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Thousands of websites taken down for illegal World Cup streams
Almost 3,000 websites have been blocked or seized for illegally streaming World Cup matches, in a joint crackdown by US and South American authorities. The US Department of Justice said the action, carried out under investigations dubbed “Operation Offsides” and “Operation Red Card”, demonstrates a commitment to protecting intellectual property rights amid what analysts describe…
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EXCLUSIVE: Ousted DHS counterterrorism chief sues millionaire ex over alleged sugar daddy smear campaign
A former senior Department of Homeland Security official has filed a defamation lawsuit against her wealthy ex-boyfriend, alleging he orchestrated a “sugar daddy” media smear campaign that led to her being publicly sidelined and effectively ended her counterterrorism career. Julia Varvaro, 29, who served as DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism, claims her ex weaponised…
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Johnson has three-word answer on whether House will leave early
House Speaker Mike Johnson has said Republicans will not leave Washington for the August recess until they complete a heavy end-of-week workload, despite doubts over whether the party can secure enough votes to advance key legislation. This matters because it signals Johnson’s determination to push through contentious fiscal measures even amid internal GOP divisions, potentially…
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Birth tourism fight shifts to US ‘tropical maternity ward’ with history of Chinese exploitation
The debate over birthright citizenship in the United States has expanded to the country’s Pacific territories, with lawmakers introducing new legislation aimed at closing what they describe as a birth tourism loophole. Republican Rep. Morgan Griffith has proposed a bill targeting birthright citizenship specifically in US territories, while Senator Jim Banks has separately put forward…
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Bill Maher says it’s ‘so stupid’ for anti-Trump artists to bail on Kennedy Center performances
Bill Maher has criticised musicians and artists who have pulled out of Kennedy Center performances in protest at Donald Trump’s involvement with the venue, calling the move “stupid”. The comedian and talk show host made the comments after himself accepting the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour, a leading honour presented at the Kennedy Center,…
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Cast shake-up ahead of second Scrubs revival season
The ABC revival of “Scrubs” has confirmed several cast changes ahead of its second season, which is also the eleventh season of the show overall. Ava Bunn, who played Dr Sam Tosh in the first revival season, has been promoted to series regular, while X Mayo and Joel Kim Booster, who played Nurse Pippa Raymond…
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Family identifies young woman found fatally shot in home owned by Rep Ayanna Pressley’s husband
Family members identified the young woman found fatally shot inside a Boston property owned by Rep. Ayanna Pressley's husband as police continue investigating.
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Merger deal between Paramount and Warner Bros paused by judge
A US federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order halting Paramount Skydance’s proposed $110bn (£85bn) merger with Warner Bros Discovery, following a lawsuit brought by a coalition of 12 US states. The states, including California and New York, argue the tie-up would harm competition and push up prices for cinemas, cable distributors and audiences.…
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Britain’s ‘Leaning Tower of Pisa’ church is set to lose famous wonky spire over ‘serious structural issues’
A historic English church renowned for its dramatically twisted spire, often likened to Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa, is set to lose the crooked feature after inspectors identified serious structural problems. The spire’s unusual lean has long made the church a notable tourist attraction and local landmark, so its removal would mark a significant change…