Judges fired after blocking deportation of pro-Palestinian students 13. April 2026 (22:32) Immigration judges Roopal Patel and Nina Froes among six judges terminated by Department of JusticeTwo immigration judges who ruled against the Trump administration in the deportation cases of pro-Palestinian university students have been fired by the Department of Justice.The New York Times reported over the weekend that the justice department had terminated six judges, including Roopal Patel and Nina Froes, who oversaw deportation proceedings against Rümeysa Öztürk and Mohsen Mahdawi, two students who were arrested last year as part of Trump’s campaign against the Gaza protest movement. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Terence Crawford fined $75 over incident that led to gunpoint traffic stop 13. April 2026 (22:00) Crawford fined after Omaha traffic stop at gunpointBoxer ordered to pay $75 plus $49 in court costsPolice review found officers acted lawfullyTerence Crawford was found guilty of careless driving Monday and ordered to pay a $75 fine stemming from a traffic stop last year during which police ordered the world champion boxer and passengers out of his vehicle at gunpoint.Crawford was stopped on 28 September, hours after his hometown of Omaha held a parade through downtown to celebrate his unanimous-decision victory over Canelo Álvarez in a super middleweight championship fight. The win made Crawford the first male boxer to capture three unified division titles. He announced his retirement in December with a 42-0 record and 31 knockouts. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Chagos Islands treaty is now ‘impossible to agree at political level’, UK minister says 13. April 2026 (21:58) Stephen Doughty says US withdrawal of support means bill cannot complete passage through parliamentA treaty over ceding sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has become “impossible to agree at political level” and the corresponding bill will not complete its passage through parliament, a Foreign Office minister has said.Stephen Doughty told the Commons that the agreement with Mauritius was initially negotiated in close coordination with the US, but Donald Trump’s position “appears to have changed”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Bahamas police again question US man over disappearance of wife at sea 13. April 2026 (21:36) Brian Hooker says wife Lynette fell overboard from dinghy but family members have cast doubt on that accountPolice in the Bahamas on Monday were set to again interview a US man who said his wife fell overboard from their boat.In a statement on Sunday to the Guardian, Brian Hooker’s attorney, Terrel Butler, said: “The police have requested another interview with [Brian Hooker] tomorrow.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Plans to change HS2 train size could reduce capacity and speed in north, says expert 13. April 2026 (20:56) Review of original train order is meant to prevent service problems north of Birmingham but it may do the oppositePlans to change the size of HS2 trains to maximise capacity are likely to inflate costs and mean fewer seats and slower services north of Birmingham, a senior government and rail industry figure has warned.The £2bn order for 54 high-speed trains, to be built in Britain by a joint venture of Alstom and Hitachi, is under review as HS2 Ltd seeks to cut costs and renegotiate contracts. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Brazil’s former spy chief who fled country arrested by ICE agents in US 13. April 2026 (20:50) Alexandre Ramagem fled country after he was sentenced to 16 years for his role in plotting military coup in BrazilWhen Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison for an attempted coup, six other members of his cabinet were also found guilty and all began serving their sentences – except for one.Days before the verdict, Bolsonaro’s former spy chief, Alexandre Ramagem, fled by car to Guyana and boarded a flight to the United States, where he has remained ever since. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Mahmood’s migration reforms will deliver fraction of claimed savings, data suggests 13. April 2026 (20:47) Exclusive: Analysis of government figures indicates public finances will gain £600m not £10bn if migrants’ access to benefits is reducedShabana Mahmood’s migration reforms are expected to deliver just £600m in savings – about 6% of the £10bn the home secretary claimed, according to the government’s own data.Under the plans, most people would have to wait 10 years to qualify for settled status, rather than the existing five-year period, which the home secretary argued would save costs on public services. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Vance’s bad week: vice-president risks becoming face of two Trump foreign policy failures 13. April 2026 (20:10) Orbán is out in Hungary and talks have failed to end the war in Iran – ill-fated roadtrip has been setback for Maga aimsShortly before JD Vance’s ill-fated week crisscrossing the world, Donald Trump asked him during a private Easter brunch about how the Iran negotiations were shaping up. “If it doesn’t happen, I’m blaming JD Vance,” Trump said to laughs in the room. “If it does happen, I’m taking full credit.”The joke at Vance’s expense contained an unfortunate nugget of truth: this is not an administration that rewards failure. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Colombia to cull up to 80 hippos descended from Pablo Escobar zoo 13. April 2026 (20:01) Dozens of feral pachyderms linked to drug kingpin to be killed because of threat to native species and villagersColombian officials have authorized a plan to cull dozens of hippos descended from animals brought to the country in the 1980s by Pablo Escobar, after the feral beasts displaced native species and threatened local villagers.The environment minister, Irene Vélez, said the decision was reached because other methods to control their population had been expensive and unsuccessful, including neutering some of the animals or moving them to zoos. Vélez said that up to 80 hippos would be affected by the measure. She did not say when the hunting would begin. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US expected to start naval blockade of Iranian ports after deadline passes 13. April 2026 (19:59) Iran warns Americans they face higher pump prices due to prohibition scheduled to start on Monday eveningMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe US blockade of ships using Iranian ports in the Gulf was due to take effect on Monday evening, turning the six-week-old conflict between the US-Israeli coalition and Iran into a test of economic endurance.US Central Command (Centcom) made no formal announcement of the start of the blockade but had said it would take effect at 5.30pm Iranian time (3pm UK time) on Monday, and would apply to any ships entering or departing Iranian ports or coastal areas, while ships using non-Iranian ports would not be impeded. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
