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...
Panel denies attorney general's bid after Riverside county sheriff Chad Bianco seized 650,000 special-election ballotsA three-judge panel has denied a filing by California's attorney general, Rob Bonta, seeking a court order to stop the Riverside county sheriff's department from continuing its recount of ballots from the November 2025 special election.The LA Times reported that Bonta filed a petition with the fourth appellate district on Monday, writing that the sheriff's misguided investigation threatens to sow distrust and jeopardize public confidence" in upcoming elections. Continue reading...
Emily Gregory defeats Republican Jon Maples in district that is home to US president's Palm Beach estateDemocrats managed to flip a seat in the Florida state house in the district that is home to Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago.Emily Gregory, a Democrat, defeated Republican Jon Maples, who had an endorsement from the US president, in the special election in Florida's 87th state house district. The Associated Press called the race on Tuesday evening, with Gregory, a public health expert and small business owner, leading by more than 2 percentage points. Continue reading...
Growing numbers of young voters are signing up to the Mori electoral roll as debate flares over the need for dedicated seats ahead of November's electionMore young people have signed up to vote in Mori electorates, new figures from the electoral commission show, as New Zealand prepares for an election this year.The rise comes after years of tense relations between Indigenous New Zealanders and the centre-right coalition government. The latest figures show 58% of eligible 18- to 24-year-olds have registered for the Mori roll, up from 50% in 2023. Continue reading...
Investigation concludes actor will not face criminal charges, with Ritchson also declining to pursue a potential charge against his neighborThe Reacher star Alan Ritchson will not face criminal charges in relation to a widely publicised violent confrontation with a neighbor, after Tennessee police found he was acting in self-defense.In a video obtained by TMZ on Sunday, the 43-year-old actor appeared to strike Ronnie Taylor several times as Taylor kneeled on the ground in a suburban neighborhood in Tennessee. Ritchson's two children could be seen nearby sitting on motorbikes and watching the incident unfold. Continue reading...
by Jakub Krupa (now); Tom Ambrose, Hamish Mackay and on (#74EY3)
Incumbent's party appear to have largest vote share but are poised for their worst showing since 1901 with Rasmussen's Moderates likely to be kingmakers
The impact of the war in the Middle East is likely to reshape the global economy for years - is this the moment for Australia to change the way it thinks about energy? Post your questions now for our climate and environment editorSign up here to ask a questionThe US-Israel war on Iran has cause a surge in fossil fuel prices - again. A similar thing happened after Russia invaded Ukraine. Then it was gas, now it's petrol and diesel.The war has triggered a fuel crisis, and led to a surge in people considering buying electric cars. Meanwhile, a recent report found Australian federal and state government will pay or forgo A$16.3bn in fossil fuel subsidies this financial year. Continue reading...
by Sammy Gecsoyler and Alexandra Topping on (#74FGX)
Force previously said it was too busy' to investigate theft despite it potentially holding sensitive informationPolice are revisiting a closed investigation into the theft of Morgan McSweeney's phone after admitting they recorded the wrong address when he reported the crime.Keir Starmer's former chief of staff told the Metropolitan police that his phone was stolen in central London when he was returning home from a restaurant on 20 October last year, the Times reported. Continue reading...
Survey puts Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco ahead with Democratic vote split between large field of candidatesRepublicans continue to lead the California governor's race amid a crowded field of Democrats, a new poll commissioned by the state's Democratic party found, fueling concerns of a conservative win in the famously liberal state.The party on Tuesday published the results of a large-scale poll of 2,000 likely voters conducted by Evitarus Research that revealed that 16% of participants would back the conservative political commentator Steve Hilton in the upcoming primary, while 14% would support Chad Bianco, the Riverside county sheriff. Continue reading...
More than 4m spent on 39 visits abroad, with most expensive being PM and officials' 413,000 visit to Cop30Keir Starmer's government is spending an increasing amount on foreign trips, with almost 40 visits abroad adding up to more than 4m since he took office, the latest transparency figures have showed.The prime minister had his most costly quarter for foreign travel in the last three months of 2025, with eight trips adding up to 1.2m. Continue reading...
Lawsuit argues XAI failed to disclose risks, limitations and exposure to harm that come with using chatbotThe mayor and city council of Baltimore, Maryland, filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk's xAI company on Tuesday, alleging that its Grok chatbot violated consumer protections by generating nonconsensual sexualized images.Baltimore's lawsuit argues that xAI deceptively marketed Grok as a general-purpose AI assistant and X as a mainstream social media site, failing to disclose the risks, limitations and exposure to harm that come with using the platform and chatbot. The suit, filed in the circuit court for Baltimore city, argues that the court has jurisdiction over xAI given that the company advertises and operates in Baltimore. Continue reading...
White House says Maga influencer appointed to role for tourism, exceptionalism and American valuesDonald Trump's appointment of Nick Adams, the alpha male" Australian turned American internet provocateur as a new special presidential envoy on Tuesday, could give fuel to theories that the White House is deliberately trolling the world.The president nominated the Sydney-born Maga influencer, who has a history of theatrically inflammatory and Islamophobic comments, as ambassador to Malaysia in July, but the Senate returned the appointment without a confirmation vote in January and Trump did not re-submit him. Continue reading...
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