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Politics
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The UFC match plot: how a far-right group tried to assassinate Trump at his own event
Court files show how men connected through TikTok and encrypted apps planned attack on White House UFC fight When Tycen Proper, 19, finished high school, his family gave him at least $3,000 of “graduation money”, according to court documents. Despite the generosity, he seemed content to just live at his parents’ home, in a tiny Ohio town near Amish country, and spend more and more time on the internet. But Proper did have ambition of a kind, an affidavit says . He quit his job to focus on a special project that he was planning with friends from the internet. His mother saw him studying maps of Washington DC. He also put his graduation money into investments that made his father uneasy: a rifle, a shotgun, body armor, ammunition. Continue reading...
The UFC fighter who mocked Michelle Obama claims it was all a compliment | Arwa Mahdawi
Clearly, the former first lady should have been flattered by the remark at the White House cage match Michelle Obama should feel honoured, apparently. Do you know what the greatest compliment you can give a woman is? It’s not telling her she’s smart or kind or funny. No, it’s calling her a man. After all, what could be better than being a man? Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
David Hencke, Guardian journalist who exposed ‘cash for questions’ scandal, dies aged 79
Former Westminster correspondent earned a reputation for uncovering political wrongdoing in the 1990s The acclaimed journalist David Hencke, whose career at the Guardian spanned more than three decades, has died from liver cancer aged 79. Hencke, the Guardian’s former Westminster correspondent, was instrumental in exposing the “cash for questions” scandal that forced the resignations of two Conservative ministers, as well as the scoop that led to Peter Mandelson’s first resignation from government. Continue reading...
‘Not a culture war’: the council that won its case over England flags on lampposts
Leader of local authority in Oxfordshire faces backlash over injunction ‘to maintain neutral, safe space for residents’ While Londoners scurried from building to building seeking shade on another baking hot day this week, one man paused in the shadow of the Royal Courts of Justice. The leader of Oxfordshire county council, Tim Bearder, was not only satisfied in the shade of the court’s gothic towers. He had just won a landmark legal victory. Continue reading...
‘Not puff pieces and kid gloves’: why Bari Weiss is hiring British journalists at CBS News
Editor-in-chief has developed network of UK thinkers she believes reject what she regards as overly ‘woke’ consensus In the six years since she very publicly resigned from the New York Times , and in her tumultuous eight months as editor-in-chief of one of the US’s most prestigious television networks, Bari Weiss has become renowned as a media disruptor and challenger of what she regards as an overly “woke” journalistic consensus. As Weiss continues to face bitter internal and external opposition to her leadership of CBS News , she has been turning to figures from UK journalism in her attempts to tackle what she sees as US newsroom “groupthink”. Continue reading...
‘This isn’t about any one administration’: protests kick off in DC to reimagine the next 250 years in the US
Next250’s Declaration of Interdependence, a new art gallery that features Americans’ collective values and hopes for the future, will open in McPherson Square Thousands are expected to gather a block away from the White House today to unveil their vision for America’s future. At the Next250 All of US rally, held a week before the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, organizers will launch their Declaration of Interdependence , an art installation featuring the collective values they believe should define the next 250 years of America’s story. The pledge – a take on the Declaration of Independence, the country’s founding text – aims to build a country where everyone can earn a living wage, have access to green spaces and feel safe in their communities, activists said. Continue reading...
Forget crumbling democracy: America’s biggest crisis is a stagnant, murky pool | Dave Schilling
The Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool is a painful metaphor for the state of our union When you hear the word “pool” in these sun-baked days of summer, you might think of taking a cheeky dip in the water to cool off the skin that is conspicuously peeling off your haggard body. Everyone ( except me ) loves a pool. Donald Trump really loves a pool, but not the kind you can swim in. Or stand too close to. Or enjoy at all, really. The state of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool rehabilitation effort has become the primary crisis affecting the United States. That is, if you ask the current administration. Limiting the right to vote is running a close second in the World Cup of Political Football, but it’s the reflecting pool that is attracting the most fervent attention. As emergencies go, it’s as thrilling as watching a really large body of still water in the middle of a park. The paint is peeling and it’s full of green algae. Dave Schilling is a Los Angeles-based writer and humorist Continue reading...
‘It’s just so wrong’: Haitians in Ohio reel from supreme court TPS ruling
After outrageous insults from Donald Trump, Haitians have helped to revive Springfield – now their future is uncertain The embattled Haitian community of Springfield, Ohio is among many groups reeling after this week’s ruling from the supreme court that strips the legal immigration status from hundreds of thousands of Haitians living and working in the US – and could be a threat to more than a million. The Springfield community in particular had worked hard to remain resilient beyond the outrageous besmirching by Donald Trump during the 2024 election campaign and further insults about Haiti delivered after he became the US president again. Continue reading...
‘Strikeout’: Cricket World Cup winner Plunkett makes instant impact in baseball
Veteran of 2019 champions in first game for Oakland Ballers ‘The hitter didn’t know what was coming’ The former England cricketer Liam Plunkett swapped his cricket colours for a baseball glove, playing his first game for the Oakland Ballers and even claiming a strikeout. The 41-year-old was part of England’s 2019 World Cup-winning side – his final international appearance – taking three wickets in the tied final against New Zealand as England emerged victorious by the narrowest of margins on boundary count. He moved to the United States, where his wife is from, and has played Major League Cricket for the San Francisco Unicorns. Continue reading...
Trump threatens 100% tariff on European countries that impose digital tax
US president says levy would be imposed immediately and supersede pre-existing trade deals with the country Donald Trump threatened on Friday to place a 100% import tariff on any European country that imposes a tax on digital services from US companies. Writing on Truth Social, the US president said that “numerous European countries” had been discussing putting a digital services tax on American companies and that “some of these countries are close to actually doing this.” Continue reading...
Here’s what to do if your StubHub World Cup resale ticket is canceled
World Cup StubHub ticket mess shows how weak consumer protections are in the US, but there are steps fans can take A growing number of World Cup fans who thought they had bought tickets to matches on the ticket reseller StubHub were notified with just days or hours to spare that their tickets did not exist. Horror stories about stranded families , ruined once-in-a-lifetime trips, thousands of dollars squandered, and hang-ups on StubHub’s customer service line are flooding social media and local news. Continue reading...
The World Cup is undressing the myth of Trump’s American homogeneity
The 2026 World Cup has become a rebuke to Trump’s homogeneous vision of America, revealing a tournament – and a US team – shaped by migration and diversity Following the Department of Homeland Security on social media is a bit like wandering through a casino at 4am. Sooner or later, you’ll see something that makes you go: How did we get here ? There was one of those moments earlier this month. Days after the US opened their World Cup campaign with a 4-1 romp over Paraguay, DHS marked the occasion by posting an image of Chris Richards, Sergiño Dest and Folarin Balogun exulting beneath the headline “DEFEND THE HOMELAND” and the caption “OUR SOIL”. Continue reading...
Nigel Farage’s anti-WHO campaign moves to US with allies added to board
Relocation of Action on World Health raises questions over why Reform UK leader is involved in a US pressure group Nigel Farage’s campaign against the World Health Organization (WHO) is moving to the US with a new board of lobbyists, raising questions over why the Reform UK leader is involved in an American pressure group. The Action on World Health campaign, co-founded by Farage, is relocating to the US state of Delaware as a charitable foundation and grassroots non-profit. Continue reading...
Gracie the giraffe who wandered off in Texas found safe – for real this time
Animal who went missing from private ranch for nearly two weeks had been falsely reported as found earlier in the week The search for a giraffe who absconded from a private game ranch in rural Texas and effectively went missing for nearly two weeks was found safe on Friday just a few miles away from the homestead, according to authorities. An aerial search ultimately pinpointed the whereabouts of Gracie “the w[a]ndering giraffe”, said Nathan Johnson, the Real county sheriff, in a Facebook post announcing the success of efforts to find the creature. Continue reading...
Germany braced for temperatures ‘well over 40C’ as Europe heatwave pushes east – live
Forecasters say hottest conditions are now spreading into central and eastern Europe, including Poland and the Balkans The UK is set to get some respite from this week’s record-breaking heat over the weekend, but much of the rest of Europe remains in the grip of an intense heatwave as it shifts eastwards. Germany provisionally recorded its highest ever temperature yesterday with 41.3C near the city of Saarbrücken close to the French border. Forecasters say the hottest conditions are now spreading into central and eastern Europe, including Poland and the Balkans , over the weekend. Continue reading...
Today programme suffers ‘body blow’ as BBC prioritises social and digital content
Staff at Radio 4 show, which has 5 million listeners, told making content for likes of TikTok will take precedence for correspondents For decades, the task of briefing the nation on Radio 4’s agenda-setting Today programme has been one of the most urgent tasks facing the BBC’s top journalists. However, insiders at the corporation say that duty has effectively been downgraded, after an edict that will result in correspondents prioritising making content for TikTok, Instagram and other digital platforms. Continue reading...
World Cup 2026: England through, Scotland wait goes on and joy for Cape Verde – live
⚽ Latest news from the 16th and final day of the groups ⚽ Third-place table | Player guide | Golden Boot | Mail Taha Winning is overrated. Cape Verde have got the love of the neutrals and – crucially – a place in the last 32 by drawing all three of their group games. That’s right, the nation with a population of just over 500,000 are through to the knockouts with a second-placed finish, a remarkable feat by the debutants. Up next? Leo Messi and his mates. It’s the story of the tournament. We’ll talk about that and all of the other results from last night, and look at what’s to come. It never stops. Continue reading...
At a poet’s memorial, I saw how Andy Burnham could be a different kind of prime minister | Blake Morrison
The putative PM-to-be explained how one of Tony Harrison’s poems gave him a new outlook – one that the country is sorely in need of Two weeks before Josh Simons stood down as the Makerfield MP for his benefit, Andy Burnham was at Salts Mill in Shipley celebrating the life and work of the poet Tony Harrison. It was a small gathering, with actors, directors, writers and family members paying homage. Burnham wasn’t the only politician to speak; Richard Burgon, MP for Leeds East, is another fan (in 2020 he put down an early day motion in parliament that recognised how Harrison had “always written, and spoken, for the people”). But Burnham’s was the most incisive illustration of how literature in general and poetry in particular can change lives. Burnham was introduced to Harrison’s poetry as a sixth-former. An English teacher at his school put him on to V , Harrison’s long poem, set in a Leeds graveyard, which became infamous after Richard Eyre dramatised it for Channel 4. The Conservative MP Gerald Howarth attempted to get the broadcast (and broadside) banned for its use of four-letter words, which the Daily Mail described as a “torrent of filth”. V recounts the poet’s confrontation with a skinhead who has sprayed graffiti on headstones, a young man with whom he turns out to have quite a lot in common. Blake Morrison is emeritus professor at Goldsmiths, University of London and the author of the poetry collection Afterburn Continue reading...
Screen time can damage under-twos’ development, landmark study suggests
Exclusive: Researchers call for urgent investigation of risks to babies of tablets, smartphones and other digital devices Screen time for babies and toddlers under the age of two has been linked with long-term negative effects on health and quality of life and should be avoided, according to a landmark study . It warns that using screens during that period may lead to wide-ranging developmental concerns and calls for further urgent investigation of the risks smartphones, tablets and other digital devices pose to infants. Continue reading...
Parents booking air-conditioned hotels to keep babies safe in UK heatwave
Hotels report increase in last-minute bookings, including from families attempting to escape hot homes Families, including parents with newborn babies, are booking air-conditioned rooms in hotels to escape the UK heatwave, with companies reporting a surge in demand. Data from the accommodation reservation website Booking.com shows that since 1 June, the share of searches using the “air-conditioning” filter has tripled across Great Britain coinciding with the latest heatwave in northern Europe. Continue reading...
Australian man arrested in Thailand after 17-year-old’s body found in suitcase
The 46-year-old was stopped at about 9.30pm on Friday while preparing to board a Jetstar flight to Perth, according to police and local media Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast An Australian man has been arrested at a Thai airport in connection with the alleged murder of a 17-year-old girl whose naked body was found in a suitcase, according to local police. The man , 46, was stopped at about 9.30pm on Friday while preparing to travel on a Jetstar flight to Perth, according to local media. Continue reading...
Venice protest planned for US ambassador’s superyacht visit
Activists aim to repeat disruption of Jeff Bezos’s wedding when billionaire Tilman Fertitta drops anchor Protesters in Venice are planning to disrupt a visit by the billionaire US ambassador to Italy in his 117-metre superyacht, which they fear he plans to dock in the lagoon city. “We ruined the party for Jeff Bezos’s wedding last year – this year let’s ruin the ambassador’s tour!” said Stella Faye, a 28-year-old researcher and activist, at a meeting of about 40 demonstrators on Thursday. Continue reading...
Prosecutors in England and Wales expect rise in domestic abuse during World Cup
CPS urges victims to go to police, saying they will be taken seriously and it ‘won’t hesitate’ to bring abusers to justice Prosecutors in England and Wales are expecting incidents of domestic abuse to increase during the men’s World Cup, and have urged victims to come forward, saying those responsible “will be held accountable”. “We often see more domestic abuse cases around major football tournaments like these,” the CPS national stalking lead, Olivia Rose, said. “The point that we want to get across is that those responsible will be held accountable, and that we won’t hesitate to bring them to justice.” Continue reading...
People in Britain used to agree to disagree. Since Brexit, they no longer dare to talk about difficult things | Elif Shafak
Studies suggest the country is more divided than ever – but we won’t come together unless we begin to talk rationally and calmly Read more from the Brexit Vote: 10 Years On series When I first moved to England, nearly two decades ago, I was invited to attend a talk in London on “the future of British identity”. It was a heated debate from the start, and it became all the more intense when the subject of putting colonial history in the school curriculum was raised. The two main speakers held opposite views and they traded barbs wrapped in velvet – scathing but polite at the same time. It wasn’t just the particulars of the oratory that stayed with me, but what happened afterwards. When the session was over, I saw the speakers shake hands, and then I heard one of them casually ask the other whether he would like to go for a pint. Off they went looking for a nearby pub, these two men who were at loggerheads on so many issues. I stood there absorbing what I had just witnessed. That two people with clashing worldviews could still find the openness of heart to share a drink together somehow left a bigger impact on me than anything that had been said that evening. This is because I came from Türkiye, a country of profound political chasms and unhealed social fractures. Equally, I had lived in the US for about five years in the aftermath of 9/11 – writing and teaching in various universities in Boston, Michigan and Arizona, which gave me the chance to observe the deepening fissures between liberal campuses and anti-liberal small towns. Continue reading...