In the skies over Hollywood a small plane pulls a banner reading “vote yes”. On a monitor on a movie set, the same words are scrawled on a piece of luminous tape. On a crane hoisting bits of scenery into place, the same slogan is emblazoned in big letters. That simple message is at the
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US President Joe Biden has narrowly avoided a government shutdown, signing new legislation on spending just hours before the deadline. Republicans blocked the bill to fund the American government through to 3 December because they were unhappy with the plan to raise the debt ceiling, but it was eventually passed by the House and the
More than half of all killings by police officers in the United States go unreported – and black Americans are far more likely to be the victim, according to a new study. Research published in the medical journal The Lancet reported that 55% of deaths from “police violence” in the US between 1980 and 2018
They heard the roar from the street outside at the moment Britney Spears won her legal fight in a Los Angeles courtroom It was a moment of release for a Free Britney campaign which has spent years rallying in support of the singer’s cause, and in opposition to the conservatorship that has run her life
Britney Spears’ father Jamie Spears has been suspended as conservator of her estate after 13 years, during the latest court hearing in the long-running dispute. The judge in Los Angeles said it was in Spears‘ “best interests” to remove her father from the legal agreement and that the “current situation is untenable” and “reflects a
A judge is expected to decide today whether Jamie Spears should be removed from his controversial role running his superstar daughter Britney’s life. The hearing at the Los Angeles Superior Court is a significant moment in the 13-year conservatorship arrangement that has controlled the financial and personal life of the millionaire singer. It comes as
Prince William and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg have teamed up to highlight the importance of tackling climate change. The Duke of Cambridge and billionaire businessman Mr Bloomberg will be working together on the prince’s environmental initiative, called the Earthshot Prize. Mr Bloomberg, whose estimated net worth is more than $60bn (£46.3m), has
The singer R Kelly has been found guilty of racketeering in his sex abuse trial in Brooklyn, New York. The R&B singer was accused of exploiting his fame to lure women and underage girls for sex. The 54-year-old had pleaded not guilty to racketeering and eight counts of violating a federal law making it illegal
An Amtrak passenger train has derailed in the US state of Montana killing at least three people, according to reports. The Empire Builder train, which runs between Seattle and Chicago, was carrying 146 passengers and 16 crew, Amtrak said. The train consisted of two locomotives and 10 carriages, seven of which derailed near the town
Huawei’s chief financial officer has reached a deal with US prosecutors that allows her to return to China. Meng Wanzhou, who is also the daughter of the company’s founder Ren Zhengfei, has been in Canada since she was arrested at Vancouver’s airport in December 2018. Her arrest followed an extradition warrant issued by the US
R Kelly’s future is now in the hands of seven men and five women, as jurors began deliberations after weeks of testimony in his sex abuse trial in New York. Warning: This article contains references to alleged sexual assault and abuse Prosecutors and defence lawyers finished their closing arguments this week, and now the 12-strong
Human remains found in an alligator’s stomach in Louisiana have been identified as those of a man who was attacked and killed in Hurricane Ida floodwaters. Timothy Satterlee Sr, 71, had been reported missing since the attack near his home in the New Orleans suburb of Slidell on 30 August. The remains were confirmed as
The former Minneapolis police officer jailed for the murder of George Floyd has appealed against his conviction. Derek Chauvin was sentenced in June to 22-and-a-half years in a case that made global headlines and sparked protests. He had 90 days to lodge an appeal from date of sentencing and the application is based on five
The American special envoy to Haiti has resigned in protest at the “inhumane” deportation of hundreds of Haitian migrants back to their country from a camp on the US-Mexican border. Daniel Foote said that conditions in the Caribbean nation were so bad that US officials were confined to secure compounds because of the danger of
Influential filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles – who was described as the “godfather of black cinema” – has died aged 89. Van Peebles, known for 1970s films Watermelon Man and Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, died on Tuesday evening at his home in New York. Actor Mario Van Peebles, the filmmaker’s son and long-time creative collaborator, said:
The US is buying a further 500 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to donate to other countries, bringing its total commitment to over a billion jabs, President Joe Biden has announced. “To beat the pandemic here, we need to beat it everywhere,” Mr Biden said. “For every one shot we’ve administered to date in America, we
Parked vehicles have created a steel barrier which stretches for miles along the US border with Mexico in the latest measure to deter migrants from crossing into Texas. The US has been expelling Haitians from a large makeshift camp at the border, which at one point had attracted more than 12,000 migrants. Around 8,600 people
The parents of Harry Dunn have reached a “resolution” with the teenager’s alleged killer in a civil claim for damages in the US. The Dunn family’s spokesman Radd Seiger said an agreement had been “reached successfully between the parties and they can put this part of the campaign behind them”. It comes more than two
Vaccinated passengers will be able to enter the US from the UK and EU from November onwards, ending almost two years of coronavirus travel restrictions. The new rules would be part of broader policy changes for international travel and will apply to fully vaccinated people – meaning those who have received two doses of a
A body found in Wyoming is believed to be that of missing Gabby Petito, US officials have said. The FBI said the body was found by law enforcement agents who had spent the past two days searching campgrounds. “Full forensic identification has not been completed to confirm 100% that we found Gabby, but her family