Author: James Carter

German police are investigating an alleged attack on a regional politician from the right-wing Alternative for Germany party after he was approached and assaulted by two unidentified men in the city of Rostock in the early hours of Thursday morning. Michael Meister, a member of the state parliament in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, was injured on the arm during the attack and contacted police himself to report the incident. The state security unit of the Rostock criminal investigation department is now leading the inquiry, treating the case as suspected grievous bodily harm. In a statement issued by the state AfD chapter, Meister said:…

Andy Burnham has won the Makerfield by-election with a commanding majority, securing his return to Parliament and immediately fuelling speculation that he is positioning himself for a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer. The Labour Co-op candidate took 24,927 votes, or 54.8 per cent of the total, defeating Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon by a majority of 9,231 votes on a turnout of 58.75 per cent — a solid figure for a by-election. Kenyon finished second with around 15,696 votes, while Restore Britain, the new hard-right party linked to former Reform figures and led by Rupert Lowe, surprised many by finishing…

A van bearing the words “Muslims for Reform” has sparked controversy at the Makerfield by-election after being photographed and filmed near a polling station in Ashton-in-Makerfield, in a constituency where Muslims make up less than one per cent of the population. Images and videos of the grey van, with large white lettering on its side, circulated widely on social media during polling day on Wednesday, with Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe — whose candidate Rebecca Shepherd is standing in the seat — sharing photographs and condemning it as “divisive identity politics” in a constituency that is between 94 and 97…

Donald Trump Jr has publicly accused Senator Ted Cruz of “lying through his teeth” after the Texas Republican became one of the most prominent voices within his own party to condemn the president’s newly signed deal with Iran, triggering a bitter public row that has exposed deepening Republican divisions over the memorandum of understanding. President Trump signed the 14-point accord at the G7 summit in France on Wednesday night, with the deal intended to draw a formal line under weeks of military conflict and diplomatic negotiations with the Iranian regime. But Cruz, speaking to the Daily Wire, delivered one of…

Porsche has updated its Taycan electric car with a virtual gear system designed to replicate the sensory experience of driving a combustion-engined performance car, as manufacturers increasingly look for ways to make electric vehicles more emotionally engaging for driving enthusiasts. The new “e-shift” system allows drivers to switch between automatic and manual modes, using paddles on the GT steering wheel to shift through eight simulated gears. The system delivers what Porsche describes as “noticeable shift jerks” and “gear-specific drag torque” to mimic the engine-braking behaviour of a traditional car, while a virtual rev limiter provides “authentic feedback.” An interior and…

A Shropshire councillor has been hit with thousands of calls for her resignation after posting a video in which she laughed while dismissing Rupert Lowe’s independent grooming gangs inquiry report as “junk,” drawing widespread condemnation for what critics described as a deeply insensitive response to a report detailing the abuse of hundreds of thousands of children. Donna Edmunds, who represents the Hodnet ward and left Reform UK in 2025 after a suspension, posted the video to X in response to the 219-page Rape Gang Inquiry Report published this week by Restore Britain MP Rupert Lowe. The report, compiled from survivor…

UK inflation has held steady at 2.8 per cent in May, defying expectations of a rise and offering some relief to households and policymakers, the Office for National Statistics has confirmed. Economists had widely predicted that inflation would tick up to 3 per cent last month, making the unchanged figure a welcome surprise. The rate of price rises matching April’s level suggests that cost pressures remain broadly stable for now. Inflation fell to its lowest level in more than a year in April, largely driven by a reduction in household energy bills after Ofgem lowered its energy price cap by…

Uber and Lyft routinely charge customers wildly different prices for identical trips and offer discount promotions that often save riders little or nothing compared to standard fares, a bombshell investigation has found, raising fresh questions about whether the practices could breach consumer protection laws. The investigation by Consumer Reports recruited 174 volunteers who priced more than 40 routes on both apps across 18 states. In Kansas City, Missouri, 55 volunteers testing a single route were quoted 29 different prices. In Austin, Texas, fares for another identical route ranged from $25 to $65 — a difference of 160 per cent. Critically,…

A California state senator born to Afghan refugees who grew up in foster care after losing both parents is romping to an early lead in the special election to temporarily fill the congressional seat vacated by disgraced Democrat Eric Swalwell. Aisha Wahab, who made history as the first Afghan American to hold elected office in the United States, garnered more than 40 per cent of the vote in Tuesday’s special election for California’s 14th Congressional District, with the Associated Press calling that she would advance to an August runoff. Wahab had previously topped the open primary held earlier this month…

A Green-led London council has threatened to withhold cooperation from the Home Office over immigration enforcement operations, claiming that raids are dividing communities and leaving residents living in fear of “a knock on the door.” Lambeth Council’s cabinet member for safer, thriving neighbourhoods, Jonathan Bartley — a former co-leader of the Green Party — has announced a review of the borough’s information-sharing arrangements with the Home Office, timed to coincide with Refugee Week, which began on 15 June. In a video posted on the council’s website, filmed in front of graffiti reading “all migrants welcome,” Bartley said: “Immigration raids are…