UK households free to install plug-in balcony solar panels from end of August

• The United States is increasing its military presence in the Middle East by deploying additional refueling planes and potentially heavy bombers amid escalating hostilities with Iran. • Jordan's National Center for Security & Crises Management reported that the Jordanian army detected and engaged six missiles launched from Iran that entered its airspace.

• President Donald Trump greeted the flag-draped remains of four American service members killed during the conflict with Iran on Wednesday. • The event occurred as Trump dismissed "desperate" calls from Iranian leaders to resume diplomatic negotiations, labeling them as unserious about a meaningful deal.

• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Iran will not surrender to external threats. • The President reaffirmed Tehran's commitment to resolving international disputes through diplomatic channels.

Committee accused of trying to ‘weaponize’ justice system via ‘laughably weak and vindictive criminal referral’Democrats have accused the US House of Representatives judiciary committee of a “baseless” and “vindictive” attack on former special prosecutor Jack Smith after it referred him for criminal prosecution for allegedly lying to Congress over his investigation into Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election.Committee chair Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, wrote to acting US attorney general Todd Blanche on Wednesday night, asserting Smith “made willfully and intentionally false statements of material fact” during testimony about obtaining phone records of a number of Republican lawmakers. Continue reading...

Benchmark rises sharply over fears Houthi militia could strangle Saudi exports as US-Iran fighting intensifiesThe oil price has climbed back above $100 a barrel for the first time in two months, as a fresh escalation of the Middle East conflict threatens to compound disruption to global oil supplies.The benchmark oil price rose sharply on Thursday, after reaching $95 a barrel the day before amid fears that Yemen’s Houthi militia could strangle Saudi oil exports through the Red Sea while US-Iran tensions over oil flows through the strait of Hormuz intensify. Continue reading...

Pioneering study linking noise pollution to Parkinson’s finds 3% increase in risk for every 11.5dB rise in noise levelsLong-term exposure to road traffic noise is associated with a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease, the biggest study of its kind has found.Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder in which parts of the brain become damaged over time, affecting movement and balance. Continue reading...

Exercise for September called off after Kenya raises concerns over funding and jurisdiction for criminal offencesThe British army has been forced to cancel training for its troops in Kenya after the Kenyan government refused to ratify a bilateral defence agreement.While the UK government wanted to renew the existing agreement, Kenyan lawmakers had sought changes to give local authorities greater powers to hold British soldiers accountable for any offences committed in the country. Continue reading...

Concern over US effort to prosecute Sam Tunick, accused by authorities of wiping his phone using GrapheneOSThe US Department of Justice is attempting to prosecute an Atlanta resident in connection with the movement against the police training center known as Cop City because he had GrapheneOS on his phone, an open-source operating system that enables users to enter a passcode and wipe a phone clean.The case, which had its first hearing on Monday, centers on a little-known US federal statute that makes it a crime to destroy property in an effort to prevent it from being seized. Continue reading...

Officials ‘do not know’ how to respond to potential changes to plans to start freeing up to 6,000 offendersUK politics live – latest updatesAndy Burnham’s pledge to review early release plans has created “a sense of chaos” across the Prison Service, probation officers have said.As Whitehall insiders confirmed the prime minister was examining possible exemptions to the law under which offenders will be freed, the Napo probation union said prison officials “do not know” how to respond. Continue reading...

Staley is latest high-profile figure to testify before House amid investigation into Epstein, convicted sex offenderFormer Barclays boss Jes Staley is due to be questioned by US lawmakers on Thursday in a closed-door interview about his past ties to convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Staley, who spent more than three decades at JPMorgan Chase before joining Barclays in 2015, is the latest in a series of high-profile figures to appear in front of the House committee on oversight and reform as part of its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in August 2019 while awaiting trial over child sex-trafficking charges. Continue reading...

The men were convicted over alleged plan to stage coup and organise deadly demonstrations over fuel prices last yearTwo Russian men have been found guilty by an Angolan court of terrorism and spying, after being accused of planning a coup and helping to organise deadly demonstrations in the southern African country last year.Lev Lakshtanov and Igor Ratchin were sentenced to eight and 11 years in jail respectively. They had denied the charges, claiming they were in Angola for cultural and business activities. Continue reading...