Reading view

Teens storm Scientology church in New York in latest ‘speed running’ incident

Group broke through locked door in Manhattan, damaging property and injuring a staff member, church says

A group of youths forced their way into a Scientology church in New York on Saturday in the latest in a string of nationwide “speed running” incidents that have gone viral on social media in recent weeks.

The group broke through a locked door to gain entry to the Church of Scientology on West 36th Street in Manhattan, throwing objects, damaging the property and injuring a staff member as worshippers and visitors attended a seminar, the church said in a statement to the Guardian.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Chris Pizzello/AP

© Photograph: Chris Pizzello/AP

© Photograph: Chris Pizzello/AP

  •  

Trump’s disapproval rating hits record high, new poll shows

Disapproval rose to 62%, the worst of his two terms in office, amid economic issues since launching his war against Iran

Six months out from November’s midterm US elections, Donald Trump’s disapproval rating has reached 62% – the worst of his two terms in office – according to a new Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll.

The US president received his worst ratings on the cost of living and other economic issues since launching his deeply unpopular war against Iran in February, which has plunged the global economy into an oil crisis and sent gas prices rocketing to a four-year high.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Matt Rourke/AP

© Photograph: Matt Rourke/AP

© Photograph: Matt Rourke/AP

  •  

Spirit pilot gets ‘overwhelming’ send-off from Southwest after his final flight is cancelled

Jon Jackson was scheduled to fly his last flight on Saturday when Spirit ceased operations – Southwest staff stepped in

A Spirit Airlines pilot was given an emotional send-off into retirement by another airline after what was supposed to be his final flight was canceled amid Spirit’s sudden collapse on Saturday.

Jon Jackson had been scheduled to fly his final flight into Baltimore-Washington international airport on Saturday when the low-cost airline ceased operations after running out of cash and rescue talks with the Trump administration failed.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: David McNew/Getty Images

© Photograph: David McNew/Getty Images

© Photograph: David McNew/Getty Images

  •  

Top Republicans express concern over withdrawal of US troops from Germany – as it happened

Senator Roger Wicker and representative Mike Rogers say move risks undermining deterrence and sending wrong signal to Putin

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said suspicious activity had been reported 84 nautical miles southwest of the port of Mukalla in Yemen.

A bulk carrier reported that a small boat and a fishing vessel came within 500m of it, according to UKMTO.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

© Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

© Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

  •  

‘That’s bullshit’: Democrats slam Trump’s claims that Iran hostilities ‘have been terminated’ – as it happened

This live blog is now closed.

Meanwhile, the White House has said it will not detail private diplomatic conversations when Reuters asked about Iran’s new proposal to the United States that was submitted to Pakistani mediators.

“We do not detail private diplomatic conversations. President Trump has been clear that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, and negotiations continue to ensure the short- and long-term national security of the United States,” spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Reuters.

I do have the impression from some of the briefings that I have received, as well as other sources, that an imminent military strike is very much on the table.

There really is no coherent strategy, which came across very vividly and graphically in the hearing today with Secretary Hegseth.

And it comes across in the president’s comments, which oscillate between seeming open to negotiation and then foreclosing it entirely and threatening destruction of civilizations.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

  •  

New video shows accused gunman trying to storm White House press dinner as gunfire erupts – as it happened

This live blog is now closed.

Louisiana governor Jeff Landry yesterday told GOP candidates that he plans to suspend next month’s primary elections so that state lawmakers can pass a new congressional map first, the Washington Post (paywall) reported last night.

It came hours after the US supreme court decided that Louisiana’s creation of a second majority black congressional district to satisfy previously rulings relied too heavily on race and was “an unconstitutional racial gerrymander”, as opposed to a required effort to comply with the Voting Rights Act.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Tom Brenner/AP

© Photograph: Tom Brenner/AP

© Photograph: Tom Brenner/AP

  •  

‘A day of loss for our democracy’: civil rights groups slam supreme court ruling that weakens key part of Voting Rights Act – as it happened

This live blog is now closed.

The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday after a key policy meeting, likely the last chaired by central bank chief Jerome Powell, a frequent target of president Donald Trump’s ire.

Policymakers will weigh the risks of surging energy prices and snarled supply chains due to the US-Israel war on Iran, with analysts widely expecting a third pause in a row as the effects of the conflict ripple through the world’s largest economy.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Legal Defense Fund

© Photograph: Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Legal Defense Fund

© Photograph: Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Legal Defense Fund

  •  

Justice department claims James Comey made ‘threat to kill’ Trump as it announces charges against former FBI director – as it happened

This live blog is now closed.

Donald Trump has reportedly signaled to his top advisers that he is dissatisfied with and unlikely to accept Iran’s latest proposal to end the war, which would reopen the strait of Hormuz and leave discussion of Iran’s nuclear program for a later date.

Two people familiar with the matter told CNN that Trump conveyed his views during yesterday’s meeting with top national security aides where the Iranian proposal was discussed. One of the people said Trump was not likely to accept the plan, which was sent to the US in the last few days.

What I will reiterate is that the president’s red lines with respect to Iran have been made very, very clear, not just to the American public, but also to them as well.

I wouldn’t say they’re considering it. I would just say that there was a discussion this morning that I don’t want to get ahead of, and you’ll hear directly from the president, I’m sure, on this topic.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Cliff Owen/AP

© Photograph: Cliff Owen/AP

© Photograph: Cliff Owen/AP

  •  

Middle East crisis: Trump hits back at German chancellor after Merz said Iran was ‘humiliating’ US – as it happened

US president claims Friedrich Merz ‘doesn’t know what he’s talking about’ after German leader criticised US strategy in Iran

Saudi Arabia is to host a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Jeddah later today, in what will be first in-person meeting of Gulf leaders since their states became dragged into the war.

A Gulf official told the Reuters news agency that the meeting aimed to craft a response to the thousands of Iranian missile and drone attacks Gulf states have faced since the US and Israel launched the war on Iran on 28 February.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Razieh Poudat/ISNA/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Razieh Poudat/ISNA/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Razieh Poudat/ISNA/AFP/Getty Images

  •  

Middle East crisis: Iran’s foreign ministry condemns US seizure of Iranian-linked tankers as ‘piracy and armed robbery’ – as it happened

Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei says actions of the United States ‘strike at the heart of international law’ as blockade continues in strait of Hormuz

Iran is proposing that shipping companies should pay charges for specific services when they cross the strait of Hormuz, in a move that would enable it to raise money from shipping traffic without presenting the payment as a toll.

Iran’s framing is designed to maximise political and legal support for the plan it is developing with Oman. Iran has made a solution to its demands an essential precondition to winding down the conflict, including an end to its effective blockade of the Strait and the counter-blockade of Iranian ports being mounted by the US Navy.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

  •  

FBI affidavit quotes White House press dinner shooting suspect expressing rage at ‘a pedophile, rapist and traitor’ – as it happened

This live blog is now closed.

Here’s more about the timing of King Charles’s visit today with Donald Trump at the White House.

According to Trump’s official schedule, the president will greet King Charles and Queen Camilla at the White House at 4.15pm ET. Shortly after, they’ll have tea and then tour a beehive at the White House.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Leigh Vogel/UPI/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Leigh Vogel/UPI/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Leigh Vogel/UPI/Shutterstock

  •  

Suspect charged with attempting to assassinate Trump at press dinner

Alleged shooter, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, charged with three federal crimes in White House press gala attack

The suspected gunman who tried to storm the White House correspondents’ dinner appeared in federal court on Monday and was charged with three federal crimes, including attempting to assassinate the president.

The alleged shooter, identified by law enforcement agencies as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Torrance in southern California, was charged with attempting to assassinate the US president, transportation of firearms to commit a felony, and unlawful discharge of a firearm during violence.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

© Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

© Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

  •  
❌