Trump again tries to brush off Epstein crisis as ‘nothing’, blaming Democrats for controversy – US politics live

18/07/2025 17:28 The Guardian

President’s latest effort to contain fallout comes after he directs Pam Bondi to request release of grand jury transcripts and threatens to sue Wall Street JournalTrump launches fresh defense of inaction in Epstein case following report he sent birthday letterIt was a friendship that spanned three different decades. To Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein was a “terrific guy”. Epstein believed himself to be Trump’s “closest friend”, and praised the future president as “charming”.The relationship would eventually break down, the men falling out over a bidding war on a property in Florida. And after Epstein was convicted of child sex offences in 2008, Trump distanced himself from the financier, claiming he was “not a fan” and wondering, in recent days, why his supporters would “waste time and energy” on demanding that FBI and Department of Justice files on Epstein be released. Continue reading...

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‘Profound alarm’: US veterans agency roiled by fight over anti-discrimination provisions

Nearly 100 lawmakers claim the agency’s recent actions put veterans’ healthcare at risk. Department of Veterans Affairs chief says ‘no one is being discriminated against at VA’The US Department of Veterans Affairs has enthusiastically joined Donald Trump’s war on DEI – demanding that sta...

18/07/2025 17:13 The Guardian

Lammy announces exposure of 18 Russian spies after UK cyber-attacks

Foreign secretary says two agents were involved in planting spyware on a device used by poisoning victim Yulia SkripalThe UK has exposed 18 Russian spies and their units responsible for cyber-attacks in Britain and hacking one of the victims of the Salisbury poisonings, David Lammy, the foreign secr...

18/07/2025 16:44 The Guardian

Trump requests release of Epstein grand jury transcripts amid report of ‘bawdy’ birthday note | First Thing

Trump reportedly contributed sketch of naked woman to sex offender’s birthday album. Plus, Medicaid hands over Americans’ personal data to immigration authoritiesDon’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up hereGood morning.Donald Trump said he had requested the release of grand jury t...

18/07/2025 12:26 The Guardian

US wetlands ‘restored’ using treated sewage tainted with forever chemicals

Use of wastewater treatment plant effluent containing Pfas threatens wildlife, food and drinking water, advocates sayMany of the nation’s wetlands are being filled with toxic Pfas “forever chemicals” as wastewater treatment plant effluent tainted with the compounds is increasingly used to rest...

18/07/2025 11:00 The Guardian

Labour MPs challenge Richard Tice over Reform UK’s plan to scrap green projects

Exclusive: Letter signed by 59 MPs criticises party’s deputy leader after his warning to energy firms over new contractsUK politics live – latest updatesA group of nearly 60 Labour MPs has written to Richard Tice challenging the Reform UK deputy leader’s pledge to rip up green energy contracts...

18/07/2025 10:52 The Guardian

Syrian security forces ready to deploy to Druze-majority Sweida to quell fighting, minister says – Middle East crisis live

Syrian troops pulled out of Sweida on Thursday on the orders of the Islamist-led government, following days of deadly clashesGaza’s civil defence agency said on Friday that Israeli strikes killed 14 people in the north and south of the war-ravaged Palestinian territory, Agence France-Presse (AFP)...

18/07/2025 08:28 The Guardian

First tickets to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey sell out – a year before its 2026 release

The blockbuster adaptation of Homer’s epic has not finished filming and has no official runtime. But super fans – and scalpers – already have seatsThe first tickets to Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer’s Odyssey have gone on sale – before he’s even finished filming it and a year before...

18/07/2025 07:01 The Guardian

‘It’s ourselves and society on trial’: playwright adapts Gisèle Pelicot case for stage

Case that exposed France’s rape culture and shocked the world has been made into play to be shown in Avignon, where trial was heldA stage play based on the trial of the men who drugged and raped Gisèle Pelicot will be staged this week in the southern city of Avignon, as France continues to debate...

18/07/2025 04:00 The Guardian

Ice given access to Medicaid data in move critics call a privacy betrayal

Officials let Ice access health data to locate migrants, alarming experts who warn of civil rights and health risksMedicaid officials have reportedly made an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) to allow agents to examine a database of Americans’ personal information – includ...

17/07/2025 20:36 The Guardian

Israeli airstrike hits Sweida city in Syria as tribal fighters clash with Bedouins

Conflict restarts in southern province as Druze groups reportedly target Bedouin villages in ‘revenge’ attacksSyrian government forces have withdrawn from the Druze-majority province of Sweida, ending four days of clashes between the army and local Druze fighters.In a speech on Thursday, the Syr...

17/07/2025 20:27 The Guardian

Merz calls for UK, Germany and France to align on migration and defence

German chancellor’s proposal for strategic axis comes as London and Berlin sign first treaty since second world warThe German chancellor has called for a strategic axis between London, Paris and Berlin to tackle illegal migration and deepen defence cooperation, despite declaring that he “deeply...

17/07/2025 17:36 The Guardian

UK’s £225m AI supercomputer, Isambard-AI, launches in Bristol

Hopes £225m Isambard-AI in Bristol will unleash new era of technological, medical and social breakthroughsBritain’s new £225m national artificial intelligence supercomputer will be used to spot sick dairy cows in Somerset, improve the detection of skin cancer on brown skin and help create wearab...

17/07/2025 17:00 The Guardian

Merz says he ‘deplores deeply’ UK’s decision to leave EU after signing UK-Germany treaty – as it happened

UK PM and German chancellor answered media questions after signing first treaty between two countries since second world warWhile Rushanara Ali is answering the urgent question in the Commons, Keir Starmer is speaking at the event where he is announcing a “civil society covenant”.There is a live...

17/07/2025 16:43 The Guardian

Preparations to deliver Patriot missile systems to Ukraine under way, Nato’s top Europe commander says – as it happened

Alexus Grynkewich says Russia will remain a threat even if a peaceful solution to war in Ukraine can be foundFour Flemish civil society groups that brought the case against the regional Flemish government hailed the court’s decision (12:39) as “historic”.“This historic ruling acknowledges th...

17/07/2025 16:08 The Guardian

Senate approves cuts to global aid funding and public broadcasting in win for Trump – US politics live

Most cuts are schemes to assist foreign countries hit by disease, war and natural disastersUS Senate passes aid and public broadcasting cuts in victory for TrumpWhat are rescissions and why does Trump want them?Donald Trump has lashed out against his own supporters, calling them gullible “weakling...

17/07/2025 15:41 The Guardian

Cardiff council warns tenants of eviction if household member convicted for Ely riots

If individuals are convicted and sentenced, council may go to court to seek repossession of their home, letters saidCardiff council has written to several council tenants warning they could be evicted if a member of the household is convicted for offences related to the riots sparked by the death of...

17/07/2025 15:21 The Guardian

Trump goes to war with Maga over Epstein files – podcast

Donald Trump really wants people to stop talking about Jeffrey Epstein, but his Maga base, including some prominent commentators such as Laura Loomer, want his administration to ‘release the files’. Jonathan Freedland speaks to Ali Breland of the Atlantic about the tricky situation the US presid...

17/07/2025 15:06 The Guardian

Shoddy work and rogue tradies: the home repair practices targeting vulnerable Australians

Authorities and consumer groups warn some companies are upselling unnecessary work, using multiple names and pressuring people to agree to high quotesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastWhen Jane was quoted about $20,000 to...

17/07/2025 15:00 The Guardian

Rodent wars: US city where ground squirrels outnumber people fights back

Residents of Minot, North Dakota, exasperated by proliferation of furry foot-long neighborsThe Richardson’s ground squirrel weighs less than a pound, is about a foot long and is native to the northern Plains.The little creature also is a ferocious tunneler, and it’s exasperating the people of Mi...

17/07/2025 14:37 The Guardian

Essex police warn against violence as far right exploit asylum hotel tensions

Security staff attacked and fears over future protests in Epping as asylum seeker faces charges of sexual assaultPolice have warned that “criminal violence will not be tolerated” amid tensions in an Essex town where the far right have been trying to exploit opposition to the housing of asylum se...

17/07/2025 14:37 The Guardian

Risk of undersea cable attacks backed by Russia and China likely to rise, report warns

Spate of incidents in Baltic Sea and around Taiwan are harbinger for further disruptive activity, cybersecurity firm saysThe risk of Russia- and China-backed attacks on undersea cables carrying international internet traffic is likely to rise amid a spate of incidents in the Baltic Sea and around Ta...

17/07/2025 13:00 The Guardian

Children under seven should not drink slushies containing glycerol, says regulator

Food Standards Agency warns that the drinks can cause decreased consciousness and low blood sugarChildren under seven should not drink slushies containing glycerol because of the serious health risks they can cause, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said.Glycerol is a naturally occurring alcohol a...

17/07/2025 11:42 The Guardian

AI firms ‘unprepared’ for dangers of building human-level systems, report warns

Future of Life Institute says companies pursuing artificial general intelligence lack credible plans to ensure safety Artificial intelligence companies are “fundamentally unprepared” for the consequences of creating systems with human-level intellectual performance, according to a leading AI saf...

17/07/2025 07:00 The Guardian

Resident doctors accused of ‘greedy’ pay demands before Streeting talks

Hospital chiefs warn next week’s strike in England will cause ‘chaos’ in NHS, as BMA pushes for 29% rise on top of last year’s 22% dealResident doctors have been accused of being “very greedy” over their 29% pay demand, before talks with Wes Streeting on Thursday and a planned five-day s...

17/07/2025 06:00 The Guardian

Sudan’s children face growing threat of deadly infectious diseases as vaccination rates halve

The country, beset by war, has the world’s lowest rates of vaccination, says the World Health Organization, as global immunisation drive also stallsChildren in Sudan, caught up in what aid organisations have called the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and threatened by rising levels of violen...

17/07/2025 06:00 The Guardian

UK drivers warned of soaring charges to drop off passengers at airports

Most airports charge up to £7 for a brief stop and 11 of the 20 biggest have raised their fees, RAC analysis showsCar drivers have been warned of soaring charges at UK airports to drop off passengers this summer, while major European airports continue to allow motorists brief stops without charge.W...

17/07/2025 04:00 The Guardian

Trump says FBI should investigate ‘the Jeffrey Epstein hoax’ as a criminal conspiracy against him – live updates

President says furor over Epstein files, along with 2016 Russian campaign interference and Jack Smith’s attempted prosecution were ‘all the same scam’Trump calls Epstein conspiracy a ‘hoax’ and turns on Maga ‘weaklings’As Democrats reckon with a deep inter-party divide that threatens t...

17/07/2025 01:55 The Guardian

Tsunami advisory issued in parts of Alaska after 7.3-magnitude earthquake

Noaa initially issued a tsunami warning in the state’s southern coast, which it later downgraded to an advisoryA stretch of Alaska’s southern coast was under a tsunami advisory on Wednesday after a strong earthquake was felt throughout the region.The US Geological Survey described the earthquake...

16/07/2025 22:58 The Guardian

‘There’s a bit of a queue forming’: how UK firms are enticing buyers for the next generation of fighter jets

Inside the hangars where robots are poised to keep the UK a top-tier military nation and continue more than a century of building military aircraftIn a factory on the banks of the River Ribble in Lancashire, robot arms stand on a floor striped with glowing lights. They will hold the tail fin for a t...

16/07/2025 21:30 The Guardian

Ministers to enshrine UK charities’ right to peaceful protest in new ‘covenant’

Agreement between government and voluntary sector aims to reset relations after erosion of trust under ToriesThe right to engage in political activity and protest peacefully is to be enshrined in a new agreement between the government and UK charities and campaigners aimed in part at ending years of...

16/07/2025 21:30 The Guardian

BREAKING NEWS

18/07 17:28 - Trump again tries to brush off Epstein crisis as ‘nothing’, blaming Democrats for controversy – US politics live 18/07 17:13 - ‘Profound alarm’: US veterans agency roiled by fight over anti-discrimination provisions 18/07 16:49 - UK sanctions Russian spies for malicious activity 18/07 16:44 - Lammy announces exposure of 18 Russian spies after UK cyber-attacks 18/07 16:13 - Brazil slams NATO’s Russia sanctions threats 18/07 16:06 - Putin and Erdogan discuss Ukraine and Syria 18/07 15:55 - Trump’s War With Powell Throws a Little-Known Planning Board Into Scrutiny 18/07 15:08 - Men's fashion for spring-summer 2026? It's political! 18/07 14:54 - Brussels budget plan could destroy EU – member state 18/07 14:42 - Trump talks tough on Russia, but will he follow through? 18/07 14:42 - Trump talks tough on Russia, but will he follow through? 18/07 14:41 - China-linked scam centers target U.S., congressional commission warns 18/07 14:26 - The 18 Russian spies who mounted series of attacks on UK unmasked 18/07 14:00 - Exiled Syrian family returns home to ruins of Yarmouk refugee camp after fall of Assad 18/07 13:25 - UK sanctions senior Russian intelligence officers over cyberattacks 18/07 13:25 - UK sanctions senior Russian intelligence officers over cyberattacks 18/07 13:18 - ‘Israel is calling the shots in many ways’ says Al Jazeera reporter 18/07 13:18 - ‘Israel is calling the shots in many ways’ says Al Jazeera reporter 18/07 12:26 - Trump requests release of Epstein grand jury transcripts amid report of ‘bawdy’ birthday note | First Thing 18/07 12:25 - Russian deputies back fines for clicking on 'extremist' content 18/07 12:15 - E.U. hits Russia with new round of sanctions targeting energy 18/07 12:14 - EU reveals 18th sanctions package against Moscow 18/07 12:03 - Trump Tariffs on Russia Could Hurt Wary U.S. Farmers 18/07 11:02 - Not To Be Dramatic, But These 35 Completely And Totally Random Wholesome Moments Between Strangers Just Warmed My Cold, Dead Heart 18/07 11:00 - US wetlands ‘restored’ using treated sewage tainted with forever chemicals 18/07 10:52 - Labour MPs challenge Richard Tice over Reform UK’s plan to scrap green projects 18/07 10:33 - Amber weather warning issued as thunderstorms and flooding to cause significant disruption 18/07 10:22 - How Ukraine’s allies helped Zelensky recover his standing with Trump 18/07 09:52 - WSJ bombshell report: Trump's 'bawdy' birthday letter to Epstein 18/07 09:03 - Deportation dossiers: Trump's AI-driven war on immigrants and freedom of speech 18/07 09:01 - One of These BRICS Is Not Like the Others 18/07 08:57 - News24 | EU hits Russia with sweeping new sanctions over Ukraine war 18/07 08:54 - Days After Stephen Colbert Called Out CBS’s Parent Company, Paramount, For Settling A $16-Million Lawsuit With Trump, People Are Raising Eyebrows Over The Cancelation Of His Show 18/07 08:34 - Druze-Bedouin clashes strain fragile truce in Syria's Sweida after government pullout 18/07 08:28 - Syrian security forces ready to deploy to Druze-majority Sweida to quell fighting, minister says – Middle East crisis live 18/07 08:07 - EU hits Russian oil, shadow fleet with new sanctions over Ukraine war 18/07 08:07 - EU hits Russian oil, shadow fleet with new sanctions over Ukraine war 18/07 07:23 - EU agrees 'unprecedented' round of sanctions targeting Russia's oil exports 18/07 07:01 - First tickets to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey sell out – a year before its 2026 release 18/07 06:46 - South Korea to end private adoptions after inquiry finds abuse rife 18/07 06:46 - South Korea to end private adoptions after inquiry finds abuse rife 18/07 04:59 - Kill Russian soldiers, win points: Is Ukraine's new drone scheme gamifying war? 18/07 04:00 - ‘It’s ourselves and society on trial’: playwright adapts Gisèle Pelicot case for stage 18/07 04:00 - The rest of the world struggles to restrain Israel 18/07 03:24 - Ukraine appoints new prime minister in major government reshuffle 18/07 03:24 - Ukraine appoints new prime minister in major government reshuffle 18/07 03:17 - Army Special Operations Warns Retired Members of Terror Threat 18/07 01:58 - Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,240 18/07 01:58 - Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,240 18/07 00:55 - Putin and Trump need to meet – Orban 18/07 00:30 - Europeans warn Iran of UN sanctions if no progress on nuclear deal 17/07 23:05 - Beware of ‘Swiper,’ a Fox at Grand Teton Park With a Penchant for Footwear 17/07 21:34 - Its U.S. funding cut, rights group flees Bukele’s El Salvador 17/07 21:23 - US vice president opposes paying for Ukraine – spokesperson 17/07 21:00 - Taipei holds annual air raid drill to prepare for Chinese attack 17/07 20:46 - Almost 600 killed in Syria clashes, presidency alleges ceasefire violation 17/07 20:36 - Ice given access to Medicaid data in move critics call a privacy betrayal 17/07 20:27 - Israeli airstrike hits Sweida city in Syria as tribal fighters clash with Bedouins 17/07 20:11 - Death toll from south Syria violence rises to 594: monitor 17/07 20:05 - News24 | Israel strikes Syrian army headquarters in Damascus after Druze violence kills hundreds 17/07 19:59 - World War mastermind: Here’s America’s most dangerous person 17/07 19:20 - F.D.A. Panel to Reassess Hormone Therapy Warnings 17/07 18:54 - Slushies unsafe for children under seven, UK watchdog warns 17/07 18:40 - EU country moves to sanction Ukrainian military officials 17/07 18:30 - Israeli strike hits Gaza church, killing 3 and wounding priest who was close to Pope Francis 17/07 18:23 - UK and Germany sign first bilateral treaty since WWII, focusing on defence 17/07 18:23 - UK and Germany sign first bilateral treaty since WWII, focusing on defence 17/07 17:36 - Merz calls for UK, Germany and France to align on migration and defence 17/07 17:00 - UK’s £225m AI supercomputer, Isambard-AI, launches in Bristol 17/07 16:43 - Merz says he ‘deplores deeply’ UK’s decision to leave EU after signing UK-Germany treaty – as it happened 17/07 16:24 - Barcelona talks with DR Congo leaked ahead of new sponsorship deal 17/07 16:24 - Barcelona talks with DR Congo leaked ahead of new sponsorship deal 17/07 16:08 - Preparations to deliver Patriot missile systems to Ukraine under way, Nato’s top Europe commander says – as it happened 17/07 15:41 - Senate approves cuts to global aid funding and public broadcasting in win for Trump – US politics live 17/07 15:23 - Top NATO commander gives update on Patriots for Ukraine 17/07 15:21 - Cardiff council warns tenants of eviction if household member convicted for Ely riots 17/07 15:16 - EU proposes 'most ambitious ever' budget of two trillion euros 17/07 15:12 - Journalism a ‘crime’ in UK – RT reporter after detention 17/07 15:06 - Trump goes to war with Maga over Epstein files – podcast 17/07 15:00 - Shoddy work and rogue tradies: the home repair practices targeting vulnerable Australians 17/07 14:54 - Trump allocates arms for Ukraine, threatens Russia with tariffs if no truce in 50 days 17/07 14:37 - Rodent wars: US city where ground squirrels outnumber people fights back 17/07 14:37 - Essex police warn against violence as far right exploit asylum hotel tensions 17/07 14:28 - Russia says captured villages in three separate Ukrainian regions 17/07 13:00 - Risk of undersea cable attacks backed by Russia and China likely to rise, report warns 17/07 12:41 - Ukraine launches major drone attack on Russian bombers 17/07 11:42 - Children under seven should not drink slushies containing glycerol, says regulator 17/07 11:36 - New Russian law criminalizes online searches for controversial content 17/07 11:30 - A Filipino priest’s fight for justice for victims of Duterte’s drug war 17/07 11:30 - A Filipino priest’s fight for justice for victims of Duterte’s drug war 17/07 11:23 - Russia, Ukraine exchange more bodies of war dead, Kremlin says 17/07 11:23 - Russia, Ukraine exchange more bodies of war dead, Kremlin says 17/07 10:49 - ‘Is it making a difference? Absolutely’: UK celebrities rally for Gaza 17/07 10:49 - ‘Is it making a difference? Absolutely’: UK celebrities rally for Gaza 17/07 10:29 - Trump to warn more than 150 nations of new tariffs 17/07 10:11 - Europe assumes financial burden of Ukraine war, angering Russia 17/07 10:11 - Europe assumes financial burden of Ukraine war, angering Russia 17/07 09:56 - Syria's president vows to protect Druze after Israel airstrikes 17/07 09:42 - Russia attacks Ukraine with hundreds of drones, energy infrastructure hit 17/07 09:03 - Elissa Slotkin Wants Democrats to Reclaim Their ‘Alpha Energy’