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Trump hails ‘special relationship’ during ceremonial welcome for King Charles’s state visit

US president says Americans ‘have had no closer friends than the British’ amid recent tensions between both nationsDonald Trump has praised the “special relationship” between the US and the UK, as he hosted a ceremonial military welcome for King Charles and Queen Camilla at the White House.Against a backdrop of recent tensions between London and Washington, the US president, speaking on the second day of Charles’s state visit, said: “In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have had no closer friends than the British.” Continue reading...

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Justice department files new criminal charges against ex-FBI director Comey

Subject of charges remains unclear, after earlier case over congressional testimony was dismissedUS politics live – latest updatesSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailThe justice department filed new criminal charges against James Comey, the former FBI director, on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter.Comey was charged over a picture he posted on Instagram last year in which sea shells were arranged to say “86 47”, CNN and the Associated Press reported. The post was taken as a threat to Donald Trump. The number 86 can be used as shorthand for getting rid of something, and Trump is the 47th president. Comey subsequently deleted the post and apologized, saying he didn’t realize the numbers were associated with violence. “It never occurred to me, but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down,” he wrote on Instagram. Continue reading...

Starmer sees off Tory calls for inquiry into Mandelson role after No 10 flexes muscle

Vote goes prime minister’s way but some Labour MPs accuse him of creating perception of ‘cover-up’Keir Starmer has seen off an opposition attempt to refer him to a standards committee over Peter Mandelson’s appointment, after Downing Street deployed its full weight to force Labour MPs to shore up the prime minister.However, the Labour leader bore the brunt of anger from some of his own backbenchers, who accused him of creating a situation where they would be perceived as being complicit in “a cover-up”. Continue reading...

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UK politics: Starmer avoids privileges committee inquiry into vetting of Peter Mandelson – as it happened

MPs rejected a Conservative party proposal for the prime minister to face a parliamentary inquiry into his appointment of Peter MandelsonQ: Was there pressure on you to approve Mandelson’s vetting?This is a reference to the claim that Keir Starmer misled MPs last week when he talked about no pressure being placed on the Foreign Office.One is during my tenure. I was not aware of any pressure on the substance of the Mandelson DV case.Question two was there pressure? Absolutely. And I’ve described it. And I also have seen what the Foreign Office said to you last night. [See 8.50am.]I didn’t receive any direct calls from the chief of staff during my time as permanent undersecretary. So there was no call at all. My interactions were always when others were present in a general meeting, there weren’t very many of those either …I’ve really racked my brains and I cannot recall Morgan McSweeney swearing in a meeting at me, or indeed just in general. So I don’t see any substance in that part of it and I think it’s important I say that this morning, given how many people have come to think that might be true. Continue reading...

US soldier pleads not guilty to charges of betting on Nicolás Maduro’s ouster

Prosecutors allege Gannon Van Dyke won $400,000 using insider information to bet on Maduro raid on PolymarketSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe US army soldier charged with winning $400,000 by using insider information to bet on the removal of the ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty to fraud charges on Tuesday.Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, entered the plea in US district judge Margaret Garnett’s courtroom in Manhattan. Van Dyke sported a shaved head and wore a black blazer, jeans and brown shoes as he arrived to the courtroom with his lawyers, Zach Intrater and Mark Geragos. Continue reading...