2026/08/18 Daily Edition

Several thousands of Vinted users say they have been wrongly suspended or permanently banned from the preloved app.

Nine in 10 mobile wallet users have their debit card loaded as their default payment method, new data shows.

A statement on the blues-rock band's website said he died on Monday in hospice

Mason Greenwood struck a second-half equaliser as Fenerbahce fought back to draw 1-1 at home to Lyon in their Champions League play-off first leg on Tuesday. Lois Openda put Lyon ahead before Greenwood levelled. Viking Stavanger rallied from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw at Dinamo Zagreb.

State Attorney General Keith Ellison has called for the transfer of ICE agent accused of lying about nonfatal shooting.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday there were no talks planned with Iran and insisted the Strait of Hormuz remained open, despite limited traffic and a reported attack on a ship. Trump also threatened Oman as it sought to broker a shipping agreement with Tehran, regional officials said.

Five-time Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo became the first Black African to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, marking a milestone for African music. The Beninese-French singer was honored at a ceremony in Los Angeles attended by film stars and leading figures from the music industry.

Critics said I was attacking motorists. It’s more important for me that the city’s children are no longer breathing dangerous levels of pollution Ulez led to better lung size and function among London children, study finds When I introduced London’s clean air zone – the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) – more than seven years ago, no city had ever attempted anything quite like it. At the time, the scheme in central London provoked fierce opposition. When I decided to expand it – first in 2021, to inner London, and then again in 2023 to the whole city, making it the biggest clean-air zone in the world – my detractors were louder still. I had, they claimed, declared war on drivers in blind pursuit of a policy that may not even work. All the mainstream political parties, including my own, were opposed. In recent years, though, those critics have gone quiet. There is now a mountain of evidence to show that the Ulez has slashed air pollution and improved air quality across London, and research published by Imperial College London earlier this year showed that this is already saving lives. Between 2019 (when I first introduced the Ulez) and 2024, estimated deaths associated with air pollution in the capital fell by around 40%. But a new, independent study published by Queen Mary University of London today goes further still, showing how – by helping to clean up the capital’s air – the Ulez is improving the lungs and lives of London’s children. Sadiq Khan is mayor of London..

The move followed a long battle with regulators over the company’s tight controls of its App Store.

Arrest comes after attack on activist Nadia Beller, who says she was targeted for her opposition to corruption.

Advice and guidance services for doctors in England found to be creating risk of missed or late detection of illness Cancer diagnoses have been missed or delayed because of a system designed for GPs to seek specialist advice before referring patients to hospital, according to an investigation. The Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) identified patient risks linked to how advice and guidance (A+G) services have been implemented across England...

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani shows Britain’s Andy Burnham that confronting billionaires need not mean the end of cooperation with Donald Trump In November, Californians will vote on a one-off 5% levy on residents worth more than $1bn. The union-backed plan could raise $100bn, more than enough to replace federal healthcare funding stripped away by Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. About 200 very rich people would pay. But the referendum is becoming a test of whether extreme wealth can buy the political power to defeat a popular redistributive policy. Google co-founder Sergey Brin has already spent $100m backing opposition to the tax – a fraction of the $13bn bill he could face. Other billionaires are joining him. Whether voters can impose costs on the super-rich once their fortunes are big enough to shape the political process is now an open question. That alone should trouble any democracy. It’s a long way from Mr Brin’s west coast lair of Mountain View to Andy Burnham’s Makerfield constituency. But the prime minister should heed the call from prominent progressive academics – led by the Nobel prize winner Joseph Stiglitz – urging Britain to join a new global push to tackle inequality. Prof Stiglitz wants help creating a new UN International Panel on Inequality (IPI). This stems from the G20’s first-ever inequality report, which warned that the yawning gap between rich and poor was a human-made crisis corroding democracy and social cohesion while blocking efforts to tackle the climate emergency...

The long-running mail-order business Columbia House, which became famous for its record and CD clubs before focusing on DVDs, has announced it'll take its final orders next month.

Pentagon contracts defence manufacturer to increase output of cruise missiles.

US Agriculture Department says rescinding 2001 rule will help reduce wildfire risk and return control to local managers.

Officials warn they are continuing to identify new chains of transmission, which need to be broken to stop the spread.

UN watchdog reports that it found large amounts of material at undisclosed sites in Syria.

The agency joins a growing number of workplaces and groups to ban Meta’s devices, which have spurred privacy concerns.

It is also adding more premium seats, with the changes aimed at improving the travel experience and boosting revenue.

US president hits out as states bordering the Strait of Hormuz continue talks on managing the strategic waterway.

A day after President Trump’s envoy, Jared Kushner, visited Israel to advance a stalled plan for demilitarizing and rebuilding Gaza, the Israeli military said it targeted Hamas commanders.

The World Health Organization says the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo can be brought under control in three months.

In South Africa, the Madlanga Commission set up last year to unpick allegations of unlawful kickbacks, cliques and corruption in the criminal justice system continues its investigations.

"It was just weird, like some twisted game": At least half a dozen people were threatened near City Hall last week.

NPR's Juana Summers talks with University of Michigan economist Betsey Stevenson about trends in women's participation in the labor force and the value of flexible work arrangements.

The new US tariffs would cover about $20bn worth of imports and could lead to job losses and business closures.

The first group of 20 deportees is expected to arrive in the coming days.

The U.S. is scheduled to impose more tariffs on Canada, hitting about $20 billion dollars worth of goods, as trade negotiations between the two neighboring countries hit an impasse.

Premier Sports secure rights with BBC not bidding Nandy: ‘As a fan myself, I share fans’ disappointment’ The culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, has urged administrators to strike a deal to allow this autumn’s Rugby League World Cup to be shown on free-to-air broadcast after it was announced the event would be shown in the United Kingdom exclusively on subscription TV. The BBC’s longstanding relationship with the sport has led to it consistently showing the Rugby League World Cup irrespective of where and when the tournament has been held. But that tradition will seemingly end this autumn, after it was confirmed the broadcaster would not bid for the rights to show the event, which will be held in Australia...

A Russian missile strike on Pechenihy, in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, killed at least 10 civilians and wounded 17 others.

Concern over the security of Europe's largest nuclear plant has been rife since Russia launched its full-scale war.

Ivy League schools were pressured into settlements despite a lack of evidence, according to a former DOJ lawyer.

The Trump administration has led a campaign to 'dismantle' the court, calling it a threat to national sovereignty.

The ABC Network has sued the Federal Communications Commission, alleging that the Trump administration is violating its First Amendment rights by challenging ABC broadcast licenses and investigating the network's talk show "The View."

Footage shows the moment Turkish New Party MP Melih Meric got into an argument with a man who stabbed him.

A judge who was recently nominated by the US president to serve in Florida's federal court will now preside over his $10bn defamation case against the BBC.

Judge previously found US government brought charges against Abrego Garcia as retaliation for case that embarrassed it.

Mark Owen is pleased to welcome Michel Tognini, former head of the European Astronaut Centre of the European Space Agency. Tognini sees a spacewalk as a paradox of human spaceflight: from the ground, it can look almost effortless, but outside the space station, even the simplest movement takes place within an exceptionally unforgiving environment. Sophie Adenot’s EVA demands constant attention to her suit, her tether, her tools, her route around a structure roughly the size of a football pitch, and the dramatic temperature changes between sunlight and darkness. For Tognini, the essential discipline of a spacewalk is simple to describe but extremely challenging to master.

Paris is to expel two Iranian diplomats serving in France following the banning by Iran of two French diplomats posted to the embassy in Tehran, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Tuesday. He said Iran's treatment of the French diplomats briefly arrested in Tehran last month over accusations of "interference" in Iran's internal affairs was "intolerable".

Ruling permits Trump administration to nix Ethiopians' protected status despite concern over conditions in the country.

Rodri won the player of the World Cup award while helping Spain beat Argentina, and now completes his Barcelona move.

Hundreds of university students in Indonesia took to the streets of Jakarta on Tuesday.

Case follows whistleblower’s 2021 claims about Meta’s profit-driven disregard for young people’s mental health and user safety.

Twenty-nine US states are seeking huge damages, claiming Meta’s platforms were addictive by design In 1994, more than 40 US states came together to sue one of the most powerful industries on earth: big tobacco. The suits brought together diverse claims centred on tobacco companies’ misleading advertising and contribution to a mounting public health crisis. They ended in a negotiated settlement with the US government, in which the companies agreed to pay more than any industry ever, and the states agreed to drop a large portion of their claims...

An Israeli strike hit a cafe in the port area west of Gaza City, killing six Palestinians, including a child.

A number of buildings and cars are damaged in the historic city, and the world famous Alhambra palace has closed temporarily.

Analysts say the attack on Abu al-Duhur was likely an Israeli message warning to not rebuild Syria's air force.

A hospital in Nigeria has collapsed after rainwater triggered a landslide, washing away the foundational infrastructure.

Lindsay Clancy has admitted killing her daughter and two sons but has pleaded not guilty to murder, saying she was experiencing postpartum psychosis.

Patrons at two of the chain’s London pubs were all for Tim Martin’s ban on playing music or taking calls on speaker The terrace of the Moon Under Water Wetherspoons pub in Leicester Square was full of people enjoying the warm weather and chatting between tables – without a TikTok video or speakerphone call in earshot. At Wetherspoons, the convivial atmosphere can no longer be punctuated by rude customers taking phone calls on blast, or playing videos without headphones after Tim Martin, the owner of the pub chain, banned both actions on his premises...

Opening arguments are underway in a trial that pits four states against the company that owns Facebook and Instagram. They allege that Meta knew its products could hook kids — and lied about the danger.

Despite declining consumption, the country will still need lots of gas in coming years but solutions aren’t forthcoming UK risks running out of gas by 2030s, ministers told The penny is dropping in government. Britain, even in rapid energy transition mode, will still need a lot of gas in the years ahead – and needs to know how the gas will arrive. It could hardly be otherwise when there are 24m households with a gas connection, largely for heating, and the pace of heat pumps adoption is miserable. Last year gas comprised about a third of the UK’s overall energy needs. Though annual consumption is in decline, the days of peak use during a bleak midwinter can still be as high as ever...

Britain’s ever-broader terrorism laws are erasing the line between political violence, protest and dissent.

The Trump administration has vowed to dismantle the international court "brick by brick".

Despite another reset with a new manager and fresh strategy, the boardroom drama persists at Stamford Bridge Perhaps, in hindsight, it was always going to end this way. As some of the world’s wealthiest investors scrambled to find funds after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine set a series of dominoes toppling that forced Roman Abramovich to sell Chelsea, it threw together some unexpected allies. Todd Boehly became the public face of the winning bid, convincing US sports mogul Mark Walter and Swiss businessman Hansjörg Wyss to join as 12.8% minority investors. Private equity firm Clearlake Capital put in 61.6%, bringing owners Behdad Eghbali and José E Feliciano, who made their fortunes investing in tech, into the leadership fold...

FCC faces scrutiny as Disney claims licence renewal order is tied to political motives against ABC's coverage.

Afolabi Kazeem Micheal has not commented on allegations he is linked to a global drug trafficking network.

The network accuses the administration of retaliation against ABC, as it "disapproves of what ABC broadcasts".

Iran’s authorities say they could shift to offensive operations as Washington considers further sanctions.

The move to repeal the ‘roadless rule” would pave the way for road construction and logging in nearly 45 million acres of untouched back country.