Residents of Middletown say they have faith 39-year-old will be a success if he wins election with TrumpFor many in Middletown, Ohio, JD Vance is better-known as a bestselling author and hit Hollywood movie subject than a politician who on Monday was propelled into the political big-time as Donald Trump's vice-presidential pick.Amanda Bailey moved into Vance's grandmother's house, the home in which Vance was mostly raised, 18 months ago. Since then, she's been dealing with a steady stream of curious passersby inspired by Vance's 2016 autobiography, Hillbilly Elegy, and the 2020 film of the same name, driving by and taking photos of the house. Continue reading...
At the lawless triple border between Brazil, Colombia and Peru, drug trafficking, illegal logging and gangs jeopardise the ecological and social fabric of the rainforestThe area of the Amazon where Brazil, Colombia, and Peru meet - referred to as Tres Fronteras (triple frontier) - brims with wildlife and natural resources. It is also a hotbed of illicit activity. Criminal groups are clearing the forest to plant coca and erect laboratories to turn the crop into cocaine. In the process of making coca paste, these labs discharge chemical waste - including acetone, gasoline and sulphuric acid - into rivers and soil.Increasingly, these outfits are branching into illegal logging, gold dredging and fishing, in part because these activities allow them to launder money made from drug trafficking. These activities compound the environmental harm the groups are inflicting. Continue reading...
West Virginia governor and US Senate candidate's dog, a state celebrity, made a cameo at the RNC during Jim Justice's speechJim Justice had a primetime speaking slot at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday but his pet English bulldog, Babydog, conclusively stole the show.Babydog has got a prediction for everybody here," the West Virginia governor and US Senate candidate told the crowd in Milwaukee, after an aide brought his pet out to sit panting on a chair beside him. Continue reading...
George RR Martin's efforts to take part in Worldcon were allegedly stymied by rigid protocolsHis series of fantasy novels A Song of Ice and Fire may have sold 90mcopies and been translated into 47 languages, propelling George R.R Martin to literary superstardom - but that wasn't enough to prevent the Game of Thrones writer being frozen out of a sci-fi conference being held in Glasgow next month.A visitor to Worldcon - the largest annual gathering of science fiction creators and their fans - can expect discussions, workshops and talks from some of the best-known figures in the genre. Continue reading...
On the second night of the party's annual jamboree, former rivals of Donald Trump gave him their full support in a call for unity that demonstrated the former president's control of the Republican partyGood morning.Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, once Donald Trump's biggest rivals in the Republican party, threw their backing behind the former president on the second night of the national convention. Neither Haley nor DeSantis initially had speaking slots at the convention, but they were added after the assassination attempt against Trump on Saturday.What's next? JD Vance will give his first major address as Trump's running mate on Wednesday, as Republicans turn their focus to foreign policy.How are people reacting to the convention? European diplomats are worrying for the future of Ukraine after Trump's choice of Vance as his running mate reignited fears in Europe that he would pursue a transactional America first" foreign policy that could culminate in the US pushing for Ukraine to acquiesce.Who supports a supreme court term limit? The supreme court's approval rating in polls of the American public has dropped sharply in recent years. Recently, eight Democratic senators co-sponsored a bill that would establish 18-year terms for supreme court justices, with a new justice appointed every two years.How have Republicans responded? Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the Democrats are attempting to interfere in the presidential election, and destroy our justice system, by attacking their political opponent, me, and our honorable supreme court." Continue reading...
Lawsuit centers on rule requiring school staff to notify parents if their children change their gender identification or pronounsA Southern California school district involved in an ongoing legal battle with the state over the district's gender-identity policy sued Gavin Newsom on Tuesday over a new law banning districts from requiring that parents be notified of their child's gender identification change.The Chino Valley Uunified school district and a handful of parents argued the law violates the rights of parents protected under the US constitution. Continue reading...
Regulators approve Meatly pet product, cultivated chicken made from growing cellsLab-grown pet food is to hit UK shelves as Britain becomes the first country in Europe to approve cultivated meat.The Animal and Plant Health Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have approved the product from the company Meatly. Continue reading...
Administration reaffirms support after reports White House opposed them, saying surgeries should be limited to adults'The Biden administration is reaffirming its support for gender-affirming surgeries for transgender minors after backlash over a recent White House statement opposing such surgeries.The change comes after transgender and LGBTQ+ advocates launched a pressure campaign in response to an unnamed White House spokesperson telling news outlets, including the New York Times and nonprofit newsroom The 19th, that these surgeries should be limited to adults". Continue reading...
Australian Energy Regulator says behaviour of big power companies was permissible' under national rules but may not have been in the best interests' of consumers
Rapper films muddy water pouring through 50,000 sq ft home, quipping this better be espresso martini'The Toronto mansion of rap superstar Drake has been seriously flooded following record-breaking storms in the city.He shared footage on Instagram of ankle-deep muddy water rushing into an area of his home, with the caption this better be espresso martini". Continue reading...
Victims at Grand Hyatt Erawan drank poison-laced beverage in murder-suicide plot, Thai police believePolice investigating the deaths of six people found in the room of a luxury hotel in central Bangkok say they believe a member of the group poisoned themselves and others using cyanide.Initial tests had detected cyanide, a deadly chemical that interferes with the body's ability to use oxygen, in a tea flask, six cups and in the blood of one of the dead men, police said. Based on interviews with a relative, they believe the deaths could be related to a business dispute. Continue reading...
by Peter Hannam Economics correspondent on (#6P952)
Australian Energy Regulator chair says Australia is probably a decade too late' for nuclear power despite opposition's pledge to build first two plants by 2037
Former finance chief takes up leading role in September when 37-year company veteran Noel Quinn stands downHSBC has named its finance chief Georges Elhedery as the bank's new chief executive to replace Noel Quinn who is stepping down after five years in the role.Elhedery, who will take on the post in September, is being promoted from chief financial officer, which he took up in January last year. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Study sparks new calls for public inquiry into scandal' of missing migrant children in UKScores of asylum-seeking children are still missing from the UK's Home Office hotels as a new report reveals that many are likely to have been trafficked.The most recent figures show that 118 unaccompanied children remain unaccounted for, some as young as 12. The study, released on Wednesday, is the first to conclude that children placed inside the hotels were at increased risk of trafficking", contradicting Home Office claims that the youngsters were not exploited. Continue reading...
by Lanre Bakare Arts and culture correspondent on (#6P943)
Manager was everything we didn't have in our politics', insists James Graham as he rewrites ending of playThe playwright James Graham has paid tribute to the outgoing England football manager Gareth Southgate, calling him a figure who was able to unite the country during a political era where division and toxicity" have ruled public life.Graham who is re-writing Dear England, his play about Southgate and the England football team after their Euro 2024 final defeat, said the departing manager had given him a tragic" and English ending" which is painful rather than triumphant. Continue reading...
Review says capital needs new reservoir, better flood defences and heat plan' for vulnerable peopleLondoners who concrete over their gardens should be charged for doing so and given incentives to remove paving, a report to the mayor has recommended.The city also needs a new reservoir, improved flood defences, and a heat plan" to protect vulnerable residents from the increased risk of heatwaves, the report on the impact of the climate crisis has found. Continue reading...
The two students from India were swimming when one ran into difficulty and the other tried to help, police sayTwo men who died while swimming at a popular Queensland waterfall have been identified as promising young students" aged in their 20s from India.Tributes have begun to pour in for Chaitanya Mupparaju and Surya Teja Bobba after their bodies were recovered at Millaa Millaa Falls, in the state's far north, on Tuesday.Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...
Premier says he has written to NSW Labor general secretary requesting immediate suspension of party's affiliation to CFMEU's construction and general division
Die Null is part of efforts to cut antisocial behaviour in city seen as global centre of beer drinkingMunich, home of Germany's world-renowned Oktoberfest beer festival, will on Thursday open its first alcohol-free Biergarten (beer garden) in a nod to changing consumption habits among the party set and growing frustration with public binge drinking.Die Null (The Zero) near the Bavarian capital's main railway station will serve its patrons exclusively soft drinks, mocktails, juices, water and non-alcoholic beers in an attempt to strip the area of its boozy, seedy image. Continue reading...
Travellers say the popular seasoning mix by the US brand has been the subject of increased confiscation by authorities, because it contains poppy seedsA popular US food seasoning mix created for yummifying the tops of bagels" is the subject of an intensifying crackdown in South Korea, where poppy seeds - one of its key ingredients - are banned.Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel seasoning blend - a crunchy mix of sesame seeds, salt, dried garlic, dried onion and poppy seeds - has been on South Korea's list of restricted foods since 2022, but travellers say it has been the subject of increased confiscation in airports in recent weeks. Continue reading...
The bodies of Sydney man David Fisk, his partner Lucita Cortez and a relative of Cortez were found tied up in a hotel resort south of ManilaThe suspect in the killings of two Australians and their Filipina companion at a hotel in a popular resort city south of Manila was a former pool cleaner who allegedly wanted to retaliate against the hotel for firing him.The suspect claimed that he randomly barged into the victims' room last week because its window was open, Philippine officials said on Wednesday. Continue reading...
Concerns over ultra-processed foods and effect on health have led some countries to introduce new labellingAdolescents in the UK get nearly two-thirds of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, with consumption highest among those from deprived backgrounds, researchers say.The findings emerged from an analysis of food diaries kept from 2008 to 2019 by nearly 3,000 participants aged 11 to 18 as part of the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Continue reading...
Researchers say rattlesnakes have an undeservedly maligned reputation but are social creatures who make good mothersA mega den" with as many as 2,000 rattlesnakes isn't top binge-watching for many people. But a round-the-clock webcam in Colorado is providing a viewing bonanza for scientists and other snake enthusiasts whose observations are helping to broaden understanding of these unusual - and undeservedly maligned - reptiles.The remote site on private land in northern Colorado is on a hillside full of rock crevices where the snakes can keep warm and hide from predators. Continue reading...
by Kiran Stacey Political correspondent on (#6P8YQ)
Planning reforms and transport policies included in package of more than 35 bills as Labour prioritises growthLocal councils will have to adopt mandatory housing targets within months under planning reforms to be unveiled on Wednesday as part of Keir Starmer's first king's speech, which the prime minister says will be focused on economic growth.Starmer will introduce a package of more than 35 bills on Wednesday, the first Labour prime minister to do so in 15 years, as he looks to put the economy at the centre of his first year in office. Continue reading...
Movember says British men have worse health than comparable countries and suffer stark regional inequalitiesMore than 133,000 men die early every year in the UK, equating to 15 every hour, according to a report calling for urgent action to improve men's health.Two in five men are dying prematurely, before the age of 75 and often from entirely avoidable health conditions, research by the charity Movember found.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...
Former home secretary expected to be competing against candidates including Kemi Badenoch and Tom TugendhatPriti Patel has decided to enter the Conservative leadership race to succeed Rishi Sunak, sources have told the Guardian.The former home secretary, who retained her seat of Witham in Essex earlier this month with a reduced majority of 5,145, has formed a campaign team funded by Tory donors who include former advisers and Conservative campaign headquarters staff. Continue reading...
by Larry Neumeister (Associated Press) on (#6P8V0)
Guo Wengui, who gained fans for criticizing Communist party in China, found guilty in US of nine criminal countsGuo Wengui, a self-exiled Chinese business tycoon whose criticism of the Communist party won him legions of online followers and powerful friends in the American conservative movement, was convicted by a US jury on Tuesday of engaging in an enormous multi-year fraud that ripped off some of his most devoted fans.Once believed to be among the richest people in China, Guo was arrested in New York in March 2023 and accused of operating a racketeering enterprise that stretched from 2018 through 2023. Continue reading...
Exclusive: leaked letters said without urgent action the system in England and Wales would reach critical failure'Rishi Sunak was warned by senior civil servants a week before he called the election that he was at risk of breaching his legal responsibilities if he failed to take action over the prison overcrowding crisis, a leaked document reveals.The advice, sent to the former prime minister on 15 May, said that failing to make an urgent decision on prison capacity would mean the criminal justice system in England and Wales reaching the point of critical failure". Continue reading...
Country singer says she will enter rehab after off-key performance before the MLB's Home Run DerbyIngrid Andress has responded to criticism of her out-of-tune performance of the national anthem before Major League Baseball's Home Run Derby.The 32-year-old country singer announced on her social media that she was drunk during a wildly off-key rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Monday evening, and would be entering rehab. Continue reading...
Resignation comes after four Welsh ministers step down in apparent attempt to force his handLabour is facing weeks of political deadlock in Wales after Vaughan Gething quit as first minister after a turbulent four months of infighting and scandal, with a replacement not expected until the autumn.Gething has faced a series of controversies, including over donations and claims he sought to delete sensitive messages, since he took over from Mark Drakeford as first minister and the leader of Welsh Labour in March. Continue reading...
About 1,500 jobs at risk as shipbuilder waits on reported 200m state deal in early test for Labour industrial policyHarland & Wolff, the owner of the Belfast shipyard that built the Titanic, has insisted that it is still awaiting a government decision on a 200m intervention despite signs that Labour is due to reject the financial lifeline.The company is presenting an early test of the Labour government's industrial policy, with 1,500 workers fearful the company is running out of time to secure funding needed to make it ready to build three warships for the Royal Navy. Continue reading...
Clive Lewis would have been at risk of a byelection if he did not pledge allegiance to heirs and successors' of the kingA Labour MP has had to return to parliament to be sworn in again a week after he protested against pledging allegiance to the king as he took the oath.Clive Lewis, a prominent supporter of Britain becoming a republic, returned after parliamentary authorities told him he might not be able to speak in the Commons, vote or receive a salary, and could even face a byelection if legal action was taken against him under the Parliamentary Oaths Act. Continue reading...
Mashco Piro sighted coming out of rainforest more frequently, apparently moving away from loggersRare images of the Mashco Piro, an uncontacted Indigenous tribe in the remote Peruvian Amazon, have been released by Survival International, showing dozens of the people on the banks of a river close to where logging companies have concessions.The reclusive tribe has been sighted coming out of the rainforest more frequently in recent weeks in search of food, apparently moving away from the growing presence of loggers, said the local Indigenous rights group Fenamad. Continue reading...
by Rachel Savage and Ignatius Ssuuna in Kigali on (#6P84S)
President wins 99.15% of the vote, allowing him to extend authoritarian rule by further five yearsRwanda's president, Paul Kagame, has swept to another overwhelming election victory, winning more than 99% of votes in a provisional count in the east African country's elections that will extend his near quarter of a century in power.The poll on Monday was seen as a formality, with just two other candidates allowed to compete in a country that is kept under tight control by its longtime leader. Continue reading...
Improved weather will replace rain in London and south-east, says Met OfficeParts of the UK could finally have a taste of summer this weekend, with a mini-heatwave expected to replace what has been an extremely wet first half of July.Despite the wet start to July, an improving weather pattern is expected across England and Wales, with temperatures rising and more sunshine in the coming days, with temperatures in London and the south-east potentially peaking at 30C (86F) by Friday. However, milder conditions are expected to return by Sunday. Continue reading...
The attempt on the former president's life may well result in a new era of trade tariffs, protectionism and a weak dollarOpinion polls conducted since the weekend suggest Donald Trump's narrow escape from the attempt on his life in Pennsylvania has made his return to the White House more likely. Until now, little attention has been paid to what Trump 2.0 would mean for the US and wider global economy. That will now change.What the world needs is a period of stability after the repeated blows of recent years. Were Trump to avenge his 2020 defeat at Joe Biden's hands come November, it would mean the opposite. Continue reading...
CMA has enough evidence' to start full probe into tech giant's hiring of Inflection's top staffThe Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a full investigation into Microsoft's deal with AI startup Inflection.Earlier this year, Mustafa Suleyman - who started Inflection in January 2022, two months after leaving Google - and a number of his colleagues were hired by Microsoft to lead the tech company's new AI division. At the same time, Microsoft signed deals with Inflection to access its AI models. Continue reading...
His resignation comes after four Welsh ministers stepped down from their posts in an apparently calculated move to force his handThe JD Vance comment about Britain supposedly becoming an Islamist country under Labour (see 8.42am) is an example of the extreme political rhetoric that has coarsened politics on both sides of the Atlantic in recent years. Yesterday Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, announced that she will chair a meeting of the Defending Democracy taskforce to consider how election candidates are being exposed to more aggression and intimidation than in the past.This morning Brendan Cox, whose wife, the Labour MP Jo Cox, was murdered by a far-right terrorist during the Brexit referendum in 2016, told the Today programme that he thought the problem was getting worse. He said:There was a wide range of intimidation, but I do think it was another level.Having spoken to lots of MPs about it, there was a sense that something had changed, that they felt hunted, that they felt unable to go about campaigning - that there were men in balaclavas, there were fireworks being thrown, there were tyres being slashed ... Continue reading...
Exclusive: Pouria Zeraati no longer felt safe in UK' as Tehran regime steps up threats and attacks on critics in exileAn Iranian television presenter, who was attacked in London by men believed to be acting for the Tehran regime, has fled to Israel saying that he no longer felt safe in the UK.Pouria Zeraati said the UK's approach to the threat posed by Iran on British soil could not guarantee his safety. Continue reading...
Vance described Trump as cultural heroin' in 2016 before pivoting to endorse the false narrative that the 2020 election was stolenJD Vance has gone on a long journey from being a fervent critic of Donald Trump to his running mate and possible future US vice-president.The author of Hillbilly Elegy, a memoir of his upbringing among the left-behind white working class of Ohio, was viewed as having a unique insight into the Trump voter base after the 2016 election. The book described the future president as cultural heroin" and someone leading the white working class to a very dark place". Continue reading...
Controversies overshadowed first minister's brief time at helm but some fear party's woes in Wales may run deeper than one manWhen Vaughan Gething was elected Labour leader in Wales not four months ago, making him the first black head government in Europe, it was hailed as a historic moment. But his brief time at the helm of the devolved Welsh government has been overshadowed by controversy.In his resignation statement, Gething said he had hoped the summer would have provided a period of reflection, rebuilding and renewal" under his leadership, but when four ministers quit his team on Tuesday, he recognised that this would not be possible. Continue reading...
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