Category: World

The United States will start deploying longer range missiles in Germany in 2026, the two countries announced at a meeting of the NATO alliance on Tuesday, a major step aimed at countering what the allies say is a growing threat Russia poses to Europe.
The decision will send Germany the most potent U.S. weapons to be based on the European continent since the Cold War, in a clear warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A U.S.-German statement said the “episodic deployments” were in preparation for longer-term stationing in Europe of capabilities that would include SM-6, Tomahawk and developmental hypersonic weapons with greater range.
The move would have been banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed by the U.S. and the Soviet Union in 1987 but that collapsed in 2019.
“We cannot discount the possibility of an attack against Allies’ sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the allies said in a communique released on Wednesday.

More aid was headed to Ukraine as the allies bolster Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
A communique said the allies intend to provide Ukraine with at least 40 billion euros ($43.28 billion) in military aid within the next year, but stopped short of the multi-year commitment NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had sought.
The document also strengthened past NATO language on China, calling it a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war effort in Ukraine and saying Beijing continues to pose systemic challenges to Euro-Atlantic security.

Stoltenberg told reporters it was the first time the 32 allies had jointly labeled China a decisive enabler of Russia’s war and called it an important message.
He said NATO was not an organization that imposes sanctions, but added: “At the end of the day, this will be for individual allies to make decisions, but I think the message we send from NATO from this summit is very clear.”
The communique called on China to cease material and political support for Russia’s war effort and expressed concern about China’s space capabilities, referenced rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal, and urged Beijing to engage in strategic risk reduction talks.
NATO, ‘THE GREATEST ALLIANCE”
Biden hosted NATO partners and allies at a dinner at the White House on Wednesday to celebrate what he called “the greatest alliance the world has ever known.”
Biden said in a speech on Tuesday that NATO was “stronger than it’s ever been” and that Ukraine can and will stop Russian leader Putin “with our full, collective support.”

On Wednesday, he said he was pleased all NATO members were pledging to expand their industrial bases and to develop plans for defense production at home.
“We cannot allow the alliance to fall behind,” Biden said. “We can and will defend every inch of NATO territory and we’ll do it together.”
At the White House, Biden and new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had a back-and-forth exchange and shared laughs and congratulations over England’s 2-1 win over the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 soccer tournament.
Biden described the United Kingdom as the “knot” tying together the trans-Atlantic NATO alliance and said that the two countries must continue to cooperate.
He also met at the summit venue with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb of Finland to discuss strengthening their trilateral cooperation on economic issues and on defense industrial production.
Biden, 81, has faced questions about his fitness for office after fumbling a June 27 debate and hopes the NATO spotlight will help him stage a comeback of sorts, surrounded by allied leaders he has spent his three years in office cultivating.
However, November’s U.S. presidential election could presage a sharp change in Washington’s support for Ukraine and NATO. Republican candidate Donald Trump, 78, has questioned the amount of aid given to Ukraine to fight Russia’s invasion and U.S. support for allies generally.
TRUMP WEIGHS IN
On Wednesday, Trump told Fox News Radio he would not pull the U.S. out of NATO but reiterated that he wanted members to pay more. “I just want them to pay their bills. We’re protecting Europe. They take advantage of us very badly,” he said.
Trump had pressed congressional Republicans to stall military aid for Ukraine before later reversing course.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/biden-nato-poised-unveil-ukraine-aid-reiterate-membership-pledge-summit-2024-07-10/

U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to forcefully defend Ukraine against Russia’s invasion at the NATO summit in Washington on Tuesday, using the global stage to try to show allies at home and abroad that he can still lead.
Biden, 81, has endured 12 days of withering questions about his fitness for office as some of his fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill and campaign donors fear that he will lose the Nov. 5 election after a halting debate performance on June 27.

On Tuesday, Biden spoke off of a teleprompter with a strong and confident voice and largely avoided the verbal flubs and signs of confusion that marked his debate performance.

Biden was framed by the gilded walls of the federal hall where the treaty creating NATO was signed, his speech bookended by stirring musical performances by the U.S. Marine Corp band.

“Today NATO is stronger than it’s ever been in its history,” he said.

They said additional strategic air defense systems would be announced this year.
Zelenskiy, who arrived in Washington on Tuesday and is due to meet with Biden on Thursday, has said Ukraine needs a minimum of seven Patriot systems, a goal met by the fresh deliveries announced on Tuesday.
“We are fighting for additional security guarantees for Ukraine – and these are weapons and finances, political support,” he said on social media.
Ukraine ultimately wants to join NATO to ward against further future attacks by Russia but candidates have to be approved by all of the alliance’s members, some of which are wary of provoking a direct conflict with Russia.
Some members want the alliance to make clear Ukraine is moving toward NATO “irreversibly” and are keen for language in a summit statement beyond the alliance’s pledge last year that “Ukraine’s future is in NATO.”
BIDEN’S STAYING POWER?
NATO, celebrating its 75th anniversary, has found new purpose in opposing Putin’s Ukraine invasion and the grinding war will dominate private conversations between the leaders of the countries.
Those leaders, already anxious about the prospect of Trump’s return, came to Washington with fresh concern about Biden’s staying power, according to diplomats from their countries.
Biden will hold a rare solo press conference on Thursday, also aimed at quieting concerns.
As Biden tried to rally allies and domestic support, several high-ranking European officials met with a top foreign policy adviser to Trump during the summit.
NATO leaders face political uncertainty in Europe, with paralysis looming in France after gains for left and far right parties and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition weakened after a poor showing in European Parliament elections.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-nato-summit-chance-show-voters-allies-he-can-still-lead-2024-07-09/

U.N. Security Council members confronted Russia on Tuesday over a missile strike the previous day that destroyed part of Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, pouring out condemnations at an emergency meeting chaired by Moscow’s own ambassador.

Russia denies responsibility for the strike at the hospital, where at least two staffers were killed.

France and Ecuador asked for the session at the Security Council, but Russia led it as the current holder of the council’s rotating presidency, putting Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia on the receiving end of the criticism.

“Mr. President, please stop this war. It has been going on for too long,” Slovenian Ambassador Samuel Zbogar appealed.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told colleagues that they were there “because Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, current rotational president of the Security Council, attacked a children’s hospital.”

“Even uttering that phrase sends a chill down my spine,” she added.

Nebenzia characterized the slew of criticism as “verbal gymnastics” from countries trying to protect Ukraine’s government. He reiterated Moscow’s denials of responsibility for the hospital attack, insisting it was hit by a Ukrainian air defense rocket.

Later, he heard people crying out for help from beneath the rubble. Most of the over 600 young patients had been moved to bomb shelters, except those in surgery, Zhovnir said. He said over 300 people were injured, including eight children, and two adults died, one of them a young doctor.

Acting U.N. humanitarian chief Joyce Msuya stressed to the Security Council that intentionally attacking a hospital is a war crime. She called Monday’s strikes “part of a deeply concerning pattern of systematic attacks harming health care and other civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.”

Since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the U.N. World Health Organization has verified 1,878 attacks affecting health care facilities, personnel, transport, supplies and patients, she said.

Even against that backdrop, several council members pronounced Monday’s strike shocking.

British Ambassador Barbara Woodward called it “cowardly depravity.” Ecuadorian envoy José De La Gasca described it as “particularly intolerable.” To Slovenia’s Zbogar, it was “another low in this war of aggression.”

Source: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-strike-hospital-security-council-20ce0a8e1f69b8040f47522ca039bd52

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has urged the Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris to “urgently intervene” in the case and ensure that Ms Towey can return to Ireland.

The Irish government is being urged to intervene in the case of a woman who has been charged with attempting suicide by a court in Dubai.

Tori Towey, from Boyle in County Roscommon, works in the United Arab Emirates as an airline cabin crew member and says she tried to take her own life after allegedly being attacked and left with severe bruising and other injuries.

The 28-year-old survived but was taken to a police station where she was told she was being charged with attempted suicide and abusing alcohol. Her passport was blocked from use, and she cannot return to Ireland.

“She’s under incredible stress”, said Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald in the Irish parliament today. “Tori is a Roscommon woman, and she wants to come home.”

Ms McDonald urged the Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris to “urgently intervene” in the case and ensure that Ms Towey could return to Ireland.

Mr Harris told the Irish parliament that he was not fully appraised of the case, but would be happy to work with Ms McDonald and others “to intervene and see how we can support an Irish citizen in what sounds to be, based on what you tell me, the most appalling circumstances”.

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs told Sky News it is “aware of the case and is providing consular assistance”.

It added: “As with all consular cases, the department does not comment on the details of individual cases.”

Ms Towey is currently staying in a rented property in Dubai with her mother Caroline, who travelled to be with her daughter. The family are being assisted by the Detained In Dubai advocacy group.

“We are calling on Dubai authorities to urgently drop the charges against Tori, remove the travel ban and let her fly home to Ireland with her mother”, said Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained In Dubai.

“She has been charged with attempted suicide and alcohol consumption”, said Ms Stirling.

“Strangely, the UAE has gone to great public relations efforts to promote alcohol as legal in the country. In reality, people are still regularly charged with alcohol consumption and possession.

“Tori’s experience is nothing short of tragic and quite frankly, she is lucky to be alive.”

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/tori-towey-irish-woman-charged-with-attempting-suicide-in-dubai-13175687

The original screenwriter, director and producer are all in talks to return but it is unclear how many of the key cast members may appear. Anne Hathaway previously dismissed the idea of a sequel in an interview earlier this year.

A sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, the hit 2006 film featuring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, is reportedly in development.

One of the original screenwriters Aline Brosh McKenna is in talks to write the follow-up, which reportedly follows Streep’s character, magazine editor Miranda Priestly, as she confronts the decline of print publications in the digital age, Variety reported.

It is unclear how many of the original cast members may return for the sequel, which US news outlet Deadline reported will be made by Disney.

However, the film’s original director David Frankel and producer Wendy Finerman are in talks to return, Deadline added.

The matriarch elephant reportedly became “agitated” when she saw the man approaching her three young calves – which is a normal reaction after a perceived threat.

A Spanish tourist has been trampled to death by elephants at a wildlife reserve in South Africa.

The 43-year-old man was targeted by the animals after leaving his vehicle to take photographs at Pilanesberg National Park in the country’s North West province, police and local government authorities said on Tuesday.

The matriarch elephant reportedly became “agitated” when she saw the man approaching her three young calves, Pieter Nel, conservation manager for the North West Provincial Parks and Tourism Authority, told Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia.

He said it is normal for elephants to “defend their young” and tourists visiting Pilanesberg are told they are not allowed to leave their vehicles while driving through the park and must sign forms showing they understand the rules.

“In some cases, people are oblivious to the dangers in the parks,” Mr Nel said. “We must remember that you are entering a wild area.”

Wildlife experts often warn elephants are especially protective of their young and can react aggressively to a perceived threat.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/spanish-tourist-killed-by-elephant-defending-its-young-after-man-left-vehicle-to-take-photos-13175650

A jury has been chosen in the Santa Fe, N.M., trial of Alec Baldwin, who faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted in the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

After a day of questioning, the attorneys selected 12 jurors and four alternates, comprised of 11 women and five men. The trial is set to begin Wednesday with opening statements.

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer began the process by asking a group of 70 people if they had seen or heard anything about the case. Only two people said they had not. Two others said they had read extensively about the case and could not be fair.

Prosecutor Kari Morrissey focused largely on whether the media coverage had influenced jurors’ opinions about the case. She also asked if the potential jurors own guns or work in the film industry. The prosecutors were assisted by Lela Hunt, a jury consultant.

In the afternoon session, defense attorney Alex Spiro offered a preview of his trial argument. He asked the panel if it is reasonable, when dealing with guns, to rely on experts. One person pushed back on that idea.

“It doesn’t take a brain scientist to make sure a gun is not loaded,” the person answered. “You should not be relying on an expert in that case.”

A couple of others said they had been taught to treat all guns as if they were loaded, a common gun safety rule that is included in Safety Bulletin #1, the film industry guidelines for firearm use.

The defense also looked to screen for anyone who had strong feelings about Baldwin. Baldwin’s public image — including his brash, liberal politics and his long-running impression of former President Trump on “Saturday Night Live” — can have a polarizing effect. When Spiro asked if anyone felt they could not be fair to him because of his persona, no one raised their hand.

Baldwin was holding a replica of a vintage Colt .45 revolver when it fired during preparation for a scene in October 2021. He has maintained that he did not pull the trigger, but prosecutors have hired experts to show that the gun would not have fired without a trigger pull.

The trial is scheduled to run for eight court days, ending on July 19. Jury deliberations may run into the following week.

Baldwin and his legal team arrived at the Judge Steve Herrera Judicial Complex in a pair of black Chevy Suburbans around 8 a.m. Tuesday. Baldwin’s wife Hilaria was also present, along with the couple’s infant child, whom she handed off to a nanny before entering the courthouse.

Source: https://variety.com/2024/film/news/alec-baldwin-trial-jury-selection-1236063347/

Since her husband’s death, Mrs Navalnaya has vowed to continue his work and fight against the Russian regime under Vladimir Putin.

A Moscow court has issued an arrest warrant for Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

The court accused Mrs Navalnaya, who lives outside Russia, of participating in an “extremist” group.

The warrant is for arrest in absentia, meaning she would almost certainly be detained if she were to set foot in Russia.

Mrs Navalnaya, 47, stepped into the spotlight after she vowed to continue her husband’s work after his death in an Arctic penal colony in February.

Following her arrest warrant, Mrs Navalnaya remained defiant of the Russian regime, writing on social media platform X: “When you write about this, please don’t forget to write the main thing: Vladimir Putin is a murderer and a war criminal.

“His place is in prison, and not somewhere in The Hague, in a cosy cell with a TV, but in Russia – in the same (penal) colony and the same 2×3 metre cell in which he killed Alexei.”

While Mrs Navalnaya’s spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, described the court’s ruling as a recognition of Mrs Navalnaya’s “merits”.

Other Navalny allies have also been targeted since his death.

In April two Russian journalists, Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin, were arrested on “extremism” charges, accused of preparing materials for a YouTube channel run by Navalny’s Foundation for Fighting Corruption, which has been outlawed by Russian authorities.

Mr Navalny died while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges that he condemned as politically motivated.

His death certificate said he died of natural causes at the age of 47.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/russian-court-orders-arrest-of-yulia-navalnaya-on-extremism-charges-13175701

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed PM Narendra Modi and his dedication towards India during their ‘private meeting’ at the former’s residence.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday night interacted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a “private engagement” at his official residence at Novo-Ogaryovo, during which he praised the Indian leader for his dedication towards his country’s progress, and for devoting his life to the people of India.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi walk during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence near Moscow (Reuters)(via REUTERS)
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi walk during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence near Moscow (Reuters)(via REUTERS)
As the two leaders held an informal meeting outside Moscow during Modi’s visit to Russia, Vladimir Putin told the prime minister, “I would like to congratulate you on your reelection as prime minister. I think this is not an accident, but the result of your work over many years.”

“You have your own ideas. You are a very energetic person, able to achieve results in the interests of India and the Indian people,” Putin said. “The result is obvious… India firmly ranks as the world’s third-largest economy,” Putin was quoted as saying by state-run Tass news agency.

The Russian president said Modi devoted his whole life to the people of India and they can feel it. To this, Modi talked about the recent general elections and said the “the people of India gave him a chance to serve the Motherland”.

“You have devoted your entire life to serving the Indian people, and they can feel it,” Putin said. “You are right, I have only one goal: It is the people and my country,” Modi replied, as quoted by Tass.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/russias-putin-praises-pm-narendra-modi-during-meeting-devoted-whole-life-to-people-101720485780612.html

Tropical Storm Beryl brought howling winds and torrential rain to southeast Texas on Monday, killing at least three people, flooding highways, closing oil ports, canceling more than 1,300 flights and knocking out power to more than 2.7 million homes and businesses.
Beryl, the season’s earliest Category 5 hurricane on record, weakened from a hurricane after pounding the coastal Texas town of Matagorda with dangerous storm surges and heavy rain before moving across Houston, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. The agency said conditions could spawn tornadoes in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.

Oil refining activity slowed and some production sites were evacuated in the state that is the nation’s biggest producer of U.S. oil and natural gas.

“For those of you in northeast Texas, be aware. You will have tropical storm winds, maybe as late as midnight or 1 a.m. You will have flooding, you will have rain, and you need to stay off the roads,” Patrick said.

State officials had yet to assess the economic damage as officials remained on a rescue footing while powerful winds continued to blow. Restoring power would take several days, said Thomas Gleeson, chair of the Texas Public Utility Commission.

More than 2,500 first responders were deployed statewide, said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
Following warnings that it could be a deadly storm for communities in its path, people rushed to board up windows and stock up on fuel and other essential supplies.
Before daybreak, strong gusts and torrential rain lashed cities and towns such as Galveston, Sargent, Lake Jackson and Freeport, television video showed. By late morning, many fallen trees blocked roads in Houston as the worst of the storm passed, with persisting winds and some road flooding, rendering lanes on major freeways impassable. The city barricaded flooded areas.
Crews using a life jacket and ladder fire truck rescued a man from a truck on a flooded stretch of freeway, video posted on social media by Houston’s local ABC station showed. Patrick said there were several other rescues.

Flood waters exceeded 10 inches (25 cm) across most of Houston, Mayor John Whitmire said.
“We’re literally getting calls across Houston right now asking for first responders to come rescue individuals in desperate life safety conditions,” Whitmire said.
The storm had strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane as it crossed the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall. But the NHC said it was expected to weaken into a tropical depression overnight and a post-tropical cyclone on Tuesday.
That was still enough to deliver more heavy rain as it moved northeastward from eastern Texas on Monday afternoon, across Arkansas on Tuesday, into the Lower Ohio Valley on Tuesday
night, and finally into the Lower Great Lakes on Wednesday, the U.S. National Weather Service said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Coast Guard had positioned staff to assist with search and rescue efforts. FEMA also readied water, meals and generators to boost local response efforts, according to the Biden administration.
Schools said they would close as the storm approached. Airlines canceled more than 1,300 flights, and officials ordered a smattering of evacuations in beach towns. Small businesses in Houston, including package delivery services and chiropractors, delayed openings or were closed on Monday.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/hurricane-beryl-expected-weaken-quickly-it-churns-across-texas-2024-07-08/

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he would discuss with NATO leaders the distinct threat North Korea poses to Europe by deepening military ties with Russia, warning that Moscow must choose between the two Koreas where its true interests lie.
It “depends entirely” on Russia where it wants to take future ties with South Korea, Yoon said, adding that Seoul would make a decision on weapons support for Ukraine based on how a new military pact between Moscow and Pyongyang plays out.

The Spice Girls singer was awarded the doctorate for her domestic violence campaigning – as she revealed she had finished studying a trauma care course.

Spice Girl Melanie Brown is set to receive an honorary doctorate for her campaigning efforts – as she revealed she has completed an “intense” trauma care course.

The singer, also known as Mel B and Scary Spice, will be given the award from Leeds Beckett University in recognition of her work advocating for domestic abuse victims.

The 49-year-old said she was “so honoured” and “proud” that she completed the course and is being awarded a doctorate.

New analysis of the version of bird flu which has spread to cattle on more than 100 farms in the US suggests that the virus has mutated, which could eventually lead to it being spread to humans by breathing.

The cow flu virus that has spread through US dairy herds may have taken a “dangerous” step towards being able to infect humans through respiratory infections, scientists have warned.

The H5N1 virus, more commonly found in birds, has so far been confirmed in cattle on more than 100 farms in 12 states, with inactivated fragments of the strain being found in pasteurised milk on supermarket shelves.

Four people working with animals have so far been infected, though symptoms were mild and they did not pass the virus on to anyone else.

Now detailed analysis by scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US shows viral samples taken from cows were able to attach to receptors found on cells in the human respiratory tract.

The version of H5N1 found in birds is unable to do that, suggesting the bovine virus has mutated.

Further tests on ferrets, which are commonly used in flu research, found the cow virus could not spread easily by breathing.

However, Dr Ed Hutchinson, from the Medical Research Council and University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, said there were still “reasons to be concerned”.

‘Urgent’ action needed

“When they compared their cow flu isolate to bird flu they found that it had already begun to gain some of the properties that would be associated with the ability to spread effectively through respiratory infections in humans,” Dr Hutchinson, who was not involved in the study, said.

“To be clear, it does not appear to be doing this yet, and none of the four human cases so far reported have shown signs of onward transmission.

“However, this new H5N1 influenza virus would be even harder to control, and even more dangerous to humans, if it gained the ability for effective respiratory spread.

“Although it is good news that cow flu cannot yet do this, these findings reinforce the need for urgent and determined action to closely monitor this outbreak and to try and bring it under control as soon as possible.”

Unlike normal human flu, which is contained within the respiratory tract, H5N1 is able to spread to other organs in the body, with as-yet unknown effects.

The US government recently gave COVID vaccine manufacturer Moderna £139m to develop an H5N1 jab.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/bird-flu-spread-to-cows-takes-dangerous-step-towards-infecting-humans-through-respiration-scientists-warn-13175177

Prejudice against fat people is endemic in our society and public health initiatives aimed at reducing obesity have only worsened the problem, according to a U.S. academic.

In her new book Why It’s OK To Be Fat, Rekha Nath, an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Alabama, argues for a paradigm shift in how society approaches fatness.

According to Nath, society must stop approaching fatness as a trait to rid the population of, and instead fatness should be approached through the lens of social equality, attending to the systematic ways that society penalizes fat people for their body size.

Nath explains: “Being fat is seen as unattractive, as gross even. We view fat as a sign of weakness, of greediness, of laziness. And we have made the pursuit of thinness, bound up as it is with health, fitness, beauty, and discipline into a moralized endeavor:  making the ‘right’ lifestyle choices to avoid being fat is seen as a duty we each must fulfill.

The 81-year-old president has told his party it is time to “come together” after a shaky debate performance against Donald Trump last month led to concerns about his capability to run.

Joe Biden has said he is “not blind” to concerns about his age but has told critics it is “time to end” speculation about his future in the US presidential race.

In a letter to Democrats in Congress, the US president said he was “firmly committed” to his re-election campaign and vowed to remain in the contest against Donald Trump.

“I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump,” Mr Biden wrote.

The president ends his letter by saying: “The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end.”

Around the same time the letter was published, the US president phoned in to MSNBC’s Morning Joe program and said he is confident the “average voter out there” still wants him on the Democrat ticket.

Mr Biden said: “I am not going anywhere.”

He added that losing is “not an option” in the upcoming election and that he hasn’t “lost to Trump”.

Mr Biden also told MSNBC he is not going to “explain any more about what I should or shouldn’t do”, saying: “I am running.”

Performance described as ‘slow-motion car crash’

There have been concerns about the health and capability of the 81-year-old president after a shaky performance in a debate with Trump last month.

Democrats described Mr Biden’s performance as an “unmitigated disaster”, “a meltdown”, and “a slow-motion car crash”.

Even some of Mr Biden’s closest political allies, including the former speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, have raised questions about his health.

Mr Biden was hesitant during the debate, sometimes stumbling over his words and at one point appearing to freeze, less than 10 minutes in.

At one point, he attacked Trump over having the largest national debt of any president and insisted he would fix the tax system. But while saying his administration was “making sure that we’re able to make every single solitary person eligible for what I was able to do with the COVID,” Mr Biden stumbled.

He continued to say “excuse me – with dealing with everything we have to do with – look – if we finally beat Medicare,” before pausing until the end of his allotted time.

Biden ‘frustrated’ by calls from party officials

The US president has said he is “frustrated” by calls from party officials for him to step aside.

“They’re big names, but I don’t care what those big names think,” Mr Biden said.

He also said those in the party who are calling for him to quit should “challenge me at the convention”.

The Democratic National Convention in August is when delegates will officially select the party’s presidential and vice presidential nominees.

When Luca was born in a Perth hospital two years ago, it flipped his parents’ world in ways they never expected.
With the joy came a shocking diagnosis: Luca had cystic fibrosis. Then Australia – Laura Currie and her husband Dante’s home for eight years – said they couldn’t stay permanently. Luca, his parents were told, could be a financial burden on the country.
“I think I cried for like a week – I just feel really, really sorry for Luca,” Ms Currie says. “He’s just a defenceless two-and-a-half-year-old and doesn’t deserve to be discriminated against in that way.”

Australia has form when it comes to its strict immigration policies. It had its own version of “stop the boats”, which sent people arriving by boat to offshore detention centres in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Island of Nauru and made controversial headlines in recent years. It was only in the 1970s that it entirely rid itself of the “White Australia” policy that started in 1901 with the Immigration Restriction Act, which limited the number of non-white immigrants.
The disability and health discriminations, which also date back to 1901, are still in place, says Jan Gothard, an immigration lawyer: “We still treat people with disability in the same way as we did in 1901 and we think they’re not people who are welcome in Australia.”
She is part of Welcoming Disability, an umbrella group that’s been pressuring the government to overhaul the law. Surprisingly, Australia’s Migration Act is exempt from its own Disability Discrimination Act.
Put simply, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve lived in Australia, if you were born in Australia, if you have private health insurance or even if you can pay for the support yourself – if you are deemed too much of a financial burden, you will fail the health requirement.
The government says that 99% of visa applicants meet the health requirement – 1,779 of them did not meet the bar between 2021 and 2022, according to official figures.
Immigration minister Andrew Giles, who declined to be interviewed, recently said that “any child born in Australia and adversely affected by the migration health rules can apply for ministerial intervention”, and that he himself had “positively intervened” in cases.
But families say that the process is gruelling at an already difficult time.

A French court ruled on Monday that the American man accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, “So I raped you,” can be extradited to the United States.

Ian Cleary, 31, of Saratoga, California, was detained in April in the city of Metz in northeastern France after a three-year search. He has been held in custody pending extradition proceedings since his arrest.

The Court of Appeal in Metz said that Cleary can be extradited. When asked if he wished to be extradited or not, in line with French law, Cleary refused, prosecutors said in a statement Monday. His refusal may delay the extradition process, but it won’t stop it.

The ruling is final. Cleary’s case is now the responsibility of the French Justice Ministry, which must prepare and submit the extradition order for the French prime minister. While he awaits the prime minister’s signature, Cleary remains detained in France.

Justice Ministry officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Cleary had been the subject of an international search since authorities in Pennsylvania issued a 2021 felony warrant in the case weeks after an Associated Press story detailed the reluctance of local prosecutors to pursue campus sex crimes.

The Conservatives used Labour’s softer stance on Brexit as an attack line during the election campaign. Sir Keir says he wants to renegotiate Boris Johnson’s “botched” deal with Europe.

Labour is already working to build closer ties with the European Union, Sir Keir Starmer has said as he continues his tour of the UK.

The new prime minister has been on a visit to Scotland today where he has met with both the leader of Scottish Labour Anas Sarwar and First Minister John Swinney.

Following the meeting with Mr Swinney, Sir Keir spoke to broadcasters and talked down the likelihood of any negotiations on independence.

The SNP lost the vast majority of their seats in last week’s election.

Sir Keir added that he took the opportunity to “reset relations” with the first and deputy first ministers.

He conceded there were “clearly differences of opinion” between them on constitutional matters, but the meeting was still constructive.

Mr Swinney repeated his claim that his party losing 39 of their 48 seats did not equate to a removal of their mandate for independence.

But he did say the party intends to focus on issues like economic growth, child poverty, public services and net zero ahead of securing independence.

Sir Keir travelled to Northern Ireland later on Sunday, and will be meeting with the first minister, deputy first minister and opposition leaders on Monday.

A ‘botched’ Brexit deal

While on the visit to Scotland, Sir Keir went on the offensive over the way Boris Johnson negotiated the initial Brexit deal with the European Union – describing it as “botched”.

The new prime minister said he wants to have a closer relationship with Brussels.

Sir Keir said: “We intend to improve our relationship with the EU and that means closer trading ties with the EU, it means closer ties in relation to research and development and closer ties in relation to defence and security.

“Obviously, there are many discussions to be had and negotiations to be had.

“But I do think that we can get a much better deal than the botched deal that Boris Johnson saddled the UK with.”

He said any agreement depends on “respectful relationships, talking to leaders across the EU and of course that work has already begun”.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/sir-keir-starmer-says-work-is-under-way-for-closer-ties-with-eu-and-to-fix-uks-botched-brexit-deal-13174866

The British tennis star was beaten in three sets by New Zealand-born Sun, who won the fourth-round match 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, on Centre Court.

Emma Raducanu has been knocked out of Wimbledon after losing to qualifier Lulu Sun in the fourth round.

Raducanu was beaten in three sets by New Zealand-born Sun, who won the match 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, on Centre Court.

The British number three, who had a medical time-out early in the deciding set after slipping on the grass, was aiming to reach the quarter-finals of the women’s singles at Wimbledon for the first time.

The 21-year-old had pulled out of her mixed doubles match with Sir Andy Murray on Saturday due to stiffness in her wrist – which denied him the chance of another match at his final Wimbledon.

The former US Open champion received plenty of criticism, with Judy Murray branding the decision “astonishing” before insisting on Sunday she was being sarcastic.

Raducanu shrugged off the intervention, saying: “I’m sure she didn’t mean it.”

‘I stand by the decision’

She insisted it was not a mistake to accept the invitation, saying: “I was feeling fine, then yesterday morning just woke up with stiffness. I have to prioritise myself, my singles and my body.

“I think it was the right decision. I stand by the decision. Obviously it was a tough decision, though, because it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do.”

She added: “Of course, I didn’t want to take his last match away from him. But, at the end of the day, I think a lot of the players in a similar situation would have done the same thing.

“Going into the tournament, I wasn’t expecting to make fourth round. So, for me, it was a no-brainer [to accept the invitation]. He didn’t ask me, ‘If you’re still in the singles, are you going to play?’ Given how I woke up yesterday morning, it was for me a no-brainer.”

Raducanu, currently ranked 135 in the world, had been the last remaining Briton in either singles draw at the All England Club.

For Sun, it was the first time she had played on Centre Court.

After her victory, she said: “It was a great match. I really dug deep to get the win.

“I really had to fight tooth and nail against her [Raducanu] because she was obviously going to run for every ball and fight until the end. I don’t even have the words right now.”

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/emma-raducanu-knocked-out-of-wimbledon-after-defeat-in-fourth-round-match-13174801

Travis Barker was a proud husband at his inaugural “Run Travis Run” event in Los Angeles over the weekend.

The rocker hosted and ran a 5K event at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on Saturday, where he was joined by his wife, Kourtney Kardashian. The run and wellness experience kicked off just eight months after Kardashian gave birth to the couple’s first child together, a baby boy named Rocky.

“My wife’s a beast!” Barker exclusively told Page Six. “She’s never done this [before]. She thinks I’m crazy because some mornings I’ll wake up and she’ll be like, ‘Where are you going?’ I’m like, ‘I heard there’s a 5K, babe, I’m gonna run it.’”

The two made their entrance into the event hand-in-hand and continued to pack on the PDA in front of the crowd of hundreds both watching and taking part in the 5K.

Barker, 48, completed the full 3.1 miles in under 20 minutes and adorably watched in awe as Kardashian, 45, walked the finish line with some friends.

“It was really cool to have her be a part of it,” he gushed. “It was awesome. It was everything I imagined.”

“Run Travis Run” – which benefits the Boys & Girls Club – kicked off hours before Barker hit the stage with Blink-182 for their “One More Time” tour stop at SoFi Stadium. The drummer has made running a pre-show ritual over the years – and told us he’s thrilled to have discovered a way to now include fans in on the experience.

“I feel great, I’m just on that natural high after you run. I do this every day … just not at this pace though,” he said of his lifestyle. “But once you’re around all of these people, you can’t help but be hyped and motivated.”

Everyone who participated in the 5K received a limited-edition shirt, medal and entrance into the revival zone, which featured wellness activations and exclusive access to brands like Alo, Barker Wellness, Lemme, New Balance, Liquid Life IV and more. VIP guests also received a swag bag and a special meet-and-greet experience with Barker himself.

“For me, it was like, ‘I run every day, so I should just invite people to run with me.’ But I found that it wasn’t that easy,” Barker told Page Six, of how the event came to be.

“My manager was like, ‘Oh, you actually can’t do that, you have to have permits [at the] venue.’ So I did all the things and partnered with Mascot [Sports] to bring this event together and it was amazing,” he added. “It’s just the best feeling. I love bringing all sorts of people out to run or walk and just come together.”

Barker made a commitment to his personal health and wellness lifestyle following a 2008 plane crash that left him and Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein (now deceased) in critical condition. The four other passengers on board the private aircraft, headed from South Carolina to LA, tragically died in the incident.

“More than 70 percent of my body was burnt and I was told by doctors that I may never be able to walk or play drums the same again. I was never athletic and I never played sports but I immediately had this urge to prove everyone wrong including myself,” Barker explained in a statement on the “Run Travis Run” website, recalling the 11+ weeks he spent in hospitals and burn centers as he recovered post-crash.

“It started off with short walks and then that turned into short runs everyday. I felt this sense of calmness and a rush of dopamine every time I ran,” he continued. “I’ve kept this up for years now, and I always start my day with it. I even run three miles every day before my shows when I’m on tour.”

Barker has since credited Kardashian, whom he married in 2022, for encouraging him to fly again after the tragedy.

Source: https://pagesix.com/2024/07/07/entertainment/travis-barker-packs-on-pda-with-kourtney-kardashian-at-run-travis-run-praises-her-for-running-5k-after-birth/

The US rapper says she’s been warned of “protests in the area” and has to make “sound decisions” to ensure she gets home to see her son.

Nicki Minaj has cancelled a festival appearance in Romania over “safety concerns”.

The US rapper had been due to perform at Saga Festival in Bucharest on Sunday evening.

But she was warned about “protests in the area”, she said, and needed to make “sound decisions” so that she made it home to her son and her team to their families.

She acted out of concern for the “well-being of our team and myself”, she said.

She is still hoping to perform at the Wireless Festival in London on Friday, she added.

In a post on X, Minaj said: “Out of concern for the well-being of our team and myself, I have been advised by my security detail not to travel to Romania’s festival tonight due to safety concerns regarding protests in the area.

“I look forward to seeing you all at another time.”

The 41-year-old added: “As a mom, I have to make sure I’m making sound decisions for me to make it home to my son and for my team to make it home to their families. To not heed the advice of security at this time is simply not what I think I should be doing.

“I love you and thank you for your understanding and support. I am very excited to see my fans this Friday in London for another very special headlining show at Wireless Festival.”

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/nicki-minaj-cancels-festival-appearance-in-romania-over-safety-concerns-13174884

Leeds Rhinos scrum-half Rob Burrow became as known for his fundraising and campaigning off the pitch as his performances on it. He died last month after a four-year battle with motor neurone disease.

Thousands of people have lined the streets to pay their final respects to former Leeds Rhinos star Rob Burrow.

The funeral procession took place on Sunday, with one final trip across his native Yorkshire.

More than 160 people then attended a private ceremony in Pontefract.

The 41-year-old died last month, four years after he was first diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).

Sunday’s service – on 7 July – came as a nod to Burrow’s number seven shirt worn during his rugby league career.

Members of the public lined the route wearing their Leeds Rhinos shirts, as the funeral cortege made its way through to the crematorium.

The cortege set off at 1pm, and on its route passed by where Mr Burrow started off playing rugby.

Speaking to Sky News ahead of the funeral, Gary Hetherington, chief executive at Leeds Rhinos, said: “Rob was a remarkable player and a remarkable person.

“Him and all his family have been a credit to rugby league and the MND community.

“Today is an outpouring of emotion and support for him and his family and what he’s done.

“It’s brought the whole rugby league community together… and other sports as well.”

Burrow was a successful rugby player, winning eight league titles, but he became better known for his campaigning to raise awareness for MND.

His trademark determination saw him help raise millions of pounds for charity to help research the rare, degenerative brain and nerve condition.

MND eventually took Burrow’s voice and confined him to a wheelchair before he died.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/rob-burrow-funeral-takes-place-as-hundreds-of-fans-line-route-with-some-wearing-leeds-rhinos-shirts-13174652

England triumphed over Switzerland in a penalty shootout on Saturday to book a place in the Euros semi-final against the Netherlands after the heroics of Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka kept them in the game.

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had a not-so-secret weapon in the Three Lions’ penalty shootout victory over Switzerland.

On Saturday, Gareth Southgate’s men managed another victory to continue their unbeaten progression through the Euros to the semi-final.

In a tense penalty shootout against Switzerland, Pickford pulled out a vital save that allowed his teammates to win it.

The Everton goalkeeper saved Switzerland’s first penalty, taken by Man City defender Manuel Akanji, correctly diving to his left.

It turns out Pickford had a little help in the form of a penalty cheat-sheet taped to his water bottle.

The tactic is a common one in the modern game, but a picture snapped after the match showed how it helped the Three Lions’ to victory.

On the paper it read “Switzerland Penalty Taker List” – and listed all the players who may be taking one.

In the next column it listed instructions on what the English shot stopper should do.

Instructions like “fake right – dive left”, “set – react” and more are written down by corresponding names.

Next to Akanji’s name is “dive left”, which is what Pickford did to save his spot kick.

England’s penalty takers went on to score all five in the shootout to win the game, with Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold scoring the final deciding penalty.

But it was only thanks to the heroics of man-of-the-match Bukayo Saka that England even made it to the shootout after the Arsenal winger scored an equalising goal before the end of normal time.

He buried his own penalty despite pressure following the racist abuse aimed at him when he missed one at the previous tournament.

The result not only establishes Southgate as one of England’s most successful managers in terms of going deep into tournaments, but it puts the country within touching distance of a trophy.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/england-keeper-jordan-pickfords-not-so-secret-weapon-during-euro-2024-penalty-shootout-victory-over-switzerland-13174555

CHINA is on course to deploy killer robots into battle within two years, it has been claimed.

The warning came as the Communist state revealed it had developed robotic dogs equipped with machine guns.

Defence analyst Francis Tusa said China was not hindered by fears over AI, which would see them come up with “new ship designs, new submarine designs, new fighter aircraft designs, at a rate which is dizzying.

“They are moving four or five times faster than the States.”

He said: “We’re at the start of a race in truly autonomous systems. I would be surprised if we don’t see autonomous machines coming out of China in two years.”

The robotic gun dog, made by Chinese firm Unitree Robotics, was unveiled last month during a military exercise with the Cambodian military.

Mr Tusa said being ahead of the West will appeal to the country’s leader Xi Jinping — and embolden Vladimir Putin.

He said: “For the Chinese, it’s the issue of have we beaten the Americans and the UK in getting a fully autonomous fighter aircraft

“There’s huge prestige. I think they’ll go all out on autonomy and harnessing AI and I think Russia will follow suit.”

The UK’s Ministry of Defence is also spending millions on developing AI-based weapons systems.

But it told declassifieduk.org that it “does not possess fully autonomous weapons and has no intention of developing them”.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/tech/11842726/china-killer-robots/

Two pistols owned by the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, with which he once intended to kill himself, have been sold at auction for €1.69m (£1.4m).
The weapons, which were created by the Paris gunmaker Louis-Marin Gosset, had been expected to fetch between €1.2m and €1.5m.
They were sold at the Osenat auction house on Sunday – next to the Fontainebleau palace where Napoleon tried to take his own life following his abdication in 1814.
The pistols’ sale comes after France’s culture ministry recently classified them as national treasures and banned their export.

This means the French government now has 30 months to make a purchase offer to the new owner, who has not been named. It also means the pistols can only leave France temporarily.

The guns are inlaid with gold and silver, and feature an engraved image of Napoleon himself in profile.

He was said to have wanted to use them to kill himself on the night of 12 April, 1814 after the defeat of his army by foreign forces meant he had to give up power.

However, his grand squire Armand de Caulaincourt removed the powder from the guns and Napoleon instead took poison but survived.

He later gave the pistols to Caulaincourt, who in turn passed them to his descendants.

Also included in the sale were the pistols’ original box and various accessories including a powder horn and various powder tamping rods.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4ng49dg35vo

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called South Korea’s recent front-line live-fire drills “suicidal hysteria” as she threatened unspecified military steps Monday if further provoked.

The warning by Kim Yo Jong came after South Korea resumed firing exercises near its tense land and sea borders with North Korea in the past two weeks. The exercises were the first of their kind since South Korea suspended a 2018 agreement with the North aimed at easing front-line military tensions in June.

“The question is why the enemy kicked off such war drills near the border, suicidal hysteria, for which they will have to sustain terrible disaster,” Kim Yo Jong said in a statement carried by state media.

She accused South Korea’s conservative government of deliberately escalating tensions as a way to escape a domestic political crisis. She said the riskiness of the South Korean drills is clear to everyone as they happened amid “a touch-and-go situation” established after the U.S., South Korea and Japan recently held a new trilateral military exercise that North Korea views as a security threat.

“In case it is judged according to our criteria that they violated the sovereignty of (North Korea) and committed an act tantamount to a declaration of war, our armed forces will immediately carry out its mission and duty assigned by the (North Korean) constitution,” she said, without elaborating.

Later Monday, Koo Byoungsam, a spokesperson at South Korea’s Unification Ministry, described Kim’s statement as an attempt to trigger an internal divide in South Korea, saying that North Korea must first look at its own human rights violations and the international isolation caused by its nuclear program.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry separately said it will continue its live-fire drills as scheduled but didn’t say when and where new exercises are planned.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-kim-sister-firing-drills-f7a30c34f81229d4126190023d62260b

Ukraine’s best high jumper captured a world record on Sunday to go with her world championship, and now she has a good reason to think she might bring home an Olympic gold medal to her war-torn country.

Yaroslava Mahuchikh erased a mark that had stood for 37 years at a Diamond League meet in Paris, jumping 2.10 meters (6.88 feet) in one of the last big tuneups leading into the Olympics.

The previous record of 2.09 was set by Bulgaria’s Stefka Kostadinova in Rome in 1987.

“Coming into this competition, I had feelings that I could jump 2.07 meters and maybe 2.10 meters,” Mahuchikh said. “Finally I signed Ukraine to the history of world athletics.”

The 22-year-old Mahuchikh and world indoor champion Nicola Olyaslagers both cleared 2.01 meters on their second attempt. After Olyslagers failed three times at 2.03, Mahuchikh cleared that height to secure victory.

She then cleared 2.07 meters to set a Ukrainian record and had the bar raised to 2.10, which she cleared on her first try.

Mahuchikh left her hometown of Dnipro shortly after the war with Russia began. Like virtually all elite athletes in her country, she has been training in foreign countries while keeping tabs on the war back home. She has been outspoken about the role Ukrainian sports can play to give signs of hope to those fighting for Ukraine’s survival.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/womens-high-jump-mahuchikh-world-record-0195091009764c0ce03c851f750d0481

It was an attack that sent shockwaves through a country long considered a pioneer in LGBTQ rights. In the early hours of May 6, four lesbian women were set on fire in Argentina. Only one of them survived.

It happened at a boarding house in the Barracas neighborhood of Buenos Aires, where Pamela Fabiana Cobas, Mercedes Roxana Figueroa, Andrea Amarante and Sofía Castro Riglo were sharing a room. Witnesses say a man broke in and threw an incendiary device that set the women on fire.

Pamela died soon after. Her partner Roxana died days later of organ failure. Andrea died on May 12 in a hospital.

Andrea’s partner Sofía was the sole survivor. She spent weeks recovering in hospital and is alive today only because Andrea threw herself on top of her to shield her from the flames, Sofia’s attorney Gabriela Conder told CNN. “Her partner saved her,” Conder said.

Local LGBTQ rights advocates condemned the attack as a hate crime and lesbicide, saying the women were targeted because of their sexual identity. Police have arrested a 62-year-old man who lived in the building but, according to Conder, aren’t currently treating the incident as a hate crime as they say the motive is still unclear.

For Argentina’s LGBTQ groups – many of whom are planning to commemorate the four women with a rally this weekend – the attack represents an extreme manifestation of what they consider a growing wave of hostility against them. Those they blame most for this rising intolerance are the people in power. Chief among them, they say, is the country’s new far-right leader Javier Milei.

“Things changed with the new government of Javier Milei,” said Maria Rachid, head of the Institute Against Discrimination of the Ombudsman’s Office in Buenos Aires, and a board member and founder of the Argentine LGBT Federation (FALGBT).

“Since the beginning of the new government, there are national government officials expressing themselves in a discriminatory manner and those hate speeches before our communities from places with so much power, of course, what they do is generate – actually legitimize – and endorse these discriminatory positions that are then expressed with violence and discrimination in everyday life,” Rachid said.

Milei under fire
When Milei ran for president in 2023, he and his party were accused of making offensive remarks against LGBTQ communities which were deemed hate speech by multiple groups, including Argentina’s National Observatory of LGBTQ Hate Crimes.

In a YouTube interview ahead of the November election, Milei insisted that he does not oppose same-sex marriage, but in that same interview, he went on to compare homosexuality to having sex with animals.

“What do I care what your sexual preference is? If you want to be with an elephant, and you have the consent of that elephant, that’s a problem between you and the elephant,” he said, angering LGBTQ communities, who called the comments dehumanizing.

In late October, then-congresswoman-elect Diana Mondino, who would later become Milei’s foreign minister, told an interviewer that she supports marriage equality in theory, but at the same time, compared it to having lice.

“As a liberal, I’m in favor of each person’s life project. It is much broader than marriage equality. Let me exaggerate: If you prefer not to bathe and be full of lice and it is your choice, that’s it. Don’t complain later if there is someone who doesn’t like that you have lice,” she said.

After taking office in December, Milei took steps that critics say weakened protections for LGBTQ groups. He banned the use of gender-inclusive language in government; replaced the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity with a less powerful undersecretariat within the Ministry of Human Capital; and effectively closed the national anti-discrimination agency, saying the Ministry of Justice would absorb its functions.

Milei’s administration argued that some of those moves were part of his plan to cut public spending in response to the country’s economic hardships. But critics say his actions have normalized a culture of discrimination toward LGBTQ groups, and in the most extreme cases, have led to violent attacks such as the deadly May 6 arson.

“When hate speech is enabled by those in power, these sectors start to feel legitimized to attack,” Esteban Paulón, a former FALGBT president who was elected to Congress last year, told CNN in a phone interview. “And obviously, behind the verbal attacks come physical attacks.”

“(Attacks) always happened. That’s the reality. But they increased more in this current government due to the hate speeches constantly maintained on television, including hate speeches that our president Javier Milei exerts,” said Jesi Hernández, a lesbian and communication member of Lesbianxs Autoconvocadxs por la masacre de Barracas (Self-convened Lesbians for the Barracas massacre).

“Today it was Pamela, Roxana, Andrea and Sofía. And tomorrow it can be me.”

CNN has repeatedly reached out to the presidency for comment on these allegations but has not received a response.

Rise in hate crimes
In 2023, an annual report by the National Observatory of LGBTQ Hate Crimes recorded 133 crimes in which the victims’ sexual orientation, identity and/or gender expression were used as a pretext for the attacks. Those numbers rose from 2022 and 2021, when 129 and 120 crimes were recorded, respectively.

Rachid points out that the observatory’s numbers only represent attacks that have been officially recorded, and that the real figures are likely much higher.

Hernández, meanwhile, notes that daily life for many people has been impacted in ways not shown by statistics alone. Some now fear they could be targeted next.

“The truth is that now, sleeping peacefully in your bed is a privilege,” Hernández said, referencing the May 6 attack, “because you don’t know if you have a neighbor who will throw something at you or come in. Sleeping is now a privilege for us.”

Despite calls from LGBTQ activists, the arson is currently being investigated as an aggravated homicide rather than a hate crime, according to Conder, Sofia’s attorney. Sofia is set to testify at the end of the month, Conder said. CNN has reached out to the criminal court investigating the case but has not received a response.

Shortly after the May 6 killings, the presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni condemned the attack but dismissed the notion that it was motivated by hatred toward the sexual orientation of the victims.

“I don’t like to define it as an attack on a certain group,” Adorni said at a press conference. “There are many women and men who are suffering violence and these are things that cannot continue to happen.”

Progressives condemned his remarks, insisting that the government should regard lesbicide as a hate crime.

Adorni responded on social media with a picture of a Spanish dictionary that said lesbicide is not a registered word.

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/06/americas/argentina-lgbtq-milei-fire-deaths-intl-latam/index.html

In new research, physicists have wielded the power of chess to design a group of intricate mazes, which could ultimately be used to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Their unique labyrinthine creations, inspired by the Knight’s movements on a chessboard, might help unravel other notoriously difficult problems, including simplifying industrial processes from carbon capture to fertilizer production.

Lead author Dr. Felix Flicker, Senior Lecturer in Physics at the University of Bristol, said: “When we looked at the shapes of the lines we constructed, we noticed they formed incredibly intricate mazes. The sizes of subsequent mazes grow exponentially – and there are an infinite number of them.”

In a Knight’s tour, the chess piece (which jumps two squares forwards and one to the right) visits every square of the chessboard just once before returning to its starting square. This is an example of a ‘Hamiltonian cycle’ – a loop through a map visiting all stopping points only once.

The theoretical physicists, led by the University of Bristol, constructed an infinity of ever-larger Hamiltonian cycles in irregular structures which describe exotic matter known as quasicrystals.

The atoms in quasicrystals are arranged differently to those in crystals such as salt or quartz. Whereas the atoms in crystals repeat at regular intervals, like the squares of a chessboard, quasicrystal atoms do not. Instead, they do something rather more mysterious: quasicrystals can be described mathematically as slices through crystals that live in six dimensions, as opposed to the three of our familiar universe.

Only three natural quasicrystals have ever been found, all in the same Siberian meteorite. The first artificial quasicrystal was created accidentally in the 1945 Trinity Test, the atomic bomb explosion dramatized in the film Oppenheimer.

The group’s Hamiltonian cycles visit every atom on the surface of certain quasicrystals precisely once. The resulting paths form uniquely complex mazes, described by mathematical objects called ‘fractals.’

These paths have the special property that an atomically sharp pencil could draw straight lines connecting all neighboring atoms without the pencil lifting or the line crossing itself. This has applications in a process known as ‘scanning tunneling microscopy,’ where the pencil is an atomically sharp microscope tip capable of imaging individual atoms. The Hamiltonian cycles form the fastest possible routes for the microscope to follow. This is helpful, as a state-of-the-art scanning tunneling microscopy image can take a month to produce.

The problem of finding Hamiltonian cycles in general settings is so hard that its solution would automatically solve many important problems yet to be overcome in the mathematical sciences.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/amazingly-difficult-maze/

Researchers at the University of California-San Francisco have uncovered a startling link between inflammation in young adulthood and cognitive decline during middle age. This discovery could reshape our understanding of brain health and dementia prevention, suggesting that the choices we make in our youth may have far-reaching consequences for our mental acuity decades later.

Imagine your brain as a high-performance engine. Just as a car engine requires proper maintenance from the start to ensure peak performance over time, our brains may need similar care beginning in young adulthood. This study, published in the journal Neurology, suggests that allowing inflammation to persist in our younger years could be akin to neglecting regular oil changes – the damage might not be immediately apparent, but it could lead to significant problems down the road.

“We know from long-term studies that brain changes leading to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias may take decades to develop,” says first author Amber Bahorik, PhD, of the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Weill Institute for Neurosciences, in a media release. “We wanted to see if health and lifestyle habits in early adulthood may play a part in cognitive skills in midlife, which in turn may influence the likelihood of dementia in later life.”

Methodology

The researchers tapped into the CARDIA study, a long-term project designed to identify factors in young adulthood that lead to cardiovascular disease later in life. Here’s how they approached their investigation:

Election results show French voters have chosen to give a broad leftist coalition the most parliamentary seats in pivotal legislative elections, keeping the far right away from power. Yet no party won an outright majority, putting France in an uncertain, unprecedented situation.

President Emmanuel Macron ’s centrist alliance arrived in second position and the far right in third — still drastically increasing the number of seats it holds in the National Assembly, France’s lower house of parliament.

No clear figure has emerged as a possible future prime minister. Macron says he will wait to decide his next steps, and heads to Washington this week for a NATO summit. The new legislators can start work in Parliament on Monday, and their first new session starts July 18.

A hung parliament?
Three major political blocs emerged from the elections — yet none of them is close to the majority of at least 289 seats out of 577.

The National Assembly is the most important of France’s two houses of parliament. It has the final say in the law-making process over the Senate, which is dominated by conservatives.

While not uncommon in other European countries, modern France has never experienced a parliament with no dominant party.

Such a situation requires lawmakers to build consensus across parties to agree on government positions and legislation. France’s fractious politics and deep divisions over taxes, immigration and Mideast policy make that especially challenging.

This means Macron’s centrist allies won’t be able to implement their pro-business policies, including a promise to overhaul unemployment benefits. It could also make passing a budget more difficult.

Can Macron make a deal with the left ?
Macron may seek a deal with the moderate left to create a joint government. Such negotiations, if they happen, are expected to be very difficult because France has no tradition of this kind of arrangement.

The deal could take the form of a loose, informal alliance that would likely be fragile.

Macron has said he would not work with the hard-left France Unbowed party, but he could possibly stretch out a hand to the Socialists and the Greens. They may refuse to take it, however.

His government last week suspended a decree that would have diminished worker’s rights to unemployment benefits, which has been interpretated as gesture toward the left.

If he can’t make a political deal, Macron could name a government of experts unaffiliated with political parties. Such a government would likely deal mostly with day-to-day affairs of keeping France running.

Complicating matters: Any of those options would require parliamentary approval.

Is the left divided?
The left has been torn by divisions in the past months, especially after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.

France Unbowed has been sharply criticized by other more moderate leftists for its stance on the conflict. Hard-left leaders have staunchly condemned the conduct of Israel’s war with Hamas and accused it of pursuing genocide against Palestinians. They have faced accusations of antisemitism, which they strongly deny.

The Socialists ran independently for the European Union elections last month, winning about 14% of the votes, when France Unbowed got less than 10% and the Greens 5.5%.

Yet Macron’s move to call snap legislative elections pushed leftist leaders to quickly agree on forming a new coalition, the New Popular Front.

Their joint platform promises to raise the minimum salary from 1,400 to 1,600 euros, to pull back Macron’s pension reform that increased the retirement age from 62 to 64 and to freeze prices of essential food products and energy. All that has financial markets worried.

Is an interim government needed?
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said he will resign Monday. He also said he is ready to remain in the post during the upcoming Paris Olympics and for as long as needed. An interim government would handle current affairs pending further political negotiations.

Macron’s office says he will “wait for the new National Assembly to organize itself” before making any decisions on the new government.

There is no firm timeline for when Macron must name a prime minister, and no firm rule that he has to name a prime minister from the largest party in parliament.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/france-election-left-far-right-macron-7c61d22e610c8ceef133e26bd8c847ee

The newly appointed Dutch defence and foreign affairs ministers have said the Netherlands’ support for Ukraine is “rock solid”.
The Netherlands has been a key ally to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, but a far-right election victory last year cast doubt on its commitment.
On their first visit to Kyiv, Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans and Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp held meetings with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other senior Ukrainian officials.

Indonesia’s President-elect Prabowo Subianto wants to give school children free meals, but the plan and his pledge to be ‘daring’ on spending have the country’s debt and currency markets on edge.
Prabowo and his team have tried to distance themselves from any suggestions of fiscal profligacy, and to assure market participants the incoming government respects the legal debt limits that cap its budget deficit at 3% of economic output.

The producer – who had a career spanning decades – was described by Lord Of The Rings director Sir Peter Jackson as a “monumental figure in the film industry”.

Jon Landau, producer of Titanic and the Avatar films, has died at the age of 63.

Known as the long-time producing partner of James Cameron, the movie-making heavyweight is credited with helping to make three of the top four highest-grossing movies of all time.

His family announced his death on Saturday. No cause of death was given.

Lord Of The Rings director Sir Peter Jackson and his wife Fran Walsh, whose Weta FX company were behind the visual effects house for both Avatar films, led tributes to the producer.

“We speak for the entire Weta FX team when we say we are devastated by the loss of Jon Landau,” they said in a statement.

“Jon was not only a monumental figure in the film industry but also a cherished collaborator and friend.”

They said Mr Landau brought “unparalleled passion to the projects he worked on” and his influence “will continue to inspire for years to come”.

“Our deepest condolences are with Jon’s family and loved ones, as well as Jim (Cameron) and the Lightstorm Entertainment team,” the statement said.

In a career that began in the 1980s and spanned decades, Mr Landau started work as a production manager and rose through the ranks to co-producer.

He co-produced hits such as Honey, I Shrunk the Kids in 1989 and Dick Tracy, starring Al Pacino and Madonna, in 1990.

At the age of 29, he was named an executive vice president of feature movies at 20th Century Fox, which led him to oversee major hits including Home Alone and its sequel, as well as Mrs Doubtfire and True Lies, where he first started working closely with Cameron.

Titanic, released in 1997 and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, was the first film to cross the $1bn (£781,500,000) threshold at the global box office.

It also went on to win 11 Oscars, including best picture at the 1998 awards.

Cameron’s 2009 film Avatar and 2022 sequel Avatar: The Way Of Water went on to top Titanic’s box office haul, grossing $2.9bn and $1.7bn at the global box office respectively, according to website Statista.

Joe Letteri, who was the visual effects supervisor on the Avatar films, said he was “heartbroken” at Mr Landau’s death.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/titanic-and-avatar-producer-jon-landau-dies-aged-63-13174457

Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Saturday he would scrap a controversial plan to fly thousands of asylum seekers from Britain to Rwanda in his first major policy announcement since winning a landslide election victory.
The previous Conservative government first announced the plan in 2022 to send migrants who arrived in Britain without permission to the East African nation, saying it would put an end to asylum seekers arriving on small boats.

But no one was sent to Rwanda under the plan because of years of legal challenges.
At his first press conference since becoming prime minister, Starmer said that the Rwanda policy would be scrapped because only about 1% of asylum seekers would have been removed and it would have failed to act as a deterrent.
“The Rwanda scheme was dead and buried before it started. It’s never been a deterrent,” Starmer said. “I’m not prepared to continue with gimmicks that don’t act as a deterrent.”

Starmer won one of the largest parliamentary majorities in modern British history on Friday, making him the most powerful British leader since former Prime Minister Tony Blair, but he faces a number of challenges, including improving struggling public services and reviving a weak economy.
At the press conference in Downing Street, Starmer answered about a dozen questions and was repeatedly asked about how and when he would start delivering on his promises to fix the nation’s problems, but he gave few specifics about what he planned.

Asked if he was willing to take tough decisions and raise taxes if necessary, Starmer said his government would identify problems and act in areas such as tackling an overstretched prisons system and reducing the long waiting times to use the state-run health service.
“We’re going to have to take the tough decisions and take them early, and we will. We will do that with a raw honesty,” he said. “But that is not a sort of prelude to saying there’s some tax decision that we didn’t speak about before.”

ELECTION ISSUE

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Saturday that China’s largest coastguard vessel has anchored in Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea, and is meant to intimidate its smaller Asian neighbour.
The China coastguard’s 165-meter ‘monster ship’ entered Manila’s 200-nautical mile EEZ on July 2, spokesperson for the PCG Jay Tarriela told a news forum.
The PCG warned the Chinese vessel it was in the Philippine’s EEZ and asked about their intentions, he said.

In May, the PCG deployed a ship to the Sabina shoal to deter small-scale reclamation by China, which denied the claim. China has carried out extensive land reclamation on some islands in the South China Sea, building air force and other military facilities, causing concern in Washington and around the region.
China claims most of the South China Sea, a key conduit for $3 trillion of annual ship-borne trade, as its own territory. Beijing rejects the 2016 ruling by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration which said its expansive maritime claims had no legal basis.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-anchors-monster-ship-in-south-china-sea-philippine-coast-guard-says-2024-07-06/

Set atop a hill on the Italian island of Sicily, Agrigento is a heritage tourist’s paradise. Beneath the archaeological structures and relics of its Valley of the Temples lies an ancient maze-like aqueduct system that still captures water today.

But the aqueduct, and others built in modern times, are running so dry that small hotels and guesthouses in the city and nearby coast are being forced to turn tourists away. They don’t have enough water to guarantee their guests a toilet that flushes or a shower after a day out in the summer heat.

Sicily began enforcing water restrictions in February when the region declared a state of emergency amid a relentless drought. Leaky, aging infrastructure has only worsened the shortages, which have hit tourism and agriculture alike, two sectors crucial to Sicily’s economy.

Rationing is in place for more than 1 million people across 93 communities. Some are having to reduce water consumption by up to 45%. That means taps run dry according to schedule, and supply is shut off completely overnight in most places. Having enough water to drink is a matter of getting organized during the day.

On TripAdvisor and other travel forums, tourists are asking whether it’s worth visiting Sicily’s impacted areas. Hotels are warning clients about potential shortages, and are helping visitors rebook elsewhere on the island where restrictions are less severe or not in effect.

At the Le Cinque Novelle bed and breakfast (B&B) in central Agrigento, where restrictions are tight, the owners have put filters on their showers and sinks to save as much water as possible. But their guests often complain.

“Rightly, people ask us for reassurances before coming, but we don’t know what to say,” Giovanni Lopez, who owns the B&B, told CNN. “The situation is quickly impacting the entire tourist accommodation sector, which risks serious economic consequences, given that tourism is a sector almost everyone in this part of Sicily relies on.”

The Sicilian regional government has asked Rome for subsidies to import water from the mainland, but there’s no concrete plan to help the island as yet. The office of Italy’s tourism minister, Diana Santanchè, did not respond to CNN’s request for comment, but in April, she said Sicily should try to spread out its tourism season and avoid focusing solely on summer, when water problems worsen.

Summers in Sicily are becoming unbearable for many.

Last year, the island endured severe wildfires that forced tourists to evacuate or postpone their visits. Now the drought-triggered water shortages are another worry.

Human-caused climate change is heating Europe faster than any other continent, and Sicily sits right at the center of this change. It was here that Europe’s temperature record was smashed in August 2023, when the city of Syracuse hit 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

Other parts of Italy are also experiencing drought, but only Sicily’s is considered “extreme,” the highest level, according to the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA).

Less than a quarter of the usual rain fell during the winter across the island, which has left around 20% of underground aquifers in a state of “water scarcity,” according to ISPRA. In February, the regional government declared a “state of crisis and water emergency” for irrigation and drinking in Agrigento and four other provinces to last until at least the end of the year.

Marco Maccarrone, who owns the Caico Trattoria e Cantina restaurant in Agrigento, says the island is being left to fight for itself.

“The summer season is upon us and we are worried. No one has given us alternative solutions to the water tankers that we are paying for ourselves,” he told CNN. “This risks destroying the only resource we have: tourism.”

Maccarrone has lived in Agrigento’s historical center for 20 years and complains that the flow of water is painfully slow.

“In half an hour, we can’t fill a single pot,” he said.

Hotels are obliged to have a certain amount of water reserves relative to their capacity, said Nicola Farruggio, president of Sicily’s Hotel Federation, which means they also have had to buy water from the mainland. But smaller structures, including family-run hotels and B&Bs, often don’t have a way to store enough to meet the requirements. And if they are located within a residential building, they are subject to the strict rations that apply to condominiums, which means they simply cannot guarantee water to guests.

Francesco Picarella, head of Agrigento’s Hotel Federation, who also owns a hotel in the city center, says years of ineffective governance have made things worse. There has been talk of rebuilding the water network since 2011, but little progress has been made, he said.

Tourists with an umbrella walk in front of the Parthenon at the ancient Acropolis in central Athens, Wednesday, June 12, 2024. The ancient site was closed to the public for five hours due to a heat wave that pushed temperatures to 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) in the capital and even higher in parts of central Greece. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

“Today’s problem is the result of a failed water management policy that has been going on for 20 years,” he said. “The hotels that have their own reserves somehow compensate; the B&Bs in the historic center are in extreme difficulty.”

He said that the reservoirs are drying up because of lack of rain but also leaks.

In response to CNN’s request for comment, the Sicilian regional government’s office pointed to a study that outlined government plans to drill new wells, build more pipelines and bring aging desalination plants back online. The report also says Sicily has not received enough funds from Rome to carry out its plans.

The local federation of B&Bs said that “it should have been a golden year” for Agrigento, which in March last year was named the Italian Capital of Culture for 2025, an accolade that typically draws more tourists. “Instead, word of mouth about the water crisis can ruin the season.”

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/06/climate/italy-sicily-water-shortage-drought-tourism-intl/index.html

A fishing boat said to be carrying 170 people, including children, capsized off the coast of Mauritania – along the Atlantic migration route from West Africa to the Canary Islands.

At least 89 people have died after a migrant boat capsized off the coast of Mauritania, the West African country’s state news agency and the head of a fishing association said.

A further 70 people are said to be still missing and nine people, including a five-year-old girl, were rescued.

The Atlantic migration route from the coast of West Africa to the Canary Islands is one of the world’s deadliest, and summer is its busiest period.

On Thursday, the coastguard were said to have recovered the bodies of 89 people who were bound for Europe.

Yali Fall, president of the fishing association in the southwestern town of Ndiago, said the number of fatalities had risen further to 105, and locals had been burying bodies that had washed ashore since Monday.

“For three days, we buried the dead whose bodies were found,” he said.

In the first five months of 2024, an unprecedented almost 5,000 people died at sea as they tried to reach the Canary Islands, migrants rights group Walking Borders said in June.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/at-least-89-dead-after-migrant-boat-capsizes-off-coast-of-west-africa-13174101

CIRCUS bears across Russia face daily torment from their handlers including being whipped, electrocuted and force-fed BOOZE to entertain visitors.

Cubs are often snatched from their mothers in the wild before getting beaten into submission for the public’s entertainment – with some turning depressed and snapping in savage attacks.

Russia has been under fire for decades from angry animal rights activists over their treatment of bears in a huge number of despicable circus shows.

Shocking reports from regions such as Crimea have shown the wild beasts being piled with booze and unhealthy snacks until they’re forced to perform for hundreds of people.

As well as being led around on tight leashes by money-hungry trainers during the dangerous show.

They can also be subjected to electrocution and made to stand on burning metal as part of their rigorous, non-consensual training regiment.

When the final curtain falls they are slammed inside tiny cages and often left alone for hours with no food or company.

It’s believed the treatment of these animal circus performers has led to a huge rise in bear maulings.

Performances have seen bears savage trainers in front of screaming children after living a life of agony with joint pain.

A roller skating circus bear stopped mid performance to maul its trainer in front of shocked kids, earlier this year.

Another crazed beast was seen going wild in the Russian circus ring, attacking a man as children and parents fled the tent.

Just a month before, a brown bear attacked a ringmaster after being forced to perform tricks at another cruel Russian circus.

Wildlife experts have slammed the practice of circus bears for decades describing it as “outdated” and “unchanged for hundreds of years”.

The horrific exploitation in circuses in particular has lead to incredible suffering for bears across the globe but especially in Russia where it is rife with animal abuse.

Life for circus bears and other wild animals is miserable inside and outside of the circus ring

Sophie NazeriHumane Society International

Bears are also often made to dance on command, wearing ridiculous outfits and standing on their hind legs – leading to a range of health issues.

Often this goes on until the bears become depressed – leading to some fatal and grisly ends.

Dr Jan Schmidt-Burbach, Global Head of Wildlife and Animal Welfare Research at World Animal Protection, told The Sun: “Keeping bears in captivity leads to severe cruelty.

“The limited space in cages, poor nutrition, lack of adequate veterinary care, constant stress through forced interactions and punishment if they don’t comply, are just some aspects of the life of a circus bear.”

Politicians have congratulated Prime Minister Keir Starmer on a “remarkable”, “convincing” and “resounding” win for Labour – with one world leader signing off their message: “Let’s go get it my friend.”

Joe Biden is the latest world leader to react to Sir Keir Starmer’s election victory – but while many congratulated the new prime minister, one has insisted: “I don’t care.”

Labour’s landslide win became clear in the early hours of Friday morning and Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskyy soon shared congratulatory messages on social media.

The US president followed suit later, with the White House confirming he had called Sir Keir to congratulate him.

Mr Biden said he is looking forward to working closely with him on the “full range of critical issues”, while Downing Street said they discussed their “unwavering” commitment to Ukraine and the UK-US “special relationship”.

Mr Starmer also spoke with Mr Zelenskyy, who said he congratulated the PM “on his election victory and wished him success in fulfilling the British people’s expectations of the new government”.

In Russia though, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov offered a muted reaction to the UK’s change in government.

When asked what Moscow thinks of the result, he told Sky News: “Unlike the British government, we do not meddle with others’ domestic matters.”

Mr Lavrov then spoke more widely about diplomacy and added: “You know the saying about the pudding? You understand that this is a pudding when you eat it?”

In response to whether the UK will be “weaker” under a Labour government, as Mr Sunak claimed on the campaign trail, Mr Lavrov said: “I don’t care. It’s the British people who should.”

On X, Starmer’s appointment received a warmer reception from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who signed off his tweet with “let’s get to it, my friend”.

Writing in French, Mr Macron said: “We will continue the work undertaken with the United Kingdom for our bilateral cooperation, for the peace and security of Europe, for climate and AI.”

Other prominent politicians who have addressed the UK’s general election result include Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/general-election-world-leaders-react-to-keir-starmer-and-labours-remarkable-win-13173673

In a monastery beneath snow-capped mountains in northern India, the Buddhist monk entrusted with protecting the Dalai Lama and foretelling his people’s future is concerned.
The Dalai Lama turns 89 on Saturday and China insists it will choose his successor as Tibet’s chief spiritual leader. That has the Medium of Tibet’s Chief State Oracle contemplating what might come next.
“His Holiness is the fourteenth Dalai Lama, then there will be a fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth,” the medium, known as the Nechung, said. “In countries, leaders change, and then that story is over. But in Tibet it works differently.”

Hamas has accepted a U.S. proposal to begin talks on releasing Israeli hostages, including soldiers and men, 16 days after the first phase of an agreement aimed at ending the Gaza war, a senior Hamas source told Reuters on Saturday.
The militant Islamist group has dropped a demand that Israel first commit to a permanent ceasefire before signing the agreement, and would allow negotiations to achieve that throughout the six-week first phase, the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity because the talks are private.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the discussions would focus on resolving a Hamas demand that the United States, Israel, Qatar and Egypt guarantee in writing a temporary ceasefire, aid deliveries and an Israeli troop withdrawal if indirect talks on implementing the second phase of the plan continued.
A source in Israel’s negotiating team, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Friday there was now a real chance of achieving agreement. That was in sharp contrast to past instances, when Israel said conditions attached by Hamas were unacceptable.

A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. On Friday his office said talks would continue next week and emphasised that gaps between the sides still remained.

A U.S. official declined to confirm the Hamas decision, adding, “There’s real progress, but still a lot of work to do.”

RISING DEATH TOLL

The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 38,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, since Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostages, according to official Israeli figures.

The Hamas source also said the new proposal ensures mediators would guarantee a temporary ceasefire, aid delivery and the withdrawal of Israeli troops as long as indirect talks continue.

Efforts to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza have intensified with active shuttle diplomacy among Washington, Israel and Qatar, which is leading mediation efforts from Doha, where the exiled Hamas leadership is based.

A regional source said Washington was trying hard to secure a deal before the U.S. presidential election in November.

Netanyahu said on Friday that the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency had returned from an initial meeting with mediators in Qatar and negotiations would continue next week.

Some families of hostages on Saturday gave a statement to reporters ahead of a weekly hostage rally in Tel Aviv, in which they called on Netanyahu to go through with the deal.

“For the first time in many months, we feel hope,” said Einav Zangauker, the mother of Matan Zangauker, 24, who was abducted from his kibbutz home on Oct. 7. “This is an opportunity that cannot be missed,” she said.

FIGHTING RAGES

Meanwhile, Israeli forces stepped up military strikes across the enclave, killing at least 29 Palestinians in the past 24 hours, and wounding 100 others, the territory’s health officials said.

Among those killed in separate air strikes were five local journalists, raising the death toll of journalists since Oct 7 to 158, according to the Hamas-led Gaza government media office.

Israeli forces, which have deepened their incursions into Rafah, near the border with Egypt, killed four Palestinian police and wounded eight others, in an air strike on their vehicle on Saturday, health officials said.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/talks-free-israeli-hostages-start-16-day-period-after-first-phase-hamas-source-2024-07-06/

At least 16 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a school sheltering displaced Palestinian families in central Gaza on Saturday, the Palestinian health ministry said, in an attack Israel said had targeted militants.
The health ministry said the attack on the school in Al-Nuseirat killed at least 16 people and wounded more than 50.
The Israeli military said it took precautions to minimize risk to civilians before it targeted the gunmen who were using the area as a hideout to plan and carry out attacks against soldiers. Hamas denied its fighters were there.

Chinese people around the world are being targeted by an elaborate scam in which criminals pretend to be Chinese police. A British-Chinese woman has told the BBC that she handed over her life savings to con men who wore uniforms in video calls and gave her a virtual tour of what appeared to be a police station.

Helen Young still has nightmares about the fortnight that she was made to believe she was on China’s most wanted list.

Scammers posing as Chinese police manipulated the London-based accountant into believing she was under investigation for a massive fraud back in her homeland.

Helen was presented with a mountain of fabricated evidence which appeared to implicate her in a crime she knew nothing about.

When the fake police then threatened her with extradition to a jail cell in China, Helen sent them her £29,000 life savings as “bail money”, in a desperate attempt to stay in Britain.

“I feel a bit stupid right now,” she says. “But there’s no chance I can know that’s not real. It’s so convincing”.

Helen’s story may sound extraordinary but there have been numerous similar cases in the Chinese diaspora.

China’s embassies around the world have issued public warnings about police impersonation scams, as has the FBI after a number of cases in the US. One elderly woman in Los Angeles reportedly handed over $3m, believing it would stop her extradition.

Typically these scams begin with the target receiving a relatively innocuous phone call. In Helen’s case it was somebody claiming to be a Chinese customs officer who told her they had stopped an illegal parcel sent in her name.

Helen hadn’t sent anything, and she was told she must file a police report if she believed someone had stolen her identity. Although she was sceptical, Helen didn’t hang up.

“Chinese people like myself because we were born and bred in China, we were taught obedience,” she says. “So when the party asked me to do something or my parents asked me it’s very rare that I will say no.”

Helen was transferred to a man who said he was a policeman in Shenzhen called “Officer Fang”. Helen asked for proof and he suggested they went on a video call. When they connected, Helen saw a uniformed man whose face matched the police ID he flashed.

Officer Fang then used his phone to give her a tour of what looked like a fully functioning police station with several uniformed officers and a desk with a large police logo.

“That moment all my suspicions are gone. So I say: ‘I’m sorry, I just have to be careful nowadays, there are a lot of criminals out there’,” Helen says.

While they were talking, Helen heard a message on the tannoy in the background, telling Officer Fang to take a call about her.

Officer Fang put her on hold and when he returned he was no longer interested in the illegal parcel. He said he had been informed that Helen was suspected of involvement in a large financial fraud.

“I said: ‘That’s nonsense’. He said: ‘Nobody says they’re guilty. So it’s the evidence that counts’.”
Helen was shown what looked like a bank statement for a vast amount of money in her name. Officer Fang told her that if she was innocent she must help them catch the real crooks. He made her sign a confidentiality agreement promising not to tell anyone about the investigation. Helen was warned that if she did, she would get an extra six months in prison
“He said: ‘If you tell anyone you have been interviewed by the Chinese police, your life will be in danger’.”
The scammers also made Helen download an app so they could listen in to what she was doing day and night.
Over the next few days, Helen tried to act normally at work. She spent her evenings working on a personal statement that she was ordered to write, detailing every aspect of her life.
Then Officer Fang called back with the news that several suspects were now in custody. He showed her written statements in which several people accused her.
Helen was sent a video which appeared to show a male prisoner confessing to police, and naming her as his boss in the fraud.

We have taken a closer look at the video, and because the suspect is wearing a large Covid mask, it’s impossible to tell if what you’re hearing matches his lip movements. It would be easy to add a fake soundtrack that mentions Helen’s name or another victim.
But for Helen – who had been convinced she was dealing with genuine police officers – the effect was devastating: “After I heard my name like that I was vomiting. It convinced me I was in deep, deep trouble.”
Helen believed Officer Fang when he then told her she would be extradited to China – even though she’s a British citizen.
“He told me: ‘So you got 24 hours, you pack your bags. The police are coming to take you to the airport’.”
Helen was told she could halt her extradition if she could raise bail. After sending over her bank statements for inspection, she was told to transfer £29,000.
“I felt terrible, because I promised my daughter to give her money for her first flat,” Helen says.
But a few days later the fake police were back. Helen was ordered to find another £250,000 or be extradited: “I was fighting for my life – if I go back to China, I may never come back.”
After Helen tried to borrow the money from a friend, he alerted her daughter. Helen broke down and revealed everything. But not before she had put her phone in a kitchen drawer and taken her daughter into a bedroom, and put a duvet over their heads so the scammers couldn’t listen in.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6p2lq0qk41o

A relatively moderate member of the Iranian parliament, Masoud Pezeshkian, has been declared the next president of Iran after beating his hardline conservative rival by a decisive margin in Friday’s run-off presidential elections.
The 69-year-old will replace Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash last month.
Dr Pezeshkian’s mostly young supporters took to the streets of the capital, Tehran, and other cities to celebrate – even before the final results were declared, singing, dancing and waving his campaign’s signature green flags.
He has given some of the nation’s younger generation hope at a time when many were despondent about their future. Some were even planning to leave the country to seek a better life elsewhere.
Representing the city of Tabriz in the Iranian parliament since 2008, he has previously served as the country’s heath minister.
In the 1990s, he lost his wife and one of his children in a car accident. He never remarried and raised his other three children – two sons and a daughter – alone.
His win has upset the plans of the Islamic hardliners, who hoped to install another conservative to replace Raisi and – alongside supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – control all of Iran’s levers of power.
At a polling station in Tehran, 48-year-old Fatemeh told the AFP news agency she had voted for the moderate as his “priorities include women and young people’s rights”.
Afarin, 37, who owns a beauty salon in Isfahan, told Reuters: “I know Pezeshkian will be a lame-duck president, but still he is better than a hardliner.”
Many voters boycotted the first round of voting last week, angry at repression at home and international confrontation which have brought Iran increased sanctions and expanding poverty.
They were also frustrated by the lack of choice in the elections. Of the six candidates who were allowed to run, five were hardline Islamists.
And there was a sense of despair that – with Ayatollah Khamenei having final say over government policy – there is little chance of real change.
One of those who refused to cast a ballot was Azad, a 35-year-old HR manager and activist in Tehran who has been jailed twice for criticising the Iranian government.
Azad, whose name has been changed for her own safety, says she is still traumatised from being kept in solitary confinement and enduring exhausting interrogations.
She told the BBC that regardless of Dr Pezeshkian’s win, the supreme leader remains the “puppeteer” in Iran.
“The reformists have had 45 years and they have made no effort to reform the political structure,” she said, referring to the time since the Islamic Revolution.

But in the run-off election on Friday, some seem to have changed their mind and turned out at polling stations, many voting tactically for Dr Pezeshkian in order to block victory for Mr Jalili.
He would have reaffirmed many policies that have been the subject of both domestic and international discontent, such as Iran’s controversial morality police patrols.
Mr Jalili took an anti-Western stance during his campaign and criticised the 2015 deal that saw Iran curb its nuclear programme in exchange for eased sanctions. Voters were concerned that if he won, his presidency could have antagonised the US and its regional allies – and worsened Iran’s economic situation.

By comparison, Dr Pezeshkian has called for “constructive relations” with Western nations, and to revive the nuclear deal to “get Iran out of its isolation”. He has said that Iran’s economy cannot function with the crippling sanctions currently placed on it.

A win for Mr Jalili would have also signalled a shift to a potentially harsher domestic policy, reinforcing the requirement for women to wear a headscarf.

Dr Pezeshkian is against using force to impose the compulsory hijab rule – a major issue in the past few years.

He has previously lamented the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who had been arrested for an alleged violation of the law. Her death sparked massive nationwide protests, unlike any the country had ever seen.

The president-elect is expected to take the reins of power in a matter of days to fill the void in government left by Raisi’s sudden death.

As well as pushing to revive the nuclear deal and ease sanctions, Dr Pezeshkian has promised to see Iran join international banking conventions. Conservatives have been reluctant to do so, depriving Iran of normal banking relations with other nations.

He has also said he will remove Iran’s extensive internet censors.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv2g1m5eev4o

France holds a parliamentary run-off election on Sunday that will reconfigure the political landscape, with opinion polls forecasting the far-right National Rally (RN) will win the most votes but likely fall short of a majority.
Such an outcome could plunge the country into a chaotic hung parliament, severely denting the authority of President Emmanuel Macron. Equally, if the nationalist, eurosceptic RN did win a majority, the pro-business, pro-Europe president could find himself forced into a difficult “cohabitation”.

Marine Le Pen’s RN scored historic gains to win last Sunday’s first-round vote, raising the spectre of France’s first far-right government since World War Two.
But after centrist and leftist parties joined forces over the past week in a bid to forge an anti-RN barricade, Le Pen’s hopes of the RN winning an absolute majority in the 577-seat National Assembly seem less certain.
Polls suggest the RN will become the dominant legislative force, but fail to reach the 289-seat majority that Le Pen and her 28-year-old protégé Jordan Bardella believe would allow them to claim the prime minister’s job and drag France sharply rightward.

“France is on the cliff-edge and we don’t know if we’re going to jump,” he told France Inter radio last week.
A longtime pariah for many due to its history of racism and antisemitism, the RN has increased its support on the back of voter anger at Macron, straitened household budgets and immigration concerns.
“French people have a real desire for change,” Le Pen told TF1 TV on Wednesday, adding that she was “very confident” of securing a parliamentary majority.
Even if the RN falls short, it looks set to more than double the 89 seats it won in the 2022 legislative vote, and become the dominant player in an unruly hung parliament that will make France hard to govern.
Such an outcome would risk policy paralysis until Macron’s presidency ends in 2027, when Le Pen is expected to launch her fourth bid for France’s top job.

WHAT NEXT FOR MACRON?

Macron stunned the country and angered many of his political allies and supporters when he called the snap election after a humbling by the RN in last month’s European parliamentary vote, hoping to wrong-foot his rivals in a legislative election.

Whatever the final result, his political agenda now appears dead, three years before the end of his presidency.

Bardella says the RN would decline to form a government if it doesn’t win a majority, although Le Pen has said it might try if it falls just short.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who looks likely to lose his job in the post-election shakeup, has dismissed suggestions Macron’s centrists could seek to form a cross-party government in the event of a hung parliament. Instead, he would like moderates to pass legislation on a case-by-case basis.

An RN majority would force Macron into an awkward “cohabitation” with Bardella as prime minister, with thorny constitutional tussles and questions on the international stage about who really speaks for France.

If the RN is deprived of a majority and declines to form a government, modern-day France would find itself in uncharted territory. Coalition building would be difficult for any of the blocs given the policy differences between them.

French assets have risen on expectations the RN won’t win a majority, with banking shares up and the risk premium investors demand to hold French debt narrowing. Economists question whether the RN’s hefty spending plans are fully funded.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/far-right-bids-power-france-holds-parliamentary-election-2024-07-07/

Minnesota Vikings rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson and two of his former high school teammates were killed in an early morning car crash Saturday in Maryland, police and the team said.

Jackson, 24, and Isaiah Hazel died at the scene, while Anthony Lytton, Jr., was pronounced dead at a hospital after the three-car crash in Prince George’s County, according to Maryland State Police. Lytton was 24 and Hazel was 23.

The three were in the same vehicle just after 3 a.m. when it was struck by another vehicle that was speeding and changing lanes, police said.

The Vikings released a statement saying the team spoke to Jackson’s family, and is “devastated by the news.”

“I am heartbroken by the loss of Khyree,” Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. “As we got to know him throughout the pre-draft process, it was clear the goals Khyree wanted to accomplish both professionally and personally. His story was one of resilience. He was taking steps to become the best version of himself not just for him, but for those who cared about and looked up to him.”

Jackson was a fourth-round draft pick by the Vikings in April. He played two years at Alabama before finishing his college career with one season at Oregon.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/vikings-oregon-khyree-jackson-obituary-c75bbb4b2e1fe2f3d39624d4daba76d5

In the devastated eastern Ukrainian town of Toretsk, time is running out for anyone wanting to leave.
Russian forces are advancing slowly but surely, pummelling the town night and day with rockets, artillery fire and air attacks, part of a broad advance in the Donetsk region that Ukraine has been unable to stop.
Piles of rubble lie where buildings once stood, burned out apartment blocks have become unliveable, a church tower has fallen and plumes of smoke rise in the near distance from incoming shells.

“Are you all staying?” he asked, speaking firmly and quickly. “Can you not see how the situation is changing? If you think you will sit it out – this is not going to happen.”

His offer has been taken up by some and turned down by others. Many people who remain do not want to leave for an uncertain life in safer parts of Ukraine. Others refuse to be separated from elderly relatives and friends.

“It is just me that is left, everyone else is buried,” said Valentyna, a former school headmistress who gave only her first name. “Planes are flying in every night and attacking, especially the last two days,” added the 75-year-old, crying.

‘ALL COVERED IN BLOOD’
A woman next to her shouted: “God has given us earth and sky, and they (the Russians) trampled all over it, covered it in blood. It is all covered in blood. And the young boys…”

Some 5,000 people remain in Toretsk, according to Tetyana Nikonova, a representative of the local military administration, speaking as residents wanting to evacuate gathered around minivans with a few personal belongings.

That compares with an estimated population of some 35,000 a decade ago.

“Many people refuse to leave. We talk to them, the boys try to convince them, but they do not want to go,” she said. “We offer them all that we can, accommodation, transport, all for free, but people hide in basements.”

Oleksandr is going to evacuate, but before he does he and members of the police force release the chickens from their coop in his yard and a dog and goats off their leashes.

Valentyna Natyazhko, 88, fled Toretsk earlier, but is back briefly to collect the refrigerator from her apartment because she needs it in her new home in the nearby town of Kostiantynivka.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/time-running-out-ukrainians-fleeing-russias-advance-2024-07-05/

Power supply is a matter of life and death for Tetiana’s son.
He was born with disabilities, and needs electricity-powered equipment to be able to breathe, to eat, and to receive medication.
“We are very dependent on electricity. If it wasn’t for this bloody war, life would be difficult, but we’d be able to cope,” Tetiana tells the BBC.
Ukrainians are learning to live with extended blackouts as Russia continues to pummel its energy facilities across the country.
Persistent Russian air strikes mean even previously unaffected parts of Ukraine have to go without electricity for hours on end, practically every day.
Tetiana, who lives in the southern port city of Odesa, says that the endless power cuts make life extremely difficult because she needs to make sure the supply of electricity is constant.
She has a generator which runs on petrol and needs to be topped up all the time, but it has to be stopped every six hours to cool down.
Power cuts also affect mobile phone coverage, so getting through to the ambulance service for her son can be a struggle too.
“Sometimes it takes half an hour, sometimes it’s an hour before the ambulance arrives when my child goes into convulsions and turns blue,” she says. “My son can die if he doesn’t get oxygen. I’m lost for words.”
Recent blackouts have lasted as long as 12 hours a day in Tetiana’s neighbourhood.

For millions of Ukrainians, the absence of power can mean no running water, air conditioning, lifts or access to life-saving equipment.
Over the past three months alone, Ukraine has lost nine gigawatts of generating capacity, the national energy company Ukrenergo says. This is more than a third of the capacity Ukraine had before the full-scale invasion in February 2022. It is enough to power the whole of the Netherlands during peak hours of consumption – or Slovakia, Lavtia, Lithuania and Estonia combined, Ukrenergo says.
“All state-owned thermal power plants are destroyed. All hydropower plants in our country are damaged by Russian missiles or drones,” Ukrenergo spokeswoman Maria Tsaturian tells the BBC.
The lack of generated electricity is made worse by rising temperatures in the summer, when Ukrainians turn on power-hungry air conditioning systems.
To cope with the shortfall, Ukrenergo has had to implement a policy of sweeping power cuts across the country, which last for many hours a day every day.
As a result, millions of Ukrainians have become increasingly reliant on fuel-powered generators or big power banks.

Madonna is reflecting on her “miraculous recovery” one year after being discharged from the hospital over a “life threatening” infection.

“A year ago today, I had just come home from the hospital after surviving a life threatening illness, I could barely stand in my backyard holding one sparkler,” she wrote on Instagram Friday alongside photos that showed her Fourth of July celebrations the day prior.

“I made a miraculous recovery and had an amazing year. Thank you God. Life is beautiful! ♥️🧨🔥,” she concluded.

The “Vogue” hitmaker, 65, included several snapshots that showed her cuddling up to a mystery man and holding onto his arm as they walked. In one particularly sexy photo, he grabbed her chest.

Madonna debuted the PDA-filled pictures almost two months after she and Josh Popper reportedly split.

In July 2023, the iconic singer was released from the ICU after being found unconscious in her New York City home. It was later revealed she had gone into septic shock and had to be revived with Narcan when her “lifeless body” was discovered.

Her manager confirmed at the time she fell ill with a “serious bacterial infection.”

After coming home, Madonna broke her silence and thanked her fans for their “positive energy, Prayers and words of healing and encouragement.”

“I have felt your love. I’m on the road to recovery and incredibly grateful for all the blessings in my life,” she said in an Instagram post on July 10.

Upon waking in the hospital, the Grammy winner thought about her six children and her upcoming “Celebration” tour.

Source: https://pagesix.com/2024/07/05/entertainment/madonna-reflects-on-miraculous-recovery-one-year-after-hospitalization/

In his newspaper column, the former prime minister offers advice for the Conservatives, saying: “When we get back in, don’t be too hasty to get rid of successful election-winning leaders”.

Boris Johnson says Nigel Farage played a “significant” role in the “destruction” of the Tories – while taking a swipe at those who ousted him from Number 10 back in 2022.

The Conservatives endured a crushing defeat in the general election with numerous big name casualties, as Labour secured a landslide victory.

Reform UK have secured five seats in the House of Commons including one for its leader Mr Farage, who succeeded in being elected in Clacton, Essex.

Former prime minister Mr Johnson has dissected his party’s performance in his Daily Mail column, saying the reasons why the Tories lost so many MPs were “complex” – but “the Yucatan asteroid in this catastrophe was obvious: it was Reform”.

Mr Johnson claimed to have heard from one Tory MP who “fully expected to win” but realised at the last minute “thousands” of Tory voters were opting for Reform, which in turn gave Labour a majority over both rivals.

“Repeat that phenomenon across the political landscape, and you begin to grasp the cause of the landslide,” he added, before turning his attention to Mr Farage.

He wrote: “I am afraid that the cheroot-puffing Pied Piper of Clacton has played a significant part – as he no doubt intended – in the destruction of the Tory government.”

Mr Johnson then offered advice for the Tories, while alluding to his own exit from Downing Street in June 2022.

“When we get back in, don’t be too hasty to get rid of successful election-winning leaders,” he said.

“As I never tire of telling people, some polls put us only two or three points behind, in the days before I was forced to resign in what was really a media-driven hoo-ha.”

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-blames-pied-piper-nigel-farage-for-role-in-destruction-of-tories-13173895

Carlo Maria Vigano has built a following of his own since delving into coronavirus conspiracy theories and criticising the Catholic Church’s efforts to modernise.

An ultra-conservative archbishop has been excommunicated by the Vatican after being found guilty of schism.

Schism is one of the gravest crimes in canon law and occurs when someone withdraws submission to the Pope or his Catholic subjects.

Carlo Maria Vigano served as the Vatican’s ambassador to the US from 2011 to 2016 but went into hiding in 2018.

This came after he alleged Pope Francis knew about US cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s sexual misconduct and did nothing about it.

The Vatican has rejected this claim.

Vigano also branded the Pope a “false prophet” and a “servant of Satan”, before calling for him to resign.

The Vatican’s doctrinal office announced the 83-year-old’s excommunication – or banishment – on Friday.

It said his previous comments made it clear he refused “to recognise and submit” to the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

Vigano had also rejected the legitimacy of liberal reforms made by the church in the 1960s, it added.

The statement read: “At the conclusion of the penal process, the Most Reverend Carlo Maria Vigano was found guilty of the reserved delict (violation of the law) of schism.”

The excommunication means Vigano is formally outside the church and cannot celebrate or receive its sacraments, such as communion.

As is normal, the ruling was signed by the head of the Doctrine of the Faith office instead of the Pope himself, but it’s highly unlikely the punishment was given without his approval.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/vatican-banishes-archbishop-who-branded-pope-francis-servant-of-satan-13173788

The controversial influencer, 37, is charged with human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.

Andrew Tate will be allowed to leave Romania while awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking, a court has ruled.

The controversial influencer and his brother Tristan can travel within the EU without restrictions while awaiting the trial, the Bucharest Tribunal ruled. Until Friday, the Tates had been banned from leaving Romania where he is awaiting trial.

The decision is not final and can be appealed by prosecutors.

Tate, 37, was charged in mid-2023 along with his brother for human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.

Two female suspects from Romania have also been charged as part of the case.

They have all denied the allegations against them.

In a post on X on Friday, Tate wrote: “I’m free. For the first time in three years I can leave Romania.”

He also referred to the charges as a “sham case” before advertising a platform that says it teaches the skill of money-making.

Tate, who has almost 10 million followers on X, repeated these sentiments in a video that accompanies the post and adds: “The process is the punishment, in the end I’ll be innocent.

“My judges decided… I’m allowed to leave Romania, so do we take the (Ferrari) SF90 to Italy, the (Maserati) MC20 to Cannes, the (Ferrari) 812 Competition to Paris, where do I go?”

The Tate brothers, both former kickboxers with dual US and British citizenship, were held in police custody during the criminal investigation from late December 2022 until April 2023 to prevent them from fleeing the country or tampering with evidence.

They were then placed under house arrest until August, when courts put them under judicial control, a lighter preventative measure.

“Andrew and Tristan are still determined to clear their name and reputation; however, they are grateful to the courts for placing this trust in them,” the brothers’ lead defence lawyer Eugen Vidineac said in a statement.

Romanian prosecutors have said the Tate brothers recruited their victims by seducing them and falsely claiming to want a relationship or marriage.

They said the victims were then taken to properties outside the capital Bucharest, and through physical violence and mental intimidation were sexually exploited by being forced to produce pornographic content for social media sites that generated large financial gain.

In a separate case, Tate was served at his home in Romania with a civil lawsuit lodged by four British women after a claim was issued by the High Court in London, according to a statement released in May by McCue Jury & Partners, the law firm representing the four women.

The four allege Tate sexually and physically assaulted them and reported him to British authorities in 2014 and 2015.

After a four-year investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service decided in 2019 not to prosecute him.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/andrew-tate-says-he-can-leave-romania-while-awaiting-trial-13173605

The new prime minister gave his first address to the nation in front of Downing Street as he said it was time for the “return of politics to public service”.

Sir Keir Starmer has said “our work is urgent and we begin it today” as he addressed the nation for the first time after officially becoming prime minister.

Entering Downing Street, Sir Keir greeted a crowd of cheering Labour supporters waving Union, Welsh, and Scottish flags before he addressed the nation in front of Number 10.

Much of the country was turned red overnight, with Rishi Sunak conceding defeat just before 5am on Friday and Sir Keir claiming victory shortly after.

Sir Keir started his first address by thanking Mr Sunak for his “achievement as the first British Asian prime minister of our country”, adding that the “extra effort” that will have required “should not be underestimated by anyone”.

The new prime minister said the country had “voted decisively for change, for national renewal and the return of politics to public service”.

He spoke of people disengaging with politics, adding: “When the gap between the sacrifices made by people and the service they receive from politicians grows this big, it leads to a weariness in the heart of a nation, a draining away of the hope, the spirit, the belief in a better future that we need to move forward together.”

To voters who did not vote for the Labour Party, Sir Keir said: “My government will serve you.”

“Politics can be a force for good – we will show that,” he added.

He said: “If I asked you now whether you believed that Britain will be better for your children, I know too many of you will say no – and so my government will fight until you believe again.”

Sir Keir Starmer’s Downing Street speech in full

But he warned changing a country “is not like flicking a switch… this will take a while, but I have no doubt that the work of change begins immediately”.

Sir Keir invited “you all to join this government of service in the mission of national renewal”.

He said his government would be “unburdened by doctrine, guided only by the determination to serve your interest, to defy quietly those who have written our country off”.

“Our work is urgent and we begin it today,” he concluded, to cheers.

The PM’s meeting with the King

The Labour leader had his meeting with the King in Buckingham Palace after Rishi Sunak stepped down following the worst ever general election result for the Conservatives.

The monarch plays a central role in the changeover of government and, after travelling to the palace with his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer, Sir Keir was given a private audience with Charles shortly after midday.

The King remarked Sir Keir “must be exhausted” and “nearly on your knees”, to which he replied: “Not much sleep.”

When the PM highlighted the “quick change around” since the election results were announced, the King replied: “To say the least. And having to get to grips with everything straight away must be quite exhausting.”

Lady Starmer joined the two men towards the end of the 20-minute meeting – and when it finished, the Starmers headed to their new home in Downing Street.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/sir-keir-starmer-officially-becomes-uks-prime-minister-13173454

Viktor Orban describes his visit to Moscow as a “peace mission” but European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warns “appeasement will not stop Putin”.

War in Ukraine will not “miraculously end”, Hungary’s prime minister has said as he defended his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Viktor Orban angered European Union leaders after holding talks with Mr Putin in Moscow over a potential peace deal in the war launched more than two years ago by Russia.

While Mr Orban described the trip as a “peace mission” – days before a NATO summit addressing military aid for Ukraine – he acknowledged he did not consult the EU beforehand.

Peace cannot be made “from a comfortable armchair in Brussels”, he said, adding: “We cannot sit back and wait for the war to miraculously end.”

Mr Putin, who met Mr Orban in the Kremlin, said the talks had been useful and accused Ukraine of not wanting to end the war.

He said last month Russia would end the conflict if Ukraine agrees to drop aspirations to join NATO and hand over the entirety of four provinces claimed by Moscow – demands Kyiv swiftly rejected.

Ukraine sees its 10-point peace plan – which includes all Russian troops withdrawing from internationally recognised Ukrainian land – as the way to end the conflict.

In the five days since Hungary assumed the six-month rotating EU presidency, Mr Orban has also visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – though Kyiv said it was not made aware of his plans to visit Moscow.

The visit to Moscow “unfortunately justified” scepticism within the bloc about Hungary’s presidency, an EU diplomat said on the condition of anonymity, adding that “it’s all about promoting Budapest’s interests”.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/dont-shake-hands-with-a-bloody-dictator-anger-over-hungary-pms-talks-with-vladimir-putin-13173751

A blue, white, and red patterned dress worn by Akshata Murty as Rishi Sunak delivered his resignation speech has become a topic of discussion on the internet.

Akshata Murty watched on as her husband Rishi Sunak gave his last speech outside the prime minister’s office in Downing Street. Just hours before, Rishi Sunak’s party had been handed a crushing defeat by the Labour Party. While discussion on the UK election result and the future of Britain raged on, there was also a discussion (read trolling) about the dress Akshata Murty wore while her husband gave his resignation speech.

A blue, white, and red patterned dress became a topic of much discussion, with some people commenting on the colour of the dress, while others had a unique take on the pattern of the dress. Some even commented on the price of the dress.

A social media user, poking fun at the pattern of Murty’s dress, said, “Here, Akshata Murty’s dazzling camouflage breaks up her shape against the background, making it difficult for German U-boats to ascertain her range, speed and direction.”

“Akshata Murty’s dress is a stereogram and if you squint for long enough you can see an airplane leaving for California,” another one said.

The trolls were at their creative best with one person saying “Akshata Murty’s dress is also a QR code that gets you a Disneyland fast pass.”

The dress is priced at 395 pounds (Rs 42,000).

For the unversed, Rishi Sunak is the richest person to hold UK prime minister post. His wife, Akshata Murty, is the daughter of billionaire Narayana Murthy, founder of tech giant Infosys. The couple are the wealthiest inhabitants yet of No. 10 Downing Street, according to the Sunday Times’ 2024 Rich List, with an estimated fortune of 651 million pounds ($815 million).

The sharp-eyed internet users also spotted the umbrella in Murty’s hand and had lots to say about that.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/world/uk-news/story/akshata-murty-trolled-dress-rishi-sunak-resignation-speech-uk-prime-minister-2563064-2024-07-05

With 12 Sikh MPs, UK is now second only to Canada, which is home to a sizeable Punjabi diaspora, and has 18 Sikh MPs.

A record 28 persons of Indian origin were elected to the UK Parliament Friday, with several Conservatives surviving a largely brutal outcome for their party.

Of the 28, a record 12 members from the Sikh community, including six women, were elected to the House of Commons. All the Sikh MPs belong to the Labour Party. They include nine first-timers, two who have been elected for the third straight time, and one who made it to the House of Commons for the second time.

British Sikh MPs Preet Kaur Gill — who defeated Tory first-timer Ashvir Sangha — and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi won their seats for Labour in Birmingham Edgbaston and Slough, respectively, for the third time. Nadia Whittome, who identifies as queer and a Catholic Sikh, won from Nottingham East for the second consecutive time. At the age of 23, Whittome was the youngest MP in the House of Commons when she was first elected in 2019.

Kirith Entwistle, also known as Kirith Ahluwalia, became the first woman to be elected MP from Bolton North East. Sonia Kumar too became the first woman MP from the Dudley parliamentary seat. Similarly, Harpreet Kaur Uppal won the Huddersfield parliamentary seat to enter the Parliament for the first time.

With 12 Sikh MPs, UK is now second only to Canada, which is home to a sizeable Punjabi diaspora, and has 18 Sikh MPs.

Outgoing prime minister Rishi Sunak leads the Tory charge of British Indians holding on to their seats, with a decisive win in his Richmond and Northallerton constituency in Yorkshire. Other prominent British Indian Tories holding on to their seats included former home secretaries Suella Braverman and Priti Patel, and Sunak’s Goan-origin Cabinet ally Claire Coutinho.

Gagan Mohindra held on to his South West Hertfordshire seat for the Conservatives, with Shivani Raja registering a gain for the party in the keenly watched constituency of Leicester East where she was contesting against fellow Indian-origin Labour candidate Rajesh Agrawal.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/uk-elections-28-with-india-roots-in-new-uk-house-12-of-them-sikhs-9435887/

Ukraine laughs off pundit’s claim that he is close to securing a chat with the president.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office denied Thursday that the Ukrainian president had agreed to a sit-down interview with American right-wing pundit Tucker Carlson.

“The President of Ukraine has a completely different schedule, and Tucker Carlson is not on it,” presidential spokesperson Sergii Nykyforov said Thursday morning, while casting doubt on Carlson’s Ukrainian sources.

The Ukrainian denial came after Carlson said Wednesday night that he might have landed a chat with Zelenskyy. “Looks like we’ve got the Zelenskyy interview,” he announced on social media.

“We’ve been trying for two years, and with particular intensity after interviewing Putin in February,” Carlson said. “The point is to bring Americans much-needed information about the conflict that’s completely reshaping their country’s position in the world. Coming soon we hope.”

In February, Carlson — a former Fox News host who left the network amid swirling controversy in 2023 — published a two-hour long interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which Putin delivered a lengthy monologue about Russian history and mocked Carlson over his failed attempt to join CIA.

Source: https://www.politico.eu/article/volodymyr-zelenskyy-spokesperson-denies-interview-with-tucker-carlson/

The Labour Party has won a landslide victory in the UK general election, sweeping hundreds of seats across the country and ending 14 years of Conservative rule.
Sir Keir Starmer is set to be appointed prime minister later on Friday, ending an era which has seen five different Conservative leaders running the country.
Rishi Sunak, the outgoing PM, conceded at around 04:40 in the morning, acknowledging Labour had won and saying that he had called Sir Keir to congratulate him.
In his victory speech minutes later, the Labour leader promised “national renewal” and that he would put “country first, party second”.
“We have earned the mandate to relight the fire,” he told Labour activists in a victory speech. “Our task is nothing less than renewing the ideas that hold this country together.”
The result marks a stunning reversal from the 2019 election when Labour, led by the veteran left-wing politician Jeremy Corbyn, suffered its worst electoral defeat in almost a century.
On the other side, Robert Buckland, a former Conservative minister who lost his seat, described it as “electoral Armageddon” for the Tories.
It is expected to be the party’s worst result in almost 200 years, with a battle over the future direction of the party likely to commence in the coming days.
It’s been a long night of results and there’s plenty more action to come. Here’s what’s happening, and what it all means.

A new PM within a day

Things move pretty fast in British politics – there is very little time between an election result and the installation of the new prime minister.

Rishi Sunak will be out of 10 Downing Street – the British equivalent of the White House – within 24 hours, and Sir Keir Starmer will be installed swiftly afterwards.

But there is a process. Mr Sunak will offer his resignation to the King, and Sir Keir will formally invited by the monarch to form the next government in a meeting that normally happens at Buckingham Palace.

After that he will be expected to invite top Labour MPs to Downing Street and appoint them to his new cabinet.

So who is Keir Starmer?
He’s fairly new to politics, relatively speaking.
Sir Keir started his professional life as a barrister in the 1990s, and was appointed the director of public prosecutions, the most senior criminal prosecutor in England and Wales, in 2008.
He was first elected in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency in north London in 2015, and took over leadership of Labour after the party’s poor 2019 general election, pledging to start a “new era” after the left-wing leadership of Jeremy Corbyn.
Sir Keir was re-elected in the same constituency on Thursday, saying in his victory speech people were “ready for change” and promising an “end the politics of performance”.
“The change begins right here because this is your democracy, your community, your future,” he said. “You have voted. It’s now time for us to deliver.”
You can read Sir Keir’s full profile here.
Nigel Farage finally becomes an MP

This election’s insurgent party was Reform UK, the right-wing successor to the Brexit Party and the UK Independence Party.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2v0e074jejo

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos says he will sell another 25 million shares in the technology giant, worth nearly $5bn (£3.9bn).
It comes after the company’s stock market value hit a record high on Wednesday.
In February, he announced that he would sell Amazon shares worth around $8.5bn.

That marked the first time since 2021 that Mr Bezos had sold Amazon shares.
The company’s shares have risen by more than 30% this year on expectations that growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) technology will boost earnings at its cloud computing business.
Last month, Amazon’s stock market valuation topped the $2tn for the first time.
However, that is still behind other major technology firms Nvidia, Apple and Microsoft, all of which have crossed the $3tn mark.
Amazon reported robust quarterly earnings at the end of the April, that showed the company’s bet on AI was paying off.
Mr Bezos stepped down as the company’s chief executive in 2021 and is currently its executive chair and remains its largest shareholder.
He founded Amazon in 1994 in a garage in Bellevue, Washington, when the internet was still in its infancy.
The company started out as an online bookseller, touting the world’s largest collection of ebooks.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c51yvm3354qo

Muhammad Nimah Nasser is at least the third senior commander killed in cross-border fighting since October.

Hezbollah says a top commander has been killed in an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon, at least the third high-ranking official in the group to be killed in almost nine months of cross-border fighting that has sparked fears of wider regional escalation.

The Lebanese armed group on Wednesday said that Muhammad Nimah Nasser, also known as “Hajj Abu Naameh”, had been killed. The Iran-aligned group later said it had launched 100 katyusha rockets targeting Israeli military positions.

The announcement of Nasser’s death on the group’s Telegram did not provide the location, but a source previously told Al Jazeera that a commander had been killed in the Hosh area in Tyre in southern Lebanon. A source close to the group confirmed to the AFP news agency that Nasser had been killed in the Tyre attack.

The source said that Nasser had the same rank as Taleb Abdallah, another top commander who was killed by an Israeli attack in June. At the time, Abdallah was the highest-ranking Hezbollah military official killed since the group began fighting Israel on October 8 in response to bombardment of Gaza. Following Abdallah’s killing, Hezbollah launched one of its largest rocket barrages on northern Israel.

The Israeli military confirmed it targeted Nasser, and said he was a “counterpart” of Abdallah and in charge of Hezbollah’s “antitank and rocket fire from southwest Lebanon”. In January, an Israeli strike also killed Wissam al-Tawil, another top commander from the group.

The announcement of Nasser’s death on the group’s Telegram did not provide the location, but a source previously told Al Jazeera that a commander had been killed in the Hosh area in Tyre in southern Lebanon. A source close to the group confirmed to the AFP news agency that Nasser had been killed in the Tyre attack.

The source said that Nasser had the same rank as Taleb Abdallah, another top commander who was killed by an Israeli attack in June. At the time, Abdallah was the highest-ranking Hezbollah military official killed since the group began fighting Israel on October 8 in response to bombardment of Gaza. Following Abdallah’s killing, Hezbollah launched one of its largest rocket barrages on northern Israel.

The Israeli military confirmed it targeted Nasser, and said he was a “counterpart” of Abdallah and in charge of Hezbollah’s “antitank and rocket fire from southwest Lebanon”. In January, an Israeli strike also killed Wissam al-Tawil, another top commander from the group.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said the group was ready for war with “no restraint and no rules and no ceilings” in the event of a major Israeli attack.

For its part, Iran has warned that “all Resistance Fronts” would confront Israel if it attacks Lebanon, referring to the armed groups it supports throughout the region.

Source: https://pagesix.com/2024/07/04/photos/emily-ratajkowski-jake-paul-and-more-party-at-michael-rubins-fourth-of-july-white-party-in-the-hamptons/#13

Taylor Swift hugged a koala at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, and so did Vladimir Putin – but no more guests will be allowed to hug the animals at the Brisbane attraction.

A koala sanctuary in Australia where high-profile guests from Taylor Swift to Vladimir Putin have cuddled koalas has banned hugs with the animals.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane, Queensland, said it will instead focus on “immersive and educational experiences” with the koalas.

The decision was made “in response to increasingly strong visitor feedback” from people wanting to spend longer with the animals without holding them, it said.

General manager Lyndon Discombe said there had been a shift towards people wanting to “experience Australian wildlife up close, but not necessarily personal”.

The new “koala close-up” visits will let people observe the animals eating, sleeping and relaxing – without touching.

Holding koalas is only legal in the Australian states of Queensland and South Australia – everywhere else in the country, touching the animals is more tightly regulated.

Lone Pine, which bills itself as the world’s first koala sanctuary, says all of its interactions with wildlife are governed by the relevant regulations and the “mental, physical and emotional wellbeing of our animals is top priority in all that we do”.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/koala-cuddles-banned-at-popular-australian-sanctuary-visited-by-taylor-swift-and-vladimir-putin-13163538

Keir Starmer vowed to bring change to Britain as its next prime minister after his Labour Party surged to a landslide victory in a parliamentary election on Friday, ending 14 years of often tumultuous Conservative government.
The centre-left Labour won a massive majority in the 650-seat parliament with Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives suffering the worst performance in the party’s long history as voters punished them for a cost of living crisis, failing public services, and a series of scandals.

About 250 Conservative lawmakers were ousted in the crushing defeat, including a record number of senior ministers and former Prime Minister Liz Truss.

A glum Sunak conceded defeat and said he had called Starmer to congratulate him on his victory.

“Today power will change hands in a peaceful and orderly manner, with goodwill on all sides,” Sunak said. “There is much to learn and reflect on and I take responsibility for the loss to the many good hardworking Conservative candidates … I am sorry.”

Despite his convincing victory, polls have suggested there is little enthusiasm for Starmer or his party. Thanks to the quirk of Britain’s first past the post system, Labour’s triumph looked set to be achieved with fewer votes than in both 2017 and 2019 – the latter its worst electoral showing for 84 years.

Starmer also comes to power at a time when the country is facing a series of daunting challenges.

Britain’s tax burden is set to hit its highest since just after World War Two, net debt is almost equivalent to annual economic output, living standards have fallen, and public services are creaking, especially the much cherished National Health Service which has been dogged by strikes.

He has already had to scale back some of Labour’s more ambitious plans, such as its flagship green spending pledges, while he has promised not to raise taxes for “working people”.

“I don’t promise you it will be easy,” Starmer said. “Changing a country is not like flicking a switch. It’s hard work. Patient, determined, work, and we will have to get moving immediately.”

RISE OF REFORM

Much of the heavy damage to the Conservative support was inflicted by the right-wing Reform UK party, headed by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, who had campaigned strongly on curbing immigration.

Starmer has promised to scrap the Conservative’s controversial policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda, but with migration a key electoral issue, he will be under pressure himself to find a way to stop tens of thousands of people arriving across the Channel from France on small boats.

Within the Conservative Party, the recriminations and debate over its future direction began immediately, with some saying its failure stemmed from abandoning the centre ground while others argued Reform had won over voters who felt the party had deserted its roots.

Reform has captured four seats, with Farage himself finally being elected to parliament at his eighth attempt, and won more than 4 million votes, often taking more than the Conservatives across swathes of the country.

“There is a massive gap on the centre right of British politics and my job is to fill it, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” a triumphant Farage said. “Believe me folks, this is just the first step of something that is going to stun all of you.”

The growth in support for a right-wing alternative echoed recent similar results in Europe, where the far right have been surging.

But, unlike France where Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party made historic gains in an election last Sunday, overall the British public has plumped for a centre-left party to bring about change.

Starmer has promised to improve relations with the European Union to resolve issues created by Britain’s split from the bloc. However, despite opposing Brexit, rejoining the EU is not on the table.

He may also have to work with Donald Trump in the United States if he wins November’s presidential election. Trump has already sent congratulations to his friend and supporter Farage, via his social media platform Truth Social.

While he has promised to bring change domestically, Starmer has vowed to continue London’s unequivocal support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. On many foreign issues, his policies are similar to Sunak’s.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks-labour-win-massive-election-majority-exit-poll-shows-2024-07-04/

Use our look-up to find out what result the exit poll forecasts for your constituency.

Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party are forecast to win a landslide majority of 170 seats, according to an exit poll carried out on polling day.

Labour are forecast to win 410 seats in total, compared with 131 for the Conservatives.The Liberal Democrats are forecast to win 61 seats, with the SNP on 10.

The exit poll, carried out today by Ipsos UK for Sky News, the BBC and ITV News, also suggests that Nigel Farage’s Reform UK could win 13 seats, while the Greens may win 2. Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru are forecast to win 4 seats.

Search for your postcode or constituency name to find out what the exit poll forecast is in your area.

The forecasts won’t be updated when vote counts are revealed, so keep across our live updating results page to see the real results for every constituency, and then come back here to compare them with what the exit poll said.

What is an exit poll and how does it work?

It’s different from an opinion survey. People are selected at random as they leave polling stations having just voted, and asked to complete a ballot identical to the official one.

So it asks them what they have just done, rather than what they will do in the future which normal opinion polls do.

It is intended to measure changes in vote shares from the previous election in specially chosen constituencies. This year’s exit poll included 133 polling stations, so only a small fraction of the 632 constituencies in Great Britain (Northern Ireland is not included in the exit poll).

The majority of constituencies are selected because they reflect the battle between the two main parties – Labour and the Conservatives. A smaller number represent battlegrounds between the Liberal Democrats and each of the two main parties.

The increased representation of the SNP in Westminster has meant additional polling stations have been added in Scotland in recent years to track SNP/Conservative and SNP/Labour battles.

The political and statistical experts that form the exit poll team, including Sky News election analysts Professors Michael Thrasher and Will Jennings, look to create models that explain changes in how people have voted from one election to the next, based on demographic indicators and social characteristics such as age, housing and education, for example.

In 2019, how people voted in the EU Referendum in 2016 emerged as a leading indicator that correlated with the vote swing from Labour to the Conservatives, in areas where the exit poll was carried out.

The exit poll team were able to use that to predict that the Conservative vote share was likely to have increased more in other high Leave-voting areas across the country, even in places where they didn’t ask anyone how they voted.

What do the different probabilities represent?

If the exit poll forecasts that one party has a 95% chance or higher of winning a seat, we label it as a “likely” win for that party.

If the leading party has between a chance of winning of between 80% and 94%, we list it as a “possible” gain or hold.

If no one party has an 80% chance of winning, we say the constituency is “too close to call”, although we’ll still tell you what chance each party has of winning according to the poll.

In total 133 seats are “too close to call” this year, so there’s still lots to play for as results come in.

How are the results calculated?

The headline numbers you’ll have seen on TV and at the top of this page are a mathematical calculation adding up the percentage chances for each party in each seat.

If one party has a 90% chance in ten seats, we would expect them to win nine of those and lose one.

The one loss from a 90% chance might look odd by itself, but the overall exit poll results work by balancing out that one unexpected loss with one unexpected win, out of ten seats where the party has a 10% chance for example.

So in total they will have won ten seats out of 20 in that scenario.

In 2019 the exit poll predicted the Conservative seat tally to within three – it initially said Boris Johnson’s party would win 368 seats but they ended up with 365. That’s a difference of less than 1%.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/exit-poll-what-is-the-forecast-election-result-in-my-constituency-13163180

The Labour leader, who looks likely to become the UK’s new prime minister, says people around the country had “spoken and they’re ready for change”, as a raft of Tory cabinet ministers lose their seats.

Sir Keir Starmer has promised to “return to politics as public service” in his first appearance since the exit poll predicted a Labour landslide in the general election.

Speaking after winning his own seat in north London, the Labour leader said people around the country had “spoken and they’re ready for change, to end the politics of performance”.

He added: “The change begins right here. Because this is your democracy, your community and your future. You have voted. It is now time for us to deliver.”

The exit poll projects Labour will win 410 seats overnight – with an overall majority of 170 in the Commons.

That compares to a prediction of just 131 seats for Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives – which would be the lowest seat tally in the party’s history.

Follow general election results live

Labour have made several gains as the results roll in – with a former minister, Sir Robert Buckland, becoming the first Tory casualty of the night.

But Mr Sunak’s cabinet has now been gutted, with Science and Innovation Secretary Michelle Donelan, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk, Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer and Chief Whip Simon Hart all losing their seats to a range of parties.

The prime minister conceded defeat at his own election count, confirming he had called Sir Keir to congratulate him on his victory.

But it hasn’t been an entirely smooth ride for Labour, who have lost Islington North to the party’s former leader Jeremy Corbyn, who stood as an independent.

They have also lost Leicester South, where another independent ousted shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth – appearing to be over the party’s position on the Israel and Gaza conflict – and Bristol Central, where the Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer has beaten shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire.

He added: “The change begins right here. Because this is your democracy, your community and your future. You have voted. It is now time for us to deliver.”

The exit poll projects Labour will win 410 seats overnight – with an overall majority of 170 in the Commons.

That compares to a prediction of just 131 seats for Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives – which would be the lowest seat tally in the party’s history.

But Mr Sunak’s cabinet has now been gutted, with Science and Innovation Secretary Michelle Donelan, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk, Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer and Chief Whip Simon Hart all losing their seats to a range of parties.

The prime minister conceded defeat at his own election count, confirming he had called Sir Keir to congratulate him on his victory.

They have also lost Leicester South, where another independent ousted shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth – appearing to be over the party’s position on the Israel and Gaza conflict – and Bristol Central, where the Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer has beaten shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire.

The centre-left Labour Party is expected to win 410 of the country’s 650-seat House of Commons, a surplus of 170 seats over the majority mark.

The Labour Party, Britain’s main Opposition party, will likely score a landslide victory in the country’s general election, exit polls predicted on Thursday. Keir Starmer, the Labour Party’s leader, is expected to replace Rishi Sunak as the prime minister of Britain.

The centre-left Labour Party is expected to win 410 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons, a surplus of 170 seats over the majority mark. Rishi Sunak’s Tories would only get 131 — a record low. Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party can bag 13 seats.

Who is Keir Starmer?
61-year-old Keir Starmer, poised to be the next prime minister of Britain, was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II for his services to law and criminal justice. He was first elected as a member of Parliament from London in 2015. He is a lawyer by profession.

He has two children. His wife, Victoria, is an employee of the National Health Service (NHS).

Sir Keir Starmer is credited for reversing the Labour Party’s fortunes after a dismal performance in the 2019 general election. He has rebuilt the party’s connection with the sizeable Indian diaspora, which felt alienated under former leader Jeremy Corbyn over a perceived anti-India stance on Kashmir.

Last year, during a speech, he sought a robust relationship with India on the grounds of global security, climate security and economic security.

“What my Labour government will seek with India is a relationship based on our shared values of democracy and aspiration. That will seek a free trade agreement (FTA), we share that ambition, but also a new strategic partnership for global security, climate security, economic security,” he had said.

Keir Starmer’s 2024 election manifesto also commits to seeking a “new strategic partnership with India, including a free trade agreement, as well as deepening cooperation in areas like security, education, technology and climate change”.

Earlier this year, he visited the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Kingsbury, north London, and assured the Hindu community that there was no place for Hinduphobia in Britain.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/who-is-keir-starmer-labour-leader-poised-to-be-next-uk-pm-what-are-his-views-on-india-101720145838566.html

The Punjab government of Maryam Nawaz has requested her uncle Shehbaz Sharif’s government at the Centre to notify the suspension of all social media platforms.

After successfully blocking X, formerly Twitter, for over four months, the Pakistan government is now set to ban all social media platforms — YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok — for six days from July 13 to 18, citing the need to control “hate material” during the Islamic month of Ramadan.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s cabinet committee on law and order has recommended banning of all social media platforms — YouTube, X, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, among others –during 6 to 11 Muharram (July 13-18) in Punjab, a province of over 120 million people, to “control hate material, misinformation to avoid sectarian violence”, according to a Punjab government notification issued here late Thursday night.

The Punjab government of Maryam Nawaz has requested her uncle Shehbaz Sharif’s government at the Centre to notify the suspension of all social media platforms on internet for six days (July 13-18).

Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir has already declared social media a “vicious media” and underscored the need to fight what he called “digital terrorism”.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also holds the portfolio of foreign minister, recently called for placing a complete ban on social media.

The Shehbaz government had shut down X in last February following allegations of change of general election results by the Election Commission of Pakistan, apparently on the order of the military establishment to stop Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s jailed founder Imran Khan from coming to power.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistan-to-ban-all-social-media-platforms-for-6-days-during-muharram-101720146381257.html

Brazil’s Federal Police have indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro for money laundering and criminal association in connection with undeclared diamonds the far-right leader received from Saudi Arabia during his time in office, according to a source with knowledge of the accusations.

A second source confirmed the indictment, although not for which specific crimes. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly.

Brazil’s Supreme Court has yet to receive the police report with the indictment. Once it does, the country’s prosecutor-general, Paulo Gonet, will analyze the document and decide whether to file charges and force Bolsonaro to stand trial.

This is Bolsonaro’s second indictment since leaving office, following another in May for allegedly falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination certificate. But this indictment dramatically raises the legal threats facing the divisive ex-leader that are applauded by his opponents but denounced as political persecution by his supporters.

Bolsonaro did not immediately comment, but he and his lawyers have previously denied any wrongdoing in both those cases, as well as other investigations into the former president. One is probing his possible involvement in inciting an uprising in capital Brasilia on Jan. 8, 2023 that sought to oust his successor from power.

Last year, Federal Police accused Bolsonaro of attempting to sneak in diamond jewelry reportedly worth $3 million and selling two luxury watches.

Police said in August that Bolsonaro received cash from the nearly $70,000 sale of two luxury watches he received as gifts from Saudi Arabia. Brazil requires its citizens arriving by plane from abroad to declare goods worth more than $1,000 and, for any amount above that exemption, pay a tax equal to 50% of their value.

The jewelry would have been exempt from tax had it been a gift from Saudi Arabia to Brazil, but not Bolsonaro’s to keep for himself. Rather, it would have been added to the presidential collection.

The investigation showed that Mauro Cid, Bolsonaro’s former aide-de-camp who allegedly falsified his COVID-19 records, in June 2022 sold a Rolex watch and a Patek Philippe watch to a store in the U.S for a total $68,000. They were gifted by Saudi Arabia’s government in 2019. Cid later signed a plea bargain with authorities and confirmed it all.

Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president’s eldest son and a sitting senator, said on X after Thursday’s indictment that persecution against his father was “blatant and shameless.”

In addition to Bolsonaro, police indicted 10 others, including Cid and two of his lawyers, Frederick Wassef and Fábio Wajngarten, according to one of the sources. Wassef said in a statement that he didn’t have access to the final report of the investigation, and decried selective leaks to the press of an investigation that is supposed to be proceeding under seal.

“I am going through all of this solely for practicing law in defense of Jair Bolsonaro,” he wrote.

On X, Wajngarten said police have found no evidence implicating him. “The Federal Police knows I did nothing related to what they are investigating, but they still want to punish me because I provide unwavering and permanent defense for former President Bolsonaro,” he said.

Bolsonaro retains staunch allegiance among his political base, as shown by an outpouring of support in February, when an estimated 185,000 people clogged Sao Paulo’s main boulevard to protest what the former president calls political persecution.

His critics, particularly members of his rival President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s political party, have cheered every advance of investigations and repeatedly called for his arrest.

Psychologist Deborah Santos watched news of Bolsonaro’s indictment in a bakery in Sao Paulo’s up-market Vila Madalena neighborhood.

“This is great, because it breaks a pattern. Bolsonaro supporters love to say how honest he is; everyone else is dishonest, but them,” said Santos, 52. “There you have it: the police think he steals diamonds. That should end any politician’s career.”

Source: https://apnews.com/article/bolsonaro-indictment-brazil-money-laundering-e740dfd750f96f02c44b282aa667fea2

Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, won a seat in the British parliament for the first time on Friday in the seaside English town of Clacton-on-Sea, as voters deserted Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party.
Farage, whose career of anti-immigration, pro-Brexit campaigning has made him one of Britain’s most recognisable and divisive political figures, comfortably beat the Conservative candidate Giles Watling who had previously held the seat.

A boozed up passenger forced an American Airlines flight to make an emergency landing in Buffalo after he was caught exposing himself and urinating in the aisle of the airplane, federal prosecutors said.

Oregon native Neil McCarthy, 25, admitted to cops that he was “flicking the bean” — a euphemism for masturbating — aboard the flight to New Hampshire Wednesday, and blamed it on a medical urination problem, court papers allege.

McCarthy told police that he was drinking heavily throughout his journey — and that he had several “Jack and cokes” before boarding his initial flight in Portland, according to the criminal complaint filed in Buffalo federal court.

His flight eventually had a layover in Chicago — where he allegedly told police that he continued to guzzle down several more whiskey and colas before boarding the next flight to Manchester, New Hampshire.

An American Airlines flight attendant saw McCarthy exposing himself and urinating on the flight — and a passenger snapped a photo of him in the act, federal prosecutors claimed.

The plane was diverted to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, where McCarthy was arrested at Gate 2.

He was charged with indecent exposure, which carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison.

McCarthy was released after a hearing Wednesday before US Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarhty in Buffalo federal court.

Source: https://nypost.com/2024/07/04/us-news/american-airlines-flight-forced-to-make-emergency-landing-in-ny-after-passenger-urinated-in-aisle-exposed-himself/

A DEEP sea predator with a lifespan of 500-years could be the key to battling heart disease and living longer.

Researchers believe the invincible Greenland Shark’s metabolism could hold the secret to its long life – and they’re hoping it will do the same for us.

Little is known about world’s longest-living vertebrate, which can live for centuries in the frigid Atlantic ocean from Canada to Norway and off the coast of Scotland.

One shark was discovered to be so old that it it was born in 1624, the year England declared war on Spain and founded it’s first Caribbean colony.

The incredibly old monster was discovered by the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

This means it has lived through the Great Fire of London, The English and American civil wars and both world wars of the last century.

The monsters, who grow to 23ft, have even been known to eat polar bears.

Sightings are known to be rare as many do live 600 metres under Arctic ice.

Now experimental research shows that muscle metabolic activity may be an important factor in the incredible longevity of the Greenland shark.

The new findings could be key to improving heart health and help other species against climate change.

Lead researcher Ewan Camplisson, a PhD student at the University of Manchester said: “We want to understand what adaptations they have that allow them to live so long.

Research presented at the Society for Experimental Biology annual conference in Prague from Mr Camplisson showed that the metabolic activity of the species did not change as it ages, unlike other species.

He said: “Most species show variation in their metabolism when they age.

“The results support our hypothesis that the Greenland shark does not show the same traditional signs of ageing as other animals.”

The scientists conducted enzyme tests on preserved muscle tissue samples from Greenland sharks and measured the metabolic activity of the enzymes.

The team found no significant variation in muscle metabolic activity across different ages, suggesting that the metabolism does not appear to decrease over time and may play a key role in their longevity.

The researchers now plan to test more enzymes and tissue types to gain an even deeper understanding of the shark’s metabolic activity.

Mr Camplisson said: “My ultimate goal is to protect the species and the best way to do this is to better understand them.”

“By studying the Greenland shark and its heart, we may be able to better understand our own cardiovascular health.

“These are issues that become progressively more common and severe with increasing age.”

Researchers have already mapped out all the 16ft shark’s mitochondrial DNA – genetic material held in tiny battery-like bodies in cells that supply energy.

They hope to learn what determines life expectancy in different species including humans.

The study of its bones and tissues by the Arctic University of Norway may also provide clues about the effects of climate change and pollution over a long time span.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/11818165/mysterious-polar-shark-may-hold-secret-long-life/

President Joe Biden is facing an uprising from some his own party’s wealthy donors, including an heiress to the Disney
family fortune, who say they will no longer fund the Democratic Party until Biden drops out of the presidential race following his disastrous debate performance.

Abigail Disney, the granddaughter to Roy O. Disney, who cofounded The Walt Disney Company, told CNBC on Thursday that she plans to withhold donations to the party she has funded for years until Biden drops out. The president has said he has no plans to withdraw from the race, despite calls for him to do so.

“I intend to stop any contributions to the party unless and until they replace Biden at the top of the ticket. This is realism, not disrespect. Biden is a good man and has served his country admirably, but the stakes are far too high,” Abigail Disney said in a lengthy statement to CNBC. “If Biden does not step down the Democrats will lose. Of that I am absolutely certain. The consequences for the loss will be genuinely dire.”

The Democratic Party at large has been in a state of panic since Biden struggled to perform in the debate against former President Donald Trump last week. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, called on Biden to drop out of the race, suggesting the debate performance proved to voters that the president is incapable of taking on Trump and unable to overcome his distance in the polls.

A New York Times/Sienna College poll taken after the debate showed Biden behind Trump by 6 percentage points among likely voters.

Representatives for the Biden campaign did not return requests for comment.

Abigail Disney has been a longtime supporter of Democrats. She gave $50,000 to the Jane Fonda Climate political action committee in April, according to a Federal Election Commission filing. The PAC has given $35,000 to Democrats running for congressional seats, according to data from OpenSecrets.

Disney gave $150,000 in 2014 to Planned Parenthood Votes, a PAC affiliated with the health care nonprofit, according to OpenSecrets. That PAC this election cycle has spent over $400,000 supporting Democrats, including $26,000 for Biden.

Disney pointed to Vice President Kamala Harris as a solid alternative to Biden, arguing she’d be able to defeat Trump.

“We have an excellent Vice President. If Democrats would tolerate any of her perceived shortcomings even one tenth as much as they have tolerated Biden’s (and let’s not kid ourselves about where race and gender figure in that inequity) and if Democrats can find a way to stop quibbling and rally around her, we can win this election by a lot,” Disney said.

And she’s not the only one pausing gifts until Biden steps down. Gideon Stein, the president of the Moriah Fund, said he’s decided to pause planned donations of $3.5 million, earmarked for nonprofits and political organizations aligned with the presidential race.

“Joe Biden has been a very effective president, but unless he steps aside my family and I are pausing on more than $3 million in planned donations to nonprofits and political organizations aligned with the presidential race, with the exception of some down ballot work,” Stein said. “Virtually every major donor I’ve talked to believes that we need a new candidate in order to defeat Donald Trump.”

Karla Jurvetson, a philanthropist and major Democratic donor, hinted as recently as Tuesday in a private donor call that she agrees with the sentiment on pausing donations until Biden steps down and could end up making such move, according to a person familiar with her remarks. The person was granted anonymity in order to speak freely about a private conversation.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/04/democratic-donors-wont-finance-party-until-joe-biden-drops-out.html

A decision by a judge not to send the solider to prison after he admitted attacking Natasha O’Brien has sparked national protests and political condemnation across Ireland. Sky News speaks to the victim at the heart of the case.

The Irish Defence Forces are facing calls for urgent reform after a solider avoided prison for assaulting a woman, reigniting the debate about misogynistic abuse within the military.

Natasha O’Brien, 24, was beaten unconscious in Limerick city when she asked a serving soldier, Cathal Crotty, to stop using homophobic slurs on the street.

Crotty, 22, hurled punches at her, later boasting to friends on Snapchat: “Two to put her down, two to put her out.”

Ms O’Brien was left with injuries including a broken nose and concussion, and says she later lost her job due to the psychological aftermath.

“As I lay in the foetal position, losing consciousness, he continued his relentless beating – my last conscious thought was, ‘he’s not stopping, I’m going to die’,” she told the court of the 2022 attack.

Crotty pleaded guilty, but the judge decided to fully suspend the three-year sentence last month, noting there would be “no doubt” the soldier’s army career would be finished by jail time.

The verdict sparked national protests and political condemnation in Ireland.

Ms O’Brien remembers leaving the court after the sentencing, “coming out alone, hopeless, just utterly devoid…feeling let down and abandoned”.

Private Crotty is subject to military disciplinary proceedings, but currently remains a serving soldier as there are still some legal proceedings outstanding.

“We have to hold the Defence Forces accountable because they’re utterly negligent in safeguarding the public,” Ms O’Brien told Sky News.

“It’s a slow process. I’m not the first to speak out about the issues and I won’t be the last, but I hope I make it easier for the next.”

Natasha wants to see a change in the “misogynistic” culture within the Irish Defence Forces, and to have the way the army deals with soldiers facing serious charges reformed.

She’s not the only one.

‘They cover it up’

Retired captain Diane Byrne says she was hounded from the army after 13 years of service, tortured by constant chauvinistic abuse.

She formed a campaign group, Women of Honour, and says she knows of hundreds of women who experienced physical violence in the Defence Forces, including rape.

“I couldn’t say there’s a blanket culture of violence against women in the Defence Forces,” she said. “But I think there’s a tolerance for inappropriate behaviour or violence in the Defence Forces because they cover it up, what has happened to people.

“I think a lot of women out there are still not coming forward and explaining what they have experienced, because they just don’t trust in who they can go to and what supports they’ll get and whether they’ll be believed.”

Years of campaigning by the Women of Honour led to the Irish government last week launching a judge-led tribunal to investigate the claims of sexual abuse and discrimination.

Hailed as a “step forward” in addressing the problem, the tribunal has appealed for women to come forward to tell their stories.

The process will not be quick, however; it’s thought the tribunal could last for up to three years.

The Defence Forces acknowledge reform is needed. It revealed 68 personnel currently have criminal convictions, or are before the courts, for a range of offences including physical assault, sexual offences and others.

‘Bravery of individuals’

Its chief of staff, Lieutenant General Sean Clancy declined to grant Sky News an interview, but in a statement noted “the unacceptable presence of personnel with serious convictions including gender-based violence within the Defence Forces. Such individuals have no place in our ranks”.

“We owe it to the bravery of individuals like Natasha O’Brien, to those impacted within our own organisation and to the values we stand for to ensure that no one within the Defence Forces can avoid the consequences of their actions.”

The current public backlash has angered and demoralised many serving soldiers, angry at what they see as a blaming of wider societal problems on the military.

Former special forces soldier and TD (member of the Irish parliament) Cathal Berry says many within the military feel they’ve “been thrown under the bus” by the government.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/woman-beaten-unconscious-by-serving-irish-soldier-demands-reform-of-the-military-13163070

U.S. President Joe Biden vowed to stay in the 2024 presidential race during calls with campaign staff and meetings with Democratic lawmakers and governors on Wednesday, as he sought to shake off calls for him to drop out after his shaky debate performance last week.
Biden dialed in to a call with worried members of his campaign team and told them he wasn’t going anywhere, according to two sources familiar with the call.

Only three of the governors – the leaders of New York, Minnesota and Maryland – met with reporters afterwards, vowing to stand with Biden after what they called an honest discussion about his bad performance in last week’s debate.

“The president has always had our backs. We’re going to have his back as well,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association, said Biden’s Thursday night debate performance against former President Trump was bad, but added that he felt Biden was fit for office.

Concerns about Biden’s age and mental acuity exploded after Thursday’s debate with Trump, in which the president mumbled under his breath, lost his train of thought at times and, at one point, talked of beating Medicare. The president has said that he was tired after two foreign trips and the White House has said he had a cold.
Asked Wednesday if Biden was considering stepping down, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: “Absolutely not.”
Soon after she spoke, two national polls suggested Biden’s chances against Trump – who rattled off a series of well-worn falsehoods during the debate – had deteriorated.
A Wall Street Journal survey found Trump beating Biden by a margin of 48% to 42%, up one percentage point, while a New York Times/Siena poll found Trump’s lead over Biden had widened by three points to 49% to 43%.
In a call among House Democrats on Wednesday, Arizona’s Raúl Grijalva called for Biden to drop out of the race while Representative Seth Moulton from Massachusetts pointed to Biden’s age as a liability.

“The unfortunate reality is that the status quo will likely deliver us President Trump,” Moulton said in a statement. “President Biden is not going to get younger.”
While the campaign has highlighted fundraising successes with grassroots donors and held damage control calls with donors, Reed Hastings, a major Democratic Party donor and a co-founder of streaming platform Netflix (NFLX.O), opens new tab, called for Biden to step aside.
Vice President Kamala Harris has meanwhile gained support as his potential replacement.
Dmitri Mehlhorn, an adviser to LinkedIn co-founder and Democratic megadonor Reid Hoffman, told Reuters his team would “enthusiastically support a ticket led by our tough and savvy vice president if Biden were to step aside for any reason.”
Melhorn said Harris was the only serious national contender who had already been subjected to major attacks by Trump’s “Make America Great Again” supporters.
“We would lose Joe’s superpower brand, but we would gain other benefits and would still be competitive,” he said.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-reassure-governors-democratic-kingmaker-floats-mini-primary-if-he-leaves-2024-07-03/

President Joe Biden’s conduct behind closed doors, in the Oval Office, on Air Force One and in meetings around the world is described in the same dual way by those who regularly see him in action.

He is often sharp and focused. But he also has moments, particularly later in the evening, when his thoughts seem jumbled and he trails off mid-sentence or seems confused. Sometimes he doesn’t grasp the finer points of policy details. He occasionally forgets people’s names, stares blankly and moves slowly around the room.

Biden’s occasional struggles with focus may not be unusual for someone his age. But at 81 years old and seeking another four years in the White House, the moments when he’s off his game have taken on a fresh resonance following his disastrous debate performance against Republican Donald Trump. The president appeared pale, gave nonsensical answers, stared blankly and lost his train of thought.

The June 27 faceoff alarmed Democrats and his financial backers, in part, because Biden seemed so much worse than during the almost routine moments when he’s less sharp. And that has raised questions about whether he’s up for a campaign that’s only going to get nastier and whether he can effectively govern for another four years if he wins.

“We understand the concerns. We get it,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this week. But she insisted Biden has no intention of stepping away from the campaign. “The president is clear-eyed and he is staying in the race.”

But there have been other notable signs in recent weeks, from Biden’s constrained itinerary during a recent visit to France to his flat demeanor during a big-dollar Hollywood fundraiser with top stars.

This story is based on interviews with two dozen people who have spent time with the president privately, some of whom were granted anonymity to discuss interactions that were not intended to be public.

“We understand the concerns. We get it,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this week. But she insisted Biden has no intention of stepping away from the campaign. “The president is clear-eyed and he is staying in the race.”

But there have been other notable signs in recent weeks, from Biden’s constrained itinerary during a recent visit to France to his flat demeanor during a big-dollar Hollywood fundraiser with top stars.

This story is based on interviews with two dozen people who have spent time with the president privately, some of whom were granted anonymity to discuss interactions that were not intended to be public.

Missed opportunities to manage the issue
One person who spends time with Biden regularly said there have been visible signs of his aging over the past year that the president’s team has failed to fully address. The debate performance accelerated concerns about what was already a slow-moving problem, even if Biden has offered assurances that he can still effectively govern.

Biden’s advisers have long been aggressively dismissive of questions about his age. But now they’re acknowledging that Biden’s slowdown is undeniable. The debate has forced the president to more frontally acknowledge the limitations of his age, when before he largely made light of it. But they’ve taken only largely cosmetic steps to minimize its prominence in the public eye.

They’ve reduced his use of a long staircase to board Air Force One in favor of a shorter one, and aides often accompany him when he walks in public to make his stiff gait less noticeable. While his schedule remains busy, aides have built-in recovery stretches — long weekends or extended stays in Delaware at his Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach homes or at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland — to rest up after a grueling period of travel.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-election-debate-trump-7c366fda83a697265d9ecc77e8a32fd1

A Singapore court has sentenced a Japanese man to jail and caning for the “brutal and cruel” rape of a university student in 2019.
The 38-year-old hairdresser, Ikko Kita, is set to be the first Japanese national to be caned in the city state, the Japanese embassy in Singapore told BBC News.
He will be caned 20 times and also jailed for 17 and a half years.
Caning is a controversial but widely used form of corporal punishment in Singapore, and is compulsory for offences like vandalism, robbery and drug trafficking.

According to court documents, Kita met the woman at Clarke Quay, a popular nightlife district, in December 2019.

The woman, who was then 20, had not known Kita before. She was intoxicated when he took her to his flat and raped her.

He also filmed the act on his mobile phone and later sent it to a friend.

The victim managed to leave the apartment afterwards and reported the rape to police later that day.

Kita was arrested on the same day and has been in police custody since.

Police found two videos of the rape on his mobile phone.

Justice Aedit Abdullah called the assault “brutal and cruel”, adding that the victim was “vulnerable, clearly drunk, and incapable of looking after herself”.

The judge also dismissed the defence’s argument that the victim had allegedly given an initial indication of consent to sex.

The sentencing has been widely reported in Japan and has also been trending on social media.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0w47x7p39xo

For years, the American Dream – the idea that anyone who works hard and has the will to succeed can attain upward mobility and success – has been a core tenet of American society.

A new poll by YouGov suggests that, for Gen Z, the glitter of the American Dream is fading.

Respondents were asked “Is there such a thing as ‘The American Dream’?” Overall, 60 percent of the 1,119U.S. adult citizens who were consulted for the poll answered: “Yes, there is.” The rest were either unsure or did not believe there was.

Nearly one in three (30 percent) of 18-29-year-olds said: “No, there is not.” 17 percent were unsure, but 52 percent still believed in the concept.

In contrast, the older generation was much more likely to put their faith in the idea. 66 percent were believers in the dream, versus just 17 percent who did not, and 18 percent who said they were not sure.

The ever-increasing cost of both education and housing, as well as worsening inequality in the United States may be some of the underlying factors behind the disillusionment of America’s younger generations.

“The skyrocketing costs of college, the difficulty of climbing onto the property ladder, and surging economic inequality all contribute to the notion that the American dream is dying or dead,” Thomas Gift, associate professor of political science at University College London told Newsweek.

“Data on economic mobility suggest that the correlation between parental income and children’s income is higher in the U.S. than in almost any other advanced, Western democracy.

“That means that the possibilities and rewards for living out the American dream have never been greater for children born into the top percentage of households.

“But for everyone else, attaining economic security looks more challenging for millennials and Generation Z than it has in the past,” he added.

Source: https://www.newsweek.com/gen-z-losing-faith-american-dream-july-4th-poll-1920497

There were 277 passengers on Flight 136, a dozen people were reportedly sickened

A dozen passengers and crew of a Delta Airlines flight reportedly needed treatment for food-related illnesses after being served spoiled food.

Delta Flight 136 was flying from Detroit to Amsterdam overnight Tuesday after leaving at around 11 p.m. It was diverted to New York several hours into the flight.

It was discovered that passengers in the main cabin of the Airbus A330 were served spoiled food. The airline says medical experts recommended the flight be diverted to New York.

The flight was over the eastern coast of northern Canada when it made a 180-turn and headed back to the United States.

The plane landed at JFK Airport in New York City at about 4 a.m. on Wednesday.

“Medical crews met the aircraft to treat any affected passengers and crew members,” the airline said in a statement to HNGN. “Delta’s Food Safety team has engaged our suppliers to immediately isolate the product and launch a thorough investigation into the incident.”

There were 277 passengers on board the plane. Medics treated 12 passengers, the FDNY reported to the Associated Press.

Source: https://www.hngn.com/articles/261850/20240703/transatlantic-delta-flight-diverted-passengers-served-spoiled-food.htm

Forget the silver anniversary; the Beckhams are going amethyst.

Victoria and David Beckham celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary a day early by slipping back into their famous all-purple reception outfits.

“Look what we found… 😅💜,” the former footballer, 49, captioned the pic with his wife, both sitting on the same throne-style chairs they had at their wedding bash.

The couple married in a massive event on July 4, 1999, with Victoria sporting multiple over-the-top looks throughout the day — beginning with her strapless Vera Wang ballgown, which featured a corset by the famed Mr. Pearl and a dramatic 20-foot train.

David wore a matching ivory suit with an ascot for the ceremony before the couple changed into their royal purple looks for the reception at Luttrellstown Castle in Ireland.

Baby Brooklyn Beckham, now 25, even coordinated in a purple onesie and matching cowboy hat of his own.

While it’s unclear if the Beckhams hauled their original outfits out of storage or had new replicas made, fans and friends couldn’t get over how great the couple looked.

“Iconic! I remember this like yesterday!💕,” one commented.

“Good grief David you are like a fine expensive wine that is aging into the best vintage ever known to mankind,” another said, while a third wrote, “Purple Reign haha.”

Andy Cohen was also impressed, writing, “They still fit great!”

Source: https://pagesix.com/2024/07/03/style/victoria-and-david-beckham-pose-in-their-iconic-purple-wedding-outfits-on-25th-anniversary/

Jennifer Lopez once declared she “Ain’t Your Mama,” but it turns out she’s singing a different tune.

The Grammy-nominated singer sent a message to the world this week when she opted to wear an extremely cropped top with the words “JLO BE MY MAMA” emblazoned across her chest while out and about in New York City.

Lopez, 54, had her rock hard abs on display thanks to her barely-there shirt, which she paired with a pink cardigan and low-rise dirty baggy jeans by Acne Studios ($620). She accessorized with a pair of white sneakers and a Dioriviera Lady Dior Bag ($5,200).

The sighting comes as the “Selena” star appeared in a J. Lo Beauty promotional campaign in which she posed without her wedding ring.

Despite being ring-free in the clip, Lopez did wear the bauble for her Coach marketing images that were shared over the weekend; however, it’s unclear when she posed for the photos.

Sources told Page Six exclusively this week that Bennifer 2.0 actually has been “over for months.” Our insiders said the pair have been apart since March, but Affleck is “very protective of Jennifer.”

Other insiders told us earlier this week that the Oscar winner, 51 and “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” performer, 54, have been selling pieces from their art collection after putting their $60 million estate on the market.

We heard collectors and interested buyers were purchasing “art and some pieces” that were “newly on sale” from the manse in early June.

Affleck reportedly moved his belongings out of the home while Lopez attended Paris Fashion Week solo and into a rental property in Brentwood, Calif., where he’s been residing to be closer to his kids.

Source: https://pagesix.com/2024/07/03/style/jennifer-lopez-sends-a-message-in-itty-bitty-crop-top-amid-ben-affleck-marital-woes/

Footage shows members of Brothers of Italy’s young activist arm National Youth making numerous racist, antisemitic, fascist and Nazi statements, while also singing praises to former fascist leader Benito Mussolini

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has emerged as one of the most influential leaders in Europe. The significant success of her far-right party, Brothers of Italy, in the European Parliament elections has bolstered her standing both domestically and internationally. She is increasingly seen as a key figure shaping the continent’s future political landscape.

Tensions in Italy have been high since the start of the week when the Italian news and investigative site FANPAGE published a lengthy exposé featuring hidden camera footage. The videos show members of the “National Youth,” the young activists’ arm of the Brothers of Italy, making numerous racist, antisemitic, fascist, and Nazi statements.
In the footage, several young party members are seen singing praises to former fascist leader Benito Mussolini, giving fascist salutes, and shouting “Sieg Heil” and anti-Black slogans like “Black is beautiful, except when it’s on skin.” Some activists also make antisemitic remarks such as, “I hate the Jewish race. There is the white race, the black race, and the Jewish race, and I despise it.”

Another senior activist is heard expressing disgust over having to write a welcoming message to a Jewish parliament member from their party. Many of the activists shown in the videos hold key positions within the party, including those considered its future leaders.

Feeling the need to address the issue directly, Meloni issued a clear statement in a letter to senior party members. She urged party leaders to “utterly condemn antisemitism, racism, and nostalgia for totalitarian regimes.”

“I am angry and saddened by how we have been portrayed due to the behavior of some of our young members,” Meloni wrote. “There is no place among us for those who attempt to play a role that only serves the narrative our opponents try to create about us. We have no time to deal with those who want to take us backward. I have said it dozens of times, but if necessary, I will say it again: There is no place for racist and anti-Semitic views in the Brothers of Italy, and no place for those who long for the totalitarian regimes of the past century or any form of foolish folklore.”

Source: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1zrurmpr

Polls are to open across the country in the first general election for almost five years.

Millions of people across the UK will head to the polls today to vote in the general election.

A total of 650 parliamentary constituencies are being contested in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with polling stations open from 7am until 10pm.

There are around 40,000 polling stations in the UK and 46 million people are eligible to vote.

This is the first general election where voter ID will be required, after new rules were introduced in 2023.

There are 22 types of identification you can use, including a passport or driving licence.

Boundary changes mean many people will vote in new or different constituencies from the last general election.

When all the votes are counted after the polls close, a party needs 326 seats for a majority in the House of Commons without relying on support from smaller parties.

The last general election was held in 2019, when then prime minister Boris Johnson won 365 seats, giving him an 80-seat majority.

Labour won 202 seats, the SNP 48, the Liberal Democrats 11, the DUP eight, Sinn Fein seven, Plaid Cymru four, the SDLP two, the Alliance party one, and the Greens one.

That was the fourth general election in a row won by the Tories, who also triumphed in 2010, 2015, and 2017.

The last Labour prime minister to win an election was Sir Tony Blair, who led his party to victory in 1997, 2001, and 2005.

This is the first election that Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer are fighting as leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties respectively.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/millions-of-voters-to-head-to-polls-in-uk-general-election-13162469

Hurricane Beryl thrashed Jamaica with heavy winds and rain on Wednesday, killing at least one person after forging a destructive, water-soaked path across smaller Caribbean islands over the past couple days.
The death toll from the powerful Category 4 hurricane climbed to at least 10, but it is widely expected to rise further as communications come back online across drenched islands damaged by flooding and deadly winds.

Nearly a thousand Jamaicans were in shelters by Wednesday evening, Thompson added.

The island’s main airports were closed and streets were mostly empty after Prime Minister Andrew Holness issued a nationwide curfew for Wednesday.

“We can do as much as we can do, as (is) humanly possible, and we leave the rest in the hands of God,” Holness said earlier on Wednesday, urging residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate.

The loss of life and damage wrought by Beryl underscores the consequences of a warmer Atlantic Ocean, which scientists cite as a telltale sign of human-caused climate change fueling extreme weather that differs from past experience.

Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, one of the hardest-hit areas in the eastern Caribbean, said in a radio interview that the country’s Union Island was “flattened” by Beryl.

“Everybody is homeless … It is going to be a Herculean effort to rebuild.”

Speaking to state media, Nerissa Gittens-McMillan, permanent secretary at St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ agriculture ministry, warned of possible food shortages after 50% of the country’s plantain and banana crops were lost, with significant losses also to root crops and vegetables.

Power outages were widespread across Jamaica, while some roads near the coast were washed out.

By Wednesday evening, the eye of the spiraling hurricane was located about 100 miles (161 km) west of Kingston, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), as the storm’s core headed toward the Cayman Islands, where hurricane conditions were expected late tonight.

Beryl is packing maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour (209 kph).

The force of the winds is expected to weaken somewhat in the next day or two, according to the NHC, though it cautioned that Beryl would remain at or near major hurricane strength as it passed the Cayman Islands.
Beryl is expected to dump 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) of rain on the Cayman Islands overnight and into Thursday. Large swells were expected to “cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” the NHC said.
The center added that a hurricane warning was in effect for Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, as well as the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, including for the country’s top beach resort Cancun.
‘ARMAGEDDON-LIKE’
Additional confirmed fatalities so far include at least three din St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a senior official told Reuters, where Union Island has suffered severe destruction of over 90% of buildings.
In Grenada, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell described “Armageddon-like” conditions with no power and widespread destruction, while also confirming three deaths.
In Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro told state television that three people had died and four were missing in the area, along with more than 8,000 homes damaged by torrential rains, including at least 400 destroyed.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was injured by a falling tree on Tuesday as she surveyed an area south of Beryl where intense rainfall caused the Manzanares River in Sucre state to burst its banks, the president confirmed.
The unusually early hurricane strengthened at a record pace, which scientists argue is almost certainly fueled by climate change

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/hurricane-beryl-churns-towards-jamaica-bringing-floods-least-two-reported-killed-2024-07-02/

Hurricane Beryl was roaring by Jamaica Wednesday, bringing fierce winds and heavy rain after the powerful Category 4 storm earlier killed at least seven people and caused significant damage in the southeast Caribbean.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Beryl’s eyewall was “brushing the south coast of Jamaica.”

Wind-whipped rain pounded the island for hours as residents heeded authorities’ call to shelter until the storm had passed. Power was knocked out in much of the capital.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said on Wednesday afternoon that nearly 500 people were placed in shelters.

By evening, he said that Jamaica has not seen the “worst of what could possibly happen.”

“We can do as much as we can do, as humanly possible, and we leave the rest in the hands of God,” Holness said.

Several roadways in the country’s interior settlements were impacted by fallen trees and utility poles, while some communities in the northern section were without electricity, according to the government’s information service.

Kingston resident Pauline Lynch said that she had stockpiled food and water in anticipation of the storm’s arrival. With wind already driving rain, Lynch said, “I have no control over what is coming so I just have to pray that all people of Jamaica is safe and we don’t suffer no deaths, no loss.”

By midday, winds already howled in the capital, turning the sea into churning whitecaps as Beryl’s eye scraped by the island’s southern coast.

“We are very concerned about a wide variety of life threatening impacts in Jamaica,” including storm surge, high winds and flash flooding, said Jon Porter, chief meteorologist at AccuWeather.

Porter called Beryl “the strongest and most dangerous hurricane threat that Jamaica has faced, probably, in decades.”

A hurricane warning was in effect for Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, and the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico from Puerto Costa Maya to Cancun. Beryl was forecast to weaken slightly over the next day or two, but still be at or near major-hurricane strength when it passes near the Cayman Islands on Thursday and into Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula late Thursday or Friday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Jamaica was under a state of emergency as the island was declared a disaster zone hours before the impact of Beryl. Holness said that the disaster zone declaration will remain for the next seven days.

An evacuation order was in place for communities across Jamaica that are prone to flooding and landslides. Holness urged Jamaicans to move away from low-lying areas.

Mexico’s Caribbean coast, meanwhile was preparing for Beryl.

The head of Mexico’s civil defense agency said that Beryl is expected to make a rare double strike on Mexico. Laura Velázquez said the hurricane is expected to make landfall along a relatively unpopulated stretch of the Caribbean coast between Tulum and the inland town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto. Because the coast there is largely made up of lagoons and mangroves, there are few resorts or hotels in the area south of Tulum.

On Wednesday, Mexican government officials moved sea turtle eggs off Cancun beaches in an attempt to protect them from storm surge.

The hurricane is expected to weaken to a tropical storm as it crosses the Yucatan peninsula and reemerge over the weekend at storm strength into the Gulf of Mexico. Velázquez said that Beryl is then expected to hit Mexican territory a second time in the Gulf coast states of Veracruz or Tamaulipas, near the Texas border.

Late Monday, Beryl became the earliest storm to develop into a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic and peaked at winds of 165 mph (270 kph) Tuesday before weakening to a still-destructive Category 4. Late Wednesday night, the storm’s center was about 560 miles (905 kilometers) east-southeast of Tulum, Mexico. It had maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 21 mph (32 kph). Hurricane strength winds extended 45 miles from the center.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-beryl-caribbean-jamaica-cayman-islands-774803fc70e187ea96e7df10f84d8a50