‘Americans will be less safe’: alarm as Trump picks loyalist as intelligence chief 02. June 2026 (20:50) Bill Pulte, who does not have any national intelligence experience, is nicknamed ‘Little Trump’ among some Donald Trump’s decision to appoint Bill Pulte as the acting director of national intelligence has set off alarm bells in Washington, as a staunch Trump loyalist with little government experience who has shown an eagerness to retaliate against the president’s political rivals will now sit atop the US intelligence apparatus.Pulte, whose grandfather started PulteGroup, a major residential homebuilder, had no government experience before Trump appointed him to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), an under-the-radar regulator that oversees the government lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Shortly after arriving at the agency, he began to gut it, firing sizable chunks of the boards of both and appointing himself as chair. Pulte had no government experience before being appointed to the role and does not have national intelligence experience. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Democrats who marched in New York’s Israel Day parade decry attendance of far-right minister Smotrich 02. June 2026 (20:44) Politicians who attended march seek to distance themselves from Smotrich, reflecting difficulty facing pro-Israel Democrats as voter support for country fallsUS politics live – latest updatesSeveral prominent New York Democrats who participated in the city’s annual Israel Day parade on Sunday have condemned the participation of Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right Israeli finance minister and a leading figure in the Israeli settler movement, in the event.Smotrich was among several Israeli lawmakers and cabinet officials who marched in the parade on Sunday. His appearance marked his first trip to the US in more than a year, and came less than month after he said the international criminal court (ICC) was seeking an arrest warrant against him. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Catholic priest who was convicted of sexual assault in Texas sentenced to 99 years in prison 02. June 2026 (20:25) Anthony Odiong faced up to life in prison for exploiting his spiritual authority as a clergyman for sex with his congregantsA Roman Catholic priest who was convicted recently of criminal clergy sexual assault in Texas has been sentenced to 99 years in prison.Anthony Odiong, 57, received the punishment from a jury at a state courthouse in Waco on Tuesday after some witnesses described his sexually inappropriate behavior going back more than a decade. Character witnesses on behalf of Odiong, meanwhile, advocated for him to get probation, saying he could follow such an arrangement’s rules – such as living near Waco and not committing additional crimes – despite feloniously breaking his priestly vows of chastity. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Why Benjamin Netanyahu poses an obstacle to US and Iran peace deal 02. June 2026 (20:15) Prime minister under pressure to show his campaigns against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran have brought results as he faces elections with his political survival at riskIf there is to be a peace deal between United States and Iran, it will have to go through a familiar obstacle: Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel’s military operations in Lebanon have become a sticking point in the talks for a potential opening of the strait of Hormuz – once again testing the volatile alliance between Donald Trump and Netanyahu.This time, the Israeli prime minister is under exceptional pressure to show that his campaigns against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran have brought results as he faces elections with his political survival at risk. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
White House correspondents’ dinner rescheduled for July after shooting 02. June 2026 (20:14) Trump, who was swiftly evacuated from April gala after incident, confirmed his attendance at summer eventThe White House correspondents’ dinner will be rescheduled for 24 July after the Washington event was abruptly cancelled this spring following a shooting.Donald Trump, who was swiftly evacuated from the gala following the incident on 25 April, has pledged to attend a rescheduled event. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Israel strikes southern Lebanon despite Trump’s effort to shore up ceasefire 02. June 2026 (20:11) Warplanes carry out dozens of airstrikes and Israeli army issues evacuation warning for city of NabatiyehIsraeli warplanes have launched dozens of strikes across southern Lebanon despite a new agreement supposedly brokered by Donald Trump aiming to bolster the tattered ceasefire in Lebanon.The US president said on Monday that he had stopped an imminent Israeli strike on Beirut and that he had spoken to Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and representatives of Hezbollah and both agreed that “all shooting will stop”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Cricket Canada suspended over allegations of gang-linked corruption 02. June 2026 (20:10) ICC’s decision comes amid growing concerns the team is being influenced by members of a notorious gang in IndiaCricket’s international governing body has suspended Canada over what it described as “serious breaches of its membership obligations”, dealing the latest blow to an organization that critics say has become a “laughing stock” within the sport.The suspension also comes amid growing concerns that one of Canada’s fastest-growing sports is being influenced by members of a notorious gang that operates with impunity from an Indian prison cell. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Michelle Obama: white men do not have to worry about impostor syndrome 02. June 2026 (19:44) Former US first lady says she has sat ‘at every powerful table’ and not met a single white man with such doubtsWhite men do not have to worry about impostor syndrome, according to Michelle Obama, who said she had sat “at every powerful table there is” and not found one who admitted feeling such self-doubt.The former US first lady told SXSW London that she wanted to “demystify” what it was like to sit in elite meetings, which she said were often populated by people from diverse backgrounds who felt like outsiders. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Faced with being outflanked by those to his right, Farage seeks to channel public anger 02. June 2026 (19:43) As ethnonationalist far right drives racist agenda, Reform UK leader felt need to weigh in on murder of Henry NowakThe full horror of Henry Nowak’s last moments was only just sinking in on the morning after the release of police footage showing him pleading for help when Reform UK served notice that its leader would be making an “emergency address”.Appearing via a live stream from a location with fields in the background, Nigel Farage paid tribute to the “extraordinarily dignified” response of the Nowak family, before wading in with remarks of his own. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Corrupt Liverpool prison worker jailed for smuggling drugs and sending sex texts to inmates 02. June 2026 (19:41) Helen Spree, 63, headed prison watchdog and was said to have become besotted with killer Dylan Westall, 35A corrupt prison watchdog boss who billed herself “the prisoners’ Deliveroo” has been jailed for five years after admitting sending sexual messages to a killer inmate and smuggling drugs.Helen Spree, 63, was the head of the independent monitoring board (IMB) for HMP Liverpool when she engaged in illicit chats with prisoners over a 20-month period. Spree was said to have become besotted with Dylan Westall, 35, who was serving a life sentence for manslaughter for shooting a teenager in the head. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
