‘Enemies of civilization’: top Trump officials launch sweeping attack on left 16. July 2026 (23:09) Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller took aim at only leftwing activism at meeting of 66 nations against political violenceTop Trump officials on Thursday hosted a gathering of 66 nations to discuss the supposed threat of leftwing violence, and launched a series of diatribes, harsh even by the standards of the Trump administration, against leftism.The conference, convened by Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, and attended by Stephen Miller, a top Trump adviser, and Scott Bessent, the treasury secretary, was billed as a “ministerial on the resurgence of political violence”, but the focus was solely on crushing leftist violence. It came as Donald Trump ramps up his efforts to label his political opponents, and a rising number of politicians identified with the Democratic Socialists of America as “communists”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
White House teleprompter operator put on leave over alleged bets on Trump speeches 16. July 2026 (23:04) Karoline Leavitt calls apparent bets on Kalshi prediction platform ‘deeply unfortunate and frankly a disgrace’Donald Trump’s longtime teleprompter operator has been placed on administrative leave, the White House said on Thursday, after reports that he used his position to win $100,000 by placing bets on the president’s speeches using the online prediction market Kalshi.The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said the president had been informed about the situation, which she described as “deeply unfortunate and frankly a disgrace”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Remains of LA millionaire missing since 1981 identified after more than 40 years 16. July 2026 (22:59) After Thelma Gaston disappeared, her companion was convicted of second-degree murderAuthorities in southern California announced this week that, after more than 40 years, they had identified the remains of a Los Angeles millionaire missing since 1981.The Riverside county sheriff confirmed in a statement that investigators, using genetic genealogy and dental records, had determined the remains found in a rugged area near Sugarloaf Mountain were those of Thelma Gaston. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Energy drinks to be banned from sale to under-16s in England 16. July 2026 (20:53) About 100,000 children across the country drink the high-caffeine beverages dailyHigh-caffeine energy drinks “have no place in children’s hands” and will be banned from sale to under-16s in England from April next year under new laws designed to improve health outcomes in young people.About 100,000 children across the country currently drink high-caffeine energy drinks daily, with those in more deprived areas and households more likely to consume them, according to the government. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Continuity Keir’: Burnham keeping on many of Starmer’s No 10 advisers 16. July 2026 (20:46) Lack of change in key roles could mean next week’s policy announcements may lack radicalism many hoped forAndy Burnham’s Downing Street operation is beginning to take shape, with many of Keir Starmer’s aides due to remain at the centre of government.The incoming prime minister has now picked most of the senior No 10 jobs, according to those who have been involved in the process, and the names of several key staff were confirmed on Thursday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Political crisis and protests in Ukraine as Zelenskyy defends sacking defence minister 16. July 2026 (20:25) President says he had to choose ‘one side or the other’ after breakdown of relations between ministry and military leadersUkraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has defended his decision to dismiss the country’s popular defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, and confirmed reports that relations had broken down between the ministry and the country’s top army leadership.Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv with the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, Zelenskyy said there had been a “challenging dialogue” between Fedorov – widely seen as a reformist and moderniser – and the military’s commander in chief, Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
A House vote makes it clear: Israel’s support among Democrats is starting to buckle 16. July 2026 (20:19) More than 100 Democrats voted to cut military aid to Israel as US public opinion shifts – Republicans are noticing tooSomewhere in the days before Wednesday’s vote, Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, sat down and wrote his caucus a letter urging Democrats to reject an amendment that would strip security assistance to Israel. For most of his tenure as Democratic leader, that kind of internal whipping operation would have been unnecessary, because the outcome would have been assumed.His own second-in-command voted the other way anyway. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Vodafone settles legal claim brought by 62 former franchisees 16. July 2026 (20:15) Agreement, without admission of liability, ends 19-month high court dispute that small-business owners said left them with large debtsVodafone has settled a long-running legal claim filed by 62 of its former franchisees who alleged the mobile phone group “unjustly enriched” itself at their expense by up to £85m.The small-business owners – some of whom said they had suffered suicidal thoughts because of the pressure exerted by the telecoms group – launched the high court claim in 2024 after running up large personal debts they said had been caused by their deals with the company. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Uber driver who killed dog walker is also found guilty of trying to murder his landlord 16. July 2026 (20:10) Dawood Safi, 28, mounted a ‘frenzied’ and deadly rampage while in the grip of a psychotic episodeAn Uber driver who stabbed a dog walker to death in a “frenzy of violence” while in the grip of a psychotic episode has also been found guilty of trying to murder his landlord.Dawood Safi, 28, killed 49-year-old Wayne Broadhurst in the random knife attack last October, just minutes after attacking his landlord, Shahzad Farrukh, and a boy of 14. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Largest landlord in the US accused of civil rights violations 16. July 2026 (20:09) Fair housing complaints accuse Greystar of refusing to take tenants who use federal rent vouchersGreystar, the largest owner and manager of apartments in the US, systematically flouts local laws designed to make housing affordable to the poor, according to civil rights complaints filed with authorities in six states and the District of Columbia.The complaints – filed this week with government agencies in California, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia and Washington DC – accuse Greystar of 114 violations of state and DC fair housing laws. They allege that the company refuses to accept federal housing choice vouchers (also known as Section 8) in places that require landlords to accept them. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
