90 m. ago Trump officials tour Alcatraz in bid to reopen prison amid outcry from California leaders

Doug Burgum, interior secretary, and Pam Bondi, attorney general, visited island jail as Nancy Pelosi calls idea ‘lunacy’A delegation of US officials toured Alcatraz on Thursday as part of Donald Trump’s pledge to reopen the shuttered federal prison and tourist attraction in the San Francisco Bay, amid an outcry from California leaders who have called the plan “lunacy”.Doug Burgum, the interior secretary, who visited the island prison with attorney general Pam Bondi, said the federal government was beginning “the work to renovate and reopen the site to house the most dangerous criminals and illegals”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 hour ago Notting Hill Carnival not the cause of knife crime, event boss says

Matthew Phillip urged people not to scapegoat the carnival, which has faced criticism in recent years for not tackling violent crime.

Events

2 h. ago Governments have the right to expect MPs to support their decisions

Editorial: If anything, given the sheer size of the rebellion on social security – 130 of his own MPs threatening to defeat a government bill – Keir Starmer has been too lenient

Politics

2 h. ago Top human rights group leaves El Salvador after threats made by country’s president

Cristosal says decision to leave country and relocate employees comes after organisation was targeted by Nayib BukeleEl Salvador’s top human rights organisation, Cristosal, announced on Thursday it is leaving the country because of mounting harassment and legal threats by the government of President Nayib Bukele.The organisation has been one of the most visible critics of Bukele, documenting abuses in the strongman’s war on the country’s gangs and the detention of hundreds of Venezuelan deportees in an agreement with the US president Donald Trump. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago Top rights group leaves El Salvador after threats from its government

Cristosal says decision to relocate employees was because of organisation being targeted by President Nayib BukeleEl Salvador’s top human rights organisation, Cristosal, announced on Thursday it is leaving the country because of mounting harassment and legal threats by the government of President Nayib Bukele.The organisation has been one of the most visible critics of Bukele, documenting abuses in the strongman’s war on the country’s gangs and the detention of hundreds of Venezuelan deportees in an agreement with the US president Donald Trump. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago Key players in Syria's latest eruption of violence, from the Druze and Bedouin to government forces

Clashes that shook southern Syria this week have killed hundreds of people, including civilians, and drawn in an array of both local and international players, harking back to the dynamics of the country’s nearly 14-year civil war

Politics

2 h. ago London council meets in secret to discuss 'series of concerning allegations'

Newham called an emergency meeting of all councillors at its town hall in Stratford on Thursday night

Politics

3 h. ago Britain and Germany to build ‘super missile’ in joint military project

London and Berlin signed a friendship treaty on Thursday intended to deter Russian aggression in Europe

Events

3 h. ago Government ‘has very small window to avert resident doctors’ strike’

A five-day walkout is scheduled to start next week and could cause significant upheaval to the NHS in England.

Politics

3 h. ago Massive Attack announce alliance of musicians speaking out over Gaza

Brian Eno, Fontaines DC and Kneecap say group will support those subject to ‘aggressive, vexatious campaigns’ by pro-Israel advocatesMassive Attack, Brian Eno, Fontaines DC and Kneecap have announced the formation of a syndicate for artists speaking out about Israel’s military assault on Gaza, who they say have been subjected to “aggressive, vexatious campaigns” by pro-Israel advocates.Posting on Instagram, the musicians said their aim was to protect other artists, particularly those at early stages of their careers, from being “threatened into silence or career cancellation” by organisations such as UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI). Continue reading...

Events

3 h. ago DeSantis under fire for using disaster funds to build migrant detention jail

Analysis of $20m spent on ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ shows some contracts went to governor’s donors or alliesOfficials in Florida diverted crucial disaster preparedness and response resources to support the hasty construction of the so-called Alligator Alcatraz migrant detention jail by the Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, a newly published report has claimed.Some of the $20m in contracts analyzed by Talking Points Memo (TPM) before they inexplicably disappeared from the Florida department of financial services website went to donors or political allies of DeSantis, the report said. Continue reading...

Events

4 h. ago White House says Trump won’t recommend special prosecutor in Epstein case and calls Democrats wanting transparency ‘asinine’ – live

White House press secretary doubles down on Trump’s partisan lines of attack about the Jeffrey Epstein case, which as cause turmoil among his Maga baseTrump 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

4 h. ago London council to meet in secret tonight to discuss 'series of concerning allegations'

Newham called an emergency meeting of all councillors at its town hall in Stratford on Thursday night

Politics

4 h. ago Shooting of bear that swam to tiny Canadian island frustrates First Nations

Indigenous groups had offered to rehome grizzly nicknamed Tex who was killed without authorizationThe journey of Tex, a young grizzly bear that gripped public attention in Canada after swimming to a tiny populated island, came to a violent end this week after he was shot and killed without authorization, despite plans by Indigenous groups to relocate him.The four-year-old bear’s landfall on 25 May on Texada Island, a tiny island off the west coast, set off a controversy between differing interpretations of how to treat wild predators. Its shooting on Tuesday has advocates calling for the British Columbia government to act faster when it comes to working with First Nations on environmental stewardship. Continue reading...

Events

4 h. ago Merz calls for UK, Germany and France to align on migration and defence

German chancellor’s proposal for strategic axis comes as London and Berlin sign first treaty since second world warThe German chancellor has called for a strategic axis between London, Paris and Berlin to tackle illegal migration and deepen defence cooperation, despite declaring that he “deeply deplores” Brexit.Friedrich Merz appeared alongside Keir Starmer at a press conference in Stevenage after the signing of the Kensington treaty, the first formal pact between the UK and Germany since the second world war. The agreement, signed at the V&A Museum and followed by a meeting at Downing Street, sets out plans for closer cooperation on migration, defence, trade and education, including a framework for school exchanges.A mutual assistance clause on national security, including shared recognition that Russia poses “the most significant and direct threat” to both countries.Joint procurement and development of defence technologies including Typhoon jets, Boxer vehicles and long-range ...

Politics

5 h. ago UK special forces, MI6 spies and British MPs were on Afghan database that was lost by Government that obtained super

So that's why ministers wanted to hush it up: secret database the Government lost contained details of more than 100 British operatives as well as the 18,800 Afghans, defence sources revealed

Politics

5 h. ago AI to unlock 'billions of pounds of investment and thousands of new jobs' in Scotland

Scotland to be epicentre of 'next great industrial leap', UK Government says, as AI Growth Zone confirmed

Economics

5 h. ago UK’s most powerful supercomputer comes online in major AI drive

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle flicked the switch on the Isambard-AI machine in Bristol on Thursday.

Politics

5 h. ago Scotland will be at ‘forefront of UK’s technological revolution’, says Murray

The UK Government plans to site an AI Growth Zone north of the border and make Edinburgh home to the first National Supercomputing Centre.

Science

5 h. ago Wales could get billions in AI investment as growth zone announced

Wales will be home to one 'growth zone' the UK Government say

Economics