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Ed Sheeran breaks down amid backlash over Macklemore’s removal
Ed Sheeran’s US tour became caught up in controversy when his support act Macklemore used his performance slots to deliver pro-Palestine speeches. Billionaire businessman Robert Kraft, a Jewish friend of Sheeran’s, banned Macklemore from performing at his Gillette Stadium venue, citing hate speech concerns. The dispute escalated when other support acts withdrew in protest, prompting…
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Saudi billionaire landowner joins furious villagers at war with developers over 13 ‘XXL mega-sheds’ which will swallow six MILLION sq ft of countryside
Saudi billionaire Wafic Said, an 86-year-old Syrian-born businessman and former Conservative donor, has joined residents of Stoke Lyne in Oxfordshire in opposing plans for 13 enormous warehouse developments on greenfield land beside the M40. The logistics companies Tritax Big Box and Albion Land are appealing against Cherwell District Council’s refusal to grant planning permission, in…
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Trump gives Iran choice of peace talks or military action
President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly, presenting Iran with a choice between negotiating a peace deal or facing potential military strikes, using language about potentially “annihilating” the Islamic Republic. This ultimatum approach reflects his foreign policy strategy of coercive diplomacy—threatening overwhelming force whilst keeping negotiations open. The conflict matters significantly because it…
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Morocco election shaped by youth disillusionment, Ceuta, football and Israel
Morocco’s parliamentary election is being shaped by young people’s frustration over unemployment, living costs, healthcare and limited political influence. The mass migration to Ceuta, recent Gen Z protests and anti-Israel sentiment have exposed deep disillusionment, although the vote’s impact is constrained by the monarchy’s continued control over major policy decisions. Twenty-seven parties are competing for…
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Saudi Arabia’s new Exobot EVs make the Cybertruck look normal
Saudi Arabian startup Ceer has unveiled two highly angular electric vehicles, the Exobot sedan and SUV, marking an ambitious attempt to establish the country as an electric-car producer. The vehicles are intended to attract attention with dramatic, science-fiction-inspired designs, and are expected to go on sale in Saudi Arabia from 2027. Ceer plans to introduce…
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Israel FA comments on Hallgrimsson ‘unacceptable’ – Irish taoiseach Martin
Irish taoiseach Micheál Martin has condemned the Israel Football Association’s remarks about Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson as “unacceptable” and called for them to be withdrawn. The dispute follows Hallgrímsson’s comments describing Ireland’s forthcoming matches against Israel as playing “against genocide”, amid continuing controversy over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The teams are due…
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Trump reports positive three-hour US-Iran talks amid rising oil prices
Donald Trump said US and Iranian officials held a three-hour meeting at the UN General Assembly in New York, describing it as “very good” and suggesting further talks were planned. The discussions reportedly focused on ending the nearly seven-month US-Iran conflict, as Washington faces pressure from worsening tensions and sharply rising oil prices. Trump said…
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Trump calls for US documents to adopt term super intelligence
Donald Trump said the United States would refer to artificial intelligence as “super intelligence”, or “SI”, arguing that “artificial” makes the technology sound fake. During a speech at the UN General Assembly, he called for the new term to be used in US government documents and possibly internationally, while acknowledging uncertainty over his authority to…
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Iranian student facing execution appeals for justice from prison
Najmeh Amini, a 23-year-old Iranian accounting student, has reportedly been sentenced to death after taking part in anti-government protests. From prison, she issued a leaked voice message asking the public, lawyers, human rights groups and the United Nations to investigate her case, saying she wants justice and the chance to defend herself. Amini has reportedly…
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Greens at war over Gaza as Polanski struggles to stop activists pushing for destruction of Israel
Green Party leader Zack Polanski is opposing a proposed conference motion declaring Zionism racist and backing a single democratic Palestinian state across historic Palestine. He has described the proposal as a distraction and argued that the party should focus on justice and equality for both Palestinians and Israelis, while ensuring Jewish members are not excluded…