Politics

Medics said Israeli fire killed three Palestinians in two incidents and an Israeli drone wounded four in Gaza City, while U.S. envoys met Israeli leaders to discuss a Gaza plan.

The Department of Homeland Security said Border Patrol officers shot a man who approached them with a 9 mm handgun; his family identified him as Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse and disputed the administration's characterization. A vigil was held in Minneapolis and the family said they had not heard from federal authorities as of Saturday evening.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will set national response-time standards for 999 calls and seeks to reduce administrative duties so officers can spend more time on patrol.

Iran unveiled a mural in central Tehran warning the United States as US naval forces moved toward the region, and Time reported, citing two senior Iranian health officials, that the protest death toll had reached about 33,000.

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction stopping the Department of Homeland Security from ending humanitarian parole for about 8,400 family members from seven countries; the court said the department provided no reasoned explanation for the policy change as it reviewed fraud and returnability concerns.

First Minister John Swinney said it "does look like" families of patients at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital were given a different explanation earlier, but he said the public inquiry must reach its own conclusions. Oral hearings have finished and Lord Brodie will publish a full report and recommendations at a later date.

Polls have closed after a third and final stage of voting in Myanmar, a process many critics describe as a sham; parliament is due to meet within two months to choose a president under the military-drafted constitution.

Cathy Freeman and quantum scientist Michelle Simmons were named Companions of the Order of Australia, while eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant received a Public Service Medal; the honours list recognised 949 Australians across many fields.

Unions and workers across Minnesota have been urging large employers to speak out after the reported deaths of two people linked to federal immigration enforcement, and organised a Day of Truth & Freedom that included an economic blackout calling for no work, shopping or school.

Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Veterans Affairs intensive care nurse, was shot and killed during a scuffle with federal immigration agents in Minneapolis; his family and some local officials dispute federal accounts and say he was not holding a gun.

A federal officer fatally shot Alex Pretti during an ICE-led operation in Minneapolis, officials said; the Department of Homeland Security described the shots as "defensive" and local leaders have called for review. Undetermined at this time.

An Islamabad court sentenced Imaan Mazari and her husband to 10 years in jail over social media posts, and Mazari told the court she will not back down.

Reporting says about 33,100 people have been killed in Iran's anti‑government protests and researchers report about 97,645 wounded; Iranian officials have warned they will treat any attack as an 'all‑out war'.

Sadiq Khan urged a reset of the immigration debate and called for highlighting immigration's benefits after a Guildhall speech and a post on X; he said legal migration has recently fallen while noting long-term increases since the early 1990s.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has acknowledged contaminated water at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital caused serious infections, and the health board told the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry that pressure was applied to open the hospital on time and it opened too early. The inquiry's chair, Lord Brodie, is due to publish findings that are reported as likely after the May Scottish Parliament elections.

Saint Paul’s new mayor, Kaohly Her, says the city has been targeted by ICE raids since June and that she is under federal investigation for alleged obstruction, while the city has joined a lawsuit opposing the federal operations.

Immigration operations in Minneapolis have led Somali Americans to organize volunteer patrols, distribute 'Know Your Rights' guides and expand voter outreach. The Department of Homeland Security said people served with administrative warrants or I-205 removal orders "have had full due process and a final order of removal from an immigration judge."

Ukrainians say the Greenland crisis diverts European attention from the war in Ukraine and risks legitimising aggressive territorial claims, while Russian officials and bot networks have amplified related messaging.

Dallas officials and outside groups reviewed the 1953 case of Tommy Lee Walker and concluded his conviction was based on false or misleading evidence and racial bias. County commissioners unanimously passed a symbolic resolution declaring he was wrongfully convicted and executed.

Buc-ee's plans 19 new travel centers across multiple U.S. states, with four openings expected in 2026 and other sites scheduled through 2031.

Delegations from the United States, Ukraine and Russia are meeting in Abu Dhabi for two days of talks, confirmed after Kremlin meetings between Vladimir Putin and U.S. envoys; full details and whether officials will meet face to face were not released.

Michael Fanone, a former D.C. police officer who was seriously injured defending the U.S. Capitol on January 6, confronted Ivan Raiklin during a House Judiciary Committee hearing and the two were separated by officers; the hearing continued as former special counsel Jack Smith testified.

Kyiv's military intelligence and reporting say Russia has begun using Geran-5 high-speed attack drones, and recovered wreckage is reported to include parts from western and Chinese firms.

A South African appeals court dismissed a challenge by the South African Heritage Resources Agency, allowing the planned export and sale of 70 personal items owned by Makaziwe Mandela and Christo Brand to proceed to an auction in the United States.

Goma fell to the M23 armed group in January 2025 and residents report a year of changed local control, disrupted services and restricted movement.

Chow Hang-tung told a Hong Kong court that the alliance's call to 'end one-party rule' meant democratization, not removing the Communist Party's leadership. She is on trial under the national security law while other former alliance leaders face related charges or pleas.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issued an opinion saying around 80 state laws and programs that support minority contracting and other race-based provisions violate the Fourteenth Amendment; members of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus denounced the opinion, saying it ignores ongoing racial discrimination and could harm Black residents.

Torrential rains in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe have killed more than 100 people and displaced hundreds of thousands, officials reported; rescue and evacuation operations are continuing.

Photos circulated by a Minnesota school district show a five-year-old boy in the presence of immigration agents; the Department of Homeland Security says the child was held for protective purposes after his father left during an attempted arrest and that an officer remained with the child.

Reform councillors announced that several Lancashire care homes previously slated for closure would instead receive investment after months of public protest; officials have given differing accounts of the consultation status as officers prepare a report for cabinet in spring.