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Speaker Mike Johnson hints at career move into landscaping if Democrats take the House after crucial midterms
House Speaker Mike Johnson joked that, if Republicans lose their narrow House majority in the November midterms, he could return to Louisiana and start a lawn-care business. The remark came as he campaigns to help Republicans retain control and has raised money for candidates, amid signs Democrats may gain ground. Johnson said he had raised…
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Senate rivals clash as El-Sayed rejects Iran-Israel threat comparison
Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers clashed sharply in their first Michigan Senate debate, trading harsh personal insults as they compete for the seat vacated by Gary Peters. El-Sayed refused to rank Iran and Israel as threats, dismissing the comparison as “ridiculous,” whilst Rogers attacked his opponent’s background and campaign credibility. The race…
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Hegseth says Hasan’s scheduled execution will be made public
The Pentagon has confirmed that Nidal Hasan’s scheduled execution will be livestreamed, after Pete Hegseth said the government would make it public. Hegseth said viewers should understand the consequences of attacks on service members; the broadcast would be the first public execution in the US since 1937. Hasan, a former Army major, was sentenced to…
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US prosecutors seek indictment of former aide Cassidy Hutchinson for alleged perjury
US federal prosecutors are seeking a criminal indictment against Cassidy Hutchinson, the 29-year-old former White House aide, on perjury charges for allegedly lying to Congress about President Trump’s conduct during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The case marks a striking reversal, with Trump’s Department of Justice now pursuing criminal charges against the very witness…
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Georgia detainees used video calls to report harsh conditions and alleged reprisals
Four detainees at the Folkston ICE Processing Center in Georgia used its video-calling system to describe harsh conditions and what they say is a dysfunctional immigration court system keeping people in custody for months or years. The video drew attention to the costs and limits detainees face when contacting people outside, and to concerns that…
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Young Spaniards protest as investment firms fuel housing crisis
Hundreds of young Spaniards are camping in Madrid’s central square to protest against the country’s housing crisis, which they attribute to investment firms and “vulture funds” buying properties and sharply raising rents. The movement was sparked by the case of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal, who was evicted by an investment firm after being unable to pay…
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Trump makes astonishing U-turn with new vow not to attack Iran before midterms as he insists blockade remains in ‘full force’
Donald Trump says the United States will not launch strikes against Iran before the midterm elections on 3 November, despite reports that the Pentagon was preparing new attack options. The statement signals a pause in possible military escalation while talks remain stalled, as the conflict has driven up global oil prices and fuel costs for…
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Molly Russell death blamed on Instagram; fatal Snapchat crash; Israel downgrades UK
Ian Russell will warn cinemas of Instagram’s role in his daughter Molly’s death. A mother-of-two has been jailed for a fatal Snapchat-distracted crash, while Israel downgrades Britain’s consulate in Jerusalem.
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Anthropic adds ban on persistent, needless cruelty towards Claude
Anthropic has updated Claude’s usage policy for the first time in more than a year, adding an explicit ban on sustained, needless abusive or cruel behaviour towards the chatbot. The restriction is intended for extreme cases where users repeatedly act cruelly without a discernible purpose; ordinary frustration, disagreement, dark creative themes, testing and research are…
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Trump administration says Microsoft ‘abused’ worker visa program and is cutting off access
The Trump administration is suspending Microsoft and several other technology companies from a programme used by employers seeking to hire foreign workers who may become permanent US residents. Vice President JD Vance accused Microsoft of abusing the system, which is intended for jobs without enough available US workers, as part of a wider administration crackdown…