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Ex-FBI director deletes Instagram post of shells in 8647' formation that Republicans claim is code for assassinationA now-deleted photo of seashells posted on Instagram by the former FBI director James Comey is being investigated by the US Secret Service, after the US homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, said it constituted a threat" against Donald Trump, and set off warnings from other administration officials.On Thursday, Comey posted a photo of seashells forming the message 8647", with a caption that read: Cool shell formation on my beach walk." Continue reading...

El Salvador's Bukele has scored an Oval Office Trump meeting, nuclear deal and US prison supportUS government records reveal Latin American leaders have spent millions hiring Washington's top lobbyists to push for a laundry list of requests - from free-trade deals, security assistance and energy investments - heard by the Trump administration, according to an analysis by the Guardian and The Quincy Institute.Since the lead-up to Donald Trump's election as president in November 2024, Department of Justice records show that at least 10 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have registered their top officials and envoys as foreign principals under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (Fara). Fara aims to promote transparency by requiring those working as foreign agents to disclose their activities and compensation. Continue reading...

Goal of Christian nationalist and director of OMB to dismantle federal workforce may be coming to fruitionRuss Vought's years-long quest to dismantle the federal workforce and consolidate power for the president is coming to fruition, and he may be given a major boost when he reportedly takes on Elon Musk's cost-cutting efforts as the billionaire bows out of the federal government.The director of the office of management and budget has worked alongside Musk's department of government efficiency" to slash through the federal government since Trump took office. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Vought would take on an increased public role in Washington as Musk transitions out and the president's budget process advances. The outlet reported that Vought could use the budget process to make some of Doge's cuts permanent. Continue reading...

Over the course of an illustrious career, Strouse composed music for Broadway shows such as Bye Bye Birdie and Applause but was best known for Annie's evergreen songsThe composer Charles Strouse, a three-time Tony award-winner whose hits included Annie, has died at the age of 96. His death at home in New York on Thursday was announced by his four children.Over the course of a long and illustrious career, Strouse composed music for the Broadway shows Bye Bye Birdie, Golden Boy, Applause, Rags and Nick & Nora. But he was perhaps best known for his score for Annie which opened in New York in 1977 and ran for almost six years. The story of the plucky red-headed orphan featured evergreen songs (with lyrics by Martin Charnin) including Tomorrow, You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile and It's the Hard-Knock Life, which was sampled by Jay-Z in a 1998 single. Annie received seven Tony awards, including best musical and best original score, and won the Grammy for best cast show album. It was adapted as a film in 1982. Continue reading...

Los Angeles police open investigation after lawsuit filed against Motown singer alleging sexual assault of four former housekeepers over many yearsLos Angeles police have opened a criminal investigation into Smokey Robinson, after allegations of sexual assault made by four of his former housekeepers, which he denies.The unnamed women filed a lawsuit last week alleging that the Motown star was a a serial and sick rapist" who had assaulted them on numerous occasions between 2007 and 2024, across three residences. Robinson and his wife, Frances, are also accused of labour violations, including the failure to pay the women minimum wage and overtime. The women are seeking financial damages. Continue reading...

Increased mental health support for young people will give them resilience, say education and health secretariesSchoolchildren will be helped to develop much-needed grit" for life beyond school with increased mental health support, the education and health secretaries have said.Writing in the Telegraph, Bridget Phillipson and Wes Streeting said they would expand mental health support in schools to nearly 1 million extra children in England. Continue reading...

Refuges turn down 65% of requests for support, says parliamentary committee calling for better monitoringMinisters appear to be oblivious" to the true scale of harm caused by violence against women and girls and must do more to reverse the worrying rise in misogyny", MPs have said.Parliament's cross-party public accounts committee heard evidence that women's refuges are forced to turn down 65% of requests for support amid soaring cases, while other dedicated services operating in communities are only able to help about half of those who request it. Continue reading...

Met says animals found in field in west London had been tortured and dismembered'Police are trying to trace two teenagers seen near where the mutilated" remains of two kittens were found in west London.The Metropolitan police were tipped off on 3 May after reported sightings of a male and female allegedly dismembering the animals at Ickenham Road in Ruislip. Continue reading...

Online fundraiser launched as former Victorian Liberal leader hopes to avoid being forced to resign from parliament if he is unable to pay the sum

Traders anticipating increase in high-spending Americans are already working up Leo-themed beers and ice-creamsEven before the chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel emitted its last puff of white smoke, signalling to the world that the Roman Catholic church had a new pope, Atlante Star, a hotel with a privileged view over St Peter's Basilica from its rooftop terrace, began to receive inquiries about room availability over the following few days.Then, about an hour later, when the Chicago-born cardinal Robert Prevost was declared Pope Leo XIV, the inquiries turned into bookings as the tourists, mostly from the US, rushed to secure a place to stay in Rome in time for the pontiff's inaugural Sunday mass on 18 May. Continue reading...

Celebrity used trips to ancient Maya cities to advertise his own-brand snacks, drawing criticism from Mexico's archaeology and history instituteMexico is seeking compensation from YouTube celebrity MrBeast's production company, accusing it of using images of the country's ancient archaeological sites to advertise a chocolate brand.A video of the social media star visiting Maya ruins has been viewed around 60m times since 10 May on YouTube, where he has 395 million subscribers. Continue reading...

Police allege man menaced teacher and conveyed food was contaminated with lead acetate, which can cause irreversible neurological damage

NAO reports 1.9bn tax gap for wealthy individuals and urges ministers to redouble efforts to secure more revenueWealthy individuals in Britain could be avoiding more tax than thought, the government's spending watchdog has said, after a dramatic fall in the number of penalties being issued to the super-rich.In a report urging ministers to redouble their efforts to secure more of the money owed by wealthy people to the exchequer, the National Audit Office (NAO) said billions of pounds was going unpaid each year. Continue reading...

American R&B singer arrested in Salford over alleged 2023 London attack, after flying into UK for new tourThe US musician Chris Brown has been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent over an alleged bottle attack at a London nightclub two years ago.The 36-year-old rapper, a former partner of the singer Rihanna, was arrested at 2am on Thursday at the five-star Lowry hotel in Salford, Greater Manchester, after flying into the UK for a tour. Continue reading...

Met counter-terrorism police say 21-year-old Ukrainian faces three counts of arson with intent to endanger lifeA Ukrainian national has been charged over a series of suspected arson attacks on two homes and a vehicle linked to Keir Starmer.Police said Roman Lavrynovych, 21, was charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life. Continue reading...

Two sides set for first direct negotiations since March 2022 but Russia's lower-level delegation in Istanbul seen as snubVolodymyr Zelenskyy has sent a delegation to Istanbul for peace talks with Russia, paving the way for the first direct negotiations between the two countries since March 2022 - although Washington has warned that no breakthrough is likely unless Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agree to meet.The talks are set to begin on Friday and Zelenskyy said that Kyiv would focus on pushing for an immediate 30-day ceasefire. Continue reading...

Study shows rollback of credits would increase energy expenses for American of both red and blue districtsAs House Republicans propose taking a sledgehammer to the green tax credits in Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, new data shows the loss of those incentives could lower some Americans' household income by more than $1,000 a year due to increased utility bills and job losses.Though Donald Trump has called climate spending a waste" of money, the data - published by the industry group Clean Energy Buyers Association (Ceba) on Thursday - provides evidence that rescinding them would actually increase expenses for ordinary Americans in red and blue districts alike. Continue reading...

Ovaeed Rahman charged with animal cruelty offences after police, RSPCA and council officials visited Billericay propertyA man has been charged with a series of offences after the remains of 37 dogs were found at an address in Essex.Essex police said officers, colleagues from the RSPCA and Basildon council visited a property in the Crays Hill area of Billericay on Tuesday and the remains were discovered. Continue reading...

Failure to recruit NHS radiologists is creating vicious cycle whereby doctors are drawn to private work, says Royal College of RadiologistsThe NHS handed private firms a record 216m last year to examine X-rays and scans because hospitals have too few radiologists.The amount of money NHS organisations across the UK are paying companies to interpret scans has doubled in five years as demand rises for diagnostic tests. Continue reading...

Countries dispute ownership of Essequibo, oil-rich region where Venezuela claims it will hold elections this monthGuyanese soldiers have come under attack three times in 24 hours in an oil-rich border region also claimed by neighboring Venezuela, which says it will hold elections there this month.Armed men in civilian clothing carried out three separate attacks on troops conducting patrols on the Cuyuni River in the disputed Essequibo region, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) said. Continue reading...

Liberal leader holds productive' talks with David Littleproud as cloud hangs over future of longstanding partnership

Queensland senator's subtle-yet-pointed displays of defiance offer a window into the style of politician the Greens have chosen as their new leader

Famous reptile had a memorable scene in the 1996 comedy with Adam Sandler, along with other movies and TV showsMorris, a famous alligator known for his appearances in movies and TV shows, most notably the 1996 comedy Happy Gilmore, has died at around 80 years old at the Colorado Gator Farm.Adam Sandler, star of Happy Gilmore, posted a tribute to Morris in an X post on Wednesday, recalling the reptile's diva-like behavior on set. Continue reading...

In Cannes to promote his Stalinist drama Two Prosecutors, the film-maker said he feared the US and Russia would soon become equal'One of Ukraine's leading film-makers has spoken of the nightmare" of an emergent alliance between authoritarian leaders in Russia and the US, as his new film on contemporary echoes with the Stalinist era opens at the Cannes film festival.The events that unfolded in the past 100 days really surprised many people all over the world," said director Sergei Loznitsa, whose new film Two Prosecutors received its world premiere on Wednesday. One couldn't even imagine in a nightmare such a union, such an understanding between two authoritarian leaders." Continue reading...

Fema-run program withholds funds it owes service providers and claims they may have aided illegal activities'The Trump administration is accusing some state authorities and non-profits of in effect smuggling or harboring migrants after they provided food and shelter for such people - even though the services were funded through federal government programs and those being helped had already been processed and released by immigration officials.The administration has also withheld funds it owes to service providers, which spent up front to support vulnerable families recently arrived in the US, on the good faith agreement that, as is usual practice, they would be paid back by Washington. Continue reading...

Putin and Zelenskyy will not meet after the Russian president refused to travel to Istanbul for talks with his Ukrainian counterpart. Plus, the fitness influencers who fake their impossibly ripped physiquesGood morning.The first direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in three years are expected to take place today in Turkey - but Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not meet, after the Russian leader declined to join the Ukrainian leader in Istanbul.Will Zelenskyy go to Istanbul? He has indicated he will not travel unless Putin also agrees to attend.What is the administration asking for? It wants the scope of judges' injunctions to be reduced so they only apply to the people, organizations or states that sued. Continue reading...

Commons committee recommends independent scrutiny of failures and legal duty to safeguard those at most riskA cross-party committee of MPs has called for greater protections for vulnerable benefit claimants after hundreds of cases of deaths and serious harms linked to safeguarding failures by welfare officials.The work and pensions select committee said many of these cases, which include instances where claimants took their own lives, could have been prevented had the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) discharged its responsibilities effectively. Continue reading...

Under David Keeling, a former UPS and Amazon executive, Osha is expected to thwart protections on extreme heatAs the US prepares for what could be another record-breaking hot summer, Donald Trump and his pick to lead the nation's workplace safety agency are expected to derail the creation of the nation's first-ever federal labor protections from extreme heat.Trump in February nominated David Keeling to lead the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Osha). Keeling formerly served as an executive at the United Parcel Service (UPS) and Amazon - both of which have faced citations from Osha for worker injuries and deaths amid heat exposure. The companies deny the deaths were heat-related. Continue reading...

Hundreds of dams, weirs, culverts and sluices dismantled in 2024 to help waterways resume natural courseEurope dismantled 542 river-blocking dams, weirs, culverts and sluices in 2024, a report has found, helping a record number of waterways resume their natural course.The number of removals grew 11% from the year before, according to an annual report from Dam Removal Europe. Continue reading...

Tensions mount as EU diplomats seek common ground for wide-ranging reset in relations with Britain

Victorian supreme court judge says he received information the juror had been discussing Patterson's case with family and friends

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Justice Dina Yehia says manner force conducted its defence is a matter, I'll be quite honest with you, of grave concern to me'

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Dr C wrote to the police in 2021 that Cauchi did not pose an imminent risk to himself or others at this stage', Sydney inquest hears

Queensland senator chosen after minor party's 11 senators and lone MP meet in Melbourne

Health secretary instigates carrot and stick' policy for England that will award bonuses for cutting waiting timesBosses of hospitals with long waiting times or that overspend their budget will be denied pay rises in a tough new drive by Wes Streeting to improve the NHS's performance.Senior executives in England's 215 NHS trusts and 42 integrated care boards will also receive bonuses for cutting waiting lists under plans the health secretary has unveiled. Continue reading...

Document issued by Edward I in 1300 was bought by law school library for just $27 in 1946A Magna Carta wrongly listed as an unofficial copy for nearly 80 years has been confirmed as an original from 1300.The discovery means the document is just one of seven issued in 1300 by Edward I that still survive. Continue reading...

Keir Starmer has defended the language he used in a speech on immigration this week. But many Labour MPs have criticised his choice of words, with some even claiming the prime minister's language echoed that of Enoch Powell. John Harris speaks to the Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy about why she and others are so concerned.Plus, who is writing the script, literally and figuratively? The Guardian's Gaby Hinsliff and Kiran Stacey discuss Continue reading...

The socialist icon wants to defy the Bolivian constitution by running for a fourth term. But is he trying to save the country or himself? Tiago Rogero reportsDeep in the jungle region of Chapare, Bolivia's coca country, the former president and socialist icon Evo Morales is holed up in a compound surrounded by supporters armed with sticks and homemade shields.It was like I was in a movie set, but like a low-budget movie set of a Bolivian Game of Thrones. It was very surreal," says Tiago Rogero. Continue reading...

Te Pti Mori co-leaders and youngest member to be temporarily suspended from parliament after performance protesting controversial billThree New Zealand MPs who performed a haka in parliament will be temporarily suspended, in what is believed to be the harshest ever penalty issued to parliamentarians.The co-leaders of Te Pti Mori (the Mori Party) Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi, and the party's youngest member, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, performed the traditional Mori dance during a vote on the controversial Treaty Principles Bill during its first reading in November. Continue reading...

Cap of 15% could allow US firm RedBird Capital to finalise deal to buy titles after two years of uncertaintyThe government will allow foreign states to own stakes of up to 15% in British newspapers in a move that could finally end two years of uncertainty over the ownership of the Telegraph titles.The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is to announce the limit on Thursday through the introduction of a new statutory instrument in parliament, ending a months-long consultation involving intensive lobbying by newspaper owners. Continue reading...

People who have moved to UK since 2020 may face extra five-year wait to stay indefinitely under Labour crackdownAbout 1.5 million foreign workers who have moved to Britain since 2020 may have to wait a further five years to apply for permanent settlement.Under changes set out in the immigration white paper, automatic settlement and citizenship rights will be granted after 10 years instead of five. But the paper did not specify whether this would apply to recent arrivals already in the UK and in the process of their application. Continue reading...

Investigators said Bayesian, which sank in Italy killing 15 people, was destabilised by windThe late tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht, Bayesian, sank after it was hit by winds of around 117km/h that drove the vessel past its point of stability and caused downflooding over the starboard rail, according to a preliminary safety report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).The investigators said Bayesian may have been vulnerable to high winds when running on its engine and that these vulnerabilities" were unknown to either the owner or the crew" as they were not included in the stability information book carried on board. Continue reading...

Lt Cdr Martyn Mayger, who took charge of HMS Tyne in February, under investigation over sexual allegationsA Royal Navy commander has been removed from his role less than three months into post while he is investigated over sexual allegations.Lt Cdr Martyn Mayger took charge of HMS Tyne, a warship that operates in UK and European waters on security tasks, in February. Continue reading...

US president meets Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia as lifting of sanctions is met with jubilation in Damascus

Music mogul's former girlfriend describes physical abuse, control and violence at trial in New York City

Self-styled Nazi cell had amassed 200 weapons and discussed attacks on mosques and synagoguesThree Nazi extremists who amassed an arsenal of 200 weapons and discussed targeting mosques and synagogues in England have been convicted of planning a terrorist attack.Among the haul of weapons was a 3D gun that was almost ready to be fired. The planned attack was averted when an undercover officer infiltrated the self-styled Nazi cell. Continue reading...

UK justice secretary also announces plans for three new jails amid overcrowding crisis in England and WalesShabana Mahmood will limit for how long hundreds of repeat offenders can be recalled to prison amid Whitehall predictions that jails will be full again in November.The justice secretary also announced a 4.7bn plan to build three new prisons starting this year, part of a record expansion" as the government attempts to get to grips with the criminal justice system. Continue reading...

Justification for Israel's blockade is hard to sustain amid photos of malnourished children and critical famine warningsFor many decades, Israel was proud of its officials' ability to defend and argue and convince around the world. The war in Gaza has seen the country's public diplomacy face its greatest test - as was made clear on Wednesday morning with a robust exchange between David Mencer, a spokesperson for the Israeli government, and Nick Robinson, a presenter of the BBC's flagship Today programme.Mencer stressed that he was speaking on behalf of the prime minister and made an uncompromising statement of Israel's arguments, including the accusation that Hamas - described as a genocidal death cult" - uses civilians as human shields. Continue reading...