House Republicans resurrect Save America Act by adding it to spending bill 15. July 2026 (23:17) Effort is latest attempt to pass bill that seeks to ban mail-in ballots and imposes voter identification requirementsHouse Republicans on Wednesday made another attempt to answer Donald Trump’s demand for new restrictions on voting nationwide by linking the measure to an unrelated spending bill and passing both largely along party lines.The effort was the latest attempt by congressional Republicans to pass the Save America Act, which would ban mail-in ballots and impose new identification requirements on voters when they register and cast ballots. While the Trump administration has cast the bill as necessary to prevent non-citizens from voting and combat election fraud, voting rights advocates say there’s no evidence of widespread election tampering and warn the bill could disenfranchise swaths of eligible voters ahead of November’s midterm elections. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Mexico asks US state attorneys general to investigate immigrant ICE deaths 15. July 2026 (22:58) Since start of Trump’s second term, 14 Mexican immigrants have died in ICE custody and three in agency operationsMexico formally requested that US state attorneys general criminally investigate cases of immigrants who have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody or during raids, the Mexican government said Tuesday.The request follows the death of Mexican immigrant Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Houston. Since the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term, 17 Mexican immigrants have died during immigration enforcement, 14 in ICE custody and three in agency operations. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismisses Ukraine’s popular defence minister 15. July 2026 (22:47) Mykhailo Fedorov, credited with transforming the ministry, ousted in reshuffle after six months in postVolodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Ukraine’s popular defence minister, despite pleas from foreign partners and civil society for him to keep his job, as part of wide-ranging government reshuffle.In a post on Telegram Mykhailo Fedorov announced that he was leaving his position, saying it had been a “great honour” to serve the Ukrainian people. He was widely credited with transforming the defence ministry and reducing corruption. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Maltese politicians ‘involved’ in plot to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia, court hears 15. July 2026 (21:58) Former economy minister Chris Cardona and ex-chief of staff Keith Schembri named as being involved in 2017 murder of journalistTwo political figures who previously held powerful government roles in Malta were accused of plotting to kill the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia during court testimony on Wednesday.The allegations, against a former economy minister and a former chief of staff to the prime minister, were made during a chaotic day at the courts of justice in Valletta, where the businessman Yorgen Fenech is on trial for ordering the assassination of Caruana Galizia in 2017. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Police charge 14-year-old boy over alleged terror plot targeting London mosques 15. July 2026 (21:32) ‘Documents of concern’ found at child’s home in the capital, with no other suspects soughtA 14-year-old boy from south London has been charged with an offence linked to “extreme rightwing terrorism” after a police search uncovered an alleged plot to target two mosques.The boy was arrested on 9 July on suspicion of criminal damage to a vehicle, but officers dispatched to his address found “a number of documents of concern” during a search, according to the Metropolitan police. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Shabana Mahmood expected to be named Andy Burnham’s chancellor 15. July 2026 (20:52) The home secretary is the frontrunner for the role ahead of ‘risky’ Ed Miliband, according to senior Labour figuresShabana Mahmood has emerged as the frontrunner to become Andy Burnham’s chancellor after a fierce briefing war over the prospect of Ed Miliband being appointed to the powerful role.Senior Labour figures with knowledge of Burnham’s thinking told the Guardian they expected the home secretary to be moved to the Treasury amid concerns that Miliband would become a target for criticism of the government. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Germany warns US against election interference after it announces grants scheme 15. July 2026 (20:45) State department says initiative will provide funding to ‘address sovereignty, migration, censorship and lawfare’Friedrich Merz has warned Donald Trump’s administration against interfering in German elections after the US state department announced a scheme to fund Maga-aligned causes in Europe.The German chancellor was responding to a new US initiative offering grants of up to $3m (£2.2m) for European charities, thinktanks and individuals. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Jude Bellingham lookalikes compete for a £1,966 Deliveroo voucher 15. July 2026 (20:28) The match-winning England striker is ‘a good ambassador for young people’, says one contestantAll together now, with arms in the air: One Jude Bellingham, there’s only one Jude Bellingham …Unless, that is, you happened to find yourself in Shoreditch, east London, on Wednesday, where a dozen young men who looked vaguely like the England midfielder gathered for a lookalike contest almost as competitive as the one currently continuing in the US. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Andy Burnham signals a wealth tax is off the agenda for now 15. July 2026 (20:09) Incoming prime minister says he doesn’t want to ‘create new divisions’ as Mahmood is tipped to be chancellorAndy Burnham has signalled that he will not increase wealth taxes immediately after becoming prime minister, easing concerns among the business community but limiting his economic room for manoeuvre.He said on Wednesday he did not want to “create new divisions” with his tax policy, in comments that allies said were a sign that he did not intend to raise money by taxing wealth. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump rails against New York’s statewide datacenter moratorium 15. July 2026 (20:05) AI-friendly president shared a post saying governor Kathy Hochul should scrap the one-year policy ‘IMMEDIATELY’Donald Trump railed against the New York governor, Kathy Hochul, for pausing the construction of large new datacenters, the resource-intensive facilities that power artificial intelligence.New York became the first US state to enact a moratorium on new datacenters on Tuesday, when Hochul signed an executive order mandating a one-year statewide pause on so-called “hyperscale” datacenters. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
