PROUD MEDIA NEWS CENTRE

 Richard Gerald Jordan kidnapped Edwina Marter and shot her dead in a forest - before demanding a $25,000 ransom from her husband A man who was on death row in Mississippi for almost 50 years has been executed. Richard Gerald Jordan kidnapped and killed Edwina Marter, a stay-at-home mother who was married to a banker, in a violent ransom scheme. The 79-year-old, a Vietnam War veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, died by lethal injection at 6.16pm local time (12.16am UK time) on Wednesday. Jordan was the longest-serving man on death row in Mississippi - and had sued the state over its three-drug execution protocol, arguing it was inhumane. When given an opportunity to make a final statement, he said: "First I would like to thank everyone for a humane way of doing this. I want to apologise to the victim's family." Jordan's wife Marsha and his lawyer Krissy Nobile attended the execution, and dabbed their eyes several times as it took place. He thanke...

  Sir Keir Starmer insisted Nato remains committed to collective defence after US President Donald Trump cast doubt on his support for the mutual aid pact. Before Wednesday’s Nato summit in The Hague, Mr Trump had told reporters on the flight from Washington it would depend “on your definition” of Article 5, when asked if he would commit to collective defence. Nato’s Article 5 commits all members of the alliance to come to the defence of each other if attacked. But speaking to broadcasters on the way into the summit, the Prime Minister said allies were “absolutely committed to the importance of Nato, particularly in a very volatile world”. And before the meeting of the North Atlantic Council on Wednesday, Sir Keir appeared to be in deep conversation with Mr Trump. Sir Keir’s message was repeated by Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte, who opened the summit meeting with the words: “Our joint commitment to Article 5, that an attack on one is an attack on all, sends a powerful message.”...

  US tariffs and higher costs for firms mean the UK economy is set to grow at a slower rate than previously predicted, according to new forecasts. US tariffs and higher costs for firms mean the UK economy is set to grow at a slower rate than previously predicted, according to new forecasts. Rising costs are set to cause “weak” business investment and weigh on the Government’s ambitions to accelerate growth in the UK economy, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said. The influential trade body’s latest economic forecast indicated that the UK economy is on track to grow by 1.2% this year. It had previously predicted a rise of 1.6%. It also downgraded its growth forecast for 2026 from 1.5% to 1% for the year. The CBI highlighted that the UK has seen strong growth over the start of the year, rising by 0.7% in the first three months of 2025. But it suggested underlying activity “remains sluggish” due to persistently weak demand and gloomy sentiment among businesses. It added tha...

  G7 leaders called for de-escalation in the Middle East before Donald Trump left the global summit early as conflict intensifies between Israel and Iran. Allies from the world’s major economies affirmed their “commitment to peace and stability” in a statement agreed shortly before the US president’s abrupt departure from a major global summit in Canada. The White House said Mr Trump had left the G7 leaders’ conference after a group dinner on Monday because of “what’s going on in the Middle East,” without elaborating. The US president said his reason for leaving the summit had “nothing to do with a ceasefire” between Israel and Iran. In their statement, the leaders called for a “ceasefire in Gaza” and said they “stand ready to coordinate” to protect market stability in the face of rising oil prices amid spiralling hostilities between Israel and Iran. It said: “We, the leaders of the G7, reiterate our commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. “In this context, we affirm ...

The UK-US trade deal has been signed and is “done”, US President Donald Trump said as he met with Sir Keir Starmer at the G7 summit. The UK-US trade deal has been signed and is “done”, US President Donald Trump said as he met with Sir Keir Starmer at the G7 summit. The Prime Minister said the completed deal “implements on car tariffs and aerospace”, and described the agreement as a “sign of strength” between Britain and America. However, as the two leaders met at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, there was a signal from the President that agreement about tariffs on British steel exports to the US could take longer to finalise. “We’re gonna let you have that information in little while,” he said when asked by reporters about steel tariffs. In recent months, the UK has held a series of engagements aimed at securing a reduction in the tariffs Mr Trump imposed on Britain and the rest of the world on April 2. Along with 10% tariffs on all British goods, the President imposed 25% levies ...

  Salvador Plasencia, who gave Friends star the drug in month leading to overdose, to plead guilty to four counts A doctor charged with giving Matthew Perry ketamine in the month leading up to the Friends star’s overdose death has agreed to plead guilty, authorities said Monday. Dr Salvador Plasencia has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine, federal prosecutors said in a statement. They said the plea carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, and Plasencia is expected to enter the plea in the coming weeks. Plasencia and a woman accused of being a ketamine dealer had been the primary targets of the prosecution, after three other defendants, including another doctor, agreed to plead guilty in exchange for their cooperation. Plasencia had been scheduled to start trial in August. An email to his attorney seeking comment was not immediately answered. Perry was found dead by his assistant on 28 October 2023. The medical examiner ruled that ke...