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Convicted killer Christa Pike in ‘critical condition’ after two lethal injections fail to kill her

Christa Pike, who has been on death row in Tennessee for more than 30 years for torturing and murdering a classmate, was on Wednesday set to be executed, but the lethal injections meant to kill her failed. Pike was then transported to a medical facility, where her attorney says she remains in a "critical condition".

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Pentagon’s Hegseth says 20 percent of US generals, admirals cut, ‘no fatties, no trannies’

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that his department had cut 20 percent of US admirals, generals and officers who did not fit his vision. "Simple translation of that: no fatties, no trannies, no beardos, no weirdos, no wimps, no radicals. Just warriors – just tough, ready, committed troops," he said.

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El Salvador sets date for 2027 presidential election as Bukele seeks third term

El Salvador will hold presidential elections on February 28, 2027, the electoral tribunal said Wednesday, opening the way for President Nayib Bukele to seek a third term after constitutional changes removed presidential term limits. Bukele has drawn praise for sharply reducing gang violence but faced criticism over rights abuses during his crackdown.

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Trump renews calls for former Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell's resignation

The Federal Reserve's watchdog on Wednesday found no grounds for a criminal referral over a roughly $1 billion cost overrun on renovations to the central bank's Washington buildings, while faulting project oversight. The findings prompted President Donald Trump to renew his call for former Fed chief Jerome Powell to resign.

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British PM alleges there are 'strong indications' Iran was involved in Fairford airbase incident

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday insisted that there were "strong indications" that Tehran was involved in a security incident on Sunday near an airbase in England that the US military uses in its war against Iran. The British government has still not explained the nature of the incident – in which five British men were arrested only to be later released on bail – and no explosives were found at the scene. 

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UK-France 'one in, one out' migrant exchange deal is scrapped

A British-French agreement aimed at reducing the number of people trying to cross the English Channel in small boats has been scrapped, London said Wednesday. The pilot programme was intended to break the business model of "people smugglers" by exchanging undocumented migrants who had made the crossing for people who legally applied for asylum.

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US Supreme Court clears way for Tennessee execution of woman for murder

The US Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for Tennessee to execute Christa Pike, 50, the state's first woman put to death in 200 years. The ruling came hours after a federal appeals court temporarily halted the lethal injection to consider claims that Pike's childhood sexual abuse was not adequately weighed at sentencing.

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Ukraine’s grid operator orders emergency power cuts in Kyiv after Russian strikes

Ukraine's main energy provider DTEK said it had made emergency power cuts in Kyiv as directed by the national grid operator after Russia hit the country's infrastructure in a wave of deadly drone and missile strikes. At least seven people, including a 14-year-old child, were killed in the attacks, Ukrainian authorities said. Follow our liveblog to see how the day's events unfolded.

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US Supreme Court lifts restrictions on third-country deportations

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the Trump administration to resume deporting migrants to countries other than their own while it considers the legality of the practice. The court’s conservative majority temporarily blocked safeguards requiring deportees to receive notice of where they would be sent and time to raise persecution concerns.

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Burnham sets out 'new path' for Britain, vows to seek consensus on ties with EU

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged Tuesday to give Britain "a new social contract for the 21st century", reform the country's electoral system and build consensus on a new relationship with the European Union as he set out a long-term vision to tackle the UK's woes in his first speech as leader at the annual Labour party conference.

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Russia strikes two Kyiv data centres, cargo vessels in the Black Sea

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that Russia launched a wave of overnight strikes across Ukraine, hitting two foreign-flagged vessels in the Black Sea and targets in Kyiv. The strikes come as Russia ramps up its pressure campaign intended to make Ukraine buckle under near-constant bombardment of its capital and other cities.  

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OpenAI cancels release of new artificial intelligence model over safety concerns

OpenAI will not release its latest artificial intelligence model, Astra 6.1, after internal tests found it fell short of safety standards, the maker of ChatGPT confirmed on Monday. The decision came ahead of a meeting of AI leaders at the White House Tuesday convened by US President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson amid mounting controversy over the risks posed by rogue AI. 

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Argentina’s Milei threatens to sue UK over Falkland Islands oil project

Argentine President Javier Milei on Monday threatened to sue the UK over the Sea Lion oil project near the disputed Falkland Islands. Argentina claims sovereignty over the British-administered territory, where a 1982 war killed 255 British and 649 Argentine troops. Developers Navitas and Rockhopper say they hold valid British-issued exploration licences.

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