Gunfire erupted outside the White House when a man opened fire on Secret Service officers, then died after agents returned fire, the agency said in a statement carried by US media. A bystander was also struck in the exchange, the agency said, though officials did not disclose the person's condition. US President Donald Trump said the gunman had a "violent history and possible obsession" with the White House. "Thank you to our great Secret Service and Law Enforcement for the swift and professional action taken this evening…

History hangs heavily over Makerfield. The Battle of Waterloo was fought on 18 June 1815, and Britain’s political class has now chosen 18 June as polling day for the Makerfield by-election — inviting comparisons they can hardly have failed to notice. The fall of an emperor? The ascent of a new prince? Or simply a bruising political mess? On the 211th anniversary of Waterloo, several endings remain possible. This by-election exists for one reason above all: to try to return Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to…

A fresh allegation has emerged in the UK police investigation involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, with officers reportedly examining a claim that he acted inappropriately toward a woman at Royal Ascot. According to The Sunday Times, the alleged incident took place at the Berkshire racing fixture in 2002. Royal Ascot has long been one of the royal family’s signature summer events, and Queen Elizabeth II attended the 2002 meeting during the year of her Golden Jubilee. The Sunday Times reported that it remains unclear whether…

"A government of laws, not men." That message blazed across the US Department of Justice headquarters in Washington DC on Tuesday, casting a sharp rebuke in light against one of the most powerful buildings in the country. The words, drawn from founding father John Adams, were projected above a banner of US President Donald Trump that has hung from the building for months. Washington has hardly been quiet since Mr Trump returned to the White House last year, and the capital has become familiar terrain for demonstrations of…

France has barred Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering the country after he posted a video ridiculing bound activists detained by Israeli soldiers during a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. "From today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory" because of "his reprehensible actions towards French and European citizens" involved in the humanitarian flotilla, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on X. Barrot said he was also joining Italy in pushing for European Union sanctions…

Mogadishu, Somalia – In a push to professionalise Somalia’s police and bolster national stability, Minister of Internal Security Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail today inaugurated a 10-day instructor training for the Somali Police Force in Mogadishu, a programme designed to raise institutional capacity across the security sector. Funded by the Government of Japan, the 10-day training is being conducted by the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Police at the General Kaahiye Police Training Academy as…

Houston is counting down to the FIFA World Cup, with seven matches on the schedule and a landmark fixture between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Portugal set to draw global attention to Texas. DR Congo booked its place at the tournament by surviving a play-off against Jamaica in Mexico in March. Yet as the city prepares to welcome the team, the buildup has been overshadowed by the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring a "public health emergency of international concern" after an Ebola outbreak in the central…

SpaceX sent its towering Starship rocket on a dramatic test run that ended with a controlled, fiery splashdown in the Indian Ocean, giving the company a largely successful outing for the latest version of its giant spacecraft. The mission was not flawless, but the snags did little to dampen the mood. On the company livestream, SpaceX staff erupted in cheers after a flight seen as an important step forward as Elon Musk's company moves toward what could be a record-setting initial public offering. The huge rocket lifted off…

Federal immigration arrests in New York City have surged by more than 70% since President Donald Trump returned to office, according to a city audit that points to a sharp rise in enforcement activity across the five boroughs. Commissioned by Mayor Zohran Mamdani shortly after he entered office this year, the audit found that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 5,567 people in the New York City area from 20 January, 2025, when Mr Trump, a Republican, was sworn in for a new term, through 10 March, 2026. The report…

Four days after US President Donald Trump departed Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived — a swift diplomatic handover that underscored China’s central place in an increasingly unsettled global order. Beijing’s ties with Washington and Moscow differ sharply, of course: one relationship is defined by strategic rivalry, the other by strategic partnership. Yet as China welcomes a steady procession of global leaders, each high-profile visit helps reinforce the sense that Beijing is becoming a pivotal stage for world…