Trump threatens military deployment nationwide as immigration protests flare up across US

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened to deploy troops nationwide “if necessary” as thousands joined anti-immigration rallies across the U.S.

While Los Angeles remains the epicenter of unrest, demonstrations against ICE operations and Donald Trump’s decision to mobilize 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 U.S. Marines have seen protests flare up from Seattle through to New York City. More protests are scheduled for Thursday.

Trump again defended his decision to deploy troops to LA on Wednesday night before attending a theatre performance in Washington, claiming if he didn’t act, the city “would be burning to the ground right now.”

More than 400 people have been arrested in LA since protests first erupted on Friday, including 330 undocumented migrants and 157 individuals facing charges of assault or obstruction.

Police officers on foot and horseback dispersed crowds on Wednesday evening in downtown LA before enforcing a curfew for a second consecutive night in a bid to curb vandalism and looting. Mayor Karen Bass described it as a response to the president’s “chaotic escalation” of the situation.

Petrol bombs and fireworks hurled at police as Northern Ireland violence spreads

Stormont justice minister Naomi Long has warned that the “three-day festival of hate and destruction” needs to stop before someone loses their life as the injury toll rises.

PSNI reported nine police officers were injured as disorder in Northern Ireland continued for a third day, bringing the total number of injured officers to 41.

Rioters have hurled petrol bombs, masonry, fireworks and even a hatchet at police as unrest outside of Ballymena to towns like Coleraine and Larne, where a leisure centre was set alight by masked vandals who smashed windows.

Assistant chief constable Ryan Henderson calling the criminal behaviour “completely unacceptable.”

“What we witnessed last night has caused fear and huge disruption within our communities, including to our local transport network and community services.”

Three teenagers, aged 15, 17 and 18, have been charged with riot following disorder in Ballymena on Tuesday.

Immigrants and foreign businesses have been targeted in the trouble which broke out on Monday after an alleged sexual assault on a girl in the area. The two teenage boys, charged with attempted rape had their charges read by a Romanian interpreter.

Police are investigating attacks on properties as racially motivated.

Brian Wilson, shy genius of The Beach Boys, dies aged 82

Brian Wilson, Beach Boys co-founder, singer, songwriter, producer and one of the most innovative and pioneering figures in pop music, has died aged 82.

The news was confirmed by his children, who shared a statement on Wilson’s official X (Twitter) account.

“We are heartbroken to announced [sic] that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away,” their statement reads.

“We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family grieving [sic]. We realise that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy.”

News of his death has been met with an outpouring of support.

Revered as the shy genius whose arrangements and songwriting talents spurred The Beach Boys on to become one of the most successful pop groups in history, Wilson was as complicated as he was brilliant.

Wilson grew up in Hawthorne, California, the eldest of three brothers raised by their mother, Audree, and father, Murry. His prodigious musical talent was evident from a young age.

His 2016 memoir recalled sporadic episodes of physical and psychological abuse he and younger brothers Dennis and Carl suffered at the hands of Murry, whom he described as “violent” and “cruel”. Yet he also credited his father as a driving force when it came to nurturing his and his siblings’ musical gifts, from church choirs to playing the upright piano his parents acquired when he was 12 years old.

For his 16th birthday, Wilson received a reel-to-reel tape recorder and taught himself how to overdub, which would later become one of the signature techniques he used to create the layered harmonies of The Beach Boys.

With his two brothers, their cousin Mike Love and classmate Al Jardine, Wilson formed his first band, The Pendletones, in 1961 and wrote their first song, “Surfin’”, with Love. They changed their name to The Beach Boys after “Surfin’” became a hit, signing a new deal with Capitol Records and releasing their debut album, Surfin’ Safari, the following year.

By 1963, Wilson was already beginning to limit his public appearances with the band in order to produce their second album, Surfin’ USA, which peaked at No 2 on the Billboard charts that summer and established The Beach Boys as one of the country’s biggest new pop acts.

The media and fan frenzy the band’s fame attracted, along with Wilson’s concern over the threat posed by Beatlemania – which by then was sweeping the US – to The Beach Boys’ supremacy, pushed him to respond with “I Get Around”, their first No 1 hit.

Yet it wasn’t enough to soothe the psychological toll on Wilson, and he suffered a breakdown during a flight from Los Angeles to Houston ahead of a two-week tour. After making it through the Houston show that evening, he was replaced by session musician Glen Campbell for the rest of the tour. By the time the group continued recording their next album, Wilson announced that he was withdrawing from all future live tours. He later told a journalist that his decision was a byproduct of his “f***ed-up” jealousy over The Beatles and producer Phil Spector.

Wilson was also suffering from strains in his marriage to his first wife, Marilyn Rovell, which would later inform the lyrical content on the groundbreaking album Pet Sounds, considered by many critics as one of the greatest records of all time. Recorded and released in 1966, it is often viewed as the first “concept album” and was described by Rolling Stone as “by far the best album [Wilson] had delivered”.

“Previous Beach Boy albums were also based on strong conceptual images — the dream world of Surf, wired-up rods with metal flake paint, and curvaceous cuties lounging around the (implicitly suburban and affluent) high school,” the publication said. “It was music for white kids; they could identify with the veneration of the leisure status which in 1963 was the ripest fruit of the American dream.

“But Pet Sounds… nobody was prepared for anything so soulful, so lovely, something one had to think about so much. It is by far the best album Brian has yet delivered, and it paradoxically began the decline in mass popularity that still plagues this band.”

Wilson often baulked at being branded a “genius”, feeling it exacerbated the pressures he already felt from the music industry. After completing Pet Sounds, a critical hit but a commercial disappointment, Wilson began abusing drugs and developed what he later called a “Jesus Christ complex”. His mental condition worsened, and he began to suffer from paranoid delusions to the point that he was admitted to hospital shortly after the birth of his and Rovell’s first child.

His treatment by the controversial Eugene Landy following a band intervention was documented in the critically acclaimed 2014 biopic Love & Mercy, starring Paul Dano and John Cusack as the young and older Wilson, respectively, and Paul Giamatti as the psychologist. Wilson’s second wife, Melinda Ledbetter – who was credited with helping to initiate a court-ordered separation for Wilson from Landy and getting him proper medical care – claimed that Landy’s treatment of the musician was “even worse” than the film portrayed.

Evidence of the level of control Landy exerted over Wilson’s career was evident when he was credited as “executive producer” on Wilson’s debut self-titled solo album in 1988. He was described as a constant disruptive presence who created tension with the rest of the production team, while the album’s release was largely overshadowed by scrutiny surrounding his treatment of Wilson. A conservatorship suit was filed by his family in 1991, dissolving the partnership with Landy and handing him a restraining order.

Wilson’s productivity increased during the Nineties, leading to the release of works including an album of songs with Van Dyke Parks called Orange Crate Art. He also appeared in The Wilsons, a collaborative project with his daughters Carnie and Wendy, and co-produced the Beach Boys album Stars and Stripes Vol 1. He also embarked on his first solo tour between March to July 1999, telling the press that he felt “much more comfortable” on stage than he had in The Beach Boys’ heyday.

He continued to tour, including the first full live performance of Pet Sounds, where he was backed by a 55-piece orchestra. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 along with his bandmates, including brothers Carl and Dennis (posthumously as he had died five years earlier), and cousin Mike Love.

In 2020, Wilson expressed his disappointment upon learning that Love’s touring version of The Beach Boys would headline Donald Trump’s campaign benefit in Newport Beach: “We didn’t even know about it and were very surprised to read about it,” he told US media, referring to himself and bandmate Al Jardine, with whom he had been touring in recent years.

His wife of 28 years, Melinda Ledbetter, died in January 2024. “Our five children and I are just in tears,” Wilson wrote in an emotional statement. “We are lost. Melinda was more than my wife. She was my saviour. She gave me the emotional security I needed to have a career. She encouraged me to make the music that was closest to my heart. She was my anchor. She was everything for us.”

Wilson was placed in a court conservatorship in 2024 following Ledbetter’s death, in order to manage his personal and medical decisions, following a petition filed by his family and inner circle. He was found to consent to the arrangement.

He is survived by his five children, and his grandchildren.

Three girls admit killing 75-year-old man in attack filmed on phone

Three teenage girls have pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of a 75-year-old man who died after a street attack filmed on a mobile phone.

Fredi Rivero was set upon in Islington, north London, on 27 February in an unprovoked attack and died in hospital the next day.

The victim, a Bolivian national, was near a bus stop on Seven Sisters Road when the teenagers got off a bus and surrounded him.

The three girls, aged 15, 16 and 17, were then seen to kick, push, punch and shove him, with one grabbing his glasses while filming the incident.

Police were called at 11.25pm to reports of the disturbance and found Mr Rivero unconscious on the pavement with a severe head injury and in cardiac arrest.

He was taken to the Royal London Hospital where he later died.

During the course of their investigation, Met Police officers recovered CCTV of the assault which showed the oldest girl punching the victim in the head, causing him to fall backwards.

On Thursday, the girls, who cannot be identified because of their ages, appeared at the Old Bailey before Judge Judy Khan KC.

The girls, who appeared from custody by video link, pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Judge Khan ordered reports and remanded the defendants into custody to be sentenced on September 5.

Previously, police have said Mr Rivero was a “much-loved father” whose family were “devastated by his death”.

Mr Rivero’s daughter, ex-wife and cousins attended court for the hearing on Thursday.

Additional reporting by PA

MPs urged to block assisted dying bill over anorexia ‘loophole’

People with anorexia could be allowed to die by assisted death under a proposed Bill, more than 250 campaigners have warned, urging MPs to vote down the legislation when it returns to the Commons.

A letter to MPs, signed by 268 people who have suffered with eating disorders, warned: “If this bill had been law during the years many of us were struggling, we would have used it to end our lives.”

Campaigner Chelsea Roff, founder of eating disorder organisation Eat Breathe Thrive, warned that the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) bill contains “dangerous loopholes that have enabled suicidal women with anorexia to die by assisted death” in other countries around the world.

Only those diagnosed with terminal conditions would be covered under the assisted dying legislation, proposed by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater. But anorexia – which is primarily a mental health condition – can lead to lethal physical symptoms, including malnutrition, which campaigners say makes it difficult to entirely exclude it from the Bill.

There are also concerns over the recent use of the term ‘terminal anorexia’, a diagnosis that has been used by medical professionals to describe patients who they do not believe can recover.

The term – which has been widely criticised – was introduced in a case series published in the Journal of Eating Disorders, which described the deaths of three individuals with anorexia.

The authors argued that those diagnosed with this condition should be “afforded access to medical aid in dying in locations where such assistance has been legalised — just like other patients with terminal conditions”.

It comes after a recent study found that individuals with eating disorders have died by assisted death in three US states – California, Colorado and Oregon. The legislation in each of these states limit eligibility to individuals diagnosed with a terminal illness.

But pro-assisted dying sources said the definition of terminal illness in the bill is most similar to the laws in Australia, where there have been no cases involving eating disorders.

The letter urges MPs to vote against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill as it returns to the Commons, warning that, in its current format, it is not safe for those affected by eating disorders.

“Eating disorders are amongst the most deadly mental illnesses”, the letter warns. “Despite eating disorders being a treatable illness, too often people are being failed by the system. Many people with eating disorders wait months and even years for treatment; they have to fight for access to basic care and support.”

Labour MP Richard Quigley, whose own child has been in and out of hospital with anorexia for the last four years, echoed these warnings.

While he said he is not opposed to assisted dying in principle, he argued that mental health care in the UK is not yet good enough to ensure the legislation is applied safely.

“Anybody that’s experienced services will know that CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), only scrapes the surface.

“You might get six sessions of therapy… but the system seems to be designed around pushing you out back into the world, rather than putting their arms around you until you’re fully rebuilt. And sufferers end up relying on each other, which isn’t the best form of treatment”, he said.

But despite his concerns, Mr Quigley also said he is glad the country is having a conversation about assisted dying.

“It is one of those very emotive issues. Everybody who wants it to take place has got a very harrowing story about somebody they’ve seen die under difficult circumstances. And everybody that doesn’t want it has got an equally harrowing story of somebody that survives two three years after”, he said.

“But from personal perspective, both eating disorders and mental health, it’s very very difficult to make it fit. There’s too much evidence from other countries that already allow assisted dying showing that people with mental health issues – and especially eating disorders – can elect to end their lives early.”

Anorexia is a psychiatric disorder that can lead to severe physical deterioration and is known as the most lethal psychiatric disorder – with suicide being the second leading cause of death in anorexia. Individuals with anorexia are up to eighteen times more likely to die by suicide than their age-matched peers.

“With any other illness the patient wants to work with you. But with eating disorders, they actively work against you”, Mr Quigley said. “I’m just very much worried that we don’t understand mental health well enough for it to be included in this bill, but I don’t know how you’d exclude it. That’s the problem”, Mr Quigley said.

A number of amendments were proposed as part of an attempt to ensure people with eating disorders were excluded from the Bill when it was at committee stage, but each of them were rejected.

Labour MP Naz Shah, whose amendment was rejected last month, is tabling two amendments at the bill’s third reading, one which will exclude people who have voluntarily stopped eating or drinking from the bill, and another which will exclude people are taking “any action intended to bring about a state of terminal illness”.

While sources close to Ms Leadbeater said she would be supporting the first amendment, both Ms Shah and eating disorder campaigners are clear this would not be enough to prevent those with eating disorders from being included in the legislation – as the decision to stop eating is not a “voluntary” one for those with eating disorders, it is the result of a psychiatric condition.

Ms Roff said she fears that, without appropriate amendments, a “person with anorexia, in a moment of despair, might be given a lethal prescription rather than the treatment [they] desperately need.”

“That would be a terrible tragedy, mirroring what we have already seen happen in at least sixty known cases abroad, including three U.S. states where assisted death is only legal for terminally ill people. A third of these women never reached their thirtieth birthday”, she said.

A spokesperson for Ms Leadbeater said: “It’s an old story. This issue has been debated at great length in Committee and Kim is now supporting Naz Shah’s amendment 14 that excludes from eligibility somebody who has voluntarily stopped eating or drinking.

“This, along with the existing safeguards in the Bill, would rule out people with anorexia falling under the cope of the Bill.

“To be eligible a person must have ‘an inevitably progressive illness or disease which cannot be reversed by treatment’. Anorexia is not inevitably progressive and can be reversed.”

But Ms Shah told The Independent: “I have no idea what the amendment will actually be, and [Ms Leadbeater] is only accepting one, not the other, therefore I can’t support the bill. The process is ultimately flawed”.

She said it is “categorically untrue” that the bill excludes people with mental illness.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are struggling with an eating disorder visit beateatingdisorders.org.uk for support.

The E2E Tech 100 Track 2025 revealed

The E2E Tech 100 is a celebration of the UK’s most dynamic and fast-growing technology businesses. These companies are redefining the future through innovation, digital transformation, and remarkable revenue growth, with artificial intelligence playing a central role in many of their business models.

Our headline partner for the E2E 100 2025 is Universal Partners.

The Tech 100 showcases groundbreaking tech companies, each surpassing £10 million in turnover over past 2 years, and setting new standards for innovation and growth across the tech sector.

Featured in the track and demonstrating extraordinary growth are:

Revolut Ltd – One of the world’s fastest-growing fintech super-apps, Revolut has revolutionised the way millions manage their finances. With services spanning banking, crypto, stock trading, and travel insurance, the company has scaled across continents under the leadership of CEO and Co-Founder Nikolay Storonsky. Now serving over 40 million users globally, Revolut’s seamless digital-first approach has set a new benchmark for financial innovation.

Cleo AI Ltd – At the cutting edge of artificial intelligence in personal finance, Cleo is reshaping how Gen Z manages money. Founded by Barney Hussey-Yeo, Cleo combines humour, data, and conversational AI to make budgeting and saving both intuitive and engaging. With tens of millions of interactions every month and strong traction in the US market, Cleo has emerged as a disruptive force in fintech.

Zilch Technology Limited is a leading UK-based buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) fintech company revolutionising consumer spending with a transparent, interest-free model. Founded by Philip Belamant, Zilch combines open banking and AI to offer smarter, responsible credit to over 3 million users. With a rapidly growing presence in both the UK and US markets, Zilch is redefining flexible payments for the digital age.

This initiative stands as a compelling testament to the UK’s thriving tech ecosystem, showcasing companies that not only drive significant revenue growth but also foster digital inclusion, enhance user experience, and shape global tech trends.

With founders from across the country, the E2E Tech 100 demonstrates the depth and diversity of talent in the UK, spotlighting entrepreneurs who are leading change through creativity, data, and purpose in an increasingly tech-driven world.

As the Founder and CEO of E2E said: “The E2E Tech 100 track recognises the exceptional achievements of technology companies that are scaling with speed, vision, and impact. From AI-driven solutions to inclusive fintech platforms, these businesses are solving real-world problems and transforming industries. It’s an honour to celebrate their growth, resilience, and leadership as they navigate and shape a digital-first future.”

Andrew Morley, CRO at The Independent, added: “We are delighted to partner with E2E in celebrating the UK’s top 100 tech innovators. These businesses embody what’s best about British entrepreneurship: bold thinking, digital excellence, and global ambition. Their stories inspire and remind us of the extraordinary potential within the UK tech landscape. Congratulations to all those featured in this year’s Tech 100.”

The track was carefully curated using trusted data from Experian and Creditsafe, ensuring only the most impactful and high-performing businesses have been recognised in this track.

Each E2E 100 track is supported by our partners: Universal Partners (Headline Partner), Fora, Lioncroft, Creditsafe, OakNorth, and Experian.

With London Tech Week underway, it’s an exciting time to spotlight innovation and entrepreneurship across the UK. As the nation celebrates tech talent, the E2E Tech 100 recognises the businesses driving real impact and growth.

For more information and to see the full E2E Tech 100 2025 track, click here.

To find out more about E2E, visit https://www.e2exchange.com/

World’s first prisoner of war camp to open to the public

The site of the world’s first purpose-built prisoner of war camp, which dates back to the Napoleonic wars, has been saved by Historic England funding.

Assembled in four months using 500 carpenters and labourers, the historic site in Yaxley, Cambridgeshire, housed around 7,000 French Prisoners and inspired the creation of the world’s largest collection of prisoner craftwork.

Now, the Napoleonic Norman Cross prison depot site, which contains the remains of the camp dating back to 1796, has been purchased by Nene Park Trust with £200,000 grant funding from Historic England and £50,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Currently there is no public access to the site, but the Nene Park Trust is developing plans to allow visitors to explore the area.

The acquisition of the Norman Cross site fulfils the ambition of long-term resident and supporter, Derek Lopez, who died before seeing his vision completed.

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, said: “The Norman Cross prisoner of war camp represents a pivotal moment in our shared European heritage that deserves to be better known. After years of work to secure this site, we’re delighted that our partnership work with Nene Park Trust, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Lopez family has helped to save this internationally significant monument for the nation.”

Functioning as a self-contained town with barracks, offices, a hospital, school, marketplace and banking system the prison measured about 250m by 270m and was designed around four quadrangles.

Each one had wooden accommodation blocks for prisoners, as well as an exercise yard, a store house and cooking house.

Prisoners created craftwork – including artefacts such as toys, model ships and dominos sets carved from wood or animal bone – and sold them at a regular market.

Battles were being fought in Europe, the Caribbean, north Africa and the Indian Ocean with French and Dutch soldiers and sailors captured and brought to the UK.

The last prisoners left the camp in 1814 and it was dismantled two years later.

A memorial to the 1,770 prisoners who died there, many due to diseases such as Typhus, was erected in 1914.

Paul Chamberlain, author and historian of the Napoleonic era, said: “Norman Cross Prison Depot is unique in that it is an historic site that continues to tell its story, involving communities, both local and national.

“This acquisition will enable more of the story to be told for future generations and provide us with a better understanding of a lost town that had a significant impact on the region over two hundred years ago.”

Drought declared in Yorkshire after extremely dry spring

Yorkshire has officially entered a state of drought due to critically low river flows and groundwater levels, exacerbated by one of the driest springs ever recorded, the Environment Agency (EA) has announced.

Made on Thursday, the announcement escalates the region’s status from ‘prolonged dry weather’ to ‘drought.’

This follows a similar declaration for the north west of England in late May, encompassing areas such as Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria, and Lancashire.

The UK experienced its hottest spring on record, coupled with the driest conditions in decades, placing immense strain on crops and natural habitats. Millions of households have been warned to prepare for potential water restrictions this summer.

Claire Barrow, Yorkshire environment, planning and engagement manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Our climate is changing, and we had 22 days of almost no recorded rainfall in May.”

“While we have had some rain at the start of June, it has not been enough to reverse the impacts of the prolonged dry weather.

“We are working with Yorkshire Water to make sure they enact their drought plans.

“We also encourage people to be aware of the environmental impacts of droughts as we enter the summer period and note the small steps we can all take to save water.”

Water Minister Emma Hardy said: “I am receiving regular updates from the Environment Agency.

“I’m doing everything in my power to hold Yorkshire Water to account to ensure we have the regular supply of water that is needed across the region.”

Met Office statistics show that West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and South Yorkshire saw just 40%, 43%, 40% and 41% of the average rainfall for March, April and May.

Yorkshire Water warned that water restrictions are possible this summer unless the county sees “significant rainfall” in the coming months.

Dave Kaye, director of water at the utility, said: “We’ve seen water demand decrease in recent weeks thanks to the welcome rainfall and the efforts of our customers to save water.

“We had one of the driest springs on record, which has impacted our reservoir levels, meaning they are much lower than normal for this time of year.

“Without significant rainfall in the coming months, temporary usage restrictions are a possibility.”

Mr Kaye said that the declaration of drought does not immediately change the situation for customers but added that the firm will continue to work closely with the Environment Agency to manage resources carefully and move water around the region to areas that need it most.

“We have 100 additional colleagues tackling leakage in the field and we’d like to thank customers for continuing to report leaks to us so we can repair them as soon as possible,” he said.

Scientists have warned that drought conditions will become more intense in the UK with climate change, putting strain on water resources.

Dr Jess Neumann, associate professor of hydrology at the University of Reading, said: “The drought announcement in Yorkshire comes only a few weeks after parts of north-west England declared a drought.

“An unseasonably dry spring, the driest in nearly 90 years means many reservoir levels are only 60-65% full, well below the 80-85% average for this time of year.

“The lack of rainfall is placing significant strain on public water supply, affecting agricultural crop production, and harming wildlife and the environment.”

Dr Neumann added that drought status in two large areas of England “raises important questions about the security of our water in the long term”.

“It is no longer abundant and plentiful. We urgently need to adjust to a future of climate change and water stress.”

While the north west of England and Yorkshire are now in drought, three other areas – the North East, Yorkshire, East and West Midlands – are also experiencing prolonged dry weather.

Last week, officials said reservoir levels across England fell to new lows as the Environment Agency held its latest national drought group meeting of key players.

The group, which met last Thursday morning, heard that without further substantial rain some water companies may need to implement drought measures this summer to conserve supplies, such as hose pipe bans.