The Guardian

Move comes days after supreme court ruling weakened Voting Rights Act protections against racial gerrymandering US politics live – latest updates Tennessee’s Republican-dominated legislature passed redistricting maps on Thursday, eliminating the state’s one Democratic, Black-majority congressional district a week after the US supreme court effectively gutted a major section of the Voting Rights A…

Latest briefings float hope of basic deal that would keep peace and free shipping while further negotiations continue Middle East crisis – live updates The US and Iran are close to a temporary agreement to halt the war in the Middle East, officials in Pakistan claimed on Thursday, as diplomatic activity gathered fresh momentum after a near breakdown of the current ceasefire earlier this week. Off…

Weeks before her death, Annabel Rook, 46, from Stoke Newington, left her sister a voice message about Clifton George’s abusive behaviour The co-founder of a social enterprise who was fatally stabbed by her partner said he was “on the warpath” shortly before she died, in a voice message that was played during a murder trial. Clifton George, 45, is accused of murdering 46-year-old Annabel Rook duri…

Appliance giant slashes earnings forecast and hikes prices by 10% with another 4% spike planned With the war in Iran and economic concerns putting pressure on consumers and how they spend their money, Whirlpool is having to adjust to Americans delaying big-ticket purchases while also raising prices to help stabilize its North American business. The company known for brands such as KitchenAid, May…

President indicated that deal had materialised but truth was that Saudi Arabia had stopped US use of its bases Middle East crisis – live updates When Donald Trump abruptly pulled the plug on “Project Freedom” , the scheme to open the strait of Hormuz, barely a day after it had been announced, he gave the impression that an opportunity for a peace deal had materialised that could not be missed. To…

Prosecution says Rico Gedel attacked Ian Watkins in HMP Wakefield then handed homemade knife to Samuel Dodsworth A prisoner accused of murdering the disgraced former Lostprophets singer told guards they “could be talking to someone famous” after stabbing Ian Watkins in the head and neck with a homemade knife, a court has heard. Rico Gedel carried out the attack on Watkins, who was serving a 29-ye…

The Ultimate Picture Palace opened in 1911 and is housed in a Grade II-listed building in need of renovation The survival of one of the UK’s oldest independent cinemas is under threat while its landlord, the University of Oxford’s Oriel College, refuses to extend its lease to allow vital renovations. The Ultimate Picture Palace in east Oxford opened in 1911, and has entertained generations of stu…

Agency says FBI director ‘followed all applicable ethical guidelines’ in giving out personalized bourbon bottles The FBI said that agency director Kash Patel “followed all applicable ethical guidelines” after a report in the Atlantic alleged that he distributed customized bourbon whiskey bottles as gifts. In an article published on Wednesday, the Atlantic described Patel as travelling with a stoc…

Moscow steps up maritime presence in North Sea after UK threats to seize shadow fleet oil tankers Britain’s Royal Navy tracked and followed a Russian frigate every day last month as it sailed from the Atlantic to the North Sea as Moscow steps up its maritime presence after UK threats to seize shadow fleet oil tankers . The Russian navy’s Admiral Grigorovich escorted six Russia-linked vessels duri…

Chi Leung Wai and Chung Biu Yuen convicted over surveillance of dissidents in ‘shadow policing’ operation A UK Border Force officer and Hong Kong trade official based in London have been found guilty of spying for China and surveilling dissidents through a “shadow policing” operation. Chi Leung “Peter” Wai, 38, and Chung Biu Yuen, 65, also known as Bill, were found guilty at the Old Bailey of ass…

Anant Ambani revives offer to transport 80 animals, all descendants of Colombian drug kingpin’s pets, to India It remains one of the strangest conundrums in modern zoological history – what to do with the descendants of Pablo Escobar’s hippos? The animals – herbivores native to sub-Saharan Africa – were originally imported into Colombia by the drug kingpin for his own entertainment. But the beast…

Facebook and Instagram owner claims charges should not be calculated based on a company’s global revenue Meta has launched a legal challenge against the UK’s media regulator over the fees and fines regime it is enforcing under landmark digital safety legislation. The Facebook and Instagram owner is claiming that Ofcom’s methodology for calculating the charges is flawed and should not be based on …

A group of prominent Senate Democrats sent a letter to FCC chair, Brendan Carr, to protest the commission’s order last week challenging ABC’s licenses A group of prominent Senate Democrats sent a letter on Thursday to Brendan Carr, the Trump-aligned Federal Communications Commission chair, asking him to rescind the US media regulator’s order last week requiring ABC to apply early to renew its tel…

Riyadh told White House it would deny access for operation to provide tankers military escort through strait of Hormuz Middle East crisis – live updates A refusal by Saudi Arabia to allow the US to use its bases and airspace to provide a military escort for oil tankers passing through the strait of Hormuz lay behind Donald Trump’s decision to shelve the plan days after it had been launched. Riyad…

Candidates from across the spectrum report abuse and harassment online and in person in lead-up to local and devolved elections UK politics live – latest updates Candidates and political parties have described a climate of abuse in this year’s local and devolved elections including death threats and intimidation while campaigning. Elections are taking place across councils in England and governme…