2026/08/13 Daily Edition

One of the most famous teams in the world is about to change hands for the second time in less than a year for more than $12bn. Will anyone push back? One of the most brutal lessons we must learn as fans is that the team we shed blood, sweat and tears for is seen by those who own it as just one of many assets. That gap has never felt as wide as it does this week. On Wednesday, ESPN reported that the Los Angeles Lakers are set to change hands, for the second time in 10 months, for $12.5bn, a sum that would be a record for any North American sports team. (The deal must be approved by the NBA’s board of governors before it can go through.) The buyers aren’t diehards who saved up every penny like the good Dr Jerry Buss in the 1970s. Those days are gone. If and when the deal is approved, the new owners will be venture capitalist Josh Kushner and his business partner, Bob Iger. Kushner is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, the titleless Wormtongue to Donald Trump’s Saruman. Iger used to run Disney. These men have connections across the political world and influence in every corner of the American empire. A franchise woven into a city’s identity should never become an asset vastly wealthy people move around like a chip around a poker table. But that is exactly what the Lakers are about to become. The way the deal came together should terrify anyone who still thinks sports belong to the fans. Mark Walter took control of the team from the Buss family last October at a valuation of roughly $10bn. Now he is set to cash out around $2bn richer. That’s not how this is supposed to work. The old guard, like Buss, used to guard their NBA teams like heirlooms and pass them down. Walter is set to flip the team after less than a year...

Unseen material gives insight into how death-defying attempts by drivers made impact on public imagination With the Bonneville salt flats in Utah echoing to the sound of a new land speed record achieved by a British team, the timing could not be more apposite. The historical legacy of the challenge of pushing the envelope of pace is being dusted down and made public in the form of an extraordinary archive from more than a century of record-breaking machines and their singularly driven pilots. On Tuesday, JCB’s Hydromax car took the hydrogen-powered International Automobile Federation (FIA) land speed record, reaching 406.320mph at Bonneville...

It's a twice-a-year injection that is remarkably effective in preventing an HIV infection. Distribution is starting. But questions are being raised about getting it to the areas that need it most.

The order cannot effect change, and is only ‘undermining trust in vaccines’ as CDC guidance remains the same Donald Trump’s executive order on vaccines does not change the US recommendations for the shots – but experts say it does create confusion and doubt about vaccines, which will lead to more illness and possibly deaths among children and will make it harder for families and pediatricians to protect them. The executive order was an attempt to reinstate sweeping changes to the vaccine schedule made earlier this year by Robert F Kennedy Jr, secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services and a longtime vaccine opponent – changes that were later halted by a federal judge...

Move blocking funds through Medicaid and Chip to make it harder for vulnerable children to get healthcare, experts say The Trump administration finalized a rule on Tuesday to end gender-affirming care through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (Chip), a move that will make it harder for vulnerable children to access healthcare and that eschews evidence to advance an anti-transgender ideology, opponents say. The rule is set to take effect on 13 October – but legal challenges could delay or block it entirely...

State is US’s largest user of pesticide that is virtually proven to cause Parkinson’s disease California is banning paraquat, a highly toxic, controversial herbicide used across millions of acres of American cropland. Public health advocates characterize it as a deadly substance that is virtually proven to cause Parkinson’s disease. It is already outlawed in more than 70 countries, including China, the UK and the EU. Yet in the US, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reapproved it for use in 2021 and 2024...

A blast at a petroleum storage facility in the port of Rotterdam has killed one person and wounded six others, Dutch officials said.

A blast at a ⁠storage facility for petroleum products at the Netherlands’ Rotterdam port killed one person and wounded six others on Thursday, officials said, as police investigated the cause of the explosion. A spokesperson for major energy commodities trading company Gunvor said an “incident” occurred during maintenance work on a storage tank. A police spokesperson said that there was no immediate ⁠sign of sabotage and that all possible scenarios were under ‌investigation. Rotterdam is...

The Reform UK leader resigned as the MP for Clacton at the start of July and forced a byelection The number of patients in England being cared for in hospital corridors or makeshift areas has remained above 3,000 a day for the second month in a row, as the NHS experiences a “summer surge”, the Press Association reports. This was happening as A&E attendance numbers reached 2.5m in July – higher than any other single month on record. May and June were also record months for A&E attendance, in part because of the extreme heat. Yvette Cooper, the health secretary, warned yesterday the health service must start planning for summer pressures in the same way as winter. However, the data shows overall waiting times for treatment fell slightly in June after rising for two months in a row. The NHS normally experiences spikes in demand during the summer months, as the public spends more time outside which can lead to a rise in accidents. But this summer has seen unprecedented pressure, with the heat contributing to an increase in admissions caused by more outdoor activity and respiratory issues linked to dry weather, as well as worsening of underlying medical conditions. The first minister is right to ask about this. This is 1,500 jobs in the north of Scotland. It’s also an area that is being transformed by that move towards offshore renewables, Scotland continuing to contribute. It’s an area which is, in general terms, important for security. Scotland is contributing to European energy security, which is a concern across Europe when you speak to leaders there...

DR Congo's Ebola outbreak has spread to a sixth province after a death was recorded in the previously unaffected Bas-Uele province.

From the Loire to the Danube, via the Rhine and the Po, European rivers are facing exceptionally low water levels. After a start to the summer marked by record temperatures, the drought is threatening river transport, energy production, ecosystems and water supplies.

Amid the rubble and debris of Gaza's bombed-out landscape, beekeepers are rebuilding their livelihoods, handling swarms and collecting what little honey they can from the colonies that survived the war. Ibrahim al-Dabbeh, head of the Cooperative Association of Beekeepers in the Gaza Strip says "the war destroyed more than 95% of the bee sector". Rebuilding these hives means trying to revive an industry pushed to the brink of extinction.

Russia maintained an iron grip on Crimea since seizing it from Ukraine in 2014. Many Russian civilians go there to enjoy the beaches. But now Ukraine is hitting Crimea hard, upending daily life.

Under local regulations in the region, "it is forbidden to needlessly disturb, attract or pursue a polar bear".

As hotter summers become the norm, home aircon can feel increasingly tempting. We put six units to the test for cooling power, noise and energy use – and explain what you need to know before buying • How to sleep in a heatwave • Can air conditioning be green? Tell people you’re testing air conditioning, and the truth soon comes out: far more people have aircon than you’d ever imagine. It’s a guilty secret, the home improvement equivalent of Botox or weight loss jabs – everyone notices the results, but nobody admits to the method. Most portable aircons are in bedrooms, hidden away from visitors, so they’re easy to keep secret. And while friends with aircon don’t suddenly look younger or slimmer, they do look suspiciously well rested during a heatwave, while you’ve spent the night tossing and turning. So if you’re using an aircon unit, why have it in the bedroom? Warm air rises, so upstairs bedrooms can be the hottest by the end of the day, making for restless nights. And if your bedroom is in a loft conversion, it’s even worse: the roof absorbs the sun’s heat all day before radiating it back into the room after dark...

In a quarter-century, the party has strengthened democracy, driven development and elevated Turkiye’s global standing.

A court found Christopher Alan Saunders, the former bishop of Broome, guilty of sexually abusing two men, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Analysts say Saudi Arabia is strengthening its position with regional allies as the Houthis increase their attacks.

A federal judge in Miami will hear arguments Thursday over whether social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate should remain in custody as they fight extradition to the United Kingdom, where the brothers are accused of rape and sex trafficking. Analysis with our guest, Cecile Simmons, author and independent researcher on masculinism.

Zambians went to the polls Thursday in an election focused on economic hardships in the copper-rich nation, where President Hakainde Hichilema is seeking a second term.

Poland has arrested a Russian national who was allegedly planning to kill a Ukrainian-American dual citizen in Warsaw, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Thursday. Tusk added that this was the first time that “someone on the order of Russia” had sought to attack an American citizen on NATO territory.

Israeli forces on Thursday moved against rogue settlers laying siege to Palestinians amid unusually strong US criticism, even as Israel inaugurated an emblematic settlement elsewhere in the West Bank. Our correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky tells us more.

Mali President Assimi Goïta on Thursday pardoned a French ​national who had been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Last year, Mali's military-led government accused Yann ​Vézilier, an official from the French embassy, of being involved in a plot ​to destabilise the West ‌African country.

A fifth has been reinstated, though an appeals board found that the whole group broke Hockey Canada's code of conduct.

The mayor of Qusra says Israeli troops have been telling families to leave their houses, using some as barracks.

The city of Belém in northern Brazil was overwhelmed by an outbreak of dengue two years ago. An all-out municipal effort has reduced cases and may offer lessons to American cities.

The 27-year-old Israeli player has used his platform to defend Israel amid the genocide in Gaza.

A U.S. oil company says it could be on the verge of a major discovery in Greenland. The proposal comes at a tricky time for the Arctic island, and locals are lining up against it.

The dating app's boss says the move is in response to a successful trial and a change in what users want.

China already manufactures humanoid robots by the thousands. A new generation of U.S. start-ups is betting that there is still time to compete.

Oil has been spilling from the Caroline Bezengi, a tanker that has been leaking crude since running aground off Oman.

Inquiry follows security concerns over reported visits of dozens of women to Bruno Foucher’s official residence France has opened disciplinary proceedings against its ambassador to Central African Republic over allegations of misconduct, after claims that he brought dozens of women into his official residence, raising potential security concerns. The investigation comes as Paris seeks to rebuild relations with CAR, after their sharp deterioration in recent years amid Russia’s expanding influence in the former French colony...

More than 2,000 people have died due to the latest strain of the Ebola virus.

Iran called President Donald Trump's claim that Washington controlled the Strait of Hormuz "lies and fabrications" on Thursday as Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the spokesperson for Iran's central military command, said that the waterway was fully under Tehran's control. Iran has kept control of Hormuz, a vital energy conduit, since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East on February 28.

Experts say better regulation is needed but that bad press about ‘motorized menaces’ puts the ebike revolution at risk Beware, Americans: there’s a battery-powered threat cruising down beach paths, rolling up hiking trails and zipping along the streets of our cities. By now, you’ve likely seen footage on social media of teens racing along streets, popping wheelies and weaving around car traffic with reckless abandon. The Los Angeles Times recently dubbed them the “new Hells Angels”. Other news outlets have referred to them as “motorized menaces” terrorizing communities. Sounds scary...

Michigan-based group leads class action lawsuit against US government and defence contractors over Lebanon war abuses.

Etna erupts often, but it usually doesn’t release this much ash, an expert said. Tens of thousands of travelers’ plans have been disrupted in the past week.

Syria's economic capital Aleppo was left largely in ruins by the fighting that raged there between regime and rebel forces from 2012 to 2016. A 2023 earthquake also caused severe damage to the old city. But reconstruction is now well underway, in particular of Aleppo's treasured historic monuments.

The tournament from February 2 to 7 will feature Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad.

The drills come amid rising tensions with China, which frequently sends military planes and ships towards Taiwan.

US police officers have quit after using licence plate-reading cameras to track romantic partners.

Three nations to group ministers, hold ⁠joint exercises and deepen defence industry cooperation under the pact.

Romania had tried to avert a total shutdown of the plant, which usually generates a fifth of the country's electricity.

It’s a nice sentiment, but all AI users should ask three questions about their preferred choice of AI platform On Monday, Mark Zuckerberg published a 6,500-word essay, The Future Is for Everyone. The essay came with something even rarer: a new Meta open-weight model. An open-weight AI model is the kind of AI with which you download the entire thing, and it works on your own computer (with or without the internet) and nobody can switch it off except for you. Almost every mainstream AI tool you use, whether it be Gemini, ChatGPT or Claude, is one you rent access to. Meta’s is one that you can download and actually own. I downloaded it before I finished the essay. So can you. This major move by the world’s largest tech heavyweight comes amid a summer heavy with AI news, full of nations at war. Washington against Beijing; tech founder against tech founder. But beneath those conflicts is a deeper contest between two kinds of power: a government that can order technology offline in an instant, and a company that can simply close your account. Neither is necessarily villainous. But the rest of us are not merely the audience in this fight; we are the prize. And the terms are already being written: intelligence on lease, a future we pay for but never quite own...

Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group acquires Knightsbridge-headquartered retailer after it went into administration Business live – latest updates The owner of Sports Direct has bought Harvey Nichols out of administration after the upmarket department store chain warned it could run out of money if it did not find new funding. Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group said on Thursday it had bought the department store chain, which is headquartered at its store in Knightsbridge, for an undisclosed sum on the same day as it was placed into administration. It has 13 stores and 1,200 employees...

Ofwat has given provisional approval for 13 water companies to charge customers more to pay for investments.

CAF have given under-fire Gianni Infantino their backing, and now say the FIFA president must stand in March's election.

Confederation of African Football chief Patrice Motsepe says Gianni Infantino's future should only be decided by elections after Ireland became the latest federation to withdraw their support for the embattled FIFA president.

Jury selection began Wednesday in Meta's federal trial over claims its platforms have harmed youth mental health and also track children in violation of federal law. Our correspondent Wassim Cornet tells us more.

The US and Iran continue their standoff in the Strait of Hormuz as mediators try to coax talks.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is on a nationwide tour to listen to the ‘financial concerns’ of the people.

Thursday morning will mark 72 hours since the quake in Colombia, where "people are surprised that the government didn't accept the help from foreign rescue teams", says our journalist Rosa Perez.

Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world and in some places is ill-equipped to deal with hot weather.

Israel carts away Gaza's rubble to destroy war crimes evidence and make the landscape unliveable, rights groups say.

Fulham's friendly in Malaga turned sour as the Premier League club walked off ahead of a penalty shootout.

At least 437 civilians were killed and 2,610 injured in Ukraine in July, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission said.

The Black Sea location has been selected after Bulgarian singer Dara won this year's contest.

Hakainde Hichilema wants five more years but continued cost of living pressures have dented his appeal.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan has been a public critic of Mr. Putin, who has denounced her country’s sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war.

Israel, which hosted the contest in 2019, will no longer be allowed to do so - but can still compete, protesters say.