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In a news statement this week, the White House cherry-picked personal income tax-related elements in the “big, beautiful bill”, the wide-ranging tax and spending bill being pushed by United States President Donald Trump, and claimed that, in opposing the legislation as a whole, the Democratic Party was opposed to every individual item contained within it.

Such a tactic is misleading, particularly since the White House cited measures in the bill that have been championed by Democrats to improve the lives of Americans and are not the reasons the Democrats have given for opposing the “big beautiful bill”.

Here’s a fact-check of what the White House claims Democrats oppose:

“They’re opposing the largest tax cut in history, which will put an extra $5,000 in their pockets with a double-digit percent decrease to their tax bills. In fact, Americans earning between $30,000 and $80,000 will pay around 15% less in taxes.”

The specifics of the tax bill have not been finalised. In its current form, it would cut taxes by an average of 2.4 percent, for middle-income households, according to analysis by the Tax Policy Center.

While it is a significant tax cut, it is not the biggest in history. That was under Ronald Reagan in 1981 at 2.9 percent.

It is accurate that there will be a double-digit percentage decrease in tax bills, at least in the immediate term, at a little more than 11 percent across all tax brackets. It is also true that people earning between $30,000 and $80,000 will pay 15 percent less, according to the Non-Partisan Joint Committee on Taxation.

“They’re opposing NO TAX ON TIPS for the millions of Americans who work in the service industry and NO TAX ON OVERTIME for law enforcement, nurses, and more.”

This is true only in their opposition to Trump’s tax and spending bill.

Democrats and Republicans have supported the concept of no tax on tips. Both Donald Trump and the Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris pledged to do so on the campaign trail. Senate Democrats backed the No Tax on Tips Act, passed by the US Senate on May 20. The bill, authored by Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, was co-sponsored by notable Democrats, including Jacky Rosen of Nevada and passed unanimously.

“They’re opposing historic tax cuts for senior citizens”

Outside of the “big beautiful bill”, Democrats have generally not opposed tax cuts for seniors. Many Democrats have championed legislation that would expand tax cuts for seniors. California Democrat Jimmy Panetta co-sponsored a Republican led bill that would increase the standard deduction for adults over the age of 65 by $4,000.

In 2024, House Democrats introduced the “You Earned It, You Keep It Act”, which would effectively eliminate taxes on social security benefits. The bill, however, has never made it past committee.

“They’re opposing a boost to the child tax credit.”

Again, they are opposing Trump’s “big beautiful bill”, not objecting to the child tax credit.

In fact, Democrats have long pushed to expand the child tax credit. In April, Senate Democrats, including Georgia’s Raphael Warnock and Colorado’s Michael Bennett, introduced legislation that would expand the child tax credit. The bill would increase the tax credit, from $2,000 where it currently stands, to $6,360 for newborns, $4,320 for children ages one to six and $3,600 for children six to 17, permanently.

While the “big beautiful bill” would also increase the child tax credit, it would do so only by $500, and that would kick in in 2028.

“They’re opposing new savings accounts for newborns and the chance for children across America to experience the miracle of compounded growth.” 

In the “big beautiful bill”, House Republicans introduced new savings accounts for children. The accounts would include a $1,000 handout for every child born between January 1, 2025 and January 1, 2029.

Democrats have not only been supporters of the idea for savings accounts for newborns, but prominent Democrats actually championed it.

In 2018, Cory Booker of New Jersey introduced the American Opportunity Accounts Act, which would also give $1,000 to newborns and up to $2000 in annual contributions. He reintroduced the bill again in 2023.

“They’re opposing expanded access to childcare for hardworking American families.”

This appears to be false. The White House link refers to the Paid Family and Medical Leave Credit, not child care access. Trump’s bill offers up to 12 weeks of paid leave for employees who have worked a year and earn $57,600 or less.

While that gives parents more time at home, Democrats have focused on expanding access to child care, including universal pre-K. In 2023, Republicans opposed a Democratic plan to keep child care centres open that struggled in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They’re opposing historic border security to keep their communities safe.”

Last year, Trump pressured Republicans to vote against a bipartisan border security bill, a move that reportedly helped Trump’s chances of winning in November 2024. Democrats have opposed Republican plans to use US military bases for migrant detention, arguing that it misuses Department of Defense resources. Democrats have long opposed border wall funding, including during Trump’s first term.

A 2018 Stanford University analysis estimated that a border wall would reduce migration by just 0.6 percent. Despite this, the “big beautiful bill” allocates more than $50bn to complete the wall and maritime crossings, $45bn for building and maintaining detention centres, and $14bn for transportation.

“They’re opposing expanded health savings accounts that give Americans greater choice and flexibility in how they spend their money.”

This is sort of true. Democrats have not been huge proponents of health savings accounts. The belief is that healthcare savings accounts do not help the socioeconomically disadvantaged, who may not have the financial resources to contribute to the accounts. Democrats have also objected to other cuts to healthcare in the bill, including the potential $880bn that could be cut from essential government programmes like Medicaid.

“They’re opposing scholarships that empower Americans to choose the education that best fits the needs of their families.”

In the bill, the White House is conflating the longstanding debate on school choice with scholarships. Under school choice, funds otherwise allocated to the public school system can be re-allocated to private institutions, which Republicans argue will allow students to have potential access to a higher quality education.

Democrats have opposed school choice because it diverts funds from public school systems, many of which are already drastically underfunded. In Texas, Senator Ted Cruz, for example, pushed legislation that would expand school choice, even as three out of four school districts in the state are underfunded, according to a Kinder Institute analysis.

BOULDER, Colo. — A federal judge issued an order Wednesday to prevent the deportation of the wife and five children of an Egyptian man charged in a firebombing attack in Boulder, Colo.

U.S. District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher granted a request from the family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman to halt deportation proceedings of his wife and five children who were taken into federal custody Tuesday by U.S. immigration officials.

The family members have not been charged in the attack on a group demonstrating for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Soliman faces federal hate crime charges and state charges of attempted murder in the Sunday attack in downtown Boulder.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Wednesday that they are being processed for removal proceedings. It’s rare that family members of a person accused of a crime are detained and threatened with deportation.

Soliman’s wife, 18-year-old daughter, two minor sons and two minor daughters all are Egyptian citizens, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

“We are investigating to what extent his family knew about this heinous attack, if they had knowledge of it, or if they provided support to it,” Noem said in a statement.

Noem also said federal authorities will immediately crack down on people who overstay their visas in response to the Boulder attack.

Soliman told authorities that no one, including his family, knew about his planned attack, according to court documents that, at times, spelled his name as “Mohammed.”

Earlier Wednesday, authorities raised the number of victims in the attack from 12 to 15, plus a dog.

Boulder County officials who provided updates on the number of victims said in a news release they include eight women and seven men, ranging in age from 25 to 88. The Associated Press left an email message Wednesday with prosecutors seeking more details on the newly identified victims and the dog.

Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, had planned to kill all of the roughly 20 participants in Sunday’s demonstration at the popular Pearl Street pedestrian mall, but he threw just two of his 18 Molotov cocktails while yelling “Free Palestine,” police said. Soliman, an Egyptian man who federal authorities say has been living in the U.S. illegally, didn’t carry out his full plan “because he got scared and had never hurt anyone before,” police wrote in an affidavit.

His wife and five children were taken into custody Tuesday by U.S. immigration officials, and the White House said they could be swiftly deported. It’s rare that family members of a person accused of a crime are detained and threatened with deportation in this way.

“Anyone who thinks they can come to America and advocate for antisemitic violence and terrorism — think again,” Noem said in a statement. “You are not welcome here. We will find you, deport you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.

Soliman told authorities that no one, including his family, knew about his plans for the attack, according to court documents that, at times, spelled his name as “Mohammed.”

According to an FBI affidavit, Soliman told police he was driven by a desire “to kill all Zionist people” — a reference to the movement to establish and protect a Jewish state in Israel. Authorities said he expressed no remorse about the attack.

A vigil was scheduled for Wednesday evening at the local Jewish community center to support those affected by the attack.

Defendant’s immigration status

Soliman was born in el-Motamedia, an Egyptian farming village in the Nile Delta province of Gharbia that’s located about 75 miles north of Cairo, according to an Egyptian security official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to talk to the media.

Before moving to Colorado Springs three years ago, he spent 17 years in Kuwait, according to court documents.

He has been living in the U.S. illegally, having arrived in August 2022 on a tourist visa that expired in February 2023, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a post on X. She said Soliman filed for asylum in September 2022 and was granted a work authorization in March 2023, but that it also expired.

DHS did not respond to requests for additional information about the immigration status of his wife and children and the U.S. State Department said that visa records are confidential. The New York Times, citing McLaughlin, said his family’s visas have since been revoked and they were arrested Tuesday by ICE.

Hundreds of thousands of people overstay their visas each year in the United States, according to Homeland Security Department reports.

The case against Soliman

Soliman told authorities that he had been planning the attack for a year and was waiting for his daughter to graduate before carrying it out, the affidavit said.

A newspaper in Colorado Springs that profiled one of Soliman’s children in April noted the family’s journey from Egypt to Kuwait and then to the U.S. It said after initially struggling in school, she landed academic honors and volunteered at a local hospital.

Soliman currently faces federal hate crime charges and attempted murder charges at the state level, but authorities say additional charges could be brought. He’s being held in a county jail on a $10-million bond and is scheduled to make an appearance in state court on Thursday.

His attorney, Kathryn Herold, declined to comment after a state court hearing Monday.

Witnesses and police have said Soliman threw two incendiary devices, catching himself on fire as he hurled the second. Authorities said they believe Soliman acted alone. Although they did not elaborate on the nature of his injuries, a booking photo showed him with a large bandage over one ear.

The attack unfolded against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war, which continues to inflame global tensions and has contributed to a spike in antisemitic violence in the United States. The attack happened at the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot and barely a week after a man who also yelled “Free Palestine” was charged with fatally shooting two Israeli Embassy staffers outside a Jewish museum in Washington.

Six victims hospitalized

The victims ranged in age from 25 to 88, and the nature of some of their injuries spanned from serious to minor, officials said. They were members of the volunteer group called Run For Their Lives who were holding their weekly demonstration.

Three victims were still hospitalized Tuesday at the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, spokesperson Kelli Christensen said.

One of the 15 victims was a child when her family fled the Nazis during the Holocaust, said Ginger Delgado of the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, who is acting as a spokesperson for the family of the woman, who doesn’t want her name used.

Slevin, Bedayn and Santana write for the Associated Press. AP reporters Eric Tucker in Washington; Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Mo.; Samy Magdy in Cairo; Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City; and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this report.

At least 11 people died in a stampede outside a cricket stadium in Bengaluru as crowds gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first Indian Premier League title. Footage shows fans scaling fences and swarming the stadium.

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says authorities investigating whether family knew of planned ‘heinous attack’.

Federal officials in the United States have taken into custody the family of a man suspected of attacking a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, Colorado, over the weekend.

In a video on Tuesday, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the family of Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman had been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“This terrorist will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Noem said in the video. “We are investigating to what extent his family knew about this heinous attack, if they had knowledge of it, or if they provided support to it.”

Police have accused the 45-year-old Soliman of throwing Molotov cocktails into a crowd that had gathered for an event organised by Run for Their Lives, a group calling for the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza.

According to an affidavit, Soliman yelled “Free Palestine” while hurling the incendiary devices.

The firebombs injured 12 people, three of whom remain hospitalised. Police have said Soliman planned the attack for more than a year. He is facing federal hate crime charges.

“When he was interviewed about the attack, he said he wanted them all to die, he had no regrets, and he would go back and do it again,” J Bishop Grewell, Colorado’s acting US attorney, said during a news conference Monday.

Soliman said that he acted alone and that nobody else knew of his plans. But officials with the administration of US President Donald Trump said they will investigate whether his wife and five children were aware of the suspect’s intentions.

Administration officials have also highlighted the fact that Soliman, an Egyptian national, was in the US on an expired tourist visa, tying his arrest — and that of his family — to a larger push against undocumented immigration.

“The United States has zero tolerance for foreign visitors who support terrorism,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday.

“Under the Trump administration, aliens will only be admitted into the United States through the legal process and only if they do not bear hostile attitudes towards our citizens, our culture, our government, our institutions or, most importantly, our founding principles.”

Soliman’s family includes a wife and five children. The official White House account on the social media platform X indicated that they “could be deported by tonight”.

“Six One-Way Tickets for Mohamed’s Wife and Five Kids. Final Boarding Call Coming Soon,” Tuesday’s post read.

The attack comes amid rising tensions in the US over Israel’s continued war in Gaza, which United Nations experts and human rights groups have compared to a genocide. It also comes less than two weeks after the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees outside a Jewish museum in Washington, DC.

Jewish as well as Muslim and Arab communities have reported sharp upticks in harassment and violence since the war began.

Trump and his allies have used concerns about anti-Semitism as a pretext to push hardline policies on immigration and a crackdown on pro-Palestine activists.

“This is yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport Illegal, Anti-American Radicals from our Homeland,” Trump said in a social media post on Monday.

But the president and his supporters have themselves faced allegations of leaning into anti-Semitic rhetoric. And his administration’s push to expel foreign nationals has caused alarm among civil liberties groups.

The administration is currently attempting to deport several international students involved in pro-Palestine activity, including a Turkish graduate student named Rumeysa Ozturk.

Her legal team argues that Ozturk appears to have been arrested for co-signing an op-ed calling for an end to the war in Gaza. Ozturk was released from immigrant detention in May following a legal challenge, but she continues to face deportation proceedings.

LOVE Island star Kyle Ashman was sensationally axed from the show last night over a machete attack.

ITV chiefs scrapped the 23-year-old from the line up, plunging the show into chaos ahead of Monday’s launch.

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Eyebrows were raised after the cast member was removed from the show at the final hour.

Unlike most of Love Island’s line-ups, Kyle wasn’t going into the villa with a social media packed with model shots. 

He has just one snap online, showing off his rippling six-pack as he poses on a rooftop.

The mysterious 23-year-old water operative, from Stafford, previously described his flirting style as traditional and laid-back.

He said: “I just go with it, find something to compliment a girl on and go from there.”

The chopped contestant said he was looking for “someone that’s fun, confident and just themselves”.

Not much else is known about Kyle’s private life.

His flight back home from Majorca came after masked thugs stormed a wake in Stafford and hacked at a dad with a blade in February.

Ashman, 23, was one of two quizzed but released with no further action.

Sources said the channel was unaware of the incident and he was not flagged as part of contestant checks.

The victim, 38, nearly lost his arm. He was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment and kept in for around two weeks.

Another mourner was glassed, one struck with a metal pole, and two people run over by a car during 15 minutes of terror at a social club in Stafford.

Ashman, who lives in the town, was one of two men to be nicked on suspicion of affray and bailed.

Police confirmed yesterday that after the matter had been investigated the pair were released with no further action only last month.

A source said: “This was a horrific attack which could have been even worse.

“Ashman may have signed up to one of the biggest shows on TV with this hanging over his head.”

It is not suggested that Ashman, whose job involves laying and repairing water pipes, was involved in the attack.

Last night he insisted he was not a violent person.

Confirming his show exit, an ITV spokesman said: “For personal reasons, Kyle will not be entering the Love Island Villa as planned.”

The mass brawl broke out at The White Eagle Club on February 28.

Sources said three balaclava-clad thugs armed with machetes and metal poles stormed the venue and attacked the dad over an alleged £3,000 debt.

They attacked him with a blade and left him with a deep gash on his arm — with witnesses wrapping towels over it to stem the bleed.

Pals say he has suffered tendon damage and is unable to drive due to his injuries.

Witnesses said the mob made off in a white Vauxhall Astra waiting outside.

Around 70 mourners, some elderly and some children, had gathered to pay their respects to local Stanley Reid.

Our source continued: “This seemed to be a targeted attack — they knew who they were looking for and where he was.

“People wrapped a towel around the man’s injury while waiting for emergency services.

“Children were taken into a room and locked in there to keep them away from the violence.

“People were screaming and crying in fear. They had gathered to pay final farewells to a man who was really well-respected within the local community.

“They could have killed someone that night. They are nothing but scumbags. They ruined what was a lovely send-off for a good person.”

Staffordshire Police said yesterday: “We were called to a social club on Riverway, Stafford, at 7.40pm on Friday, February 28 following reports that someone had been glassed outside and a fight was taking place. Some of the men involved were wearing masks and were carrying weapons.

“Two men went to hospital after suffering injuries at the scene. Both have since been discharged.

“A man and a woman suffered minor injuries at the scene but did not want any medical treatment.

“Officers have reviewed CCTV footage and have been actively carrying out enquiries to find out more about what happened.

“A 22-year-old man, from Stafford, was arrested on suspicion of wounding and affray.

“Another man, also 22 and from Stafford, was arrested on suspicion of affray.

“Both were questioned in custody and bailed with conditions while our enquiries continue.”

A force spokeswoman later confirmed that both suspects had been released with no further action last month.

Ashman said last night: “I fully co-operated with this police investigation and made it very clear that I had no involvement in this incident.

“I am not a violent person and any suggestion otherwise is a mischaracterisation.”

A show source said: “ITV were entirely unaware of Kyle’s past and, as he was not charged, it was not flagged as part of Love Island’s stringent DBS checks.

“It’s only right he can now return home to the UK to share his side of the story and therefore bosses took the decision that it was best for him not to enter the villa.”

Love Island host Maya Jama will kick off the brand new series on Monday, June 9.

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Two were killed, nearly 200 injured and more than 500 arrested after riots erupted in Paris following Paris Saint-Germain’s first-ever Champions League win. Footage shows police firing tear gas on crowds as looting, fires and clashes engulfed the Champs-Élysées.

In this Monday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day from an volcanic eruption at a tourist hotspot, to an update in the search for Madeleine McCann

Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we pull together all the best stories of the day from our News, Showbiz, Sport teams and more. This Monday, we’re taking a look at Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz breaking their silence on their ongoing family feud, to the health risks of the eruption of Mount Etna.

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola break silence in first interview since family feud exploded

This afternoon, our Showbiz team reported that Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz have spoken out for the first time since reports of the Beckhams’ family feud broke.

Brooklyn Beckham snubbed parents David and Victoria Beckham in a revealing new interview about his marriage. The eldest of the Beckham kids, who is currently embroiled in a family feud, said he has been ‘captivated’ by wife Nicola Peltz and wanted to marry her within days of their meeting.

As the sad rift in the Beckham clan continues to rumble on, Brooklyn has broken his silence in a gushing interview all about his new wife in which he calls her his ‘best friend.’

Read the full story here.

Mount Etna eruption health risks from exposure to volcanic gases – key symptoms

Earlier today, our News team reported that Mount Etna, which is on the coast of Sicily, had turned black. Our Health team then did a deep dive on possible health risks of the eruption, some of which could potentially be serious.

Even if fire, lava and magma are unlikely to make an appearance, volcanic eruptions can pose a major health risk to people in the surrounding areas. This could mainly affect the eyes, lungs and skin through the acidic gases and ash released into the atmosphere.

The International Volcanic Health Hazard Network notes that being exposed to volcanic gases can have a range of effects depending on how concentrated it is and the length of time a person is exposed to it. This can include suffocation and death if the CO2 or H2S is concentrated enough.

Read the full story here.

Madeleine McCann updates: Cops launch major land search near top suspect’s house

Since 2007, the case of missing girl Madeleine McCann has been ongoing. Our World News team earlier reported some updates in the case, focusing on an upcoming search near the house of the case’s top suspect.

Fresh police searches are due to start tomorrow near the spot where Madeleine McCann was last seen.

German police have requested the searches, expected to take place between Praia da Luz where the three-year-old vanished on May 3, 2007 and a house near the holiday resort where principal suspect Christian Brueckner used to live.

A well-placed Portuguese source confirmed this week’s operation was scheduled get underway tomorrow but said some preparation work may take place beforehand. He said: “They will be land searches only. The main objective is to look for any signs of Madeleine’s body.”

Read the full story here.

Exact date Spanish scorcher sends UK mercury soaring to 31C as maps turn dark red

Our News team have reported that Britain is set to be hit by a 400 mile-wide ‘Spanish scorcher’ as temperatures finally top 30C. After the record spring sizzle, summer is beginning with drizzle and a cooldown this week, with disappointing 16-20C highs over the next few days and soggy spells.

But hot air blowing from melting Spain – which has ushered in 40C early summer temperatures across the Iberian peninsula – is due to blow to Britain after the weekend, according to weather maps. BBC Weather has predicted that the mercury will nudge 27C by next Wednesday and other weather forecasters have said 31C will follow, beating the 29.3C hottest day of the year recorded on May 1.

Read the full story here.

Holidaymakers told to wear masks and get jabs as cases of ‘new Covid’ soar

A big story from our Travel team today is reported warnings from a popular holiday spot to be wary of the latest Covid variant.

The Thai government has urged people to wear masks, wash their hands, get vaccinated and avoid activity that could spread Covid as a new variant sends cases rocketing, The World Health Organisation has issued a warning over the new variant, NB.1.8.1, which has seen cases soar in countries including Egypt, the Maldives and Thailand.

The new strain, which is said to be more infectious than previous variants, has also been found in the US and the UK. Now the government in Thailand has issued a warning after 257,280 cases of Covid and 52 deaths.

Read the full story here.

A TEENAGER is fighting for his life in hospital after falling from a balcony while allegedly fleeing police.

The 19-year-old man suffered critical injuries after falling off an “upper balcony from height” in Tameside, Manchester, said cops.

A 14-year-old boy was also seriously injured in the same fall on Saturday night, according to Greater Manchester Police.

It came after police received reports of a “group of males with machetes making threats towards individuals” at the location.

Upon arrival, at around 7.20pm, officers gave chase to three males who “tried to leave” the property, with one of the three escaping through a lower balcony.

The 19-year-old who fell from the balcony then sustained serious injuries.

Footage from the scene showed emergency services at the foot of Bentinck House, a 12 storey tower block on the outskirts of Ashton town centre.

Three people have been arrested and drugs and a weapon have also been seized, said police.

Witnesses reported seeing armed police and an air ambulance at the scene.

Det Supt Gareth Jenkins from the Tameside District said: “The two injured parties, aged 14 and 19, have been taken to hospital for treatment of serious injuries, with the older male in a critical condition.

“These males are under the detention of officers pending their medical treatment, and another male has been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of drugs.

“Enquiries are ongoing to determine all of those involved and the full circumstances of what has happened in the lead up to the incident. Suspected drugs and a weapon have been recovered.

“A small scene remains in place at the property and residents in the area should expect to see further police activity.

“Anyone with any information which has not yet been provided to us, or with any concerns, should speak to officers on the ground.

“I’d like to reassure the community that this incident is believed to be between individuals known to one another, with no wider risk to the community.”

Police are looking for any witnesses to come forward with any information that could aid their inquiries.

Anyone with information is being urged to call 101 quoting incident number 2849 of May 31 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,

Police say man arrested following calls to police about someone ‘setting people on fire’.

Police said a male suspect has been taken into custody after an attack that injured multiple people in Boulder, Colorado, in what the FBI director described as a “targeted terror attack”.

While stressing that the information was “very preliminary,” Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said on Sunday that the man was apprehended following calls to the police dispatch of someone with a weapon who was “setting people on fire”.

Redfearn said he was not in a position to identify the suspect yet, noting that he had been taken to the hospital. He said there were multiple injuries among the victims, ranging “from very serious to more minor”.

The Boulder attack occurred in the vicinity of a walk to remember the Israeli captives who remain in Gaza.

FBI Director Kash Patel, in a statement, described the incident as a “targeted terror attack” and said agents were on the scene.

Redfearn, however, said it was too early to speculate about a motive.

“We are not calling it a terror attack at this moment,” he said.

“This was a beautiful Sunday afternoon in downtown Boulder on Pearl Street and this act was unacceptable … I ask that you join me in thinking about the victims, the families of those victims, and everyone involved in this tragedy.”

More to follow.

EX-TOWIE star James Argent has ditched the lawyers who kept him out of jail after he assaulted his girlfriend. 

The former reality TV star is now on to his third legal team since the May 5 assault in Spain. 

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Argent, 37, struck a deal with public prosecutors and accepted a six-month suspended prison sentence for the attack on former Miss Sweden Nicoline Artursson, 32, at a rented home. 

She suffered injuries to her neck, arms, hand and leg.

He was hauled to Fuengirola’s Court of Violence Against Women and admitted the crime of mistreatment. 

A well-placed legal source said: “The individual who was convicted has appointed a new barrister and solicitor.” 

The new lawyers have not been named but may be involved in negotiating terms of a rehabilitation course he has to attend. 

The ex-Towie star James Argent was ordered to pay his ex-girlfriend just £250 in compensation for attacking her.

Argent, 37, was handed a six month suspended prison sentence after hurting Nicoline Artursson at their Spanish home.

He frogmarched her to the door of their picturesque beachfront property and pushed her down a set of steps.

Cops wanted to charge Argent with wounding but settled for the lesser offence of ‘mistreatment’ after he agreed to a plea deal.

But court papers obtained by The Sun show Argent – who raked in £5,000-a-week last year – was only required to pay Nicoline a paltry £250 in damages.

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SOUTHPORT monster Axel Rudakubana can still buy jail treats such as Maltesers and McCoy’s despite attacking a guard with boiling water.

The triple killer, 18, has them served by officers in his cell at London’s Belmarsh Prison.

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Child killer and jail attack fiend Axel Rudakubana last night faced calls for his canteen privileges to be stripped immediately — with a source saying: “It’s shocking and disgusting he still has these rights.”

Rudakubana — serving at least 52 years for killing three girls at a dance class — is also allowed to call family, have religious visits and receive money from relatives while at Belmarsh, South East London.

A source said: “He’s been spending £5.50 a week in the canteen since the attack, and can spend it on anything he likes as long as it’s not dangerous.

“He’s still allowed to buy things like Maltesers and Pringles crisps if he fancies them.”

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick led outrage at the treatment of Rudakubana.

He said: “I cannot believe this monster has been allowed to keep these privileges. It’s a disgrace.

“He should be stripped of them immediately, no questions asked.

“It’s the least the victims of his horrendous crime would expect. We’ve got to regain control of prisons before an officer is killed.”

Since the attack Rudakubana has been busted down to a “basic” regime which means his TV has been removed and his time out of his cell has been limited.

Our source added: “He is mostly confined to his cell. He fills in a sheet and stuff gets delivered.

“That means that prison officers, who are the colleagues of the guy he attacked, have to collect his canteen order and deliver it to his cell.

‘Array of goods’

“It’s made some angry and upset.

“The array of goods on the canteen list is quite staggering and it has all the decent brands.

“He can also buy toiletries, vitamins, drinks and biscuits.

“He’s not spending much because he’s on basic level and doesn’t have a job due to the danger he poses.

“But the principle of it is shocking — and he’s been spending what he can every week since the attack. It’s very rare for a governor to completely strip a prisoner of canteen rights but I’d say this is an instance where it’s justified.

“He’s also been able to call his family and had a bit of money sent in to him despite the attack.”

Lags at Belmarsh can buy goods including Cadbury Twirl bars, Haribo Starmix bags, McCoy’s crisps, Diet Coke, Vimto, vitamins, fruit and cereals like Shredded Wheat and Ready Brek.

Also on offer are “I Love You” cards, draughts sets, prayer mats, cross pendants and prayer hats. But Rudakubana is barred from buying anything that could be turned into a weapon.

That includes tins of tuna, after the jagged edge of a can was used to slash Sara Sharif’s killer dad Urfan at Belmarsh in January.

Rudakubana is also banned from buying butter or baby oil which could be heated for an attack.

Police are investigating the “serious assault” he allegedly carried out at Belmarsh on May 8.

The fiend was allowed a kettle and is believed to have used it to boil water.

His supervision had been downgraded weeks earlier.

It’s very rare for a governor to completely strip a prisoner of canteen rights but I’d say this is an instance where it’s justified

Source

The officer was taken to hospital but escaped serious injury and is believed to have returned to work.

Rudakubana struck weeks after Manchester Arena terrorist Hashem Abedi, 28, stabbed and burned four officers at Frankland jail, Durham.

Rudakubana is also said to have had visits from an imam since his attack.

But he has been barred from religious ceremonies for fears he would be targeted.

Inmates in UK jails have rights including protection from bullying, access to a solicitor and healthcare plus the right to communication and to make complaints.

All other privileges have to be earned, and cons can have their time out of cells severely restricted.

Inmates who behave can become “enhanced” prisoners and earn the right to spend more money and watch TV.

Another source said: “It’s fairly unheard of to strip someone of the canteen. But a lot of the public would think it should be done here.

“The issue they have is they need to keep him happy and stop legal complaints. Certain prisoners are experts at knowing their rights.

“They were planning to move Rudakubana but the transfer has been delayed by the lack of an alternative.

“The natural place would be the separation centre at Frankland. But, ironically, that’s been closed down while the attack by Abedi is investigated.”

Rudakubana was jailed in January for the murders of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine.

The Prison Service said it did not comment on individuals.

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Timeline of events related to the Southport stabbings

AXEL Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to the murders of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, and 10 counts of attempted murder.

Here is a timeline of events relating to the case:

2002: Rudakubana’s father Alphonse moves to the UK from Rwanda, according to an interview he gave to his local newspaper in Southport in 2015.

August 7, 2006: Rudakubana is born in Cardiff, Wales.

2013: The family – including Rudakubana’s father, mother and older brother – move from Wales to Banks in Lancashire, a few miles from Southport.

July 29, 2024: Shortly before midday, a knifeman enters a dance class at The Hart Space in Hart Street in Southport.

Bebe, Elsie and Alice are fatally wounded. Eight other children are injured, as are instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.

Police say they have detained a male and seized a knife.

Within hours, claims spread online that the suspect is an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat in 2023.

Some claims include an alleged identity.

July 30, 2024: In the evening, a peaceful vigil is held outside Southport’s Atkinson arts venue, where flowers are laid in memory of those who died.

Shortly after the vigil, a separate protest begins outside the town’s mosque in St Luke’s Road.

People throw items towards the mosque, property is damaged and police vehicles are set on fire.

July 31, 2024: Demonstrators gather in Whitehall, London, for an “Enough Is Enough” protest.

Flares and cans are thrown at police and more than 100 people are arrested.

Disorder also breaks out in Hartlepool, County Durham, and Aldershot, Hampshire.

August 1, 2024: Police announce that Rudakubana has been charged with the murders of Bebe, Elsie Dot and Alice, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.

He is not named by police because of his age.

He appears in court in Liverpool and Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC rules he can be named, as he is due to turn 18 in a week.

He initially smiled on entering the courtroom – then kept his face covered by his sweatshirt for the remainder of the proceedings before the case was adjourned.

Later that evening, demonstrators gather outside a hotel in Newton Heath, Manchester.

August 2, 2024: Three police officers are taken to hospital after disorder in Sunderland.

August 3, 2024: There are scenes of violence during planned protests across the UK, including in Liverpool, Hull, Nottingham and Belfast.

August 4, 2024: Disorder continues, including outside a Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, where masked demonstrators launch lengths of wood and sprayed fire extinguishers at police officers.

August 5, 2024: The Government holds an emergency Cobra meeting in the wake of the disorder and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vows to “ramp up criminal justice”.

That evening, a peaceful vigil is held in Southport, a week on from the killings. Police deal with disorder in Plymouth, Devon and Darlington, County Durham.

August 7, 2024: Prison sentences for those involved in the unrest begin to be handed out. Derek Drummond, 58, is the first person to be jailed for violent disorder at Liverpool Crown Court, where he is sentenced to three years.

More than 100 protests are planned for across the country, with counter-demonstrations taking place, but the majority of police forces report very little trouble.

October 29, 2024: Merseyside Police announces Rudakubana will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court via videolink the next day charged with production of a biological toxin, Ricin, and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.

October 30, 2024: Rudakubana appears at Westminster Magistrates’ Court via videolink from HMP Belmarsh to face the two new charges.

He holds his sweater over the bottom half of his face and does not respond when asked to confirm his name.

November 13, 2024: Rudakubana appears at Liverpool Crown Court via videolink. He covers his face with his grey sweatshirt and does not speak throughout the hearing.

About 20 family members of victims sit in the public gallery. The case is adjourned until December 12, when a preparatory hearing will take place.

January 20, 2025: Rudakubana appears at Liverpool Crown Court for the first day of his trial where he pleads guilty to all 16 charges, including the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.

May 30 (UPI) — Bernard Kerik, New York City’s police commissioner on Sept.11, 2001, died Thursday at the age of 69.

Kerik was hailed as a hero for his response to the terror attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, but fell from grace after pleading guilty to federal corruption charges and tax crimes in the years that followed.

F.B.I director Kash Patel said in a statement on social media Thursday night that Kerik had died “after a private battle with illness.”

“With over forty years of service in law enforcement and national security, he dedicated his life to protecting the American people,” Patel wrote.

Kerik rose to prominence as former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani‘s bodyguard during Giuliani’s 1993 mayoral campaign. He worked his way through the ranks of the police department as a street cop and narcotics officer in some of the city’s busiest and most heavily trafficked areas, including Times Square, before being promoted to corrections commissioner where he took on the abuse of sick time by fellow officers and worked to reduce violence among prison inmates.

Kerik’s rapid rise through the ranks prompted criticism among many, who were quick to point out that he did not have a college degree or the necessary experience to carry out the duties of a high-ranking bureaucrat in the nation’s largest and most closely scrutinized police department.

Officers at Kerik’s rank were typically required to have a college degree, which he did go on to earn in 2002.

Crime declined during his tenure as police commissioner, but his critics said that was a continuation of the success that had been achieved by two of his predecessors.

Despite heavy criticism and scrutiny, Kerik received several meritorious awards, including the title of Commander of the British Empire, bestowed on him by Queen Elizabeth II.

In 2009, however, Kerik pleaded guilty to eight charges ranging from tax evasion to theft of honest services, making him the first city police commissioner to become a felon. He was sentenced to 48 months in prison.

The New York City Police Department issued a statement Thursday night saying it was in “mourning” over Kerik’s passing.

“For nearly two decades, Kerik served and protected New Yorkers in the NYPD, including helping rebuild the city in the aftermath of 9/11,” the police force said on X.

“We offer our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”

Andrew Giuliani, son of Rudolph Giuliani and a member of the Trump administration’s White House, said in a statement Thursday that “New York lost one of our greatest crime fighters this evening.”

“Bernard Kerik set the standard, turning the most dangerous Correctional systems in the world into the gold standard,” he said on X, adding that as police commissioner on Sept. 11, “Bernie led from the front.”

“Personally, I will always remember Bernie through the eyes of my seven-year-old self, as one of the toughest cops a boy could imagine.

“Rest in peace my friend; you rock; you great warrior!”

Relatives of five members of the band Fugitivo, aged between 20 and 40, received ransom demands after their abduction.

Drug cartel members are suspected of murdering five Mexican band members, who went missing after being hired to perform a concert in a crime-ridden city in the northeast of the country.

The Diario de Mexico newspaper said on Thursday that the bodies of the five musicians had been discovered after they went missing on Sunday, and nine suspects were arrested in connection with their abduction and killing.

According to authorities, the nine suspects are part of the “Los Metros” faction of the Gulf Cartel, which operates in the city of Reynosa, in Tamaulipas state, near the United States border.

“Law enforcement arrested nine individuals considered likely responsible for the events. They are known to be members of a criminal cell of the Gulf Cartel,” Tamaulipas Attorney General Irving Barrios told a news conference.

Tamaulipas is considered one of Mexico’s most dangerous states due to the presence of cartel members involved in drug and migrant trafficking, as well as other crimes, including extortion.

The announcement of the arrests came hours after officials said five bodies had been found in the search for the men, who were members of a local band called Fugitivo.

The musicians were hired to put on a concert on Sunday but arrived to find that the location of their proposed performance was a vacant lot, according to family members who had held a protest urging the authorities to act.

Relatives had reported receiving ransom demands for the musicians, who were aged between 20 and 40 years old.

Mexican musicians have been targeted previously by cartel members amid rivalry, as some receive payment to compose and perform songs that glorify the exploits of gang leaders.

Investigators used video surveillance footage and mobile phone tracking to establish the musicians’ last movements, Barrios said.

Nine firearms and two vehicles were seized, he said.

More than 480,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence and organised crime, and about 120,000 people have gone missing, in Mexico.

FORMER Tory MP Crispin Blunt will face no further action over an allegation of rape, police have confirmed.

The ex-justice minister, 64, was detained in October 2023 on suspicion of the sex attack as well as possession of a controlled substance.

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Dad-of-two Blunt was suspended by his party and told to stay away from Parliament.

He denied wrongdoing and accused the person behind the allegation of attempted extortion.

Yesterday Surrey Police confirmed there was insufficient evidence to proceed over claims of rape.

Mr Blunt, who stood down as MP for Reigate last year, remains under investigation for drug possession.

A second man, in his 50s, is being investigated for the same alleged offence.

A Surrey Police spokeswoman said: “An investigation was launched following a report of rape in October 2023.

“Extensive enquiries have been carried out and a man in his 60s and a man in his 50s were arrested on 25 October 2023 in Horley in connection with the offence.

“It has since been determined that there is insufficient evidence to proceed and that no further action will be taken against either of the men in relation to the report of rape.

“However, both men will remain under investigation on suspicion of possession of controlled substances pending further enquiries.

“Enquiries into this matter are ongoing.”

Josh Klinghoffer, the former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist, accepted a plea deal after facing a vehicular manslaughter charge.

Klinghoffer, 45, was charged in the death of Israel Sanchez in March after a collision last year in Alhambra. Klinghoffer was driving a black GMC Yukon at the corner of West Main Street and South Meridian Avenue when he turned left at the intersection while 47-year-old Sanchez was walking in a marked crosswalk. Klinghoffer then struck and killed Sanchez.

On Wednesday in court in Alhambra, Klinghoffer pleaded no contest to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. He was sentenced to 60 days of community labor and one year of informal probation. He will also have to take a driver safety course and pay restitution.

During the hearing, the prosecutor told Klinghoffer, “If you continue to drive while distracted, and as a result of your driving someone is killed, you can be charged with murder.”

Sanchez’s family sued Klinghoffer for wrongful death after the incident, alleging that Klinghoffer was on his phone at the time of the collision. “Video of the incident shows that defendant Josh Adam Klinghoffer made no braking or slowing motion until after he fatally struck Israel Sanchez, indicating that Defendant was likely driving while distracted.”

“This horrible outcome was foreseeable and demonstrates a willful disregard for the rights and safety of others,” the suit continued.

Klinghoffer’s attorney in the civil suit, Andrew Brettler, said in a statement to The Times last year, “After Josh struck this pedestrian in the intersection, he immediately pulled over, stopped the car, called 911 and waited until police and the ambulance arrived. Obviously, he’s cooperating with the police throughout the traffic investigation. This was purely a tragic accident.”

Klinghoffer played guitar with the Red Hot Chili Peppers from 2009 to 2019, when longtime guitarist John Frusciante returned. Klinghoffer was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2012. He has since performed as a member of Jane’s Addiction and Pearl Jam.

A BODY has been discovered amid a major hunt for a schoolgirl who fell into the water whilst out on a walk with her dad.

Emergency crews had been frantically searching for the 13-year-old who vanished under the water at Baitings Dam yesterday afternoon.

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A cordon was put in place at the reservoir in Ripponden, West Yorkshire, after cops were called at around 1.20pm on Wednesday.

Search teams worked around the clock in an attempt to find the youngster, with two RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) spotted at the site this morning.

The teenager, from Halifax, had been posing for pictures with her dad when she tragically fell into the 140ft-deep water.

It is understood she hit the water after falling roughly 30ft from the parapet of the dam.

Local resident Sue Ferris helped comfort the girl’s family, who told her that the youngster had a “bright future“.

The 80-year-old said: “She had just got into grammar school, they told me.

“She wanted to walk round the reservoir with her dad because it was half term, but the rest of the family didn’t want to go.

“It was just dad and daughter at the reservoir when she fell in. The rest of the family came after the accident.

“Dad had been taking photographs, according to a witness, and he also heard dad screaming and shouting her name after she fell in – but he did not go into the water.

“He had some kind of heart problem and was clutching his chest soon afterwards and was taken away by ambulance.

“They were very proud of her. She had a really bright future.”

Mrs Ferris, who has lived in the same house overlooking the reservoir for 20 years, slammed officials for a buoyancy aids around the water.

She added: “It is disgraceful that there are no life rings anywhere on the parapet.

“Yorkshire Water added the white metal railings on top of the stone structure some years ago now.

“But it only adds about half a foot to the barrier height and actually helps people to climb onto the wall.

“It gives them something to grip on to.

“All it is doing is helping people to stand on the wall.”

Four West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue crews were sent out to the dam on Wednesday, assisted by Littleborough crew.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service also confirmed they sent officers from their Hazardous Area Response Team.

Speaking on Wednesday, a West Yorkshire police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 1.17pm this afternoon police were called to a report a girl had fallen into water at Baitings Dam near Ripponden.

“Emergency services are currently on the scene, with searches ongoing to locate the girl.”

THE horrified wife of the Liverpool parade suspect was said to have only found out about the chaotic rampage when she saw her car on TV.

A 53-year-old suspect, a white British dad of three, remains in custody after cops were granted more time to quiz him.

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Neighbours of the suspect said he was “quiet” and “didn’t go out partying”.

He is believed to be a business man who ran a now-dissolved firm.

Yesterday a neighbour in the city’s West Derby suburb revealed the suspect’s wife’s shock “when she saw her car on the TV news”.

The neighbour added: “The wife is a really nice woman and they have children.

“No one can believe this has happened.

“She first realised when she saw it was her car on the telly, when she saw it being driven at the parade.

“The normal police cars turned up at teatime then Matrix vans turned up later that night.

“Everyone’s just in shock. I genuinely don’t know what’s happened.

“They seem like a nice family.”

The neighbour described the suspect as a “regular family man” and a “bit of a complainer”, adding: “I wish I knew more.”

Vans from elite police unit Matrix have been at the £250,000 four-bed house since Monday’s incident.

Police confirmed yesterday the number of injured had risen from 65 to 79, including at least four children.

Seven people remained in hospital in a stable condition.

The driver was arrested on Monday at the scene — in Water Street — on suspicion of attempted murder, driving while unfit through drugs, and dangerous driving.

Police have until today to either bring charges, release him, or apply for a further extension.

They were scouring the dashcam content and CCTV to piece together the driver’s movements.

Officers believe he gained access to the packed street, which had been blocked off, by tailgating an ambulance as paramedics entered to treat a man suspected of suffering a heart attack.