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Trump asks judge not to order release of $5.8m payment to E Jean Carroll
Trump’s request stems from the supreme court’s 29 June decision not to review his appeal Donald Trump has asked a judge not to order the release of more than $5m in court-held funds that he owes E Jean Carroll in her successful 2023 sexual abuse and defamation civil trial against him. Trump had deposited this multimillion jury award, plus 11% interest, into a court-controlled account about six weeks after Carroll’s win. For this money, which now totals about $5.8m, to be released, a judge has to order directing the court-controlled fund to do so. Trump has denied all wrongdoing. Continue reading...
US court says Trump name must stay off Kennedy Center during appeal
Trump administration requested pause on lower court’s ruling after Trump’s name was removed from facade in June A US appeals court ruled on Wednesday that Donald Trump ’s administration cannot restore the Republican leader’s name to the facade of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington while he challenges a judge’s order that required its removal . The decision by a three-judge panel of the US court of appeals for the District of Columbia circuit denied a request from the Trump administration to pause a lower court judge’s order in a lawsuit brought by Joyce Beatty, a Democratic representative and Kennedy Center board member. Trump’s name was removed from the iconic Washington theater center’s facade and signage last month. US district judge Christopher Cooper ordered the removal in May, and also blocked Trump’s plans to close the center for two years of renovations starting on 4 July. Continue reading...
‘He did not deserve to die’: family of man fatally shot by ICE agent speaks out
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed by agent in Texas while on his way to work, and family found out from news reports The family of a Mexican immigrant who was fatally shot by a federal immigration agent on Tuesday in Texas called for an independent investigation into his killing, as questions swirl around federal officials’ claims and lack of transparency. “He did not deserve to die,” said Ronaldo Salgado, the son of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, during a press conference led by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) on Wednesday in Houston, Texas. Continue reading...
Millions of pounds and many, many questions: the untold story of why Reform figures face NCA scrutiny
Exclusive: The details behind the financial transactions that bankers have flagged up to the National Crime Agency The rise in public support for Reform UK – and Nigel Farage’s own prediction that he expects to be the UK’s next prime minister – has put the party and its leader in unfamiliar territory. Their policies and candidates are coming under greater scrutiny, and now, so is their funding. Continue reading...
Trump gives Zelenskyy vague promise of licence to manufacture Patriot missiles
Licence would be diplomatic coup for Kyiv but process of making munitions would likely be expensive, complex and long Europe live – latest updates Donald Trump has told Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine may be allowed to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors to counter Russian ballistic attacks. It would be a diplomatic coup for Kyiv, which has been struggling to counter Moscow’s increasing missile threat. The US president’s commitment, however, was vaguely framed, and he admitted he had not spoken to the US defence and aerospace companies Lockheed Martin and RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon) that produce the Patriot system. It also remained unclear how quickly manufacturing of the expensive and complex munitions could be stepped up. Continue reading...
The curse of Donald Trump: where he goes, sporting defeat follows
The USMNT’s World Cup crashout is the latest episode to suggest the support and intervention of Donald J Trump brings bad luck This was originally published in This Week in Trumpland. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday Breaking a mirror. Walking under a ladder. Spilling salt. A black cat crossing one’s path. After the events of this week, it feels safe to add one more item to the list of things said to bring bad luck: the support and intervention of Donald J Trump. Continue reading...
The Pitt, Hacks and newcomers Widow’s Bay and Pluribus lead 2026 Emmy nominations
HBO and Apple shows head up this year’s nominations while Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer follow-up Half-Man only receives one nod The second season of hit hospital drama The Pitt and the final season of Hacks dominate this year’s Emmy nominations, announced on Wednesday. The Pitt leads with 25 nominations while Hacks has 24, both scoring a big win for HBO. Continue reading...
Trump administration threatens states with criminal charges in elections fight
State officials call federal demands for voter data ‘truly bizarre behavior’ amid unproven noncitizen voting claims US politics live – latest updates The US Department of Justice sent letters to election officials in every state threatening potential criminal charges for officials if noncitizens vote, an escalation in an ongoing push by the federal government. As Donald Trump ’s administration pushes to exert greater control over elections, the justice department confirmed letters went out to all 50 states and the District of Columbia, “asking for voluntary compliance in a timely manner with their obligations under federal law to ensure only citizens vote in federal elections”. Continue reading...
Trump on rampage at Nato summit: what does it mean for Ukraine? – The Latest
The US president is in combative mood as Nato leaders meet for a two-day summit in Ankara. There are divisions over Russia’s war in Ukraine, defence spending, and the US-Israel war in Iran with signs of the fragile ceasefire collapsing. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is holding talks with leaders as he rallies the European cause against Russia’s war that has reached the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, as Nato allies present an increasingly united front against an unreliable US. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s central and eastern Europe correspondent Shaun Walker – watch on YouTube Continue reading...
Reform to ask for Clacton byelection to be held on 6 August after Farage resignation
Constituents to vote in contest being boycotted by major parties over financial scandal surrounding Reform leader Reform UK will request that the Clacton byelection be held on 6 August, the party has said, after Nigel Farage’s decision to resign from the seat. The Reform UK leader, who has represented the Essex constituency since the 2024 general election, said on Tuesday he was standing down and would put himself forward again in what he has sought to portray as a “people versus the establishment” contest. Continue reading...
Bin tactics. At times like these, only a Zia perma-rage defence of Nige will do | John Crace
Reform keeps Tice on the bench, sending in attack specialist Yusuf in effort to take back control as byelection stunt unravels You can often tell when Reform is running scared and losing control of the political narrative, because that’s the time Richard Tice is put back in his box. Everyone but Dicky knows that Dicky is a halfwit. A man whose very life force is dependent on Nigel Farage’s continued existence. Without Nige there would be no Dicky. He is the tick with no autonomous nervous system. Just a kneejerk response with too much money. Dicky likes to boast of his small fortune. Mainly because he started with a large one. At times like these, Reform go for their pet rottweiler: Zia Yusuf. No Nige-like temper tantrums for Zia. That’s because he lives in a constant state of extreme perma-rage. It must be as exhausting for him as it is for us to experience. There is nothing that doesn’t make him angry. Most politicians do a nice line in passive aggression. Zia’s USP is active aggression. He is the aggressive’s aggressive. The self-made millionaire who is always unhappy and feels let down by others. The man with so much money that he can afford to do politics as a hobby. He longs to be a professional politician but will only ever be an amateur. Continue reading...
Treasury yet to do due diligence on finding extra money for UK’s Nato spend
How to hit the 3.5% of GDP defence spending promise would be a matter for ‘the next prime minister’, MPs told The Treasury has as yet carried out no analysis of the trade-offs necessary for the UK to hit the 3.5% of GDP defence spending promise made to Nato, chief secretary Lucy Rigby has said. Under robust questioning in a joint session of the Treasury and defence select committees on Wednesday, Rigby repeatedly said that how to fund additional defence spending would be a matter for “the next prime minister”. Continue reading...
Oil prices rise to record level after Iran launches attacks on tankers near strait of Hormuz
Brent crude benchmark rose to more than $78 a barrel after attacks, its sharpest increase since ceasefire began Oil markets have recorded the sharpest price rise in nearly two months after a series of attacks on fossil fuel tankers near the strait of Hormuz led US president Donald Trump to declare the ceasefire deal with Iran is “over”. Brent, the global crude benchmark rose by 5% on Wednesday to more than $78 a barrel, the highest price since the US and Iran agreed the ceasefire while negotiating an end to the war last month. Continue reading...
US judge throws out Trump’s $3.8bn defamation lawsuit against Washington Post
Suit stemmed from 2023 Post article that said bank with ties to the porn industry helped fund Trump’s media operation A federal judge in Florida has thrown out Donald Trump’s $3.8bn defamation lawsuit against the Washington Post over an article that said a bank with links to the pornography industry helped fund his fledgling social media operation. In a brief order granting summary judgment to the newspaper, Tampa district court judge Thomas Patrick Barber, a Trump appointee, said the Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) had “failed to present evidence that would allow a jury to find by clear and convincing evidence” that the Post acted with actual malice, the benchmark for such an action to succeed. Continue reading...
Contaminated children’s play sand sold in Australia can release toxic airborne asbestos, research finds
Exclusive New study contradicts statements that play products removed from shelves because of asbestos concerns were ‘low risk’ Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Colourful children’s play sand that was sold in Australia while contaminated with asbestos can release hazardous airborne fibres of the toxic mineral, researchers have discovered. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the lead researcher of the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) study, which found 90% of craft sand samples released asbestos into the air when played with, confirmed the products had been sold in Australia. Continue reading...
Australians with cancer are living longer but diagnosis rates on the rise for younger people, report reveals
Flagship health report also shows vaccine rates for children are falling, prompting concern from experts Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Australians with cancer are living longer than ever, a flagship health report has revealed, but falling childhood vaccination rates and increasing rates of measles, diphtheria and whooping cough have given experts cause for concern. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) biennial report card, released on Thursday, shows the five-year relative survival rate for people with cancer has increased from 50% to 72% in 30 years. Continue reading...
Former UK information commissioner taking legal action against woman who flagged his conduct
John Edwards resigned in June after independent investigation following claims of sexual harassment and bullying The UK information commissioner who resigned over sexual harassment and bullying claims is understood to be taking legal action against a woman who flagged his conduct. The science and technology secretary, Liz Kendall, said she was “appalled” by the fact that John Edwards was preparing to serve legal papers on one of the “incredibly brave” women at the ICO who raised concerns about his behaviour. Edwards resigned from his post as the UK’s data regulator in June after an independent investigation. Continue reading...
Photo of bound Palestinian detainee corroborates Israeli torture reports, say rights groups
Image of man in underwear, blindfold and bound to iron rod has been widely shared on social media Middle East crisis live – latest updates An Israeli soldier’s photo of a Palestinian man from Gaza stripped to his underwear, blindfolded and bound face-down to an iron rod corroborates extensive reporting on Israeli torture of Palestinians in detention and itself may constitute a war crime, rights groups have said. The image was shared on a now-deleted personal social media account, with the Hebrew-language caption “good morning”. It was brought to wider public attention by a Palestinian writer and activist who goes by Tamer . Continue reading...
Bank of England governor says he is ‘able to spot’ lobbying after Farage crypto meeting
Exclusive: Andrew Bailey says no policy changes were made as a result of pressure from crypto tycoon-backed Reform leader UK politics live – latest updates The governor of the Bank of England has broken his silence about the pressure Nigel Farage put on him to drop a cryptocurrency policy that could be costly for Reform UK’s billionaire backer, saying he is “able to spot” and resist lobbying. Andrew Bailey’s comments, in a letter seen by the Guardian, come as Farage’s decision not to disclose a £5m gift from the Thailand-based crypto tycoon Christopher Harborne has triggered the biggest crisis of his political career. Continue reading...
Wyoming tightens wastewater rules after Meta datacenter contractor flushed contaminated water
Meta said it was working with officials to be a ‘good neighbor’ and drinking water supplies were not affected Officials in Wyoming said a contractor for Mark Zuckerberg ’s tech company, Meta , flushed bacteria-contaminated water into public sewers during construction of a controversial new AI datacenter . The incident prompted water authorities in Cheyenne to implement strict safety regulations on how wastewater from such projects is disposed of, according to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, which first reported the incident. Continue reading...
Arizona man pleads guilty after illegally living in forest for years among ‘1,000lbs of trash’
Mark Gatz was arrested at illegal campsite in June and had faced multiple citations for residing in Tonto national forest A man in Arizona has pleaded guilty to violating federal fire restrictions and unlawfully residing in a national forest, after authorities said he spent years living at a makeshift campsite surrounded by what officials described as “approximately 1,000 pounds of trash”. Mark Aaron Gatz was arrested on 25 June at his illegal campsite in Arizona’s Tonto national forest, according to court records. A United States Forest Service (USFS) officer wrote in documents submitted to court that Gatz had been operating an “illegal campsite” with a “hot wood burning campfire” despite fire restrictions and that he had told investigators that he had been living in the forest for about eight years. Continue reading...
UK judges begin hearing appeal over Trinidad and Tobago anti-gay law
Activist is challenging ruling last year that restored colonial-era homophobic law against same-sex intimacy Some of the UK’s top judges are hearing arguments over whether a Trinidad and Tobago court had the legal right to overturn a 2018 ruling to remove colonial-era homophobic laws that criminalise anal sex between consenting men. The country’s “ buggery law ”, often referred to as its “sodomy” law, was created in 1925 and was written into Trinidad and Tobago’s 1986 Sexual Offences Act . In 2017 a Trinidadian LGBTQ+ rights activist, Jason Jones , challenged the law, and in 2018 a high court ruled that it infringed upon his constitutional right to privacy and equality. Continue reading...
Washington sees this Senate race as a key test for Democrats. Michigan voters just want to get by
Daily realities of healthcare, prices and Gaza driving wave of anti-establishment sentiment among Democratic voters in closely watched contest In Macomb county, Michigan – a blue-collar Detroit suburb that twice voted for Barack Obama before backing each of Donald Trump’s three runs for the US presidency – residents are exhausted. Time and again, township trustee Shannon King, a Democrat still making up his mind, hears similar complaints. “You’re going backwards in your paycheck. You’re going backwards in your healthcare,” he said. “You go to work every day. You might have a side hustle. Your significant other has a side hustle, too. And you’re still struggling to do childcare.” Continue reading...
Britain’s markets attracting generation of highly educated entrepreneurs
Nearly a quarter of market traders now hold master’s degree, PhD or medical doctorate, research shows One in five young market traders now holds a master’s degree, PhD or medical doctorate, according to exclusive figures shared with the Guardian, in a sign of how Britain’s markets are attracting an unexpected new generation of highly educated entrepreneurs. Separate data from Kerb, the street food collective behind some of London’s best-known food markets, points in the same direction. Almost three-quarters of its founders have university degrees, including one in four with postgraduate qualifications. About 95% work in their businesses full-time rather than treating them as weekend side hustles. Continue reading...