Morning Joe hosts Mika Brzezinski & Joe Scarborough respond to Donald Trump

Revenge is always a dish better served cold.

TV hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski delayed the start of their vacation to respond to Donald Trump’s misogynistic facelift tweet, claiming that the President is “vicious to women” because he fears them.

“I’m fine,” Ms Brzezinski said. “My family brought me up really tough. This is absolutely nothing for me personally. But I’m very concerned about what this once again reveals about the president of the United States.”

“The president’s tweets, whether they’re personally aimed at me … that doesn’t bother me one bit. It does worry me about the country.”

“It's been fascinating and frightening and really sad for our country,” Ms Brzezinski added. “We're OK,” said Mr Scarborough said. “The country's not.”

When Mr Trump announced he was running for the White House, former congressman Mr Scarborough and co-host Ms Brzezinski, his fiancee, were considered supportive of his bid for the Republican nomination. Mr Trump appeared frequently, on their MSNBC show, Morning Joe, and consider them to be “believers”, if not outright supporters.

But their relationship soured, and took a sharp turn for the worse after Mr Scarborough penned an article in the Washington Post last year expressing concerns about Mr Trump.

This week, Mr Trump sparked widespread outcry when he posted two tweets about the anchors.

“I heard poorly rated @Morning Joe speaks badly of me (don’t watch anymore),” he said.

“Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came ... to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year’s Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a facelift. I said no.”

The comments were widely condemned, both by Mr Trump’s opponents and members of the Republican party. Observers - used to Mr Trump’s unprecedented behaviour since he assumed the presidency - said he had crossed yet another red line.

Mr Scarborough and Ms Brzezinski also responded to Mr Trump, with a joint op-ed article in the Post.

“President Trump launched personal attacks against us Thursday, but our concerns about his unmoored behavior go far beyond the personal,” they wrote.

“America’s leaders and allies are asking themselves yet again whether this man is fit to be president. We have our doubts, but we are both certain that the man is not mentally equipped to continue watching our show, ‘Morning Joe’.”

The couple appearance on Friday morning spread over more than half-an-hour. At times, Mr Scarborough's comments veered towards the pompous and sanctimonious.

Yet Ms Brzezinski spoke very candidly, admitting to the facelift operation that Mr Trump had mocked. "I'm very open about it," she said. "I'm very happy about it."

Mr Scarborough claimed he had been told by senior members of Mr Trump’s team they were worried about his mental health. He said they had also been told things they were not able to say on the air.

Ms Brzezinski added: “He has once again shown the world that he can be played, that he can be tweaked, that he can be goaded. “That is what I’m worried about.”

Quran for proof that Islam is a peaceful religion

The so-called Jihadi groups, which consist of extremist Muslims of every faction: ranging from Salafis, Wahhabis, Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Isis and many more, consider themselves as advocates of True Islam. These terrorists claim that the Paris, London and New York attacks are supported and justified by the Quran.

Meanwhile, the majority of Muslims condemn those atrocities.

For those on the outside of the debate, this may seem like a confusing situation. Which side speaks the truth? Is Islam a dangerous religion?

Here are the reasons why the Quran doesn’t support the actions of terrorist groups both in the reasons for waging war and what it is appropriate to do when there is defensive justification for war.

To be frank, God does give conditional permission for Muslims to wage war; however there are strict guidelines for this which jihadists do not adhere to.

Here are some of the terms and conditions: first, Muslims cannot pre-emptively initiate a war. They are only allowed to act in defense. Muslims have permission from God to fight back only when they are expelled from their houses or lands. War can be waged if there is a situation where defenseless people are under attack and ask their Muslim allies for help. The last reason for a just war is when war breaks out between two groups of believers and one party does not intend to stop it in spite of a proposed truce.

Even for battles and fights, the Quran has set limitations and frameworks. If the enemy proposes peace, Muslims should immediately stop the war. Second, Muslims are not allowed to transgress the divine justice: “fight for the cause of God, those who fight you, but do not transgress, for God does not love the transgressors.” The idea of unrestricted, apocalyptic warfare as proposed by Isis is totally un-Islamic. Third, Muslims have to treat prisoners of war with honour, not behead them, as seen recently in the bloody propaganda videos spread by the so called Islamic state. Prisoners should be released after the war, either in exchange for Muslims captives or only as a favour. Also Muslims do not have permission to keep prisoners of war, enslave them, or use them as future soldiers. Finally, followers of Islam are not allowed to force their religious beliefs upon their enemies.

According to the Quran, jihadists obliterate one of the most important commandments about relationships with other nations. The Quran indicates that Muslims should not seek hostility towards those who haven’t sought any war against them. The verse mentions that Muslims have to establish mutual relationships with those who have not expelled, nor have helped to expel, Muslims from their lands. Thus it becomes clear that the Quran has not hindered the Muslims from being kind and just toward free-thinkers.

The permission to fight in the Quran mainly has defensive and reactive purpose. A true follower of the Quran is not allowed to initiate a war and even when a just war breaks out Muslims are not allowed to kill innocent people. This is the Islam that many Muslim’s follow; fundamentally it is a guideline for living peacefully alongside people of all other religions and nationalities.

How to Delete your Facebook Account

Mark Zuckerberg kicked off Facebook’s F8 developer conference this week with a keynote detailing a number of his grand visions of the future.

Augmented reality, advanced chat bots and a rather grim-looking social VR app called Spaces are the next-generation products Mr Zuckerberg will use to keep us glued to our screens.

While the social network is a handy tool for staying in touch with friends and organising events, it's become bigger and far more powerful than the site many of us originally signed up to.

Facebook can be and has been called out for a wide range of perceived misdemeanors. In some circles, it's long been viewed as a rather sinister threat to privacy and criticised for its tax practices, but more recent issues, such as the spread of fake news, the site’s approach to illegal content and incredibly disturbing uses of Facebook Live are particularly troubling.

However, for many, it’s simply a colossal waste of time.

Regardless of why you want to cut ties with Facebook, here’s how to deactivate and delete your account now.
Deactivate

Unless you’re absolutely sure you want to get rid of your Facebook account once and for all, we’d recommend going down the deactivation route.

Deactivating your account hides your profile from friends and search, but allows you to resurrect your account – complete with friends, updates, pictures and Likes – if you ever decide to return, simply by entering your login information.

To deactivate your Facebook account:
Click the downwards-pointing arrow in the top-right corner of the screen
Select Settings
Open the Security section
Choose the Deactivate Your Account option at the bottom of the menu

Delete

Deleting your account is a major step, so think it through before committing. Facebook can take up to 90 days to process account deletion requests, but once your account's gone, it’s gone.

Before taking the plunge, it’s well worth downloading a copy of the data Facebook has on you.

To do this:
Click the downwards-pointing arrow in the top-right corner of the screen
Select Download a copy of your Facebook data

Once that’s done, you’re ready to delete your account. Bear in mind, however, that your sent messages will continue to exist even when all other traces of your account are gone.

To permanently delete your Facebook account:
Head to Facebook’s Delete Account page
Select Delete My Account

Angela Merkel votes against same sex marriage

Angela Merkel has voted against same-sex marriage in Germany because she believes that “marriage is between a man and woman”.

Despite her opposition, the Bundestag voted to legalise equal marriage by 393 votes to 226, and the Chancellor said she hoped the move would improve social cohension.

“For me, marriage in German law is marriage between a man and a woman and that is why I did not vote in favour of this bill today,” she told reporters moments after the historic vote.

“I hope that the vote today not only promotes respect between different opinions but also brings more social cohesion and peace.”

The Chancellor said she supported the bill’s introduction of full adoption rights for same-sex couples – a move she had previously opposed – and was fighting anti-LGBT discrimination.

Apple Is Quietly Scrubbing the App Store

Apple has made a small, but important change to its App Store guidelines that could have a profound impact on the apps available in its marketplace.

Following the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) earlier this month, Apple changed its App Store review guidelines to now ban "apps created from a commercialized template or app generation service," accordingto TechCrunch, which found the change. In other words, any apps that are made with tools that produce copycat programs could be rejected from Apple's marketplace.

While most apps available to the company's iPhones are originally designed using traditional design tools, like Apple's own XCode program, there are thousands that rely upon templates. In most cases, the template-based apps are designed by developers who don't have formal coding knowledge or simply want to get a program to the App Store quickly to capitalize on a trend. For instance, after the simple game Flappy Bird become an overnight success in the App Store, thousands of clones that used a similar template flooded the App Store in hopes of attracting users to their similar gameplay.

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However, the new App Store guidelines would allow Apple (AAPL, +1.43%) to ban certain apps that egregiously use templates to deliver software. The revised guidelines will ostensibly help Apple manage spam apps that are designed with templates to quickly get programs into the App Store that serve ads or perform unnecessary functions for developer financial gain.

There are several legitimate template-based app services available to users, allowing them to quickly create programs for Apple's iPhone. They include services like PhoneGap and TapJet, as well as Apple's own app suite with IBM, which allows corporate customers to create programs for their operations using pre-defined features.

So far, Apple hasn't targeted those companies, and although the company cites commercialized templates in its new guidelines, it's unlikely it will turn its attention to those services. According to TechCrunch, which has been analyzing the change, Apple has removed "hundreds of thousands" of apps as part of a broader App Store scrubbing over the past year. But Apple has left popular template-based services alone and is instead focusing on less-useful services that quickly produce lookalike apps for users to scam or spam iPhone owners.

For its part, Apple hasn't commented on the how the change might affect developers and users, and the company doesn't share its app removal tally with the public.

Apple did not respond to a Fortune request for comment on the report.

French general accused of using fighter jet for weekend commutes to ProvenceHow

The acting chief of the French air force has been accused of using a fighter jet to commute home at weekends.

General Richard Reboul is alleged to have used an Alpha Jet at least 10 times over the last year, flying between his workplace in Bordeaux to his weekend property in Provence.

Flying at its maximum speed of 620mph (1,000kmph), the jet would have been able to complete the 327-mile trip (600km) in just half an hour.

The commute would normally take around seven hours by train, six hours by car or an hour by conventional plane, followed by a 30-minute car ride.

Using around 800l (176 gallons) of fuel per hour, French satirical newspaper Le Canard Enchaine estimated the fighter jet journeys could have cost the air force and French taxpayers tens of thousands of euros over the past year.

The alleged misuse came to light after General Reboul switched to a small military transporter for his trip, along with a pilot and co-pilot, who are said to have dropped him off and returned to collect him on Monday morning, the Canard reported.

France's new defence minister, Florence Parly, has ordered an investigation, saying there would be "consequences" if the alleged "abuse of resources" is confirmed.

General Reboul stepped in as interim air force chief after his superior, General Serge Soulet, died in May.

Alpha Jets are normally used for training purposes and light attack missions, and additionally perform in Patrouille de France, the country's aerobatic display team.

Labour seeks to exploit Tory divisions over Brexit

Labour will seek to exploit government division on Brexit today in the final round of House of Commons votes on the Queen's Speech.

Jeremy Corbyn will call for MPs to back a "jobs first" Brexit that delivers the "exact same benefits" as the single market and customs union.

He will hope his amendment to the Government's legislative programme can exploit apparent Tory divisions on whether to prioritise the economy or immigration in the Brexit negotiations.

Labour's wide-ranging amendment also reproduces many of the policies in its manifesto and Mr Corbyn urged MPs of all sides to support it, claiming Mrs May had no mandate for continued austerity.

Mr Corbyn said: "I'm hoping that some Conservatives would recognise that the writing is on the wall for the economics of austerity and the economics of greater inequality.

"I would also hope that the other opposition parties would recognise that what we're saying actually makes good, sound common sense.

"If you want a future that works for all you've got to invest in it. You can't cut your way to prosperity: you invest your way to prosperity."

The Tory minority government has to get through the final vote on its legislative programme on Thursday afternoon.

On Wednesday evening, it defeated a Labour amendment calling for an end to the public sector pay cap by 323 votes to 309, a majority of 14.

Hero officer describes fight with London Bridge attackers

A hero police officer who fought all three London Bridge attackers with only his baton says there was "instant darkness" when he was stabbed in the head by one of the terrorists.

PC Wayne Marques, 38, had not long begun a night shift when he heard screams.

After spotting customers and bouncers at a nearby bar standing "like deers in the headlights", he knew something was wrong.

Initially he thought it was pub fight or a gang fight "at the most".

But he soon witnessed people being attacked in Borough High Street.

PC Marques said: "I don't remember everything that happened that night. Part of my memory is still in patches.

"I remember being on patrol. Me and my colleague were on London Bridge Street.

"I heard a female's scream. It was definitely a woman's scream. I heard one scream that sort of echoed and made its way up London Bridge Street, on my left hand side.

"So I looked down the street and I couldn't see who was screaming.

"But what did attract my attention is that there is a little restaurant that becomes a club and a restaurant at weekends, called Tito's.

"I remember the bouncers and the people in the queue, the people having a cigarette.

"Every single one of them, they were like statues."

Image:PC Marques fought all three attackers with only his baton

PC Marques continued: "I remember grabbing my baton with my right hand and I racked (extended) it.

"I took a deep breath and I just charged the first one (attacker).

"As I got near him I swung at him with everything I had as hard as I could, straight through his head, trying to go for like a knock-out blow."

He heard the attacker "yelp in pain".

PC Marques, who was stabbed numerous times, had major injuries to his head, left hand and left leg.

He has recovered his sight after being wounded just above the right eye.

Discussing that horrific injury, PC Marques said: "He'd hit me so hard that my right eye went lights out straight away. I just went blind."

He believes the fight, in which he was set upon by all three attackers, lasted for up to 90 seconds.

"The second one and the third one, I was basically fighting left to right," he said, "because I only had one eye so I'm moving left to right, left to right."

At that stage the first attacker stabbed him in the leg.

"I'm thinking, 'S***, there's a knife in my leg while I'm fighting the second one and the third one,"' he said.

After he'd been stabbed in the hand he remembered little except "swinging (my baton) all over the place".

Regarding his injuries, PC Marques said he "didn't realise how badly I was hurt".

He added: "The adrenaline, the fighting, all of that, I could feel what they were doing to me but I couldn't feel it at the same time.

"I could just feel that I'd been cut and hurt."

Donald Trump's bid to replace Obamacare dealt blow as healthcare bill vote delayed

Donald Trump has suffered an embarrassing setback on a key campaign pledge after Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell delayed a vote on his legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The draft bill was meant to mollify moderates and hardliners in the Republican Party, but opposition quickly mounted on both sides.

The news that 22 million would lose health insurance coverage, from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), dealt a major blow.

The Republican bill now will not be considered until after the Senate's week-long 4 July recess.

There are deep ideological divides in the discussion of the bill.

Image:Trump and members of Congress discuss the Affordable Care Act

For hardline Republicans, the plan did not go far enough.

They demanded states be allowed to waive a ban on insurance companies charging sick people more, and they wanted states to be given the chance to opt out more easily.

Moderate Republicans, however, felt it went too far. They wanted more investment in mental health and addiction programmes.

The draft bill struggled from the outset. Three Republican senators said they would vote against the motion to begin debate before it even hit the Senate floor. With the party requiring 50 votes to push the bill through, it could only afford to lose two. Many more members expressed reservations.

The legislation was drafted in secret and the President largely took a back seat. But minutes before news broke of an imminent delay, the White House scrambled to invite senators to discuss the issues.

A bus waited outside the capitol and at the same time Mr McConnell told reporters he would work to get more on side.

Image:Donald Trump with families whose insurance premiums reportedly rose after the Affordable Care Act

That olive branch came too late for any legislative progress. Mr Trump is learning just how difficult and complicated healthcare is.

Unlike the first House bill, the Senate did not wait for the floor to debate before pulling the plug. The stakes are high and some senators have already said they cannot see themselves being swayed.

Mr Trump will likely try to remind them of their promise to repeal and replace Obamacare, but Republicans are quickly realising that owning healthcare is not easy.

If they win, they know they will still have to spend years defending taking away health insurance from tens of millions of Americans.

But they cannot afford to walk away empty handed. If they struggle to pass this, making headway on tax reform and infrastructure will be even harder.

Cholera breaks out in IS-Philippines war zone in Marawi

The first cases of cholera have been recorded in emergency shelters for families fleeing the conflict in the southern Philippines city of Marawi.

Almost a quarter of a million people have been forced to leave their homes, as the fight against IS-linked militants enters its second month.

Tens of thousands are now living in crowded evacuation centres, where the regional health secretary told Sky News conditions are "below the threshold of any human being".

The cholera cases have been isolated, but he said there was particular concern over the potential for the spread of Malaria and Dengue Fever, which is known to be a problem in Marawi.

"We want a regular uninterrupted supply of clean water, toilets for them to use, and of course decent living conditions," Kadil Sinolinding, Secretary of Health for Mindanao, told Sky News.

More than three thousand people are living at the centre, we saw four working toilets.

"The evacuation centre is way below the threshold of any human being," Mr Sinolinding said.

"But people content themselves. We are surviving. We are all survivors here."

The small rural clinic where he spoke has become a basic hospital.

We watched as a young boy was rushed in with a head injury.

He had fallen outside in the rain. He needed stitches, but was otherwise okay.

In a quiet corner, a mother sat comforting her son on a camp-bed as he was treated for severe dehydration.

Nearby one-year-old Abdul Salam Acmad was attached to a drip, suffering from diarrhoea, which can be especially dangerous in young children.

The nurses said his family had walked the three miles here from Marawi.

We were told four children died from the symptoms of diarrhoea before they could reach medical help after escaping the city.

Three were two years old or younger.

London Eye and Waterloo Pier evacuated after authorities find World War-era bomb

Cordons have been lifted after the London Eye and Waterloo Pier were evacuated following the reported discovery of a World War-era bomb.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard has reportedly confirmed authorites have found a bomb from World War I or II in the Thames near the tourist hotspot.

People on the London Eye were told to evacuate immediately.

One Twitter user posted that she had been asked to disembark the London Eye ten minutes after the discovery was found.

"So we barely made it on the #londoneye before everyone was evacuated. News, anyone?"

The official Thames Clipper service twitter account announced that the London Eye Pier had been re-opened after an hour, and apologised for the inconvenience.

It said the boat service would resume as per the timetable.

The area also features the popular London Aquarium and the sites see close to 4 million visitors every year.

148 dead as Pakistan oil tanker crashes and explodes

At least 148 people - including children - have been killed after an oil tanker carrying 40,000 litres of fuel flipped over and burst into flames on a highway in Pakistan.

Residents had flocked to the tanker with jerry cans, buckets and other containers to collect leaking fuel from it after it overturned.

It was travelling from the southern port city of Karachi to Lahore when the driver lost control and it crashed near the city of Bahawalpur at around 6.30am.

Some reports suggested the tanker had suffered a burst tyre. The driver survived and is in custody.

Image:Large plumes of black smoke could be seen from a distance

Police had tried to seal off the area but became overwhelmed by the scores of people trying to reach the vehicle.

Officials said many of the victims were beyond recognition and that DNA tests were being carried out to identify the dead, adding that the number of fatalities was likely to rise.

The fire erupted after an oil tanker turned over and "victims rushed to collect spilt fuel", senior local government official Rana Mohammad Saleem Afzal told state television.

Image:It took firefighters around two hours to put out the blaze

He said residents were told about the leaking oil tanker over a loudspeaker at a local mosque.

"After about 10 minutes the tanker exploded in a huge fireball and enveloped the people collecting petrol. It was not clear how the fire started," said regional police chief Raja Riffat.

"According to the initial reports, somebody tried to light a cigarette. The spilt fuel caught fire, leading to the tanker's explosion," Jam Sajjad Hussain, spokesman for the rescue services, added.

Officials said around 140 others were injured in the explosion and were airlifted to nearby hospitals by army helicopters, some in a critical condition having suffered more than 80% burns to their bodies.

Image:Around 140 people were injured in the blast and taken to hospital

Flames and large plumes of black smoke could be seen from a distance as firefighters battled the blaze for two hours before it was out.

Witnesses described seeing the charred ruins of up to 30 motorbikes that had carried residents to the crash site.

Almost a dozen other vehicles were also destroyed by the inferno.

The tragedy happened on the eve of Eid ul-Fitr celebrations marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Pakistan.

Image:The oil tanker crashed and burst into flames near the city of Bahawalpur

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed his grief and ordered provincial leaders to ensure victims received "full medical assistance".

Pakistan has a poor record of fatal traffic accidents due to bad road conditions, poorly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.

In 2015, more than 60 people, including children, died when the bus they were travelling in collided with an oil tanker.

The Queen reported to West Yorkshire Police for 'not wearing seat belt'

The Queen has been reported to West Yorkshire Police for not wearing a seat belt in the official car for the State Opening of Parliament.

A 999 call was made by someone saying the monarch was not strapped in while being driven through London.

The phone call was confirmed in a tweet by the West Yorkshire force, which added the hashtags #not999 #notevenwestyorkshire.

Civil and criminal proceedings cannot be taken against the Queen in UK law.

Live updates and more stories from Yorkshire

The Queen travelled to Westminster alongside Prince Charles for the formal start of the Parliamentary year.

Her press office said it would not comment on the tweet.

Tom Donohoe, of West Yorkshire Police, said too often 999 calls were made for non emergencies.

"I cannot stress enough that the 999 number is for emergencies only," he said, adding that the force typically received more than 1,000 emergency calls a day.

It has previously published a list of inappropriate 999 calls that have taken up police time, including a fly being in a bedroom and a mouse on the loose.

As for the law regarding seat belts, the government website says: "You must wear a seat belt if one is fitted in the seat you are using."

It adds you can be fined £500 for not doing so, but there are some exceptions such as drivers reversing or a vehicle being used by police, fire or rescue services.

The Royal Family website says "the Queen is careful to ensure that all her activities in her personal capacity are carried out in strict accordance with the law".

Insulation boards used on Grenfell Tower block withdrawn by firm

The insulating product used to clad Grenfell Tower before a disastrous fire will no longer be used on high-rise buildings, the manufacturer has said.

Celotex, which manufactures the RS5000 insulation boards used in the block's rainscreen cladding, says it is ceasing supply of the product in buildings over 18m tall immediately.

The firm had previously advertised on its website that "Celotex RS5000... is suitable for buildings above 18m".

The inferno at 24-storey Grenfell Tower in north Kensington left 79 dead or missing presumed dead.

Nine victims have so far been formally identified.

Earlier on Friday, police said tests had been carried out on both the cladding tiles and the insulation used in the refit of the tower and they "don't pass any safety tests".

Officers also revealed that the insulation was also found to be more flammable than the cladding tiles.

Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack said: "What we are being told at the moment by the Building Research Establishment is that the cladding and insulation failed all safety tests."

Late on Friday, Celotex posted an update on its website that said: "In view of the focus on rainscreen cladding systems and the insulation forming part of them, Celotex believes that the right thing to do is to stop the supply of Celotex RS5000 for rainscreen cladding systems in buildings over 18 metres tall with immediate effect, including in
respect of ongoing projects, pending further clarity."

Pentagon releases images of Russian jet buzzing RC-135 spy plane

Photographs released by the US show a Russian SU-27 jet apparently flying within a few metres of an RC-135 spy plane.

The Pentagon accused Russia of carrying out an unsafe intercept of the reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the Baltic Sea earlier this week.

But the photographs released by the US European Command on Friday showed just how close the fighter jet came to the US aircraft.

NATO aircraft are being deployed as part of the organisation's annual Baltic Operations (BALTOPS), a multinational, maritime-focused live training event which first began in 1972, in the region close to Russia's border.

Image:The photographs showed just how close the fighter jet came to the US aircraft

Referring to the 19 June incident, the US military said that "due to the high rate of closure speed and poor control of the aircraft during the intercept, this interaction was determined to be unsafe".

But according to the Russian news agency TASS, it was the RC-135 plane which "made an attempt at approaching the Russian fighter jet making a provocative turn towards it".

CNN reported that there have been more than 30 interactions between US and Russian aircraft near the Baltic Sea since in recent weeks, most of which were "safe and professional" according to a US official.

"The vast majority of interactions we have, intercepts that occur when we fly and that are intercepted by the Russians are safe," said a Pentagon spokesperson.

"This is an exception, not the norm, but we were again operating in international airspace and did nothing to provoke," they added.

Twitter users hit back at Saudi-bloc's list of demands

Earlier on Friday, the Saudi-bloc submitted a 13-point list of demands to Qatar [Kacper Pempel/Reuters]

Social media users have hit back with humour and their own list of grievances after reports emerged that Saudi Arabia and its allies issued a list of demands.

Almost immediately after the Saudi-led bloc's 13-point list of demands was made public on Friday, some Twitter users began posting their reactions under the hashtag "the list is refused".

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar on June 5 over allegations the country funds "terrorism" and is too close to Iran - allegations Qatar has repeatedly denied.

Their steep list of demands, published by news agencies on Friday, includes calls on Qatar to shut down Al Jazeera Media Network, close a Turkish military base, scale down ties with Iran, and pay an unspecified sum in compensation.

Qatar now has 10 days to comply, according to the reports.
"Qatar refuses Saudi and the Emirates' conditions and answers them with this voice message," wrote one Twitter user, embedding a man singing an old Gulf song, asking his wife to "take your bag of clothes and leave my house for good" and telling her she has a "long tongue", implying she talks too much.

London Underground superbugs warning prompts deep-cleaning

Parts of the London Underground network will be deep-cleaned every night this summer after dangerous superbugs were discovered.

As part of air quality improvement measures announced by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, the intensified cleaning regime will aim to reduce commuters' exposure to dust and particles.

It comes after researchers at London Metropolitan University found 121 different types of bacteria and mould on public transport in the capital.

Eight of all the bacteria discovered were found to be among the most threatening to human health, with the Victoria Line deemed to be the dirtiest.

Image:1.37 billion passengers travel on the Tube every year

Around 50 Tube stations will be cleaned each night with magnetic wands and industrial vacuum cleaners used to remove dust, oil, grease and metal particles.

Mr Khan said: "I've asked for an updated scientific analysis of pollution on the Tube so we can fully assess the air quality levels and take appropriate measures to ensure that the air is clean."

The movement of trains along rail lines, engineering works and skin particles all contribute to dust on the network.

London Underground managing director Mark Wild said: "As scientific understanding of the effects of particles develops, we are ensuring that we're both using the very latest research and that we're doing everything possible to keep the air underground clean for our customers and staff."

Corbyn overtakes May in PM suitability poll for first time

Jeremy Corbyn has overtaken Theresa May for the first time on the question of who voters think would be the best Prime Minister, a poll suggests.

The survey, by YouGov for The Times, puts the Labour leader on 35%, ahead of the Prime Minister on 34%.

Nearly a third of those asked said they were unsure.

When Mrs May called the election in April, she had a commanding lead over Mr Corbyn on the same question - 54% to 15%.

It is more bad news for the PM, who is under pressure after losing her majority in the snap election she called to increase her Brexit mandate.

In the days leading up to the vote (5-7 June), Mrs May was ahead by 43% to Mr Corbyn's 32%.

This suggests the aftermath of the election - in which she has been criticised over her response to the Grenfell Tower disaster - has had an impact.

The PM was also forced to scrap a number of unpopular manifesto pledges in this week's Queen's Speech, including reintroducing grammar schools, holding a vote on ending the ban on fox hunting and means-testing pensioners' winter fuel payments.

In his response to the Queen's Speech, a bullish Mr Corbyn said Labour is now a "government in waiting", although Mrs May mocked her rival, praising him for having "fought a spirited campaign and come a good second".

:: YouGov surveyed 1,670 British adults from 21-22 June.

Media watchdog slams demand to shut Al Jazeera

Gulf nations issue list demanding the closure of Al Jazeera and some other Arab media news outlets [Naseem Zeitoon/Reuters]

Reporters Without Borders, a non-profit organisation promoting press freedom, has condemned the demand by Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries to shut Al Jazeera network and other media outlets in Qatar.

The Gulf states issued a 13-point list on Friday, demanding the closure of all news outlets that it funds, directly and indirectly, including Arabi21, Rassd, Al Araby Al Jadeed, Mekameleen and Middle East Eye.

"We are really worried about the implication and consequences of such requirements if it will ever be implemented," said Alexandra El Khazen, head of Middle East and North Africa desk at Reporters Without Borders.

READ MORE: Arab states issue list of demands to end Qatar crisis

Speaking to Al Jazeera from Paris, Khazen said: "We are against any kind of censorship and measures that could threaten the diversity in the Arab media landscape and pluralism for instance.

"The Arabic media landscape should make room and accept the broadest range of view points instead of adopting repressive measures against alternative viewpoints that are found to be critical of some governments."

Tim Dawson, president of the UK's National Union of Journalists, expressed his "absolute horror" in reaction to what we called a "monstrous request" and urged the Saudi government to withdraw the demands.

Khazen also expressed concern over the impact of the demands on the employees of the mentioned media outlets.

"Some of them may come under pressure to resign or to choose to do so to be aligned with the policy of their country, so we are currently investigating this," she said.
Al Jazeera's reaction

"We are stunned by the demand to close Al Jazeera," Giles Trendle, the acting managing director of Al Jazeera English, said. “Of course there has been talk about it in the past but it is still a great shock and surprise to actually see it in writing. It's as absurd as it would be for Germany to demand Britain to close the BBC."

Trendle said Al Jazeera is going to continue its “editorial mission of covering the world news in a fair and balanced way".

"We call on all governments to respect media freedom. We hope other media organisations will support our call to defend media freedom," he added.

Trendle said the roots of the demand to close Al Jazeera goes back to 2011 and the Arab Spring.

"At that time, Al Jazeera was covering the dreams and the aspirations of a new generation of people. We provided the platform for the voice of the man and the woman in the Arab streets. We were covering those protests and we were providing a diversity of viewpoints, we were really the voice of the voiceless. I think there are some regimes in the region that don't appreciate that diversity of views. I think that's the reason for what's going on here."

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed relations with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting "terrorism". Qatar has denied the allegation.

Will the war of words hamper efforts to resolve the Gulf crisis? – Inside Story

Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has said that Al Jazeera Media Network is an "internal affair" and there will be no discussion about the fate of the Doha-based broadcaster amid the Gulf crisis.

To stem the flow of negative reactions Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain took steps to curb their citizens from expressing opinions that opposed their policies.

The UAE announced that any objections to the UAE's strict measures against the government of Qatar or expression of sympathy with Qatar would be a crime punishable by a prison sentence of 3-15 years and a fine of no less than $136,000 (500,000AED), whether on a social media platform or via any written or spoken medium.

The criminalisation of sympathy with Qatar was implemented in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain with slight differences in the length of prison sentences and size of fines.

Khazen said the decision to punish citizens is a "huge violation of freedom of speech and information that could have serious implications".

Al Jazeera reporters have often come under fire, with Egypt imprisoning Arabic reporter Mahmoud Hussein, who has been in jail for 185 days "disseminating false news and receiving monetary funds from foreign authorities in order to defame the state's reputation".

Al Jazeera's Baher Mohamed and Mohamed Fahmy spent 437 days in jail before being released. Peter Greste spent more than a year in prison in Egypt.

EU citizens' rights on the table at European Council summit

Theresa May is expected to provide her fellow European Union leaders with detail on the status and rights which the UK plans to offer EU citizens living in Britain after Brexit.

Attending her first European Council Summit since her disastrous general election, it is understood the Prime Minister will explain the UK's "principles" on the issue of citizens' rights - a key early topic in the Brexit negotiations.

Her party's lost majority, weakened negotiating hand as well as the apparent division on what Brexit means among her own cabinet is raising questions in Europe about her stability as PM.

She will seek to reassure her fellow leaders of her commitment to a fair Brexit deal for both sides by presenting an overview of the UK's intentions regarding the estimated 3.2 million EU citizens currently living in Britain.

The two-day Brussels summit will predominately focus on counter-terrorism, common defence and security.

Two foiled terrorist attacks this week alone put renewed focus on EU-wide efforts to improve counter-terrorism measures.

In Paris on Monday, a man was apprehended after he tried to ram his car into police on the Champs Elysee and in Brussels on Tuesday, a man attempted to detonate a nail bomb in the city's Central Station. No one was injured in either incident.

At the end of a working dinner, Mrs May is expected to address the other 27 leaders on Brexit and the issue of citizens' rights.

It is the most tangible human consequence of the UK's decision to leave the European Union: the status and prospects for 3.2 million EU citizens who currently live in the UK and the 1.2 million Britons who live elsewhere in the European Union.

Their prospects are unclear given that the UK will become a so-called "third country" once it leaves the union.

The remaining member states have shown increasing levels of irritation at the UK's failure to commit to protecting the rights of their citizens in the UK.

French fitness blogger Rebecca Burger killed by exploding whipped cream dispenser

A well-known lifestyle blogger in France has been killed by an exploding whipped cream dispenser, her family has said.

Rebecca Burger, 33, died after the pressurised canister exploded, violently hitting her chest.

French media reports that the impact brought on a cardiac arrest and although she received medical attention, she could not be saved.

"It is with great sadness we announce the death of Rebecca who died the June 18th, 2017 in an accident in the home," her family, including her husband, said in a statement on her Instagram account.

Another post included a photograph of a dispenser, alongside a warning not to use similar devices.

"Here is an example of a whipped cream canister that exploded and struck Rebecca's chest, resulting in her death," the post read.

"Do not use this kind of utensil in your home! Tens of thousands of defective devices are still in circulation."

Police are investigating Ms Burger's death.

Her 55,000 Facebook friends and 158,000 Instagram followers reacted with disbelief to the news.

One wrote on her Facebook page: "A beautiful woman, full of life. All my condolences to the family."

"I am horrified by what happened," said another.

They described her as their "body princess", "bikini icon" and a "beautiful athlete and coach", who would be greatly missed.

French fitness website Women's Best also paid tribute to the blogger: "Rebecca was not only a great fitness figure but a generous and kind person to work with."

Several similar incidents involving exploding cream dispensers have occurred in France in recent years, but no one has been killed.

France's National Consumer Institute (INC) issued a warning in 2014 about such gadgets, French newspaper Le Parisien reported.

Russian fighter jet 'chases NATO plane away' over Baltic Sea

A Russian jet chased away a NATO aircraft after it tried to approach the defence minister's plane, according to a Russian news agency.

TASS reported that a NATO F-16 fighter jet buzzed Sergei Shoigu's aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

It did not specify which member of the defence alliance the fighter jet was from, but on Tuesday the Pentagon accused Russia of carrying out an unsafe intercept of a US RC-135 spy plane in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.

Image:Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu with President Putin

It said the aircraft "did nothing to provoke this behaviour" and accused the Russian pilot of having "poor control" of his SU-27 fighter jet.

Sweden meanwhile said it had summoned Russia's ambassador in the country after a Russian fighter jet flew close to a Swedish reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.

Defence minister Peter Hultqvist said the actions of the Russian Sukhoi Su-27 on Monday was "unacceptable" and "unprofessional", adding that "the risk of serious incidents increases significantly" with such moves.

The Russian claims came as the Kremlin said it was considering a range of retaliatory measures to new US sanctions planned over the country's role in Ukraine.

"At our experts' level, naturally, different variants of sanctions are now being formulated and proposed," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Image:The RC-135, made by Boeing, gathers electronic and signal intelligence

US aircraft are often intercepted near the Baltics and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, but the Pentagon says most of these are deemed to be safe and professional.

"Due to the high rate of closure speed and poor control of the aircraft during the intercept, this interaction was determined to be unsafe," a Pentagon statement said after the latest incident.

Tensions between the airforces of the two nations have increased after Moscow said it would treat any plane with the US-led coalition in Syria that flew west of the Euphrates as a potential target.

That move came after US aircraft shot down a Syrian jet on Sunday.

Russian hackers targeted 21 states in election

Russian hackers targeted election-related systems in 21 states during the 2016 presidential election, a US official has confirmed.

Opening a Congressional session, the vice chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence, Mike Warner, described the hacking as marking a watershed in political history.

"At a minimal cost, Russia sowed chaos in our political system and undermined faith in our democratic process," he told attendees.

Testifying before the Congressional committee, an official from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the number of states targeted by hackers seeking to affect the electoral results.

Jeanatte Manfra, the acting deputy undersecretary of cybersecurity at the DHS, told the Congressional committee the agency had evidence of 21 states being targeted.

Ms Manfra declined to disclose which states were targeted and how successful the attempts at hacking were, other than to affirm that the result of the election was not in question.

Image:Committee chairman Richard Burr

The chairman of the select committee, Richard Burr, asked: "But in no case were actual vote tallies altered in any way shape or form?"

"That is correct," the DHS acting deputy undersecretary responded.

Her statements were the first public confirmation of the scale of foreign interference in the US presidential election.

While the attacks achieved varying levels of success in penetrating their target systems, the access was not enough to allow the attackers to manipulate the ballots themselves.

Last year, reports circulated that hackers had targeted the voter registration systems in the states of Illinois and Arizona.

Prince Harry: No one in the Royal Family wants to be King or Queen

Prince Harry has suggested that no one in the Royal Family wants to take over from the Queen.

Interviewed by Newsweek magazine, Harry said: "Is there any one of the Royal Family who wants to be King or Queen? I don't think so, but we will carry out our duties at the right time."

He also hinted at a lingering resentment about what he was asked to do at his mother Princess Diana's funeral in 1997, when he was just 12.

"My mother had just died, and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me while millions more did on television," he said.

"I don't think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don't think it would happen today."

Image:Prince Harry, second from the left, follows his mother's coffin into Westminster Abbey

Harry revealed in April that he had sought help after he "shut down" his emotions following Princess Diana's death in a road accident in 1997.

Regarding Diana's legacy, he said: "I intuitively know what my mother would like me to do and want to progress with work she couldn't complete."

When she was photographed shaking hands with a HIV-positive man in 1987, the notion that HIV/Aids might be passed on through touch was challenged.

In December, Harry was photographed having an HIV test in Barbados.

Image:Princess Diana holding Prince Harry in Mallorca in 1988

He said his mother "had the most wonderful sense of humour and always wanted to make things fun for us, as well as protect us".

Diana also "took a huge part in showing me an ordinary life".

"People would be amazed by the ordinary life William and I live," Harry said. "I do my own shopping. Even if I was King, I would do my own shopping."

But could things become too ordinary, removing the Royal Family's mystery? "It's a tricky balancing act," he said.

"We don't want to dilute the magic. The British public and the whole world need institutions like it."

Image:Prince Harry says he, William and Kate hope to modernise the monarchy

Harry had lots of praise for the Queen, saying: "She is so remarkable."

"The monarchy is a force for good," he said, "and we (Harry, William and Kate) want to carry on the positive atmosphere that the Queen has achieved for over 60 years, but we won't be trying to fill her boots.

"We are involved in modernising the British monarchy. We are not doing this for ourselves but for the greater good of the people."

Concerning which roles he, William and Kate take on, Harry said the Queen "has been fantastic in letting us choose".

He added: "She tells us to take our time and really think things through."

Eid al-Fitr 2017

Muslims around the world will celebrate the three-day Eid al-Fitr festival this weekend. Depending on the sighting of the moon, Eid will either start on Sunday June 25 or Monday June 26.

What is Eid al-Fitr?

Eid al-Fitr means "festival of breaking the fast" and marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. It is celebrate for three days, and on the morning of the first day, Muslims gather for prayer.

Eid is also infused with different traditions in different countries. Most people use the three days of Eid for visitations. Other traditions include the Eidiyah, money given to kids on Eid and wearing new clothes.
When does Eid al-Fitr begin?

It begins with the first sighting of the new moon, so most of the time Muslims have to wait until the night before Eid to verify its date. The starting day varies every year and from country to country depending on geographical location.
How do people celebrate?

Eid traditionally start with prayers followed by a short sermon. In some countries the prayers take place outside, while others are hosted in mosques or large halls. After the prayers, Muslims wish thoe around them a happy Eid. People then visit relatives, friends and sometimes graveyards to pray for their dead.

Many people wear traditional clothes, give gifts or money to children, and donate to charity. In some countries, the holiday is known as Sweet Eid for its variety of sweets.
How do people dress for Eid?

An important marker of Eid is the clothes. Some would wear clothes from their culture, while others would pick out something new to wear.

This year, social media users were already fretting over Eid clothes mid-way through Ramadan. A few Muslim-owned businesses started trading free Eid outfits for retweets.

Queen's Speech: Brexit takes centre stage as controversial policies dropped

The Queen will set out the Government's two-year blueprint for Brexit in Parliament later - despite talks to build a parliamentary majority appearing to falter.

The Queen's Speech will have Brexit at its core, with the Great Repeal Bill as its centrepiece, in which EU law will be transposed onto the UK's statute book.

The Government also plans to set out the opportunities presented by our departure from the European Union in order to construct a society which "works for everyone".

Image:Last year's Queen's Speech

In a statement issued by the Prime Minister, she committed to work with "humility and resolve", which suggests criticism of her remote response to the Grenfell Tower fire has hit home.

She said: "This is a Government with purpose. Determined to deliver the best Brexit deal. Intent on building a stronger economy and a fairer society. Committed to keeping our country safe, enhancing our standing in the wider world and bringing our United Kingdom closer together.

"Putting ourselves at the service of millions of ordinary working people for whom we will work every day in the national interest," she concluded.

There will be bills to protect consumers by reducing motor insurance premiums, to boost transport infrastructure and turbocharge our space industry.

The Government will also contain details of a proposed Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill and a draft Tenants' Fees Bill, which "sits alongside action to fix the dysfunctional housing market".

But the speech will be remembered for what has been left out.

Image:There will be no carriage for the Queen this year

It usually draws on the winning party's manifesto for its substance, but controversial policy proposals including social care funding, ending free lunches for all primary school children and axing the pension triple-lock are expected to be quietly shelved because of the Government's precarious position.

The speech will also be memorable for another reason: the singular lack of pomp.

Due to its proximity to the Trooping the Colour ceremony, it was considered too great a logistical exercise for the military and the Royal Mews to include the extravagance usually invested in the day.

Rather than the Imperial state crown and ceremonial robes, the Queen will wear a day dress and hat and take a car instead of the carriage from Buckingham Palace.

The last time the Queen's Speech was similarly pared down was in 1974, when Harold Wilson defeated Ted Heath in another snap election designed to give the Conservatives a larger mandate in Westminster.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives have started talks on forging a 'confidence and supply' deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which has 10 MPs.

Man 'wearing explosive belt' shot by police at Brussels Central station

Belgian troops patrolling a major train station in Brussels have "neutralised" a person following an explosion.

Police said they are unable to comment on media reports that the suspect was wearing an explosive belt and had wires coming out of his clothes.

Belgium's federal prosecutor confirmed the incident at Brussels Central, one of the country's busiest stations, is being treated as a terrorist attack.

At a news conference, spokesman Eric van der Sypt said the unidentified suspect was still inside the station, and it is unclear whether he is dead or alive.

Image:Belgian troops and police are at the scene of the terror attack 'in large numbers'

No civilians were injured or killed in the explosion.

Nicolas Van Herrewegen, an employee at Brussels Central station, told reporters that the suspect had cried "allahu akbar" and detonated something on a luggage trolley.

Pictures from the scene showed a fire had broken out inside the station building.

A spokesman for Belgium's railway operator said a crowd in the station panicked and "ran for the tracks" after the incident.

Image:Police in Brussels closed roads following the incident

Brussels Central was evacuated and searched, with rail services from the station suspended. Grand Place, a major tourist site which lies about 200m (656ft) away, was also evacuated.

Train services at two other stations in the capital, Brussels North and Brussels South, were also disrupted.

Belgium has been on high alert since suicide bombers killed 32 people on the Brussels subway and at an airport on 22 March 2016.

Soldiers have been stationed at railway stations, government buildings and EU institutions since.

Image:Brussels Central is one of Belgium's busiest train stations. File pic

People in the area were pushed away from the scene, and police on Twitter urged the public to follow instructions given by the authorities.

Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel was "following the situation very closely from the crisis centre," according to his spokesman Frederic Cauderlier.

Grenfell Tower residents were promised fire-resistant cladding five years ago

Residents of Grenfell Tower were promised that fire-resistant cladding would be fitted to their building in 2012, before plans were changed and a cheaper, flammable covering was fitted.

Decorative cladding called Reynobond PE was fitted to the outside of the west London tower block during renovations last year.

Made of flammable plastic sandwiched between aluminium sheets, it is being blamed for spreading the fire from one floor to another in the 24-storey block.

It will be a major focus of the investigations into why so many were killed in the devastating blaze last week - with at least 79 people confirmed dead or missing, presumed dead.

:: Demand for answers on high-rise fire warnings

Documents submitted to Kensington and Chelsea Council's planning department show residents were consulted in 2012 over the renovations and were asked what cladding they wanted.

They show they chose a fire-resistant product called VMZ Composite which was said to have "many benefits".

A newsletter handed to tenants and submitted with the planning application stated: "Various cladding options have been shown to residents with the composite cladding system being favoured by the majority."

The document clearly stated the cladding had "fire retardancy".

Two years later, a cheaper scheme was agreed and new proposals were approved by council planners.

Instead of the fire-resistant panels chosen by residents, cheaper plastic-filled cladding was fitted.

:: Firefighters' horror as they near Grenfell Tower blaze

:: Fire patients kept unconscious to aid recovery

Grenfell Tower: Thousands of pounds paid out to victims

More than £200,000 of government money has been paid out to 180 families directly affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.

The payments - made up of £500 in cash and £5,000 as a bank account payment - have been coordinated by the Grenfell Response Team (GRT).

It has also been confirmed that 126 hotel places have been given to families while 78 were due to be homed in properties locally or in a neighbouring borough by Monday night.

In a statement, GRT said: "We have endeavoured to keep accommodation as local as possible, and we completely accept residents' wishes to remain close to the community."

Image:Some of those affected by the fire march in protest at the way they have been treated

It comes as hundreds of those affected by the fire - which has killed at least 79 people - marched to the tower on Monday night.

Rochelle Thomas, a local resident, said there is still anger at the lack of help and coordination: "I'm just feeling very let down by the council. I called today but got the phone hung up on me."

She added: "I don't have the words to say anymore. It's just a massive let down. These are human beings, they are families."

Another local resident, called Zee, told Sky News: "There's still confusion, no one really knows what's going on. I think the most shocking thing that is starting to sink in for people in the area is how - how have we been left to this?"

Image:A vigil for the victims of the Grenfell fire disaster was held at Parliament Square

Newly elected MP for Kensington, Emma Dent Coad, was one of those to speak at the march on Monday night.

She says there is total chaos in the borough.

"People have been sleeping in cars and in parks because they don't know where to go and they aren't being looked after," she said.

"Secondly they need to be re-housed permanently and thirdly they need a long-term care package... people who'll always be there for them."

Meanwhile police are continuing to name those who died in the fire as the investigation continues.

Some 250 officers are involved and police say they are looking at all criminal offences that may have been committed by any individual or any organisation.

It came as Met Police Commander Stuart Cundy fought back tears as he warned that some victims may never be identified.

Personal details of nearly 200 million US citizens exposed

Sensitive personal details relating to almost 200 million US citizens have been accidentally exposed by a marketing firm contracted by the Republican National Committee.

The 1.1 terabytes of data includes birthdates, home addresses, telephone numbers and political views of nearly 62% of the entire US population.

The data was available on a publicly accessible Amazon cloud server.

Anyone could access the data as long as they had a link to it.
Political biases exposed

The huge cache of data was discovered last week by Chris Vickery, a cyber-risk analyst with security firm UpGuard. The information seems to have been collected from a wide range of sources - from posts on controversial banned threads on the social network Reddit, to committees that raised funds for the Republican Party.

The information was stored in spreadsheets uploaded to a server owned by Deep Root Analytics. It had last been updated in January when President Donald Trump was inaugurated and had been online for an unknown period of time.

"We take full responsibility for this situation. Based on the information we have gathered thus far, we do not believe that our systems have been hacked," Deep Root Analytics' founder Alex Lundry told technology website Gizmodo.

"Since this event has come to our attention, we have updated the access settings and put protocols in place to prevent further access."

Apart from personal details, the data also contained citizens' suspected religious affiliations, ethnicities and political biases, such as where they stood on controversial topics like gun control, the right to abortion and stem cell research.

The file names and directories indicated that the data was meant to be used by influential Republican political organisations. The idea was to try to create a profile on as many voters as possible using all available data, so some of the fields in the spreadsheets were left left empty if an answer could not be found.

"That such an enormous national database could be created and hosted online, missing even the simplest of protections against the data being publicly accessible, is troubling," Dan O'Sullivan wrote in a blog poston Upguard's website.

"The ability to collect such information and store it insecurely further calls into question the responsibilities owed by private corporations and political campaigns to those citizens targeted by increasingly high-powered data analytics operations."
Privacy concerns

Although it is known that political parties routinely gather data on voters, this is the largest breach of electoral data in the US to date and privacy experts are concerned about the sheer scale of the data gathered.

"This is deeply troubling. This is not just sensitive, it's intimate information, predictions about people's behaviour, opinions and beliefs that people have never decided to disclose to anyone," Privacy International's policy officer Frederike Kaltheuner told the BBC News website.

However, the issue of data collection and using computer models to predict voter behaviour is not just limited to marketing firms - Privacy International says that the entire online advertising ecosystem operates in the same way.

"It is a threat to the way democracy works. The GOP [Republican Party] relied on publicly-collected, commercially-provided information. Nobody would have realised that the data they entrusted to one organisation would end up in a database used to target them politically.

"You should be in charge of what is happening to your data, who can use it and for what purposes," Ms Kaltheuner added.

There are fears that leaked data can easily be used for nefarious purposes, from identity fraud to harassment of people under protection orders, or to intimidate people who hold an opposing political view.

"The potential for this type of data being made available publicly and on the dark web is extremely high," Paul Fletcher, a cyber-security evangelist at security firm Alert Logic told the BBC.

US student detained and released by North Korea dies

A US student who was held in a North Korean prison for more than a year has died just a week after his release.

Otto Warmbier was medically evacuated from the country after it emerged he had been in a coma since he was jailed in March 2016.

His parents confirmed he died on Monday.

In a statement, they said: "It is our sad duty to report that our son, Otto Warmbier, has completed his journey home.

"Surrounded by his loving family, Otto died today at 2.20 pm."

US President Donald Trump said on hearing the news that "bad things" happened in "brutal" North Korea but at least he died at home with his parents.

Doctors from the University of Cincinnati Medical Centre said last week that the 22-year-old was suffering from injuries related to cardiopulmonary arrest and was in a state of unresponsive wakefulness.

Image:Mr Warmbier broke down as he was jailed in March 2016

The University of Virginia student was medically evacuated from North Korea and flown to Cincinnati late last Tuesday.

His parents said they were only informed of his condition a week ago.

The college student was sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labour in 2016 after he admitted trying to steal a propaganda sign from the staff-only area of a hotel he was staying at.

Warmbier told reporters he was offered a used car worth $10,000 (£7,840) if he could obtain a sign, adding that $200,000 (£156,860) would be paid to his mother if he was detained and didn't return.

:: US professor held in North Korea

Image:The propaganda sign Mr Warmbier attempted to take from his hotel

Following his death on Monday afternoon, Fred and Cindy Warmbier said: "The awful tumultuous treatment of our son received at the hands of the North Koreans ensured that no other outcome was possible beyond the sad one we experienced today...

"It would be easy at a moment like this to focus on all that we lost - future time that won't be spent with a warm, engaging, brilliant young man whose curiosity and enthusiasm for life knew no bounds.

"But we choose to focus on the time we were given to be with this remarkable person.

"You can tell from the outpouring of emotion from the communities that he touched - Wyoming, Ohio and the University of Virginia to name just two - that the love for Otto went well beyond his immediate family."

Russia will target coalition jets in parts of Syria, defence ministry says

Russia says it will treat US-led coalition planes as potential targets in government-controlled areas of Syria west of the Euphrates River.

The escalation comes a day after the US shot down a Syrian air force jet.

In a statement, the Russian defence ministry said that starting on Monday it will track all jets and drones from the coalition in the area.

And it has demanded a full account of why the US military shot down the Syrian SU-22.

Areas of northern Syria west of the Euphrates were controlled by Islamic State until recent months when Syrian government forces captured most of the region back.

US Central Command confirmed that one of its F-18 Super Hornets downed the Syrian aircraft, which it said had dropped bombs near the American-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The Kurdish-led SDF - which is aligned with the US in the campaign against IS - had warned Syrian government forces to stop their attacks or face retaliation.

Image:SDF fighters pictured in the north of Raqqa

The downing of the warplane is the first time in the conflict that the US has shot down a Syrian jet.

Syria said that the fighter jet that was downed was on a combat mission against Islamic State.

Russia, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, has been providing air cover to the government's offensive since 2015.

Clashes between the SDF and Syrian government forces have been rare, with some rebel groups even accusing them of coordinating on the battlefield.

Both sides are battling IS - with SDF fighters focusing on the northern city of Raqqa and government forces attacking IS in northern, central and southern Syria.

Finsbury Park Attack: One dead after 'van hits mosque worshippers'

One man has died after a van hit 11 worshippers leaving a Muslim welfare centre in north London.

The Metropolitan Police said eight people had been taken to hospital after the collision at the junction of Whadcoat Street and Seven Sisters Road, Finsbury Park.

A further two people were treated at the scene, where police arrested a man who had been held by members of the public amid angry scenes.

According to a witness who asked to be called Abdulrahman, which is not his real name, the driver of the van said: "I want to kill Muslims."

Another witness, Adil Rana, 24, said: "The van was driving towards us to try and basically hit us at speed.

"When he got arrested, he was taunting, saying, 'I'd do it again, I'd do it again'."

Pictures of the van indicated it was rented from a company in South Wales, Pontyclun Van Hire.

Ellen Higginbottom's death: Two men arrested

Police have arrested two men on suspicion of murdering a teenage girl in Wigan.

Ellen Higginbottom died after being brutally attacked near Winstanley College, and her body was discovered at Orrell Water Park in the early hours of Saturday morning.

A post-mortem examination has concluded that the 18-year-old student had suffered multiple wounds to the neck.

Greater Manchester Police said a 47-year-old suspect was detained on Sunday afternoon in nearby Billinge, and is currently in custody for questioning.

A second man, aged 51, was arrested in Preston, Lancashire on Sunday evening.

Detective Superintendent Howard Millington has stressed the investigation "is still in its early stages".

He said: "This investigation is by no means over however, we still have a long way to go in piecing together the puzzle.

"Our investigative team will continue to work at the scene in the area around Orrell Water Park for the next few days."

Image:Police called Ellen Higginbottom's death an 'absolute tragedy'. Pic: Facebook

Classmates have described Ellen as a "lovely and caring girl" who will be remembered for her love of horses.

Her friend Katie Hatton wrote on Facebook: "Absolutely heartbreaking that this horror had to happen to such a lovely and caring young girl, always smiling and making me laugh in psychology.

"You were taken far too young - my love and thoughts are with friends and family. R.I.P. Ellen."

Lisa Wasilewski wrote: "Seriously saddened by the loss of the lovely Ellen Higginbottom. My thoughts are with her family right now.

"I will always remember you for your love of horses and your bubbly personality. You will be missed xxx."

Chloe Williams, who had posted a plea for information about Ellen in the hours after she went missing, said later: "Never felt as sick and upset and heartbroken in my entire life."

Muslim leaders: Finsbury Park attack 'senseless and evil'

Muslim leaders have described the Finsbury Park van attack on worshippers as "senseless and evil".

One has died and 10 others were injured after a white van was driven into a crowd near a mosque in the early hours of Monday morning.

Image:Emergency services at the scene

Mohammed Shafiq of the Ramadhan Foundation, a Muslim organisation which speaks out against extremism, said: "I utterly condemn the senseless and evil van attack against Muslim worshippers outside the Finsbury Park Mosque in London.

"According to eyewitnesses this was a deliberate attack against innocent Muslims going about their life.

Image:People injured in the Finsbury Park attack

"We should make clear that if this attack is confirmed as a deliberate terrorist attack then this should be classed as an act of terrorism.

"The British Muslim community requires all decent people to stand with us against this evil violence.

"Rampant Islamaphobia has been on the rise for a number of years and those on the far right have perpetuated hatred against Muslims.

"They should be called out for their hatred."

Image:Angry witnesses at the scene of the Finsbury Park attack

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) general secretary Harun Khan said: "During the night, ordinary British citizens were set upon while they were going about their lives, completing their night worship. It appears from eyewitness accounts that the perpetrator was motivated by Islamophobia.

"Over the past weeks and months, Muslims have endured many incidents of Islamophobia and this is the most violent manifestation to date.

Donald Trump claims his approval rating is higher than Barack Obama

Donald Trump has claimed his approval rating is higher than that of Barack Obama - despite the data he is referring to suggesting the opposite is true.

“The new Rasmussen Poll, one of the most accurate in the 2016 Election, just out with a Trump 50% Approval Rating. That’s higher than O’s #’s,” he wrote in an early morning tweet

Last week, the President had tweeted an image of a Rasmussen Reports poll that put his approval rating at 50 per cent - the first time it had been above 50 per cent since April.

The new Rasmussen Poll, one of the most accurate in the 2016 Election, just out with a Trump 50% Approval Rating.That's higher than O's #'s!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2017

“His approval rating has ranged from a high of 59 per cent in late January shortly after he took office to a low of 42 per cent in early April,” said the polling company.

On Sunday, Mr Trump sought to double down on the positive news by claiming his numbers were higher than those of his predecessor, Barack Obama.

However, data from the same polling company suggests that is not true. Mr Obama entered office on January 20 2009 with an approval rating of 67 per cent. At this same stage of his presidency his rating had slipped to 55 per cent, a level that was still a clear five points higher than Mr Trump.

US Navy calls off search for 7 missing sailors

The search for seven missing U.S. Navy sailors was called off Sunday after several bodies were recovered from the flooded compartments of the destroyer.

Commander of the Navy’s 7th Fleet told the grim news to reporters at a Navy base in Yokosuka, just south of Tokyo. Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin wouldn’t say how many bodies were found but said the identities of the sailors would be released following notification of the families.

The bodies were found in previously flooded compartments, including sleeping quarters.

Searchers gained access to these spaces that were damaged during the collision and brought the remains to Naval Hospital Yokosuka where they are to be identified, the Navy said in a statement.

The USS Fitzgerald was back at its home port in Yokosuka Naval Base south of Tokyo by sunset Saturday. The Philippine-flagged container ship was berthed at Tokyo’s Oi wharf, where officials were questioning crew members about the cause of the nighttime crash.

After stabilizing the USS Fitzgerald, the destroyer USS Dewey had joined other American and Japanese vessels and aircraft in the search for the missing sailors.

The U.S. 7th Fleet said in a statement that the crash damaged two berthing spaces, a machinery room and the radio room. Most of the more than 200 sailors aboard would have been asleep in their berths at the time of the pre-dawn crash.

Water was being pumped out of flooded areas and it was unclear how long it would take to get into the crushed mid-right side of the ship once it was at the pier in Yokosuka, the statement said.

Man dies and police hurt as violence escalates in Darjeeling, India

A man has died and scores of police were injured during rioting in the Indian resort of Darjeeling.

The violence has escalated in recent days and erupted in large-scale rioting on Saturday in the hill resort at the peak of the tourist season.

Almost 50 people, mostly police, were injured in riots and arson attacks which have been taking place for more than a week, forcing many visitors to leave.

The unrest intensified on Saturday and a man died as cars were torched and police were attacked by mobs with knives.

Officers responded with teargas and baton charges in an attempt to control the situation.

The director general of West Bengal state police, Anuj Sharma, said: "A man was killed and at least 35 policemen were injured yesterday. Some of them were stabbed in the back."

He said one officer who intervened in an arson attack was "seriously wounded after protesters slashed his throat".

Mr Sharma said the dead man appeared to have been shot but the circumstances were still unclear.

Police have denied using live ammunition.

Image:Protesters torched cars and buildings during widespread rioting

The escalation of the violence was triggered when police raided the homes and offices of members of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), a separatist movement that has long called for a new state of "Gorkhaland" to be carved out of West Bengal.

The group has accused police of shooting dead three of its members during the clashes but police have denied this.

GJM's general secretary Roshan Giri said: "Three of our comrades were killed and five were critically injured in police firing yesterday."

He said hundreds took to the streets of Darjeeling on Sunday for a silent protest against "police atrocities", waving India's tricolour flag and posters calling for peace.

Image:A man has died and scores of police injured

The hills are famous for the Darjeeling tea and the area is also famed for its "toy train" - a 48-mile uphill ride from New Jalpaiguri.

But the violence has dealt a major blow to the crucial tourism industry, leaving the normally busy destination deserted as shops, schools and banks closed.

As well as the campaign for a new state, tensions have risen recently over a decision to introduce the Bengali language in schools which has infuriated the Nepali-speaking Gorkhas.

Trump cancels Obama's 'one-sided deal' with Cuba

US President Donald Trump says he is rolling back the Obama administration's "completely one-sided deal with Cuba".

Speaking in Miami, Florida, Mr Trump said his new policy would put new restrictions on travel and on sending funds to the Caribbean island nation.

It was the first step in overhauling Barack Obama's March 2016 deal with Cuba which he described as "terrible" and "misguided" - and the latest move to dismantle the former president's legacy.

Mr Trump also signed a presidential directive calling for a more rigorous enforcement of a ban on American tourists going to Cuba, but US airlines and cruise lines will still be able to serve the island.

Despite some of the restrictions imposed, Mr Trump says he will not close the US embassy in Havana or roll back on key diplomatic ties. Commercial flights from the US will also continue. American visitors still allowed to bring back all the rum and cigars they can manage.

Image:Mr Trump's revised Cuba policy is aimed at halting the flow of US cash to the country

Mr Trump has faced pressure from businesses, tour operators and politicians, not to completely reverse the diplomatic thaw with America's Cold War foe established by his predecessor.

There was also resistance within Cuba. Granma, the Cuban government's state-run newspaper, said the President was "stuck in a failed policy that has caused much damage to the Cuban people and has left the United States isolated".

Mr Trump stated that he would try to prevent US dollars from being used to invest in what the administration sees as a repressive military-dominated government.

"The profits from investment and tourism flow directly to the military," he said to applause. "The regime takes the money and owns the industry."

Image:Barack Obama and Raul Castro celebrated ending five decades of hostility

Mr Trump said Mr Obama's agreement with Raul Castro's government led to an increase in violence and instability in the country, and enriched the brutal communist regime that imprisons its own people.

"They fought for everything and we just didn't fight hard enough, but now those days are over. Now we hold the cards. We now hold the cards," Mr Trump said to the delight of Cuban exiles in Miami's Little Havana community.

"Therefore effective immediately, I am cancelling the last administration's completely one-sided deal with Cuba."

But back in Washington, a storm over Russia was brewing. Before he left the White House for his Miami trip, the President appeared to confirm for the first time that he was under investigation as part of the Russia probe.

In an early morning tweet, he said: "I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch hunt."

Image:Mr Trump has made a thinly-veiled swipe at Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein

It wasn't clear who he was talking about, but appeared to be a thinly-veiled swipe at Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

Mr Rosenstein wrote a memo in May that the White House used to justify the firing of the ex-FBI chief. Mr Rosenstein took over the investigation into whether Russia tried to tip the US election in favour of Mr Trump after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself in March.

The latest tweet from Mr Trump fuelled speculation that Mr Rosenstein may also recuse himself of his role if he could potentially be a witness in the Russia probe. That would represent the latest twist in an increasingly dramatic and unpredictable investigation. Although Mr Rosenstein appointed a special counsel, he still makes the final decisions about resources, personnel and - if necessary - any prosecutions.

Amazon: $13.7bn Whole Foods deal

Los Angeles, United States - One of the world's biggest online consumer goods companies is getting even bigger.

Amazon is making a bold expansion into physical stores with a $13.7bn deal to buy US grocery chain, Whole Foods.

The move sets the stage for new retail experiments that could revolutionise how people buy groceries and other goods.

Charlie O'Shea, a Moody's lead retail analyst, told the Associated Press news agency that the deal could be "transformative, not just for food retail, but for retail in general".


The deal represents a dramatic turn in strategy for Amazon, which has offered food delivery through its AmazonFresh service for a decade, but has not made a major dent in the $700bn grocery market.

Whole Foods, known for its organic and specialty food, will continue to operate stores under its brand and will continue to be led by cofounder and chief executive John Mackey, the two companies said.

The more than 460 Whole Foods stores in the United States, Canada and the UK could also be turned into distribution hubs - not just for delivering groceries, but also as pick-up centres for online orders.


The deal is the latest big move for Amazon, which grew from a small online bookseller in the 1990s to a global retail giant that delivers a wide range of goods and creates award-winning movies and television programmes.

Firefighter who battled Grenfell Tower blaze 'feared building would collapse like World Trade Centre'

A firefighter who climbed to the 15th floor of Grenfell Tower as it was ravaged by fire feared the block would collapse like the World Trade Centre.

Leon Whitley, a 34-year-old father of one said he would never forget the screams of victims trapped in their flats as the blaze engulfed the 24-storey building in west London.

Thirty people are known to have perished in the disaster but the death toll is expected to rise. Dozens more were injured and at least 70 people remain unaccounted for.

Mr Whitley was among hundreds of fire crews who risked their lives running towards danger as the tower in North Kensington burned.

Brother of Grenfell Tower victim says fire safety concerns were ignore

"It was reminiscent of the Twin Towers," he told The Sun. Those things go through your mind while you're in there.

"We all know how that building collapsed. I thought, 'We might not make it out this one'. I usually walk into fires very cautious but not scared. That was the first time I was scared."

He described the experience as "hellish" and added he still hears the screams from people trapped as flames tore through the building.

"It was crazy," he told the newspaper. "The screams were coming from all directions. I don't think I will ever forget them. The screams were horrifying because you knew everyone needed help but you couldn't see them."

Theresa May meeting Grenfell fire victims and volunteers in Downing Street

Theresa May is meeting victims, community leaders and volunteers from the Grenfell fire disaster in Downing Street.

It is her second meeting with those affected by Wednesday morning's inferno, which was branded "unprecedented" by London's Fire Brigade Commissioner.

The Prime Minister has been criticised for not going to talk to victims until Friday, as some in a crowd shouted "coward" and "shame on you" following a visit with survivors at a church.

Mrs May has announced a £5m fund as part of a "comprehensive package" of support for victims.

The No 10 meeting comes after Mrs May finished chairing an emergency session of the Grenfell Recovery Task Force.

The cross-Government group are coordinating the immediate and long-term response to the west London blaze that has so far claimed 30 people's lives. The number of dead is expected to rise significantly as authorities confirm and identify the deceased.

As part of the £5m fund, the support measures include:

:: Residents of Grenfell Tower will be rehoused at the earliest possible opportunity, within three weeks at the latest.

:: People will be rehoused as close as possible to their previous address, either in Kensington and Chelsea borough or a neighbouring borough, in order for them to access their same schools and GPs.

:: The cost of temporary accommodation will be covered until they are rehoused, with the Government also providing cash for any extra expense incurred by children travelling to their local school.

A Downing Street spokesman said the PM had "sent her best wishes" to the Queen, who is celebrating her 91st official birthday.

Mrs May was not seen at the traditional Trooping the Colour celebrations held outside Buckingham Palace, as the Queen marked her birthday with a sombre but defiant message.

Image:The Queen and Prince Philip at the Monarch's birthday celebrations

The Monarch praised Britons for staying "resolute in the face of adversity" after three terror attacks and the Kensington fire.

Mrs May had made two trips to Grenfell Tower, once to meet the emergency services and a second time to meet victims, including in hospital and at a church.