Good morning. Donald Trump suffered a torrid night at a rally in Texas that was rocked by repeated protests. The US president briefly stepped away from the microphone after one protester appeared to approach the stage. At least half a dozen demonstrators interrupted Trump during his remarks in San Antonio, with some led away by police. One was physically assaulted by an older Trump supporter as he tried to leave the arena.
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What is the latest development in the saga over taxpayer-funded pro-Trump ads? The Democratic National Committee has sued the Trump administration in federal court, asking a judge in Washington to stop the president from using taxpayer funds to air a series of ads promoting himself. The ads have cost taxpayers more than $12m so far, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact.
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Why has Trump been forced to distance himself from two top aides? Trump claimed he did not have “any idea who else they work for” after it was reported that Chris LaCivita, the co-manager of his 2024 presidential campaign, and James Blair, a campaign adviser and White House deputy chief of staff on leave of absence, spent the weekend assisting the pro-Russia government in Republika Srpska in the Balkans. Trump said: “I will terminate them, immediately” if he determined there was a conflict of interest.
Tanker attacked off Qatar as Ken Paxton admits Iran war and gas prices are plaguing Republicans
A tanker sailing off the north coast of Qatar has been attacked, causing an unknown number of casualties. It came as Iran declared it would close a route in the strait of Hormuz being used to circumvent Tehran’s blockade of traffic.
Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general running as the Republican candidate in a competitive Senate race, admitted in a leaked audio recording that rising fuel prices as a result of Trump’s Iran war were hurting his party before the midterms. The Guardian has asked Paxton’s campaign for comment.
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What is the latest in the diplomatic dispute between the UK and Israel? Britain is rebranding its East Jerusalem consulate as a UK mission. The move was forced by the Israeli government as punishment for Britain’s decision to ban trade with illegal settlements. There has been some dispute within the UK government over whether taking tough measures at this time against Israel could help Benjamin Netanyahu’s re-election prospects this month.
WHO says it does not have ‘full picture’ from Russia after suspected plague death
The World Health Organization has said it does not have the “full picture” from Russia after the suspected death from plague last week of a 28-year-old laboratory worker in Siberia. Russian authorities have denied a connection with the anti-plague research institute and say Darya Shipilova died from “pneumonia of an unknown aetiology”. They insist there is no danger of a plague outbreak and have described the “sanitary and epidemiological” situation in the region as stable.
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What did the WHO director general say? At a press conference, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “We don’t yet have the full picture of this event. Timely, complete and transparent information-sharing is essential to clarify conflicting reports and enable an accurate assessment of potential public risks.”
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What action has Russia appeared to have taken? Officials have imposed sweeping quarantine restrictions at the lab where Shipilova worked and in nearby hospitals. Staff were locked down inside the institute for three days, sleeping on the floors and on chairs, while tests were conducted.
Christa Pike ‘angry, confused’ and unable to move arms after failed execution, lawyers say
Christa Pike had woken up “angry and confused” after surviving two lethal injections, her attorneys said. Pike remains hospitalized and shackled to her bed. She has pneumonia and a blood clot, and is unable to move either of her badly injured arms. Randy Spivey, one of her lawyers, said her first words were: “Where am I?”, adding: “I think she is angry and confused about everything right now.” A judge has ordered Tennessee state officials to preserve all evidence related to the failed execution. Pike was convicted for her part in the 1995 brutal murder of Colleen Slemmer.
In other news …
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Margaret Hamilton, whose software powered the Apollo 11 moon landing, has died aged 90. Reflecting on the historic mission, she once said: “We were the luckiest people in the world; there was no choice but to be pioneers.”
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The FBI says it thwarted a terrorist attack on a Minnesota shopping mall by an 18-year-old it had supplied with an AK-47.
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An Arizona congressional candidate says she was raped while trying to repair a campaign sign. Bernadette Greene-Placentia says she is sharing her story to fight for victims of sexual assault.
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OpenAI’s release of mathematical findings has drawn concerns from experts, who say the company is not doing due diligence to vet results.
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María del Carmen Abascal, the 87-year-old whose eviction in Madrid set off a nationwide wave of protests against Spain’s housing crisis, has died.
Stat of the day: Golden State Valkyries become first women’s sports team to top $100m in annual revenue
The Golden State Valkyries are pursuing their first WNBA championship, but the second-year franchise has already achieved a historic financial milestone.
The Filter Recommends: The first step of caring for your makeup is storing it right
Lauren Gould speaks to three experts for their best advice on preserving the life of makeup and reducing the chance of it ending up in landfill.
Don’t miss this: ‘Neither war nor peace’ – Palestinians in Gaza on existing amid disease, despair and ruins
People tell Seham Tantesh in Gaza and Jason Burke, our international security correspondent, how their lives have been changed beyond recognition after the 7 October attacks by Hamas three years ago and the subsequent devastating Israeli offensive.
Arturo Béjar’s daughter was 14 when she told him Instagram was failing to keep her safe, and he has subsequently testified repeatedly against his former employer Meta. Steve Rose interviews him.
Climate check: Landslides, flash floods and raging seas – is California ready for the ravages of El Niño?
A mix of natural disasters could all befall the state at once as it finds itself in the crosshairs of the climate phenomenon, as Gabrielle Canon reports. In other climate developments, the Indonesian government has been accused of “gross negligence” in a class action lawsuit over its handling of wildfires, and the Norwegian government has given a permit to a mining company to release waste into one of Norway’s most pristine fjords.
Last Thing: Jonathan the giant tortoise, 194, offers up insight into secrets of longevity
Alas, it is the animal’s DNA that has revealed a host of genetic variants in most of the biological pathways for ageing, not that he has learned to talk and started giving his opinion on things. Still a fascinating development though.
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