A judge is expected to decide today whether Jamie Spears should be removed from his controversial role running his superstar daughter Britney’s life. The hearing at the Los Angeles Superior Court is a significant moment in the 13-year conservatorship arrangement that has controlled the financial and personal life of the millionaire singer. It comes as
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Prince William and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg have teamed up to highlight the importance of tackling climate change. The Duke of Cambridge and billionaire businessman Mr Bloomberg will be working together on the prince’s environmental initiative, called the Earthshot Prize. Mr Bloomberg, whose estimated net worth is more than $60bn (£46.3m), has
The singer R Kelly has been found guilty of racketeering in his sex abuse trial in Brooklyn, New York. The R&B singer was accused of exploiting his fame to lure women and underage girls for sex. The 54-year-old had pleaded not guilty to racketeering and eight counts of violating a federal law making it illegal
An Amtrak passenger train has derailed in the US state of Montana killing at least three people, according to reports. The Empire Builder train, which runs between Seattle and Chicago, was carrying 146 passengers and 16 crew, Amtrak said. The train consisted of two locomotives and 10 carriages, seven of which derailed near the town
Huawei’s chief financial officer has reached a deal with US prosecutors that allows her to return to China. Meng Wanzhou, who is also the daughter of the company’s founder Ren Zhengfei, has been in Canada since she was arrested at Vancouver’s airport in December 2018. Her arrest followed an extradition warrant issued by the US
R Kelly’s future is now in the hands of seven men and five women, as jurors began deliberations after weeks of testimony in his sex abuse trial in New York. Warning: This article contains references to alleged sexual assault and abuse Prosecutors and defence lawyers finished their closing arguments this week, and now the 12-strong
Human remains found in an alligator’s stomach in Louisiana have been identified as those of a man who was attacked and killed in Hurricane Ida floodwaters. Timothy Satterlee Sr, 71, had been reported missing since the attack near his home in the New Orleans suburb of Slidell on 30 August. The remains were confirmed as
The former Minneapolis police officer jailed for the murder of George Floyd has appealed against his conviction. Derek Chauvin was sentenced in June to 22-and-a-half years in a case that made global headlines and sparked protests. He had 90 days to lodge an appeal from date of sentencing and the application is based on five
The American special envoy to Haiti has resigned in protest at the “inhumane” deportation of hundreds of Haitian migrants back to their country from a camp on the US-Mexican border. Daniel Foote said that conditions in the Caribbean nation were so bad that US officials were confined to secure compounds because of the danger of
Influential filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles – who was described as the “godfather of black cinema” – has died aged 89. Van Peebles, known for 1970s films Watermelon Man and Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, died on Tuesday evening at his home in New York. Actor Mario Van Peebles, the filmmaker’s son and long-time creative collaborator, said:
The US is buying a further 500 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to donate to other countries, bringing its total commitment to over a billion jabs, President Joe Biden has announced. “To beat the pandemic here, we need to beat it everywhere,” Mr Biden said. “For every one shot we’ve administered to date in America, we
Parked vehicles have created a steel barrier which stretches for miles along the US border with Mexico in the latest measure to deter migrants from crossing into Texas. The US has been expelling Haitians from a large makeshift camp at the border, which at one point had attracted more than 12,000 migrants. Around 8,600 people
The parents of Harry Dunn have reached a “resolution” with the teenager’s alleged killer in a civil claim for damages in the US. The Dunn family’s spokesman Radd Seiger said an agreement had been “reached successfully between the parties and they can put this part of the campaign behind them”. It comes more than two
Vaccinated passengers will be able to enter the US from the UK and EU from November onwards, ending almost two years of coronavirus travel restrictions. The new rules would be part of broader policy changes for international travel and will apply to fully vaccinated people – meaning those who have received two doses of a
A body found in Wyoming is believed to be that of missing Gabby Petito, US officials have said. The FBI said the body was found by law enforcement agents who had spent the past two days searching campgrounds. “Full forensic identification has not been completed to confirm 100% that we found Gabby, but her family
American actor and stand-up comedian Chris Rock has tested positive for COVID-19. The 56-year-old entertainer announced the news on Twitter and urged his followers to get vaccinated against the virus. “Hey guys I just found out I have COVID, trust me you don’t want this. Get vaccinated,” he told his 5.2 million followers. Hey guys
A SpaceX capsule carrying the first all-civilian crew into space has touched back down on Earth after three days in orbit. The four amateur astronauts orbited the planet every 90 minutes at a speed of more than 17,000mph and an altitude of up to 363 miles – higher than the International Space Station and Hubble
Police are searching for the boyfriend of a woman who went missing while the couple were on a road trip across the US. Officers in Florida say they are working with the FBI to find 23-year-old Brian Laundrie, regarded as a person of interest in the disappearance of his girlfriend, Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito. Mr Laundrie
An influential US government advisory panel has rejected plans to give COVID-19 booster jabs to most Americans – only backing them for people aged 65 and over, and those at high risk of severe disease. The decisions were made by a committee of experts who advise the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and deliver a
Hundreds of songbirds have died after crashing into glass skyscrapers in New York City. The deaths of the migrating birds were highlighted on Twitter by Melissa Breyer, a volunteer from New York City Audubon which works to protect wild birds and their habitats in the area. Ms Breyer discovered 226 dead birds in the area