32 h. ago Israel’s assumption US would get drawn into Iran war is being put to the test

President Donald Trump initially appeared to discourage attacks but Israeli officials claim they always had his supportIsrael’s attack on Iran was carried out with Donald Trump’s approval, government officials in Israel claim, and it appears to have been unleashed in the expectation – but not certainty – that the US would ultimately get drawn into the war.That assumption is now being put to the test as the US president weighs a decision on whether to join an assault he has increasingly embraced in his public pronouncements. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Millions expected at ‘No Kings’ protests before Trump’s military parade – live updates

‘No Kings’ protests across US come after a week of unrest over anti-immigration raids; Trump’s military parade to begin at 6.30pm ET in Washington DCA flagship No Kings march and rally are planned in Philadelphia, but no events are scheduled to take place in Washington DC, reports the Associated Press (AP). The demonstrations come on the heels of protests flaring up around the country over federal immigration enforcement raids that began last week and Donald Trump ordering national guard troops and marines to Los Angeles where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire. Police responded with teargas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades while officials enforced curfews in Los Angeles and Democratic governors called Trump’s guard deployment “an alarming abuse of power” that “shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement”.The White House’s escalating response to street protests echoes talk before Donald Trump’s inauguration of forcibly quelling resistanc...

Events

6 d. ago Nightclub owner arrested following deadly roof collapse which killed 236 people

The club was packed with government officials, musicians, and retired Major League Baseball players

Events

1 week ago Pentagon to reportedly deploy hundreds of US marines to Los Angeles

Reports say battalion to be sent to LA ‘temporarily’ but Trump reportedly not set to invoke Insurrection ActHundreds of active-duty US marines are to be deployed in Los Angeles, it was reported on Monday, making good on Donald Trump’s threat to send more troops to the city to quash protests against government immigration raids and deportations.A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told news agency Reuters that a battalion of 700 marines, reportedly from the Twentynine Palms base in southern California, would be sent to Los Angeles “temporarily”. This was despite a relatively quiet day of protests in the city. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Could an alliance of eight small countries turn out to be Europe’s anchor? | Paul Taylor

Amid geopolitical storms and the rise of populism, the ‘Nordic-Baltic eight’ is gaining clout as a bulwark of western resolveWith Europe’s political kaleidoscope spinning wildly in the populist winds, a group of northern countries is gaining weight as a geopolitical anchor. Known as the Nordic-Baltic eight (NB8 in diplomatic jargon), it brings together small northern European states that, individually, might have little clout in international security and politics. But since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, they have wielded growing influence as a pressure group for western resolve, offering an attractive blend of democratic security, defence integration and societal resilience.Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden established their regional cooperation format in 1992, after the end of the cold war, with regular meetings of prime ministers, parliamentary speakers, foreign and defence ministers and senior government officials. It beg...

Politics

1 week ago Elon Musk 'barged' government official 'like a rugby player' in White House

With the public spat between Donald Trump and Elon Musk heating up, further gory details about the latter's alleged White House scuffle with Scott Bessent have emerged

Politics

1 week ago Germany plans rapid bunker expansion amid fears of Russian attack

Civil protection agency chief says country is ill-prepared for conflict and calls for urgent upgrades to cold war sheltersGermany is drawing up plans to rapidly expand its network of bomb-proof bunkers and shelters, the government’s most senior civilian protection official has said, warning the state needs to be prepared for an attack from Russia within the next four years.Ralph Tiesler, the head of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), said Europe’s largest economy needed to wake up to the reality of conflict, and that in its current state Germany was inadequately prepared. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago World won’t forget Tiananmen Square, US and Taiwan say on 36th anniversary of massacre

Date of 4 June remains one of China’s strictest taboos, with government using increasingly sophisticated tools to censor its discussion The world will never forget the Tiananmen Square massacre, the US secretary of state and Taiwan president have said on the 36th anniversary of the crackdown, which China’s government still tries to erase from domestic memory.There is no official death toll but activists believe hundreds, possibly thousands, were killed by China’s People’s Liberation Army in the streets around Tiananmen Square, Beijing’s central plaza, on 4 June 1989. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Elon Musk steps up criticism of Trump budget bill, calling it a ‘disgusting abomination’ – US politics live

After officially leaving government adviser role, Tesla CEO doubles down on opposition to what he calls ‘massive, outrageous’ billDonald Trump has threatened to impose “large scale fines” on California over the participation of a transgender athlete taking part in a high school competition.The president wrote on Truth Social:A Biological Male competed in California Girls State Finals, WINNING BIG, despite the fact that they were warned by me not to do so. As Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands, large scale fines will be imposed!!! Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago You can oppose Israel’s policies without killing Jewish people | Jo

The majority of US Jews overwhelmingly oppose Netanyahu’s policies. But subtleties get lost and truly unleashed people reactIt happened again. The third time this year that Jewish people were attacked with murderous intent in a major US city under the guise of the assailant caring about the plight of the Palestinians in Gaza. It’s the second time that fires were set. The first happened when an attacker – a US citizen – broke into the official residence of Pennsylvania’s governor in Harrisburg, on the evening of Passover and set fire to the residence. The only thing that saved governor Josh Shapiro and his family was a quick response from security guards, leaving only some Passover Haggadahs, the text that charts Jewish hopes for freedom and liberation from one generation to the next, to burn on the tables still set from dinner.About two weeks ago, there was the murder of two innocent Jewish Israeli embassy workers who were attending an event hosted by the The American Jewish Committ...

Events

2 w. ago ‘Mom, am I the missing twin?’: the story of two babies separated by the Chinese state – and their emotional reunion

US couple Marsha and Al adopted a baby girl from China because they thought she had been abandoned. Years later they read about a girl whose sister had been illegally snatched by the authorities. Was everything they’d been told about their daughter a lie?One night in September 2009, a widowed mother in Texas named Marsha was up late at her kitchen table, scrolling through correspondence, when she opened an email that would change her family’s life. It was from an acquaintance who was sharing a newspaper article – as it happens, an article I’d written from China – about government officials who had snatched children from impoverished families to supply the lucrative adoption market. The article featured an interview with a nine-year-old girl speaking wistfully about her identical twin who had been taken away. “A Young Girl Pines for Her Twin” was the headline.Marsha had two daughters from China. She and her husband, Al, both employees of the defence contractor Lockheed Martin, h...

Events

2 w. ago Disposable vapes are officially BANNED in the UK as government cracks down on cheap nicotine dispensers commonly littered and sold to children

Around five million disposable vapes were thrown away each week last year rather than being recycled. A survey last October revealed around one in ten school pupils were regular users.

Politics

2 w. ago Trump conducts the weirdest exit interview in history as Musk departs the White House — for now

ANALYSIS: The most destructive professional partnership since Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader shacked up in the Death Star has finally come to an end, at least in an official government employee capacity, writes Richard Hall

Politics

2 w. ago Musk says black eye came from his son’s punch as he sports shiner during Oval Office meeting with Trump

The press conference officially marked the end of his time as a special government employee heading up the Department of Government Efficiency

Politics

2 w. ago Mystery over Elon Musk’s black eye as he joins Trump in Oval Office for goodbye event

The press conference officially marked the end of his time as a special government employee heading up the Department of Government Efficiency

Politics

2 w. ago Natural England boss reveals concern over budget for nature restoration

The head of the Government’s official environment advisors said the expected tight spending settlement will pose ‘big challenges’ for nature recovery.

Economics

2 w. ago ‘Elon is terrific’: Trump holding press conference to celebrate Tesla CEO’s ‘last day’ at the White House

The press conference comes after Musk announced the official end of his time as a special government employee at DOGE

Events

2 w. ago Top DOGE officials are already fleeing as Musk leaves government

Three officials, also limited by their Special Government Employee status, are set to leave DOGE alongside the tech billionaire

Politics

3 w. ago Seagull 'summit' planned to tackle psychotic flying scumbag's reign of terror

Gull problems are getting so bad that Scottish government officials believe that something must be done to make the streets of Britain safe again from the dive-bombing pests

Politics

3 w. ago Elon Musk officially announces departure from Trump’s government

Billionaire says DOGE’s ‘mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government’

Politics