Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty to Federal Stalking in CEO Killing

Former Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Found Dead at Home

Jason Arday, the former University of Cambridge professor who resigned last week amid plagiarism allegations, was found dead at his home in Battersea, south London, on Friday afternoon. The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the address by the London Ambulance Service shortly after 15:00 after reports that a man had been found unresponsive.

The university had announced an investigation into allegations of plagiarism and fabrication before Arday’s resignation. His family said they were “in shock” at his death and added that a “campaign of misinformation” had become too much to bear. Authorities have not publicly disclosed a cause.

American Missionary Kevin Rideout Freed After Niger Kidnapping

Kevin Rideout, an American missionary pilot kidnapped in Niger’s capital, Niamey, last October, has been released after nine months in captivity, his mission organisation SIM International said. The group said Rideout “is in good health in the care of US officials” and will soon be reunited with his extended family.

Rideout was abducted from his home in Niamey in the autumn. His release had been a priority for the White House, and he is now in the custody of US officials pending his return.

Settler Siege Traps Palestinian Families in West Bank Village

Israeli settlers have besieged two Palestinian families inside their homes in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra since Sunday, cutting water and electricity and blocking medical care, according to activists and residents. The siege has drawn unusually sharp criticism from US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who called the settlers “terrorists” and the assault a “horrific act of terror.” One of the homes belongs to a Palestinian American family. Israeli security forces reportedly withdrew from the area at one point, leaving about a dozen settlers at the site, and the families remained trapped as activists attempted to deliver aid.

Magnitude 7.7 Indonesia Earthquake Kills at Least 20

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia’s Flores region early on Saturday, killing at least 20 people, collapsing buildings and homes, and sending thousands fleeing to higher ground. Authorities issued a tsunami warning that has since been lifted, but dozens of aftershocks have followed the shallow quake. Nelly Florida Riama, a deputy director for geophysics at Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency, warned that “aftershocks are still occurring.”

Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Allow Ballroom Construction

The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to let construction proceed on President Donald Trump’s planned $400m White House ballroom after a federal appeals court ordered work halted. The appeals court ruled the 90,000-square-foot project lacked necessary approval from Congress. The administration is seeking to keep the appeals court’s decision on hold while it prepares a full appeal, setting up a test of presidential authority over the historic residence.

Bulldozers Begin Clearing Big Bend National Park for Border Barrier

Contractors have begun clearing ecologically sensitive land inside Big Bend National Park in West Texas for the Trump administration’s planned border wall and barriers, according to activists monitoring the site. Heavy machinery, including bulldozers at the mouth of the famed Santa Elena Canyon, steel panels and construction materials are being hauled along rural roads, and worker housing is being built across the region. The work is advancing despite bipartisan opposition to new wall infrastructure in the popular park.

Kennedy Center Board Votes to Restore Trump Name and Close

The board of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has voted again to temporarily close the main building for a $250m renovation and to inscribe Donald Trump’s name on the institution. A federal judge had blocked an earlier closure and ruled that only Congress could order a name change, prompting the removal of Trump’s name this summer. The board must present its new plan to the judge by next week; if approved, the center’s primary stages would remain shut until at least 2028.

British Cyclist Finlay Tarling Dies in Portugal Race Accident

British cyclist Finlay Tarling, a 19-year-old Welsh rider and the younger brother of Ineos Grenadiers professional Josh Tarling, died after a serious accident during stage eight of the Volta a Portugal. His NSN Development Team said it was “heartbroken.” Portuguese and French media reports suggested he was struck by a non‑race vehicle on the course, though the details have not been officially confirmed.

French Court Blocks Macron’s Social Media Ban for Under-15s

France’s Constitutional Council has struck down legislation that would have banned social media access for children under 15, ruling that the curbs infringed freedom of expression and privacy. The decision is a setback for President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the measure amid a global push for tighter restrictions on children’s social media use. Macron has vowed to prepare a new draft before he leaves office next spring.

Nigel Farage Wins Clacton By-Election Over Count Binface

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage won the Clacton by-election on Friday, comfortably defeating satirical candidate Count Binface in the snap contest he triggered. Farage did not attend the count. Officials declared the result after a robust policing operation was put in place for the vote.

Five Years of Taliban Rule Leave Afghanistan in Collapse

Five years after the Taliban seized power in 2021, Afghanistan is plunging into collapse, with women largely erased from public life, poverty forcing families to marry off daughters, and healthcare nearing failure. Rights experts warn that the movement’s decrees restricting women and girls from studying, working, travelling and acting independently threaten to damage the country permanently.