Bill Pulte reportedly urges examination of alleged fraud as New York attorney general's lawyer attacks vendetta'The Trump administration's federal housing director Bill Pulte is asking prosecutors to investigate New York attorney general Letitia James for insurance fraud, according to criminal referrals reported by MS Now and CBS News.The referrals to prosecutors in Florida and Illinois allege that James may have committed mortgage insurance fraud. The allegations center on applications made to Universal Property Insurance company, which is based in Florida, and Allstate in Illinois. Continue reading...
US president says he will host Chinese leader in a reciprocal visit later this yearDonald Trump will meet Xi Jinping in May during the US president's first visit to China in eight years, a closely watched trip that had been postponed due to the Iran war.Trump was initially slated to travel next week, but will now visit Beijing on 14 and 15 May, he wrote in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday. Trump said he would host the Chinese leader in a reciprocal visit in Washington later this year. Continue reading...
Policy brought forward as Middle East war highlights fragility of global supply chainsBritish suppliers will be prioritised for public contracts in shipbuilding, steel, AI and energy infrastructure under new guidance marking them out as sectors vital to national security.Departments will also have to either use British steel or justify sourcing it from overseas, under the rules announced by the government. Continue reading...
Government says proposed levy for international tourists is part of initiative to improve arts fundingMinisters are considering charging international tourists to access permanent collections at national museums as part of an initiative to improve arts funding.The government said there was a need for long-term options to fund the struggling arts sector in its response to a review of Arts Council England, which distributes public funding to the arts. Among the options cited was a hotel levy, a policy being consulted on. Continue reading...
Latest strike brings number of deaths to at least 163 since attacks on alleged narco-terrorists' began in SeptemberThe US has launched another strike on a vessel in the Caribbean, killing four people, the US Southern Command said.The command which oversees combatant operations in Latin America and the Caribbean announced on X that it had conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations". Continue reading...
Surcharge, spurred by oil price spikes due to the Iran war, is set to take effect on 26 April and run until January 2027The US Postal Service (USPS) plans to introduce its first-ever fuel surcharge on packages to offset rising energy costs, according to a statement.The surcharge, set at 8%, is expected to take effect on 26 April and remain in place until 17 January 2027 under the current plan. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#74GD6)
Reversal by London police comes as Shabana Mahmood prepares an appeal against high court overturning ban on the groupThe Metropolitan police has said it will resume arresting people who show support for Palestine Action just weeks after it said it would no longer do so following a high court ruling that the ban on the direct action group was unlawful.After last month's judgment, the Met police said it would immediately stop arresting people for such offences under the Terrorism Act but would gather evidence for potential future prosecutions. Continue reading...
Writer looked to topics such as computer engineering and life in a nursing home to produce richly researched booksTracy Kidder, an award-winning narrative nonfiction writer who turned everything from computer engineering to life in a nursing home into unexpected bestsellers, has died. He was 80.Kidder's longtime publisher Random House confirmed his death in a statement on Wednesday: Tracy's gifts for storytelling and tireless reporting are an enduring reflection of the empathy, integrity, and endless curiosity he brought to everything he did." Continue reading...
Lawmakers say moratorium on construction would buy time to create strong, federal guardrails for AIAmid an unprecedented energy crisis and the rapid buildout of artificial intelligence infrastructure, progressive lawmakers have unveiled a new policy to place a moratorium on the construction of AI datacenters.Despite the extraordinary importance of this issue and its impact on every man, woman and child in this country, AI has received far too little serious discussion here in our nation's capital," Sanders told reporters on Wednesday. I fear that Congress is totally unprepared for the magnitude of the changes that are already taking place." Continue reading...
Removal of Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez after arrest during green-card appointment decried as flagrant violation' of legal rightsA federal judge ordered the Trump administration to return a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) to the US, ruling that her deportation to Mexico last month was a flagrant violation" of the legal protections afforded to immigrants who arrived in the country as children.Judge Dena Coggins said in her Monday ruling the administration must return Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez, a Daca recipient, to the US within seven days. She was arrested on 18 February in Sacramento during her green-card appointment, and was deported to Mexico the next day. Continue reading...
Father of Grace O'Malley-Kumar calls decision to take sample from his daughter after her death disgusting'The father of a university student killed while trying to protect her friend from Valdo Calocane in Nottingham told an inquiry it is disgusting" the stabbing victims were tested for drugs and alcohol but their killer was not.Sanjoy Kumar, Grace O'Malley-Kumar's father, said he could not understand why the diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic had not been tested for drugs while in custody after the attacks. Continue reading...
Legislation subject to MPs' approval but will be backdated due to urgency of threat to UK democracy, says ministerKeir Starmer is set to embark on a fundamental overhaul of the political finance system, starting with an emergency ban on cryptocurrency donations and 100,000 cap on donations from Britons living abroad in a blow to Reform UK.In a hugely significant move, the government said it would bring in the annual cap as well as a moratorium on crypto donations from Wednesday as part of its new elections legislation.Requiring third-party campaigners to declare donations all year round, not just election periods, and allowing funding only from permissible donors.More stringent checks on the source of funds from political donors, bringing it more into line with know-your-customer checks in the financial services industry.Preventing donations from shell companies by ensuring funding is from post-tax profits rather than revenue.Requiring foreign consultant lobbyists to join the official register, from which they are currently exempt because they do not charge VAT.Banning foreign-funded political adverts outright. Continue reading...
Members call for reparatory justice as landmark resolution aims for political recognition at the highest level'The United Nations has voted to describe the transatlantic chattel slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity" and called for reparations as a concrete step towards remedying historical wrongs".The landmark resolution passed on Wednesday was backed by the African Union (AU) and the Caribbean Community (Caricom). It had been proposed by Ghana's president, John Dramani Mahama, who said: Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of millions who suffered the indignity of slavery." Continue reading...
Reform's ability to fundraise is hobbled in a move that draws attention to donations from an overseas billionaireReform UK are no doubt the biggest losers from the government's emergency measures to overhaul political donations.Labour MPs are absolutely delighted that No 10 is at last bringing in changes that will hobble Reform's ability to raise money from its Thailand-based mega-donor, Christopher Harborne, at the same time as making the electoral system fairer in the eyes of the public. Continue reading...
Ha Nguyen McNeill testified before House committee about airport wait times amid DHS funding shutdownThe acting head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said on Wednesday that airports across the country are experiencing the highest wait times in TSA history", as the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enters its sixth week.At a House homeland security committee hearing, Ha Nguyen McNeill said her agency has been shut down for 50% of the fiscal year so far - a stretch that includes last year's record-breaking 43day lapse in federal funding. She told lawmakers that by Friday, TSA employees will have missed $1bn in paychecks as a result of the closures. Continue reading...
Cuts to family planning aid are linked to an 11% increase in deaths during pregnancy and childbirth in some countriesWhen Republican presidents win power in the US there is a stark consequence for many pregnant woman around the world - a significant rise in maternal mortality as aid is withdrawn, a new study has found.Global family planning aid typically drops under Republican presidents and then rises again by 48% once Democratic presidents are elected, the research, published in BMJ Global Health, finds. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot, Pippa Crerar and Peter Walker on (#74G6W)
Cabinet Office thought to have a number of exchanges between the friends, which are expected to be released within weeksThe Cabinet Office is understood to hold a number of text and email exchanges between Peter Mandelson and Morgan McSweeney, despite the theft of the former chief of staff's phone in October last year.The whereabouts of McSweeney's messages with Mandelson has been under intense scrutiny since it was reported his work device was stolen last year shortly after Mandelson was sacked as US ambassador. Continue reading...
Senate nominee in Texas James Talarico says Christian nationalism kills' in response to Brooks Potteiger remarkJames Talarico, the Texas Democratic state representative and Presbyterian seminarian, has said he forgives Pete Hegseth's pastor for praying for his death. On Tuesday, Texas's popular Democratic nominee for a US Senate seat pushed back against comments from Brooks Potteiger, the defense secretary's closest spiritual adviser, who said: We want him crucified with Christ."Talarico said on X: Jesus loves. Christian Nationalism kills. You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you. I love you more than you could ever hate me." Continue reading...
Role for Social Democrats' leader confirmed after meeting with kingSpeaking at the debate, Frederiksen confirms she has submitted her government's resignation as it is clear the outgoing three-party government will not have enough mandates to continue.But she stresses the urgency of the task to form the new government, as the world is not waiting for us out there and it has only become more unsettled since the election was called." Continue reading...
Shadow cabinet officer minister claims this whole thing stinks to high heaven'Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question at PMQs.Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has urged people to reject conspiracy" theories about the loss of Morgan McSweeney's phone. Continue reading...
Ofcom says decision is real win for children and families' but some users raise concerns over privacyMillions of Apple iPhone customers in the UK will now have to confirm they are 18 or older to use all available services, including by showing a credit card or by scanning an ID.The move, believed to be a first for a European market, comes amid pressure on tech companies from the government to do more to protect children online. Continue reading...
by Hannah Devlin Science Correspondent on (#74G3V)
Research suggests hunter-gatherers were feeding dogs and giving them ritual burials as early as the last ice ageThey are humankind's best friend, and now ancient DNA analysis has revealed that the enduring bond between dogs and humans dates back more than 15,000 years.The groundbreaking research, published in the journal Nature, pushes back the oldest genetic evidence for domestic dogs by 5,000 years, revealing that hunter-gatherers were feeding the animals and giving them ritual burials long before the emergence of agriculture. Continue reading...
Today show co-host appeared in pre-taped interview as her mother, Nancy Guthrie, has been missing for seven weeksSavannah Guthrie, the co-host of NBC's Today show, has described her family's ordeal as agony" in her first interview since her mother's disappearance over seven weeks ago.Someone needs to do the right thing. We are in agony. We are in agony. It is unbearable," Guthrie said through tears in a preview of the pre-taped interview with her co-host, Hoda Kotb, which previewed on Wednesday. Continue reading...
Archeologists believe remains found in Maastricht, Netherlands, may be of real-life soldier who inspired novel characterMore than three-and-a-half centuries after a musket ball to the throat put an end to decades of exemplary swashbuckling, the French soldier who inspired Alexandre Dumas and went on to be immortalised on the stage and screen - not to mention as a plucky cartoon dog - may rise again.Workers repairing a church in the Dutch city of Maastricht have discovered a skeleton that could belong to the 17th-century Gascon nobleman Charles de Batz-Castelmore - better known as d'Artagnan - whose exploits led Dumas to make him the hero of the Three Musketeers. Continue reading...
Human Rights Watch and others say they have documented use of weapon in civilian areas, which some argue is illegalWhen the M825-series 155mm artillery projectile airbursts, expelling its felt wedges containing white phosphorus, it leaves a distinctive knuckle-shaped plume. That is how Human Rights Watch (HRW) researchers said they were able to verify that Israel was again using the notorious weapon over south Lebanon, reigniting accusations that it is breaking the laws of war.The New York-based rights group said it had verified and geolocated eight images showing airburst white phosphorus munitions exploding over residential areas in the southern Lebanese town of Yohmor in the opening days of Israel's assault during the war on Gaza. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Indonesia reports growing number of attempts by Chinese nationals to organise boat journeys, as Australian authorities refuse to reveal details
Teenager expressed misogynistic views, had fascination with American Psycho and carefully planned the murderAn 18-year-old man who expressed misogynistic views and had a fascination with the horror film American Psycho has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years and six months for killing his mother with a hammer.Tristan Roberts carefully planned the crime, researching methods of killing and how to avoid being caught before purchasing potential weapons such as knives, hammers and an axe. Continue reading...
Neither Mette Frederiksen's leftwing bloc nor rightwing parties won a majority in Tuesday's electionDenmark is braced for lengthy and challenging coalition talks after neither Mette Frederiksen's leftwing bloc nor the rightwing parties managed to get a majority in Tuesday's election.After a bruising night for her Social Democrat party, which despite remaining the biggest party in the Danish parliament had its worst general election since 1903, the prime minister went to Amalienborg palace on Wednesday morning to submit her government's resignation to the king. Continue reading...
Report by Verdant says rooting out waste, fraud and tax avoidance would save money that could help improve public servicesA Doge of the left," could save up to 30bn a year for taxpayers by rooting out waste, fraud and tax avoidance, according to the first report from a new green thinktank.Launched amid growing interest in the future manifesto of Zack Polanksi's Green party, the Verdant thinktank will be co-chaired by James Meadway, a former adviser to Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell, and civil society campaigner Deborah Doane. Continue reading...
Susie Wiles was on plane and witnessed event, according to files shown to House judiciary committeeFederal prosecutors examined whether Donald Trump showed a classified map to people on his plane after his first term, including to his now White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, according to justice department materials produced to the House judiciary committee.The incident was described in a 13 January 2023 briefing memo prepared for the then attorney general, Merrick Garland - roughly six months before special counsel Jack Smith charged Trump with retaining classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago club. Continue reading...
Dayton Webber's former playing partner says: Dayton has a great family, and I care about that family. Yet obviously, there is somebody [who] died'The former doubles partner of a professional, championship-winning cornhole player who had his four limbs amputated in his infancy and is now accused of a deadly shooting says he was shocked to learn about the case, calling it an instance of at least two families being torn apart in one fell swoop.I've been mad, sad - it sucks," Mike Hoffman said of his past cornhole teammate Dayton Webber during a telephone interview on Tuesday. Continue reading...
Pair aged 45 and 47 arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, say Metropolitan policeTwo men aged 45 and 47 have been arrested in connection with an arson attack on four ambulances belonging to a Jewish community service in London , the Metropolitan police have said.The force said they were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and both men had been taken to a London police station for questioning.
President urges people to reduce consumption after power line passing through Ukraine damaged by drones; Moscow spring offensive steps up. What we know on day 1,491Moldova declared a state of emergency in the energy sector after a key power line with Europe was disconnected following Russian strikes in Ukraine. The declaration comes into effect on Wednesday and lasts for 60 days. The prime minister, Alexandru Munteanu, appealed to people to avoid unnecessary consumption, especially during peak hours" and stay united", according to a statement from parliament. The former Soviet republic imports electricity from neighbouring EU member Romania, mostly via a power cable that passes through southern Ukraine. Moldovan authorities said crashed drones had been identified in Ukraine near the line and that demining operations" were needed before repairs could be done. Restoring the power line itself was expected to take up to seven days, the energy minister, Dorin Junghietu was quoted by the Moldovan media outlet Ziarul de Gard as saying. Russia alone bears responsibility," the Moldovan president, Maia Sandu, wrote on X, while the foreign ministry also condemned the Russian attacks. Russia has frequently targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure since it invaded its neighbour in 2022.The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has accused Russia of absolute depravity" after Moscow fired an unprecedented daytime barrage across Ukraine, including on the historical centre of the western city of Lviv. Iranian shaheds' [attack drones], modernised by Russia, are striking a church in Lviv - this is absolute depravity, and only someone like [Vladimir] Putin could find this appealing," Zelenskyy said in his daily address. The scale of this attack makes it abundantly clear that Russia has no intention of actually ending this war," Zelenskyy added, vowing that Ukraine will certainly respond to any attacks".Russia's military said on Wednesday it had shot down 389 Ukrainian drones overnight in one of the largest attacks to date. Russian regions bordering Ukraine, as well as Moscow and northwestern Leningrad were the main areas targeted, according to the military.Moscow appears to be stepping up a spring offensive intended to break Ukrainian resistance, writes Pjotr Sauer. Ukrainian officials said Moscow fired nearly 400 long-range drones and 23 cruise missiles overnight, followed by another 556 drones in an unusual daytime assault on Tuesday, hitting cities across the west of the country and killing at least seven people. Taken together, the barrage marks one of the largest aerial bombardments of Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion more than four years ago. One Russian drone struck the Bernardine monastery, a 16th-century church in Lviv's Unesco-listed medieval centre, causing damage, local authorities said.North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, said his country would always support Russia in a thank-you letter to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Ties between the two have grown closer since Putin began the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with Pyongyang sending ground troops and weapons systems to aid Russia's war effort. I express my sincere thanks to you for sending warm and sincere congratulations first on my reassumption of the heavy duty as president of the state affairs," Kim said in the message on Tuesday, the official Korean central news agency said. Today the DPRK and Russia are closely cooperating to defend the sovereignty of the two countries," Kim said, using the initials of the North's official name. Pyongyang will always be with Moscow. This is our choice and unshakable will," he added. South Korean and western intelligence agencies have estimated that the North has sent thousands of soldiers to Russia, primarily to the Kursk region, along with artillery shells, missiles and long-range rocket systems. Analysts say the assistance has been provided in exchange for Russia's provision of food and weapons technologies. Continue reading...
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