Independent

Three Maori Party MPs will be temporarily banned from New Zealand’s parliament for protesting a proposed law change with a haka. A parliamentary committee has recommended the penalties, understood to be the harshest ever for New Zealand MPs. They said that the haka – a ceremonial Maori dance made world-famous by the country’s men’s rugby team, the All Blacks – could have intimidated other politicians and constituted contempt of parliament. #news #newzealand #haka #nzparliament #fyp

A woman in Brazil miraculously walked away unharmed after being narrowly missed by a pickup truck that crashed into a parked vehicle on February 22. The incident took place in Braço do Norte, Santa Catarina, as the woman was walking along the street next to a parked car. Then the out-of-control Chevrolet narrowly misses her after a violent collision with the rear end of a stationary white car. Incredibly, the pedestrian managed to walk away without any serious injuries, and no one else was injured. Originally published in February 2025.

Arnold Schwarzenegger told environmentalists critical of Donald Trump’s administration: “Stop whining and get to work.” The former Republican governor of California’s call came after Energy Secretary Chris Wright said he canceled nearly $4 billion in project grants, in another massive blow to clean energy and greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts in the US under the 47th president’s administration. #trump #schwarzenegger

Iran on Tuesday warned the United States that any direct support for Israel would prompt an immediate response from Tehran. Iranian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said, "If we come to the conclusion that the United States is directly involved in attacks on Iran, we will start responding to the U.S." Ali Bahreini, the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations in Geneva, told reporters that he saw the U.S. as "complicit in what Israel is doing."

Doorbell cam catches moment dog ‘drives’ into parked car 🐶 🚗 #dog #animals #cars Originally published in December 2022.

Dramatic timelapse video shows how heavy rainfall turned a dry riverbed into surging rapids in just 20 minutes, as Texas was deluged by deadly flash floods on July 4. CCTV footage shows water begin surging into the Llano River at 17:14. Within minutes, a road crossing the river is entirely submerged, with the waterline rising significantly on both sides of the riverbank and completely covering trees and bushes. Click the link in bio for more 🔗

A Royal Opera House performer unfurled a Palestine flag on stage during the curtain call for Il trovatore's closing night on Saturday (19 July). A brief scuffle ensued as an official appeared to try and stop the protest, and the cast member continued to hold up the flag at the London performance. A spokesperson for the Royal Ballet and Opera said: “The display of the flag was an unauthorised action by the artist. It was not approved by the Royal Ballet and Opera and is a wholly inappropriate act." #Palestineflag #RoyalOperaHouse #protest

Footage has been released of Bridgerton actor Genevieve Chenneour fighting off a thief who tried to steal her phone in London. The 27-year-old played the gossiping Miss Clara Livingston in season three of the Netflix period romance. She was with a friend in a Joe & the Juice coffee shop when a man, 18-year-old Zachariah Boulares, allegedly attacked her at the coffee shop in Kensington high street.

New Zealand legislators voted Thursday to enact record suspensions from Parliament for three lawmakers who performed a Māori haka to protest a proposed law. Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke received a seven-day ban and her colleagues from Te Pāti Māori, the Māori Party, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi, are barred for 21 days. Three days had been the longest ban from New Zealand’s Parliament before.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was caught on camera rolling her eyes after French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to whisper something in her ear at the G7 Summit. The world leaders were seen leaning into one another, with their hands covering most of their faces as they whispered during the first day of the summit in Alberta, Canada.

Donald Trump lashed out at an ABC News reporter questioning him on plans to accept a gift of a $400m jet from the Qatari royal family, to be used as the new Air Force One.  Speaking on Monday, May 12, the president said only a “stupid person” would say no to a “free, very expensive aeroplane”.  Trump faces a backlash for his plan from ally Laura Loomer, who said it would be a “stain” on the administration, while Democrats have called it “bribery”. #Trump #Qatar #luxury #jet

An elderly scooter ride was buried with a tidal wave of cow manure after pulling out in front of a truck carrying the waste.

Lightning strikes British Airways flight before take-off. Originally published in January 2025.

Bear wakes from nap at animal sanctuary looking dishevelled 🐻 💤 #nature #world #bear #animals Originally published in May 2023.

Baby reviews high-end candles Originally published in January 2023

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was left scrambling when she was asked if President Trump had a reaction to the recent election in South Korea. Click link for more info 🔗

Pro-Palestinian protesters dyed water in a Paris fountain blood-red to “denounce the ongoing massacres in Gaza”. Greenpeace France, Oxfam France and other NGOs poured several litres of red food colouring in the Fountain of the Innocents on Wednesday (28 May). Standing in and around the fountain, demonstrators can be seen holding banners reading: “GAZA: STOP THE BLOODBATH”, “MACRON MUST (FINALLY) ACT” and “CEASEFIRE”. In a statement, Greenpeace France said: “This operation aims to denounce France's slow response to the dire humanitarian emergency facing the people of Gaza today.” Click the link in bio for more 🔗

Donald Trump said he did not know who created the now-infamous AI image of him as the Pope but insisted that “Catholics love it,” despite widespread outrage both at home and abroad. The president said that those that were offended by the image couldn’t “take a joke” and that his wife – First Lady Melania Trump – thought the image was “cute.” Click the link in bio for more 🔗

The lone passenger who survived the Air India crash that killed 241 people recalls how he escaped the plane. The British national of Indian origin, Viswashkumar Ramesh, was heading to London when the flight crashed minutes after taking off from India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon. #AirIndia #Planecrash #Ahmedabad

World Record: Most Table Tennis Balls Bounced Against Wall with Mouth! One year ago today David Rush set a new Guinness world record at GWR HQ in London by bouncing 47 table tennis balls against a wall with his mouth in just 30 seconds. Originally published in September 2024.