13 h. ago Merz’s manoeuvres on world stage fail to quell doubts about his leadership

The German chancellor’s high-wire statesmanship on Ukraine has done little to alleviate his domestic woesEurope live – latest updatesFriedrich Merz hosted the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Wednesday as a weakened leader 100 days into his term, with his attempts to rally western support for Kyiv and wrangle Donald Trump failing to silence his domestic critics.The German chancellor took the initiative for Wednesday’s lightning round of telephone conferences bringing in EU leaders, Trump and his vice-president, JD Vance. Zelenskyy’s surprise arrival in Berlin to sit in on the calls underlined Merz’s starring role in the diplomatic efforts. Continue reading...

Politics

36 h. ago Ukraine will not cede land that could be Russian springboard for new war, Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian leader sees no sign of Russia preparing for ceasefire after reports of frontline breach in DonbasVolodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine could not agree to a Russian proposal to give up more of his country’s territory in exchange for a ceasefire because Moscow would use what it gained as a springboard to start a future war.The Ukrainian president said he did not believe that Donald Trump supported Russia’s demands, and he expressed hope the US leader would act as an honest mediator when he meets Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Diddy's lawyer reveals the 'bond' disgraced rapper shares with Trump as president mulls pardoning him

Sean 'Diddy' Combs' lawyer has revealed the unlikely 'bond' the disgraced rapper shares with Donald Trump, as the President considers granting him a pardon.

Politics

3 d. ago Zelenskyy welcomes European leaders’ insistence on Ukraine role at peace talks

Ukrainian leader ‘fully supports’ statement before Trump-Putin summit that Kyiv must be part of ‘path to peace’The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has welcomed a statement from European allies that insists the “path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine”, before a planned summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.In a joint statement issued on Saturday night, leaders from the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Poland and Finland, along with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stressed Kyiv must be included in any peace talks with Russia. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Zelenskyy welcomes European leaders’ statement on Ukraine role in peace talks

Ukrainian leader ‘fully supports’ insistence before Trump-Putin summit that Kyiv must be involved in ‘path to peace’The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has welcomed a statement from European allies insisting that the “path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine”, before a planned summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.In a joint statement issued on Saturday night, leaders from the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Poland and Finland, along with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stressed that Kyiv must be included in any peace talks with Russia. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Father of Diddy defense lawyer claims music mogul would support Trump if pardoned

Podcast host and celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos denied that the support would be out of a sense of ‘fealty’

Politics

4 d. ago Diddy would be vocal Trump supporter if pardoned because of shared ‘affinity’ with president, claims lawyer

Mark Geragos denied that the support would be out of a sense of ‘fealty’

Politics

4 d. ago Keir Starmer offers 'unwavering support' after Zelensky angrily rejects Trump peace plan

Mr Zelensky angrily ruled out suggestions Ukraine and Russia could "swap" territory - and said any deal drawn up without Ukraine's input would be a non-starter

Politics

4 d. ago Bolsonaro supporters pray for Trump rescue as coup plot trial verdict nears

Far-right ex-president’s devotees pin hopes on pressure campaign but tariffs and sanctions appear likely to failEach morning, Edite Costa steps out of her bungalow on Brasília’s sun-baked savannah, stands beneath a mango tree and lifts her hands to the sky in prayer. “I ask God to work so that not just Trump but all Americans come to help us rip out the evil that has taken hold of the country I love,” said the 66-year-old Baptist, who is a fervent supporter of Brazil’s far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro.Bolsonaro could face decades in jail for allegedly leading a murderous conspiracy to seize power after his leftwing rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva beat him in the 2022 presidential election. But Costa believes her populist leader can still be saved – if her prayers are answered and Donald Trump intervenes. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Canadian cities cancel US Christian nationalist’s performances

Eight cities have revoked permits for Sean Feucht, a pro-Trump preacher and singer, sparking free speech debateEight Canadian cities have revoked performance permits for Sean Feucht, a Trump-supporting Christian nationalist preacher and musician, who led anti-gay demonstrations outside Disneyland and protested against mask mandates during the Covid-19 pandemic.Over the past two weeks, performances by Feucht, have been cancelled in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Moncton, New Brunswick; Quebec City, Quebec; Vaughan, Ontario; and Abbotsford, British Columbia. Local authorities cited safety concerns or code of conduct violations as reasons for cancelling his appearances. The municipal government in Winnipeg, Manitoba, denied Feucht a permit to perform due to “operational challenges”. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago P Diddy lawyer reveals disgraced star's comeback plan despite being jailed

Sean 'Diddy Combs' is said to be planning a huge music comeback when he is released from prison, according to his lawyer. The claim comes before his sentence has been confirmed

Events

7 d. ago Former Superman actor Dean Cain reveals he’s becoming an Ice agent to support Trump’s mass deportation agenda

The actor will be sworn in ‘ASAP’ amids the federal agency’s recruitment drive and unprecedented immigration raids that have sparked protest across the USFormer Superman actor Dean Cain has announced he has signed up to join Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice), in order to support US president Donald Trump’s anti-immigration agenda.The federal law enforcement agency has aggressively ramped up immigration raids since Trump’s return to the White House and was recently awarded $75bn in extra funding as part of his “big beautiful bill”, which includes billions for hiring an additional 10,000 Ice agents by 2029. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Laura Loomer’s MAGA critics accuse her of being funded by Big Pharma

‘I do not work for Big Pharma. I work in support of President Trump on the outside of the administration,’ Loomer tells The Independent

Politics

8 d. ago Boris Becker's lawyer to release bombshell book claiming aliens ‘co

EXCLUSIVE: Jonathan Caplan KC, one of Britain’s top barristers, is set to publish Not For Disclosure, hailed the ‘most serious and sourced book ever published on the subject’ of UFOs

Events

9 d. ago Jake Paul hires powerhouse lawyer of Elon Musk and Jay Z as controversial boxer vows to take on critics who claim his fights are RIGGED

Jake Paul has taken a decisive legal step to defend his reputation amid ongoing claims that his boxing matches are rigged.

Society

1 week ago 'Surprising' rival to JD Vance as next Presidential candidate emerges with Republicans preparing for 2028

While Vance has been positioned as President Donald Trump 's understudy, there is a groundswell of support for another Republican figure among party activists and voters.

Politics

1 week ago Trump attacks ‘racist sleazebag’ Charlamagne tha God after radio host criticized him on Lara Trump’s show

Radio host suggested Trump’s MAGA base may switch to supporting a more ‘traditional’ conservative candidate

Politics

1 week ago Inside Ukraine’s effort to produce more of its own weapons to fight Putin as Trump’s support flip

Askold Krushelnycky examines how Donald Trump’s fluctuating position on the Ukraine war has encouraged Kyiv to look closer to home to produce the weapons it needs to fight Russia

Politics

3 w. ago Trump’s endless toying with conspiracy theories has finally come back to bite him | Moira Donegan

The president has long exploited useful fictions embraced by his supporters. Now he’s trying to change the narrativeDonald Trump’s followers, and the conspiracist influencers turned-government officials through whom he persuades them, have turned on the president and US attorney general after they declared an end to federal inquiries into Jeffrey Epstein’s death. But it would be a mistake to think that the investigation scandal is sui generis. It’s more like the culmination of a long-running trend, one in which Trump’s exploitation of the conspiracist fictions, distrust of institutions, and prurient fascinations of his base have finally come back to bite him.A pedophile ring at the center of power is a recurring theme in rightwing conspiracy theories of the Trump era. During the 2016 presidential election, supporters of Trump, then an outsider challenger for the Republican nomination, began to spread dark claims about his rival for the presidency, Hillary Clinton. Online, far-right ...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump directs attorney general Pam Bondi to seek release of Epstein grand jury testimony – US politics live

Bondi replies to president’s Truth Social post to say she is ‘ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts’Trump supporters burn Maga hats after he dismisses Epstein files furorDonald Trump has lashed out against his own supporters, calling them gullible “weaklings” for questioning the transparency of a secretive government inquiry into the late high-profile socialite and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.The US president is struggling to contain a political crisis within his usually loyal Make America Great Again (Maga) base over suspicion that the administration is hiding details of Epstein’s crimes to protect the rich elite Epstein associated with, which included Trump. Continue reading...

Politics