Cult leader William Kamm and wife groomed young girl for a decade, Sydney court told

The 76-year-old allegedly ordered he should have 12 wives to ‘repopulate’ the world. He and his wife deny the charges

The leader of a cult and his wife allegedly groomed a young girl over a decade so she could bear 45 of his children in a post-apocalyptic world.

William Kamm, also known as “Little Pebble”, was the leader of the Order of Saint Charbel, a religious cult run from a property on the New South Wales south coast.

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Royal Mail boss’s pay package triples to £6.9m despite profits slide

Martin Seidenberg, chief executive of parent company IDS, handed payouts after takeover of UK postal service

The boss of Royal Mail’s parent company received almost £7m in pay and bonuses last year – more than triple the previous figure – despite group profits slumping by a fifth.

Martin Seidenberg, group chief executive of International Distribution Services (IDS), took home £6.9m in pay, bonus and long-term incentive scheme awards in the year to 31 March, compared with £2.1m the previous year.

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First Thing: Judge thwarts Trump administration attempt to overthrow LA ‘sanctuary city’ policy

Central California US district court rejected claim policy was ‘unconstitutional’. Plus House of the Dragon star Olivia Cooke on being sworn at by people wanting selfies

Good morning. A California court has dismissed a lawsuit filed ⁠by Donald Trump’s administration against Los Angeles over a city ordinance making it a “sanctuary city” and limiting ⁠its cooperation with federal ⁠immigration ​authorities.

Fernando Olguin, a judge in the central California US district court, rejected the administration’s argument that the city’s policy was unconstitutional. ⁠He gave the administration permission to file an amended complaint. The White House did not ⁠immediately respond to the Guardian’s request for comment.

What did the city say about the victory? The Los Angeles ‌city attorney, Hydee ‌Feldstein Soto, said: “This order reinforces the well-established principle that local governments have the authority to decide how to use their personnel and resources. The goal of this ordinance … is to encourage victims of and witnesses to crime to feel safe coming forward to seek help from LAPD regardless of their immigration status. It does not obstruct or impede lawful federal immigration enforcement operations.”

Why did both sides want the act to pass? The legislation comes as Democrats and Republicans prepare for November’s midterm elections, in which concerns about affordability are expected to loom large in the minds of voters. A shortfall in construction of new homes is seen as a key driver of housing costs, which have crept higher in recent years.

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New Yorkers vote as Democrats weigh competing visions in era of Trump

Democratic primary elections to test strength of party’s left flank as old guard faces string of challenges

New Yorkers were voting on Tuesday in a slate of Democratic primaries poised to reveal the strength of the party’s left flank and shape the battle for control of the US House of Representatives in November.

Voters in Maryland and Utah will also nominate congressional candidates on Tuesday, while South Carolina holds a series of runoff elections for candidates who did not receive a majority of the vote earlier this month.

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Serial rapist ex-NFL player Darren Sharper registers as sex offender in Virginia

Sharper, who pleaded guilty or no contest to raping women in four states, was transferred to a halfway house in May

Convicted serial rapist and former National Football League champion Darren Sharper has registered as a sex offender in his home state of Virginia, after being transferred from federal prison to a halfway house there, according to official records.

With a projected 2028 release date nearing, the US Bureau of Prisons (BoP) recently confirmed that the 50-year-old Sharper had been moved on 27 May from a federal correctional institution near Elkton, Ohio, to either home confinement or a facility colloquially known as a halfway house overseen by the agency’s residential re-entry management office in Baltimore.

Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organizations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html

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Iran says technical talks with US in Switzerland conclude successfully – Al Jazeera

  1. Iran says technical talks with US in Switzerland conclude successfully  Al Jazeera
  2. Trump says ‘I will do what I have to do’ if Iran doesn’t honor deal  Fox News
  3. As Vance Leads Iran Negotiations, Trump Creates Disruptions in His Path  The New York Times
  4. As Vance meets top Iranian officials in Switzerland, Trump threatens Tehran from afar  PBS
  5. U.S., Iran agree on roadmap for final deal and plan to end military operations in Lebanon  CNBC
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Lebanese struggle to get by in an ancient city under Israeli evacuation order – NPR

  1. Lebanese struggle to get by in an ancient city under Israeli evacuation order  NPR
  2. Israeli troops kill two in south Lebanon after lull in fighting, authorities say  BBC
  3. ‘What ceasefire?’ In northern Israel, locals doubt an agreement can end the war with Hezbollah  CNN
  4. Israeli fire kills two in Lebanon as Hezbollah slams truce ‘violation’  Al Jazeera
  5. Israeli Soldiers Fatally Shoot 2 People in Southern Lebanon, Health Officials Say  The New York Times
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