30 h. ago Hamas likely to accept Trump Gaza plan with key revisions, experts say

Turkey and Qatar putting pressure on group to make concessions – but condition it disarm a sticking pointMiddle East crisis – live updatesHamas is likely to provisionally accept Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire proposal in the coming days – but only on condition there are significant revisions of some of its key elements, analysts and sources close to the group say.Trump imposed a deadline of “three or four days” from Tuesday for Hamas to give its response to his 20-point plan, which aims to bring the two-year war in Gaza to a close and allow an apparently indefinite international administration of the devastated territory, or “pay in hell”. Continue reading...

Politics

31 h. ago Trump sees ‘unprecedented opportunity’ to punish Democrats as shutdown enters day two

Republicans and Democrats engage in war of words as White House also uses impasse to cut government spendingUS government shutdown – latest updatesAs the US government shutdown stretched into its second day, Donald Trump on Thursday hailed the funding lapse as an “unprecedented opportunity” to further his campaign of firing federal workers and downsizing departments.The president announced on social media that he would sit down with Russell Vought, the White House office of management and budget chief, an architect of the mass firings and buyouts of federal workers. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago It’s the art of the dodgy deal, Middle East edition: author Donald Trump, updated by Jared Kushner | Marina Hyde

Does the Donald know that there’s a new master negotiator in town? Of course he does, he taught the apprentice everything he knowsAny dramatist seeking a character through whom to distil the sold-out madness of the present times could do a lot worse than President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Yesterday exposed Jared’s starring role in not one but two current deals. 1. History’s biggest-ever leveraged buyout, of video game giant Electronic Arts (EA), which Kushner’s firm is taking private and effectively into Saudi ownership. And 2. “Eternal peace in the Middle East”, as per what has been widely referred to as “the Kushner-Blair plan” for Gaza. Busy week for Jared! He’s popping up at so many seismic moments – just call him Forrest Trump.Quick refresher on our boy: he is married to Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka, and previously served as a senior adviser in his father-in-law’s first administration, taking the opportunity of Trump’s election loss/unfortunate insurrection-fostering...

Politics

8 d. ago Former FBI director James Comey indicted for making false statement to Congress and obstruction of justice

Indictment comes after Trump instructed US attorney general to prosecute Comey and others he considers political foesUS politics – latest updatesJames Comey, the former FBI director and one of Donald Trump’s most frequent targets, was indicted on Thursday on one count of making a false statement to Congress and one count of obstruction of justice, according to a person familiar with the matter, in the latest move in the president’s expansive retribution campaign against his political adversaries.“No one is above the law. Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people. We will follow the facts in this case,” Pam Bondi, the US attorney general, tweeted on Thursday. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Officials say Dallas immigration facility shooter ‘intended to kill Ice agents’ but was not part of ‘any specific group’ – live

Officials said shooter used Ice tracking apps to monitor agents’ movements; Trump blames rise in political violence on ‘radical left not the right’Dozens of House Democrats have signed a letter to Donald Trump and secretary of state Marco Rubio, urging the administration to recognize Palestinian statehood.The letter, led by California Democrat Ro Khanna, has 46 signatures, and lawmakers will send it to the US president on Friday, according to plans first provided to the Guardian. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Trump claims rise in political violence is ‘radical left causing this problem, not the right’ – US politics live

President again jumped to blame political opponents after three detainees were shot in attack on immigration facility Dozens of House Democrats have signed a letter to Donald Trump and secretary of state Marco Rubio, urging the administration to recognize Palestinian statehood.The letter, led by California Democrat Ro Khanna, has 46 signatures, and lawmakers will send it to the US president on Friday, according to plans first provided to the Guardian. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Trump says he was ‘still friends’ with Erdoğan while in US ‘exile’ and demands Turkey stop buying Russian oil – US politics live

President refers to four years after he lost the 2020 election as he welcomes president of Turkey to the White HouseDozens of House Democrats have signed a letter to Donald Trump and secretary of state Marco Rubio, urging the administration to recognize Palestinian statehood.The letter, led by California Democrat Ro Khanna, has 46 signatures, and lawmakers will send it to the US president on Friday, according to plans first provided to the Guardian. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Federal prosecutors reportedly gave US attorney memo suggesting not to file charges against James Comey – US politics live

Prosecutors in eastern district of Virginia detailed to Lindsey Halligan why not to file criminal charges against former FBI director, ABC news saysDozens of House Democrats have signed a letter to Donald Trump and secretary of state Marco Rubio, urging the administration to recognize Palestinian statehood.The letter, led by California Democrat Ro Khanna, has 46 signatures, and lawmakers will send it to the US president on Friday, according to plans first provided to the Guardian. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Former FBI director James Comey expected to be indicted on criminal charges, reports say – US politics live

Comey has long been focus of Donald Trump, who sacked him from FBI role in early months of presidencyA gunman, who wrote “ANTI-ICE” on an unused bullet, fired on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Dallas from a nearby rooftop on Wednesday, killing a detainee and badly wounding two others before taking his own life, officials said.President Donald Trump and members of his administration seized on the attack as the latest instance of what they characterized as an escalation of politically motivated violence incited by the left.Donald Trump demanded an investigation of what he called “triple sabotage” of his UN address on Tuesday: a malfunctioning escalator, a faulty teleprompter and an apparent sound problem in the hall. UN officials said the US delegation was responsible for the first two, and the third was less dramatic than Trump claimed.JD Vance, the vice-president, claimed without evidence that a gunman who opened fire at an Ice facility in Dallas, killing one...

Events

9 d. ago Sadiq Khan hits back at ‘racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic’ Trump

Khan’s comments come after US president used speech at UN to call London mayor ‘terrible’UK politics live – latest updatesSadiq Khan has hit back at Donald Trump, accusing the US president of being “racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic” after he used a speech at the UN to call the London mayor “terrible” and claim the city was being steered toward “sharia law”.Trump’s remarks on Tuesday night provoked anger among Labour figures, with the health secretary, Wes Streeting, praising Khan as someone who “stands up for difference of background and opinion”. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Farage refuses to criticise Trump over paracetamol despite health experts dismissing autism claims

Reform UK leader says he has ‘no idea’ if US president is right to tell women to avoid drug during pregnancyUK politics live – latest updatesNigel Farage has refused to criticise Donald Trump’s claims that paracetamol, sold in the US as Tylenol, could cause autism, insisting “science is never settled” and he would never “side with” medical experts.The Reform UK leader said he had “no idea” if the US president was right to tell pregnant women to avoid taking acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol and paracetamol, and suggesting that those who could not “tough it out” should limit their intake. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Trump says Ukraine could regain all territory lost to Russia since 2022 invasion after meeting Zelenskyy at UN – live

US president’s social media post is one of strongest shows of support for Kyiv yetTrump says he believes Ukraine can regain all land lost to Russia since 2022 invasionTrump calls for nations to close borders and expel foreigners in UN speech: ‘Your countries are being ruined’Fact-check: Trump’s false and misleading claims during his UN addressWhile the Secret Service hasn’t confirmed that the telecommunications threat was targeting the United Nations general assembly, the agency said that the devices were “concentrated within 35 miles of the global meeting” and the investigation is ongoing.The Secret Service added that early forensic analysis of the deviced indicates “cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Trump says Nato countries should shoot down Russian aircraft entering their airspace – US politics live

US president’s comments come after series of drone incursions by Russian fighter jets; Trump also scolds European countries over migration Trump calls for nations to close borders and expel foreigners in UN speech: ‘Your countries are being ruined’Fact-check: Trump’s false and misleading claims during his UN addressWhile the Secret Service hasn’t confirmed that the telecommunications threat was targeting the United Nations general assembly, the agency said that the devices were “concentrated within 35 miles of the global meeting” and the investigation is ongoing.The Secret Service added that early forensic analysis of the deviced indicates “cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago ‘Your countries are going to hell’: Trump attacks European leaders and United Nations in fiery general assembly speech – live

US president lambasts UN for lack of help in peace deals; Trump also scolds European migration and US allies that are supporting Palestinian statehoodSecret Service takes down network that could’ve crippled New York cell serviceWhile the Secret Service hasn’t confirmed that the telecommunications threat was targeting the United Nations general assembly, the agency said that the devices were “concentrated within 35 miles of the global meeting” and the investigation is ongoing.The Secret Service added that early forensic analysis of the deviced indicates “cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago What is ‘antifa’ and why has Trump branded it a ‘terrorist organization’?

There is no such formal entity called antifa, yet the US president has designated it an ‘anarchist enterprise’, raising concerns from civil liberties expertsUS politics live – latest updatesIn a broadly-worded executive order issued Monday evening, Donald Trump declared “antifa”– the decentralized antifascist movement – as a “domestic terrorist organization”.With his order, Trump is delivering red meat to his base after years of drumming up fears around left-wing activism, which his administration has characterized as a dangerous scourge. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Donald Trump criticizes United Nations and touts his foreign policy in general assembly speech – live

US president lambasts UN for lack of help in finalizing peace deals after declaring America is in its ‘golden age’Secret Service takes down network that could’ve crippled New York cell serviceWhile the Secret Service hasn’t confirmed that the telecommunications threat was targeting the United Nations general assembly, the agency said that the devices were “concentrated within 35 miles of the global meeting” and the investigation is ongoing.The Secret Service added that early forensic analysis of the deviced indicates “cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago British officials fear Trump could recognise Israeli West Bank settlements

Government insiders say move would be a serious blow to prospect of a two-state solutionMiddle East crisis – live updatesBritish officials fear Donald Trump could recognise Israeli control over illegal settlements on the West Bank in retaliation for the UK, France and others deciding to recognise Palestine.Government insiders believe the US president is considering granting official recognition to the Israeli communities there, which would be a serious blow to achieving a two-state solution. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Secret Service says it dismantled ‘imminent telecommunications threat’ near UN general assembly ahead of Trump speech – live

US authorities say hidden system included over 100,000 SIM cards and 300 servers in the New York area with the power to interfere with emergency communication servicesHere are a couple more photos that were released by the Secret Service:The Secret Service said on Tuesday that it had uncovered and dismantled a covert, high-tech operation in the New York area, which had the capability to disrupt cellular networks. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Donald Trump signs order designating antifa as a domestic terror organization – US politics live

President claims decision following killing of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk based on leftwing movement’s ‘pattern of political violence’Per my last post, it’s important to underscore that autism has been a focus for Kennedy. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Kennedy planned to announce that use of Tylenol by pregnant women was potentially linked to autism spectrum disorder. Kennedy has claimed that the US is in the grip of an “autism epidemic” fuelled by “environmental toxins”.A reminder that the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) says there’s “no clear evidence” linking “prudent” use of acetaminophen to issues with fetal development. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Top US medical body criticizes Trump’s statements on Tylenol and autism as ‘irresponsible’ – US politics live

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says linking use of acetaminophen in pregnancy to autism sends ‘harmful’ messageTrump attacks Tylenol as officials unveil highly contentious conclusions on autismTylenol guidelines: is it safe to use paracetamol during pregnancy?Per my last post, it’s important to underscore that autism has been a focus for Kennedy. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Kennedy planned to announce that use of Tylenol by pregnant women was potentially linked to autism spectrum disorder. Kennedy has claimed that the US is in the grip of an “autism epidemic” fuelled by “environmental toxins”.A reminder that the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) says there’s “no clear evidence” linking “prudent” use of acetaminophen to issues with fetal development. Continue reading...

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