US

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,

Microsoft owes the US Treasury $28.9 billion (£23bn) in back taxes, plus penalties and interest according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The figure, which Microsoft disputes, stems from a long-running IRS investigation into how Microsoft allocated its profits among countries and jurisdictions in the years 2004 to 2013, according to a securities filing Critics

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

Elon Musk’s $44bn (£36bn) takeover of Twitter is under investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and he could be compelled to testify. According to court filings on Thursday, the case centres around concerns the world’s richest man broke federal security laws in 2022, when he bought Twitter stock. The investigation is also

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

The House Republicans and Democrats on Saturday struck a deal to fund the government and avoid a shutdown. The House of Representatives voted 335-91 on a short-term funding bill, known as a continuing resolution, according to Sky News’ US partner network NBC News. The bill would keep the government open for another 45 days –

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

A US soldier who ran across the border into North Korea is now back in American hands and “very happy” to be heading home, according to officials. Private Travis King’s transfer out of the totalitarian state was described as “truly complex” and involving “intense diplomacy”. Sweden was the key intermediary in getting him released, said

Joe Biden’s dog has bitten yet another member of the US Secret Service – the 11th time such an incident has happened. The US president’s German shepherd attacked the agent at the White House on Monday evening, a Secret Service spokesperson said. The female officer needed medical treatment on site after the incident but is

California is on the brink of bringing in an Amsterdam-style law which will allow cannabis cafes and coffee shops to open across the state. Campaigners say it will reduce black market sales and boost legitimate business. Recreational cannabis has been legal in California since 2016 and purchases are made through dispensaries, with products generally smoked