Father Dionysios Tabakis says his views are those of the Orthodox church ‘nothing more, nothing less’A Greek Orthodox priest whose home-recorded album of drone metal and religious dubstep has made him a cult figure in experimental music circles has issued a statement in which he has clarified his stance on homosexuality and the Greek radical right.“As can be seen from my musical expression, I am in favour of unity, love, empathy and help for every needy, wronged and suffering person in life,” Father Dionysios Tabakis said in a public statement shared with the Guardian. “Whoever they are, whatever they believe, whether they are a saint or a sinner.” Continue reading...
• CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly warned Russia against attacking NATO member countries during a recent diplomatic visit to Moscow.
• The Kremlin has dismissed these reports as "scare stories," while the Pentagon policy chief prepares for an upcoming meeting with the NATO secretary general.
• Separately, House Judiciary Committee Democrats have requested records from Omeed Malik and Christopher Buskirk regarding their firm's investments and government communications.
Mosquito traps are set up at Germany’s biggest airport, with doctors told to watch for symptoms of deadly diseaseGerman health officials are seeking to reassure the public after two workers at the country’s biggest airport died of malaria.Mosquito traps have been set up at Frankfurt airport and a mosquito monitoring process is under way. A detailed investigation is being conducted to clarify how the workers contracted the disease. Continue reading...
As the US president struggles to end his Iran war, and approval ratings hit new lows, he leans on a familiar gambitDonald Trump knows the power of an image – of himself, with everyone from Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un to Kim Kardashian. How about George Washington?As the US president struggles to end his war with Iran, and with his approval ratings hitting the lowest levels of his second term, he has in recent weeks posted a series of AI-generated images of himself alongside key historical American figures. Continue reading...
Kremlin dismisses US media reports after meeting as ‘scare stories’, as Pentagon policy chief prepares to meet Nato secretary generalHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.A trip by the CIA director to Moscow this week was to warn Russia against any attack on Nato member states, US media reported, after Donald Trump attempted to downplay the visit.Two dozen mainly Democratic‑led states filed a fresh lawsuit to block Donald Trump’s executive order restricting mail voting in this year’s midterm elections.Lawyers for Lisa Cook wrote to the White House on Wednesday, rejecting a new attempt to force the Federal Reserve governor to resign for allegedly listing two properties as her primary residence on mortgage applications. The letter goes on to detail the numerous other individuals who have made the same mistake on mortgage forms, starting with Trump.The chief spokesperson for the US Secret Service and two other communications staffers are under investigation for “potential misconduct” and have been suspended, according to the agency and media reports.A geography professor alleges in a lawsuit filed this week in federal court in Manhattan that he was fired from his tenured position at the US Military Academy at West Point “because he taught that humans influenced climate change”.The US army announced on Wednesday that it has awarded to $2.2bn to five contractors “to own, construct and operate nuclear microreactors on military installations” in five states. Continue reading...
Former building commissioner David Chandler told inquiry of clashes with ‘loud and overbearing’ developer Jean NassifGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA fugitive Sydney developer allegedly warned the then-New South Wales building commissioner that he would “harm” him if he got in the way of his projects which were being inspected for defects, the corruption watchdog has heard.Giving evidence to the Independent Commission against Corruption on Thursday, David Chandler described an interaction he had with Toplace developments’ Jean Nassif. Continue reading...
Entire populated areas swept away with early death toll standing at 165 and nationals from India, US, UK, Australia and Canada known to be missingFollow latest updates liveTell us: have you been affected by the flash floods?A glacial collapse triggered the catastrophic flash flood in Nepal and Tibet that roared down valleys, wiping out entire villages and leaving a preliminary death toll of at least 165 people, the US Geological Survey said. Rescuers on Thursday raced to locate the hundreds missing, including nationals from India, the US, UK, Australia and Canada.Terrifying videos from the event on Wednesday showed a massive wall of water crashing down on the border as people attempted to flee. Trucks were upended and houses, roads and power projects swept away in Nepal, while officials in Tibet said they feared “major casualties” after a mudslide hit a border land crossing. Continue reading...
At least 160 people have died, while officials believe 340 foreign nationals from India, the US, UK, Australia, Malaysia and Ukraine among those missing. Follow the latest newsFlash floods on Nepal-Tibet border leave scores dead and hundreds missingTell us: have you been affected by the flash floods?Authorities in Nepal and Tibet have said they fear the death toll from catastrophic flooding could be much higher than 160 people already killed, as search and rescue efforts to locate the hundreds missing continue.A huge wall of mud and rock collapsed into a river on the Himalayan border of Nepal and Tibet on Wednesday, triggering the flash flood which washed away houses, roads and border crossings.Rescue teams are rushing on Thursday to find hundreds of people missing after the flood and landslides killed at least 160 people. Many of the missing were foreign tourists, officials said.Nepali police said they had recovered 157 bodies after “devastating floods”, with officers working to move families in flood-risk areas to safety. Chinese state media reported “major casualties” from a mudslide at a Tibet border hub, reporting three dead and another 265 missing. The overall death toll appears likely to rise.Tibet government officials mobilised nearly 800 emergency workers and 150 vehicles as well as sniffer dogs and speed boats to help the rescue efforts, China’s official Xinhua news agency said.At least 403 tourists – 341 of them foreigners – were unaccounted for several hours after the disaster struck on Wednesday morning, according to Nepal’s tourism ministry. The missing foreigners included 142 Indians, 33 from the UK, 47 from the US, 34 from Australia and 24 from Canada as well as others from South Korea, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Portugal and South Africa, the tourism board said. Nine South Koreans were missing, the country’s foreign ministry said.At least 28 Nepal police officials were missing, a police spokesperson said.Entire villages and markets were “wiped out”, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said. It was dispatching emergency supplies including blankets, first aid kits, stretchers and body bags.United Nations chief António Guterres said UN teams and partners were mobilising supplies and personnel in Nepal to support affected communities.Surveillance video from the Chinese side of the border showed a raging wall of mud and debris crashing over a building several storeys high, engulfing it as dozens of people flee for their lives below. The surge sweeps away buses and cars.Experts warned that a lingering blockage upstream on the Nepal-China border river could produce a second flood.The cause of the flooding was not immediately clear. Nepalese foreign minister Shishir Khanal said an earthquake likely triggered a landslide, which in turn blocked a river, sending water gushing downstream. Nepal’s disaster authority said satellite data indicated a “snow-rock landslide” on the Nepal-China border may have caused the flood. Scientists say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in the region.Chinese leader Xi Jinping said “the most urgent task is doing everything possible to search for and rescue the missing people”, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.The US Geological Survey first reported a magnitude-4.4 earthquake early on Wednesday, about 66km (41 miles) north of Kathmandu, near the border. It later updated to call the shaking a 5.2-magnitude landslide. Continue reading...
• Oklahomans voted in a special election on Tuesday, deciding the outcomes of runoff races, local elections, and various ballot initiatives.
• The election included the resolution of two specific state questions, though the provided text does not detail the specific results or topics.
• The coverage coincided with reports on other regional issues, including ongoing parasitic outbreaks and the upcoming Oklahoma sales tax holiday.
• The "judicialization" of American electoral strategy is shifting the focus of political campaigns away from policy debates and toward strategic legal battles, known as "lawfare."
• Published by Treasure Coast Newspapers on August 26, 2026, the report highlights how legal maneuvers are increasingly used as primary tools for achieving electoral goals.
• This trend is significant because it risks increasing voter apathy and creating systemic instability by moving the democratic process from the ballot box to the courtroom.
• The Supreme Court issued a ruling on Monday regarding a voting order initiated by Donald Trump, though the court refrained from declaring the order lawful.
• Election officials have expressed significant concern that the ruling's lack of clarity could lead to widespread chaos during upcoming voting processes.
• The decision is critical as it leaves the legal status of the voting order in limbo, potentially impacting election administration and voter access.
Children were among victims of Sunday shooting in Billings in case police have characterized as a family disturbanceMultiple people – including children – were killed on Sunday evening in a shooting at a home in Billings, Montana, that was also set on fire, according to authorities and local media reports.Police have characterized the case as a family disturbance, according to Montana news outlet KULR. Continue reading...
Unannounced trip reported by US media is said to be Ratcliffe’s first known visit to Russia as CIA chiefThe CIA director, John Ratcliffe, has made an unannounced visit to Moscow, US media reported, after flight data showed an American military aircraft flew to the Russian capital, where a US diplomatic motorcade was later spotted.CBS News quoted sources familiar with the situation as confirming Ratcliffe’s trip, saying it was his first known visit to Russia as CIA chief. Axios separately confirmed the visit, quoting a US official. Continue reading...
• German politician Friedrich Merz vowed that those responsible for hybrid attacks against Germany "will pay" following the discovery of a third drone at Leipzig/Halle airport.
• The airport is a critical logistics hub used by the German military and NATO allies for transporting military goods, and it serves as a base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines.
• These incidents highlight an escalation in hybrid warfare targeting strategic infrastructure, raising security concerns for NATO operations and Ukrainian support.
£10bn for housing with 60% social renting is at odds with PM’s previous call for programme to be spent entirely on social homesGood morning and welcome to the UK politics live blog.The government has set out its plans to spend an initial £10bn on a mix of subsidised housing in England, with a target of 60% being social renting.There’s £39bn allocated over a 10-year period … I’m saying that should be dedicated to council homes. Let’s not be coy any more … I’m saying council homes because control matters.Andy Burnham has said he plans to travel to the US next month to join European leaders lobbying Donald Trump to supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles. The UK prime minister told Bloomberg he was “looking forward to going to New York” in September, which is when the UN general assembly will meet. He said details of the trip were not “fully confirmed” but it was “likely” to go ahead.AI models trained on Ukrainian battlefield data will be used to stop protesters and foreign states targeting UK defence sites, railways and energy plants under a deal struck between London and Kyiv. Private companies will also be given access to the vast trove of data from Ukraine’s Avengers AI lab to help build new systems, the first agreement of its kind in the UK.Social housing tenants will be evicted if they fail to keep their gardens well maintained under a Reform UK government, the party has announced. Lee Anderson, the party’s chair, said that if Reform came to power it would insist that those in social rented homes would be required to keep their properties decorated and gardens looked after.Rupert Lowe, the leader of Restore Britain, is on course to earn as much from the social media platform X as he does from his salary as an MP, after surging income from posts that include demands for mass deportations. Lowe has earned £932 an hour for his posts on X, formerly Twitter, since the start of the year, according to his own declarations in the register of MPs’ financial interests, which detail how many hours he has spent on X for each payment he received from the platform. Continue reading...
• Pulnovo Medical has enrolled the first two U.S. patients in its PULSE-LHD clinical trial at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
• The trial is conducted under an FDA Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to evaluate pulmonary artery denervation for treating pulmonary hypertension associated with left heart disease.
• This study is significant as it tests a novel medical device approach to managing complex heart failure and pulmonary hypertension conditions.
About 40% of £10bn from Affordable Homes Programme will now go on types of housing such as sheltered and shared ownershipAndy Burnham has backtracked on his proposal to rip up the government’s housing plans and boost social home building.Ministers laid out plans on Monday to spend an initial £10bn from the 10-year Affordable Homes Programme on a mix of subsidised housing types in England, in line with the Starmer government’s policy. Continue reading...
Everything Sprouts recalls products after CDC says agency is aware of dozens of food-poisoning cases nationallyUS healthcare officials recently said a food-poisoning outbreak tied to alfalfa sprouts and involving multiple germs had sickened people in at least 15 states.Officials announced the outbreak after documenting more than three dozen cases in Minnesota and Wisconsin. On Friday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the agency was aware of at least 55 cases nationally, including four people who had been hospitalized. Continue reading...
Plan part of a wider policy to remove foreign nationals from social homes and prioritise young British-born couplesSocial housing tenants will be evicted if they fail to keep their gardens well maintained under a Reform UK government, the party has announced.Lee Anderson, the party’s chair, said that if Reform came to power it would insist that those in social rented homes would be required to keep their properties decorated and gardens looked after. Continue reading...
Authorities suspect Benjamin Charles Parker, 36, died by suicide after he was found in vehicle in Washington stateA man suspected of killing five people in rural Oregon was found dead in a suspected suicide, local law enforcement officials said on Sunday.The five homicide victims were found on Saturday at a home in a rural community near Forest Grove, Oregon, about 30 miles (48km) outside Portland, when authorities responded to a report of a vehicle fire. Continue reading...
Algorithms are responsible for fever pitch content surrounding trial, including misinformation, experts sayAs the trial of Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mother accused of killing her three children, starts to wind down, a now international discussion on social media about the case has hit a fever pitch as viewers examine details of the trial and question the state of maternal mental healthcare in the United States.Amateur sleuths and armchair psychologists have been creating content throughout the several weeks of the trial, pointing out perceived discrepancies in evidence. They’ve pointed to Clancy’s last recorded heart rate and body temperature as “smoking guns”, suggested that Patrick Clancy, Lindsay’s ex-husband and father of the children, actually committed the crime, despite no legal evidence to back up the claim. Continue reading...
Luke Pollard warns government will force platforms to remove content, after latest deadly crash involving a car driving in wrong directionA minister has pressed social media companies to remove content from their platforms showcasing dangerous driving in the wake of a fatal collision that killed seven people in Middlesbrough.The crash in the early hours of Saturday, in which PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough died, occurred when a Volkswagen Passat, containing five individuals aged between 23 and 17, crashed head-on with a marked armed response vehicle while driving the wrong way on the A66. Continue reading...
Defence minister says police ‘need time’ but ‘in the meantime’ the government has told platforms to take down content glorifying dangerous drivingCleveland police and crime commissioner Matt Storey was on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning to take questions on the fatal A66 crash.Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak died when their Volkswagen Passat, believed to be using cloned plates, collided with a marked armed response vehicle early on Saturday near Middlesbrough.Without being able to say whether that was anything like involved in this case, it’s absolutely idiotic for anybody to be doing anything other than being completely 100% focused on the road when they’re behind the wheel of a vehicle.And for somebody to be filming themselves or doing anything like that is absolutely ridiculous, and of course nobody should be doing that. And it is a worrying situation if that’s becoming more prevalent because it is incredibly dangerous. Continue reading...
Prime minister Christopher Luxon’s party to introduce bill seeking the ban, citing harm to a generation of childrenNew Zealand prime minister Christopher Luxon has said his party will introduce a bill in parliament that seeks to ban children under 16 from using social media, proposing fines of up to 10% of a platform’s global revenue for non-compliance.The bill would require social media platforms to take reasonable steps to verify users’ ages, including by utilising existing account information, facial technology and digital identity documents. Continue reading...
• Economist Saravelos warns that recent U.S. Treasury moves in bond and currency markets constitute "soft-form financial repression" designed to artificially lower debt costs.
• The analysis suggests that if U.S. Treasury prices are prevented from adjusting downward, the dollar must weaken to adjust the value of bonds held by foreign investors.
• This strategy effectively loosens financial conditions, which may conflict with the Federal Reserve's goal of keeping inflation at or below its 2% target.
• Economics professor and financial crisis expert Tuomas Malinen has warned that the United States is currently on the verge of a recession.
• Malinen highlights a critical indicator where private sector yields have risen above the bank prime rate, a trend that historically precedes economic downturns.
• This specific pattern was previously observed prior to the 2008 financial crisis and again following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Resolution Foundation suggests economy may finally be emerging from shadow of 2008 financial crisisProductivity in the UK – a vital measure of economic health – is growing more strongly than official figures suggest, according to analysis from the Resolution Foundation.The thinktank suggests the chancellor, John Healey, may have inherited an economy finally starting to emerge from the long shadow of the 2008 global financial crisis. Continue reading...
UK-born married couples under 35 with children would get priority under proposals to be outlined by Farage’s partyBritish citizens who were born abroad would be made to wait longer for social housing under proposals to be announced by Reform UK on Monday.Nigel Farage’s party will announce the policy at a press conference in London. Under the policy, people born in the UK and young married couples with children would be given priority for social housing. Continue reading...
Opposition leader Jess Wilson says new dedicated court of criminal appeal would set precedents for tougher sentencesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA radical overhaul of Victoria’s highest court, proposed by the Liberal party to increase sentences, has been criticised by legal and human rights groups who warn it would politicise the judiciary.The opposition leader, Jess Wilson, on Sunday announced that if elected in November the Coalition would split the court of appeal in two, creating a dedicated court of criminal appeal alongside a separate court of civil appeal. Continue reading...
Civil service scheme announced after PM convened local leaders to ‘situation room’ meeting from No 10 NorthUK politics live – latest updatesAndy Burnham is to send more than 100 Whitehall officials to bolster the teams of regional mayors, after convening leaders from across England from his base at No 10 North to discuss how to spread growth.The government described the meeting as a “situation room” to bring local and regional leaders into national decision-making. Continue reading...
