World
Gold prices surge as investors in ‘full-blown panic’ | World | News

Gold prices have reached the $4,000 (£2979) per ounce mark for the first time on Tuesday as investors seek a “safe haven” amidst the ongoing US government shutdown.
The price of gold at the New York Stock Exchange soared past the $4,000 threshold just after the stock market opened that morning. The closing price for New York spot gold was previously reported at $3,960.60 per troy ounce, the standard measure for precious metals, on Monday.
Gold prices typically surge when investors, driven by anxiety about the economy, look for secure investments. Prior to Tuesday, this asset, along with other metals like silver, had seen significant gains over the past year, largely due to President Donald Trump‘s imposition of tariffs, which has caused global economic uncertainty.
Since the start of 2025, gold futures have risen about 50 per cent, trading at a new high of around $4,003 per troy ounce by around 9.30am on Tuesday. This represents a substantial increase from the roughly $2,670 (£1,989) seen at the start of January.
Much of this can be attributed to uncertainty. Interest in purchasing metals like gold typically spikes when investors become anxious.
The recent economic upheaval has largely been attributed to Trump’s trade wars. Since the beginning of 2025, the president’s hefty new tariffs on goods entering the U.S. from around the globe have put a strain on businesses and consumers alike – driving up costs and weakening the job market.
Consequently, hiring has plummeted while inflation continues to creep back up. Increasingly, consumers are voicing their pessimism about the future.
The ongoing US shutdown is exacerbating these anxieties. Crucial economic data has been delayed, and countless federal employees are already experiencing the impact of furloughs and working without pay for the duration of the shutdown, which has no immediate end in sight.
Trump has also threatened to use the shutdown to carry out mass redundancies and potentially permanently close offices in an attempt to penalise Democrats for rejecting GOP legislation.
The extent of the impact could depend on how long the deadlock lasts. Wall Street, meanwhile, has so far remained largely unaffected by the shutdown – but Treasury yields fell following disappointing hiring data from ADP Research on Wednesday.
Investments in gold have also been influenced by other factors over time. Analysts have previously highlighted strong gold demand from central banks worldwide – including amid escalating geopolitical tensions, such as the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
Advocates of investing in gold label it a “safe haven” – arguing that the commodity can diversify and balance your investment portfolio, as well as mitigate potential risks down the line. Some also find solace in purchasing something tangible that has the potential to appreciate over time.
However, experts warn against putting all your eggs in one basket. And not everyone concurs that gold is a sound investment.
Critics argue that gold isn’t always the inflation hedge many claim it is – and that there are more efficient methods to safeguard against potential capital loss, such as derivative-based investments.
The Commodity Futures Trade Commission has also previously cautioned individuals to be sceptical of investing in gold. Precious metals can be highly volatile, the commission stated, and prices escalate as demand increases – meaning “when economic anxiety or instability is high, the people who typically profit from precious metals are the sellers.”
And even gold’s current rally has experienced some volatility. While still up significantly overall since the beginning of the year, there have been a few short periods with losses.
For instance, gold prices dipped for several days following Trump’s sweeping “Liberation Day” announcement on 2 April.
If you decide to invest in gold, the commission advises, it’s crucial to educate yourself on safe trading practices and be wary of potential scams and counterfeits on the market.
World
Grand Canyon tragedy as man, 65, plunges 134ft to death | World | News

A 65-year-old man has died after plunging 130ft into the Grand Canyon, prompting a rescue effort to retrieve his body. The unnamed man fell over the edge of Guano Point on the western rim of the canyon within the Hualapai Reservation, according to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office. A search and rescue team was dispatched to the scene and located the man amid a pile of rock fragments.
The Hualapai Nation Police Department, the Hualapai Nation Fire, and security personnel from Grand Canyon West also lent their support in the recovery effort. Images released by the sheriff’s office show rescue teams with a stetcher going down the side of the canyon as the recovery mission went into the night.
The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue said: “Search and Rescue responded and located him about 130 feet down on a scree pile.
“Technical rope technicians set up a lowering and raising system using ropes to recover him and convey the body to the Mohave County Medical Examiners Office.”
The sheriff’s office added: “Helping on this recovery were Hualapai Tribal Police Department, Hualapai Nation Fire, Grand Canyon West Security – thank you for your assistance.”
The cause of the man’s fall is not yet known. Guano Point is a well-visited part of the Grand Canyon, offering stunning views of the canyon from the western rim.
Grand Canyon National Park Trips states that the likelihood of dying from a fall off the rim of the Grand Canyon is approximately one in 1.95 million visitors.
The National Park Service has safety guidelines for visitors, which advises hikers to say on the designated trails and walkways, and always keep at least six feet from the edge.
No one should cross barriers or rails, and all groups should keep an eye on their members, especially children. No barriers or rails should be crossed over and those hiking in groups should keep an eye on all members, especially children.
It adds: “Know where the edge is. Watch for food placement and trip hazards. Do not run, jump, or perform physical stunts when near the rim. Do not back up without first looking where you are going.”
World
Fake Maddie ‘hid bombshell evidence proving she wasn’t Madeleine McCann under mattress’ | World | News

The 24-year-old who claimed to be missing British girl Madeleine McCann hid damning evidence that she was lying about her identity under a mattress for almost two years, it’s been claimed. Julia Wandelt, who was sentenced to six months in jail for harassing the McCann family this week, secretly kept childhood photos that proved she wasn’t the missing Brit under her mattress, according to The Sun. Wandelt, who grew up in Poland, reportedly had photos of her father holding her as a baby in her possession, despite denying any association with her parents.
A five-week trial at Leicester Crown Court heard the 24-year-old claim to have memories, induced by hypnosis sessions, of being abducted and living with the McCanns as a child, including feeding Madeleine’s younger brother, Sean. Wandelt was convicted of harassment for turning up at the McCann’s home, sending letters and messages and repeatedly begging for a DNA test on Friday, November 7. She was found not guilty of stalking them.
Before launching her campaign of harassment, which included calling Kate, Madeleine’s mother, more than 60 times in one day, Wandelt reportedly stayed for three weeks in 2023 with private investigator and medium, Dr Fia Johansson.
Dr Johansson said the 24-year-old had shared medical evidence and childhood photos with her, revealing happy early years in Poland, despite Wandelt’s insistence that she did not believe her mother and father were her real parents.
Dr Johansson told The Sun that she also paid for Wandelt to do a DNA test, which proved she was of Polish, Romanian and Lithuanian descent, prompting her to become hysterical and threaten to visit the McCanns.
Wandelt was also handed a restraining order during this week’s trial, with a judge telling her she poses a “significant risk of the harassment of the McCanns in the future”.
She has already served the extent of her jail sentence on remand, waiting for trial, and is likely to be deported to Poland imminently.
Following the verdict and sentencing, the McCanns released a statement expressing “no pleasure in the result”.
“Like most people, we did not want to go through a court process … and only wanted the harassment to stop,” they said.
“The decision to prosecute was taken by the Crown Prosecution Service, based on the evidence gathered by the police. We hope Ms Wandelt will receive the appropriate care and support she needs, and any vulnerability will not be exploited by others.
“If anyone has any new evidence relating to Madeleine’s disappearance, please pass this on to the police.”
Madeleine’s disappearance from a holiday resort in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007, remains unsolved despite extensive publicity and large-scale and ongoing police investigations.
World
Donald Trump rages immigrants ‘flooding’ into Europe in major attack on EU | World | News

US President Donald Trump has claimed immigrants are “flooding” into Europe as he hailed Hungary’s far-right Viktor Orban. Mr Trump made the comments while hosting the Hungarian Prime Minister at the White House in an apparent bid by Mr Orban to broker another summit between the US and Russia on the conflict in Ukraine. “If you look at [Mr Orban’s] stance on immigration and other things, you know, if you look at Europe, they made tremendous mistakes in immigration,” the US President said. “It’s really hurting them very badly. He has not made a mistake on immigration.
“They have people flooding Europe all over the place and it’s hurting it. The crime rates are way up, bad things are happening.” Hungary has refused to follow the orders of the European Court of Justice on admitting immigrants and has been forced to pay fines as a result.
Under existing legislation, those who cross Hungary‘s borders cannot afterwards submit requests for asylum, but can only do so from an embassy outside the country.
Hungary has taken a hardline approach to migrants from outside the EU since 2015, when over a million people entered the country while fleeing war in Syria. Authorities built border fences and attempted to push back those crossing the border.
The two leaders opened their meeting with a series of complimentary remarks about one another, with Mr Trump praising Mr Orban for “running a great country” and pledging to discuss “trade, the Russia-Ukraine conflict [and] energy prices”.
Mr Orban, who is a long-time Trump ally, also criticised the president’s predecessor Joe Biden, suggesting that his tenure in the White House had “ruined” the relationship between the US and Hungary.
It was widely speculated before the meeting that the nationalist leader would seek a waiver on US sanctions on the purchase of Russian oil, with Mr Orban admitting his country is dependent on Moscow’s oil and gas, telling the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that without the supplies, “energy prices will skyrocket, causing shortages in our reserves”.
Questioned if he would be willing to give Hungary an exemption on the Russian oil sanctions, Mr Trump said: “We’re looking at it, because it’s very difficult for him to get the oil and gas from other areas. As you know, they don’t have … the advantage of having sea.”
The US President also said he had agreed with Mr Orban that the war in Ukraine must end soon. Asked why he didn’t meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest last month, he said: “The basic dispute is they just don’t want to stop yet. And I think they will, I think it’s taking a big toll on Russia.”
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