5 h. ago Texas Democrats say they are prepared to return to state after two

Chair of state’s house Democratic caucus said they will return once California submits new congressional map to offset losses in TexasUS politics live – latest updatesTexas Democrats said on Thursday they are prepared to return to the state under certain conditions, ending a nearly two-week-long effort to block Republicans from passing a new congressional map that would add five GOP seats.The lawmakers said they would return as long as the legislature ends its first special session on Friday, which Republicans have said they plan to do. Texas’s governor, Greg Abbott, has said he will immediately call another special session. Continue reading...

Politics

5 h. ago Trump falsely claims crime in US capital is ‘worst it’s ever been’ as protesters confront federal officers

The president ordered a federal takeover of Washington DC’s police and the deployment of national guardUS politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump falsely claimed that crime in Washington DC is “the “worst it’s ever been” on Thursday, amid an ongoing federal takeover of the city’s police department and deployment of the national guard and federal agents in the city.“Washington DC is at its worst point,” Trump said from the Oval Office. “It will soon be at its best point.” He also baselessly accused DC law enforcement officials of giving “phony crime stats” and said “they’re under investigation”. Continue reading...

Events

6 h. ago Republican doesn’t wear seatbelt in DC ‘because of carjacking’ despite data showing decline

Senator echoes Trump’s claims about crime in Washington DC, disputing statistics showing a drop in car thefts and other violationsUS politics live – latest updatesA Republican senator said that he doesn’t wear a seatbelt when he’s driving in Washington DC so he can act more swiftly if he gets carjacked, adding further fuel to repeated rhetoric by the Trump administration that crime is on the rise in the US – despite statistics indicating otherwise.Markwayne Mullin told Fox News on Wednesday that he avoids buckling up, violating local traffic ordinances, so he can “exit in a hurry”. Continue reading...

Politics

10 h. ago Protesters confront federal officers as Trump tightens grip on DC policing

Democratic leader says ‘no fucking way’ as president signals he could declare emergency to keep control past 30 daysUS politics live – latest updatesProtesters heckled federal law enforcement officials as they reportedly stopped dozens of cars at a checkpoint along a busy street in Washington DC on Wednesday night, underscoring tensions after Donald Trump announced he was taking control of the city’s police department and deploying the national guard in the city.Around 20 law enforcement officers, some of whom appeared to be from the Department of Homeland Security, pulled over drivers for infractions such as broken taillights and not wearing seatbelts, according to the Washington Post. At least one woman was reportedly arrested as more than 100 protesters gathered and reportedly yelled things like “get off our streets”, according to NBC News. Some protesters began warning drivers to avoid the area, the outlet reported. Continue reading...

Events

15 h. ago Watch live: Starmer welcomes Zelensky to Downing Street ahead of Trump

Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer welcomes Volodymyr Zelensky to 10 Downing Street on Thursday, 14 August, a day before Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are due to meet.

Politics

30 h. ago Trump says he’ll seek ‘longterm’ control of DC police and signals he’ll target other cities next

President’s comments come as White House takes credit for dozens of arrests as part of campaign to fight ‘crime crisis’ its leaders say doesn’t existUS politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump said on Wednesday he would ask Congress for “longterm” control of Washington DC’s police department and signaled he expected other Democratic-led cities to change their laws in response to his deployment of national guard troops and federal agents into the capital.The president’s comments came as the White House took credit for dozens of arrests overnight in Washington as part of Trump’s campaign to fight a “crime crisis”, which its leaders say does not exist. Continue reading...

Events

32 h. ago Trump announces he will host Kennedy Center Honors as he bashes other award shows for being ‘political’: Live updates

Troops spotted at Armory and Washington Monument as president’s crime crackdown got underway

Politics

33 h. ago Mayor of DC pushes back on Trump’s incursion as national guard troops patrol the streets

Around 800 troops expected to be deployed and an unknown number of arrests have been made as Trump makes claims about ‘crime crisis’US politics live – latest updatesNational guard and federal law enforcement agents were spotted on the streets of Washington DC overnight Wednesday, as part of Donald Trump’s campaign to quell a “crime crisis” in the capital that local officials say does not exist.National guard troops were spotted arriving on the National Mall late Tuesday as agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI and Department of Homeland Security fanned out across neighborhoods in the capital, sometimes accompanied by local police officers. Video circulating on local media showed police and federal agents arresting at least one person that evening in Columbia Heights, home to the city’s largest Hispanic population. Continue reading...

Politics

36 h. ago DC mayor hardens stance on Trump’s ‘authoritarian’ deployment of national guard – US politics live

Muriel Bowser urges community members to ‘protect our autonomy and get to the other side of this guy’ amid Trump’s interventionWe can expect to hear from the president at least a few times today. According to his daily schedule, he’ll make an appearance at the Kennedy Center at 11am ET, and make an announcement.He’ll then head back to the White House and sign executive orders at 4pm ET. For now this will be closed press, but could very well open up.Will be speaking to European Leaders in a short while. They are great people who want to see a deal done.Very unfair media is at work on my meeting with Putin. Constantly quoting fired losers and really dumb people like John Bolton, who just said that, even though the meeting is on American soil, “Putin has already won.” What’s that all about? We are winning on EVERYTHING. The Fake News is working overtime (No tax on overtime!).If I got Moscow and Leningrad free, as part of the deal with Russia, the Fake News would say that I made a bad d...

Politics

38 h. ago Former Holyrood presiding officer Sir George Reid dies aged 86

The ex-journalist oversaw the move to the new Scottish Parliament building at the foot of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

Events

47 h. ago National guard begins deploying on DC streets after Trump police takeover

Officials say troops to start appearing in nation’s capital on Tuesday night as president’s move widely condemnedUS politics live – latest updatesThe Washington DC national guard will begin deploying on the city’s streets on Tuesday night, a day after Donald Trump ordered their arrival and took control of the city’s police force, calling Washington DC a “lawless” city, despite official crime statistics saying otherwise, a White House official confirmed.The national guard is expected to “begin being on the streets starting tonight”. Defense officials said a small number of the roughly 800 guard members planned for the mission had already been mobilized by Tuesday afternoon, with more expected to arrive in the coming days. Continue reading...

Politics

52 h. ago White House says 23 arrested after hundreds of federal officers deploy to DC

Trump deployed national guard troops after taking control of DC police, sparking fears of similar moves elsewhereUS politics live – latest updatesAbout 850 officers and agents took part in a “massive law enforcement surge” across Washington DC on Monday night and made nearly two dozen arrests, the White House has said.The show of force came after Donald Trump announced that he was sending the national guard into the capital and putting city police under federal control, even though the violent crime rate is at a 30-year low. Continue reading...

Events

56 h. ago US court says Trump’s Doge team can access social security numbers and other sensitive data

Court refuses to block ‘department of government efficiency’ from accessing data such as citizenship statusUS politics live – latest updatesA US appeals court on Tuesday rejected a bid by a group of unions to block the Trump administration government downsizing team known as the “department of government efficiency” (Doge) from accessing sensitive data on Americans.The Virginia-based fourth US circuit court of appeals in a 2-1 decision said the unions were unlikely to prevail on claims that Doge would violate federal privacy laws by accessing data at the US Department of Education, treasury department, and office of personnel management. Continue reading...

Events

57 h. ago National guard arrives in DC as mayors warn of Trump power grab

The US president deployed troops after taking control of DC police, sparking fears of similar moves elsewhereUS politics live – latest updatesNational guard troops began to arrive at their headquarters in Washington DC on Tuesday as Democratic mayors warned Donald Trump against expanding his law and order power grab in other major cities.The US president announced on Monday that he was sending the national guard into the nation’s capital and putting city police under federal control, even though the violent crime rate is at a 30-year low. Continue reading...

Events

60 h. ago Trump’s Washington DC intervention labelled as ‘unsettling and unprecedented’ by mayor – US politics live

Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington DC, declined to criticise president directly while head of National Action Network calls move ‘disgusting and dangerous’Later on, we’ll hear from the Trump administration for the second day in a row. The president won’t make an appearance, but press secretary Karoline Leavitt will hold a White House briefing at 1pm ET.Defense secretary Pete Hegseth says he’s proud to be part of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, an archconservative network of Christian congregations.Pastor Doug Wilson, a CREC co-founder, leads Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, the network’s flagship location. Jovial and media-friendly, Wilson is no stranger to stirring controversy with his church’s hard-line theology and its embrace of patriarchy and Christian nationalism.Wilson told The Associated Press on Monday he was grateful Hegseth shared the video. He noted Hegseth’s post was labeled with Christ Church’s motto: “All of Christ for All of Life.” Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Shocking moment politician suffers stroke during live TV appearance

This is the shocking moment that a Serbian politician suffers a stroke whilst appearing on live TV.

Politics

3 d. ago US judge hears if Trump team broke law during LA Ice protests

Federal judge began hearing evidence and arguments on deployment of national guard and marines to curb protestsUS politics live – latest updatesA federal judge in San Francisco on Monday began hearing evidence and arguments on whether the Trump administration violated federal law when it deployed national guard soldiers and US marines to Los Angeles after protests over immigration raids this summer.The Trump administration federalized California national guard members and sent them to the second-largest US city over the objections of the California governor, Gavin Newsom, and city leaders, after protests erupted on 7 June when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officers arrested people at multiple locations. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Trump places Washington DC police under federal control and will deploy National Guard – live updates

Trump declares ‘public safety emergency’ despite record crime low; DC mayor says ‘any comparison to a war-torn country is hyperbolic and false’Trump vows to ‘clean up’ DC crime despite sharp drop in violenceDonald Trump said on Truth Social today that DC “will be LIBERATED today”.Ahead of his press conference, in just over an hour, the president said that “crime, savagery, filth, and scum will disappear” from the city.I will, MAKE OUR CAPITAL GREAT AGAIN! The days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people, are OVER! I quickly fixed the Border (ZERO ILLEGALS in last 3 months!), D.C. is next!!! Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Trump says Washington DC will be ‘liberated’ as city mayor disputes claims of violent crime – live updates

Trump to speak about Washington DC at 10am; mayor Muriel Bowser says ‘any comparison to a war-torn country is hyperbolic and false’Trump orders homeless he passed en route to golf course to leave Washington DCDonald Trump said on Truth Social today that DC “will be LIBERATED today”.Ahead of his press conference, in just over an hour, the president said that “crime, savagery, filth, and scum will disappear” from the city.I will, MAKE OUR CAPITAL GREAT AGAIN! The days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people, are OVER! I quickly fixed the Border (ZERO ILLEGALS in last 3 months!), D.C. is next!!! Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Palestine Action is a ‘violent organisation’, Downing Street says after mass arrests over the weekend – UK politics live

Anyone showing support for Palestine Action ‘will feel full force of the law’, says justice minister as government defends decision to proscribe protest groupRichard Adams is the Guardian’s education editorStudents in England are expected to receive A-level grades that are closer to normal for the first time since the Covid pandemic triggered school closures and exam cancellations.If the student, for instance, needed three As [and] gets AAB, as long as the B is not in something that’s absolutely crucial for the course, I think there’s a very strong possibility the student would find they’d be getting a place. Continue reading...

Politics