Independent

Three Maori Party MPs will be temporarily banned from New Zealand’s parliament for protesting a proposed law change with a haka. A parliamentary committee has recommended the penalties, understood to be the harshest ever for New Zealand MPs. They said that the haka – a ceremonial Maori dance made world-famous by the country’s men’s rugby team, the All Blacks – could have intimidated other politicians and constituted contempt of parliament. #news #newzealand #haka #nzparliament #fyp

A woman in Brazil miraculously walked away unharmed after being narrowly missed by a pickup truck that crashed into a parked vehicle on February 22. The incident took place in Braço do Norte, Santa Catarina, as the woman was walking along the street next to a parked car. Then the out-of-control Chevrolet narrowly misses her after a violent collision with the rear end of a stationary white car. Incredibly, the pedestrian managed to walk away without any serious injuries, and no one else was injured. Originally published in February 2025.

Dramatic timelapse video shows how heavy rainfall turned a dry riverbed into surging rapids in just 20 minutes, as Texas was deluged by deadly flash floods on July 4. CCTV footage shows water begin surging into the Llano River at 17:14. Within minutes, a road crossing the river is entirely submerged, with the waterline rising significantly on both sides of the riverbank and completely covering trees and bushes. Click the link in bio for more 🔗

A Royal Opera House performer unfurled a Palestine flag on stage during the curtain call for Il trovatore's closing night on Saturday (19 July). A brief scuffle ensued as an official appeared to try and stop the protest, and the cast member continued to hold up the flag at the London performance. A spokesperson for the Royal Ballet and Opera said: “The display of the flag was an unauthorised action by the artist. It was not approved by the Royal Ballet and Opera and is a wholly inappropriate act." #Palestineflag #RoyalOperaHouse #protest

Donald Trump lashed out at an ABC News reporter questioning him on plans to accept a gift of a $400m jet from the Qatari royal family, to be used as the new Air Force One.  Speaking on Monday, May 12, the president said only a “stupid person” would say no to a “free, very expensive aeroplane”.  Trump faces a backlash for his plan from ally Laura Loomer, who said it would be a “stain” on the administration, while Democrats have called it “bribery”. #Trump #Qatar #luxury #jet

Lightning strikes British Airways flight before take-off. Originally published in January 2025.

Pro-Palestinian protesters dyed water in a Paris fountain blood-red to “denounce the ongoing massacres in Gaza”. Greenpeace France, Oxfam France and other NGOs poured several litres of red food colouring in the Fountain of the Innocents on Wednesday (28 May). Standing in and around the fountain, demonstrators can be seen holding banners reading: “GAZA: STOP THE BLOODBATH”, “MACRON MUST (FINALLY) ACT” and “CEASEFIRE”. In a statement, Greenpeace France said: “This operation aims to denounce France's slow response to the dire humanitarian emergency facing the people of Gaza today.” Click the link in bio for more 🔗

Donald Trump said he did not know who created the now-infamous AI image of him as the Pope but insisted that “Catholics love it,” despite widespread outrage both at home and abroad. The president said that those that were offended by the image couldn’t “take a joke” and that his wife – First Lady Melania Trump – thought the image was “cute.” Click the link in bio for more 🔗

This is the shocking moment a man releases rats outside a mosque in Sheffield as part of a series of racially motivated hate crimes. CCTV footage shows Edmund Fowler, 66, taking cages containing rats from his car boot and dumping them outside Sheffield Grand Mosque on Grimesthorpe Road, with the vermin appearing to run in through the fence. Click the link in bio for more 🔗

French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to reference the viral "slap" by his wife Brigitte Macron with a brief hand gesture during his welcome ceremony in Jakarta. Arriving in Indonesia on 27 May, only President Macron's hand can be seen waving from the aircraft, before he appears in front of the cameras laughing. He is then joined by his wife as they walk down the steps arm in arm. The Élysée Palace has downplayed the incident, but Macron’s wave appears to offer a lighthearted response.

A person in Arizona has died from the plague, local health officials reported on Friday. This marks the first such death in this region in 18 years. But it’s a stark reminder that this historic disease, though rare nowadays, is not just a disease of the past. So what actually is “plague”? And is it any cause for concern?

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass as the leader of the Catholic Church while congratulatory messages poured in for making history as the first American-born pontiff. He called on the gathered cardinals and the faithful watching to “recognise the marvels the Lord has done”.

President Donald Trump claims Harvard are having to teach their students '2+2=4' as he says the prestigious college is 'getting its a** kicked' in their ongoing feud. Click link for more info 🔗

Donald Trump, Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton are among the names included in court documents unsealed in January 2024.

Donald Trump has claimed Europe “had better get its act together” as he arrived at the start of a four-day visit to Scotland. Trump was greeted by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray as he landed at Glasgow’s Prestick Airport, before quickly launching a broadside at EU migration policies as he spoke to waiting reporters. “ You better get your act together or you're not gonna have Europe anymore,” he said, adding: “ You’ve got to stop this horrible invasion that's happening to Europe.” Trump’s comment come against a backdrop of tension over the housing of migrants in regional areas of the UK, with a string of violent protests taking place outside a hotel believed to be housing asylum seekers in Epping, Essex.

Audience groan as Starmer mentions 'toolmaker' father again. Originally published in June 2024.

Ibiza resident Erika Barrachina shared a TikTok video of British travellers screaming and chanting “come on Ibiza” in the cabin on Saturday (17 May). She captioned the footage: “My trip yesterday London-Ibiza with easy jet was a real horror!! I was scared, a plane full of real English animals!!” According to Erika, during the almost two and a half hour flight from Luton, passengers prevented flight attendants from working by “standing, screaming, kids hitting each other, drinking little bottles of alcohol one after the other”. The Spanish passenger said: “This is unacceptable! They shouldn’t let these people on the plane or sell alcohol on it!”

US president Donald Trump has spoken out after Russia launched its largest aerial bombardment on Ukraine since the war began in 2022. “I'm not happy with what Putin’s doing,” he told reporters. “He’s killing a lot of people and I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin." The president threatened Russia with more sanctions, just as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky revealed a new package of sanctions.

From his favourite meal, to his favourite president and plenty in-between, children visiting the White House as part of the Take Your Child to Work Day event got to know much more about US president Donald Trump. The children got to quiz White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt during a press briefing on Tuesday (20 May). One child asked if Mr Trump likes to give hugs, while another wanted to know what his favorite food is. One question that attracted plenty of attention was when a child asked how many people Trump had fired. Ms Leavitt was also asked what super power the US president would like to have and who is his favorite president, besides himself.

The White House has addressed Donald Trump’s latest attack on Taylor Swift. On Friday (16 May), the President wrote from his Truth Social account: “Has anyone noticed that, since I said ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,’ she’s no longer ‘HOT?’” Click the link in bio for more 🔗