into domestic abuse-related deaths.Nicole Jacobs, the domestic abuse commissioner, said it was deeply concerning" that local authorities in England and Wales would not receive direct resources to help them carry out domestic homicide reviews (DHRs) and urged officials to be braver and bolder" in their decision making.In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 1-800-273-8255 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org Continue reading...

After the initial euphoria of victory, Zoe Garbett prepares to begin running one of England's most diverse and deprived boroughsFor the first time in decades the person sitting behind the desk in the wood-panelled office of Hackney's imposing art deco town hall is not a Labour politician.Zoe Garbett was elected as the east London borough's first Green party mayor in this month's local elections, surfing a wave of support which resulted in the party winning more than 500 seats, taking control of five councils and winning two mayoralties. Continue reading...

Albert Manifold says he was removed without warning and will not allow a false narrative to go unchallenged'The ousted chair of BP, Albert Manifold, has accused the oil company of firing him without warning and disputed reports about his conduct, amid the latest boardroom turmoil to rock the company.In an emailed statement, Manifold said he was removed without warning and without explanation" by the FTSE 100 company. Continue reading...

The heritage site was destroyed by contractors building transmission lines for the Central-West Orana renewable energy zone

Former Scottish first minister says scandal cast massive shadow' over his time as leader, after former party chief executive pleaded guilty to stealing 400,000

At some point the statements have got to end and the action needs to begin', member for Chifley says

German-owned discounter's sales rise 8.8% year on year as households seek ways to keep bills downLidl has overtaken Morrisons to become the UK's fifth largest grocer as its sales were powered ahead by households seeking to keep a lid on their weekly bills.The German-owned discounter increased its sales by 8.8% year on year - making it the fastest-growing store-based grocer - to hit a record high market share of 8.6% over the 12 weeks to 17 May, according to figures from the market analysts Worldpanel by Numerator. That compared with an 8.3% share for Morrisons in the period as the Bradford-based chain grew its sales by only 1.3% compared with a year earlier. Continue reading...

Consumer think-tank says K-pop fans should know the prices before being sent into a high-pressure sales funnel'

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Dong Guangping has tried to escape on several previous occasions after been jailed for his activism in ChinaA Chinese dissident has washed up on the shores of South Korea after attempting to flee China in a rubber boat.Dong Guangping, 68, is in custody in South Korea, having been detained by the coastguard on Monday evening. He is thought to have travelled more than 30 hours by sea to reach the shores of China's democratic neighbour. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Nursing and Midwifery Council admits it did not carry out checks on professionals who broke the lawNurses and midwives who should have been banned from treating patients have practised over the last 12 years because of potentially dangerous" failings by a medical regulator.The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has admitted that its completely and utterly unacceptable" mistakes meant it failed to protect the public from about 15 professionals whom it should have banned from ever working in healthcare in the UK because they had broken the law. Continue reading...

Tourists and locals in Madrid, Paris, London, Dublin and Berlin share their experiences of the unseasonable May temperaturesIn recent days across parts of Europe, temperatures have soared, heat records have been broken and spring has felt more like the height of summer. Meteo France, the French national weather service, has attributed this to a heat dome", with warmth held in place by a high-pressure weather front that has produced temperatures more than 10C above what used to be usual for this time of year.Human-caused climate breakdown is supercharging extreme weather around the world, driving deadly extremes that can strike at abnormal times in unusual places and claim lives. Continue reading...

Welfare advocates say that while the reforms are a step in the right direction, the privatised employment services model has failed and should be torn up

The $26m deal involving media executive Bruce McWilliam signifies return to media business for mining billionaire after previous holdings in Fairfax and Ten

Head of BHP's WA iron ore operations unable to give firm timeline for replacing diesel trucks as leaked documents reveal decarbonisation delay

Average gas and electricity bill to jump to 1,862 a year from July until end of September, in part because of Iran warHouseholds will face the steepest summer rise in energy charges in four years after months of soaring market prices caused the government's energy price cap for Great Britain to climb by 13%.Under the cap the average gas and electricity bill will increase to the equivalent of 1,862 a year from July until the end of September to take account of the rise in global energy market prices caused by the war on Iran, up from 1,641 a year in April to June. Continue reading...

Officers were placed at significant risk, being in a gunfight armed with 9mm Glocks against long-arms', NSW police deputy commissioner says

Managing director Hugh Marks says Stevens made incredible commitment' to broadcaster over 19 yearsJustin Stevens has resigned as ABC director of news after four years in the role, citing personal and professional reasons.ABC managing director Hugh Marks said Stevens had made an incredible commitment" to the ABC over 19 years, including ensuring ABC News was the number one digital news provider. Continue reading...

orgerur Katrin Gunnarsdottir accuses opponents of fearmongering amid warnings over misinformation and AIIceland's foreign minister has said she fears her country faces a Brexit moment" in its looming EU referendum amid warnings over misinformation, foreign interference and AI.With just over three months to go until Iceland votes on whether or not to continue accession talks with the EU, developments are being closely watched by Washington, Moscow and Brussels. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Former PM says changes to tax rates are so marginal that no entrepreneurial initiative is likely to be thwarted'

While approval is due soon for $14bn deal, actual deliveries to Taiwan are years away - making Operation Epic Fury' in the Gulf an unlikely causeThe Trump administration's war against Iran should have no impact on arms sales to Taiwan, experts have said, after a US official suggested a pause in the delivery of a key weapons package was due to the Gulf conflict.Analysts told the Guardian that a $14bn arms package left in limbo after Donald Trump's meeting with Xi Jinping could take up to six years to process, and there was a low likelihood" of any true connection between events in Iran and weapons delivery to Taiwan. Continue reading...

Anne Keast-Butler will also warn of narrowing window to stay ahead of China in new era of radical uncertainty'Russia is relentlessly targeting Britain's infrastructure and democracy while there is only a narrowing technological window to stay ahead of a fast-developing China, the head of the spy agency GCHQ will warn in a lecture on Wednesday.Anne Keast-Butler, giving an inaugural annual lecture, will say that the UK is caught in a new era of radical uncertainty" and that the risk of miscalculation" is as high as she has ever seen it as hacker attacks from the two states continue. Continue reading...

Anthony Odiong, charged with sexually abusing three female congregants in Texas, could face life sentenceA jury of eight women and four men was seated on Tuesday in the criminal trial of a Roman Catholic priest who ministered in Texas and south-east Louisiana and was charged with illicitly abusing his status as a clergyman to pursue sex with spiritually vulnerable female congregants.Anthony Odiong, 57, faces five charges of first-degree sexual assault and two such counts in the second degree in Waco, Texas, involving three women whom he met while working there. Continue reading...

Democrat Andy Kim says he saw chaos' at the New Jersey ICE facility amid standoff' between protesters and agentsProtests continued on Tuesday outside an immigration detention center in New Jersey where US senator Andy Kim said he was pepper-sprayed by federal agents the day before during a demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) outside the facility.Video posted on social media showed Kim, a Democrat representing New Jersey, receiving help from a volunteer on Monday, who is seen pouring water in his eyes outside Delaney Hall in Newark, where detainees have said they are staging a hunger strike against poor conditions and the denial of medical care. Continue reading...

Officials say still not safe for 16,000 people to return home as crews in Orange county work to neutralize damaged tankA crack that formed by chance in an overheated chemical tank in southern California relieved pressure and helped avert a catastrophic explosion, but officials said on Tuesday it still was not safe enough for 16,000 people living closest to the aerospace plant to return home.The crisis forced 50,000 people to evacuate in and near the Orange county city of Garden Grove last week. Most returned home after the crack formed over the Memorial Day weekend, but the risk of a smaller explosion or potential spill kept evacuation orders in place for about a third of residents. Continue reading...

Panel of three judges says congressional map was drawn to intentionally discriminate against Black votersAlabama cannot use a new Republican-friendly map in this year's midterm elections because it was drawn to intentionally discriminate against Black voters, a panel of three federal judges ruled on Tuesday.The decision blocks Alabama from using a congressional map lawmakers passed in 2023 but never went into effect because the same court found it was drawn with intent to discriminate. Alabama was eventually ordered to adopt a map with two majority-Black districts that both elected Democrats. After the US supreme court gutted a major provision of the Voting Rights Act in its Louisiana v Callais ruling in April, Alabama took the extraordinary step of moving its imminent congressional primary and sought to use the 2023 congressional map this year. Continue reading...

Intervention by former PM almost feels designed to inflict maximum annoyance on his party

In highly unusual intervention, ex-PM says his party's almost infinite capacity for self-delusion' makes it likely to lose next election

Extreme early summer event across western Europe also brings highest temperatures for month in UK and IrelandSeven people have died in France in an extreme early summer heat event affecting a swathe of western Europe, with record high temperatures for May recorded for a second day in several countries.In France, which logged its hottest ever May day on Monday and again on Tuesday, the weather agency Meteo France said the heatwave could last through the week and predicted temperatures could reach 39C in some areas. Continue reading...

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Tehran condemns definitive violation' but announces no specific reprisals as negotiations near decisive stage

Campaigners reject claims that tougher rules will deter hiring - and lock young people out of jobsMinisters should press ahead with a ban on zero-hours contracts, campaigners say, despite claims by business leaders that it would deter hiring and lock out more young people from the labour market.Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and the union umbrella organisation the TUC were among eight signatories to a letter to the department of business and trade, calling on the government to ignore the noise" from businesses, which want zero-hours contracts to remain. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Robert Kenyon has been linked to vaccine scepticism and advised a person with the virus to stop having boosters'The Reform UK candidate in this month's Makerfield byelection appeared to express doubt over the seriousness of Covid and the efficacy of vaccines for the virus in another tranche of messages unearthed from now-deleted social media posts.Previously seen messages from Robert Kenyon showed him interacting with far-right figures and expressing strong support for Donald Trump. Separately, the broadcaster Carol Vorderman has asked Kenyon to apologise for disgusting comments" he made about her on X in the past. Continue reading...

Historical events like Spanish Inquisition show the velocity' at which rumours move to conviction, says Celebrity Traitors contestantHistory might explain why Faithfuls find it so difficult to root out Traitors in the hit BBC show, suggests one member of the Celebrity Traitors cohort, who were record-breakingly bad at the game.The roundtable - where contestants discuss who should be cast out - was somewhat frightening" because of the velocity in which something goes from a suspicion to belief, to faith, to condemnation", said the broadcaster and historian David Olusoga. Continue reading...

Age limits and changes to allegedly addictive design features could be in place by the end of the yearLabour is expected to announce a social media crackdown within weeks as the prime minister, Keir Starmer, on Tuesday said he would act very, very quickly" despite splits between campaigners and child safety experts on what the new rules should be.New limits on social media access for children could be presented before the Makerfield byelection next month after an avalanche of responses to a public consultation have been analysed with the help of an AI system called Consult and an expert panel led by an eminent paediatrician. The consultation closes on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Temperature reaches 35.1C at Heathrow on Tuesday after 34.8C high at Kew Gardens in London on Monday