Eight jailed after posing as electricians to divert power to UK cannabis farms

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Criminals dressed as utilities repair teams dug up roads to access cables to power industrial-scale drug production

A group of eight criminals who dug up roads and diverted electricity to cannabis farms run by organised crime gangs have been jailed by a judge in Liverpool.

The criminals used a legitimate company as cover and pretended to be workers who were digging up the roads to repair utilities in a “sophisticated operation”, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

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Mexico: 200 pairs of shoes found at clandestine crematorium

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Discovery in Jalisco is demonstration of country’s crisis of forced disappearance related to organised crime

Two hundred pairs of shoes have been found at a clandestine crematorium on a ranch in the Mexican state of Jalisco, in a disturbing demonstration of the country’s crisis of forced disappearance related to organised crime.

Warrior Searchers of Jalisco, a collective of relatives of the disappeared, found the crematorium following an anonymous tip-off, and the authorities have since confirmed the presence of burnt remains and empty bullet casings.

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What happened in Gaza, Lebanon on day 517? – The Jerusalem Post

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  1. What happened in Gaza, Lebanon on day 517?  The Jerusalem Post
  2. Shin Bet chief reportedly says he'll remain until all hostages back, commission of inquiry established  The Times of Israel
  3. Israel assassinates commander of Hezbollah Radwan Force’s seaborne forces  Long War Journal
  4. Israeli Army Says Killed Hezbollah Navy Commander In Lebanon Strike  NDTV
  5. Israel's continued aggression threatens Lebanon’s stability: Lebanese army  Anadolu Agency
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Justice department opens investigation into soaring US egg prices – report

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Officials said to be looking at whether producers have conspired to increase prices or have held back supply

The justice department has reportedly opened an investigation into what is driving the sharp rise in egg prices, including whether top producers have conspired to increase them.

Officials are also said to be looking at whether companies have held back supply. Their investigation is in its early stages, and may not lead to any formal action, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited sources familiar with the matter.

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EPA issues guidance that spending of $50,000 or more must gain approval of Doge

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Move comes even as Trump has tried to show that Musk’s cost-slashing agency doesn’t have the final say

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued new guidance directing that spending items greater than $50,000 now require approval from Elon Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge), even as Donald Trump began putting some distance between Musk’s reach and the power of government department heads – at least over job cuts.

“Any assistance agreement, contract or interagency agreement transaction [valued at] $50,000 or greater must receive approval from an EPA DOGE team member,” the EPA guidance says, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press. The EPA did not respond to a request from the news agency on Friday for comment.

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Former hostage: The thought that some Israelis were willing to sacrifice us was unbearable – Haaretz

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  1. Former hostage: The thought that some Israelis were willing to sacrifice us was unbearable  Haaretz
  2. Liri Albag recalls entering ‘survival mode’ on Oct. 7: ‘Feels like one long nightmare’  The Times of Israel
  3. Freed hostage Liri Albag reveals harrowing details of her captivity  The Jerusalem Post
  4. ‘Yes, Take Us To Gaza’: Liri Alba Recalls Terrifying Oct. 7 Memories From Nahal Oz  VINNews
  5. IDF observers freed from Hamas captivity won't return to military, Liri Albag's father says  The Jerusalem Post
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Trump threatens ‘unfairness’ tariffs as he accuses EU of abuse – The Telegraph

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  1. Trump threatens ‘unfairness’ tariffs as he accuses EU of abuse  The Telegraph
  2. How the EU is preparing to play hardball in the face of Donald Trump’s tariff threats  The Conversation Indonesia
  3. Companies in Europe Face Squeeze in U.S.-China Trade War  The New York Times
  4. EU keeping tariff retaliation tools ready but waiting for US to act, Weyand says  mlex.com
  5. Europe Inc take evasive action as Trump tariffs hit, braces for second wave  Reuters
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Pope Francis remains stable after thanking public for prayers, Vatican says – ABC News

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  1. Pope Francis remains stable after thanking public for prayers, Vatican says  ABC News
  2. Vatican says hospitalized Pope Francis is showing 'gradual, slight improvement'  NPR
  3. Pope Francis sends first audio message since hospitalization, offering gratitude for prayers  National Catholic Reporter
  4. How Serious Is the Pope’s Medical Condition?  TIME
  5. Pope Francis hits 3-week mark of hospitalization after giving world a sign of his frailty  The Associated Press
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Britain’s biggest unions call for much closer UK-EU ties amid ‘volatile’ global economy

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Exclusive: union umbrella body calls for new cooperation agreement ahead of Keir Starmer’s reset talks with Brussels

The UK should forge much closer ties with Europe amid an increasingly “volatile and unpredictable” global economy, Britain’s biggest trade unions will argue as they push for new workers’ rights across the continent.

In its first major intervention on Europe in five years, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) will call for a “much-needed” closer relationship with the EU, in a joint statement with European counterparts.

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Pope Francis remains stable after thanking public for prayers, Vatican says – ABC News

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  1. Pope Francis remains stable after thanking public for prayers, Vatican says  ABC News
  2. Pope Francis suffers new breathing crises, is back on noninvasive ventilation, Vatican says  The Associated Press
  3. Pope Francis faces long, fraught fight for recovery, doctors say  Reuters
  4. Pope Francis shares first audio message since hospitalization: 'May God bless you'  Fox News
  5. Pope Francis’s words air in St. Peter’s Square for first time since illness  The Washington Post
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