Potential Houthi threat to Red Sea shipping could further damage global economy

The Iran-backed group could bring a second crucial waterway to a standstill, writes Sebastian Usher.

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Fulton county accuses FBI of ‘callous disregard’ over ballot seizures

Lawyers say agency made misrepresentations in affidavit to obtain search warrant for January raid of election offices

Lawyers arguing in federal court for the FBI to return Fulton county’s 2020 election records said the agency’s affidavit to obtain a search warrant relied on misrepresentations that rise to the legal standard of a “callous disregard” for the county’s rights.

“The only element that turns the election into a crime is intent, and nothing in the affidavit shows intent,” Abbe Lowell, who is representing Fulton county, said during the Friday hearing at the Richard Russell courthouse in Atlanta. He argued that the FBI is pursuing crimes for which the statute of limitations has expired.

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Is Trump's pause on attacking Iranian energy for diplomacy or an escalation?

The US president's commitment to deadlines is fluid but he uses them for a purpose, writes the BBC's James Landale.

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Guthrie on missing mother: 'We cannot be at peace without knowing'

In her first interview since the disappearance, Savannah Guthrie recounts the moment she learned her mother was missing and wrestles with the idea that her fame may have made her mother a target.

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‘Perfect storm’ of staffing shortage and upcoming World Cup, warns acting head of TSA

Ha Nguyen McNeill testified before House committee about airport wait times amid DHS funding shutdown

The acting head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said on Wednesday that airports across the country are experiencing the “highest wait times in TSA history”, as the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enters its sixth week.

At a House homeland security committee hearing, Ha Nguyen McNeill said her agency has been shut down for 50% of the fiscal year so far – a stretch that includes last year’s record-breaking 43‑day lapse in federal funding. She told lawmakers that by Friday, TSA employees will have missed $1bn in paychecks as a result of the closures.

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Maternal mortality rises in US aid-dependent countries under Republican presidents, study shows

Cuts to family planning aid are linked to an 11% increase in deaths during pregnancy and childbirth in some countries

When Republican presidents win power in the US there is a stark consequence for many pregnant woman around the world – a significant rise in maternal mortality as aid is withdrawn, a new study has found.

Global family planning aid typically drops under Republican presidents and then rises again by 48% once Democratic presidents are elected, the research, published in BMJ Global Health, finds.

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Democratic rising star extends ‘love’ after Hegseth pastor prays for his death

Senate nominee in Texas James Talarico says ‘Christian nationalism kills’ in response to Brooks Potteiger remark

James Talarico, the Texas Democratic state representative and Presbyterian seminarian, has said he forgives Pete Hegseth’s pastor for praying for his death. On Tuesday, Texas’s popular Democratic nominee for a US Senate seat pushed back against comments from Brooks Potteiger, the defense secretary’s closest spiritual adviser, who said: “We want him crucified with Christ.”

Talarico said on X: “Jesus loves. Christian Nationalism kills. You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you. I love you more than you could ever hate me.”

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Jamie Lee Curtis to lead Murder, She Wrote reboot movie

Oscar winner will take on role of Jessica Fletcher in 2027 film from Pitch Perfect director Jason Moore

Oscar-winning actor Jamie Lee Curtis has been confirmed to take on the role of Jessica Fletcher in a big-screen reboot of Murder, She Wrote.

The 67-year-old star of Halloween and Everything Everywhere All at Once will play the mystery author and amateur detective made famous by Angela Lansbury in the long-running television series.

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Baltimore sues Elon Musk’s AI company over Grok’s fake nude images

Lawsuit argues XAI failed to disclose risks, limitations and exposure to harm that come with using chatbot

The mayor and city council of Baltimore, Maryland, filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk’s xAI company on Tuesday, alleging that its Grok chatbot violated consumer protections by generating nonconsensual sexualized images.

Baltimore’s lawsuit argues that xAI deceptively marketed Grok as a general-purpose AI assistant and X as a mainstream social media site, failing to disclose the risks, limitations and exposure to harm that come with using the platform and chatbot. The suit, filed in the circuit court for Baltimore city, argues that the court has jurisdiction over xAI given that the company advertises and operates in Baltimore.

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Nigerian police arrest 15 after viral videos of alleged sexual assault at festival

The videos sparked widespread anger, leading to the hashtag #StopRapingWomen to trend on social media.

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