Trump maintains control of California National Guard for now after court ruling

Donald Trump has maintained temporary control of the National Guard in Los Angeles, an appeals court has ruled, in a major blow to California Governor Gavin Newsom.

The late-night decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals came swiftly after a U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled that Trump’s action was “illegal” and violated the Tenth Amendment, stating the president must return control of 4,000 troops to Newsom.

Before the ruling, the military said that by Friday evening, a battalion of 700 Marines is expected to join the National Guard in LA to protect ICE agents conducting immigration raids.

After a week of unrest, more protests against the Trump administration’s ongoing workplace raids erupted in LA and across the nation, which are expected to continue through the weekend, aligning with the president’s birthday parade.

Meanwhile, LA Mayor Karen Bass enforced a third consecutive curfew in the downtown area, which is expected to continue for “a few more days.”

California Senator Alex Padilla has broken his silence for having the “audacity” to ask Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a question during a press conference, which saw him forcibly removed and handcuffed.

History is repeating itself in my hometown. It’s terrifying to watch

Once, when I was a teenager, I was in a Spar in Ballymena when a man walked in and announced he would burn the shop to the ground if it didn’t close immediately.

My sister and I did not hesitate. Like everyone else, we believed him – and fled.

We had been intending to dash in to the store for just a few minutes to stock up on essentials, amid fears of a long few days ahead of us as rioting broke out across Northern Ireland in the 1990s over Drumcree.

So it’s terrifying to watch violence unfold in my hometown again, as we have over recent nights.

Around a 30-minute drive from Belfast, although it occasionally felt like further, Ballymena is often dubbed the buckle of the “bible belt” of Northern Ireland, surprising visitors with the number of churches that line its streets.

A DUP heartland, its MP was for many decades the firebrand preacher the Rev Ian Paisley, who used to secure huge parliamentary majorities, often winning one in every two votes cast.

Its status as a prosperous market town in the middle of Northern Ireland, its name literally means ‘middle town’, helped during the long years of the Troubles.

It is the home of Northern Ireland’s first Sainsbury’s, opened not long before the Good Friday Agreement, giving me a weekend bakery job – which occasionally included putting the jam in jam doughnuts – one of hundreds of jobs it brought to the town, as well as a company slogan “A fresh approach” that we hoped matched the times.

That prosperity is one of the reasons that the town attracted immigrants in the years after the peace process proved a lasting success – migrants who are now the subject of horrific violence.

In one video shared online, a woman tells the rioters: “Be careful, lads”, followed by a man telling her there were people living in one of the houses being attacked. She replied: “Aye, but are they local? If they’re local, they need out. If they’re not local, let them f****** stay there.”

Like everywhere in Northern Ireland, Ballymena has suffered its share of atrocities in the past.

In 2006 a 15-year-old Catholic boy was beaten to death in an attack that started outside the local cinema, not all that far from where the latest riots erupted this week.

The Harryville part of the town, where hundreds of people gathered this week, was the scene of loyalist protests for years against the presence of a Catholic church in a strongly Protestant area in the late 1990s.

In December 1996, a 300-strong contingent of police in riot gear was needed to ensure local people were able to attend Mass, as an article for The Independent recorded at the time.

And, of course, violence erupted over Drumcree, a long-running conflict about a Protestant Orange Order march in Portadown.

After the incident in the Spar, my family stayed home for days, watching events unfold on the news, part of an unofficial night-time curfew that saw thousands of people lock themselves down decades before any of us had ever heard of Covid.

On a separate summer I spent a mini-break in Brussels – won, bizarrely, as part of my school’s quiz team – holed up in a hotel room with three fellow pupils, watching helplessly on CNN as riots erupted at home.

When we landed back in Belfast International airport late at night, the violence had become so widespread we faced a difficult and potentially treacherous journey getting home. At one point we were stopped by police just as our car came face to face with an overturned and burnt out bus.

That was in 1998, when the riots did not stop until the appalling murders of three young brothers in a loyalist arson attack in Ballymoney, about 20 miles from Ballymena.

Hopefully it will not take a tragedy like that for the violence to end this time.

Inside Liverpool’s record Wirtz deal – and how they can afford it

German superstar Florian Wirtz is set to join Liverpool in a deal that could see him become the most expensive player ever signed by a Premier League club.

The 22-year-old, who has become one of the most coveted players in world football during in his time at Bayer Leverkusen, was a target for Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich, though Arne Slot’s side quickly moved to the front of the race for his signature.

Leverkusen had wanted €150m, or £126m, and previously rejected two bids from the Premier League champions. But Liverpool have agreed to sign Wirtz for an initial £100m, potentially rising to £116m, making him their club-record signing.

Wirtz, who was an integral part of Leverkusen’s undefeated run to a Bundesliga title in 2023/24, has scored 57 goals in 197 games for the club, as well as seven goals in 31 appearances for his national side.

But why has the German picked Liverpool as his next club, and when will the deal be finalised?

Manchester City were briefly seen as the favourites to sign Wirtz, but it quickly transpired that the German wanted to move to Anfield. He was persuaded by Liverpool’s vision for him and rejected more lucrative offers because of his desire to move to Anfield.

City were quick to rule out signing the German too, stating that the deal was too expensive to proceed with, and the club later signed French playmaker Rayan Cherki for around £30m.

As for Bayern, the club were long said to be Wirtz’s top choice for a move, though Liverpool quickly overtook them as favourites.

Several factors will have played a part in this change, with reports suggesting that Leverkusen were reluctant to sell to a domestic rival, though there were also doubts in Munich about the fee involved.

“If I’m honest, I don’t know if we could have paid what Liverpool are apparently paying now,” said Max Eberl, Bayern’s director of sport.

And while fees and inner workings will have been important, there is of course the simple draw of joining a historic club in Liverpool, with a side who have just won the Premier League at a canter and the club well-positioned to continue their recent success.

Liverpool have already announced a deal worth almost £30m to sign Wirtz’s Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong, so a deal for the German could take their spending to around £150m this summer.

They are also interested in left-back Milos Kerkez, with Bournemouth valuing the Hungary international at £45m.

How can they afford such spending? Well for a start, the Reds spent almost nothing (in relative terms) last summer, with the £12.5m signing of Federico Chiesa the only fee they paid all window.

In addition, the club have been helped by their revenues and player sale profits, including prize money for winning the league and taking part in the Champions League, as well as a new kit deal with Adidas.

This summer, sales could yet provide even more room for more signings. Wirtz’s arrival could lead to Harvey Elliott leaving with Liverpool, who have a self-sustaining model, conscious that sales can help them afford to buy.

One of Wirtz’s most coveted qualities is his versatility, which has seen him feature all across the forward line for his club and country.

The 22-year-old is best on the left or in central areas, which will have contributed to Liverpool’s interest (with the presence of Mohamed Salah meaning the right-wing spot is locked down for the foreseeable future).

For Leverkusen, he has featured most frequently in a left attacking midfield role, often tasked with spotting gaps and unlocking opposition defences.

His 13 Bundesliga assists last season show he has the eye for a key pass, though he has also displayed dribbling ability of a level that is rare in attacking midfielders, with both assets contributing to another exciting dimension in the Liverpool attack – and one that may be needed as they continue to face low blocks next season.

And Wirtz’s workrate – something that set Liverpool’s players apart last season – is admirable too. He was in the top 10 for duels won and interceptions in the Bundesliga in 2023/24, with an average distance covered of 7.6 miles (12.3km) and 33 sprints per match putting him in the top five for those metrics too.

It is unclear how he will slot into a title-winning Liverpool side, as he is not a ‘left-winger’ so to speak, and with Dominik Szoboszlai’s importance to the team in central roles, it may be that we are seeing a tactical evolution of sorts from Arne Slot.

In any case, it is a welcome puzzle for the Dutchman to solve come next season.

You can sign up to DAZN to watch every Club World Cup game for free

Heston Blumenthal recalls moment police came to section him

Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal has opened up about the moment police came to his house to section him in November 2023 after his wife of eight months feared he was a danger to himself.

The 59-year-old was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and spent two weeks in a psychiatric hospital with “grey walls, concrete floors, a metal bed with a PVC mattress and no sheets on it”, before being transferred to a clinic for a further six weeks of intense psychiatry sessions.

Blumenthal’s intervention came following months of manic behaviour, which saw him talk at speed for hours without pausing.

The chef became obsessed with Newton and Einstein’s theories of evolution and barely slept. He believed the television was talking to him and hallucinated images, sound and touch.

It was after Blumenthal saw a gun on the table in front of him, drew a picture of it, and showed his wife, Melanie Ceysson, that she called the mayor in their village in Provence, France, for help.

Speaking to The Times, Blumenthal said he did think it was strange when he spotted a policeman at the back of his house. “But I also thought, ‘He seems like a really nice man,’” he reflected. “So he came in, we sat down on the sofa and I showed him my OBE and my coat of arms.

“I was not thinking, ‘What the f*** is a policeman doing in my home?’ ”

Shortly afterwards, a second police officer arrived at the front door and was followed by five firefighters and a doctor, who told Blumenthal they were taking him to hospital.

“I started to fight them, but they pinned me down on the sofa, two on each arm and one at the front,” he said.

“And then I saw, out of the corner of my eye, the man in the white coat pulling out a big syringe and I thought, ‘Just let it go.’ ”

Nineteen months on, Blumenthal is still heavily medicated and has just begun to feel comfortable travelling alone between Marseilles airport and London Heathrow.

“I’m still bad in crowds though,” he says. “I have so much fear and anxiety now – about everything. I had no fear before.”

Bipolar disorder is often broken down into types and subtypes – such as bipolar I, bipolar II, rapid cycling and cyclothymia.

Type 1 bipolar, the kind that Blumenthal has, is characterised by at least one manic episode, with many individuals also experiencing depressive episodes.

The NHS website recommends seeing a GP if you experience extreme mood swings that last for a long time or affect your daily life.

Heston: My Life with Bipolar , the chef’s forthcoming documentary about his experience of being diagnosed with the condition, will air on BBC Two on 19 June.

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 based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

Greater Manchester Police chief refuses to apologise for past homophobia

The chief constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has refused to apologise to the LGBT+ community for historic homophobia in the force.

Campaigners said it was an “insult” after 21 other forces have issued formal apologies over their past conduct, adding that GMP was “involved in some of the most extreme unlawful victimisation of LGBTs by any UK force”.

Human rights charity the Peter Tatchell Foundation first issued calls to all forces to say sorry for “decades-long victimisation” of the LGBT+ community in June 2023.

However, in a recent letter, seen by The Independent, its chief constable, Stephen Watson, declined to “accede to your request for a general apology”, adding it could be seen as “superficial and merely performative” and could “unfairly impugn” the service of past officers.

The director of the foundation, Peter Tatchell, who was this week named in The Independent’s Pride List 2025 for his gay rights activism, said: “This refusal to apologise is an insult to the LGBT+ community, who suffered so much at the hands of the Manchester police in decades past.”

Mr Tatchell has this week again written to CC Watson, appealing once again for him to apologise – noting the troubling history of the force under the late Chief Constable Sir James Anderton in the 1980s.

At the height of the Aids crisis, Mr Anderton said gay men were “swirling about in a human cesspit of their own making”, resulting in calls for his resignation.

“Greater Manchester Police has a particularly troubling homophobic history that deserves specific acknowledgement and apology,” Mr Tatchell said.

“Under Chief Constable James Anderton in the 1980s, the force became synonymous with open hostility towards the LGBT+ community.”

He claimed Mr Anderton’s comments were not “isolated rhetoric” and the force targeted gay venues in raids in the 1980s, which in some cases led to gay and bisexual men being outed and subjected to homophobic insults, threats and violence.

Mr Tatchell added: “To now refuse to apologise adds insult to injury. Apologies are not symbolic—they are acts of justice and healing. They show leadership and humanity. They tell survivors of police witch-hunts: ‘We see you, we acknowledge the harm we caused, and we are sorry.’

“Twenty-one other forces have recognised that acknowledging past wrongs helps rebuild LGBT+ trust. It will encourage more LGBTs to report hate crime, sexual assaults and domestic violence, which is what we all want.

“Not saying sorry undermines LGBT+ confidence in the police and will damage the police’s reputation among LGBTs.

“We are not suggesting all past officers were bad or blaming today’s officers. An apology is about taking responsibility for homophobic police behaviour in previous decades and saying sorry.”

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley was the first to apologise in 2023, in a move which was welcomed by Mr Tatchell for drawing “a line under past Met persecution”.

A string of others subsequently followed suit, including Merseyside Police’s former chief constable Serena Kennedy, who issued their “sincere apology and deepest regret” for “historical prejudice”. Others include Dorset and North Yorkshire Police.

In his refusal letter, dated April 2025, CC Watson, who was appointed in 2021, said GMP is proud to serve its many diverse communities and strives to understand their past experiences with the force.

He said the force has made “considerable” progress over the past 40 years and takes a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination.

He wrote: “I am, of course, sorry that GMP, and those police bodies which preceded the presently formed GMP prior to 1974, didn’t always perform to the standards deserved by those whom we serve.

“It is also the case, however, that over these many decades, literally thousands of police officers have performed their duties with decency, professionalism and compassion.

“Whilst I acknowledge that you are not seeking an apology for officer’s having upheld the laws of the day, it would nevertheless be quite unjust for me as the current chief constable to cast some sort of sweeping assertion as to the general conduct of the force over a prolonged period of time, particularly when the period in question is now so dated that virtually no serving officer in the entire force can speak to the period with any personal knowledge.

“Such an apology could well be seen, even by the intended recipients, as both superficial and merely performative.

“It would unfairly impugn the faithful and valued services of past officers; and any such apology would likely make little or no difference to developing contemporary practice which is, as you acknowledge, currently very good and which carries the confidence both of our current LGBTQ+ community and our own staff association.

“With regret, therefore, I find that I cannot accede to your request for a general apology.”

Win a Wilderness Festival luxury package for two

Music fans can win a luxury package for two to this year’s Wilderness Festival, all courtesy of Audi.

Wilderness returns this year to the picturesque nature reserve at Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, and will be headlined by rock band Supergrass, Nineties rave duo Orbital, and Brit Award-winning, Grammy-nominated indie-rock duo Wet Leg.

Completing the headliner lineup are Basement Jaxx, who are making their return to live shows for the first time in over a decade, as they celebrate the 25th anniversary of their groundbreaking album, Remedy.

The winner will receive a pair of complimentary festival tickets and boutique accommodation in a luxury cabin for two. They will also be treated to an Audi Kitchen experience and, for the ultimate luxury, your own private chauffeur to take you and your guest to the festival and return journey.

Enter the prize draw here.

Wilderness Festival is known for its eclectic music lineup, which this year includes performances from pop singer Lapsley, singer-songwriter Bess Atwell, Scottish musician Jacob Alon and DJ Craig Charles.

At The Sanctuary and Spa, guests will discover an oasis of calm, whether that means taking part in disco yoga or a workshop to explore your sensuality. Highlights include boating, massage treatments, sauna rituals, hot tubs, a wild sauna, Wim Hof method ice baths and wild swimming.

Gourmet food offerings can be found at Ben Quinn’s long table banquet in the woods, a once-in-a-lifetime experience set in the woods and lit by chandeliers. There, Quinn and his team will serve up a feast of flavour cooked right in front of you five courses of carefully curated, responsibly sourced, local and seasonal ingredients.

Elsewhere, attendees can join a number of talks, comedy sets and conversations, from Food Stories with Jay Rayner to a live recording of Jamie Laing’s podcast, Great Company.

Comedian, writer and NHS doctor Matthew Hutchinson will share a sharp and moving look at life on the frontline of British healthcare, while cultural historian Tiffany Watt Smith will uncover a bold and fascinating alternative history of female friendship.

The prize draw will open for entries at 3pm (BST) on 7 May 2025 and close at 3pm BST on 17 June 2025. Only one entry per person is permitted for the Prize Draw. Terms and conditions apply.

Met Office issues ‘danger to life’ warning as thunderstorms to hit UK

The Met Office has issued an amber warning as thunderstorms and flooding are set to hit parts of southern and eastern England tonight.

The warning, which covers the east and south east of England, including London, says thunderstorms are likely from Friday evening into the early hours of Saturday. Essex, Norfolk, Southend-on-Sea, Suffolk, Thurrock, East Sussex, Kent and Medway are all in the area under the new warning.

The Met Office said some places within the warning area could see 30-50mm of rain and winds in excess of 40-50mph, along with frequent lightning.

The forecaster warns that power cuts and the flooding of homes and businesses are likely. Some communities may become cut off if roads flood and public transport may be disrupted where flooding or lightning strikes occur.

Spray and sudden flooding may lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures, with fast flowing or deep floodwater potentially causing danger to life, the forecaster said.

The latest update comes as two yellow warnings for thunderstorms have already been put in place across the south west and south east of England, as well as Wales and the West Midlands across Friday. The warning will stretch into Scotland, the East Midlands and the north of England on Saturday.

The amber weather warning across the south east is set to subside around 5am, while much of the rest of the UK will see thunderstorms until 6pm on Saturday.

Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tony Wisson said: “By Friday afternoon and evening, heavy and thundery showers are likely to spread across southeastern England and East Anglia, tracking north-eastwards overnight. There is currently some uncertainty around the exact location and intensity of the thunderstorms, but there is a risk that some areas could see 30 to 50mm of rain, with a risk of even larger accumulations possible.

“With much of the rain falling in a short space of time there is a risk of impacts such as surface water flooding. Frequent lightning, gusty winds and hail could pose additional hazards. Updates to this warning are expected as confidence increases on the exact location of the greatest risk of the heaviest downpours.”

Friday is expected to be the warmest day of the period, with temperatures reaching 28 or 29°C with the chance of 30°C in some isolated spots in eastern areas.

The thunderstorm warnings coincide with a number of yellow heat health alerts put in place by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) across the East Midlands, the east and south east of England and London. The alert has been put in place from 9pm on Thursday to 8am on Sunday.

Heat Health Alerts are issued when temperatures could affect people’s health and lead to an increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said that even moderate heat can result in serious health outcomes, especially for older adults, making it important for people to take precautions in the sun.

“The forecasted high temperatures are expected to be short-lived but could primarily impact those over the age of 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions,” he said.

“If you have friends, family or neighbours who are more vulnerable, it is important to check in on them and ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice.’’

Today:

Sunny spells and showers across Scotland and Northern Ireland, some heavy and thundery. A hot, sunny and humid day across England and Wales, with increasing risk of heavy showers and thunderstorms later. Hail and gusty winds and localised flooding possible.

Torrential downpours and thunderstorms will continue to move northwards through the evening and into the early hours. Some places remaining dry. A warm and humid night for many.

Saturday:

Heavy showers and thunderstorms easing a little as the day progresses. Driest and brightest towards the southeast. Still very warm here, but a little cooler elsewhere.

More follows…

Private schools lose High Court battle against Starmer’s VAT raid

A group of private schools, pupils and their parents have lost a High Court challenge over Labour’s imposition of VAT on fees.

It comes after six families last year launched a legal challenge against the government’s controversial tax raid, which imposes 20 per cent VAT on private schools, claiming it is discriminatory against certain children, such as those with special education needs (SEN).

Supported by the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents 1,400 independent schools, the families sought a declaration of incompatibility under section 4 of the Human Rights Act, claiming the new tax is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

But Dame Victoria Sharp, Lord Justice Newey and Mr Justice Chamberlain said in a 94-page decision that while the legislation does interfere with some of the group’s human rights, there was a “broad margin of discretion in deciding how to balance the interests of those adversely affected by the policy against the interests of others who may gain from public provision funded by the money it will raise”.

During a hearing in April, Lord David Pannick KC, representing one group of children and their parents, said that the needs of some children currently in private schools could not be met by state schools.

The High Court was told that, as well as religious beliefs and SEN, some children are privately educated because of a need for a single-sex environment because of previous abuse, or because they are only temporarily in the UK and need to be educated in line with their home national curriculum.

But Sir James Eadie KC, representing the Treasury, HMRC and the Department for Education, said abolishing the VAT exemption for private school fees was a prominent feature of Labour’s manifesto at the last general election.

While the legal challenge would not have been able to halt the VAT policy or reverse it even if successful, it would have been a major blow to ministers and piled pressure on them to consider further exemptions.

The government has estimated the tax raid will raise £1.7bn per year by 2029-30, money which ministers said would be used to fund 6,500 new teachers for state schools.

So far, private school pupil numbers have fallen by more than 11,000 in England following the tax hike, DfE data showed. In January 2025, there were around 582,500 pupils at English private schools, down from 593,500 at the same point last year.

When the policy was introduced, Treasury impact assessments estimated that private school fees would increase by around 10 per cent as a result of the introduction of VAT,

But in May, ISC figures showed that fees have increased by 22.6 per cent in the past year, with parents now paying out more than £22,000 a year on average.

The Treasury predicts that 35,000 pupils would move into UK state schools “in the long-term steady state”.

A further 2,000 children would leave private schools, the department estimated, consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system or domestic pupils who move into homeschooling.

Speaking after the ruling, a government spokesperson said: “We welcome the court’s decision, which confirms that the legislation is compatible with the government’s human rights obligations.

“Ending tax breaks for private schools will raise £1.8 billion a year, helping to support public services, including the 94% of pupils who attend state schools.”

The ISC has been contacted for comment.