US

Travis King, the US soldier who fled to North Korea, has been charged with desertion and the solicitation of indecent images of children. The US Army charged the 23-year-old private after he returned from North Korea following two months in detention. Pte King faces a total of eight distinct charges, ranging from desertion, assault and

This was only the second time President Biden has used the Oval Office for an address to the nation – a framing to emphasise a time of deep uncertainty. It was just after 8pm when he spoke live on primetime television. From behind the resolute desk from where so many American presidents have sought to

Joe Biden’s mission in the Middle East is risky to say the least. He believes he needs to be here to send a message in person to friends and foes. To his Israeli allies, he is showing solidarity after the worst loss of civilian life in the country’s history, the most appalling and depraved slaughter

A summit between between Palestinian, US, Jordanian and Egyptian leaders, has been cancelled, just hours before Joe Biden was due to visit the region. The US president was set to meet them after his visit to Israel on Wednesday. The summit’s cancellation is a blow to Mr Biden’s diplomatic efforts over the Middle East crisis.

Britney Spears says she had an abortion while dating Justin Timberlake more than 20 years ago. The revelation came from an excerpt of the US pop star’s upcoming memoir – a selection of extracts which were published on Tuesday by People magazine. In the excerpt, Spears described the pregnancy as a “surprise”, but wrote: “For

Donald Trump is suing a private investigations firm over “shocking and scandalous” claims that he engaged in “perverted sexual acts” in Russia. The former US president is suing Orbis Business Intelligence, a London-based company co-founded by ex-British spy Christopher Steele, over a dossier containing rumours about him that caused a storm before his 2017 presidential

A motorist was handed a $1.4m (£1.1m) speeding fine after going 35mph over the limit – and claims he was then threatened with court action unless he paid it. Connor Cato assumed the steep penalty was a typo after he was caught driving at 90mph in a 55mph zone in the US state of Georgia.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Hamas is the “enemy of civilisation” and will be “crushed”. Speaking alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Mr Netanyahu thanked Washington for its support since Hamas’s attack – adding the militant group should be treated “exactly as ISIS was treated”. Mr Netanyahu said “no country should harbour”

A lucky ticketholder has scooped the second largest lottery win ever, banking $1.7bn (£1.4bn) in the Powerball on Wednesday night. The winning numbers were: 22, 24, 40, 52, 64 and the Powerball 10. The winning ticket was sold at Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park, according to the California Lottery. The winner, from California,

Cricket is poised to return to the Olympics in five years’ time – more than a century since the sport was last included. It joins baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse and squash as the five additional sports being endorsed by the organisers of the Los Angeles Games. There has only been one cricket match played at

The man charged with abducting a nine-year-old girl from a campsite in New York state is being investigated over the unsolved murders of two teenage girls who disappeared close to his home around 20 years ago, police have said. Craig Nelson Ross Jr, was charged with alleged first-degree kidnapping after Charlotte Sena was found “safe

Joe Biden’s dog Commander has been removed from the White House after biting agents and staff. The two-year-old German shepherd had attacked members of the US Secret Service 10 times between October 2022 and January 2023. One female officer recently required medical treatment. Image: Commander was a gift to the US president from his brother

The Speaker of the US House of Representatives has been ousted from his position in a historic vote forced by far-right Republicans he had spent nine months appeasing. Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, is the first Speaker ever to be removed from office after months of turbulent fighting within Donald Trump‘s party, leaving the

A Florida man has been executed over the murders of two women in 1996, the state has announced. Michael Zack III, 54, was killed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison at 6.14pm on Tuesday. His final words were: “I love you all.” Zack was executed for the killing of bartender Ravonne Smith, who he

US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been removed from office after a historic challenge to his leadership from his own party. The Republican faced a motion to vacate, which was triggered by Donald Trump ally Matt Gaetz on Monday, just months after securing the position in 15 rounds of voting. It is the first time

The takeaway phrase from day one of this first of so many court cases against Donald Trump? “Rampant fraud”. That’s not, legally at least, a point of debate. The judge has concluded, in a pre-trial ruling, that the Trump Organisation did commit widespread fraud. Politically though, it is deeply debatable: due process versus partisan witch-hunt.

Donald Trump is accused of raising more than $100m by lying about the value of his real estate empire, as he attacked the judge overseeing his civil fraud trial. The ex-president – and current favourite to stand as the Republican candidate for the White House next year – committed fraud for years while building his

Donald Trump is set to make a surprise appearance on the first day of his trial for “astounding” fraud which begins in New York today.  The former president, who is the favourite to be the Republican presidential candidate next year, is the central defendant in the civil trial which begins today at a courtroom in

Authorities have reportedly carried out a welfare check on Britney Spears after the popstar shared a video of herself dancing with knives at home. The footage showed the 41-year-old singer dancing around the property while holding large knives. Image: The alarm was raised after Britney Spears shared a clip of herself dancing with knives Police

The US soldier who illegally crossed the heavily armed border into North Korea from South Korea has returned home. Private Travis King crossed the border into the North while on a tour of the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that separates the secretive state from the South in July. Following his return, he was taken to a