Global Pulse

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  • Canada ‘should fight’ as US trade deadline looms, Manitoba premier says

    Canada ‘should fight’ as US trade deadline looms, Manitoba premier says

    With less than 48 hours remaining until a self-imposed deadline set by the United States, ongoing Canada-US trade negotiations are facing growing internal friction in Canada, as a high-profile provincial premier has publicly rejected proposed concessions and launched a scathing personal attack on US President Donald Trump.

    Negotiating teams from both nations face a Friday night deadline to finalize a new preliminary trade agreement, or Washington will move forward with a new round of sweeping punitive tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Canadian exports, ranging from industrial metals to finished consumer goods. Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc emerged from a more than three-hour closed-door negotiating session with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Thursday to tell reporters the two sides are now “very close” to reaching a tentative agreement, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for Friday morning.

    Leaked details of the draft framework published by multiple Canadian and US outlets show the proposed compromise would cut existing US tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum from 50% to 25%, and reduce tariffs on imported Canadian automobiles from 25% to 15% — a partial rollback rather than a full elimination of the levies imposed by the Trump administration. In exchange, Canada would be required to make two key concessions: reopening provincial liquor store shelves to US-made alcohol, and granting expanded market access to American dairy producers.

    The agreement requires buy-in from Canada’s provincial premiers, who control alcohol retail sales regulations across most of the country, putting Prime Minister Mark Carney in a precarious position as he works to secure provincial support ahead of the deadline. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, the first provincial leader to break ranks publicly, has emerged as the most vocal opponent of the proposed compromise, calling on Ottawa to hold out for better terms rather than rushing to accept unfavorable terms.

    Kinew did not limit his criticism to the trade deal itself, launching a personal attack on Trump, labeling the US president a “bad person” who is “erratic, irresponsible, and not to be trusted.” He questioned why Canada would surrender its key negotiating leverage by lifting restrictions on US alcohol sales to secure a partial tariff cut, arguing the country should fight for a better deal rather than make concessions to an untrustworthy counterpart. While Kinew said he would reluctantly comply with a national agreement for the broader good of Canada, he urged Canadian consumers to boycott any US alcohol that enters his province’s stores, saying “Let it sit on the shelf.”

    Other provincial leaders have echoed Kinew’s caution, even as some have signaled they are willing to comply. Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette, whose province hosts Canada’s largest and most politically powerful dairy industry, said she is still reviewing the draft agreement’s potential impact on Quebec dairy farmers before committing to lift alcohol sales restrictions. Doug Ford, Premier of Canada’s most populous province Ontario, has so far declined to comment publicly on the draft deal. By contrast, premiers from Nova Scotia and Yukon have already said they are prepared to restore US alcohol sales to meet the deal’s terms.

    Concerns over the proposed terms are not limited to provincial political leaders. Matthew Shoemaker, mayor of Sault Ste. Marie — the Ontario city home to Canada’s second-largest steel producer — told public broadcaster CBC that a deal locking in 25% tariffs on Canadian steel is “wouldn’t be something to celebrate.” He added, “I am worried with the news that’s coming out that we are not seeing a deal that will benefit our community at the very least.”

    The fractured provincial response lays bare the political challenge facing Carney, who campaigned for prime minister on a promise to take a tough, “elbows-up” negotiating stance with Trump. Public opinion polling supports the hardline approach: a recent survey by Canadian polling firm Leger found that 56% of respondents want Canadian negotiators to reject major concessions and take a hard line in talks with Washington.

    The political friction was amplified this week after a leaked audio recording of a closed private fundraiser, first reported by Canadian media, captured US Vice President JD Vance mocking Carney’s negotiating posture. Vance claimed that Carney has tried to “out-tough Donald Trump” in talks, but added that “It’s hilarious because Carney presents this as some victory for Canada when fundamentally, like, they climb down on a lot of issues.”

    While Trump has praised the draft deal as a major win for American farmers and manufacturing firms, Carney has defended the ongoing negotiations, saying the emerging agreement addresses Canada’s “most important strategic sectors” and that both sides are close to a breakthrough. With the clock ticking down to Friday’s deadline, all eyes remain on Ottawa as negotiators work to finalize terms and Carney works to rally enough provincial support to avoid triggering a new round of US tariffs.

  • Several injured after sword attack at Swedish school

    Several injured after sword attack at Swedish school

    A violent sword attack at a high school in central Sweden has left multiple people injured, local law enforcement and municipal officials confirmed Friday, marking the latest in a string of violent incidents targeting educational institutions across the Nordic nation in recent years.

    Emergency responders were dispatched to Brinell School in the town of Fagersta shortly after 14:00 local time Friday, following reports of an active attacker on campus. Law enforcement officials confirmed that one male suspect has been taken into custody after the assault. Swedish media reports have indicated that responding officers shot the suspect in the leg during the arrest operation, though police have not yet officially confirmed this detail.

    Municipal officials from Fagersta have not released an exact count of injured victims or updated details on their conditions as of Friday afternoon. Authorities confirmed that first responders and police have secured most of the campus, but officers continue to conduct a systematic search of the school building to ensure no additional threats remain. As a precautionary safety measure, eight other schools across the region have been placed under full lockdown, with all students and staff restricted to indoor spaces and no outside access permitted.

    In a public update Friday, police confirmed that there is no longer any active threat to the general public in connection with the attack. Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson addressed the incident in a post on the social platform X, calling the assault a deeply troubling serious incident. “We do not yet know what motivated this act, but we can confirm that law enforcement is working around the clock to investigate every detail,” Kristersson wrote.

    The attack comes amid a pattern of deadly violence at Swedish schools and educational centers over the past decade. In 2025, the country suffered its deadliest mass shooting on record when a gunman opened fire at an adult education center in Orebro, leaving 11 people dead including the attacker. An investigation after the attack found that the suspect had legally purchased and owned four rifles, three of which were recovered at the scene. The incident prompted the Swedish government to introduce sweeping reforms to tighten the country’s national gun ownership laws.

    Prior to the 2025 Orebro attack, two separate high-profile violent attacks on Swedish schools left four people dead. In 2022, an 18-year-old student confessed to stabbing two teachers to death during an assault at a secondary school in Malmo. Seven years earlier, in 2015, a sword attack at a secondary school in Trollhattan left one teacher and one student dead.

  • US, Canada try to wrap up trade deal before latest Trump deadline

    US, Canada try to wrap up trade deal before latest Trump deadline

    Cross-border trade tensions that have simmered for months are reaching a critical turning point, as negotiators from the United States and Canada returned to the bargaining table on Friday in a last-ditch push to strike an agreement before steep new punitive tariffs are set to take effect.

    What began as a deadline set by former President Donald Trump — who threatened a 50% duty on a wide swath of Canadian goods by Wednesday — shifted at the eleventh hour, when Trump granted a last-minute extension citing meaningful breakthroughs in ongoing discussions. For a full week, Canada’s top negotiation team, led by Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, has been based in Washington, working around the clock to hammer out terms that address longstanding sticking points between the two North American neighbors.

    Both sides have publicly acknowledged that an agreement is within reach, though talks extended into Friday morning. According to the Canadian government, LeBlanc was scheduled to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer at his Washington office by midday. Following a Thursday round of talks, LeBlanc told reporters the two sides were “very close” to a deal and committed to continuing negotiations until a final agreement is secured.

    At the core of Canada’s priorities is securing relief from existing Trump-era tariffs on Canadian automobiles, steel, and aluminum. These levies have inflicted measurable damage on Canada’s economy, driven job cuts across key manufacturing sectors, and frayed what was long considered an unshakable bilateral trade relationship.

    Early details of the draft agreement began to circulate this week after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held a briefing with provincial and territorial leaders. Emerging reports indicate that while U.S. tariffs will be rolled back on certain goods, they will not be fully eliminated — a reality that Saskatchewan’s Conservative Premier Scott Moe has acknowledged, noting there will be no return to the pre-Trump trade status quo.

    One particularly contentious flash point that has drawn U.S. anger is a Canadian retaliatory measure: the removal of American wine and alcohol from government-run provincial liquor stores. In response, Carney called on provinces this Wednesday to reverse the ban and restock U.S. alcoholic products. The request has split provincial leaders: Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston has already agreed to comply, but other regional heads have refused to commit until they can review the full final deal.

    Quebec Premier Christine Frechette said she will conduct a full review of the agreement before making any decision, while Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew — leader of the province’s left-wing government — argued the U.S. position appeared weak and urged Canada to hold firm on its demands. Notably, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, one of the most vocal critics of Trump’s trade war policies, has remained silent on the issue to date. Ford’s government controls the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, one of the single largest buyers of U.S. alcohol in North America, making his position critical to any reversal of the ban.

    Carney has repeatedly emphasized to Canadian citizens that regardless of the outcome of this specific deal, the bilateral trade relationship with the United States has been permanently altered. To insulate the Canadian economy from future trade volatility, he has pushed for Canada to diversify its export partnerships and reduce its heavy dependence on its southern neighbor. That long-term shift will take years to accomplish, however: as things stand, the U.S. remains Canada’s dominant trading partner, accounting for approximately 70% of all Canadian exports.

  • Corruption charges dropped against South Africa’s police intelligence boss

    Corruption charges dropped against South Africa’s police intelligence boss

    South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority has formally withdrawn all fraud and corruption charges against Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo, the head of the country’s embattled Crime Intelligence division, and six other senior police officers, bringing an end to a high-profile case that has hung over the national police service since mid-2025.

    Khumalo and his co-accused were taken into custody in June 2025 over allegations that they had unlawfully appointed a civilian candidate, Dineo Mokwele, to a critical senior position within the Crime Intelligence unit. All seven defendants have consistently maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings, and none were placed on administrative suspension following their arrest, allowing them to remain on active duty throughout the legal process.

    The formal dismissal of the case was finalized this week at a Pretoria court, following a mandatory case review carried out last month by the country’s chief prosecutor. The outcome comes amid a sweeping national investigation into widespread corruption and infiltration of state institutions by organized criminal networks, which has put the South African Police Service under unprecedented public and political scrutiny.

    South Africa’s national police force has faced longstanding, systemic challenges for decades, including repeated allegations of political interference in operational matters, entrenched corruption at multiple levels, and persistent criticism over its failure to curb the country’s chronically high rates of violent and organized crime. To address growing public concern over these issues, President Cyril Ramaphosa launched a formal judicial inquiry last year, chaired by Justice Sandile Ngcobo and widely known as the Madlanga Commission, to investigate systemic corruption within the police service. The inquiry was called after a senior serving police officer testified that organized crime syndicates had successfully infiltrated key levels of national government.

    Speaking to reporters outside the Pretoria courthouse following the withdrawal of charges, Khumalo voiced relief that the case had concluded, saying the decision confirmed that “the truth at least is out.” Khumalo, who has more than 25 years of experience in various South African police units, took over leadership of the troubled Crime Intelligence division in 2022.

    The case against the officers centered on prosecutors’ claims that Mokwele was unqualified for her senior technical support role in Crime Intelligence, with investigators describing her hiring as a politically motivated “token appointment.” The appointment was subsequently brought under examination by the Madlanga Commission, where testimony revealed a very different picture: multiple witnesses confirmed that Mokwele held roughly a dozen professional qualifications that fully met and exceeded the requirements for the position.

    In July, Andrea Johnson, the former head of the National Prosecuting Authority’s specialized high-level corruption investigation unit, appeared before the commission to address the allegations against Mokwele. Johnson publicly admitted that she had not reviewed Mokwele’s full qualifications before making critical public comments about the appointment, and issued a formal apology for her earlier remarks.

    The withdrawal of charges marks a significant development in South Africa’s ongoing efforts to root out corruption within law enforcement, even as the Madlanga Commission continues its work to uncover wider systemic issues within the national police service.

  • Argentina’s Paredes suspended 10 matches by FIFA for World Cup fight

    Argentina’s Paredes suspended 10 matches by FIFA for World Cup fight

    Global soccer governing body FIFA has handed down severe disciplinary penalties to multiple Argentina national team players following an on-field brawl that broke out after the recent World Cup final against Spain, the organization confirmed in an official announcement on Friday. The fallout from the chaotic post-match clash extends beyond individual player bans, with Argentina facing a closed-doors sanction for their next two home international fixtures — though one of those matches has been suspended from the penalty, allowing the side to host fans for one of the matches. The most severe punishment is reserved for Boca Juniors midfielder Leandro Paredes, who will miss the next 10 senior international matches and has been ordered to pay a $90,000 fine. Paredes emerged as the central figure in the conflict after the July 19 final, held at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium where Spain claimed a 1-0 victory. Witnesses and match reports confirm Paredes grabbed Spain defender Eric Garcia by the throat before driving Spain midfielder Gavi to the ground while clutching his substitute training bib, an incident that turned a minor exchange into a full-scale scuffle between squads from both nations. Paredes was not the only Argentine player sanctioned. Teammate Nahuel Molina received a seven-match international ban and an identical $90,000 fine for his role in the unrest. Two other Argentina squad members, Thiago Almada and Pablo Martin Paez Gavira, received lighter penalties: a one-match suspension each and a $30,000 fine per player. The sanctions mark one of the harshest sets of penalties issued by FIFA for post-match misconduct in recent years, sending a clear signal about the governing body’s stance on on-field violence between international sides in major tournament fixtures.

  • Tornadoes touch down in New York and Delaware

    Tornadoes touch down in New York and Delaware

    Two tornadoes have made landfall across the U.S. Northeast, touching down in parts of New York and Delaware as a powerful system of severe thunderstorms unleashes heavy precipitation across the entire Mid-Atlantic region. Meteorological agencies confirmed the twisters formed after a surge of unstable, moisture-laden air moved through the area, triggering the severe weather event that has disrupted local communities. The intense storms accompanying the tornadoes have dropped torrential rain across wide swathes of the Mid-Atlantic, bringing risks of flash flooding, downed power lines, and travel disruptions for local residents. Emergency management teams have been deployed across affected areas to assess damage, respond to calls for assistance, and issue updated safety guidance for residents who remain in the path of lingering storm activity. Authorities have urged the public to stay tuned to official weather alerts, avoid flooded roadways, and seek shelter immediately if new severe weather warnings are issued in their areas. As of the latest updates, no major casualties have been reported, but assessment teams are still working to survey the full extent of structural damage and infrastructure impacts from the tornadoes and accompanying rainfall.

  • How Penn State students ran an alleged cocaine ring – until it all fell apart

    How Penn State students ran an alleged cocaine ring – until it all fell apart

    A sprawling, sophisticated cocaine trafficking ring operated out of Penn State University’s fraternity system has been dismantled by Pennsylvania law enforcement, with 13 current and former students — including an alleged ringleader once lauded for his commitment to high moral standards — facing criminal charges.

    The alleged leader of the enterprise is 24-year-old Agostino Abbatiello, a Sigma Chi fraternity member and graduate of a prestigious all-boys Catholic high school on New York’s Long Island. During his time in high school, Abbatiello identified himself as a “life coach” and was said to uphold the institution’s core moral principle: doing the right thing even when no one is watching. That reputation has now been completely upended by the felony charges against him.

    Prosecutors outline that what began as small-scale personal drug sharing among fraternity brothers evolved into a large-scale trafficking operation by the fall of 2024. According to court documents, Abbatiello initially sourced cocaine through a connection established by fellow Sigma Chi member Lars Zeepvat. When that supply chain dried up, he built a new larger-scale pipeline from his New York hometown, shifting from personal use to running a for-profit distribution network.

    Zeepvat and other co-conspirators soon began coordinating large drug purchases, court filings state. Two Delta Upsilon fraternity members, Mohammed Huraibi and Thomas Robinson, partnered to expand retail sales from the Delta Upsilon chapter house in 2023, prosecutors allege. As demand grew, the ring exploited fraternity pledging processes: prospective new members were forced to cut and package cocaine into half-gram sale portions as part of their initiation into the fraternity networks, rather than facing the traditional dangerous drinking challenges associated with many hazing scandals.

    The operation unraveled after a confidential informant flagged that Robinson — operating under the nickname “T-Rob” — was selling cocaine from the Delta Upsilon house, accepting payments via Venmo under his real name. Under detective supervision, the informant completed multiple controlled buys from Robinson, leading to a raid on his fraternity room in December 2024. When officers entered, Robinson reportedly believed the incident was a fraternity prank and resisted compliance, prompting police to use a Taser on him. During the raid, law enforcement seized 220 grams of marijuana, a loaded handgun, ammunition, and assorted drug paraphernalia. After his arrest, Robinson named Abbatiello as his primary supplier, opening the door for the full investigation into the entire network.

    Abbatiello faces multiple felony charges including drug possession with intent to deliver and criminal conspiracy. He failed to appear for his August 17 arraignment but turned himself in to state police the following day. Zeepvat, Huraibi, and Robinson also face felony charges, while most of the other 13 suspects face misdemeanor counts. As of this reporting, legal representatives for Abbatiello, Zeepvat, Huraibi, and Robinson have not responded to requests for comment on the allegations.

    Penn State University officials have expressed shock at the scope of the alleged criminal activity. “Criminal activity, including hazing, such as this has no place at our institution, and we will co-operate with law enforcement in any way we can,” said Andrea Dowhower, the university’s vice president for student affairs, in an official statement. Penn State has placed the Delta Upsilon chapter on interim suspension. The Sigma Chi chapter operates outside of university oversight, but national Sigma Chi leadership has suspended the charged members and placed the chapter on interim suspension, calling the alleged conduct “an egregious violation of our values.” National Delta Upsilon leadership said it is working closely with the university and investigators, adding that all suspects linked to the chapter have “either been expelled, suspended or resigned.”

    Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday emphasized the severity of the criminal enterprise during the announcement of charges. “There was nothing junior or childlike about this type of conduct,” Sunday said. “This was an upper-level trafficking organisation for this region in Pennsylvania.” Sunday added that all major figures in the ring are now in custody, and the case will move forward to preliminary hearings in the coming weeks, with all defendants guaranteed due process under the law.

  • Paredes banned 10 games as FIFA suspends 3 Argentina players for World Cup final scuffle

    Paredes banned 10 games as FIFA suspends 3 Argentina players for World Cup final scuffle

    ZURICH (AP) – Global soccer governing body FIFA has handed down severe, multi-game suspensions and substantial fines to three Argentine national team players, one senior Argentina coach, and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) following aggressive post-match incidents after last month’s under-20 World Cup final against Spain, the organization announced Friday.

    The harshest penalty went to Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes, who received a 10-match international suspension for his role in the post-final brawl: Paredes grabbed Spain defender Eric Garcia by the throat and shoved Spain star Gavi to the ground moments after Argentina’s 1-0 extra-time loss to Spain. Football analysts note this 10-game ban ranks among the most severe World Cup-related sanctions in FIFA history, placing it on par with the 2014 penalties imposed on Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez after his infamous biting incident during that year’s senior World Cup in Brazil. For context, Suarez received a four-month ban from all competitive soccer worldwide and an eight-match international suspension after biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini in a group-stage match.

    Given FIFA’s current international match calendar through June 2027, Paredes’ 10-game suspension effectively amounts to a one-year removal from the Argentine national squad, as all 10 scheduled matches during that period would be impacted by the ban. Most of these upcoming fixtures are expected to be exhibition matches, as no major competitive tournaments have been scheduled in that window yet.

    Two other Argentine players also received bans: starting defender Nahuel Molina was handed a seven-match international suspension, while young winger Thiago Almada received a one-game suspension. Financial penalties accompany the bans: Paredes and Molina were fined $90,000 each, and Almada was fined $30,000.

    Spain’s Gavi, who was involved in the post-match scuffle, was not spared: he received a one-match suspension that will force him to miss Spain’s upcoming UEFA Nations League clash against England at Wembley Stadium on September 26. Longtime Argentine assistant coach Roberto Ayala also received disciplinary action, with a three-match international ban and a $30,000 fine.

    Beyond individual penalties, FIFA also sanctioned the Argentine Football Association with a $110,000 fine for multiple separate incidents that occurred during the team’s run in the World Cup. These additional violations included players displaying a politically charged banner referencing the Falkland Islands (which is the subject of a long-running sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom) following Argentina’s semifinal victory over England, as well as verified reports of discriminatory chants by Argentine supporters during the tournament. The AFA was also ordered to allocate $100,000 to fund anti-racism education and outreach projects in Argentine soccer. Notably, Argentina received $34 million in prize money from FIFA for winning the senior men’s World Cup in Qatar 2022.

    The on-field confrontations that led to these sanctions stemmed from a highly contentious final match that saw Spain dominate possession and scoring chances, holding Argentina to almost no attacking opportunities for most of the game. Spain forward Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the match in the second half of extra time, shortly after Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off with a red card. That tense, physical build-up spilled over into the post-final handshake line, where the violent clashes that prompted FIFA’s investigation occurred.

    The AFA has the option to appeal the lengthiest suspensions and largest fines first through FIFA’s internal appellate body, with a further possible appeal to the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport after that process concludes.

  • Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch chief fit to stand trial in sex trafficking case, judge says

    Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch chief fit to stand trial in sex trafficking case, judge says

    In a major reversal of a 2023 court ruling, a U.S. federal judge has cleared the way for former Abercrombie & Fitch chief executive Mike Jeffries to face trial on multiple felony sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges, finding ample evidence that the 81-year-old defendant retains the cognitive capacity to participate in legal proceedings.

    Last year, a previous court assessment had deemed Jeffries mentally unfit to stand trial, citing diagnoses of dementia and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease that raised questions about his ability to understand the charges against him. However, following an extensive review of Jeffries’ medical documentation and more than 21 hours of audio recordings captured across 109 of his personal phone calls, U.S. District Judge Nusrat Choudhury concluded that the defendant meets the legal standard for trial competence.

    In a 150-plus-page ruling, Judge Choudhury highlighted the phone recordings as particularly compelling evidence of Jeffries’ cognitive ability. ‘On the calls, Jeffries is a fluent conversational partner and shows that he has the ability to learn new information auditorily,’ Choudhury wrote. ‘Jeffries clearly possesses a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings to adjudicate his criminal charges.’

    While Choudhury emphasized that Jeffries is competent to proceed without qualification, the court has approved targeted accommodations to account for the former CEO’s age and documented mild cognitive impairments. Court sessions will be held only between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. daily, allowing Jeffries to use the morning to review trial transcripts and consult with his legal team on the previous day’s developments. The trial schedule will also include at least two or three 15-minute breaks each session, and both the prosecution and defense will be required to provide full daily transcripts for Jeffries to review ahead of the next court day.

    Jeffries is one of three defendants named in an October 2024 indictment, which also charges his partner Matthew Smith, 62, and alleged middleman James Jacobson, 73, with operating a transnational sex trafficking ring that dates back to Jeffries’ tenure leading Abercrombie & Fitch. All three defendants have entered not guilty pleas to the charges, which include more than a dozen counts of sex trafficking in violation of federal interstate prostitution laws. A conviction on the top charges carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

    The criminal case emerged after a 2023 investigative report and ongoing podcast series by the BBC uncovered the alleged operation, which prosecutors say involved the trio scouting young men for sexual exploitation across the globe for decades while Jeffries led the major retail brand. Jeffries’ trial is currently scheduled to open in federal court on October 26.

  • UK court orders Prince Harry, others to pay Daily Mail £9.5mn

    UK court orders Prince Harry, others to pay Daily Mail £9.5mn

    In a landmark legal development that caps a high-profile privacy battle against one of Britain’s biggest tabloid publishers, the UK High Court has ordered Prince Harry and six other high-profile claimants to hand over an interim payment of £9.5 million ($13 million) to Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail. The ruling came Friday, weeks after the court dismissed the group’s claims of unlawful information gathering and privacy violations.

    The group of claimants, which includes music icon Elton John, his husband David Furnish, and well-known actors Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, brought forward serious allegations against ANL. They accused the tabloid publisher of orchestrating invasive privacy breaches, including bugging their private vehicles and homes, intercepting confidential phone calls, and gaining unauthorized access to sensitive personal data including bank statements and private medical records. ANL has repeatedly and firmly denied every single one of the allegations put forward by the claimants.

    After an 11-week trial that dominated headlines and featured emotional testimony from Prince Harry, Justice Matthew Nicklin released his core ruling on July 7, siding entirely with the publisher. In that decision, Nicklin concluded that the claimants had failed to meet the legal standard to prove their pleaded allegations against ANL. Friday’s ruling addressed the contentious issue of trial costs, following a two-hour additional hearing focused on how much the losing claimants would be required to pay.

    A formal summary published by the court confirmed that the interim payment of £9,544,355 must be completed by 4:00 pm BST (1500 GMT) on August 28. Court documents noted that ANL has claimed its total legal costs for defending the case reached approximately £34.5 million as of July 9, a figure Justice Nicklin described as “exceptionally high” and “unprecedented.” The judge also acknowledged that the requested £34.5 million total appeared excessive, raising legitimate concerns over whether all of the costs claimed by ANL were reasonably incurred as part of the defense.

    Notably, Friday’s ruling does not set the final total amount of costs that the seven claimants will ultimately be required to pay. The court’s ruling clarified that the current hearing only addressed the framework for assessing costs, not the final recoverable amount. If the two sides cannot reach an agreement on the final total, the question will be decided separately by a specialized costs judge at a later date.

    In a key decision that increases the financial liability for Prince Harry and the other claimants, Justice Nicklin rejected their request to assess costs on the more lenient standard basis. Instead, he granted ANL’s request for costs to be repaid on the stricter indemnity basis, a ruling that will significantly increase the share of total defense costs the seven claimants are legally required to cover.

    The court also established a clear timeline for any potential next steps in the legal battle: claimants must file any request for permission to appeal the July 7 core ruling by October 2. Following the judge’s July decision dismissing their claims, Prince Harry and co-claimant Doreen Lawrence, a prominent anti-racism campaigner, released a joint statement calling the ruling “a complete and obvious whitewash.”