John

The chief justice defends court’s impartiality after decisions on abortion, presidential immunity and voting rightsUS chief justice John Roberts has insisted supreme court judges are not “political actors” amid outrage over its recent decision undermining the Voting Right Act, and other moves that have benefited Donald Trump and his allies.“I think, at a very basic level, people think we’re making policy decisions, we’re saying we think this is how things should be, as opposed to what the law provides,” Roberts told a conference for judges and lawyers in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. “I think they view us as purely political actors, which I don’t think is an accurate understanding of what we do.” Continue reading...

• Chief Justice John Roberts publicly criticized the intense rhetoric targeting the Supreme Court on May 6, 2026. • His remarks address growing partisan attacks amid high-profile rulings on elections and immunity. • The statement aims to defend judicial independence as public trust in the court hits historic lows.

Zia Yusuf’s mad idea of building detention centres for illegal immigrants exclusively in areas that vote Green works a treatIt’s a classic from the Donald Trump playbook: everything’s been going a bit tits up, so you create a distraction. Get everyone looking in the wrong direction. Last week was the worst in months for Reform. First the party was pegged back in the opinion polls, then the Guardian revealed Nigel Farage had been given a £5m handout by Christopher Harborne, a Thai-based crypto dealer. A donation that Nige had never thought to declare.Not the best look for a party leader who claims to be a man of the people. I mean why don’t we all get by on multimillion-pound handouts from our friends. The best you can say is that at least Nige wasn’t trying to defraud the state by claiming universal credit. Since then, Reform has been on the back foot. Sending out countless press releases trying to explain the situation away. Ones that often contradicted each other. Continue reading...

While Charles and Camilla were on a three-line whip, MPs watched the excruciating discomfort of civil servants We don’t often get to see senior civil servants out and about in the wild. They are kept away from the public gaze, sat behind a desk trying to persuade their ministers not to do something too catastrophic to their government department. Quite why they have been been made a knight or a dame just for doing their jobs is one of life’s mysteries. The rest of us have to make do with the occasional email from the boss. But in the last week, two top civil servants have been reluctantly made to give evidence on Keir Starmer’s decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US ambassador before the foreign affairs select committee and very instructive it has been, too. Not least to see how much they dislike any extra attention from the public. Their obvious discomfort at being held to account was excruciating to watch. Continue reading...

• Legendary composer John Williams received a major tribute as his alma mater unveiled a new performing arts center named in his honor. • The event celebrates Williams' decades-long contributions to film scores, including iconic works for Star Wars and Jurassic Park. • The dedication highlights his enduring influence on American music and cinema, drawing attention from entertainment circles.

• Senators Ron Johnson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. labeled federal handling of COVID origins and vaccine deaths a 'major scandal' with alleged coverups. • They cited new evidence pointing to lab leaks and unreported adverse events. • The claims fuel demands for investigations as public trust in health agencies erodes.

Hinckley says ‘bad things keep happening’ at Washington Hilton and it was ‘not a secure place to hold big events’US politics live – latest updatesThe man who shot Ronald Reagan at the Washington Hilton in 1981 has said it was “spooky” for him to learn of Saturday’s shooting at the hotel during a prestigious media gala attended by Donald Trump and senior members of the president’s administration.In an interview with TMZ published on Monday, John Hinckley Jr also observed that “bad things keep happening” at the hotel and maintained it was “just not a secure place to hold big events”. Continue reading...