
Kalshi and Polymarket prohibit affiliates from spreading election misinformation
Kalshi and Polymarket take a stand against election misinformation by affiliates.

Pam Bondi distanced herself from the handling of Jeffrey Epstein's case during a House committee hearing, stating that Todd Blanche was in charge of the controversial file release. She acknowledged redaction errors but defended the Justice Department's commitment to transparency.
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Good morning. Appearing before the House oversight and reform committee, the former attorney general Pam Bondi told lawmakers that Todd Blanche, the man Donald Trump has lined up to replace her, was “in charge” of the US Department of Justice’s controversial handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. She also said she was “not certain of the extent” that Trump knew about the crimes of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell before they became public.
In her opening statement, Bondi defended the justice department’s handling of the records under her leadership and tried to distance herself from the release and review of the files, saying she did not “lead every aspect” of the DoJ’s effort, but that it was Blanche who oversaw it. If formally nominated by Trump to be attorney general on a permanent basis, Blanche would require confirmation from the US Senate.

In a open letter to Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pictured called for face-to-face talks. Photograph: Ukrinform/Shutterstock
The House passed legislation Thursday that would aid Ukraine and impose sanctions on key segments of the Russian economy, overriding objections from Republican leaders who said the bill would undermine negotiations designed to achieve a comparable but stronger result.
The legislation, which was sponsored by the Democratic representative Gregory Meeks, seeks to cement US assistance for Ukraine by providing more than $1bn in security and reconstruction aid. It would make another $8bn available for Ukraine’s defense through loans.
Pam Bondi stated that Todd Blanche was 'in charge' of the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein case.
The release is controversial due to criticisms over redactions and the disclosure of sensitive personal information, raising concerns among lawmakers and survivors.
Bondi acknowledged that there were redaction errors in the release of the Epstein files, which have drawn criticism.
If nominated by Trump, Todd Blanche would require confirmation from the US Senate to become attorney general.

Kalshi and Polymarket take a stand against election misinformation by affiliates.

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Trump nominates Todd Blanche as attorney general, setting up a Senate fight.
See every story in News — including breaking news and analysis.

Bill Pulte, a Trump loyalist, does not have national intelligence experience. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images
Donald Trump has suggested his controversial ally Bill Pulte will investigate “rigged elections” while serving as the country’s top intelligence official, as the US president continues to make unfounded allegations about voting.
Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, is a staunch Trump loyalist and does not have national intelligence experience. His appointment as head of national intelligence followed the exit of Tulsi Gabbard.
Trump earlier alleged without evidence that Democrats were cheating in California’s primaries. He also claimed the US attorney’s office in Los Angeles was investigating. The US attorney’s office said it had no comment.

Lawmakers heard Tuesday that the Trump administration was not moving forward with the $1.8bn ‘anti-weaponization’ fund. Photograph: Samuel Corum/CNP/Shutterstock

The ‘annoyance economy’ or ‘what we pay in time, fees and irritation to navigate our daily lives’ costs US households billions, a thinktank says. Photograph: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
US households are losing $165bn a year on the “annoyance economy” or “what we pay in time, fees and irritation to navigate our daily lives”, the Groundwork Collaborative, a thinktank that focuses on concentrations of private power, estimated in February. Heather Timmons looks at why US consumers are so angry.

Julianna Layne plays Alice in Affection, BT Meza’s directorial debut. Photograph: Publicity image
When Ellie (Jessica Rothe) wakes up in bed in a house she does not recognise, next to a man she does not know, she naturally assumes the worst. She is even more disconcerted when a little girl calling her mommy appears. In Catherine Bray’s review she says the debut feature director BT Meza’s creepy thriller keeps you guessing. It certainly sounds a lot better than what Benjamin Lee called “Amazon’s head-scratching $200m-budgeted misfire” attempting to resurrect the concept of He-Man.

Cath Ellis’s Sydney Morning Herald article was taken down. Photograph: d3sign/Getty Images
From the “Well, this is awkward” files: the Sydney Morning Herald took down a piece by Cath Ellis, a pro vice-chancellor of Western Sydney University, after it emerged the article, arguing against students cutting corners by using AI to do university work, had been produced with the assistance of … you’ve guessed it, AI. Technology reporter Josh Taylor analyses the response.

The Sex Pistols played their first Manchester gig on June 4 1976. Composite: Guardian Design; Anwar Hussein; George Wilkes/Hulton Archive; Graham Wood; Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank; Angelo Deligio/Mondadori; Estate Of Keith Morris/Redferns; Michael Putland/Getty Images
Alexis Petridis looks back at what the music scene in the UK was really like 50 years ago this week, at the moment the Sex Pistols played their first Manchester gig and punk upended pop culture for good.

The impact of North Amerixcan wildfires on air quality is greater than previously known. Photograph: Caroline Brehman/AP
The wildfires that have battered the US and the rest of North America in recent years have significantly increased emissions and been linked to tens of thousands of premature deaths, but their impact on air quality is greater than previously known, according to research.

Mule deer have already crossed a not-quite-finished $20m wildlife bridge in Siskiyou county, California. Photograph: Allen J Schaben/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
A trio of mule deer has already scuttled across a not-quite-finished $20m wildlife bridge over Route 97 in Siskiyou county, marking an early triumph for the California department of transportation. As the state’s first wildlife crossing over a major highway, the project promises to drastically reduce animal mortality rates for migrating species and improve safety for human drivers.
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