Rise of 3% in April, the fastest annual pace in 11 months, leaves typical property worth Ā£278,880, says NationwideBusiness live ā latest updatesHouse price growth in the UK has surprised estate agents and economists by jumping in April at the fastest annual pace in 11 months, according to Nationwide.The UKās biggest building society said its mortgage data showed that house prices unexpectedly rose by 3% in April on a year earlier, from 2.2% in March, leaving the typical UK property worth Ā£278,880. Continue reading...
⢠The U.S. House of Representatives passed a Homeland Security appropriations bill on Thursday, clearing the way to end a twoāmonth agency shutdown that had idled parts of federal immigration, border, and cybersecurity operations.
⢠President Donald Trump signed the measure shortly after, restoring full funding for the Department of Homeland Security and averting potential disruptions to airport security, deportation operations, and border enforcement through the fiscal year.
⢠The shutdown clash pitted Trump allies against centrist Republicans and Democrats over border enforcement levels, but the final bill preserved core Trumpāera border initiatives while softening some hardāline spending demands.
Bipartisan measure includes funding for Secret Service and TSA, but excludes immigration enforcement operationsPartial government shutdown ends after Congress votes to fund DHS The US House of Representatives has voted to fund much of the Department of Homeland Security ā excluding immigration enforcement operations ā and end the longest government agency shutdown in history.The deal struck on Thursday aims to draw a line under a 75-day impasse that had threatened airport chaos and exposed fresh strains within the Republican party. Continue reading...
⢠Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced plans on April 29, 2026, to suspend House primaries after a court ruling on congressional maps intensified redistricting fights.
⢠The decision stems from ongoing battles over racial gerrymandering, with dozens more cases looming before midterms.
⢠Suspension could delay elections and reshape GOP strategies in the state.
⢠The U.S. House of Representatives adopted a Senate-approved budget resolution on April 29, 2026, enabling billions in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
⢠Republicans utilized a filibuster-skirting procedure to advance the blueprint, criticized by Democrats like Congresswoman Doris Matsui as prioritizing enforcement over other needs.
⢠This move supports Trump administration immigration policies amid ongoing border security debates and midterm election pressures.
⢠House Democrats skeptically questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the first time since the Iran war began, pressing on strategy and costs during an April 29 hearing.
⢠One Democrat accused Hegseth of partisanship, quoting his prior statements back at him in a heated exchange.
⢠The confrontation highlights partisan divides over the war's economic toll and Trump's foreign policy amid plunging approval ratings.
⢠Leaked audio from the 'Summer House' reunion has prompted Bravo to launch an official investigation into the breach.
⢠Reality star Paige DeSorbo addressed the controversy in an exclusive interview, speaking out on the incident's details.
⢠The scandal adds to ongoing drama in the Bravo universe, affecting cast dynamics and fan reactions nationwide.
Consumer insight tracker shows 85% are worried about food prices and a majority think the economy will deteriorateThree million UK households are being forced to skip meals as consumers resort to drastic measures to deal with rising costs, according to a Which? report published on Thursday.The conflict in the Middle East and subsequent surge in oil and raw material prices has led to businesses preparing to raise prices, putting more pressure on household finances and hitting consumer confidence. Continue reading...
Vote comes on same day the US supreme court rolls back a key provision of the Voting Rights ActThe Florida legislature approved a new congressional map intended to maximize Republicansā advantage in the state as part of the national redistricting battle that Donald Trump launched before this yearās midterms.The vote came just two days after the governor, Ron DeSantis, unveiled his proposal and the same day the US supreme court rolled back a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. The decision could make it harder for Democrats to challenge Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts in ways that limit the influence of voters of color. Continue reading...
⢠A suspect was charged on Monday with attempting to assassinate President Trump after storming the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with multiple weapons in April 2026.
⢠The incident has intensified partisan disputes over political rhetoric and violence, with both parties blaming the other's language for contributing to the escalation.
⢠The alleged assassination attempt has shocked Washington and drawn comparisons to historical political violence, prompting discussions about security and the current political climate.
⢠Florida Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled new congressional district maps that could eliminate additional Democratic seats in the House.
⢠The redistricting proposal targets areas with Democratic incumbents, intensifying battles ahead of the 2026 midterms.
⢠Republicans see this as key to maintaining House majority, while Democrats warn of voter suppression tactics.
Attorneys, citing new evidence including selfies, filed a motion to detain Cole Tomas Allen until his trial Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxFederal prosecutors provided in a filing Wednesday the most detailed account to date of Cole Tomas Allenās alleged weeks-long plan to kill Donald Trump and several members of his cabinet who had joined more than 2,500 members of the Washington press corps for their annual White House correspondentsā dinner.The motion, aimed at keeping Allen detained and filed by the US attorney for DC, Jeanine Pirro, includes two selfies of the alleged shooter standing in front of a mirror in his hotel room in a black suit, a slight smirk crossing his face. He is kitted out with two firearms and multiple knives tucked into his belt. Prosecutors allege they are the same weapons that were confiscated from Allen after the attack. Continue reading...
Democrats had filed civil contempt resolution against former attorney general for not appearing for depositionUS politics live ā latest updatesThe House oversight and government reform committee has said that former attorney general Pam Bondi will now appear before the panel on 29 May to answer questions about the Department of Justiceās handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and its release of the Epstein files.The announcement of the date came shortly after the Democrats on the committee announced that they had filed a civil contempt resolution against Bondi after she did not appear for her deposition earlier this month. Continue reading...
Anant Ambani revives offer to transport 80 animals, all descendants of Colombian drug kingpinās pets, to IndiaIt remains one of the strangest conundrums in modern zoological history ā what to do with the descendants of Pablo Escobarās hippos?The animals ā herbivores native to sub-Saharan Africa ā were originally imported into Colombia by the drug kingpin for his own entertainment. But the beasts and their offspring were left to roam free after his death in 1993. Continue reading...
An 89-year-old man was apprehended in Patras after allegedly injuring at least four people in two separate shootings in Athens. Authorities believe pension grievances and psychological issues fueled the attacks, which targeted a social security office and a court building. The suspect, found with a weapon, is under investigation.
An 89-year-old man armed with a shotgun wounded an employee at a social security office in Athens before opening fire at a courthouse, injuring several more people. Police are actively searching for the suspect, with the motive behind the attacks currently unknown.
A tidal wave of conspiracy theories hit social media as soon as news broke that shots were fired at the Washington Hilton hotel during the White House Correspondents' dinner Saturday. That was to be expected, but some say the dynamics are shifting, with theories coming from liberals and progressives as well as right-wing accounts that are critical of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The chief of the āDistrict of Columbia police department said investigators believe the suspect was a guest at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the annual dinner was ātaking place, but that no motive had been determined.
⢠White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took questions from reporters as Cole Allen, the suspect accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, prepared for his first court appearance on Monday.
⢠Allen is accused of opening fire at the annual dinner while politicians, journalists, and celebrities were in attendance, with Leavitt and other Trump Cabinet members present in the room.
⢠The incident represents a serious security breach at a high-profile event attended by senior government officials and media figures.
Residents must sign in and out at a security gate, and vehicles and bags are routinely searchedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastHundreds of evacuees from remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory have been housed behind temporary fences and denied visitors after being forced to evacuate their homes in the most vicious wet season on record.In March, the Daly River in the NT reached a record peak of 23.93 metres, forcing families from Palumpa and Nauiyu to flee for the second time in four weeks. Continue reading...
Alleged shooter, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, faces potential life sentence. Plus: the Americans renouncing their citizenshipGood morning.The suspect accused of trying to storm the White House correspondentsā dinner was charged on Monday with three federal crimes, including attempting to assassinate the president ā a charge that carries a potential sentence of up to life in prison.What was his motive? Investigators have yet to release one. However, to establish the charge of attempted assassination, the affidavit quotes from a part of a manifesto Allen allegedly sent to family members that states: āI am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.āWas lax security to blame? While many have praised the actions of law enforcement officers in swiftly stopping the attack, Allenās alleged manifesto mocked an āinsaneā lack of security at the Washington dinner.What is the Trump administration saying about the attack? Several officials, including the president, have seized on the incident to advance their case for the completion of Trumpās $40m White House ballroom project, with the justice department pressuring a preservation group to drop a lawsuit seeking to halt the construction.Will there be an Oval Office meeting? Sources told the Guardian that Charles will pose for the cameras at the start of his centerpiece bilateral meeting on Tuesday, but that British officials have pushed for the Oval Office meeting to be held off camera, for fear of a repeat of the scenes when Trump berated the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in front of the worldās press.What challenges does the king face with this visit? Relations between the UK and the US are already tense following Trumpās public criticism of Britainās refusal to back military action against Iran, but Charles is also meeting Trump under the shadow of Jeffrey Epstein. Charlesās brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over his connection with Epstein. Continue reading...
The case is part of a national redistricting fight with high stakes for the November midterm electionsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxVirginia supreme court justices on Monday questioned whether the stateās Democratic-led legislature complied with constitutional requirements when it sent a congressional redistricting plan to voters, in a case that carries high stakes for the balance of power in the US House.The new districts, which could net Democrats four additional seats, won narrow voter approval last week. But a Republican legal challenge contends the general assembly violated procedural rules by placing the constitutional amendment before voters to authorize the mid-decade redistricting. If the court agrees that lawmakers broke the rules, it could invalidate the amendment and render last weekās statewide vote meaningless. Continue reading...
Details about the shooting at the White House correspondents gala have started to surface as the alleged shooter is set to be charged.The suspect was able to get close to where Donald Trump and many other senior officials were gathered, before law enforcement stopped him. It happened less than two years since Trump was the target of an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, and a subsequent attempt at a golf course in Florida.Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardianās Washington bureau chief David Smith, who was in attendance. Continue reading...
Teatro La Fenice called comments by its controversial appointee Beatrice Venezi āoffensive and detrimentalāTeatro La Fenice, the prestigious Venice opera house, has fired its incoming music director after she insinuated its hiring practices were nepotistic, with jobs āpractically passed down from father to sonā.After months of controversy over the appointment of Beatrice Venezi, La Fenice Foundation said on Sunday it had decided to ācancel all future collaborationsā with the 36-year-old conductor and pianist. Continue reading...
Manifesto reportedly written by suspect had Trump administration officials at top of list. Plus, the worldās first marathon run in under two hoursGood morning.The suspected gunman in the shooting at the White House correspondentsā dinner on Saturday evening, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, from Torrance, California, is due to appear in court later today.What will he be charged with? He faces charges of assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer, but Blanche said depending on how the investigation went, he might also be charged with the attempted assassination of Trump.Whatās the mood like in Washington? A stunned Washington is soul-searching about political violence, while questions are also being asked about security.Follow the latest updates in our liveblog here.What has Donald Trump said about it? Trump has said Iran can telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to the war and that it must agree never to have a nuclear weapon, while Pakistanās leaders have sought to revive the stalled peace talks between Washington and Tehran. Continue reading...
Secret Service director says security succeeded in stopping shooter before he could do further harm but others disagreeThe shooting in the White House correspondentsā gala has prompted questions over security with some asking how a shooter was able to get close to where Donald Trump and many other senior administration officials were gathered and many others praising the actions of law enforcement that swiftly stopped the attack.As details about the shooting at the Washington Hilton continued to surface, the alleged shooter Cole Tomas Allen, 31, mocked an āinsaneā lack of security at the Washington dinner in a manifesto reportedly send to his family 10 minutes before his assault started. Continue reading...
Alleged shooter expected to appear in federal court and could be charged with trying to assassinate TrumpThe suspected gunman who tried to storm the White House correspondentsā dinner was expected to appear in federal court to face criminal charges on Monday.The alleged shooter, identified by law enforcement agencies as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Torrance in southern California, faces charges including assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer. Continue reading...
Suspect in Saturday eveningās shooting ā Cole Tomas Allen ā expected to be formally charged in court todayGood morning, and welcome to our live coverage of US politics.The suspected gunman in the shooting at the White House correspondentsā dinner on Saturday evening, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, from Torrance, California, is due to appear in court later today.He is expected to be formally charged with using a firearm during a violent crime and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. Continue reading...
In todayās newsletter: After the dramatic events of Saturday night, White House security arrangements are under scrutiny and political violence is once again in the spotlightGood morning. On Saturday night the annual Washington ritual of the White House correspondentsā dinner descended into chaos as the US president and first lady were evacuated after the event was interrupted by gunfire.Journalists ducked under tables as authorities rushed Donald Trump and members of his cabinet out of the room. The president and his wife were unharmed, and a suspect is in custody ā identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from southern California. In todayās newsletter, I will bring you the latest updates on what we know about the incident. First, the headlines.UK politics | Labour figures from across rival factions have begun circulating informal proposals for an āorderly transitionā of power away from Keir Starmer, the Guardian understands, shifting their discussions from whether the prime minister could be removed to how.Europe news | Private jets laden with the spoils of those whose wealth swelled during Viktor OrbĆ”nās years in power have been taking off from Vienna, while other individuals are racing to invest their assets abroad.Trade | UK business leaders have called on the government to build an EU-style ātrade bazookaā to protect Britainās economic interests in response to the latest tariff threats from Donald Trump.Middle East | Hopes of a breakthrough in negotiations between Iran and the US faded further on Sunday, amid a deepening sense of a deadlock in the nearly two-month-long conflict.Science | Simultaneous exposure to toxic chemicals and climate changeās impacts likely contributes to the broad global drop in fertility. Continue reading...
⢠Following an incident at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner where shots were fired, President Trump called for national unity and extended overtures to the press corps he had previously criticized as enemies of the people.
⢠The shooting occurred at the Washington Hilton, a venue that has hosted the black-tie event for over 50 years, with suspect Cole Thomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, taken into custody.
⢠Trump appeared calm following his evacuation and held a press briefing expressing dismay at the violent disruption, signaling a temporary thaw in his combative relationship with the mainstream media.