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Massie: Hegseth is breaking law with Iran war
Republican Representative Thomas Massie accused Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth of breaking the law by continuing US military operations against Iran without congressional authorisation. He argued that the administration is wrongly treating a brief ceasefire as dividing the conflict into two separate wars, a distinction that could affect statutory limits on unauthorised hostilities. Massie’s comments followed…
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World chess chief faces endgame after EU announces Russia war sanctions
Arkady Dvorkovich, president of the International Chess Federation (Fide), has suspended his duties after being included in the EU’s latest sanctions package over Russia’s war in Ukraine. The former Russian deputy prime minister faces an EU travel ban and asset freeze, creating uncertainty over Fide’s leadership and potentially weakening Russia’s long-standing influence in international chess.…
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Film Commissions Step Up Role to Accelerate Growth In Central America and the Caribbean
The Ibero-American Film Commission Network (IBEROFIC) has increased its focus on Central America and the Caribbean by attending the Costa Rica Media Market for the first time. The move aims to strengthen film commissions, encourage international production and build a more connected regional audiovisual industry. The market was held in San José on 14-15 July…
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IOC says Infantino complaint outside its scope
The International Olympic Committee has said it will not investigate Fifa president Gianni Infantino over claims that he breached political-neutrality rules, judging the complaint to be outside its ethics commission’s remit. The case has drawn attention because US President Donald Trump said he contacted Infantino during the World Cup about Folarin Balogun’s red card, after…
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Scoff at cheaper bus fares and No 10 North if you like, but Andy Burnham knows what he’s doing | Jonathan Freedland
Andy Burnham’s new government has announced a £2 cap on single bus fares across England from January, presenting it as an immediate measure to ease pressure on household budgets. Jonathan Freedland argues that such practical, easily understood policies can build lasting public support, drawing a comparison with Ken Livingstone’s popular 1981 “Fares Fair” reductions in…
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Prison staff asked to warn of any prison unrest due to delays in releases
The government has asked prison staff to report any emerging “stability issues” after pausing planned early prisoner releases, amid concern that disappointment and uncertainty could trigger unrest in jails. The decision highlights the tension between prioritising public safety and managing severe prison overcrowding. The reforms had been due to begin on 2 September and could…
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As US weighs response to Chinese AI, industry urges against broad open-weight restrictions
Several major AI companies have urged US policymakers not to introduce broad restrictions on open-weight AI models while Washington considers how to respond to alleged intellectual-property theft by Chinese AI labs. The letter argues that any action should distinguish unlawful extraction from closed models from legitimate uses of model distillation, warning that sweeping rules could…
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Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed accused Trump of inciting terrorism over Whitmer kidnapping plot
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is reported to have accused Donald Trump of inciting terrorism during a 2020 interview about the foiled plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The remarks have resurfaced amid scrutiny of El-Sayed’s political rhetoric, highlighting the continuing dispute over whether political leaders bear responsibility for extremist violence. El-Sayed reportedly described…
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US Masters Swimming competitor says her grievance for trans athlete comments has been resolved
Angie Griffin, a competitor with US Masters Swimming, says an unsportsmanlike-conduct grievance filed against her for referring to a transgender athlete as “a man” has now been resolved in her favour. The complaint had left her uncertain for eight months over whether she might be expelled from the organisation, highlighting ongoing tensions within amateur sport…
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Nigeria’s president approves largest military expansion in recent times
President Bola Tinubu has approved Nigeria’s largest recent military expansion, authorising 28,000 additional soldiers and four new army divisions to address persistent violence by jihadists, separatists and kidnapping gangs. The move matters because insecurity remains widespread despite recent military successes, placing the government under pressure to improve protection for civilians. The expansion will raise the…