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Charlie Kirk’s family hit out as judge redacts part of Tyler Robinson’s transgender lover’s video testimony

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Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, has been in court every day this week for Tyler Robinson's preliminary hearing

Charlie Kirk’s family has demanded that testimony from Tyler Robinson’s transgender lover be played in full in court after a judge ruled that part of it could be redacted. 

Robinson, who is accused of assassinating Kirk, is currently facing a week-long preliminary hearing, during which prosecutors are seeking to prove they have enough evidence to take the case to trial. 

The 23-year-old alleged assassin could be put to death if he is convicted of murdering Kirk at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. 

Judge Tony Graf ruled on Wednesday that video from Robinson’s lover and roommate, Lance Twiggs, could be published, except for about a 1-minute-and-20-second portion, which the prosecution said they will edit and play in court on Thursday.

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A Kirk family representative shot back at the decision and said in court: ‘To not be transparent, to not be open, to not let the world see what happened will create doubt and distrust in the judicial system, and that’s not what anybody wants.’

‘That’s not what any of us believe should happen here and we’d ask the court to consider the position of the family and making this decision,’ the representative added. 

Robinson’s defense argued that portions of the video are irrelevant and that playing it could impact his right to a fair trial, and they submitted a 20-page transcript of the interview, along with proposed redactions.

The testimony in question comes from two interviews police conducted with Twiggs, one of which occurred on September 12, the day after Robinson turned himself in, and the other on April 20. 

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Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, has been in court every day this week for Tyler Robinson’s preliminary hearing 

Kirk's parents, Robert and Kathryn, have also been at court every day this week. The family has demanded that testimony from Robinson's transgender lover be played in full in court

Kirk’s parents, Robert and Kathryn, have also been at court every day this week. The family has demanded that testimony from Robinson’s transgender lover be played in full in court

Prosecutors are seeking to prove they have enough evidence to take the case against Robinson (pictured from behind) to trial

Prosecutors are seeking to prove they have enough evidence to take the case against Robinson (pictured from behind) to trial

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Kirk’s widow, Erika, and his parents, Robert and Kathryn, have been at court every day this week for the evidence hearing. 

Prosecutors on Wednesday also showed a video of Charlie Kirk‘s alleged assassin turning himself in to cops. 

Robinson has remained in custody since his family convinced him to turn himself in after recognizing him in surveillance photos shared nationwide during a frenzied manhunt for Kirk’s killer.

The video of Robinson turning himself in was introduced as evidence while Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent Brian Davis was testifying.

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The video depicts Robinson, dressed in a maroon shirt, jeans and a hat, in a room in the Washington County Sheriff’s Office while his parents and friend waited.

Davis said after Robinson and his parents were interviewed, Robinson was placed under arrest.

He also added that he interviewed Robinson’s mother, and other law enforcement officers interviewed Robinson and Robinson’s father.

A family friend who came in with the Robinsons also was interviewed, Davis said

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Charlie Kirk was shot to death at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. He is pictured on that day

Charlie Kirk was shot to death at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. He is pictured on that day

Charlie and Erika Kirk are pictured with their two children. Robinson could be put to death if he is convicted of killing Charlie

Charlie and Erika Kirk are pictured with their two children. Robinson could be put to death if he is convicted of killing Charlie

Judge Tony Graf ruled on Wednesday that video from Robinson’s lover and roommate, Lance Twiggs, could be published but that it would be partially redacted

Judge Tony Graf ruled on Wednesday that video from Robinson’s lover and roommate, Lance Twiggs, could be published but that it would be partially redacted

The clip was one of several presented during days of testimony to decide whether the case should proceed to trial.

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On Tuesday, prosecutors presented bombshell evidence that they say places Robinson at the scene of the murder.

In surveillance allegedly showing Robinson moments before Kirk was killed, the suspect was seen walking with an apparent limp – keeping his right leg straight as he climbed stairs on the way to the ‘snipers perch’ on a nearby rooftop.

The video blew a hole in conspiracy theories that claim Robinson ‘never set foot on the campus.’

Former Utah State Bureau of Investigation agent David Hull described the footage as it was played to court.

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He revealed that Robinson spoke with members of Kirk’s group, Turning Point USA, and got Chick-fil-A before the shooting, then changed his clothes before the murder.

On Monday, Utah Valley University police officer Chris Bagley – the first officer at the scene – testified that he was near the stage when Kirk was hit by a single bullet in the neck, sending the crowd scrambling for safety.

Bagley described the moments as ‘chaotic,’ but said he quickly realized there was a raised roof across from where Kirk was shot that could have been where the assassin fired from.

Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent Brian Davis testified that he interviewed Robinson's mother when he turned himself in

Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent Brian Davis testified that he interviewed Robinson’s mother when he turned himself in

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Video played in court showed Tyler Robinson, dressed in a maroon shirt, jeans and a hat, in a room in the Washington County Sheriff's Office when he turned himself in

Video played in court showed Tyler Robinson, dressed in a maroon shirt, jeans and a hat, in a room in the Washington County Sheriff’s Office when he turned himself in

He testified that he raced to the rooftop of the Losee Center building and found a ‘sniper pad,’ with the gravel on the roof imprinted from where the suspect had laid down to take the fatal shot.

The weapon was described as a bolt-action rifle with one spent round. It was found after in a wooded area near where Kirk was shot and, according to police, a towel wrapped around the weapon tested positive for Robinson’s DNA.

Investigators have also claimed to have found bullet casings engraved with political messages in the gun.

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Pub 15 minutes from Darlington with ‘sublime’ Sunday roasts

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Pub 15 minutes from Darlington with 'sublime' Sunday roasts

The Black Bull Inn, in Great Smeaton near Northallerton, currently holds a 4.8-star rating on TripAdvisor.

The cosy country pub is described as serving homemade food from Wednesday to Sunday and has become a popular stop for people looking for a traditional pub meal.

Located in Great Smeaton, around 15 minutes from Darlington, the Black Bull Inn has been praised by diners for its Sunday roasts, generous portions and warm atmosphere.

Reviewers regularly highlight the quality of the food, with Sunday lunch appearing again and again among the pub’s most popular mentions.

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One visitor, who booked a table for Sunday lunch in May, described it as “the best beef lunch we had for years”, adding: “11/10. Fantastic.”

Another diner praised the pub after visiting for Sunday lunch with their dog, saying the food was “excellent” and “served piping hot by lovely friendly staff”.

The Black Bull Inn, in Great Smeaton (Image: TRIPADVISOR)

They added: “Our only regret is we haven’t come sooner. We highly recommend this amazing little country pub — you will not be disappointed.”

The Black Bull Inn has also won praise for its friendly service and traditional village pub feel.

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A reviewer from York, who visited with friends, said there was a “warm welcome on arrival” and said booking in advance was recommended because the pub became very busy even on a Thursday evening.

They wrote: “The food was all home-cooked, including the desserts, and all our party said our meals were absolutely delicious.

“It is a traditional pub which serves great food and a lovely warm welcome. Absolutely superb, will return.”

Others have praised the Black Bull’s Sunday lunch for its homemade Yorkshire puddings, tender meat and selection of vegetables.

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One visitor from Yarm said they went for Sunday lunch after a personal recommendation and were “not disappointed”.

They wrote: “The food was really good, very tender meat, two of us had pork and two had beef, homemade Yorkshire puds and a nice selection of veg. Excellent desserts and all competitively priced. Plus excellent friendly service.”

The pub’s official website says its Sunday lunch includes a choice of topside of beef, leg of lamb, leg of pork or chicken, served with trimmings and gravy.

Beyond its roasts, visitors have also praised the Black Bull Inn for its steak, lamb, fish and chips, desserts and real ales.

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One diner said they had driven past the pub many times without calling in, but after finally visiting, said it would be “much harder to drive past now”.

The pub has is as dog-friendly, welcoming four-legged guests.

One reviewer said their dog was given treats during their visit, while another said they arrived early for a booking with four adults and a dog and were happily accommodated.

With dozens of five-star reviews and repeated praise for its Sunday roasts, homemade food and friendly service, the Black Bull Inn has become a highly rated village pub for diners near Darlington and Northallerton.

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Alexandra Burke: It is a privilege to tell ‘inspiring’ Chaka Khan story

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Alexandra Burke: It is a privilege to tell ‘inspiring’ Chaka Khan story

Burke leads I’m Every Woman – The Chaka Khan Musical, depicting the the award-winning singer-songwriter’s journey to stardom, exploring her passion for civil rights, fight against a toxic music industry, battle with addiction and the pressures she faced as a working mother.

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Researchers Explain How Owning A Cat Can Boost Your Health

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Researchers Explain How Owning A Cat Can Boost Your Health

Owning a pet, be it a cat or a dog, has previously been linked to lower heart disease risk. This is especially true for cat owners aged between 40 and 64.

Our feline friends may also reduce stress and boost our mood.

As if they don’t do enough for us already, researchers from the University of Bath, Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine in the US, and École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse in France have said they might help us to age better too.

Why might cats help us to age better?

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Their paper, published in the journal Biology Open, reads: “Pet cats may inform human ageing since humans and cats age similarly and they develop health challenges that mirror those observed in humans”.

Unlike a lot of lab animals, they added, cats tend to live long enough to develop age-related brain changes, like those seen in humans.

And, on the flip side, because they live a lot shorter lives than us, we can study their ageing at a much faster rate than we could in people.

The researchers used a biological model which looked at how multiple species age at a physical level.

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They tracked 3,754 data points – like MRI (not CAT, sadly) scans, blood samples, and developmental milestones – gathered across human, cat, and other mammal species.

They found that cat and human brains seem to age remarkably similarly. Both species experience age-related neurodegeneration.

Like us, cats age in bursts. And they reach the equivalent of human old age: a teenage cat is the rough equivalent of a person in their 80s, ageing-wise.

“It was interesting to see that cats show patterns of age-related brain atrophy similar to those observed in humans,” said PhD candidate Brier Rigby Dames, who was involved with the research.

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“These findings add to growing evidence that companion animals can provide valuable insights into ageing.”

Cat owners are increasingly requesting more detailed pet scans

Speaking to the University of Bath, the study’s co-author, Dr Ryan Gibson, said that more and more pet owners are sending their cats in for increasingly detailed scans as they age.

This, he said, might provide an exciting opportunity.

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“This expanded clinical access creates meaningful opportunities for translational research (research that bridges the gap between scientific findings and healthcare), improving our understanding of aging and neurologic disease in ways that can benefit both feline and human patients,” he said.

For her part, Brier Rigby Dames said: “There’s potential to develop large-scale veterinary health databases for companion animals, analogous to human health databases such as the UK Biobank.

“These kinds of resources could enhance our ability to study ageing and disease using real-world clinical and owner-reported data collected across species.”

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Three heatwave cooling ‘hacks’ that may do more harm than good

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Wales Online

The third heatwave of the year could see people desperately trying to cool down

The Met Office has confirmed that a third heatwave is poised to arrive across large swathes of the UK this July. While it isn’t expected to rival the scorching temperatures experienced during June’s heatwave, many may still resort to potentially risky methods and shortcuts in a bid to keep cool.

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The approaching heatwave is predicted to be most intense across the southern regions of the UK, with temperatures climbing to 34C to 35C. The Met Office has warned that the hot and arid conditions could endure for several days, leaving countless people facing multiple sleepless, stifling nights.

While England and Wales will experience the worst of the heat, the warm weather is also set to extend into parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, where temperatures are anticipated to hit the upper 20s.

During the previous two heatwaves, social media was flooded with cost-effective suggestions for staying cool without air conditioning. Nevertheless, experts have cautioned that not all of these apparently innocent tips are risk-free, as some could present a danger to your property, wellbeing, and even your insurance cover.

Window opening times

Countless articles have recommended keeping windows closed during the hottest hours of the day to stop heat from infiltrating the home, though some have interpreted this as leaving windows open all night long. While this might create a refreshing breeze to help with sleep, it also creates a serious security risk.

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Go. Compare’s home insurance expert Tamzin Metcalfe warned: “One of TikTok’s most common heatwave hacks, with hundreds of thousands of views, presents a genuine insurance risk.

“Leaving a window or door open overnight to help bring a breeze inside might help to keep your rooms cool, but if a burglar enters your property through an open door, any claim you try to make on your insurance will probably be rejected.”

Overnight fans

For those who must keep windows closed during the night, some people may turn to indoor fans and similar appliances to stay comfortable while sleeping, although this also poses significant health hazards.

Giuseppe Capanna, Product Safety Engineer at Electrical Safety First, said: “Households are putting themselves at risk if a fault occurs with their device while they are sleeping.

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“We advise turning your fan off before going to sleep. However, we understand many people will be tempted to keep it on and in this instance, we urge households to ensure they have working smoke alarms in their property.”

‘Portable AC’ hack

A popular TikTok suggestion involves fashioning a makeshift air conditioner by fastening wet or frozen towels and ice packs to fans, supposedly making the circulated air feel significantly cooler.

However, Capanna urged caution against this purported ‘hack’, stating: “Both of these could leave you at serious risk of electric shock, as water risks coming into contact with the motor. We advise everyone to ignore these videos that can garner hundreds of thousands of views.”

Hanging ice or damp towels over your fan can also cause mechanical issues if the items get caught in the blades, or if the extra weight causes the fan to topple over. Consequently, in your attempt to mimic air conditioning, you might end up with nothing but a broken fan in the middle of a heatwave.

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Prosecutors plan to play redacted statements from roommate of defendant in Charlie Kirk’s killing

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Prosecutors plan to play redacted statements from roommate of defendant in Charlie Kirk's killing

Utah prosecutors plan to play audio clips in open court Thursday of law enforcement officials interviewing the roommate of the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Defense attorneys fought against the public release of the statements from Tyler Robinson’s roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs. They said prosecutors would characterize the statements as a confession, undermining Robinson’s right to a fair trial if the statements are broadcast by the media.

Robinson is charged with aggravated murder and has not entered a plea. He turned himself in a day after the fatal shooting of Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump credited with helping galvanize the youth vote for Trump in the 2024 election.

Prosecutors allege Robinson confessed in a note left for Twiggs that read: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.” Robinson also allegedly sent a text to Twiggs saying he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.”

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Twiggs spoke to authorities on Sept. 12 — two days after Kirk was assassinated while speaking to a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University — and again on April 20. He was given immunity for the statements, meaning what Twiggs said cannot be used against him in a potential criminal case.

State District Judge Tony Graf will decide at the conclusion of this week’s preliminary hearing if prosecutors have enough evidence to bring Robinson to trial.

Robinson’s attorneys have not commented on his guilt or innocence but have sought to get the death penalty taken off the table, so far unsuccessfully.

Attorneys for Kirk’s family and the media had urged the judge to make Twiggs’ statements and other evidence public.

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“To not be transparent, to not be open and let the world see what happened will create doubt and distrust in the judicial system,” Kirk family lawyer Jeffrey Neiman told Graf.

Investigators say Robinson went to a rooftop near where Kirk was speaking and shot him once through the neck as the activist was taking questions from a crowd of several thousand people. Kirk was declared dead after being taken to a hospital.

Investigators found the suspected murder weapon — a bolt-action rifle with one spent round — wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near where Kirk was shot.

Robinson’s lawyers earlier this week questioned the reliability of DNA testing used to link the defendant to the towel and gun.

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A member of Tyler Robinson’s defense team interrogated a DNA analyst from the FBI about the techniques she used to connect Robinson to the evidence. Defense lawyer Michael Burt cast doubt on the analyst’s conclusions.

“She can’t match Mr. Robinson to the questioned samples,” Burt argued.

But forensics expert Lawrence Quarino said law enforcement agencies use “extremely reliable” tests to determine the probability that a person matches with DNA found at a crime scene.

DNA testing “is the gold standard in forensic science,” said Quarino, a professor and director of the forensic science program at Cedar Crest College in Pennsylvania.

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___

Brown reported from Billings, Montana.

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Five players missing from Chelsea pre-season as Cole Palmer set to return after brutal snub

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Daily Mirror

Chelsea players are set to report for pre-season, but new manager Xabi Alonso will be without a handful of stars at Cobham

Chelsea will be without at least five players as the squad reports back for pre-season training on Thursday. Xabi Alonso is set to meet his new players for the first time as the team returns to Cobham to prepare for the upcoming campaign.

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The Blues will hope to enjoy an improved season under Alonso after finishing 10th last term. The Spanish coach has signed a four-year deal at Stamford Bridge, having been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in January.

The 44-year-old will take charge of Chelsea training for the first time on Thursday, with the team’s first pre-season friendly against Western Sydney Wanderers set for Tuesday, July 28. The club are scheduled to begin the Premier League season away at rivals Fulham on Monday, August 24.

The former Bayer Leverkusen boss will be eager to begin working with his fresh squad, but will be without some notable names as pre-season gets underway. A handful of Chelsea players are still competing in the latter stages of the World Cup.

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England stars Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah are among those unable to take part in Alonso’s first training session as Chelsea manager. However, the Blues will still be keeping a close eye on club captain James, who missed the Three Lions’ recent win over Mexico due to injury.

Enzo Fernandez is currently aiming to win back-to-back World Cups with Argentina. Goalkeeper Mike Penders is part of Belgium’s squad, and full-back Malo Gusto will hope to lift the iconic trophy with France.

It remains to be seen whether any players who exited the tournament in the earlier rounds will report back to Cobham on Thursday. Pedro Neto suffered World Cup heartbreak in the round of 16 as a late Spain goal defeated Portugal.

Moises Caicedo and Kendry Paez were part of Ecuador’s squad that reached the last 32. Nicolas Jackson and Mamadou Sarr exited at the same stage after Senegal’s dramatic loss to Belgium.

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Meanwhile, Jorrel Hato was in the Netherlands squad that lost to Morocco on penalties in the first knockout round. One Chelsea player who has not been involved in the World Cup is Cole Palmer.

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The attacking midfielder was a high-profile omission from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad following his injury-hit season. Palmer, who scored for the Three Lions in the Euro 2024 final, has already addressed his World Cup snub as he prepares to return for pre-season.

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“Every player that plays football wants to be at the World Cup, but it’s a decision that I cannot change and a hard one, for whatever reason,” Palmer told The Times. “But I’m just trying to enjoy the summer off — the first summer I’ve ever had off.

“Yeah, of course it’s nice [fans suggesting Palmer should have been included], but I’m not there. I know what I could have offered, you know — something different to what the manager has picked. But like I said before, I can’t change the decision and I wish everyone all the best.”

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England’s 2026 World Cup kits

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how Marine Le Pen and Nigel Farage learned a potent populist tactic from Donald Trump

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how Marine Le Pen and Nigel Farage learned a potent populist tactic from Donald Trump

The European populist right has been at the top of the political agenda in recent days.

On July 7, everyone in France was waiting expectantly for a Paris appeal court to decide on whether Marine Le Pen, the leader of the Rassemblement National (RN), would be allowed to run in the 2027 presidential election after her conviction for embezzlement of European funds.

But just as the European media machine was gearing up for the verdict, across the Channel, Nigel Farage – the leader of Reform UK – announced on X that he would be making a “statement about his future”. This came after multiple allegations of undeclared gifts and an ongoing investigation into possible money laundering. Farage maintains that he has done nothing wrong.

The parallels were impossible to ignore. Here were two prominent European populist rightwing politicians whose political careers were being threatened by extensive and well-documented corruption claims. How would they respond?

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We did not have to wait long to find out. Only hours after the verdict, Le Pen announced that she was now officially a candidate for the 2027 presidential election. Despite the fact that her initial conviction was upheld on appeal, she intends to contest the appeal court’s decision. This means she retains her presumption of innocence and is able to proceed with her election campaign as if nothing happened.

It is a remarkable sleight-of-hand; Le Pen has found the narrowest of legal loopholes through which to pass. In her announcement, she presented her decision as a democratic one: the French people should judge her, not the courts.

In the meantime, Farage told his supporters that he is stepping down from his parliamentary seat of Clacton after being made the subject of a parliamentary inquiry into his alleged improprieties. This will trigger a byelection – but, in an equally remarkable gambling act, he plans to run himself in the hope of winning back his seat. Again, he is suggesting that this means letting the voters decide whether he is guilty or not.




À lire aussi :
Why Nigel Farage is resigning as an MP, only to stand again – expert analysis

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Le Pen and Farage are both reading from a well-thumbed playbook. The people v the courts; voters v judges; the “transparent” legitimacy of the ballot box v the “opacity” of lengthy legal and regulatory proceedings. All of these tropes will be familiar to observers of populist politics in the United States, Hungary or Turkey.

The bigger question is: do voters care whether populist politicians break the rules? Le Pen and Farage are hoping that, like Donald Trump, they can simply swat aside legal and regulatory processes on the road to their ultimate electoral triumph.

Question of standards

There are many reasons to take Le Pen and Farage’s arguments with a pinch of salt. A closer analysis of the relationship between the populist right and corruption reveals a more complicated picture, perhaps especially in France, which is gearing up for its most important electoral cycle in 2027.

At face value, Le Pen has little to worry about since French politics is famously corrupt. Every French president of the Fifth Republic, except Charles de Gaulle and Emmanuel Macron, has a major corruption scandal to their name. Both Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy have been found guilty of corruption by French courts. They have been joined by countless MPs and mayors over the years who have been convicted of similar crimes.

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Former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, was convicted on charges of criminal conspiracy in 2025 and sentenced to fice years in prison. His case is now subject to appeal.
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Until recently, this level of corruption was widely tolerated. French voters largely accepted that politicians would embezzle money, employ their family members on the public purse, or swing large public contracts for their benefit. They were more concerned with ideological faultlines than political integrity – and they displayed little of the hand-wringing that accompanied equivalent scandals like Watergate in the US in the 1970s or the “cash-for-questions” affair in the UK in the 1990s.

Yet this tolerance has begun to dissipate in recent years. Public anger towards politicians has reached unprecedented levels, most notably in recent protest movements such as the “gilets jaunes” (yellow vests), and the deep personal hostility many French voters feel towards Macron.

Le Pen and the RN have provided a highly effective electoral outlet for this anger, and they have made much of their commitment to probity in public office. Le Pen even said herself that she would not run for election while wearing an electronic tag, and for many years the party campaigned for politicians found guilty of corruption to be banned from public office for life.

Rocky road to the Elysée Palace

But Le Pen and the RN’s role as standard-bearers of the “ordinary” French person’s rage against a “rigged” and “corrupt” political system is now under threat. By effectively stamping her dynastic authority on the party that was previously run by her father, and by blocking the rise of her young protege Jordan Bardella, Le Pen has boxed herself into a corner.

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À lire aussi :
Le Pen to run for French presidency despite conviction – her protege Jordan Bardella would make a better candidate


Her only way out is by the ballot box. Yet the chances of her winning the presidential election remain slim. She – and her party – lack the necessary support to win in the second round of the elections where vote transfers from eliminated parties and candidates determine the overall result, and she still suffers from a credibility deficit in comparison to more mainstream politicians.

She may well have made matters worse by giving her opponents a powerful stick with which to beat her. Even in France, accusations of corruption can be hard to shake off. And, as Le Pen and Farage know from long experience, it is just as possible to lose at the ballot box as it is to win.

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Who will Arthur Fery play in Wimbledon semi-finals?

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Who will Arthur Fery play in Wimbledon semi-finals?

Arthur Fery is into the Wimbledon semi-finals after a remarkable straight-sets victory over Flavio Cobolli.

The Briton came through the Italian ninth seed in two hours and 15 minutes on Centre Court, emerging a 6-4 7-6(4) 6-0 victor.

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Graham Platner’s Platner’s disastrous candidacy exposes rifts that could dampen Democrats’ Senate hopes

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Graham Platner seen on stage at a microphone. his hand is over his mouth

She is concerned, however, that it will be difficult for voters to coalesce around any new candidate in just three months.

“The thing I’m the most worried about is we run somebody and he or she loses, and then we spend the next four years pointing fingers at whose fault that was,” she said.

In primary contests across the country this year, Democrats regularly opted for outsider congressional candidates offering a vivid vision for what the party should stand for and promising to fight for their beliefs in the face of Republican resistance.

Platner was one of the earliest and most prominent examples of this trend. With his gravelly voice, scruffy appearance and working-class back story, he gained a passionate following both in Maine and nationally.

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He presented himself as a candidate who could advocate for liberal policies – like universal healthcare, wealth taxes, and low-cost housing – in a way that appealed to the kind of rural voters who have moved away from Democrats recently.

A win in November would have given Democratic progressives a chance to see blue-collar liberalism triumphing in battleground states like Maine.

And that, in turn, could have become a compelling argument for nominating a left-wing presidential candidate in 2028.

Now, that opportunity is likely dashed.

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That Platner survived the series of scandals as long as he did was in part a testament to Democrats’ hunger for a different kind of candidate. It also, however, underlined the risks of opting for charismatic political neophytes who haven’t received close scrutiny before they run for higher office.

With Platner’s exit, a group of more traditional candidates are already expressing interest in stepping in – including a handful who unsuccessfully ran for governor and one of the state’s open House seats last month. They have recent campaign experience and some name recognition.

Troy Jackson, a former Maine Senate leader, campaigned side-by-side with Platner during his bid for governor, and came in third.

Nirav Shah, a state epidemiologist who gained prominence through regular public appearances during the Covid pandemic, finished a close second.

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Shenna Bellows, the Maine secretary of state, is known for her lawsuit to block Trump administration attempts to gain access to state voter data. She was the party’s nominee in 2014 but was soundly beaten by Collins.

According to Melcher, many Platner supporters will be hit hard because of the connection they made with their unconventional candidate. He believes they will ultimately back his replacement, however, because of the high stakes in this race.

Many Maine Democrats supported Platner with some reluctance because of his past scandals, he added, and this latest twist might end up a blessing in disguise for the party.

“If they play their cards right, I think that they will be fine and, with some voters, even better than they would have been before,” he said, “as long as the party doesn’t handle this in a way they see as disrespectful or a cabal taking things over.”

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The clock is ticking, however, and Collins awaits whoever emerges from whatever process Democrats ultimately follow. She has proven a formidable adversary for Democrats for 30 years, most recently defeating a better-funded opponent in 2020 despite polls showing her trailing right up to election day.

“It’s not as though it was going to be easy before, and now it’s hard,” said Melcher. “Beating Collins was always going to be hard.”

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Spain vs Belgium: World Cup 2026 prediction, kick-off time, TV, live stream, team news, h2h results, odds

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Spain vs Belgium: World Cup 2026 prediction, kick-off time, TV, live stream, team news, h2h results, odds

La Roja, the reigning European champions, are the only side at the World Cup yet to concede a goal and booked their place in the quarter-final with a last-gasp win over rivals Portugal.

Belgium, meanwhile, have looked like a different prospect entirely since topping their group. A stunning comeback victory over Senegal set up a last-16 clash with co-hosts USA where they produced a statement performance.

The winners of this game will face the victors of the France vs Morocco tie in next week’s semi-final.

Date, kick-off time and venue

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Spain vs Belgium is scheduled for a 8pm BST kick-off on Friday, July 10, 2026.

The match will take place at the Los Angeles Stadium.

Where to watch Spain vs Belgium for FREE

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on BBC One with coverage starting at 7.30pm BST.

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Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest live online via BBC iPlayer or the BBC website.

Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog.

Free highlights: World Cup highlights are available on FIFA’s official YouTube channel, along with BBC iPlayer / ITVX app and their websites.

Spain vs Belgium team news

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As ever, Spain have concerns over Nico Williams and Yeremy Pino as the pair are yet to be available for any of the knockout games.

New Liverpool signing Victor Munoz has recovered from a knock that forced him to miss the rest of the group phase, but is unlikely to start or feature here.

Nico Williams

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Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, David Raya, Joan Garcia

Defenders: Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, Alejandro Grimaldo

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