Tories suspend leader at Worcestershire council after he made deal to oust Reform 15. May 2026 (15:00) Adam Kent suspended after Tory councillors joined forces with Greens and Lib Dems to end Reform’s minority controlThe Conservatives have suspended the party’s leader at Worcestershire county council after he made a deal with the Greens and Liberal Democrats to oust Reform.Reform UK gained control of the council a year ago but its tenure has been marked by a series of controversies and political infighting. This included a bitter leadership battle in which the now former Reform councillor Jo Monk was replaced as leader of the council in April. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
A billionaire, a taco, reality TV: the top 4 attack lines in California’s elections 15. May 2026 (15:00) With the primary election less than three weeks away, the gubernatorial and mayoral races have taken a fiery turnSparring on the debate stage, well-timed statements addressing the slightest misstep by an opponent and countless social media jabs: election season is heating up in California’s major primaries.With the primary election less than three weeks away, the gubernatorial and mayoral races have taken a fiery turn as candidates undergo last-ditch efforts to convince voters of their governance chops. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump leaves China without breakthroughs on Iran, Taiwan or AI 15. May 2026 (14:48) US president hails ‘fantastic’ deals, but details remain scarce after pageantry and little progress at much-hyped summit with XiTrump in China – latest updatesDonald Trump left China on Friday after a much-hyped summit of the world’s two major powers that was rich in pageantry and promises of stability, but offered little by way of tangible progress.The US president had gone into the two-day talks with China’s Xi Jinping weakened by his prolonged war in Iran, and did little to change the perception that he and his nation are diminished on the global stage. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
X to block UK access to accounts linked to terrorist groups in Ofcom agreement 15. May 2026 (14:32) Media regulator announces commitments by Elon Musk’s platform to crack down on terrorist and hate contentElon Musk’s X platform has promised to block UK access to accounts linked to banned terrorist groups under an agreement with the communications regulator to crack down on terrorist and hate content.X will also review suspected illegal terrorist and hate content within 48 hours and seek expert advice on how to handle user reports of such content. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Health agency names two schools affected by Berkshire meningitis outbreak 15. May 2026 (14:27) Students from Reading Blue Coat school, and Highdown secondary school and sixth form centre receiving treatmentTwo schools attended by pupils receiving treatment for meningitis have been named amid an outbreak of the infection in Berkshire which has caused the death of a student.The patients attend Reading Blue Coat school and Highdown secondary school and sixth form centre, according to the UK Health Security Agency. Their close contacts have been offered antibiotics as a precaution. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Men in the mirror: Trump and Xi’s suits put ‘chameleon effect’ to test in Beijing 15. May 2026 (14:00) Mirroring of each other’s attire may signal alignment – though the look wasn’t a huge departure for either leaderWhen Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met for a welcome ceremony in Tiananmen Square this week with the world’s gaze on them, they mirrored one another in strikingly similar suits.Both were blue, single-breasted with flap pockets. Both had two buttons with only the top one done up. Both wore red ties. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Minnesota Democratic lawmakers stage sit-in over gun violence protection bill 15. May 2026 (13:33) Representative Samantha Sencer-Mura leads action after Republican speaker rescinds promise to bring bill to vote Democratic state representatives in Minnesota staged an overnight sit-in in their house chamber on Thursday after the Republican speaker failed to put a gun violence prevention bill up for a vote.Samantha Sencer-Mura, a Democratic representative from Minneapolis, first announced the plan on Wednesday from the floor of the state’s house of representatives, giving speaker Lisa Demuth, a candidate for governor, 24 hours to give the bill a vote before the sit-in would start. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UAE to complete second oil pipeline bypassing strait of Hormuz by 2027 15. May 2026 (13:28) State oil company fast-tracks previously undisclosed project, which is expected to double export capacityBusiness live – latest updatesThe United Arab Emirates has announced it will complete a new oil pipeline bypassing the strait of Hormuz by next year to secure its future crude exports against the threat of disruption.The current blockade of the vital waterway, through which 20% of oil and seaborne gas flowed before the Iran war, is approaching the 11-week mark, sending energy prices soaring around the world and throttling Gulf economies. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ebola outbreak kills 65 people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo 15. May 2026 (13:15) Concerns raised that cases were caused by a new strain of the virus as African health officials race to coordinate and contain the infectionAn outbreak of Ebola has killed 65 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to African health officials.There have been 246 suspected cases of the deadly haemorrhagic fever reported so far in Ituri province, which shares borders with Uganda and South Sudan. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
ICE violently arrested a US citizen and filmed it ‘like a documentary’, videos reveal 15. May 2026 (13:00) Exclusive: DHS made social media posts out of a protester’s arrest at gunpoint. Christian Cerna speaks out about the lengthy prosecution that derailed his lifeChristian Cerna, 28, was driving with his partner and their two young children through Los Angeles, when two vehicles rammed his car and a group of men jumped out and trained their guns on them.It was 11 June 2025, and as Cerna exited his vehicle with his hands raised, he realized the masked men weren’t street criminals as he initially feared. They were Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
