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sports

Elanga and Wissa strike as Newcastle extends Spurs’ miserable start to season

If ever you wanted to understand the distinction between ‘winning the transfer market’ and winning an actual football match, then this was the game for you. Tottenham’s first home fixture of the Premier League season began with adulatory focus on all their new players. It ended in decisive defeat to Newcastle as recruit after recruit failed to make their presence pay, while Newcastle’s forgotten forwards made hay. “Tottenham Hotspur, it’s happened again”, sang the Toon Army as if it needed pointing out. Tottenham should have taken the lead in the first half they had the better of, but they had no response to impressive second-half strikes by first Anthony Elanga then Yoanne Wissa. What had looked like green shoots of positivity withered into nothing. For a Newcastle team itself a work in progress under Matthias Jaissle, this was a heartening victory achieved with still many of their own additions to come in...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 6:32:55 PM
sports

James Tarkowski pounces at the death as Everton deny Bournemouth win

Through wind and rain came the end of summer and a new era at the Vitality. Milan will visit Dorset this autumn, and travel to San Sebastián, Galicia, and Czechia awaits. The stadium itself is under renovation, exoskeletons to be filled in, new security cordons to negotiate. An unbeaten home record that stretches back to 3 January sustains, though so does Bournemouth’s ability to concede late goals, James Tarkowski’s equaliser coming in injury time. For all that renewal, Bournemouth kicked off with a familiar look, only António Silva in central defence an addition to the starting lineup Marco Rose inherited from Andoni Iraola. If the club stance is Alex Scott remains whatever the offers, his first-half goal and overall performance can only add to the cachet. Amid a game played at regulation Premier League 1.5x speed, as others careered around on a sodden surface, the Channel Islander made time and space bend to his will, the mark of true talent...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 4:12:19 PM
sports

Hull maintain flying start as Liam Millar’s winner ruins Coventry’s day

Perhaps last week’s triumph was not a one-off. Hull backed up a shock victory against Manchester United by maintaining their 100% start to the Premier League by condemning Coventry to successive defeats. “We’re gonna win the league,” was the glorious chant raining down from the Hull support after Liam Millar’s 82nd-minute strike. The goal was a sucker-punch for Coventry, who were pushing for a winner themselves and looked set to at least earn their first point of the season. Frank Lampard, arms folded, was unmoved as the away end rejoiced...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 4:11:35 PM
health

We tried 15 lotions over three weeks. Here’s which our testers loved – and which left them high and dry

From Jergens and Naturium to CeraVe and Eucerin, there’s a potion on this list that will keep every body soft and moisturized The best facial cleansers in the US for every skin type, recommended by dermatologists Sign up for the Filter US newsletter, your weekly guide to buying fewer, better things Your skin is the largest organ on the body. Taking care of it can feel like a full-time job, especially if you struggle with anything from dryness and sun damage to psoriasis, not to mention allergies and hormone fluctuations over time. Picking the right lotion for your skin is crucial – and it’s much more of a health decision than many people realize. Packaging, brand loyalty, fragrance or recommendations from your favorite influencers might factor into your decision. But when considering a lotion for long-term use, the best options are those that will actually benefit the skin...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 2:15:29 PM
sports

Víctor Muñoz rescues Liverpool to deny Nottingham Forest another Anfield win

Some of the billionaires behind Liverpool were present for the opening performance of Andoni Iraola’s Anfield reign but were given more food-for-thought than the feast they might have been expecting. Nottingham Forest were full value for the second 2-2 draw of Iraola’s tenure as Liverpool demonstrated they need sturdier foundations as well as the decoration of £123m Bradley Barcola. Oliver Glasner’s team, like Newcastle last week, exploited Liverpool’s defensive frailties regularly and were on course for a third successive Premier League win at Anfield before summer signing Victor Muñoz salvaged another late draw for the hosts with a superb equaliser. Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White twice put Forest ahead only for Alexander Isak and Muñoz to level...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 1:53:41 PM
climate

‘The world needs to pay attention’: Nepalis and Tibetans in New York respond to the Himalayan disaster

Half the world away, a Himalayan diaspora reacts in sorrow and pitches in to help victims in their home countries Geeta Tamang was getting ready for bed when her aunts shared news that upended her world. “My aunts came into my room and told me what had happened,” said Tamang, a 24-year-old computer science student at Queens College. She lives in Jackson Heights, home to one of the largest Nepali and Tibetan communities in New York City...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 1:43:05 PM
culture

Fourth time lucky as Chris Cantrill’s spoof whodunnit wins Edinburgh comedy award 2026

Nominated in three previous years, the rambunctious standup – one half of The Delightful Sausage – wins the prize for his show Rewilding while Marty Gleeson is named best newcomer The annual Edinburgh comedy award has been won by the standup Chris Cantrill, two years after his comedy partner Amy Gledhill – in the raucous northern double act The Delightful Sausage – won the same prize. Cantrill, 42 and from Bradford, received the so-called “Oscar of live comedy” for a show, Rewilding, about his new life in rural Northumberland, where an act of vandalism shocks the local community – and a spoof whodunnit ensues. It builds on the foundations laid in 2024 by Easily Swayed, which documented his move to the countryside and secured what was then Cantrill’s third nomination (but first as a solo act) for the award...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 12:50:21 PM
world

Rescue operations ongoing as death toll continues to rise

Most arrive with nothing except the clothes they are wearing. As rescue efforts in communities buried by catastrophic flash floods along the border between Nepal and China entered their fourth day Saturday, authorities continued finding survivors and transporting them to safety. At relief centers, as some arrive, families wait anxiously for news of their loved ones as the death toll and the number of people unaccounted for continued to rise.

France 24 • 8/29/2026, 12:37:17 PM
business

‘I’ve £80k in the account, here’s my pin’: turning the tables on the scammers

Plagued by bank impersonation scams, one Guardian Money reader got even by stringing the fraudsters along … for hours “A couple of Sundays ago at just past 11am my mobile rang. An automated message purported to be from Barclays Bank, querying a payment to Argos for more than £1,000. Not only had I not made a payment to Argos recently, nor do I bank with Barclays. I am plagued with these kinds of calls. Usually, when possible, I make it clear to the scammers that I know their game. Usually, that call ends there and then...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 12:00:27 PM
culture

I avoided restaurants after a disastrous job as a waitress. Then I watched The Bear …

Working in a high-end restaurant was stressful and scarring. It took an accidental encounter with the TV show to help me heal – and change my attitude towards work Eight years ago, I was working as a waitress in a fine dining restaurant in the Cotswolds. The expertly crafted atmosphere had dim mood lighting, ambient music and a farm-to-table menu. I hated it. The other waiters could charm guests into purchasing expensive bottles, but I just gaped gormlessly when I struggled to recall the wine pairings. My brown leather brogues gave me blisters as I’d hobble to the kitchen to admit I’d forgotten an order in the middle of a busy dinner service. The chefs would shout and shake the ticket in my face...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 11:00:27 AM
business

‘If it’s made in the US, I don’t buy it’: Canadians on boycotting Trump’s America

Avoiding US goods and services – from tech to whisky to air travel – has forced many to find a new way of living For William McDonald, 38, a diesel mechanic from Thunder Bay, Ontario, “Canadian is always the first choice,” even if it means his weekly bills are higher. “As soon as Trump started putting those tariffs on in February [last year], I started boycotting US goods,” he said. “Avoiding American products has driven my costs up, and I’m still happy to do it...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 11:00:26 AM
sports

Alonso gets Chelsea’s priorities right by ditching Sánchez for winner Martínez | Jacob Steinberg

Signing of World Cup winner adds to sense that this is the summer when BlueCo got serious in transfer market Carlo Cudicini was a very good goalkeeper. However, José Mourinho was ruthless when he became Chelsea manager in 2004. Very good was not good enough. Mourinho wanted the best and one of the main factors behind the Portuguese winning the Premier League during his first season in charge was the decision to replace Cudicini with Petr Cech. There is an old line about a great goalkeeper being worth 15 points a season. It is not for nothing, for instance, that Brian Clough regarded Peter Shilton as one of his most important signings at Nottingham Forest. Shilton was key when Forest defied the odds by winning the Division One title in 1978 and there are plenty of other examples of promising teams taking the next step only after buying a top No 1...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 11:00:26 AM
power

China’s Middle East policy at a crossroads 6 months into US-Israeli war on Iran

Gulf states are making a strategic pivot as the war in Iran drags on into its sixth month but observers warned that their shift towards self-reliant defence networks could test China’s “involvement without commitment” strategy in the region. The war has forced Gulf leaders to face the reality that neither the United States nor China is able to protect them from attacks by Iran. On Wednesday, the Iranian army warned that any “possible future war” with the US could spread across the region and...

South China Morning Post • 8/29/2026, 11:00:08 AM
sports

Yorkshire v Leicestershire, Warwickshire v Notts and more: county cricket, day three – live

Updates from the latest round of Championship matches Day two roundup | Sign up for the Spin | Mail Tanya Remaining cloudy this afternoon. England and Wales will have with spells of rain and showers, heavy at times. Elsewhere, it will be drier with a few showers or patches of rain. Windy in the far south. Could we stay cautiously optimistic? Anyway, they’re underway at Durham, who lead Gloucestershire by 197, with two wickets in hand. I’ve just got to disappear for 20 mins, back shortly...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 10:06:00 AM
power

They laid down arms. Now ex-guerrillas in Colombia fear fate under new hardline president

‘Total peace’ plan of previous government led only 99 of Colombia’s 30,000 armed combatants to disarm, but new president Abelardo De la Espriella opposes peace agreements In mid-June, 99 guerrilla fighters were flown by helicopter to a small settlement in a rural area of southern Colombia where they lined up and, one by one, handed their weapons to government officials: rifles, pistols, machine guns and grenade launchers. They also stripped off their heavy tactical vests, field packs and camouflage uniforms, which were each piled into a bonfire to mark the beginning of a new life away from an armed conflict that has claimed nearly half a million lives in the last six decades...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 10:00:24 AM
sports

Keep off the grass: British tennis players complain of marijuana smell at US Open

Aroma wafts over practice courts from nearby park Katie Boulter: ‘I’ve experienced it. I’m not a huge fan’ Britain’s US Open hopefuls thought they had put the grass behind them when Wimbledon finished, but the smell of it is all around Flushing Meadows and they are not happy about it. Marijuana is legal for adults in New York and while smoking is not allowed on site, the aroma of weed wafts over some outside courts from the nearby Corona Park...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 9:57:15 AM
sports

Lando Norris agrees new deal until at least 2030 with ‘second family’ McLaren

Norris: ‘I want my whole career to be with McLaren’ F1 title holder says other teams have approached him Lando Norris has said he would like to see out his career with McLaren, as the defending Formula One world champion announced he has agreed a multi-year deal until at least 2030 with the team he described as like “a second family”. The 26-year-old, who won his first F1 title last season, joined McLaren to make his debut in the sport in 2019. He has been with them ever since and his current contract was due to run until the end of this year. Norris emphasised that he had not countenanced leaving McLaren and had made no approaches toward other teams – although some had made advances towards him...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 9:26:53 AM
power

Tax promises, defence targets and Iran: Andy Burnham’s budget headaches

As economic circumstances worsen, the PM’s commitments have left him and the chancellor in a tight spot When Andy Burnham made his first speech after returning as an MP, he promised that as prime minister he would oversee “the most significant change moment in our politics for 40 years”. His style, direction and communication has been a big shift from Keir Starmer’s approach, but as he heads into the autumn, the new prime minister faces some very similar problems. With an early budget in late October, and worsening economic circumstances, Burnham has made promises and commitments that put him in a tight spot. Here are some of the constraints over the coming months that Burnham and the chancellor, John Healey, must contend with in their autumn budget...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 9:00:23 AM
business

Iceland votes on whether to resume EU membership negotiations

Icelanders go to the polls on Saturday in a referendum on whether to resume membership negotiations with the European Union, in a tight race that will be closely watched in Brussels. The country of just under 400,000 people applied to join the EU in the wake of a 2009 financial crisis that devastated its economy. The membership talks were suspended in 2013 when a eurosceptic government came to power.

France 24 • 8/29/2026, 8:57:53 AM
culture

Transfer news, Liverpool v Nottingham Forest buildup, and more – matchday live

News, buildup and discussion before today’s fixtures Get in touch: mail Luke and Her brain runs a hundred miles a minute. She does not need traditional entertainment. “I’m not good at watching TV – I can’t sit still,” Bronze says, sitting sort-of still, on a bench shielded from the wind, overlooking Chelsea’s training pitch at Cobham. “Someone recently asked me what I listen to in the car and someone else jumped in and was like: ‘Lucy has her own podcast going on in her own head.’ I don’t listen to music, I don’t listen to podcasts, I just have a million thoughts going on.” Bronze’s late ADHD and autism diagnosis help it make sense, but her mum had always suspected she might have one of the conditions, so it wasn’t a surprise. “Naomi Girma said to me: ‘I’ve never met someone who trains so hard in the gym with zero music on; it does not make sense.’ I was like: ‘It’s literally in my head, I don’t need anything else.’”..

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 7:47:59 AM
sports

Itauma chases Tyson’s history and fights to save his soul in first world title bout

Filip Hrgovic singing to the press is a stark contrast to the brooding Briton who is grappling with the blinding lights of fame and glory Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic have presented an intriguing study in contrast this week. The 21-year-old prodigy from Chatham in Kent, of Slovakian and Nigerian descent, has been a thoughtful and slightly brooding presence while the seasoned 34-year-old from Croatia has been full of sunshine and songs. On Tuesday, Hrgovic burst into a room where a few boxing writers sat and, looking tanned without a shirt beneath his leather gilet, belted out a word-perfect version of Saturday Night at the Movies, a 1965 ditty by the Drifters...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 7:00:21 AM
health

‘In walked this big bundle of energy’: the day Dolly Parton came to Rotherham

Country star came to South Yorkshire town in 2007 for UK launch of the Imagination Library, her book donation scheme Shane Jarman was up a ladder decorating a Christmas tree at the school where he was deputy headteacher when he got a call asking him to come to Rotherham hospital ASAP. It was December 2007 and Jarman’s wife, Claire, had given birth the previous day to their first child, a girl called Emma, so of course he rushed to the phone. All was well, he was told, but that “everything would become clear” when he got to the hospital. Once there, his wife told him – somewhat unexpectedly – that they were going to meet Dolly Parton. “And literally within what felt like five minutes,” he recalled, “there were great camera flashes, lots of noise, lots of clicking and in walked this real big bundle of energy.”..

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 7:00:21 AM
culture

‘Now is a good time for players to speak up’: Lucy Bronze on Fifa and helping refugees

Chelsea defender reflects on spending time with refugees in Colombia this summer and her passion for helping people on and off the pitch Lucy Bronze does not stop. Her brain runs a hundred miles a minute. She does not need traditional entertainment. “I’m not good at watching TV – I can’t sit still,” Bronze says, sitting sort-of still, on a bench shielded from the wind, overlooking Chelsea’s training pitch at Cobham. “Someone recently asked me what I listen to in the car and someone else jumped in and was like: ‘Lucy has her own podcast going on in her own head.’ I don’t listen to music, I don’t listen to podcasts, I just have a million thoughts going on.” Bronze’s late ADHD and autism diagnosis help it make sense, but her mum had always suspected she might have one of the conditions, so it wasn’t a surprise. “Naomi Girma said to me: ‘I’ve never met someone who trains so hard in the gym with zero music on; it does not make sense.’ I was like: ‘It’s literally in my head, I don’t need anything else.’”..

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 7:00:20 AM
sports

Australian Olympian Heath Ryan banned after alleged horse abuse investigation

Dressage and eventing rider handed 18-month suspension by FEI Video appearing to show Ryan whipping a horse emerged last year Australian Olympian Heath Ryan has been suspended for 18 months and fined by equestrian’s global governing body following an investigation into allegations of horse abuse. The dressage and eventing rider had already been suspended by Equestrian Australia last year after a video appearing to show Ryan whipping a horse repeatedly surfaced on social media...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 6:03:29 AM
business

Households could save up to £173 a year by switching to fixed energy deal

Moving tariffs will cushion the blow from the October price cap rise and the increase widely predicted for January With higher energy bills looming and warnings of worse to come in the new year, many households could save up to £173 a year by switching to a fixed deal. Millions of households in Great Britain will face the highest energy charges in three years after it was announced that the government’s price cap will rise again in October. This will be the second increase in three months...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 6:00:21 AM
technology

UK risks falling behind in AI race without faster telecoms upgrades, say executives

Planning delays and slow 5G upgrades could leave the UK unable to cope with a surge in AI-related traffic The UK risks becoming a laggard in the global AI race as crucial telecoms upgrades to harness the technology fall behind rival nations, according to senior industry executives. The infrastructure AI race has centred on the need to build datacentres, and to ensure they have access to the huge water and energy supplies required to cool and supply the computational power to train and run AI models...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 6:00:19 AM
culture

The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey review – time stands still at 3.43am in fringe fairytale

Summerhall, Edinburgh Angele and Malcolm Galea’s two-hander cycles through grief and sorrow as a broken-hearted hero is trapped in purgatory A fairytale plunges the reader into a dilemma then resolves it. But what if the happy ending never arrives? Will the tale just circle around into a netherworld, never finding a conclusion? That is the prospect in this two-hander by Malta’s Angele and Malcolm Galea, a couple whose experience of pregnancy loss finds expression in a thwarted fairytale – the kind of tale, perhaps, they might have read to their daughter...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 6:00:19 AM
business

Sovereignty, farming and fishing: Iceland votes on its future with the EU

Country holds a knife-edge referendum that cuts across political divides on taking step closer to Brussels after Trump threats towards Greenland For a long time, the prospect of becoming the third generation to run his family farm was an exciting one, says Davíð Clausen Pétursson. Icelandic farmers were starting to get higher prices for their meat and milk, debt was no longer an occupational prerequisite and innovation was on the rise...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 6:00:18 AM
technology

Hilarity, unease and relief: games show China is not over the finish line in humanoid robot race

World Humanoid Robot Games showcased leaps Beijing has made in the tech, but also highlighted limitations as US rivals prepare their own launches With exploding pelvises, enough comic pratfalls for a Buster Keaton show reel and the odd moment of ruthless violence, the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing gripped the world this week with an unsettling mixture of hilarity, trepidation and relief. The five-day showcase staked out China’s claim to undisputed leadership in humanoid robotics as android martial artists landed knockout roundhouse kicks and robot teams marched into the arena heralded by flag-waving captains astride giant robotic dogs. The games’ blue-riband event, the 100m, did not disappoint when the robot-sprinters ran quicker than Usain Bolt before slamming mindlessly into a padded wall in a blaze of sparks, flames and flying mechanical limbs...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 5:00:19 AM
health

From The Dog Stars to Erykah Badu: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead

Jacob Elordi stars as a post-pandemic pilot in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi adventure, while the celebrated soul singer returns with a long-trailed collaboration The Dog Stars Out now Ridley Scott has got to be one of the most prolific octogenarians working today. The director’s latest, a sci-fi drama based on the 2012 novel, stars man of the moment Jacob Elordi as a former pilot surviving the aftermath of a pandemic, with Margaret Qualley as a medic/love interest and Josh Brolin as a pugnacious former marine...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 5:00:19 AM
world

Malaysian police arrest 7 Yemeni men in Kuala Lumpur after dangerous road stunt goes viral

Seven Yemeni men were arrested in Malaysia after they allegedly performed dangerous stunts while travelling in two vehicles along Jalan Sungai Besi early on Friday. Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa said the incident, which occurred at about 12.30am, came to light after a video of the incident went viral on social media. He said preliminary investigations found that both vehicles were travelling along Jalan Sungai Besi towards Jalan Bukit...

South China Morning Post • 8/29/2026, 4:00:25 AM
culture

‘It’s easier when nobody’s watching’: inside the secretive and sublime freak-folk of @

Their un-Googlable, very online name is the antithesis of this earthy duo’s sublime art-folk. Like their emotionally ambiguous music, the pair don’t give up their mysteries easily • The best music of autumn 2026: Johnny Marr, Phoebe Bridgers, Rachel Chinouriri and more • See all of our unmissable autumn arts recommendations here Victoria Rose arrives at Philadelphia’s 30th St Station and apologises for the sticky streaks covering her car’s interior. She’s a beekeeper, and it’s just propolis, a resinous sealant for gaps in the hive. Her bandmate, Stone Filipczak, is riding shotgun, and her protective gear occupies the rear passenger seat. We’re heading to one of their favourite spots, an Ethiopian restaurant that doubles as a venue. The dining room quickly gets boisterous – a challenge for our interview given that Filipczak and Rose are relatively soft speakers, and not wildly keen to divulge specifics about the music they make as @. Like Rose’s bees, they’re a secretive and self-sustaining pair. As you might guess, @ is pronounced “at”. It’s a tough Google. The name, Filipczak explains, came from “a vision of an @ sign on a kick drum head”. Not that they have any need for one: @’s art-folk is rooted in acoustic guitar, woodwinds and vocal harmonies that furrow and frolic. Their fantastic second album, Autosmile, is their first with the venerated indie label 4AD. (The name is a reference to a meme showing a dopey sunflower: “When you and gang faded and auto smile gets turn on …”)..

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 4:00:18 AM
culture

The best music of autumn 2026: Johnny Marr, Phoebe Bridgers, Rachel Chinouriri and more

Irish noisemongers Gilla Band, shadowy producers Two Shell and lovable band the Big Moon have new records – plus there are tours from veterans such as Bob Dylan and Sex Pistols and newer trailblazers Kelela and EsDeeKid • ‘It’s easier when nobody’s watching’: inside the secretive and sublime freak-folk of @ • See all of our unmissable autumn arts recommendations here..

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 4:00:17 AM
power

Iranian leaders admit economic toll of war with US as trade drops 35%

Iranian leaders are acknowledging the economic toll of war with the United States, with the supreme leader calling on the government to address the hardship while the president reported foreign trade has shrunk 35 per cent due to the American sanctions and blockade. The warnings came even as other leaders threaten the US with military retaliation and declarations that the Iranian navy maintains control of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway giving Iran ‌leverage through its ability to...

South China Morning Post • 8/29/2026, 3:23:00 AM
money

White House teleprompter operator fined, forfeits winnings for betting on Trump’s words

A former White House teleprompter operator accused of using inside knowledge to make bets on the prediction market Kalshi has been ordered to turn over more than US$100,000 in profits and pay a US$65,000 fine as part of a settlement with federal authorities. The settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, announced on Friday, also dealt Gabriel Perez a three-year trading ban. Perez was placed on unpaid leave from his job at the White House after reports emerged that he used his...

South China Morning Post • 8/29/2026, 2:19:44 AM
world

Hong Kong’s long-term wealth hub status safe from mainland investment curbs: JPMorgan exec

Beijing’s recent curbs on cross-border investment and a tax shift targeting overseas insurance gains may create short-term uncertainty, but they will not undermine Hong Kong’s long-term competitiveness as a major wealth management hub, according to a senior executive at JPMorgan Chase. Kwang Kam-shing, Hong Kong CEO and chairwoman of North Asia at the biggest bank by assets in the United States, said she remained optimistic about the long-term outlook for Asia’s financial sector, citing...

South China Morning Post • 8/29/2026, 2:00:20 AM
culture

Charli xcx, Reading Festival review – Pretentious? Just a bit. But Nietzsche would have loved it

Reading Festival There’s not much time to dig into her deep catalogue of future-facing pop, but she satisfies the hardcore “Time itself is a circle,” as the rock’n’roll philosopher Nietzsche once said, accurately foreshadowing Charli xcx’s only UK festival appearance this summer. Like her performance on Glastonbury’s Other Stage last year – a pyrotechnic farewell to the puke-green reign of Brat – Charli’s Reading and Leeds appearance is a not-quite-headline slot that also follows a rowdy set from grime don Skepta. As before, her sunglasses remain glued on throughout. Yet in the past 14 months, everything else in Charli’s pop factory has undergone a hard reset. She’s released two albums – a grandiose, gothic soundtrack to Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights, and last month’s high-concept Music, Fashion, Film, an album of raw, glitching micro-rock, with guitars shredded into Tetris-like pieces, and fitted with lacerating lyrics about shopping, egotism and mortality. She’s also launched an acting career, thrown a big fat celebrity wedding and, somewhere along the way, found time to rehearse her biggest, most vertiginous show to date...

The Guardian • 8/29/2026, 1:09:01 AM
power

Visa policy brings in more foreigners on short-term jobs and HK$20,000 salaries

About 80 per cent of the foreign nationals granted working visas under Hong Kong’s General Employment Policy (GEP) last year were hired on short-term contracts, while nearly half of successful applicants earned less than HK$20,000 (US$2,564) a month. According to the latest Immigration Department data, 31,278 GEP working visas for foreigners were approved last year. Mainland Chinese residents cannot apply to the scheme. While the figure marked the second consecutive year the scheme had cleared...

South China Morning Post • 8/29/2026, 1:00:11 AM
power

Trump administration faces backlash over Yosemite park giveaway

US President Donald Trump’s administration is considering giving away a section of the renowned Yosemite National Park to a private developer. An investigation published on Friday by NOTUS, a news outlet, said the government had spent over a year quietly working to transfer a roughly 400-metre (0.25-mile) strip of the park to a company linked through a web of other entities to Nevada-based Kingsbarn Realty Capital. It is the latest move by the Trump administration to roll back conservation...

South China Morning Post • 8/29/2026, 12:55:52 AM
world

Japan to convert car park near Tokyo Station into missile shelter

The Tokyo metropolitan government has unveiled a plan to use an underground facility near Tokyo Station as a shelter for residents and tourists in the event of a ballistic missile attack. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike told a press conference earlier this month that a survey would begin in the current financial year through March in preparation for revamping Yaesu car park, which is located about two to 11 metres (six to 36 feet) underground. The alterations are expected to include setting up...

South China Morning Post • 8/29/2026, 12:21:33 AM
world

Gen Z vs the khap panchayats: Old rules, new rebels

Haryana’s khap panchayats have issued diktats against love marriages within a village cluster or clan, and live-in and same-sex relationships. If people do not abide by these, they will be barred from entering their villages, the khaps say. This has drawn strong opposition from Gen Z on social media. A section of the youth, both women and men, say the personal choices of consenting adults trump community custom. And that laws, rather than elderly men, protect women, reports Ashok Kumar

The Hindu • 8/28/2026, 11:05:20 PM
business

Large fire near Wembley Stadium disrupts tube and rail services

About 125 firefighters tackle blaze at Neasden waste facility as nearby Amazon warehouse is evacuated A large fire broke out at a waste facility close to Wembley Stadium in north-west London, disrupting tube and train lines in the area. Twenty fire engines and about 125 firefighters were sent to tackle the blaze at a mixed-waste facility on an industrial estate in Neasden, less than a mile from the venue...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 9:47:05 PM
sports

Andoni Iraola tells Liverpool’s forwards to ‘exhaust themselves’

‘I tell them they don’t need to give us 90 minutes’ Head coach takes charge of first home game on Saturday Andoni Iraola has said it is more important for Liverpool’s forwards to exhaust themselves than perform for 90 minutes as he prepares to make an “emotional” Premier League bow at Anfield. The Liverpool head coach hopes his attacking options will be improved by the arrival of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain and another winger before Tuesday’s deadline, with only Victor Muñoz added to his front line so far. The Basque coach has outlined the demands he will put on his forwards as they adapt to a new era at Liverpool...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 9:30:08 PM
sports

St Helens playoff hopes hang by a thread after thrashing by Leeds

St Helens 6-34 Leeds Rhinos return to top of table after running in six tries If you needed any further proof that Super League’s two most successful sides are travelling in different directions in 2026, this was about as conclusive as you can get. There are two very different fates awaiting both Leeds Rhinos and St Helens in three weeks or so. The Rhinos will now almost certainly be resting up for a Super League playoff semi-final, having earned a bye through the opening week of the playoffs by virtue of a top two finish. They are still favourites to end the regular season on top after this latest impressive victory...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 9:20:18 PM
world

China-Nepal floods: rescuers pull out survivors caked in mud as toll climbs

Rescuers pulled out survivors caked in dark brown mud and helicopters lifted stranded people to safety, as Nepal and China raced to respond to catastrophic flash floods that killed nearly 600 people and left almost 2,500 missing. The rescue efforts included a team that rappelled into a severely damaged checkpoint area on the Chinese side of the border between the two countries. Rescuers were on high alert for more flooding from a new lake that formed high up in the Himalayan mountains after the...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 8:21:45 PM
sports

Carlos Alcaraz believes ‘it is possible’ to win US Open despite long injury layoff

The 23-year-old has not competed in singles since April Defending champion faces Roman Safiullin in first round Carlos Alcaraz believes he is capable of winning the US Open as he returns to professional tennis after a four-month injury layoff due to a right wrist injury. Alcaraz, the defending champion in New York, will compete in singles for the first time since injuring his wrist at the Barcelona Open in April when he faces Roman Safiullin in the first round. “So, it is possible [to win],” Alcaraz said. “I think that many people have shown it. [Roger] Federer, [Rafa] Nadal, many people have shown that you can win a grand slam after having been injured for a long time or having had a very hard injury. So we’re going to try to tie ourselves to that belief that we can do it too.”..

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 7:34:26 PM
sports

Olé for Robinson as England take firm control of Lord’s Test against Pakistan

Second Test, day two: England 290 & 81-3; Pakistan 110 Ollie Robinson takes 4-11; Emilio Gay unbeaten on 30 Joe Root did not want the England captaincy when the prospect started to be floated earlier this summer. After performing the role as a ­stand-in for the suspended Ben Stokes against New Zealand at the Oval, his father, Matt, floated a full-time return as a hypothetical and says this was met with a “no”. Root was apparently swayed by the impending arrival of Stephen ­Fleming as head coach, with the pair speaking regularly before roles were locked down. But watching this ­one-sided second day against Pakistan at Lord’s – and indeed the ­one-sided series opener at ­Headingley – one wonders whether being handed the keys to this pace attack was another clincher for Root...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 6:06:46 PM
health

Doctors promise care ‘revolution’ as they agree first universal definition of heart attack

New guidance by world’s top cardiovascular health groups upgrades types of attacks that primarily affect women Doctors have agreed the world’s first universal definition of a heart attack, paving the way for millions of women to finally receive better treatment after decades of being “deprioritised”. In one of the biggest procedural shakeups in a generation, the world’s four leading cardiovascular health groups have signed off on new guidance for healthcare professionals when seeing suspected heart attack patients...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 5:00:03 PM
sports

Cartoon alpaca Cole Palmer is a unicorn in this world inventing moments of pure pleasure | Barney Ronay

Much like Central Cee, the Chelsea attacker is a distinct presence and right now is perhaps the only truly creative English player out there This week Central Cee launched his new Premier League song, called The Team. It owes its existence to a youth-centred, fist-bumping corporate tie-in with Coca-Cola, the press release for which appears to have involved a man in golf-casual clothing frowning at his computer screen for half an hour before typing “cool urban street words, what are?” into the AI search box, then nipping off for a quick brain-bowl strategy lunch with Roger from the Bluesky Synergy hub. The song is really good, because Central Cee is really good. He’s super-smart with words, funny and snappy, but also surprisingly tender and raw...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 4:59:43 PM
world

Nepal: 'Region has hundreds of high-altitude lakes prone to unleashing enormous volumes of water'

William Hilderbrandt is pleased to welcome David Fisher, Head of Delegation, Nepal International Federation of Red Cross. The scale of Nepal’s disaster cannot yet be fully measured. Entire communities remain difficult to reach, tens of thousands of people have been affected, and official assessments are only beginning. But the central challenge is already clear: this cannot be treated solely as an immediate humanitarian emergency. What happens to these communities in the years ahead depends heavily on what we do now. Emergency relief must be accompanied from the outset by planning, funding and action for long-term recovery, including rebuilding homes and livelihoods. If that work is postponed until international attention has moved elsewhere, many people may never fully recover. And signs suggest that the speed and destructive force of this extreme natural event could become more frequent.

France 24 • 8/28/2026, 4:57:59 PM
power

The Guardian view on political donations: Labour should curb the power of big money | Editorial

Before becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham favoured a £500,000 donations cap. In office, he’s backing away. That is a mistake On the campaign trail in Makerfield, Andy Burnham told a democracy activist that he favoured a political donations cap of around £500,000 and wanted it reduced over time. His government is now resisting amendments that would move in precisely that direction. Mr Burnham was right in May. He is wrong now. It is difficult to argue that restricting a single person to giving half a million pounds a year to a political party would damage democracy. Such a cap would only affect the mega-rich. Reducing the cap would force parties to wean themselves off the present regime that allows the rich too much say. There are two contra arguments swilling around Labour. The first is that there should be room for wealthy, progressive donors – whose cash helps rebut claims that Labour is in the pocket of the trade unions. The second is the warning from unions that a cap could undermine their ability to contribute to the Labour party. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please..

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 4:56:00 PM
health

Salmonella cases in UK likely to rise until source of outbreak is found

Experts say imported eggs served in cafes and restaurants may be behind hundreds of infections and one death Salmonella cases in the UK are expected to rise until the common source is identified, something that is notoriously difficult to establish, experts have warned. There have been 474 confirmed cases and one death linked to the current outbreak, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), with the latest investigations suggesting it is associated with eating imported eggs in cafes and restaurants...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 4:42:32 PM
sports

Vulnerable Sabalenka and wide-open men’s draw set stage for US Open drama

Defending champion arrives at Flushing Meadows in poor form and with a host of challengers looking to usurp her Under any normal circumstances Aryna Sabalenka would not have lost her third round match at the Cincinnati Open last week. For all of her unforced errors, indecisiveness and the obvious tension surrounding her tennis, the world No 1 had led the unheralded Sára Bejlek 5-1 in the first set tie-break and then 4-1 in set two. She gave herself more than enough chances to close out a comfortable win. Instead Sabalenka returns to New York trying to find a path through her greatest crisis since she first reached No 1 in the rankings more than three years ago. That straight-sets loss in Cincinnati extended a mediocre 17-7 record dating back to the beginning of April without reaching a single final. She has just one more chance to turn her fortunes around as she tries to claim her first grand slam title of the year at the US Open, the tournament she has won on the last two occasions...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 4:39:37 PM
power

‘Special for Norway’: Andreas Leknessund breaks clear to win Vuelta ​a España stage seven

Norway in mourning after death of King Harald ‘It’s only a small thing in the bigger picture’ The Norwegian Andreas Leknessund launched a successful solo attack on ⁠the final climb to the summit finish of Aramón Valdelinares to win stage ⁠seven of the ⁠Vuelta ​a España, ahead of Uno-X Mobility teammate and compatriot Tobias Johannessen on a day ⁠when their country mourned the death of King Harald. Leknessund made his move from ⁠a five-rider breakaway 7.5km from the finish at ​the end of the ‌149.8km ride from ‌Vall d’Alba, and pulled away to win his first ‌Grand Tour stage on his Vuelta debut...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 4:23:00 PM
climate

Is the environmental impact of datacentres finally cutting through?

In this week’s newsletter: Anti-datacentre sentiment is growing across the political spectrum in the US – and the public is only just finding out about the potential effects on their energy bills • Don’t get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? More than a dozen states have considered moratoria on datacentres. New York became the first US state to enact a temporary ban last month. Progressive stalwarts Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have proposed a national moratorium. And even Greg Abbott, the far-right governor of Texas, called for a ban on datacentre development in rural swaths of his state. ‘Our new normal’: how marine heatwaves affect life in British seas Iraq’s ghost villages: Islamic State drove people away – now a new enemy is preventing their return Destroyed crops, riverbed cyclists and a ‘Rock of Starvation’: how drought has devastated the Danube..

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 4:20:02 PM
world

Greenland to open truth commission over forced contraception scheme

Greenland's government said Friday it would ⁠establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to shed light on a campaign of forced contraception carried out by Danish authorities from the 1960s to 1990, after experts failed to agree on whether the practice constituted genocide. The brutal campaign saw thousands of Indignous women and girls receive intrauterine devices or contraceptive injections without their consent.

France 24 • 8/28/2026, 4:05:16 PM
technology

I dug through hundreds of Labor Day sales to find real deals on high-quality products that last

Prepare for autumn with our favorite end-of-season deals on staples including leaf blowers, blankets and bedding College grads share the room essentials that weathered the dorm Sign up for the Filter US newsletter, your weekly guide to buying fewer, better things Labor Day offers one last hurrah for summer, a chance to reset for fall, and if you’re shopping, some choice end-of-season discounts. No matter your plans for the long weekend, we found sales on products to make the most of it while helping you prepare for the colder months ahead...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 4:02:27 PM
sports

Yorkshire cleared by regulator over £1.75m payment to chief executive’s firm

Regulator investigated fee paid to Sanjay Patel’s company SMP73 Ltd consulted on sale of Northern Superchargers Yorkshire have escaped without charges from the Cricket Regulator after a formal investigation into a £1.75m payment the county made to a company controlled by the club’s chief executive, Sanjay Patel, for work on the sale of the Northern Superchargers Hundred franchise. The Guardian revealed in June that the England and Wales Cricket Board was reviewing the consultancy fee, which related to the £100m sale of the Superchargers to the Sun Group last year, with the matter subsequently referred to the Cricket Regulator for a formal investigation...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 4:01:16 PM
culture

Fair pay, service charges and the pressure to tip | Letters

Readers react to an article by Emine Saner about the arrival of US-style tipping culture in British restaurants and bars Articles comparing tipping culture in the UK to that in the US (‘It’s absolutely criminal’: US tipping culture has reached the UK – and is causing chaos, 24 August) do not go into the complication of minimum wage calculation in the US. There, wait staff are paid a low base rate, but employers must ensure their earnings are topped up to at least the minimum wage through tips. As an American who has lived in the UK for 27 years, I have endless discussions with American visiting friends about tipping, and how their example of cultural imperialism has resulted in the distortion of worker value for some of the reasons set out in this article (for example, more attractive people get better tips). The assumption is that people who wait on others don’t have as much money as the tipper, but do we know if this is true? With this logic, should we tip the person who serves us at TK Maxx or Aldi?..

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 3:38:07 PM
culture

Artist defends Ronnie O’Sullivan mural in Sheffield saying it isn’t finished

Critics say painting looks more like a zombie but artist Chris Ashmore says ‘touch-ups’ are still to happen A street artist has defended his mural of the snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan in Sheffield after critics suggested the world champion looked like a zombie. Chris Ashmore was commissioned to produce the artwork featuring the former seven-time world champion for the back wall of the Spot On snooker club, the BBC reported...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 3:34:31 PM
climate

Tropical Storm Dolly speeding across Atlantic toward the Caribbean

Weather system is forecast to approach the Leeward Islands this weekend and may produce flash flooding Tropical Storm Dolly is moving quickly across the Atlantic Ocean toward the Leeward Islands and is expected to bring significant rainfall to parts of the Caribbean this weekend, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Friday morning. Dolly, which formed on Thursday, had maximum sustained winds of near 40mph (65km/h) with higher gusts as of Friday...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 3:23:18 PM
culture

Tom Towelling Teaches You to Knit review – quirky yarns and a pop quiz in maths

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Hopping from a PowerPoint on hairlines to songs about favourite motorways, Towelling’s set is fun but drops a stitch or two The route from the classroom to the comedy stage is well travelled, and ex-maths teacher Tom Towelling makes it the thread of his show here, conducting his audience like so many recalcitrant pupils under his charge. In case that sounds triggering, never fear: this debut show is unlike any other schoolroom you’ve been in. Towelling is one of several oddball comics elevated to the best newcomer shortlist for this year’s Edinburgh comedy awards, and his show is a noodly, mellow collage of sketch, song and educational back-and-forth with the crowd. Let’s get the title – Tom Towelling Teaches You to Knit – out of the way early. When audience members play ball with this or that bit of interaction, the Birmingham man rewards them by binding them together loosely with wool. As the show progresses, a cat’s cradle unspools, towards – well, nothing in particular. The idea goes undeveloped. That’s not the only instance here when you feel you’re on the receiving end of quirkiness for quirkiness’s sake – see his song about favourite motorways, or a fairly cheap closing routine revealing his supposed life ambition...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 3:15:00 PM
health

UK urged to ban imports of Brazilian meat over health concerns

Brazil failed to prove compliance with EU rules on use of antibiotics in cattle and poultry farming The UK’s leading farming organisations and animal health experts have called for an urgent ban on imports of Brazilian meat, in light of concerns over the safety of imports. The National Farmers’ Union in England and its sister organisations in the devolved administrations wrote to the government on Friday warning that public health was at risk...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 3:13:43 PM
technology

Labour rejects Zack Polanski’s call to ‘slam brakes’ on building AI datacentres

Government says Green leader’s proposed moratorium on ‘energy-guzzling’ AI projects would be disaster for economy Labour has rejected calls to pause construction of major AI infrastructure in Britain after the Green party leader, Zack Polanski, said it was time to “slam the brakes on these energy-guzzling, water-guzzling datacentres”. The government hit back at the opposition party’s proposal of a “moratorium other than [for] local-scale datacentres for the local community”, saying it “would be a disaster for jobs and national security”...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 3:11:46 PM
world

At least 93,000 ‘in great need’ after Nepal-Tibet flash floods, says Red Cross

Federation says it fears death toll of more than 540 will continue to rise as rescuers reach cut-off areas Nepal-Tibet flash flood – latest updates Visual guide: how the deadly flooding unfolded Tell us: have you been affected by the flash floods? The Red Cross has said at least 93,000 people may have been affected by Wednesday’s flash floods on the Nepal-Tibet border, which have killed more than 540 people, left another 1,500 missing, and triggered a huge rescue operation that is being hampered by fears of new flooding. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the world’s largest humanitarian network, said it feared the death toll would continue to rise as some of the hardest-hit areas remained inaccessible after roads and bridges were destroyed by the torrents...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 2:54:58 PM
sports

De Zerbi wants one more signing for Tottenham before transfer deadline

Spurs head coach pushing for ‘one specific position’ Tottenham could offload players at end of hectic window Roberto De Zerbi is keen to add one more signing to his Tottenham squad and has said outgoing deals are also possible before Tuesday night’s transfer deadline. De Zerbi had dinner on Thursday night with Spurs’ owners and key executives and they discussed a final push to a window that has already exceeded his expectations. The manager welcomed Omar Marmoush to the club on Thursday from Manchester City and is preparing to involve him in Saturday’s home game against Newcastle. Spurs have also been linked with a move for Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 2:52:43 PM
culture

Egyptian queen’s 673-diamond necklace stolen in Vienna smash-and-grab raid

Police hunt two suspects after historic 200-carat piece is snatched from museum during opening hours Austrian police are hunting two men alleged to have stolen a 200-carat platinum necklace encrusted with 673 diamonds that was on loan to a Vienna museum and once belonged to Egyptian royalty. Authorities in the capital released pictures of the suspects captured by security cameras during the heist at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK), amid a rash of spectacular smash-and-grab thefts from European cultural institutions...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 2:25:53 PM
culture

Reading and Leeds have dropped BBC Introducing for a new ‘nepo baby stage’. Where does it leave DIY artists?

As R&L replace the BBC’s unsigned artists stage with one filled with rock scions and a Simon Cowell boyband, many are decrying disappearing opportunities for grassroots acts This year’s Reading and Leeds festival lineups are a testament to the catholic tastes of a generation who have little regard for musical tribalism or the concept of genre: brash pop stars rub up against drum’n’bass acts, underground rappers, meat-and-potatoes indie bands and much more. What at least 70% of those acts have in common, however, is that early on in their careers they were supported by the BBC’s Introducing scheme, a combination of regional and national radio shows playing music submitted by unsigned artists and festival stages that platform them. For almost 20 years, a BBC Introducing stage has been a core part of Reading and Leeds – until it was scrapped last month...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 2:00:01 PM
health

Vaccine misinformation spreads as RFK Jr suggests two measles deaths were ‘fabricated’

Anti-vaxxers are spreading conspiracy theories after two recent measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania Anti-vaccine activists are trying to track down the families of two people, including at least one newborn, who died after contracting measles in Pennsylvania, as governor Josh Shapiro tangles with Robert F Kennedy Jr over his “inaccurate and misleading claims”. Kennedy, the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), suggested late Wednesday that the deaths in the state may have been “fabricated” after a Republican coroner – an elected political office in Lancaster county – claimed one of the measles-associated deaths was unrelated to the virus, although the given cause would be consistent with measles...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 1:49:10 PM
culture

A gallery glow up, spooky sculpture and a magical modern – the week in art

A grand survey of light art illuminates Durham, St Ives gets macabre and London goes big on land art – all in your weekly dispatch Victory Over the Sun A Russian futurist spectacle from 1913 gives this grand survey of light art its title. Luminous works by Olafur Eliasson, Ceal Floyer and many more mark the opening of Durham’s new art gallery. • The Light, Durham, until 17 January..

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 1:47:01 PM
business

China moves to stabilise property sector with ‘stronger-than-expected’ policy package

Beijing has unveiled a package of measures to shift home sales in China’s vast property market away from a presales model, in a stronger-than-expected push to stabilise a property downturn that has weighed on consumer demand for years. A notice released on Friday laid out reforms to China’s home sales system, telling local governments to prioritise completed-home sales. It was jointly issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 1:42:24 PM
world

Families of 33 missing Britons rush to Nepal as fears grow of more floods

Desperate relatives trying to reach loved ones last seen in area where entire villages have been swept away Nepal-Tibet flash flood – latest updates Visual guide: how the deadly flooding unfolded Tell us: have you been affected by the flash floods? Families are rushing to Nepal to search for the 33 British nationals who are still missing, as fears mount over the risk of a second wave of flooding in the region. The catastrophic flash floods that hit Nepal and Tibet on Wednesday, thundering down valleys and sweeping away entire villages, have killed at least 538 people, while more than 1,500 remain missing...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 1:39:36 PM
power

Unmanned electric aircraft makes maiden flight in Hong Kong

An unmanned electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft made its maiden demonstration flight in Hong Kong on Friday, as the city pushes to develop a low-altitude economy, with the government aiming to complete drafting relevant legislation by 2027. The flight marked a collaboration between mainland Chinese autonomous aerial vehicle firm EHang, local transport operator Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings and the city’s technology hub, Cyberport. The flight took place at Cyberport in Pok Fu...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 1:37:14 PM
culture

A kids TV star to Jimmy Carr: who will host the new Top Gear?

A new series has finally been confirmed, with Carr rumoured to be the next Clarkson. But there are others ready to take the wheel, including a Cbeebies host, a Celebrity Traitors favourite and a motor-head model Top Gear is the show that cannot die. Nothing can kill it; not the dryness of the original, the violence that ended the Clarkson era, or the horrifying crash that brought its most recent incarnation to a halt. And so, inevitably, yesterday the BBC confirmed that Top Gear was being resurrected once again. The corporation’s director of entertainment, Ed Havard, told the Edinburgh TV festival: “There has been a lot of speculation about this, and we can confirm that Top Gear is coming back. I’m not going to talk about talent today.” Which is fair enough – but I can. Casting a show like Top Gear is a dangerously tricky proposition. Whoever the BBC picks to host needs to be funny, charismatic, good at driving and knowledgable about cars. Lots of people are good at one of these things, but few are good at more than that and almost none are good at everything...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 1:16:54 PM
power

China strips former generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli of top military positions

Beijing has formally removed former senior officers Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli as members of China’s supreme military command. The two generals have been under investigation for alleged discipline violations since January and were officially stripped of their positions on the Central Military Commission (CMC) at a meeting of the National People’s Congress’ Standing Committee on Friday. As the CMC’s senior vice-chairman, Zhang was the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the Chinese military....

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 1:06:16 PM
world

Rock en Seine: Visually impaired spectators enjoy festival with audio description

At Paris's Rock en Seine, visually impaired festival-goers can enjoy concerts through live audio description. The festival is offering dedicated platforms, as well as headphones and receivers provided by the Valentin Haüy Association, a pioneer in audio description in France. Spectators can experience a concert with audio description each day of the music festival, from August 26 to August 30.

France 24 • 8/28/2026, 1:02:40 PM
business

Asda returns to growth after more than two years

Chair Allan Leighton says lower prices and an improved online service are attracting more shoppers Asda has heralded its first quarterly growth in more than two years as the supermarket’s boss said it was attracting more shoppers with lower prices and an improved online service. Allan Leighton, the executive chair of the UK’s third-largest grocer, said a 0.2% rise in sales at established stores, excluding fuel, in the three months to the end of June was “a huge milestone” which was “psychologically important for the business”. In the previous quarter sales had fallen 2.3%...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 1:00:02 PM
culture

The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past – Geralt of Rivia returns after a decade in the sun

Before The Witcher 4 arrives in 2028, CD Projekt Red is returning us to the world of The Witcher 3 for one last foray. Looks like wind’s still howlin’ The game that graced us with Bathtub Geralt, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, arrived more than a decade ago. So it was a touch surprising this summer when developers CD Projekt Red announced a new expansion to the venerable adventure, titled Songs of the Past, for next year. It will release alongside a full remaster of the original game, which will be free for anyone who bought it back in 2015. (The studio is also working on a sequel, The Witcher 4, but that’s not due until 2028.) As it turns out, this is all possible thanks to a partnership with Fool’s Theory, a studio founded by CD Projekt Red veterans, which took on the brunt of the development work. “We’ve had this story in a drawer for many years,” explains Marcin Blacha, VP story director at CD Projekt Red. “Of course, we moved on to Cyberpunk 2077 and now The Witcher 4, as well as our other projects. But because we knew The Witcher 4 would take time, we saw a gap in our release calendar where Songs of the Past could go. Thankfully, we were able to find the right partner to help execute it.”..

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 1:00:00 PM
world

Nepal floods explained: The chain of events behind the disaster

A glacier broke apart. An ice and rock avalanche followed. Then came an earthquake, before a landslide triggered devastating floods that tore through kilometres of valley. This is what happened along the Nepal-China border, where rescue teams are still trying to recover survivors 48 hours after the catastrophe. FRANCE 24 breaks down the chain of events and the scientific explanations behind the disaster.

France 24 • 8/28/2026, 12:48:06 PM
health

Sweetener used in chewing gum and jam linked to strokes and heart attacks

High blood levels of xylitol associated with higher risk of major cardiovascular events, in largest study of its kind A common sweetener used in products such as chewing gum, toothpaste, jam, yoghurts and ice cream worldwide has been linked to an increased risk of strokes, heart attacks and death. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol present in some natural foods in very low amounts. It is also added – often in amounts 1,000 times higher – to artificially sweeten foods, beverages and oral care products...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 12:42:54 PM
power

Japan's controversial WWII heroes: How one kamikaze pilot escaped certain death

Towards the end of World War II, as US troops advanced across the Pacific, Japan resorted to a desperate strategy: kamikaze attacks. Thousands of Japanese pilots, with an average age of just 21, were ordered to crash their explosive-laden planes into enemy ships. More than 3,800 pilots gave up their lives, killing over 7,000 allied naval personnel. Our reporter Mélodie Sforza met one of the last surviving former kamikaze pilots.

France 24 • 8/28/2026, 12:42:02 PM
climate

China’s radar satellites capture sharp images of glacier collapse site in Nepal

Within hours of a devastating glacier collapse on the China-Nepal border, a Beijing-based satellite company had already redirected six of its satellites to survey the disaster zone. The high-resolution radar images they captured revealed a massive collapse site near a remote mountain pass. Unlike optical sensors, radar signals can pierce through haze and cloud, mapping terrain changes with high precision even in the rugged Himalayan plateau. The swift commercial response also underscores a...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 12:40:29 PM
sports

All Blacks brace for Bok-lash as Erasmus adds late fly-half plot twist

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s inclusion may be a classic piece of misdirection from South Africa in their must-win match against New Zealand On the face of it, South Africa have been beset by disruption before their most significant match since the successful defence of their World Cup title. Rassie Erasmus had sought to lean further on the Springboks’ set-piece strengths by selecting Handré Pollard at fly-half for the second Test against New Zealand in Cape Town, suggesting a narrow gameplan. A return to the tried and tested. A reliance on what he knows best. Then came news of the “niggle”. Out goes Pollard, who, according to the Friday morning bulletin, suffered said niggle in training on Wednesday and failed a fitness test 24 hours before the match, and back comes the far more adventurous Sacha Feinberg‑Mngomezulu into the No 10 jersey. Feinberg‑Mngomezulu struggled in last week’s 33-16 defeat at Ellis Park, as he did on his comeback from injury against Argentina earlier this month, but the 24-year-old has a skill set that has marked him out as a future global star...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 12:35:16 PM
sports

‘I want to be seen as a bloody good trainer’: Gihan Arnolda’s journey from sleeping rough to beating Britain’s top stables

Former jockey reflects on remarkable story from overcoming hardship to breaking barriers as the first trainer of black or Asian heritage at Flat racing’s HQ “It’s just unbelievable, isn’t it?” Gihan Arnolda says as he reflects on his first three months as a trainer: five winners from 33 runners, £50,000 prize money banked and a string that is, according to the much-respected Timeform operation’s “run to form” statistic, outperforming every other Flat yard in Britain. But it could equally apply to the story of Arnolda’s journey from the east end of London to Cadland Cottage Stables at the bottom of Warren Hill in Newmarket. He was the first trainer of black or Asian heritage in Flat racing’s HQ when he received his licence earlier this year, and that is just one among a host of unlikely firsts and Sliding-Doors moments along the way...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 12:16:54 PM
culture

‘I don’t care if I look good’: French heartthrob Louis Garrel on fashion, fatherhood and his radically dorky new role

The star has long been French cinema’s favourite tousle-haired Adonis, which makes his latest performance – as a schlubby, stay-at-home dad – all the more surprising. ‘I appreciate people laughing at me,’ he says ‘Even though I’ve been working in film for over 20 years, I still have this desire to look beautiful on screen,” says Louis Garrel, on a video call from his bed inside a boat off the coast of Corsica. The French film star is lying on his stomach, occasionally kicking up his bare legs, ruffling his curls and running the nail of his thumb over his moustache. I think the person he sees on the laptop screen in front of him is me, but I am pretty certain he is flirting with his own reflection. The attraction between the Paris-born 43-year-old and the camera tends to be reciprocal. Long of limb, tousled of hair and chiselled of nose, Garrel has spent a career on screen as French cinema’s favourite Adonis – the man film-makers turn to when they need an erotic wrecking ball to smash up bourgeois twosomes and turn them into quivering menages a trois...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 12:00:57 PM
sports

Forget H2H records: are Premier League games now about the manager’s form?

With 110 matches to feature two coaches appointed this year, tactical history is becoming harder to ignore in a league of rapid turnover New managers are facing an almost one-in-two chance of being fired before the end of the season, a finding from Guardian analysis that shows 22 of the last 50 permanent Premier League managers to leave their roles lasted less than a year. The betting markets reflect this reality. Six of the eight Premier League managers deemed most likely by bookmakers to be next to leave their post were appointed in 2026. Football management is a very precarious employment position. It looks inevitable that some of the 11 men who have only been in their role since earlier this year will fall before the final hurdle of the 2026-27 season – even if none of them are the first to move on...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 12:00:56 PM
business

UK petrol prices hit highest level in almost four years as bank holiday getaway looms

Average cost of petrol reaches 161.6p a litre, while diesel costs average of 183.4p, according to the AA UK petrol prices have hit their highest level since 2022, piling more financial pressure on motorists before the bank holiday weekend. The average cost of petrol has reached 161.6p a litre, while diesel costs an average of 183.4p a litre, according to the breakdown company the AA...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 11:56:52 AM
culture

Memo to Ridley Scott: no one needs more Alien: Covenant movies – get the franchise back to stalk’n’slash

News that Scott is working on a follow-up to his maligned 2017 film leaves me worried the franchise has run out of shocks If any science-fiction saga looked beyond recovery, it was the Alien franchise. For the 38 years that followed James Cameron’s Aliens, film-makers contrived to find every imaginable way of not making a good Alien film. They tried killing everyone the audience cared about before the opening credits, marooning Sigourney Weaver on a planet populated entirely by bald British character actors, cloning Ripley, pitting xenomorphs against Predators, and sending scientists across the universe to ask an enormous, hairless space bodybuilder why he made them. They even ponied up the thick end of $100m for a film in which Michael Fassbender teaches himself to play the flute. And then in 2024, we got Fede Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus, in which actual xenomorphs chase actual human beings down actual corridors for the clearly defined purposes of either killing them or putting smaller xenomorphs inside them. Better still, a year later we got Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth, which reminded us that giant, murderous space insects are in fact less awful than tech trillionaires...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 11:44:48 AM
world

Nepal and Tibet: around 93,000 people affected, according to the Red Cross

The death toll continues to rise in the Nepal and Tibet floods as the situation remains fast-moving. The Red Cross says around 93,000 people have been affected. International aid is arriving from several countries, but rescue efforts have been hampered by the difficulty of coordinating operations in the remote Himalayan terrain. The epicentre of the disaster was only reached 48 hours after the floods began. FRANCE 24's Jamie Smith-Maillet has the latest.

France 24 • 8/28/2026, 11:42:48 AM
power

Bigmouth strums again: was Andy Burnham’s Smiths jam in Kyiv the perfect soundtrack to a Britain in freefall?

The UK prime minister clearly still adores the band. Perhaps he’s attracted to songs about sham justice and murderous meat factories, shot through with nihilism and exquisite despair As an origin story, Andy Burnham: Smiths Fan has a lot going for it. It’s plainly authentic: he can name the time he saw them live (Salford University, Queen Is Dead tour, 1986). A cynical young man in a hurry might fake that now, but not back when he first said it, in 2013. Asked by Labour Uncut for his desert island tracks during his 2010 leadership bid, three of the eight were sung by Morrissey (two Smiths singles and one off Viva Hate), which is superfan territory. That’s a softball exercise to endear yourself to Labour members; you have eight chances to hit every base, and to blow three lives on an artist who had already, by then, been dabbling in nationalism for 18 years (we’ll come back to this) was dicey and brave. You’ll recall that Burnham did not win that election. If you were an enemy state, amassing this hinterland for an asset, you’d have basically done a really good job...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 11:00:57 AM
business

The chefs turning down the heat by switching from gas to electric

As well as being quieter, cheaper to run and easier to clean, induction cookers can cut kitchen temperatures by up to 10C Leaping flames, searing heat, copious sweat and scorchingly inventive swearing – restaurant kitchens are never a place for the faint-hearted, but this summer they have been sweltering in successive heatwaves to a dangerous degree. Some restaurants, cafes and bakeries in the UK grew so hot that they were forced to close, or reduce their hours, for the safety of their staff. There is still no maximum working temperature, despite calls from the TUC, and tens of thousands of kitchen staff are thought to have carried on working in “furnace-like” conditions...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 11:00:56 AM
business

Detroit despairs as ‘insanity’ of Trump’s Canada trade war punishes city

Unpopular new policy comes as midterms loom and control of Congress could be decided by several Michigan races Every day $1bn worth of goods crosses the river dividing Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, two largely blue-collar US and Canadian cities that have come to act as one in the creation of North America’s auto industry. News this week of Donald Trump’s escalating trade spat with Canada has everyone worried. Political and economic leaders and observers labeled the move an act of “hubris”, blamed Trump’s “ego”, and called the escalation “insanity”...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 11:00:56 AM
climate

Nepal-Tibet flood: this is the cost of not acting in the face of the climate crisis | Sunil Acharya

Nepalis and Tibetans must not pay the price – with their lives, livelihoods and money meant for education and health – for global heating caused by wealthy states Sunil Acharya is an international climate policy and just transition specialist based in Kathmandu, Nepal As a Nepali citizen working on international climate policy for more than a decade, it is difficult to look at the harrowing images coming out of the catastrophic flash flood that thundered down valleys in Nepal, sweeping down the Lhende Khola, Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers, and not feel angry. Not just because of the destruction, but because it comes after years of warnings from scientists and civil society that a rapidly warming planet would make disasters more frequent, more intense and harder to predict. This is what the cost of delaying global climate action looks like. Sunil Acharya is an international climate policy and just transition specialist based in Kathmandu, Nepal..

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 10:56:29 AM
business

Jumping beans: UK shoppers turn to legumes to save cash and improve diet

Sales of beans, lentils and soya bean derivatives on rise while Britons buy less real and fake meat British shoppers are munching more beans, lentils, tofu and tempeh – while cutting back on both real and plant-based fake meat – to save money and improve their diet. The amount of beans, pulses and soya bean derivatives sold in the UK increased by 7.3% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, led by a surge in cheap dried lentils, an analysis has found...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 10:05:46 AM
world

Nepal flash floods: 'Very challenging' for survivors who have lost their homes and their families

Alison Sargent is pleased to welcome Sunita Sharma, Head of Programs of Karuna-Shechen. While Nepal has considerable experience responding to natural disasters, the scale of the present devastation exposes a deeper challenge: Placing greater emphasis on preparedness. The immediate priorities are clear: finding those still missing and providing survivors with drinking water, food, shelter, clothing and medicine. But recovery cannot end there. Ultimately, they will need to rebuild confidence and entire communities. Given the scale of the destruction, that process could take years.

France 24 • 8/28/2026, 9:50:55 AM
sports

Carse ‘feels he let England down’, says Durham coach: county cricket, day two – live

Updates from the latest round of Championship matches Day one roundup | Sign up for the Spin | Mail Tanya I want to eat all my breakfasts on the North Bay drinking coffee out of a cornflower blue cup, in the shadow of a ruined castle, to the rhythm of the waves. Delicious cheese scone too. Durham coach Ryan Campbell told BBC sport last night thatBrydon Carse was mortified by events in Derby, but would play for Durham unless they were told otherwise...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 9:45:14 AM
climate

El Niño, paired with climate change, 'just makes everything so much more dangerous'

Annette Young is pleased to welcome Gareth Redmond-King, Head of the International Programme at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit. He warns we are entering a period in which climate change is not only intensifying extreme weather but adding greater instability to the climate system itself. Natural phenomena such as El Niño will then amplify, and intensify, that disruption, effectively “fanning the flames of climate change” and making already dangerous extremes even more severe. For Europe, this means that the extreme heat, drought, water shortages, storms and flash flooding we are experiencing should no longer be regarded as exceptional. They are increasingly part of a new normal for which governments remain inadequately prepared.

France 24 • 8/28/2026, 9:35:51 AM
health

ADHD and autism costs in England ‘running out of control’, NHS leaders warn

Soaring demand for services has led to tenfold increase in spending in a year in some areas, says NHS Alliance NHS leaders have warned that the costs of meeting soaring demand for ADHD and autism services in England are “running out of control” and have become unsustainable, with spending in some areas rising by up to tenfold over the course of a year. The NHS Alliance, which represents health managers, said the rise in demand since the coronavirus pandemic was forcing some to close waiting lists and look at reining in other services they provide. One integrated care board (ICB) cited in a report said its monthly spend had risen from £146,000 in 2024/25 to £1.5m last year...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 9:29:37 AM
world

In Tibet and Nepal, 'the most pressing fear is that the death toll could rise'

At least 472 people have been killed and more than 1,500 remain missing after devastating flash floods hit the Himalayan border between Nepal and China, where over 3,250 people have already been evacuated by helicopter. As rescuers race to find survivors, one of the biggest fears is that the death toll will continue to rise, with authorities also warning that an overflowing lake upstream could trigger more flooding. FRANCE 24's Navodita Kumari has the latest.

France 24 • 8/28/2026, 9:16:45 AM
world

US: Tate brothers remain in jail as judge delays bail decision

Andrew and Tristan Tate will remain in custody in Miami after a federal judge declined to rule on their bail request as they fight extradition to the UK, where they face charges including rape, assault, human trafficking and money laundering. The UK has until mid-September to submit its evidence to the US State Department, while the brothers continue to deny wrongdoing and claim their online personas were fictional.

France 24 • 8/28/2026, 9:10:00 AM
sports

Help! I have disappeared down a rabbithole of horrible mobile gaming adverts | Dominik Diamond

Led by the nose from game to terrible game by increasingly disturbing and terrible adverts, I feel like I’m in the cinema scene from A Clockwork Orange We’re all escaping something when we play video games. Mostly it’s the drabness of real life, where we don’t get to command kingdoms using armies of dragons, win Champions League trophies with our local team, or inhabit the body of an improbably speedy hedgehog. Sometimes I play them because I want to escape from the version of me that gets paralysed by depression, and boy has the black dog been sniffing at my bits recently, because the Atlantic Ocean is separating me from my wife for a few months. For 30 years she has been the light that banishes that darkness, and I am honestly lost without her. If that sounds pathetic, you haven’t met her. She leaves everybody she meets feeling better. It’s a superpower that warrants a call from the X-Men...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 9:00:54 AM
power

Xi-Trump summit plans, Nepal disaster, SCO summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping may take a business delegation to Washington next month, when he is also likely to sign a trade-war truce extension with US President Donald Trump. The potential business delegation is under negotiation ahead of the September 24 summit, the South China Morning Post reported, citing four people with knowledge of the matter. US executives, including Apple’s Tim Cook and Tesla’s Elon Musk, accompanied Trump on his state visit to China in May. Both countries want to...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 9:00:14 AM
world

'Retrospective incrimination: First we shoot, we kill, and then we find a reason why it happened'

Liza Kaminov is pleased to welcome Nadav Weiman, Executive Director of Breaking the Silence. He says there is a troubling gap between how Israeli military operations in Gaza are publicly explained and what soldiers experience on the ground. Testimonies collected by Breaking the Silence suggest that this gap is not simply about individual incidents, but about the policies, assumptions and rules of engagement. The testimony surrounding the Nasser Hospital strike points to “retrospective incrimination”: rather than identifying a legitimate military target before an attack, evidence connecting those killed to Hamas may be sought afterward in order to justify the strike.

France 24 • 8/28/2026, 8:58:15 AM
sports

Transfer latest, Premier League news, European draws, and more: football – live

Transfer news and buildup to this weekend’s fixtures Get in touch: contact Sarah via email As we transition slightly more into Premier League chat, here are who the English top-flight teams will play in the Champions League: Manchester City: PSG (home), Barcelona (away), Sporting (h), Porto (a), Napoli (h), Leipzig (a), AEK Athens (h), Lens (a). Liverpool: Atlético Madrid (h), Inter (a), Porto (h), Club Brugge (a), Villarreal (h), Fenerbahce (a), Lens (h), Lask (a). Arsenal: Real Madrid (h), Bayern Munich (a), Borussia Dortmund (h), Real Betis (a), Lille (h), Napoli (a), Sabah (h), Slavia Prague (a). Aston Villa: PSG (h), Barcelona (a), Dortmund (h), Club Brugge (a), Fenerbahce (h), Galatasaray (a), Viking (h), Slavia Prague (a). Manchester United: Bayern (h), Atletico (a), Roma (h), Sporting (a), Leipzig (h), Villarreal (a), Sabah (h), Como (a)...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 8:28:17 AM
world

Weather tracker: More extreme rain in Japan and a tornado in France

Flash flooding and mudslides in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, while convective storms hit western Europe Following an “unprecedented” deluge in Chiba in mid-August, Japan has had more extreme rainfall in recent days. Moisture from the Sea of Japan brought relentless heavy rain to the prefectures of Ishikawa and Toyama on Thursday. In Himi, Toyama, 361.5mm of rain fell in 24 hours, equivalent to half the average annual rainfall in London and Paris. As a result of the downpours, several rivers burst their banks, leading to flash floods and mudslides with trees felled and buildings damaged. Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued its highest-level rain warning within the two prefectures earlier in the week as well as landslide warnings, leading to the evacuation of hundreds of thousands from the region. Models on Thursday indicated there could be a further 200mm of rain just south of this region as it continues to come in from the west...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 8:02:51 AM
technology

Nicola Coughlan and Matt Lucas among stars backing campaign against AI voice cloning

About 80 people sign open letter to Andy Burnham calling for legislation to protect voice ownership Nicola Coughlan, Hugh Bonneville and Matt Lucas are among a group of actors backing a campaign against artificial intelligence voice cloning. Save Our Voices Now, which is also being supported by Luke Evans, Jen Brister, Siobhán McSweeney and Pearl Mackie, aims to stop the practice in which AI technology is used to replicate a real person’s voice to say anything it is prompted to...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 7:15:00 AM
culture

Fairytales pending: the fringe musicals hoping to live happily ever after

Edinburgh has given festival audiences a look at two long awaited musicals – Bliss and Disenchanted! – with both aiming to now scale up their spectacle The Edinburgh fringe is mostly where new work is forged but that’s not the full picture. Amid all the hot-off-the-press shows are a number of familiar titles that have been around for years yet are only making their professional UK debut now. That’s the case with two fairytale musical productions hoping for a longer life whose festival run is a chance to engineer that happily ever after. Bliss, co-created by Tyler Beattie and Emma Lively, won a new play award in the US in 2019 and had its world premiere in Seattle the year after. A handful of its songs were released in 2022. Now developed into what is billed as “the biggest new musical of the Edinburgh fringe”, it has a cast of 17 which exceeds regular fringe proportions – as does the running time (80 minutes rather than the standard hour)...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 7:00:52 AM
climate

How Britain’s railways are struggling in the heat – and can they be fixed?

Problems including derailments have hit network during one of the hottest and driest summers on record Britain’s railways have faced a string of heat-related problems this summer, including a derailment near Lewes in East Sussex two weeks ago that injured 30 people, and another the next day when the rear carriages of a Greater Anglia train derailed “in an upright position” at Wickford railway station in Essex, with no reported injuries. The problems came during one of the hottest and driest summers on record, with a series of heatwaves, and drought declared across large parts of England and Wales. Britain’s railways, built for a cooler, wetter climate, have been put under pressure. Network Rail said the summer had “presented exceptional challenges to the railway”...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 7:00:51 AM
culture

‘It’s the story of what happens when the music stops’: bringing tormented jazz legend Bill Evans to life

Having directed documentaries about David Bowie, Radiohead and Joy Division, Grant Gee takes on a biopic of the turbulent and tragic American pianist In 1997, Grant Gee directed the video for Radiohead’s single No Surprises, a four-minute film that featured Thom Yorke miming the song inside a water-filled diver’s helmet, apparently almost drowning in the process. In the three decades since that promo, Gee has made a host of diverse feature-length films about artists: Radiohead, David Bowie, Joy Division, the Turkish Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, the émigré German novelist WG Sebald. They are often impressionistic, dreamlike explorations of art, memory, place and the strange pressures put upon artistic lives. “It’s a narrative form I’ve used again and again,” says Gee. “A character begins in one condition; a crisis slowly develops; the viewer watches that crisis in a forensic yet empathetic way; the crisis passes; the person returns to something like the original state, but transformed. Someone comes very close to drowning, but doesn’t drown. What does that do to them?”..

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 7:00:51 AM
culture

Donnacha Dennehy: Limina album review – joyously unfettered music is a thrill in motion

McCarthy/Waarts/National Symphony Orchestra Ireland/McAdams (Nonesuch) Dennehy’s Limina, based on areas of the body, is firmly grounded in the harmonic series, and sparklingly executed here, while Stephen Waarts gives a bravura performance of the Violin Concerto These two concertos, beautifully paired, again find Donnacha Dennehy writing music that is both firmly grounded – both rhythmically and in his fascination with the harmonic series – and, to the ear at least, joyously unfettered. Limina was written in 2023 for the pianist Eliza McCarthy, who is a powerhouse soloist here with the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland and conductor Ryan McAdams. It’s a serious piece born of a slightly playful idea. Its three movements are each named for a part of the body, staking out one area before moving to the threshold, or limina, of the next. Head starts with synapses firing high up the keyboard in sparks and glitter; it travels downwards, frenetic energy dissipating, towards Chest, which evokes breathing – not with regular rhythms but with gentle palindromic phrases that swell in and out and sigh back towards the same bass pitch. Nervous System begins deep in the gut, with coarser sounds – low piano vamping, and slapped bowing from the strings – but eventually escapes its tether and disperses around the keyboard. The Violin Concerto, written in 2020, is just as propulsive, and the outer movements especially are a workout for Stephen Waarts, who gives a bravura performance. In the middle movement his violin soars, pushing off from the orchestral support to trace slow, weightless somersaults in the air. The finale has a thrilling sense of motion creating its own gravity: as with so much of Dennehy’s writing, it’s as if the music is held together by centrifugal force...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 6:30:49 AM
world

Flood risk forces halt to rescues in Tibet, as Nepal death toll rises to 469

Lake has formed at epicentre of flood, forcing rescue teams to withdraw, Chinese state media report Nepal flash flood – latest updates Nearly 1,400 missing, mostly tourists, and hundreds killed Visual guide: how the deadly flooding unfolded Tell us: have you been affected by the flash floods? China has paused rescue work at the epicentre of the catastrophic flooding in Tibet this week amid fears that a lake ⁠formed at the ⁠site ⁠was ⁠at risk ​of ‌bursting, as the overall death toll in Nepal rose to 469 people, with more than 1,300 missing. A lake formed by immense piles of debris has begun overflowing towards the area where rescue teams were headed, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 5:45:36 AM
world

Please don’t rearrange our shoes when we turn up, paramedics in Japan urge

It is polite to reposition a guest’s shoes when they arrive, but the emergency services in one city advise just skipping that part Etiquette, manners and consideration for others are integral pillars of Japanese society but there are times when they might go a step too far, according to one city’s emergency services. The fire department in the central city of Kanazawa has urged people not to tidy up the shoes that paramedic crews have taken off when entering a house, warning it could hinder their ability to get in or out quickly, particularly when carrying someone on a stretcher...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 5:25:07 AM
culture

Marty Gleeson: Dog Ear review – hangdog standup with an unexpected request for Santa

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Even one of her own bugs takes the mic as the wild card comedian delivers these disconnected bits There’s an excellent joke about art school in Marty Gleeson’s show, but even without it, we might guess that the Irish comic comes from an art school background. In Dog Ear, convention is for the birds, with one leftfield idea following the next in a disorienting array. A visit to the future accompanied by fluttering beats on the bodhrán? A standup set performed by one of the thousands of bugs on Gleeson’s body? A funeral for her 187-year-old alter ego, at which she must solemnly shake the hand of every single audience member? Throughout her fringe debut, Gleeson delights in ensuring we’ve never the slightest idea what’s about to happen next. That makes it an offbeat delight to encounter, and at its best, this Limerick exile’s material is captivatingly unexpected. Even before its droll punchline, her routine about asking Santa, increasingly ardently, for a “big juicy booty” is quite the gambit. Another, extending the closing credits of a news bulletin ad absurdum, is similarly strange – and, like much of her material, tests the limits of how long something uneasy can happen before a punchline arrives to redeem it...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 5:00:49 AM
power

Dear culture-war motorists, look to the future. We'll all be driving at 20mph soon | Christian Wolmar

There are howls of protest from the right about plans for Birmingham to be a 20mph city. But it will be a good thing, and others will follow If it can happen in Birmingham, it can happen anywhere. Moves by Birmingham city council to impose a 20mph speed limit on all roads, apart from a few major thoroughfares, marks a turning point in transport policy that could and should attract imitators. Remember that in the 60s Birmingham was the city that had a racetrack ​style networks of roads at its heart, ​and a tangle of elevated ro​utes and roundabouts that pushed pedestrians underground and ensured no one would be mad enough to try to cycle. Moreover, it was the headquarters of the UK’s car industry, and its roads were designed more as a test track for new models than a way for people to get to the shops. The emphasis on roads above all else was a deliberate strategy by a city that saw its future inextricably bound up with motoring manufacturers...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 5:00:48 AM
world

South Korea backs Trump’s North Korea outreach, but warns against being sidelined

South Korea supports US President Donald Trump’s efforts to resume dialogue with North Korea, ‌but aims to ensure its security posture is not weakened and that Seoul is not sidelined, according to South Korea’s national security adviser. Seoul believed the resumption of talks between the US and North Korea should focus on progress on the North Korean nuclear weapons issue and must not undermine the country’s security readiness, Wi Sung-lac told reporters on Friday. “One point to keep in mind is...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 4:56:43 AM
power

US visa interviews on hold; China slams fresh sanctions over Iran: SCMP’s 7 highlights

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. The path to America is narrowing. Here’s what that means for legal immigrants US green card interviews are on hold worldwide, student and work visas are subject to new restrictions, and citizenship is under fresh scrutiny. The SCMP...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 4:45:04 AM
climate

No special carve-out for states using fossil fuel to power datacentres, Chris Bowen insists, despite new conditions

Energy minister says states can apply to use coal and gas supply to power datacentres but must prove it is cheaper than renewables Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Chris Bowen insists federal Labor’s new national laws on datacentre power supply will not include carve-outs for Queensland and the Northern Territory, with states that are eager to use coal and gas required to make their case to the national regulator. The energy minister told Guardian Australia on Friday the only concession agreed at Wednesday’s meeting of national cabinet was that existing coal and gas supply could be used on the condition it could be shown to be cheaper than renewables...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 4:17:37 AM
culture

The 50 best TV shows to watch this autumn

Nigella on Bake Off! Attenborough in Blue Planet III! Blade Runner 2099! Plus Adrian Mole, Harry Potter and a certain Celebrity Traitors … here are all the must-see shows of the season • Rising star Lara Ricote on the real heartache behind her new breakup comedy Wayward and chaotic, in the grand tradition of The Word and TFI Friday, Late Night Lycett proved that Joe Lycett had fully inherited Friday nights on Channel 4. Its follow-up sounds even more TFI-esque. The Lycett Arms is a real east London pub, open for just one hour a week, which required Lycett to train to be accredited with a level 2 award for personal licence holders. The show promises “top-drawer comedy entertainment from Joe and a pub full of celebrity guests”. What could possibly go wrong? • Channel 4, 4 September..

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 4:00:49 AM
world

What could Meta’s US settlement mean around the world – and what now for other claims against firm?

Other governments could seek similar concessions, while separate legal action is pending in places ranging from Kenya to the Netherlands In October 2021, Abrham Meareg’s father, a professor of chemistry in Ethiopia’s northern town of Bahir Dar, was shot at close range and died outside his family home. This was in the middle of the country’s civil war. For weeks, Facebook’s algorithm had actively promoted posts calling for the academic to be murdered, according to Meareg and Foxglove, a nonprofit organisation supporting Meareg’s lawsuit against the company in Kenya. These posts included photos of his father and his home address...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 4:00:48 AM
world

China-Nepal disaster death toll nears 500 as lake overflow threatens rescue work

The death toll from catastrophic flash floods and mudslides at the Gyirong Port border crossing between China and Nepal continued to rise on Friday, as satellite images revealed the full scale of the destruction. As of Friday morning, three people were confirmed dead and 558 missing on the Chinese side of the border, with 469 dead and at least 644 missing in Nepal. The tragedy unfolded on Wednesday morning when a massive Himalayan landslide triggered a fast-moving debris flow that swept down...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 3:51:41 AM
world

ICE agents in US to be equipped with pain-delivering electric shock gloves

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has awarded a US$16.7 million contract to purchase 6,000 pairs of gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks, saying officers would use them to control detainees and protesters who resist. ICE moved forward with the purchase despite opposition from civil rights advocates and Democratic members of Congress, who said ICE officers cannot be trusted to use them appropriately. A notice published in a federal database Thursday said ICE entered into a no-bid...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 3:38:43 AM
world

South Korea, Japan and US set joint drills despite Trump cuts

South Korea said on Friday it would hold joint military exercises with the United States and Japan in September, after Washington scaled back annual drills with Seoul in an apparent bid to encourage dialogue with North Korea. The three countries would conduct the North Korea-focused Freedom Edge exercise from September 7 to 11 in international waters east and south of South Korea’s Jeju Island, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. “This exercise is a defensive drill conducted annually by...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 3:35:37 AM
health

China thinks big on brain-computer interfaces after world-first surgery

Chinese surgeons last month completed the world’s first commercial surgery to implant an invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) device in a patient with a spinal cord injury, a milestone in the neurotechnology development race with US companies like Elon Musk’s Neuralink. This month a Chinese company, state-owned PICC Property and Casualty, launched the world’s first commercial insurance policy covering BCI implantation surgery. September will see the first undergraduates in China to major in...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 3:17:36 AM
power

Iran expert on China’s balancing act amid conflict with US and Israel

Trita Parsi is co-founder and executive vice-president of the Quincy Institute, a Washington-based think tank. He is an expert on US-Iranian relations, Iranian foreign policy and the geopolitics of the Middle East. He has written four books on US foreign policy in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Iran and Israel. Born in Iran, Parsi moved to Sweden with his family as a child and then to the United States as an adult. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the Open Questions...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 3:15:07 AM
world

South Korea to re-examine 310,000 missing person cases after fake record scandal

Renewed scrutiny comes after police officer accused of falsifying records in order to close the cases of people who were later found dead South Korean police will re-examine about 310,000 missing persons cases closed over the past three years, prompted by a scandal in which an officer was arrested on suspicion of falsifying records to close files on two people who were later found dead. The case has drawn national attention, with President Lee Jae Myung ordering an investigation into the police handling of it and telling the force to draw up a reform plan...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 3:06:40 AM
power

US judge blocks rule implementing Trump plan to curb mail-in ballots

A US federal judge on Thursday blocked the US Postal Service from implementing core parts of a new rule it adopted at President Donald Trump’s direction that would tighten mail-in voting requirements ahead of the November congressional elections. US District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston issued a temporary restraining order ‌at the behest of Democratic-led states and voting rights groups after the US Supreme Court on Monday issued a ruling that led to the lifting of earlier injunctions blocking...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 2:51:40 AM
world

And then there were seven in the silent hills

After decades of being caught between Maoists and the police, the seven families still living in Telangana’s Karreguttalu Hills are discovering life beyond fear. Once a formidable Maoist stronghold on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border, the hills are now opening up with roads, security infrastructure and the promise of electricity and development. But return of the State’s writ also raises questions about the future of the forests and the communities that have lived here for decades. Abhinay Deshpande reports

The Hindu • 8/28/2026, 2:27:26 AM
power

Why Filipino migrants are rethinking their futures in Japan

When Japan’s embassy in the Philippines extended applications for healthcare jobs on April 15, the pitch was straightforward: 50 positions for nurses and 300 for care workers in Japan, a three- to four-year placement, free Japanese-language lessons in both countries and a daily allowance during training. On social media, the post’s attractive terms drew widespread interest from Filipinos – a reminder that Japan is still urgently recruiting foreign labour even as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 2:00:16 AM
business

Xi’s crusade against corruption has gone well beyond economic crime

The South China Morning Post has launched a major data project diving into President Xi Jinping’s signature anti-graft campaign. In the fourth part of an accompanying series, Yuanyue Dang and William Zheng delve into the broader reach of the campaign. While economic crimes are often seen as the target of President Xi Jinping’s crusade against corruption, the campaign has become much wider. Thirteen years since it began, it is now increasingly about how officials use their power, whether they toe...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 2:00:14 AM
world

Thirty years of advancing equal opportunity

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Thirty years after Hong Kong established a statutory body to combat discrimination, equal opportunity has become increasingly embedded in laws, workplaces and community. As the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) marks its 30th anniversary this year, its record offers much to reflect on, but the work is far from finished considering the challenges brought by changing social needs. Following the enactment of the Sex...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 2:00:08 AM
world

White House construction cited in Trump helicopter close call with airliner

Construction work at the White House was a factor in the US presidential helicopter passing too close to a passenger plane in the skies over Washington earlier this month, investigators said Thursday. The close pass happened on August 4 after President Donald Trump took off on Marine One from a temporary site on the Ellipse, outside the grounds of the White House, during the construction of a permanent helipad inside the grounds. The White House and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 1:49:39 AM
culture

A Chinese cook in the Middle East serves up a very different anti-war film

This summer, Chinese anti-war film Once Upon a Time in the Middle East has dominated the mainland box office. The film implicitly answers the question: what happens when a story about international conflict is told, not through the sights of an assault rifle, but through a gentler lens? It offers a fundamental restructuring of cinematic narrative paradigms, one that challenges decades of Hollywood inertia. For nearly a century, mainstream international anti-war cinema has been heavily anchored...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 1:30:10 AM
health

FDA approves updated Covid-19 vaccines for dominant XFG variant

Decision allows manufacturers to begin shipping doses, but confusion remains about insurance coverage The US Food and Drug Administration approved updated Covid-19 vaccines on Thursday, allowing manufacturers to begin shipping doses to pharmacies and doctors’ offices across the country. The FDA approved Moderna, Novavax-Sanofi and Pfizer-BioNTech’s updated Covid vaccines, the companies ⁠said on Thursday, ⁠after ​an advisory panel recommended that the shots should target ⁠the dominant XFG variant...

The Guardian • 8/28/2026, 1:19:48 AM
world

Expanded Mid-Autumn Festival lantern show to light up Hong Kong. Here’s what to see

A more international and upgraded lantern show is set to light up Hong Kong’s Victoria Park during the Mid-Autumn Festival next month, as part of the city’s efforts to entice locals and tourists alike. The International Lantern Spectacular, organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, will be held at the Causeway Bay park between September 17 and 27, complementing other festive activities such as the Fire Dragon Dance in the nearby Tai Hang neighbourhood. To help readers get into the spirit of the...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 1:00:11 AM
culture

ASEAN Film Festival promotes cinematic diversity and fosters cultural exchange

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] The ASEAN Film Festival (AFF) officially opened on August 20 at an event attended by government officials, Consuls-General, cultural partners, and filmmakers from across the region. Running until September 27, this year’s festival serves as a vibrant crossroads where stories from Southeast Asia and beyond converge to bridge cultures, spark conversation, and deepen mutual understanding. With free screenings across Hong...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 12:40:45 AM
technology

AI use on 1823 platform will cut frustration but data safeguards needed: experts

Deploying artificial intelligence on Hong Kong’s 1823 complaint platform will reduce public frustration and strengthen governance, but authorities must also guard against privacy leaks, lawmakers and an expert have said. They described the AI measures announced on Thursday as a step in the right direction, saying the technology could reduce residents’ waiting times and help direct cases to the appropriate departments. “In the past, residents often complained that their cases were assigned to the...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 12:30:10 AM
business

Hong Kong home prices end 13-month upswing as mainland Chinese tax fears weigh on demand

Hong Kong’s lived-in home prices fell 0.46 per cent in July, halting a 13-month upswing, according to the latest official data. The index tracking second-hand homes slipped to 321.5 in July from 323 in June, Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) data showed on Thursday. It was the first decline in 16 months – since April last year. Prices were flat in May last year before climbing steadily for 13 months from June. “As residential property prices have increased by 7.3 per cent year to date,...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 12:00:16 AM
power

US base dispute hangs over Japan’s Okinawa governor election

Okinawa’s governor election next month is set to be a major test of whether Japan’s ruling party can win over voters from a prefecture that has long opposed its security agenda and the heavy US military presence on its islands. A victory by Genta Koja, the Liberal Democratic Party-backed candidate, would likely help smooth ties between Okinawa and Tokyo and weaken resistance against the planned relocation of the US Marine Corps’ Futenma base within the prefecture, according to analysts. Such an...

South China Morning Post • 8/28/2026, 12:00:12 AM
power

Maharashtra Gen Z Adivasis ask for more

In Manjari village, on the outskirts of Pune, tribal students have been protesting for over two weeks with a hunger strike against the Maharashtra government, which they say has not heard them for years. They hope this time their need for better quality education and hostel infrastructure will be seen, and the Supreme Court-mandated employment assured nine years ago will be given. Vinaya Deshpande Pandit speaks with the students, many of whom are first-generation college-goers

The Hindu • 8/27/2026, 11:59:54 PM
health

Thousands of UK women have undiagnosed PTSD after childbirth each year, study finds

Experts call for joined-up support through the postnatal period amid concerns GPs are not trained to spot symptoms Thousands of UK women develop undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childbirth every year, research has found. The frightening and dangerous condition is being missed in at least 15,000 women a year across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the true toll could be double that or more, according to the authors of research in a leading medical journal...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 11:01:41 PM
technology

US urged to use Beijing playbook to secure Chinese tech transfers

The United States should take a leaf out of Beijing’s industrial playbook and strategically open up specific sectors to Chinese investment while ensuring that technology transfers occur, US industrial policy and supply chain experts said at an event on Thursday. The assessment comes as Washington mulls new broad restrictions on Chinese technology, including a proposed prohibition on the sale of cars with connected-vehicle technology linked to China and a ban on imports of Chinese humanoid robots...

South China Morning Post • 8/27/2026, 10:25:57 PM
health

Senator calls for criminal investigation of RFK Jr after Guardian report

Newly obtained records indicate health secretary lied about Samoa trip during Senate confirmation hearings last year A senior Democratic senator is calling for a criminal investigation into the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, following reporting by the Guardian that indicated he lied during Senate confirmation hearings last year. Ron Wyden of Oregon said: “RFK’s platform is built on lies and grifts that leave a trail of dead children in their wake. There are consequences for lying to Congress.”..

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 10:11:05 PM
sports

Wigan rise to occasion against Hull KR as town unites to remember Sir Billy Boston

Super League: Wigan Warriors 46-0 Hull KR Liam Marshall bags hat-trick of tries in rout On the night when Wigan Warriors celebrated one of their greatest entertainers, perhaps it was fitting that Matt Peet’s class of 2026 produced a performance Sir Billy Boston would have been proud of on their charge, potentially, towards another Super League title. There are some nights where the result is dwarfed by the occasion. Where sport, in truth, comes second. This was undoubtedly one of those, as what felt like the entirety of this town where rugby league is more akin to a religion than it is a pastime came together in grief to remember the life and career of their most cherished adopted son...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 9:40:24 PM
power

Burnham announces crackdown on rogue bailiffs and ‘cowboy builders’

New rules are aimed at protecting people in debt in England and Wales and stopping homeowners being ripped off A clampdown on “rogue bailiffs” has been launched by Andy Burnham amid concerns that vulnerable people are being overcharged and face aggressive behaviour. In the latest in a series of “everyday fixes” to ease the cost of living and “make Britain fairer”, the prime minister said he was strengthening the rules that apply to bailiffs in England and Wales to better protect people in debt...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 9:30:39 PM
power

Why Southeast Asia isn’t buying the US’ offer of ‘flexible realism’

In arguably his most important foreign trip, Elbridge Colby, US undersecretary for defence policy, visited key Southeast Asian capitals this month. In a speech in Manila, the Pentagon policy chief extolled America’s “flexible realism”, which he said serves “the practical, concrete interests of regular Americans” and echoes Southeast Asian nations’ commitment to “pragmatism, an openness to dialogue, respect for counterparts, proud nationalism, and a focus on economic prosperity”. Amid the United...

South China Morning Post • 8/27/2026, 9:30:08 PM
sports

USA’s Russell and Brazil’s Dos Santos smash world records on ‘crazy’ night in Zurich

Dos Santos and Russell smash hurdles world records Werro comes within 0.42sec of 800m world record Bednarek and Wanyonyi clock world-leading times Masai Russell and Alison Dos Santos each set a world record while Mondo Duplantis won a historic pole vault on a frenetic Thursday night in Zurich. The Letzigrund Stadium had a raucous sell-out 25,000 crowd and the still, balmy weather conditions helped the athletes no end...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 9:05:05 PM
health

Nigeria: the lucrative business of kidnappings

In tonight's programme, we speak to a Lagos analyst behind a new report laying out the figures behind abductions. Also, Tanzania's ruling party kicks the vice-president out even after he announces his plans to step down next week. And finally in Senegal, the first African-manufactured generic drug to treat sickle cell disease is raising hopes of better treatment and reduced reliance on costly imported medicine.

France 24 • 8/27/2026, 8:49:22 PM
sports

Broad and Anderson lament ‘extreme and tiresome’ off-field incidents involving England players

‘Mind-numbing that people end up in these positions’ Brydon Carse incident is the latest in a long line Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson have criticised the “extreme and tiresome” flood of negative stories around the England cricket team’s drinking and socialising habits, with Anderson – England’s all-time leading wicket-taker – saying it is “just mind-numbing that people can still be putting themselves in these positions”. The latest scandal involving members of the Test squad involved the bowler Brydon Carse, who was pictured being led away from a Derby bar in handcuffs in the early hours of Sunday morning. The 31-year-old was briefly arrested by police on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly before being “de-arrested”, though they continue to investigate an allegation of assault in connection with the incident. Carse was dropped from the squad for the second Test against Pakistan that started at Lord’s on Thursday, but took two wickets for Durham on the first day of their County Championship game against Gloucestershire...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 8:46:47 PM
sports

Danny Welbeck leads Chelsea past Luton as Fernández misses Carabao Cup tie

One Argentinian is about to arrive and another looks destined for the exit. Chelsea have dealt with their most glaring weakness, Xabi Alonso’s desire for a new goalkeeper satisfied by the club rushing to agree a £7.5m deal for Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martínez, and it seems likely another nagging headache is about to ease. Enzo Fernández was absent as Chelsea eased into the third round of the Carabao Cup with a 2-0 win over Luton Town. Manchester City are closing in on a deal for the midfielder but Alonso will be glad once the saga is over. Chelsea can do without the circus around Fernández. They showed the right attitude against Luton and were inspired by Danny Welbeck, still going strong at 35 and in the right place to open this tie up with his first goal for his new side...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 8:40:13 PM
business

Democrats to investigate ‘miraculous’ rise of Trump Jr’s investment firm

Congressman Jamie Raskin asks president’s son to detail firm’s recent success after he joined 1789 Capital as partner Democrats on a powerful US congressional committee have launched an investigation into a venture capital firm which has thrived since recruiting Donald Trump’s son. Donald Trump Jr joined 1789 Capital as a partner just days after his father won a second term in office in November 2024. Congressman Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the US House of Representatives judiciary committee, has asked the president’s son to detail the firm’s recent success...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 8:33:14 PM
sports

Good Good Golf co-founder sorry for ad depicting violence against woman

Garrett Clark says controversial skit was in ‘poor taste’ Retailers have pulled Good Good products from shelves PGA Tour says sponsorship situation remains ‘fluid’ Good Good Golf co-founder Garrett Clark apologized in a video on Wednesday night, saying he hopes “we can move on” amid continued fallout from an advert that many believe made light of violence against women. The video, ⁠posted on 21 August, was meant to promote a driver it had produced alongside golf brand Callaway. It showed Clark shoving Good Good personality Alexis Miestowski to the ground as she went to pull the Callaway club out of his bag. Clark then said, “Do not touch my new driver,” while ⁠standing over her...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 7:31:18 PM
sports

Uefa raises stakes with criminal complaint in battle to unseat Infantino | Matt Hughes

Uefa has begun a legal process against the embattled Fifa president in a dramatic new development Anyone who interpreted Uefa’s decision to withdraw a proposed boycott of Fifa competitions, revealed by the Guardian on Wednesday, as a backward step in the attempt to remove Gianni Infantino as Fifa’s president has been quickly disabused of that notion. In a stunning development that overshadowed one of the biggest days in the European football calendar as national football federation and club executives gathered for the Champions League draw in Monte Carlo, Uefa announced it was preparing to make a legal complaint against Infantino in Switzerland alleging “criminal mismanagement” for his role in the failed World Cup sell-off plan...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 7:00:36 PM
culture

Freddie Meredith: Need a Light? review – one hilarious hour of cringe

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Watching a man labouring to strike up conversations in the smoking area of a nightclub proves not just funny but also touching and uplifting Ever pretended to use your phone to avoid the shame of being Norman No-Mates at a party? Freddie Meredith’s new show is a 60-minute channelling of that experience, an hour-long cringe at a man labouring to strike up conversations in the smoking area of a nightclub. Meredith, a familiar face to viewers of Big Boys, Such Brave Girls and other TV series, has alighted on a familiar social type here, albeit one rarely so brilliantly depicted. His alter ego is a shy and insecure beta male desperately trying to look – well, alpha is out of his reach, but even basic social functioning would be an upgrade...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 7:00:36 PM
sports

US Open: Carlos Alcaraz to face Safiullin on return as Sabalenka gets tricky draw

Alcaraz back in action after four-month injury layoff Novak Djokovic faces Mariano Navone in first round Carlos Alcaraz has been handed a tough draw on his return to singles competition after a four-month injury layoff as he faces the in-form Russian Roman Safiullin in the first round of the US Open. Alcaraz, the defending champion in New York, has not competed in singles since sustaining a right wrist injury at the Barcelona Open in April, with the Spaniard missing the French Open, where he was also the defending champion, and Wimbledon...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 6:34:51 PM
sports

Abbas dusts himself down to dominate England – and close in on the honours board | Simon Burnton

Fast bowler is one wicket away from a target eight years in the making after another display of consistency Halfway through the afternoon session, as drinks were taken after the completion of his 10th over, Mohammad Abbas waved at the Pakistan dressing room and beckoned on their physios. When they reached him he gestured at his right buttock and lay on his front while they worked extensively on his glutes and up his back. Many of his teammates took the opportunity to sit down while England’s batters stood chatting nearby, the drinks break extending by a few bonus minutes to allow for the repairs...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 6:34:21 PM
sports

Mohammad Abbas pegs back England as improved Pakistan make their mark at Lord’s

Seamer grabs four wickets to leave Test finely balanced Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith hit back with half-centuries Footage of Brydon Carse kept flashing up on the big screens at Lord’s on Thursday. Not that footage, of course, but rather the headline-grabbing fast bowler enjoying a refreshing can of the fizzy apple juice that is English cricket’s “official drinks break partner”. In fairness, both clips make a decent advert for sticking to soft drinks. In Carse’s absence – not that he was likely to play in this second Test against Pakistan – the metaphorical clouds hanging over this England team made way for the real thing. And after being stuck in on a nibbling slow surface, a Swiss clock-precise seamer such as Mohammad Abbas only ever going to be a handful...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 6:20:18 PM
business

Chelsea agree £7.5m deal to sign Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa

Goalkeeper’s arrival may lead to Robert Sánchez’s exit Chelsea expect Manchester City bid for Enzo Fernández Chelsea have agreed a £7.5m deal to sign the Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez and are expecting Manchester City to make an offer for Enzo Fernández in the next 48 hours. Xabi Alonso identified the signing of a goalkeeper as a priority after Robert Sánchez struggled against Fulham last Monday and the deal for Martínez has gone through quickly. The Argentina international is out of favour at Villa after their acquisition of Zion Suzuki and is due to sign a two-year contract with the option of a further year...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 6:19:59 PM
science

El Niño climate patterns supercharged by burning of fossil fuels, study finds

‘Godzilla’ event currently brewing could push 50 million people into acute hunger before the end of next year A series of strong El Niño climatic patterns in recent decades, such as the “Godzilla” event currently brewing that is set to warp weather around the world, have been supercharged by the broader overheating of the planet caused by the burning of fossil fuels, a major new study has found. El Niño is a naturally occurring phenomenon, taking place every two to seven years, when the waters of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean heat up, causing a cascade of impacts around the world. The latest developing El Niño, set to peak later this year, is set to be the strongest in living memory and has been informally dubbed a “Godzilla” event...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 6:00:34 PM
world

Red Cross mobilises in Nepal following natural disaster: 'Entire villages & communities washed out'

François Picard is pleased to welcome Tommaso Della Longa, Spokesperson for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The immediate challenge in Nepal is not only the scale of destruction, explains Della Longa, but the difficulty of reaching communities whose roads, bridges and communications have been swept away. Their priority remains search and rescue and the delivery of life-saving assistance, even as they begin preparing for longer-term recovery. Yet this is also a deeply human crisis for first responders: local Red Cross volunteers are supporting their own communities while some have themselves lost homes or relatives.

France 24 • 8/27/2026, 5:53:51 PM
climate

The Guardian view on the Nepal-Tibet floods: prepare for more climate-linked disasters | Editorial

Medicine, food and other supplies are the urgent priority. But the rising risks from shrinking glaciers must be faced too Thousands of people in Nepal and Tibet are in desperate need of emergency assistance following Wednesday’s disaster. With 360 people confirmed dead, more than 1,300 others are still missing as search and rescue operations continue. The precise sequence of events linking glacier collapse to flash floods is yet to be confirmed. But there is no doubting the enormous destructive power of the brown torrent that can be seen on video clips surging down the steeply sided Himalayan valleys, sweeping away everyone and everything in its path. Testimony from survivors about terrifying near-escapes and losses is reminiscent of previous disasters, including the 2004 tsunami. With some of the worst-affected areas still cut off and accessible only by helicopter, there is a high level of uncertainty about the total number of people who have died or homes that have been destroyed. Existing medical, food, shelter and sanitation supplies will need to be replenished. Pledges of help for locally led relief efforts from foreign governments and agencies, following reports that hundreds of those missing were tourists or pilgrims, must lead to swift action. People need basics including electricity and clean water before they can start to rebuild and recover...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 5:40:35 PM
power

The Guardian view on energy costs: vulnerable households need help with their bills | Editorial

Soaring prices are plunging struggling families into debt. The government must support them in the short term as it invests in a clean energy future Fuelled by the consequences of Donald Trump’s disastrous war on Iran, household energy debt in Britain is continuing to soar, rising to a record £6bn by the end of June. That figure is set to hit £7bn by the end of the year, as the government’s cap on gas and electricity prices goes up to a three-year high in October. The human cost among the less well off will be more people regularly choosing whether to skip meals, ignore other bills or stay cold this winter. Such is life at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis, which Andy Burnham has made it his priority to address since arriving in Downing Street. The day after he became prime minister, Mr Burnham announced that VAT would be removed from electricity bills from the beginning of October. But the Middle East-related rise in the price cap, announced on Wednesday, more than wipes out the effect of his cut. In an era of geopolitical volatility, high energy costs have become the new normal...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 5:39:46 PM
world

Why Trump wants H-1B skilled worker visas to cost employers more than $100,000

US President Donald Trump is once again trying to impose a $100,000 fee on employers seeking to hire skilled temporary foreign workers through the H-1B visa programme. But while tech titans like Elon Musk have long championed the programme as a crucial way of drawing top global talent to Silicon Valley, critics on both left and right say the scheme is largely used to replace skilled US-born workers with cheaper – and more easily controlled – foreign guest workers.

France 24 • 8/27/2026, 5:24:55 PM
business

Ex-Barclays boss denies having sex with a woman dressed as Snow White

Jes Staley made the comments to US lawmakers investigating his links to Jeffrey Epstein The former Barclays boss Jes Staley has denied having sex with a woman dressed as Snow White, after being questioned about an infamous email exchange about Disney princesses with Jeffrey Epstein. The comments were detailed in newly released transcripts from a closed-door interview last month with US lawmakers as part of their investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in August 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex-trafficking charges...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 5:21:00 PM
power

Pakistan complain to Sky after interview with Imran Khan’s sons over father’s treatment

Sky acknowledge complaint from Pakistan Cricket Board Former captain in solitary confinement since 2023 The Pakistan Cricket Board has made a formal complaint to Sky Sports after it broadcast an interview with Imran Khan’s sons, Kasim and Sulaiman, during its coverage of the first day’s play of the second Test at Lord’s. During the interview Khan’s children raised concerns about the Pakistan government’s treatment of the country’s former prime minister, who has been held in solitary confinement for the past three years...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 5:18:42 PM
power

US Patriot missile shortage in Europe ‘beyond critical’ due to Iran war, officials say

The US military is experiencing a “beyond critical” shortage of advanced missile interceptors in Europe largely driven by US President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, an American defence official in Europe and a Nato official said, raising concerns about vulnerabilities in Nato countries to a potential Russian attack. The US defence official said the most concerning shortfall involves Patriot missile interceptors, which can shoot down Russia’s high-speed ballistic missiles. The Nato official...

South China Morning Post • 8/27/2026, 4:52:49 PM
sports

Tadej Pogacar battles back from scare on descent to win stage six of Vuelta a España

Slovenian leader recovers after misjudging corner Britain’s Josh Tarling pulls out of event mid-stage Tadej Pogacar outsprinted Enric Mas to claim victory in stage six of the Vuelta a España on Thursday, his third stage win of the race. The Slovenian and Mas outshone their rivals on the gravel in the stage’s final climb, and Pogacar held off the Spaniard when arriving in Castellón de la Plana to extend his general classification lead. The five-time Tour de France winner Pogacar, the overwhelming favourite for the Vuelta, is aiming to complete a Grand Tour grand slam...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 4:31:22 PM
world

'National treasure: If we could all be like Dolly, it would be a much better place in the world'

As the world pays homage to the life and legacy of Dolly Parton, François Picard is pleased to welcome Nashville's Irene Kelley, Country musician and celebrated songwriter, alongside her daughter, Justyna Kelley, Country musician, songwriter, actress and producer. For the Kelley family, Dolly Parton’s significance lies in the extraordinary reach of her music, and even more in the way she turned intimate stories into something remarkably universal. Her songs were grounded in home and family, sharing life's immense struggles, while staying true to her values. The Kelleys see Parton as a national treasure who transcended generations, social class and the great political divide.

France 24 • 8/27/2026, 3:21:20 PM
sports

Twickenham £660m makeover plan hit as locals push back against concert scheme

Councillors say plan does not tackle impact on residents RFU want to increase number of non-sporting events The Rugby Football Union’s bid to stage more concerts at Twickenham has been delivered a blow after local councillors insisted planning permission should not be awarded until the proposal further commits to limiting the community impact. The RFU earlier this summer submitted its planning application to Richmond council to use the stadium for non-sporting events for up to 15 days a year, with a decision due in October. Public consultation was due to end on Thursday with 240 submissions in favour and 456 against at the time of writing...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 3:12:55 PM
world

USS Abraham Lincoln to visit port in Thailand after more than 250 days at sea

Thai navy says ‘routine’ visit’ will allow personnel to rest and recuperate amid reports of poor conditions onboard The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is set to make a temporary stop in Thailand next week as it heads back to the United States, Thai navy officials said, after spending more than 250 consecutive days at sea supporting US operations against Iran amid recent reports of poor living conditions and low morale onboard the vessel. The Lincoln left the Middle East several days ago after being relieved by the USS George Washington, and is now heading home to San Diego. A Thai navy official told Reuters this week that the carrier was expected to make a brief port visit in Thailand next week for the crew to rest and recuperate before continuing their journey home...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 3:05:55 PM
technology

One of east coast’s largest datacenters accused of ‘violating federal law’

Thermal drone footage shows a Microsoft-backed AI datacenter powering its operations with dozens of unpermitted generators The largest planned AI datacenter in New Jersey is being accused of violating federal law after a visual investigation found the site running dozens of unpermitted gas-powered generators. Thermal drone footage captured by the non-profit newsroom Floodlight last week showed the partly completed DataOne facility in Vineland was operating at least 45 of the site’s 62 generators at the time...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 3:00:33 PM
health

Food allergies when flying are no joke. That's why nuts should be banned on planes | Lucy Pasha-Robinson

People with allergies must be able to travel without fear, and a compassionate society should respect that What are you most scared of? Perhaps snakes send a chill down your spine. Or heights leave your knees weak. Peanuts may sound like an odd source of phobia, but they have taken on an absurd bogeyman quality for me since my daughter was taken to hospital by ambulance after eating peanut butter when she was six months old. Just the sight of a bowl on a pub bar, or their shells discarded on the pavement, can raise my heart rate – even when I’m not with her. Nowhere is the sight of peanuts more confronting than at 30,000ft, especially now when millions are jetting back from their holidays. Travelling with a severely allergic child can be a nightmare for all sorts of reasons, but the idea you could be sat next to a passenger consuming the very thing that has hospitalised them is its own kind of hell. Lucy Pasha-Robinson is a Guardian assistant Opinion editor..

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 3:00:32 PM
culture

Owl at Home review – this Edinburgh fringe hoot is a wise choice for children

Gilded Balloon Teviot, Edinburgh Songs, physical comedy and clever design come together in Theatr Iolo’s adaptation of Arnold Lobel’s offbeat story, aimed at over-fives Arnold Lobel was a writer with a keen sense of the seasons. Frog and Toad Are Friends, one of my favourite books since childhood, has a wonderful story where the excitable Frog wakes up his grumpy friend Toad and tricks him into enjoying the dawn of spring with him. Those stories celebrate togetherness but Lobel’s collection Owl at Home is about aloneness and being at one with your surroundings – even when the arrival of winter brings a snowstorm blowing through your roost. With his hair gelled into tufts, George Williams plays Owl in this adaptation by Rina Vergano and Theatr Iolo, directed by Lee Lyford. We find Williams dozing in an armchair on Anisha Fields’ accomplished set, which retains the cosy essence of Lobel’s illustrations but is less twee. The roost functions as an equally eccentric character in itself, filled with contraptions, dark wooden furniture and a periscope to nervously keep an eye on the world outside...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 2:53:25 PM
sports

‘Grand slams are the engine to make a living’: Mackenzie McDonald on why players still compete when injured

American talks life on the professional circuit and those making sacrifices for a pay cheque, often compromising physical and mental welfare For the American tennis veteran Mackenzie McDonald the players’ ongoing push for greater prize money and welfare contributions from the grand slam tournaments could result in the difference between simply putting food on the table and making a decent living. After 10 years on the ATP Tour the 31-year-old is not pleading poverty but knows from personal experience that life on the professional circuit can be a hand-to-mouth existence, with players’ physical and mental welfare often compromised due to their desperation to get back on court...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 2:27:48 PM
climate

West Point’s only climate scientist fired after continuing to teach human causes of climate change

Adam Kalkstein compared administration’s order to ‘trying to teach the law’ without mentioning ‘the constitution’ The only climate scientist teaching at West Point, the US army’s military academy, was fired after he resisted an order to stop teaching about the human causes of the climate emergency, a lawsuit claims. Dr Adam Kalkstein, a civilian professor of geography at the New York institution, was terminated after the spring semester this year, six months after a testy meeting with Brig Gen Shane Reeves, then dean of West Point’s academic board, the court filing said...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 2:15:02 PM
sports

Uefa preparing to bring criminal claims against Gianni Infantino over World Cup sale

Uefa says claims will be made in Switzerland It says claims relate to alleged criminal mismanagement Uefa is preparing to make a criminal complaint against Gianni Infantino for alleged “criminal mismanagement” in connection with his failed Fifa Forward Enterprise plan and has applied for the release of documents related to its conception. In an explosive escalation of the war engulfing football’s governing bodies, Uefa has made separate applications in the United States for information, including from Fifa...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 2:06:37 PM
business

Bots and bargains: Zara owner launches cut-price Lefties in UK to rival Primark

First robot-assisted outlet opens in Liverpool to take on Shein and supermarkets in clothing, shoes and homewares Business live – latest updates The owner of Zara is taking on Primark, Shein and the supermarkets with the launch of its cut-price chain Lefties in Britain, backed by an army of robots. The Spanish fashion brand opened its first UK store in Liverpool on Thursday, a few weeks after quietly launching its UK website...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 2:00:25 PM
culture

Robert Carlyle: ‘When we did The Full Monty strip, the reaction from the crowd was terrifying’

The actor on which star he’d devour first on a lifeboat, why he prefers pigeons to dogs and how Trainspotting put the Scottish accent on the map You’re stranded on a lifeboat with Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Peter Mullan, James Cosmo, Keith Allen and Irvine Welsh. Who do you eat first? DarkAnaemicI77 I suppose you have to think about who’s the healthiest and has looked after their body best. I reckon Ewan would be a wee bit too chewy, and Irvine a wee bit pickled. I’ll go for Kevin McKidd because he’s been out in LA for 20 years, eating good food. Did you really not like Zippy the West Highland terrier who played Wee Jock in Hamish Macbeth? Campbell97..

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 2:00:16 PM
health

AI can detect heart disease in women using mammograms, study suggests

Experts say findings mean breast screenings for cancer could also flag cardiovascular problems in women Doctors have discovered a way to use routine mammograms that screen for breast cancer to spot heart disease, the world’s leading – and frequently underdiagnosed – cause of death in women. Researchers analysed the scans using artificial intelligence and were able to successfully identify women with coronary heart disease, high blood pressure or who had suffered a stroke...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 2:00:16 PM
climate

Why climate extremes will not stop expansion of China’s nuclear power industry

While extreme weather is disrupting nuclear power generation in some parts of the world, it is unlikely to derail China’s rapid expansion in the sector, according to an industry specialist. The unusually hot and dry summer has disrupted reactors across Europe, forcing units to shut down from France to Romania, as river levels have fallen and water temperatures risen. France – where nuclear accounts for around 70 per cent of electricity generation – had a record shortfall of more than 20 per cent...

South China Morning Post • 8/27/2026, 2:00:10 PM
sports

‘Armchair supporter’: do I still love going to football or just love the idea of it? | Max Rushden

A welcome return to watch Cambridge brought back a whole lot of memories, nostalgia and contemplation On 11 February 1989, Cambridge United beat Hartlepool 6-0. My memories of the game are faint. The internet can’t even tell me who scored – perhaps Laurie Ryan got a couple. I do recall walking past some Hartlepool fans on Coldham’s Common who were peering into a brook. “Looking for a new centre forward?” Not a terrible joke from my dad as we walked past. There was polite laughter at least...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 1:41:32 PM
technology

AI-proof? Younger workers desert the digital world for traditional crafts

In a disrupted job market people are turning to heritage crafts such as bookbinding, metalwork and boatbuilding It’s a bleak moment for young people entering the workforce for the first time. For decades, a university degree seemed to promise a stable career – but entry-level white-collar jobs across almost all sectors are being disrupted by AI. Budding accountants, software engineers and junior lawyers increasingly find themselves displaced by cheap automation. Even creative fields are struggling against AI tech that can produce artwork, lengthy prose or complex design briefs in seconds...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 1:38:30 PM
technology

An $18bn settlement is a drop in the ocean for Meta – but the tide will still come for it | Chris Stokel-Walker

This week’s settlement without liability was pragmatic, but it doesn’t change the inevitability of further lawsuits around the world Not many people would count paying $18bn they didn’t expect to when they woke up that morning as a victory. Yet for Meta, the owners of Facebook and Instagram, the agreement with 52 US attorneys general to settle claims that it designed its products to be addictive to children, and misled people about their safety, could be described as a win of sorts. Meta denies wrongdoing, and the amount it plans to pay will be spread over a decade. Some of it is contingent on other big tech firms not named in its case coughing up too. The cash is chump change for Meta, which made around $60bn in profit last year. More damaging to the tech giant in the long run could be the agreement to unwind some of the mechanics it has spent two decades perfecting to keep us on its platforms. Chris Stokel-Walker is the author of TikTok Boom: The Inside Story of the World’s Favourite App..

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 1:11:16 PM
climate

Hiker reunited with backpack 60 years after he fell into a glacier in Austria

Bag, camera and pipe belonging to 86-year-old are latest relics uncovered as glaciers melt due to global heating An 86-year-old mountaineer has been reunited with his backpack and climbing equipment after they emerged from a melting glacier in Austria – more than 60 years after he was forced to leave them there. Items including an ice axe, camera and a pipe dating from the 1950s or 1960s were discovered on the Sulztalferner glacier in Austria’s Tyrol region, at an altitude of 2,955 metres (9,700ft) above sea level, by a hiker in July...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 1:03:31 PM
culture

‘She should have been queen of the world!’ Readers remember Dolly Parton

From quiet acts of generosity and life-changing gigs to singing for a professional puppeteer, Dolly Parton has had a profound impact on readers’ lives • Photo gallery: fans pay tribute to Dolly Parton I had the opportunity to meet her when I volunteered to work the Country Music Awards in the late 70s. Me and three other kids had Dolly all to ourselves for about 20 minutes. I remember with disbelief how she took several unhurried minutes with each of us and gave us her undivided attention for that time. She had no reason to do this. She was just as genuine as they come. Her philanthropy was exceptional. Her talent speaks for itself. I miss her already. Larry Lipman, Tennessee..

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 1:02:10 PM
world

US lawmakers condemn right-wing podcast’s calls for Chinese-American internment

Asian-American lawmakers in the US Congress have condemned a right-wing podcast that called for the forced internment of Chinese-Americans during a hypothetical war with Beijing, warning that such rhetoric fuelled hate against the community. The joint statement was released by congresswomen Grace Meng, chairwoman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (Capac), and Judy Chu, Capac’s chairwoman emerita, as well as congressman Ted Lieu, vice-chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. The...

South China Morning Post • 8/27/2026, 1:00:05 PM
health

‘I fight pain and fear with art’: how Yayoi Kusama blazed a trail for neurodivergent artists

The pioneering Japanese artist talked openly about how her mental health and neurodivergence informed her creativity, paving the way for the likes of Turner prize winner Nnena Kalu Yayoi Kusama – who has died at the age of 97 – was 10 when she first started experiencing vivid hallucinations consisting of visual and aural disturbances, which she described as “flashes of light, auras, or dense fields of dots”. A drawing from 1939, of a woman in a kimono assumed to be her mother, shows her obliterated by those dots; they would become Kusama’s artistic obsession. She hallucinated flowers, too. “I was looking at the red flower patterns of the tablecloth on a table, and when I looked up I saw the same pattern covering the ceiling, the windows and the walls, and finally all over the room, my body and the universe”, she once said, when asked about that recurring motif. “I felt as if I had begun to self-obliterate, to revolve in the infinity of endless time and the absoluteness of space, and be reduced to nothingness.” For Kusama, art making was a means of survival. “I fight pain, anxiety, and fear every day, and the only method I have found that relieved my illness is to keep creating art. I followed the thread of art and somehow discovered a path that would allow me to live”, she said in a 2012 interview. In so doing, she became one of the most acclaimed and admired contemporary artists, staging happenings and influencing the pop art movement as a pioneering figure in the New York avant-garde. Her exhibitions and major retrospectives draw huge crowds. In 2022, due to enormous public demand, Tate Modern in London extended her Infinity Mirror Rooms show for a whole extra year (it ended up running until 2024)...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 12:42:26 PM
sports

Sávio lands at Spurs, Celtic crash out and are Villa in crisis? – Football Weekly podcast

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, John Brewin and Dan Bardell as Spurs win and Celtic lose in disastrous fashion in Europe Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts and join the conversation on email. On the podcast today; decent wins for Spurs and Newcastle in the Carabao against two of the form sides in the Championship. There was a debut strike from Sávio, who looked very happy, while Newcastle welcomed Nico González as they rebuild their midfield. Spurs and Newcaste play each other on Saturday evening...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 12:23:23 PM
science

Near total lunar eclipse will be seen from North and South America Thursday night

Earth’s shadow will appear to be a reddish ‘blood moon’ due to the way sunlight is scattered by the atmosphere A near total lunar eclipse will be visible across large swathes of North and South America on Thursday night with millions of people expected to be able to see one of nature’s marvels. Lunar eclipses occur when Earth moves between the sun and the moon and its shadow is cast on to the lunar surface. Thursday night’s event will see 96% of the moon darkened by the Earth’s shadow at its peak moment...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 12:13:02 PM
climate

A Britain of wildfires and flood risks: be sure, the climate crisis is real, and we will deal with it | Angela Eagle

Reform and the Conservatives are willing to mislead the public, but as environment secretary, I believe we must be honest – and act boldly This long, hot summer has brought our third drought in five years and the driest July in almost two centuries. We’ve seen wildfires burn down homes and now face the risk of flash floods as we move into autumn. It should be a wake-up call for those saying that concerns about the climate crisis are overblown; that we should simply sit back and do nothing; or row back on attempts to restore our natural environment. As the new environment secretary, I won’t let that happen. No one who has experienced this summer in the UK should be in any doubt that our climate is already changing. We know the future holds warmer, wetter winters, hotter, drier summers, and more extreme weather. Angela Eagle is the secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs..

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 12:05:25 PM
health

RFK Jr lied in Senate confirmation hearings, newly revealed documents indicate

Letters obtained by Guardian and AP contradict testimony that 2019 visit to Samoa had ‘nothing to do with vaccines’ Newly obtained documents indicate that the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, lied during two congressional hearings last year, telling lawmakers who held the key to his confirmation that a 2019 visit to Samoa had “nothing to do with vaccines”. Letters obtained by the Guardian and the Associated Press contradict that testimony. In one he wrote to the Samoan prime minister before the trip, Kennedy explicitly said he wanted to study the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in the Pacific island nation. In it, he used the words vaccine or vaccination eight times...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 12:00:14 PM
culture

Ain’t nobody better: Chaka Khan’s 20 best songs – ranked!

Ahead of the release of her 13th solo album, the fantastically titled Chakzilla, we rank the best of a sublime catalogue of funk, slow jams and tears-on-the-dancefloor disco Chaka Khan had harsh words for the “assholes” at her then record company, Warner Bros, who she felt under-promoted 1992’s The Woman I Am, her first album in four years. Listening to Love You All My Lifetime’s cocktail of funk and contemporary R&B, you wonder if she didn’t have a point. There’s no obvious reason why it wasn’t huge hit...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 12:00:13 PM
power

Iran endures 6 months of US strikes as Trump’s war goals hit ‘dangerous impasse’

The Iran war has reached its endgame: a costly stalemate. Six months after US and Israeli ⁠forces attacked Iran, killing its supreme leader and maiming his son and successor, the Iranian government is under economic siege, but it still holds power and believes it has time on its side. A threat by US President Donald Trump to impose crippling new sanctions on Iran faces a fundamental problem: Tehran is betting he will not take the final step to break the stalemate – aggressively enforcing...

South China Morning Post • 8/27/2026, 11:53:30 AM
culture

‘He could arch both eyebrows and curl his lips in every direction all at once’: Tim Curry’s five best screen roles

The actor fully embraced his physical talents and outsized personality with a line in theatrical baddies teetering deliciously on the edge of serious and silly • Tim Curry, star of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Stephen King’s It, dies aged 80 • Tim Curry on sexuality, surviving a stroke – and 50 years of stardom • Clowns, corsets and kings: Tim Curry – a life in pictures As Dr Frank-N-Furter, the gender-nonconforming alien mad scientist who presides over Richard O’Brien’s glam rock musical, admits two innocents to his gothic castle and induces them into all sorts of delicious naughtiness, Curry is so thrillingly liberated as to seem a menace. An irresistibly appealing menace. Apparently able to arch both eyebrows and curl his lips in every direction all at once, Curry wraps his mouth around the double-entendres and belts out the lyrics with lip-smacking relish, and fully fleshes out this avatar of sexual confidence. The film earned one of the original cult fandoms, the stage musical endures and many other actors have pulled on Frank’s corset and high heels – but the role indelibly and for ever belongs to Curry...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 11:29:08 AM
sports

Manchester City identify Iliman Ndiaye as potential next attacking signing

Everton forward would cost in region of £80m Omar Marmoush set to join Savio in moving to Spurs Manchester City have identified Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye as a potential target following the £75m departure of Savio to Tottenham, with the Merseyside club valuing the wide forward in the region of £80m. With Omar Marmoush also expected to join Spurs for around £50m, Enzo Maresca wants to strengthen his attacking options. He is an admirer of Ndiaye, who has played 44 times for Senegal. He is contracted to Everton until 2029. City agreed a €37.5m (£34m) deal for the Palmeiras winger Allan Elias on Monday, and are also monitoring Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 11:22:42 AM
culture

Yayoi Kusama’s psychedelic art was at its best when taken in high doses

With dots that dizzied the viewer, the giddy sensory overload of seeing the grandest installations of her octopuses and giant pumpkins was hard to resist • Yayoi Kusama, Japanese artist who became a global superstar, dies aged 97 • A life in pictures I once had an argument about Yayoi Kusama with Peter Gabriel. Not in person – I’ve never met the prog rock hero. But after I recorded some critical comments on her work for the BBC, I watched the segment only to see Gabriel passionately defending her. My onscreen cynicism seemed harsh indeed compared with his soulful appreciation of all those dots. My scepticism about Kusama started the first time I saw her work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The context is significant because after a big dose of Jackson Pollock’s looping, tangled forests of colour and line (colour as line), Piet Mondrian’s pulsing Broadway Boogie Woogie and other great abstract art, Kusama’s dots appeared to me static, planned, predictable. I wasn’t excited or moved...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 11:14:17 AM
culture

Billy Strings: So Much for Goodbyes review – staggering, stirring songs of grief draw the blues out of bluegrass

(Reprise) The crossover star’s introspective sixth album is full of memories of his mother, who died in 2025, bringing his dextrous guitar to songs rooted in tradition and yearning On the face of it, 2025 was a landmark year for Billy Strings. His fifth album, Highway Prayers, won him his third Grammy. The first bluegrass album in more than 22 years to debut at the top of the US album sales chart, it confirmed him as the genre’s biggest crossover star in decades. He was feted by everyone from Bob Dylan to Post Malone to Willie Nelson, the latter describing him as “the John Coltrane of bluegrass”, a pretty impressive soubriquet in anyone’s book. As the New York Times noted, he was now capable of filling the arena-sized venues that his idols – Doc Watson, Clarence White, Tony Rice, Béla Fleck – could never have dreamed of performing in, packing them out with an audience that look less like traditional bluegrass aficionados than Deadheads: a vast, mobile, hippy-ish army that call themselves Goats. They’re presumably drawn by the ease with which Strings occupies the no man’s land between country and expansive, psychedelically informed improvisation, his willingness to put acoustic guitar through umpteen effects pedals and stretch out songs for 20 minutes on stage. It’s a side of Strings’ music that’s only hinted at on Highway Prayers’ follow-up: as Burn the Other End and Lucid Daydream draw to an end, they briefly unravel into a kind of abstraction that you can imagine as a jumping-off point for heady, out-there exploration live. But So Much for Goodbyes is an album more concerned with introspection, and understandably so. In the midst of 2025’s successes, Strings’ mother died of an overdose. His chaotic upbringing is a matter of record. His father died of a heroin overdose when he was two, both his mother and his stepfather were addicted to meth and he left home at 14 on the grounds that “there was no food in the house and my parents were strung out”. But Strings said he had “no idea” she had relapsed, and her death seeps into every corner of the album: its title and cover art – based on a collage his mother was working on the night she died; the concluding instrumental that bears her name, Debra’s Waltz; the songs that, on the surface, appear to have nothing to do with her passing...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 11:00:12 AM
business

Youth unemployment in UK falls below 1 million

Number of Neets is 30,000 higher than a year ago but figures boost efforts to reverse rise in economic inactivity The number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet) across the UK fell below 1 million in the latest three-month period. In a boost to the government’s efforts to reverse years of rising economic inactivity among people aged 16 to 24, the Office for National Statistics said its surveys showed there were an estimated 981,000 Neets in April to June, compared with 1,012,000 in January to March. On an annual basis, the number of Neets was 30,000 higher than a year ago, but the fall covering the most recent three-month period will give a lift to ministers concerned that, at 13%, the proportion of young people outside work, education and training remains among the highest in Europe...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 10:32:27 AM
culture

If MPs want to take on Nigel Farage over his dodgy finances, they need to clean up their own act | Frances Ryan

It’s hard to beat back charges that MPs are ‘all the same’ when they have accepted £400k in freebies this year – £100k up on last year How has your summer been? Done anything nice? As MPs prepare to head back to parliament next week, you’ll be relieved to hear that some of the most prominent figures in British politics have been enjoying the season’s cultural highlights – and without paying a penny. MPs throughout the Commons have received £400,000 of “freebies” to concerts, sports matches and other events so far this year, according to the most recent disclosures. Over the summer alone, Wes Streeting, now the defence secretary, enjoyed the Chelsea flower show thanks to Lloyds Banking Group covering the £1,839 cost, as did the shadow chancellor, Mel Stride. Lucy Powell, who has since become deputy leader of the Labour party and education secretary, accepted £858-worth of tickets to a Harry Styles concert at Wembley from the PRS for Music industry group. Meanwhile, the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, nabbed seats at Wimbledon worth £1,360 from the All England Club...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 10:03:11 AM
technology

AI slopper in chief: Trump turns to social media amid tough questions

As the US president struggles to end his Iran war, and approval ratings hit new lows, he leans on a familiar gambit Donald Trump knows the power of an image – of himself, with everyone from Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un to Kim Kardashian. How about George Washington? As the US president struggles to end his war with Iran, and with his approval ratings hitting the lowest levels of his second term, he has in recent weeks posted a series of AI-generated images of himself alongside key historical American figures...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 10:00:12 AM
culture

Share your tributes and memories of Tim Curry

We would like to hear your tributes and memories of the performer - whether you met him or admired his work Tim Curry, performer of screen and stage, who made his name as the flamboyant Dr Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, has died aged 80. Curry got Tony nominations for his varied stage work on Broadway as Mozart in Amadeus, Alan Swann in My Favorite Year and as King Arthur in Monty Python’s Spamalot. He also made a supremely creepy Pennywise the Clown in the 1990 TV adaptation of Stephen King’s It. But above all he is most remembered for one role: Dr Frank-N-Furter in the Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), the screen version of the 1973 stage show...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 9:48:37 AM
sports

‘I can’t wait’: Liam Delap seals £45m Nottingham Forest move from Chelsea

Striker is Forest’s record signing after being frozen out Scored two goals after joining Chelsea for £30m last season Nottingham Forest have completed the signing of the Chelsea striker Liam Delap in a club-record £45m deal. The 23-year-old has a five-year contract at Forest, his third club in three seasons after he was told he was not part of Xabi Alonso’s plans. Forest’s new manager, Oliver Glasner, made him a priority during the transfer window and Delap said: “I really can’t wait to get started. This is a massive club with a big history. I spoke to the manager and I like his way, I think he can be the one to really help me develop and make that next step and hopefully I can bring goals here.”..

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 9:47:45 AM
business

Firm fined for hounding elderly people with nuisance calls claiming to stop … nuisance calls

Elderly Aids Ltd, which sells call-blocking devices, made 758,053 cold calls between May 2024 and February 2025 A company that made its money promising to protect elderly people from nuisance calls has been fined £190,000 for “hounding” them with hundreds of thousands of nuisance calls of its own. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said Elderly Aids Ltd, a company selling call-blocking devices, made 758,053 cold calls between May 2024 and February 2025 to try to sell its products...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 9:34:27 AM
world

Meta agrees to pay $18 billion to settle US teen addiction lawsuits

Meta will pay up to $18 billion over the next decade and strictly limit how teenagers use Facebook and Instagram under an agreement with nearly all US states to resolve claims it designed those social media platforms to addict children. The settlements announced on Wednesday end a federal trial over allegations Meta's products harmed children and the company misled the public about their safety.

France 24 • 8/27/2026, 9:29:24 AM
technology

‘We’re at a crisis point’: Chappell Roan, Shirley Manson and Eli on playing Olivia Rodrigo’s female-only festival

Ahead of playing Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields, artists explain why female-first festivals are due for a resurgence When I first saw the poster for Olivia Rodrigo’s inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival in June, I assumed it was AI. Chappell Roan, Doechii, Mitski, the Breeders, Bikini Kill and Garbage, all arranged in a neat line – and this was before I got to the words “special guests”. Karen O, Sarah McLachlan. And, to top it all off, Stevie Nicks? No. I saw the post confirmed on Rodrigo’s Instagram, and thought: how?..

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 9:00:10 AM
business

UK’s small power plants face continued cyber risk after Iran-linked hack

Government measures to improve resilience are not due until 2030 and July’s hack has not altered this timeline Hundreds of Britain’s smallest power plants could remain at a higher risk to state-sponsored cyber-attacks until the 2030s despite a successful Iran-linked hack last month, it has emerged. Officials this week briefed energy bosses on the breach, which is understood to have shut an unnamed small gas power plant for four days last month, and put the industry on alert over the growing cyber threat facing energy infrastructure...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 9:00:10 AM
sports

Liverpool agree £120m fee for Bradley Barcola after breakthrough talks with PSG

Liverpool would pay £100m plus £2om in add-ons France winger has been main summer transfer target Liverpool are closing in on a £120m deal for Bradley Barcola following a breakthrough in talks with Paris Saint-Germain. Barcola has been Liverpool’s main transfer target all summer only for PSG’s £145m valuation to prove a significant hurdle. However, further negotiations on Thursday night ended in an outline agreement being reached over a compromise fee. Liverpool have agreed to pay a guaranteed sum of just over £100m for the France international, with add-ons based on individual and team success, taking the overall package to around £120m...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 8:26:17 AM
power

UK urged to help free British-Egyptian ‘arrested in Cairo over sister’s activism’

Lawyers claim Eman el-Shazly, from Birmingham, was detained in effort to silence her sister, a critic of Sisi regime The UK Foreign Office has been asked to intervene to secure the release of a British-Egyptian woman who it is claimed has been arrested in Cairo because of her sister’s political activism. Eman el-Shazly, a 45-year-old based in Birmingham, was arrested on 16 August while visiting Egypt. Her lawyers say she has been detained in an attempt to silence her sister Mona, a relentless and harsh critic of the Egyptian government on her UK-based YouTube channel...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 8:00:09 AM
power

Geelong fined $140,000 over secret Jake Kolodjashnij concussion waiver

AFL sanctions Cats for failing to lodge variation to player’s contract Andrew Dillon says league would not accept same deal lodged today A schism has emerged at the top of the AFL over whether clubs can avoid future liability for head injuries, despite the league fining Geelong $140,000 for failing to lodge the concussion waiver signed by defender Jake Kolodjashnij. The Cats sanction was made of two parts, including $100,000 for failing to inform the AFL of a change to Kolodjashnij’s contract, previously described as a “waiver” by AFL Commission chair and former Cats president Craig Drummond...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 7:55:45 AM
power

Game of Drones: Deep strikes into Russia keeping Ukraine 'in this game'

Mark Owen is pleased to welcome Peter Zalmayev, Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative. He argues that Ukraine’s expanding long-range strike campaign has helped Ukraine “stay in this game” by raising the economic, military and social costs of Russia’s invasion and, crucially, by bringing the consequences of a distant war increasingly into Russian life. As Ukraine braces for another brutal winter with dangerously depleted air defenses, Kiev seeks to protect its own cities, civilians, and infrastructure.

France 24 • 8/27/2026, 7:38:19 AM
sports

Reality check: just how good is Britain’s Moses Itauma? The expert view

Before the IBF world heavyweight title clash with Filip Hrgovic on Saturday, Barry Jones and Andy Lee analyse the unbeaten fighter On Saturday night the 21-year-old Moses Itauma expects to become the second-youngest world heavyweight champion in history, after Mike Tyson, when he fights Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic for the IBF title at the O2 Arena in London. In an attempt to sift through the hype and to assess the potential Itauma has shown, the Guardian asked Barry Jones and Andy Lee for their expert views on the strengths and possible weaknesses of the young British fighter. Itauma promises to become the dominant new force of the unpredictable heavyweight division but Hrgovic is his first real test as he strives to become a world champion in just his 15th fight...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 7:00:09 AM
culture

ECB pushing for more free-to-air coverage – with ITV open to showing Test cricket

Sky could share content with ITV in next rights cycle Tests in England have been behind paywall since 2006 The England and Wales Cricket Board is planning to offer more rights packages to free-to-air broadcasters in the next set of TV contracts beginning in 2029, with the aim of broadening the sport’s appeal. While the ECB will not follow Cricket Australia by offering a bespoke free-to-air package for domestic Test matches, the Guardian has been told that long-term partner Sky Sports could share some of its cricket portfolio during the next rights cycle with ITV, whose £1.6bn takeover by Sky’s US parent company, Comcast, is expected to be completed next year...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 7:00:08 AM
sports

‘You start all over’: Linda Noskova battles fame and desire after Wimbledon glory

The women’s singles champion at SW19 on her off-court passions, growing up in Czechia, and the aftermath of achieving her dream Linda Noskova has spent almost her entire life working towards mastering her sport. She began travelling around Czechia, Europe and then the world for tournaments before she was a teenager. Her life decisions have revolved around tennis for as long as she can remember. Those early years prepared Noskova for the challenge of winning her first grand slam title, but the biggest lesson from her triumph at Wimbledon last month has been her lack of preparedness for everything that followed. The world did not come to a halt upon the completion of her ultimate goal. Life continues at the same pace, and now she must find her place in the sport once more...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 7:00:08 AM
business

City firms race to prepare for FCA crackdown on bullying and harassment

Rules will require hedge funds, insurers and pension firms to report all non-financial wrongdoing The City’s largest hedge funds, insurers and pension funds are racing to prepare for sweeping rules that will stop nearly 40,000 companies from hiding bullying and harassment cases from the financial watchdog. From the start of next month, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will expand a crackdown on bad behaviour in the banking industry to a wider group of City investment firms and brokers...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 7:00:08 AM
sports

Plight of Pogba, Sancho and others is cautionary tale for any Carrick rebuild

Bruno Fernandes is the only surviving attacker from Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s attempt to bridge gap to rivals in 2021 Five years is a long time in football. Manchester United’s summer of 2021 is now remembered as the turning point in Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s reign; the sentimental decision to sign Cristiano Ronaldo the headline act as United set off on the wrong course after a few years of building steadily. But back then, even before the signing of Ronaldo, there was optimism aplenty around Old Trafford. United swatted aside Leeds 5-1 on the opening day to fuel talk of a first genuine title charge since Alex Ferguson’s retirement. They had, after all, just signed the most coveted young English player on the market in Jadon Sancho and looked to pair the £74m man with Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba, their creative fulcrum, and an exciting set of forwards...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 7:00:07 AM
science

‘Sad moments ahead’: Kew Gardens to fell rare trees in race to save Victorian greenhouse

Horticulturalists begin moving and propagating plants before the rusty and warped Palm House begins renovation – but some are too tall to save It will be a gut-wrenching moment for the horticulturalists at Kew Gardens when some of the magnificent trees in the Palm House have to be felled. “There are some sad moments ahead,” said Palm House manager, Will Spoelstra, who knows all the plants inside the cathedral-like greenhouse...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 5:00:07 AM
climate

‘Forever chemicals’ surge during pilot of Thames Water plan to combat drought

Exclusive: utility company wants to draw off tens of millions of litres of water a day from Thames and replace it with treated effluent Levels of a toxic “forever chemical” rose to 13 times the legal limit during Thames Water pilots for a controversial multimillion pound water recycling scheme that will pump millions of litres of treated sewage into the River Thames during drought. The data from the pilots is in stark contrast to public comments from Thames Water that their water recycling project in south-west London will not harm the riverine environment...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 5:00:07 AM
climate

Weatherwatch: how to protect our railways in hotter summers

Steel rails warping and signalling equipment failing in metal cabinets are among the problems to be solved Tarmac softens in the summer heat, which may cause problems on the roads, but even trains running on steel rails are not immune. Railways in the UK are generally designed to operate within a 45C temperature range. The rails expand slightly in the heat, and excessive temperatures can produce “sun kink” with rails warping into S-shapes. The effect is small but the distortion can derail fast trains, so speeds are reduced for safety...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 5:00:05 AM
sports

Wild swimming linked to higher risk of stomach bugs and skin rashes

Findings from research into illnesses associated with bathing in lakes and rivers come amid boom in hobby Wild swimming has been linked to a higher risk of stomach bugs and skin rashes, according to the largest ever controlled study of illnesses associated with bathing in rivers and lakes. The research found that swimmers at locations in Hungary were more than twice as likely to develop skin problems, while the risk of contracting a stomach bug rose significantly in water with higher concentrations of E coli and other bacteria linked to faecal pollution...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 5:00:04 AM
sports

Muchová and Menšík win $1m US Open mixed doubles title in late-night thriller

Czech pair beat Bencic and Cobolli in deciding tiebreak Revamped event draws strong crowds at Arthur Ashe Singles stars dominate after doubles specialists exit To many who came to the US Open grounds this week, the showpiece of the mixed doubles championship came Tuesday afternoon, with the returns of Serena Williams (after four years away from tennis) and Carlos Alcaraz (after four months out with a wrist injury). To the players who remained in the field after Williams and Alcaraz exited in the quarter-finals, the real highlight was Wednesday night’s final at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with its $1m in prize money on the line. Karolína Muchová and Jakub Menšík made the most of the spotlight, beating Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 1-6 (10-6) for the title...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 4:15:54 AM
world

South Korean police look to charge 7 for lying about concrete structure in Jeju Air crash

South Korea’s police said on Thursday they were seeking indictments of seven transport ministry officials over the 2024 Jeju Air crash that killed all but two of the 181 people on board. The Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air skidded off the runway at Muan International Airport in southern South Korea after its landing gear failed to deploy, slamming into a concrete structure and bursting into flames. Authorities have found traces of bird strike in the plane’s engines and the plane’s two black...

South China Morning Post • 8/27/2026, 4:06:52 AM
culture

Jeers, walkouts, stage invasions: will Catarina and the Beauty of Killing Fascists trigger British audiences too?

It has inspired violent protests from Norway to Rome – and now it’s hitting the UK. Playwright Tiago Rodrigues explains why the far-right speech at the drama’s climax has proved so incendiary In February, turbulent scenes inside a German theatre made headlines around the globe. During the final act of a play at Schauspielhaus theatre in Bochum, the audience first jeered and whistled at a performer in the role of a far-right politician. An orange lobbed from the auditorium narrowly missed its target; eventually, two spectators climbed on to the stage and tried to wrestle the actor off. News of the incident travelled around the world: it seemed a bizarre throwback to a world in which people were not able to tell the difference between art and real life, like 19th-century Parisians stampeding out of a cinema after watching a train hurtle towards the camera. For the man who wrote the play, however, it was nothing unusual. “I was not surprised by the reaction,” says Portuguese playwright Tiago Rodrigues. “I was surprised by the fact that it was so surprising for so many people.” He describes the audience’s reaction to his play Catarina and the Beauty of Killing Fascists as “very intense”, but also “typical”...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 4:00:07 AM
climate

The flat-pack skyscraper: how wood can shape the cities of the future

Our buildings are monuments to extraction and extreme emissions. But what if we turned from destructive concrete to timber? Last chance to buy the summer issue of The Long Read magazine, now with 15% off. It felt like arriving into the future. Or, at least, a fragment of a possible future. I drove north in the quiet digital bubble of my electric rental car. In 2024, Norway became the first country in the world where electric cars outnumbered petrol cars. A smooth, pristine motorway unfolded between farmlands and low hillsides of dense green forest. Long tunnels carried the route up above the banks of Lake Mjøsa, Norway’s largest lake. After a little more than an hour, the road curved downward to run parallel to the lakeshore...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 4:00:06 AM
science

How to spot a psychopath: ‘It’s like the difference between a domestic cat and a wild cat’

People with persistent predatory personalities cause an inordinate amount of pain. Recently, our shared understanding of them has grown – and it could help protect us The classic checklist for psychopathy was developed in 1980 by Prof Robert Hare, who is still the recognised giant of the territory. The 20 traits, which ranged from pathological lying to a lack of empathy, were based entirely on prison populations. This worked because not only did Hare have the benefit of a large sample, with pronounced psychopathic behaviours, but he was able to compare interviews and self-reporting with data collected about the individuals – so inconsistencies could be identified. However, Hare knew this approach was limited. In 1976, he said that he simply didn’t know to what extent his results could be generalised to non-incarcerated psychopaths, including female ones. “Research into the socially successful psychopath is badly needed,” he concluded. Even decades later in the early 2000s, when Hare wanted to look into psychopaths in politics, he still needed to go to prison to find them (Pinochet’s henchmen in Chilean jails). Research into the higher-functioning psychopath – who doesn’t get caught, or maybe doesn’t even resort to crime – has proved elusive, not least because self-reporting questionnaires don’t work. Psychopaths lie; arguably, that’s their main thing...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 4:00:06 AM
technology

Everyone hates datacentres. Do we really need them? – podcast

AI companies have promised us world-shifting technology. But there’s a cost: loud, unsightly datacentres that drain environmental resources. As the government pushes their rapid growth, can local communities do anything to push back? Madeleine Finlay speaks to the Guardian’s global technology reporter Aisha Down about the backlash to datacentres across the UK and around the world For tickets to the Science Weekly live event at the London podcast festival on the future of AI, visit the event page at kingsplace.co.uk Support the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod..

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 4:00:05 AM
health

Yayoi Kusama, Japanese artist who became a global superstar, dies aged 97

From the 1950s to the 2020s, Kusama produced vivid paintings, sculptures and vast installations that often drew on her experience of hallucinations Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese outsider artist who reached superstar status after decades living in a psychiatric hospital, has died aged 97. Kusama died in a Tokyo hospital on 14 August. Her death was announced by her studio in a statement on her website...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 2:17:59 AM
technology

Black Box: episode 4 – Bing and I – podcast

Revisited: Guardian journalist Michael Safi looks into the world of artificial intelligence, exploring the dangers and promises it holds for society Today in Focus is on a summer break and will be back with new episodes from 1 September. In the meantime, we are bringing you season one of Black Box, before the launch of season two in early September. This episode was first broadcast on 14 March 2024. Two stories about the way artificial intelligence could make the world better – and is already doing so. In Montana, when Lee Johnson discovered his wife, Yokie, had cancer, he turned to AI – and was surprised by the answers he got. Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, Prof Regina Barzilay’s experience with cancer has led her to build an AI system that can detect the disease years before a human can...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 2:00:01 AM
business

Ex-JPMorgan Chase executive shared confidential bank information with Epstein

Jes Staley told US House committee he also was at one point named a trustee of convicted sex offender’s estate Former JPMorgan Chase executive Jes Staley told US lawmakers he repeatedly shared confidential and market-sensitive bank ⁠information with Jeffrey Epstein and ⁠was at one ​point named as a trustee of his estate, according to a transcript released by the House oversight committee on Wednesday. These admissions come as lawmakers investigate the late convicted ⁠sex offender’s ties with political and business elites. Staley appeared before the committee in July as part of its investigation into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Transcripts ⁠from the meeting were released on Wednesday...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 1:25:02 AM
technology

Cyborg cockroaches with tiny syringes designed to join search and rescue teams in major disasters

Giant burrowing cockroaches with added cameras and medical injectors are being tested as potential ‘first responders’ in earthquakes Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast For people trapped under rubble in an earthquake or similar disaster, the arrival of a fleet of cockroaches could one day be the difference between life and death. Biorobotics engineers have been working on the design of six-legged cyborg insects with cameras and miniature medical injectors for search and rescue missions...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 1:16:21 AM
health

Busy Philipps reveals brain tumour diagnosis: ‘I’m grateful to be alive’

Actor says she had the ‘weirdest six months of my life’, after being diagnosed days after her Dawson’s Creek co-star James Van Der Beek died of cancer Busy Philipps has revealed she had a brain tumour removed, which was diagnosed shortly after her Dawson’s Creek co-star James Van Der Beek died from bowel cancer. The 47-year-old, born Elizabeth Philipps, starred in the hit US teen drama as Audrey Liddell opposite Van Der Beek, who died in February aged 48 after being diagnosed with bowel cancer...

The Guardian • 8/27/2026, 1:09:43 AM
health

London neurosurgeons perform first successful AI-assisted operation to remove brain tumour

Surgeons aided by real-time analysis of camera footage that identified critical anatomy in brain to be avoided Neurosurgeons in London have performed the world’s first successful AI-assisted operation to remove a brain tumour, saving the sight of a 48-year-old man, health officials have said. The surgery was performed in May at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), part of University College London hospitals NHS foundation trust, but details were kept secret until Thursday while the patient, Rhys Hibbert, recovered...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 11:01:25 PM
business

What’s about to change on Facebook and Instagram: six key takeaways from the end of the Meta trial

Settlement agreement says Meta must make many safety and wellness features the default option for young users Meta has agreed to put new guardrails on teenagers’ use of its apps, in a decision that could fundamentally change the social media experience for young people in the US. In a turnaround, the social media giant will make several safety limitations the default option for young users, instead of requiring them to opt in...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 9:31:06 PM
sports

Chelsea in talks with Martínez’s camp as Aston Villa close on striker Jackson

Blues consider making offer for Argentina goalkeeper Villa agree £65m Jackson deal as Watkins nears £50m exit Manchester City expected to make bid for Fernández Chelsea have been offered Emiliano Martínez and are considering a bid for the goalkeeper. The club are in talks with Martínez’s camp, and are also braced for a bid from Manchester City for the World Cup winner’s Argentina teammate Enzo Fernández. Martínez has told Aston Villa he wants to leave but a move to Juventus collapsed last week after Villa had signed his replacement, Zion Suzuki, from Parma for £30m...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 9:30:42 PM
health

‘Work is good for you’: how UK scheme could help tackle youth mental health crisis

Paid employment can boost confidence and wellbeing, says Pat McFadden as jobs guarantee scheme gets under way Work must be “part of the answer” to the mental health crisis among young people, the work and pensions secretary, Pat McFadden, has said as he met some of the first beneficiaries of Labour’s youth jobs guarantee scheme. He was speaking on a visit to Boots’s headquarters in Nottingham on Wednesday, where several 18- to 21-year-olds were taken on under the job guarantee – with their wages paid by the taxpayer for six months...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 9:30:23 PM
world

South-Africa kingpin and the corruption commission

In tonight's programme, a three-day testimony of an alleged underworld kingpin exposed how deep the link between alleged criminals and high profile police officers is in South Africa. Also, in Tunisia grieving families lay their lost youth, all victims of a boat that went down in the Mediterranean Sea over the weekend. And finally in an era of mass production and electric machines, a young Kenyan fashion designer is taking a slower approach.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 8:48:12 PM
sports

Debutant Malard breaks Chelsea duck after Real Sociedad threaten WCL shock

Third qualifying round, first leg: Chelsea 5-2 Real Sociedad Girma 29, Buurman 54, Malard 67 88, James 74; Marín 7, Marcos 59 Chelsea’s sluggish start in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier against Real Sociedad will have made far from satisfying viewing for their suspended head coach, Sonia Bompastor, but two goals from the new signing Melvine Malard contributed to a five-goal haul as the Blues came from behind to give themselves a three-goal cushion going into next week’s return fixture. “It was a tough game, a tough first half because Real Sociedad is a really great team but I think we had a good reaction,” said Camille Abily, the assistant coach to Bompastor, who was serving a one match ban following her red card in Chelsea’s quarter-final second leg against Arsenal last season. “We were so much better in the second half, there was more space also. It’s a good win – a tough win but a good win.”..

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 7:50:27 PM
sports

Derbyshire police investigating alleged assault in connection with Carse arrest

Durham bowler dropped from England squad Unclear whether Carse involved in alleged assault Derbyshire police are investigating an alleged assault in connection with the arrest of Brydon Carse last weekend, which led to the Durham fast bowler being dropped from the England squad for the second Test against Pakistan. Carse was filmed by a member of the public in handcuffs outside Molly Malone’s Irish Tavern in Derby in the early hours of Sunday morning with several other Durham players, including the former England captain Ben Stokes, also present...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 7:36:15 PM
health

Final witness in Lindsay Clancy trial says he doesn’t believe she heard a voice during killings

FBI psychiatrist Gregory Saathoff says he’s treated only two women with postpartum psychosis, both decades earlier The Lindsay Clancy trial was heading for closing arguments on Wednesday, as a final witness for the prosecution laid out that he believed the Massachusetts mother knew right from wrong when she took the lives of her three young children before attempting to commit suicide in 2023. An FBI psychiatrist, Dr Gregory Saathoff, testified in court in Plymouth that he does not believe Clancy’s account that she heard a voice ordering her to kill the children – five-year-old Cora, three-year-old Dawson and eight-month-old Callan – as her defense team maintains that this occurred while she was suffering from the relatively rare condition of postpartum psychosis...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 7:06:51 PM
technology

OpenAI staff observed warning signs before AI agent hacking crusade caused global alarm

Firm says ‘early signals … could have triggered an earlier response’ as it releases report into Hugging Face hack OpenAI staff observed signs of rogue behaviour among its leading-edge AI agents weeks before they escaped their training environment to launch an unprecedented hacking crusade that spread global alarm. The San Francisco AI company conceded on Wednesday that “early signals … could have triggered an earlier response”, as it released a report into the days-long July hack of a major software repository, Hugging Face, considered the first autonomous agent cyber-attack...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 7:00:20 PM
business

How to lose Trump’s trade war: test Canada’s resolve with threats to hockey sticks

The US president expected Ottawa to bow to tariff demands, but Canada is striking back – and it could cost Americans This was originally published in This Week in Trumpland. We all know this kind of polling is about as scientific as a high school popularity contest, but at least anecdotally, Canadians have a reputation for being friendly and welcoming, respectful and polite. Many people would find it difficult to dislike Canadians. But not Donald Trump, who in a “hold my beer” moment this week demonstrated that he, at least, finds it easy to resent Canadians. The US president called the country “difficult and unreasonable”, and in a particularly hysterical moment, threatened to rename a lake, after trade talks collapsed...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 6:15:21 PM
climate

Girl, 13, among missing British citizens after flash flood in Nepal

More than 400 travellers are said to be missing after flood on Tibet border, including 33 Britons Flash floods on Nepal-Tibet border – latest updates Thirty-three British citizens including a 13-year-old girl are among more than 400 travellers missing after a flash flood on the Nepal-Tibet border, according to Nepal’s tourism board. The sudden flood happened on the Tibetan side of the Bhote Koshi River at about 8.30am local time on Wednesday. The 33 UK citizens are among at least 341 foreign nationals unaccounted for...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 5:33:33 PM
health

FDA gives expedited approval to new groundbreaking pancreatic cancer drug

FDA officials approve first-of-a-kind pill called daraxonrasib to fight one of the deadliest types of cancer The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a groundbreaking new drug for the most common form of pancreatic cancer, offering US patients a more effective treatment against one of the deadliest types of the disease. FDA officials gave expedited approval to the first-of-a-kind pill, called daraxonrasib, that blocks a mutated protein which fuels tumor growth in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases. It’s an approach that has eluded drugmakers for decades...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 4:48:27 PM
culture

‘Nothing ever seemed to faze him’: Ken Oliver, former racing editor of the Guardian, dies aged 86

Tributes are paid to the much-loved and respected Fleet Street veteran who also tipped as ‘Larry Lynx’ Ken Oliver, who has died at the age of 86, was the Guardian’s racing editor for many years until his retirement in 2004, at the end of a lifetime in racing journalism at publications including the London Evening News, the Sporting Life, the Sun, the London Daily News, the Sunday People – where he tipped as Larry Lynx – and as the editor of Ruff’s Guide to the Turf, the racing equivalent of Wisden. Ken was the racing editor when I joined the Guardian in 2001 and he was a joy to work with: an old-school veteran of the glory days of Fleet Street, blessed with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the sport and steeped in all the rhythms and traditions of daily papers that would soon be ushered into history by the internet. He was also unflappable, understanding when a story or plan went awry, and the best possible company for a pint or two in a local watering hole once the first edition had been put to bed...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 4:28:10 PM
health

ADHD is no myth – but we should interrogate it all the same | Letters

Readers respond to Gina Rippon’s criticism of a controversial TV documentary about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Three months ago, at 42, I was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Unlike many adults prior to receiving a diagnosis, I had not spent years wondering whether I had ADHD. In fact, I was oblivious until quite recently, when I strongly identified with several things a colleague said about their own experience of ADHD. The more I learned, the more I found myself thinking: “Wow, that’s me.” My forgetfulness, distractibility, messiness, chronic need for organisation and memory strategies, constant lateness, tendency to lose things daily, persistent perfectionism and habit of going, tyres screeching, right up to the last minute of every deadline suddenly made sense. Things I had spent my life viewing as daily frustrations or personal failings had an explanation. I had ADHD, and had always had it. There was a reason for the constant chatter and noise in my brain, with any gaps filled with, or interrupted by, a song. Honestly, literally anything can trigger a song...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 4:06:28 PM
sports

Vuelta a España: Matthew Brennan scores second sprint victory on stage five

Visma-Lease a Bike dominate final stages to set up Briton Mads Pedersen dropped on category-three climb The British rider and Grand Tour debutant Matthew Brennan of Visma-Lease a Bike sprinted to a second stage victory of the Vuelta a España in Roquetes. Wout van Aert and Christophe Laporte expertly led out their 21-year-old teammate at the end of stage five, and the youngster confidently demonstrated his devastating speed again to conclude the 173.4km route from Falset...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 3:53:26 PM
world

‘Shockwaves throughout the country’ following ‘gruesome’ killings in Haitian mountain retreat

Genie Godula is pleased to welcome journalist Harold Isaac on the ground in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. He says what we are witnessing in Haiti is not simply another episode of gang violence, but a profound challenge to the authority of the state at a moment when the country is attempting to return to electoral politics. With armed groups controlling roughly 80 percent of Port-au-Prince, the capital is effectively under siege, while the circulation of people, goods and services increasingly requires some form of negotiation with gang power. The attack in Kenscoff is especially significant because of its proximity to some of the country’s most affluent areas. This as authorities seek to organize Haiti’s first elections in a decade, against a backdrop of arms smuggling, institutional fragility and an unresolved political transition.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 3:45:21 PM
world

South African police arrest two Thai men for allegedly smuggling parrot eggs

Bird eggs intercepted in homemade incubators at Johannesburg airport as officials try to halt wildlife trafficking South African police have arrested two Thai nationals in separate incidents for allegedly attempting to smuggle endangered parrot eggs out of the country as authorities try to stem the tide of wildlife trafficking. A 50-year-old Thai national was arrested at OR Tambo international airport in Johannesburg on 20 August, carrying 50 bird eggs in a homemade incubator in a hand-luggage bag, South Africa’s environment ministry said in a statement...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 3:09:58 PM
world

Turkey says dissolution of Kurdish-led group crucial for Syrian stability

Turkey on Wednesday said the dissolution of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) marked a key step towards strengthening state authority and achieving lasting stability in Syria. Turkey has long regarded the SDF as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which waged an insurgency against the Turkish state for decades. FRANCE 24's Jasper Mortimer reports from Ankara, Turkey.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 2:56:59 PM
world

Gang attack in Haiti: Anger mounts over police failures

At least 47 people were killed and more than 50 others kidnapped after armed men attacked a once-peaceful community near Haiti’s capital earlier this week, the United Nations said Tuesday. It is believed to be one of the largest mass kidnappings in Haiti in recent years, and one gang leader is threatening to kill the hostages if authorities kill any gang members as they try to secure the community nestled in the hills above Port-au-Prince. Sunday’s attack on Kenscoff pierced the belief that security in the troubled Caribbean country was improving. Journalist Harold Isaac reports from Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 2:55:31 PM
world

'In Ceuta, they are eating the cats': Fake images and a persistent rumour

Cats “massacred” in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta? Three weeks after thousands of migrants crossed the border into Ceuta, Spanish websites and social media users are claiming that the migrants who have stayed are killing cats. But all of the dead cat photos that have been shared so far are either fake or have been taken out of context. Our team spoke to a local cat rescue organisation, which also confirmed that this is a rumour.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 2:54:50 PM
climate

​W​hy are European leaders staying silent after our summer of climate shock?

Lethal temperatures ​and wildfires have exposed a widening gulf between voters demanding ​action and politicians unwilling to confront the long-term choices global heating requires • Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? The term “climate change”, said Mélenchon – the most likely rival to Marine Le Pen in next year’s presidential run-off, according to one poll this week – may sound “almost reassuring”, but its actual impact will feel like “landing on another planet whenever we leave home”...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 2:40:15 PM
sports

Fury v Joshua uncertainty will be resolved next week, insists Frank Warren

Promoter says negotiations are subject to a time limit ‘They won’t let it go past the end of next week’ Frank Warren believes that the tortuous negotiations surrounding the proposed fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are subject to a time limit which will run out by the end of next week. Conceding that he is unsure if the much-delayed bout will happen, Warren also said the decision now depends solely on Joshua and that Fury, whom he promotes, is already in training in the US and ready to fight an alternative opponent in November. “Nothing’s been signed off as yet,” Warren said in regard to a revised contract for Fury and Joshua to fight in New York. “Everybody’s talking and talking rather than getting on with the business and getting it done. I think it will happen and if it doesn’t, and I think there’s a time limit on it, by the way, it will be one of those fights that slipped by...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 2:23:53 PM
power

With the end of physical media in sight, gamers have had enough

An increasing tension between players and publishers about ownership of titles could lead to a divestment from the system the big companies are trying to enforce At the time of press, there is a well-publicised protest taking place in the video games community. PlayStation 5 owners are being encouraged to log off from their consoles between 23 and 30 August – no playing games, no downloading new titles. The motivating factor is Sony’s decision to cease physical game disc production from January 2028. After that, games will only be released as digital products. In an act of poor timing or wilful defiance, Sony chose this week to send out a mass email reminding customers of their PS5 terms and conditions: “The software is licensed to you, not sold,” states the relevant clause. “You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and personal license to play … ” It knows, of course, that most customers won’t open the email, let alone read it. There has always been a tension between game players and game publishers – an underlying sense of mutual mistrust. Players are wary of their favourite franchises being canned, or games being delayed or released with bugs. Publishers and manufacturers are wary of piracy and the capricious tastes of consumers. But now the atmosphere among many game players feels more starkly political than ever. Microsoft has been targeted by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement for its ties to the Israeli military; the consumer advocacy group Stop Killing Games is gaining support; players have protested over the purchase of Electronic Arts by a Saudi-led consortium – boycotts have been proposed in part due to the possible ramifications regarding LGBTQ+ content in titles such as The Sims. As the games industry has grown and globalised, its impact on culture, society and politics has increased. Yet, on an individual level, gamers and consumers are feeling increasingly powerless...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 2:00:16 PM
business

A Ugandan quarry worker carrying rocks on her head: Dan Nelken’s best photograph

‘Janet had eight children. Her husband drove a boda-boda taxi, but had lost a leg – so she had been working in her local quarry for 10 years. “I am now the husband in this home,” she said’ In 2017, my wife, Adele Brown, was invited to spend three weeks at an NGO in Gulu, Uganda, teaching critical thinking skills to blind high school-age students. I was asked along to document the organisation’s activities. I became fascinated by the town’s main market, where vendors sold goods such as used clothes, fruit and firewood. I asked the Ugandan teachers how I might approach someone to take their portrait. They suggested I offer a modest “model fee” after seeking permission. One of the students – Emmanuel (Emma) – wanted to assist me. We would visit the market together. When I saw a vendor I wanted to photograph, Emma would approach and seek their consent. Most agreed, but after returning home to New York, I looked at the results and was disappointed. As with other well-intentioned projects, I thought that was the end of it...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 2:00:15 PM
business

Meta agrees to major changes to Facebook and Instagram as it settles US trial over teen addiction for up to $17bn

US tech giant agrees to establish further protections for teens such as daily usage limits and blocks on nighttime use Meta reached an agreement to settle a landmark case brought by states across the US that accused the tech giant of addicting and harming children with dangerous products, according to a court filing released on Wednesday. The agreement will require the social media company to pay up to $17bn. Meta agreed to establish safeguards for teenage users, including daily usage limits and nighttime blocks nationwide in the US. This is the first time Meta has been forced to change how its platforms function. As part of the settlement, the company denies wrongdoing...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 1:37:15 PM
science

Women using HRT at lower risk of dementia, study suggests

Scientists found those who had used hormone replacement therapy were 10% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia Hormone replacement therapy may reduce the risk of dementia, a study has found. Scientists tracked more than 180,000 postmenopausal women in the UK in the largest study of its kind. They found that those who had used HRT were 10% less likely to develop any type of dementia and 16% less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the most common form, compared with those who had never used it...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 1:16:30 PM
health

‘I catch the signs a lot earlier now’: Amanda Anisimova on burnout and bouncing back

World No 10 is one of the best players yet to win a major and heads to Flushing Meadows in fine form after learning to embrace being uncomfortable Amanda Anisimova can see the signs now. It is just over three years since the American announced she would be taking an indefinite break for mental health reasons. A brilliant junior, she was a semi-finalist at the French Open in 2019 and seemingly destined for the top, only for her world to be rocked by the sudden death of her father, Konstantin, a few months later. Struggling for motivation and burned out, in May 2023, she revealed she would be stepping away from the sport. It turned out to be the best decision she ever made. “I learned how important it is to have a great balance on and off the court,” Anisimova says in an interview from New York, ahead of the US Open, where she will try to go one better than last year and win her first grand slam title...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 1:00:13 PM
culture

Goodbye, Dolly Parton: a gay icon whose appeal reached across age, class and politics, and into the Maga heartlands | Emma Brockes

Straight women loved her, so did Eminem. Even Donald Trump found something nice to say. Her allure had no boundaries and was truly unique I was at the National Theatre in London on Tuesday night, at a production of Pride, which tells the story of the unlikely alliance between gay activists and Welsh miners during the 1984 miners’ strike, when news broke of Dolly Parton’s death. Well. Against the sadness, one couldn’t help smiling. At a very gay production, attended by a majority gay audience, I half expected them to stop the show or call out a team from St John Ambulance bearing stretchers. In the script for Pride, references to Judy Garland and Ethel Merman serve as shorthand for gay sensibilities, but it could just as easily have been Dolly Parton. The queen of country and crossover pop was beloved by so many communities – many antagonistic to each other – but it was perhaps her gay fans who claimed her most vociferously and publicly. When we got home my friends and I danced around to 9 to 5, and on Wednesday morning it was Here You Come, Again (“looking better than a body has a right to” – oh, Dolly) on a loop, along with her 1971 hit Coat of Many Colors...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 12:33:55 PM
technology

Hope and concern swirl for Ohioans around ‘world’s largest datacenter’

Piketon datacenter promises to generate thousands of jobs, but environmental groups voice concern over project On a winding road tucked away behind forests in the Appalachian foothills of southern Ohio is where OpenAI, Nvidia and Japanese investors are set to spend $500bn on one of the largest artificial intelligence datacenters on the planet. Last March, the energy secretary, Chris Wright, the commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick and a host of Japanese and other dignitaries briefly descended on Piketon to enthusiastically break ground on a project to build 8GW worth of AI computing power...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 12:00:12 PM
sports

Uefa to lift boycott threat after Fifa promises no World Cup sale repeat

Uefa has received guarantees after ill-fated Infantino plan European sides will go to under-20 Women’s World Cup Uefa is to drop its threatened boycott of Fifa competitions after receiving concrete guarantees that the global governing body will never attempt a repeat of Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup. European teams have been cleared for participation in the upcoming Under-20 Women’s World Cup, along with subsequent tournaments, after Fifa provided the binding assurances that no equivalent of its president’s ill-fated scheme will be put on the table...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 11:16:27 AM
world

Mawlid festivities cancelled in Ethiopia's Tigray region over fears of drone strikes

In Ethiopia, festivities marking Mawlid, the Muslim holiday celebrating the birth of the Prophet Mohammed, have been cancelled at the last minute over fears of drone strikes. The cancellation comes just days after another major Tigrayan festival, Ashenda, was also called off at the last minute for the same reason. Drone strikes hit northern Ethiopia in recent days, as tensions between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the Ethiopian government continue to escalate. FRANCE 24's Tom Canetti reports from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 11:06:38 AM
power

A new chapter for Syria’s Kurds: What integration really means

The integration of the Kurdish administration within Syria's state institutions is now complete, Syrian Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi said on Thursday, marking the end of the Kurds' long-held dream of autonomy. The announcement follows months of negotiations between the two sides after a January agreement that called for the full integration of Kurdish civil and military institutions into the state -- a move Washington deemed "historic". FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Andrew Hilliar tells us more.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 11:05:16 AM
power

US proposes expanding UN Sudan arms embargo to entire country

The United States urged the UN Security Council on Monday to expand an arms embargo on the Sudanese region of Darfur to cover all of Sudan, saying the nation's brutal conflict risks regional expansion. The Darfur arms embargo, in place for over two decades, is set to expire on September 12, 2026 if a new agreement is not reached. Expanding the restrictions to all of Sudan would require a vote of the UN Security Council, with veto-holding Russia warning on Monday against new measures that would impact the Sudanese army.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 11:00:36 AM
health

Mpox is back – and in new countries. How can this outbreak be contained?

The public health emergencies in 2022 and 2024 saw the virus reported in 145 countries, but in the new cases children appear particularly affected A fresh outbreak of mpox in Guinea Bissau – the country’s first – means the virus formerly known as monkey pox is back in the headlines. So what has changed? Since 2022, there have been almost 190,000 lab-confirmed cases of mpox reported worldwide in 145 countries. Before then, outbreaks of mpox tended to be relatively small and in a handful of African countries, where the viral infection was known to be endemic...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 11:00:12 AM
technology

Fake US thinktank set up and funded by Israel sought to game AI for propaganda

In effort to prime chatbots to make pro-Israel arguments the site published 124 reports, over 560,000 words in nine days, Guardian analysis shows A pro-Israel messaging website badged with the name of a thinktank that does not exist has published more than half a million words in nine days, built on a commercial platform that promises to optimize content so that AI chatbots will cite it. The site gives Israel’s position on subjects including the torture of Palestinian prisoners, Israeli war crimes and whether Israel has deliberately starved Palestinians in Gaza, all presented as neutral research...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 11:00:11 AM
climate

‘National scandal’: extreme heat linked to 40,000 deaths in England between 1988 and 2025

ONS data shows rising toll of climate crisis, with officials warning this summer on track to set further records More than 40,000 extra people died on the hottest days in England between 1988 and 2025 than would be expected in normal temperatures, according to data published by the Office for National Statistics on Wednesday. The figures do not include this summer, when England has sweltered under a succession of heatwaves and is on track to record its highest ever number of heat-related deaths. The UK Health Security Agency announced on 30 July that an estimated 2,877 people had died in the May and June heatwaves alone. The total is almost double the figure for the whole summer in 2025...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 10:55:34 AM
world

‘Major casualties’ feared after flash floods along Nepal-Tibet border

Death toll of nine likely to rise as floods and mudslide sweep away houses, roads, bridges and power projects Torrential floods ⁠in the Himalayan border areas of ⁠Nepal and in ​Tibet in China have killed at least nine people and destroyed roads, bridges and power projects, as authorities in both countries braced for more casualties. Houses and roads were swept away ⁠in Nepal while officials in Tibet said they feared “major casualties” with some missing in the county of Gyirong after a mudslide hit a land crossing between the neighbours...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 10:45:44 AM
world

Kremlin says CIA chief met Russian counterparts, not Putin, in Moscow

The Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe held ​talks with Russian intelligence officials during his visit to ​Moscow ‌on ⁠Tuesday but did not ‌meet President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin ⁠said on Wednesday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov ​said it was also too ​early to say ​whether such contacts ​between the two countries' intelligence ​agencies could help improve US-Russia relations.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 10:44:26 AM
technology

Bill Gates calls for ‘human reserved’ jobs in face of AI takeover

Microsoft co-founder also expresses concern governments not prepared for technology’s impact in 6,000-word essay Business live – latest updates Bill Gates has called for “human reserved” jobs in certain sectors to prevent AI replacing them, and expressed concern that governments are not prepared for the impact the technology will have. In a 6,000 word essay titled The turbulent AI era is here. The choices we make are critical, the billionaire Microsoft co-founder likened the need to spare roles from digital encroachment to how nature reserves operate to protect the environment...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 10:33:43 AM
world

Germany increasingly in the crosshairs of hybrid attacks

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday that the perpetrators of hybrid attacks against Germany, such as an explosive drone found at an airport, "will pay for them," without naming a target. NATO member Germany – a major supporter of Ukraine in its fight against Russia – has long accused Moscow of targeting it with a campaign of hybrid attacks, espionage and sabotage. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Philip Turle tells us more.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 10:29:05 AM
power

One million Afghan children suffer 'life-threatening' malnutrition

One million children in Afghanistan are suffering from life-threatening malnutrition in a worsening crisis sweeping the country, the United Nations warned Tuesday. Across Afghanistan, 3.7 million children suffer from wasting, meaning they are acutely malnourished, the UN children's agency UNICEF said. Afghanistan has endured repeated hunger emergencies in recent decades as it has struggled through civil war and other crises.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 10:27:34 AM
culture

America unites in mourning for Dolly Parton

Americans of all stripes united to grieve the death of country music legend Dolly Parton, offering a rare moment of agreement as presidents of both parties joined entertainment and business giants in paying her tribute. The singer, who was 80, was long heralded as one of the few celebrities that everybody loved. President Donald Trump announced the lowering of flags across the United States for a week, calling Parton's death a "true loss for millions of people."

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 10:19:45 AM
power

Syria's Kurdish-led SDF dissolves as part of integration with Damascus

The Kurdish-led ⁠Syrian Democratic Forces ​has been dissolved, the armed militant group's leader said on ​Tuesday, a major step in the integration plan agreed on earlier this year with the Islamist-led government in Damascus. The government and the group, which helped defeat the Islamic State with U.S. backing and held parts ​of northern and eastern Syria, agreed in January ‌to a phased integration of Kurdish fighters into the state, a plan Washington called a "historic milestone".

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 10:18:47 AM
world

Israel takes control of UN training centre for Palestinians

Israeli forces took control of a vocational training centre run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in an east Jerusalem suburb on Tuesday, in its latest move targeting the beleaguered organisation. The raid drew condemnation from UN chief Antonio Guterres, and followed warnings by UNRWA that Israeli authorities were threatening its Qalandia training centre. The centre was established in 1952 and offers vocational training to around 340 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank every year, according to UNRWA.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 10:15:00 AM
culture

'Truly unique': Dolly Parton, music star, actor and beloved figure who spanned generations

Dolly Parton, the country music icon whose soaring vibrato vocals, poignant songwriting and sparkling costumes defined her rise from a log cabin in the Tennessee mountains to the height of stardom and acclaim, has died in Nashville. She was 80 years old. Known for her curvy physique, massive blond wigs and skin-tight outfits that served her self-deprecating wit, she was among the most beloved personalities in music and beyond — the rare celebrity whose appeal transcended generations, geography and politics. FRANCE 24's Culture Editor Eve Jackson tells us more.

France 24 • 8/26/2026, 10:10:21 AM
power

How Mark Carney’s speeches have become political earthquakes | Ted Widmer

The quiet-spoken Canadian prime minister has spoken unutterable truths Is it perhaps a sign of the times that Mark Carney, the prime minister of Canada, has become a thrilling orator? A sober banker, he speaks calmly, without many vocal inflections. We expect Canadians to be somewhat flat; even a little boring, and yet Carney has already delivered two remarkable speeches in 2026, and the year is far from over. The first, at Davos, described a “rupture in the world order”, and “the end of a pleasant fiction”. By that, he meant that the world could no longer depend on the United States to lead the Pax Americana that has largely kept the peace since the end of the second world war...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 10:00:42 AM
climate

‘132F’: meet the man calling out NYC’s infernally hot subway stations

Jack Klein takes heat readings, gives fans to overheated passengers and lugs big jugs of water into the stations On a recent August day in the subterranean furnace of New York City’s subway, one bearded, curly haired man was studying his phone for different reasons than the other wilting passengers – to track the soaring temperatures and ponder how underground train stations can cool down in an era of climate crisis. Jack Klein, a 31-year-old construction site manager, has in the past two years taken it upon himself to become a sort of guerrilla subway heat operative, sticking teardrop-shaped thermometers to steel beams in seven of the hottest Manhattan stations and posting social media videos of the hades-like summer temperatures that commuters have to endure...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 10:00:41 AM
health

Shingles vaccine linked to lower risk of heart attack and stroke, study finds

Researchers say benefits of two-dose Shingrix vaccine could be comparable to taking daily blood pressure medication The current shingles vaccine appears to significantly lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to scientists who say it could help prevent thousands of deaths each year. The research, based on records of 70,000 people in the US, found that those who had received Shingrix had a 12% lower risk of a cardiovascular diagnosis in the following three and a half years. If confirmed, this benefit would be comparable to taking a daily blood pressure-lowering medication, the scientists said...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 9:00:39 AM
culture

Moringa lattes and tigernut kebabs: the young Ghanaians ‘taking back the power’ of their food

In Ghana, a grassroots movement is championing nutritious, homegrown, climate-resilient produce, rather than western imports After three years at catering school, Abiro Wisdom was certain of one thing – he did not want to go into catering. At least not the route that he might be expected to take. His course at Accra Technical University had prepared students for working in international hotels, focusing on French, Italian and Mexican cuisine. The nutritious, homegrown food that Wisdom had eaten while growing up in Bolgatanga, northern Ghana, did not feature at all. “I didn’t see myself there,” he says of the big chain hotels. “I felt I wouldn’t be myself working there – I wouldn’t be able to talk about the food from where I come from.”..

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 9:00:39 AM
technology

London rollout of robotaxis delayed amid lack of guidance for firms to follow

Uber and Wayve had said they would start trips ‘later this summer’ but launch now looks unlikely this year The rollout of robotaxis on the streets of London is unlikely to happen this year, as regulatory and technical hurdles push back the ambitious schedule set out by the UK government. Only weeks ago Uber and London-based Wayve were granted the first minicab licences in the capital to allow them to offer self-driving taxi rides to paying customers – but with a human safety driver in place, for now – and said they would start trips “later this summer” before a full public launch...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 8:48:43 AM
sports

Martin O’Neill puts Champions League collapse among most painful Celtic nights

Celtic lose to Lask in qualifier from 4-0 up on aggregate ‘That’s my team and that’s my responsibility,’ O’Neill says Martin O’Neill has admitted Celtic’s Champions League qualifying collapse from 4-0 up ranks as one of his most painful nights as the club’s manager. Celtic held a four-goal aggregate lead against Lask on Tuesday when Callum McGregor scored in the 21st minute in Austria, building on a 3-0 first-leg victory, and appeared to be cruising into the league stage. But they lost 5-1 on the night after extra time to go out in extraordinary fashion...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 7:37:56 AM
climate

Heatwaves show UK must do more to promote cycling and walking, campaigners say

Civil society groups argue climate crisis means transport sector needs to urgently reduce its carbon emissions Dozens of civil society groups have demanded the UK government do more to promote cycling and walking, after this summer’s extreme heat exposed the desperate need to decarbonise transport. This summer’s heatwaves and wildfires were “immediate, real-world manifestations of the climate emergency”, the groups said, making reform of transport – responsible for more carbon emissions than any other sector in the UK – an urgent priority...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 7:00:37 AM
culture

‘It destroyed me’ – your top true crime TV shows of all time

From influencers gone (really, really) bad and the outrageous Joe Exotic to the greatest reveal in television history – here are Guardian readers’ favourite real-life documentaries and whodunnits I watched the BBC’s Unsolved: The Boy Who Disappeared when it came out and Damien Nettles, its subject, still pops up in my mind sometimes. It’s a comprehensive, empathetic and gripping investigation into a case I had never heard of. The Serial/Making a Murderer-style approach of showing the investigation, rather than just presenting information, gives the series a much more human angle. I thought it might turn up new evidence; that level of faith in the work being shown is a testament to how thorough it was. AJ, Devon, UK..

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 6:57:05 AM
climate

Labour’s energy bills crisis is getting worse. Political honesty is essential | Nils Pratley

Ofgem and ministers should be transparent about why energy bills for households are expected to stay stubbornly high Britons face highest price cap in three years as energy bills rise 4% from October Another Ofgem energy price cap day, another increase in bills. Miatta Fahnbulleh, the new energy secretary, can blame the usual culprit on Wednesday – the fossil fuel price “rollercoaster”, given a shove this time by Donald Trump’s Middle East misadventure. Higher gas prices will indeed be the main quarter-on-quarter reason why bills stand at a three-year high on a unit basis. But there is more to the tale on a longer view. Even when the gas rollercoaster dips downwards, the energy industry’s medium-term projections suggest bills will not fall meaningfully...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 6:15:35 AM
business

Britons face highest price cap in three years as energy bills rise 4% from October

A typical household in Great Britain will pay £1,723 a year, prompting calls for more support Nils Pratley: Labour’s energy bills crisis is getting worse Business live – latest updates Millions of British households will face the highest energy charges in three years this winter after months of rising market prices pushed up the government’s price cap for the second time in three months. Gas and electricity prices will rise by 4% from October under the new cap, after climbing 13% at the start of July to take account of global energy market price rises caused by the war on Iran...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 6:04:34 AM
technology

Would you pay for an algorithm to pick your friends? New social apps spread across cities

With many adults admitting they feel lonely, meetup platforms offer the chance to make new connections Would you pay £20 a month for the chance of making a friend, on the understanding that an algorithm – not you – gets to decide who you’ll meet? Driven by the decline of “third spaces” such as youth centres and pubs, an increase in remote working and rising loneliness – 40% of adults aged 16 to 29 feel lonely “always, often or some of the time”, according to the Office for National Statistics – paid social events are now in vogue...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 6:00:36 AM
power

South Korea scrambles jets after Russian military planes enter air defence zone

South Korea said on Wednesday it had scrambled fighter jets in response to Russian military aircraft entering its air defence zone, the second such incursion in weeks. The relationship between the countries has worsened since South Korea joined Western sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and since Moscow built stronger ties with North Korea. Seoul’s defence ministry said multiple Russian aircraft had entered and then left its air defence identification zone over the East Sea, also...

South China Morning Post • 8/26/2026, 5:27:19 AM
power

National lottery faces questions over new boss’s record in gambling industry

MPs tell regulator they are ‘deeply concerned’ over interim CEO Phil Walker’s roles at William Hill and Game Nation The national lottery is facing questions over its new boss’s record in the gambling industry, including a lucrative role in the 24-hour slot machine sector singled out by the prime minister as a blight on British high streets. Allwyn UK, which holds a licence to run the Lottery until 2034, said last week that it had appointed William Hill’s former UK and Ireland boss Phil Walker as its interim chief executive, replacing Andria Vidler...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 5:00:34 AM
health

Autism and ADHD care complaints more than triple in five years in England

NHS ombudsman warns of years-long waits and patients paying thousands to go private as demand for services soars Complaints about autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder services in England have more than tripled in five years, official figures show, with the NHS ombudsman warning of years-long waits and patients paying thousands of pounds for private care. One woman was removed from an ADHD medication waiting list without warning after almost four years, leaving her without the support she needed for about six months. Another patient was given an autism assessment lasting just 50 minutes that failed to follow guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, while a man referred to an ADHD service that was not yet operational ended up paying almost £4,000 for private treatment...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 5:00:34 AM
business

‘A mockery’: how offshore tax havens are thwarting the UK’s transparency push

Critics say ownership registers are too costly and too complicated, scuppering attempts to expose alleged money laundering Since Britain’s offshore secrecy jurisdictions caved in to pressure from Westminster to embrace corporate transparency, finding out who owns a company in one of these island havens is, in theory at least, a piece of cake. Take the Cayman Islands...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 4:00:34 AM
science

Mood-boosting benefits of birdsong drowned out by traffic noise, study finds

Even low levels of traffic noise can negate the benefits of listening to natural sounds, researchers say Hearing the trill or whistle of a bird while going about daily life is well known to boost people’s mood. But a new study suggests the psychological benefits of hearing birdsong are being threatened by traffic noise. Researchers found that even low levels of traffic noise negatively affected the benefits to wellbeing that could otherwise be derived from listening to natural sounds...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 4:00:34 AM
power

Iran faces strait of Hormuz paradox as strategic value of chokehold erodes

Internal calls to end war get louder as Gulf neighbours plan alternative pipelines to cut reliance on waterway Is the strait of Hormuz, recently cited by the office of the Iranian supreme leader as “the pillar of Iran’s new security order”, and as transformative as possessing a nuclear weapon, in reality becoming a fast-diminishing asset, leaving Iran increasingly vulnerable to the new planned US wave of economic sanctions? It is the key debate that is raging inside Iran, with many different conclusions being drawn for Tehran’s negotiating strategy. Those who warn the strait’s value as a chokehold on the world economy will erode, leaving the country without foreign exchange reserves, argue that Iran’s negotiators should seek a deal soon...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 4:00:33 AM
technology

Nine CEO confident new AI laws will deliver a ‘world of growth in publishing’ as network slashes costs

Matt Stanton says company has ‘good pipeline’ of AI deals ahead even as it aims to cut $160m in costs Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The head of Nine Entertainment sees a “world of growth in publishing” on the horizon backed by laws designed to force tech platforms into commercial deals, even as the network cuts costs across its newsrooms. Parliament passed revamped media bargaining laws last week, clearing the way for levies on global tech platforms that fail to strike deals with Australian news outlets for the use of their journalism...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 3:30:15 AM
climate

Typhoon Narra: record flood waters submerge homes and force mass evacuations in China

Heavy rain expected in parts of Vietnam and southern ‌China, as another storm system, Typhoon Saudel, heads for Japan and Taiwan Widespread flooding triggered by Typhoon Narra has submerged homes and forced mass evacuations in southern China, as another storm system tracked towards Japan and Taiwan. Authorities in Chongzuo, in China’s Guangxi region – famous for its giant waterfalls and karst limestone mountains – on Tuesday evacuated more than 15,000 people after water ⁠levels surpassed a record high set in 2008...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 1:46:25 AM
technology

In China, talking to AI is normal. Now the government fears it might replace human intimacy

Companion bots are being regulated over worries they foster ‘emotional dependence’ and young people could stop marrying and having families When law student Zhao Wei heard that her AI boyfriend was going to be switched off, she was “heartbroken”. She had been talking to Wang Ye every day since she created him in January. “I was crying my eyes out – snot and tears everywhere,” the 19-year-old says...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 12:47:38 AM
business

Instagram CEO denies company hid low use of teen safety feature in Meta trial

Adam Mosseri is first top executive from Meta to testify in blockbuster lawsuit brought by 29 US states Instagram’s CEO disputed allegations by US prosecutors that his company hid negative information from the public while testifying during a blockbuster social media trial. “I am not trying to encourage my team to hide anything,” the CEO, Adam Mosseri, told a California courtroom on Tuesday...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 12:07:11 AM
culture

The Dog Stars review – Ridley Scott’s lethargic postapocalyptic drama is a misfire

An adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 novel never finds its footing with overly familiar survival beats and a glum lack of energy Looking towards the end of an August movie dumping ground littered with more unwanted trash than usual, there seemed to be a faint glimmer of hope, a shiny treasure poking out through the dusty mass of unnecessary sequels and sex purge romcoms. Somehow, there was a $110m-budget adaptation of an acclaimed novel directed by Ridley Scott, led by a recently Oscar-nominated rising star with support from two Oscar-nominated actors and an Oscar-winner. But why then would such a film be unveiled in between the summer blockbuster season and the upcoming deluge of prestige fall festival big hitters? A cursed weekend that’s recently been home to Jay Roach’s heinous War of the Roses remake, Dennis Quaid’s Ronald Reagan biopic and George Miller’s hard-to-define and even harder-to-love flop Three Thousand Years of Longing. Ever since The Dog Stars, based on Peter Heller’s 2012 novel, had been yanked from its far more encouraging date at the end of March, there were multiple red flags flying and the rotten end of August has ultimately become an appropriate punishment for a limp and lethargic film that only briefly fascinates in pushing us to wonder what anyone was really hoping this would end up being. It’s yet another grubby postapocalyptic survival tale, an overcrowded subgenre that hasn’t just reached maximum capacity on the big screen but on the small one too. In a world of seven Walking Dead shows, the beats are now far too familiar – artfully dishevelled actors grieve for the past and fear for the future as they scramble to find and protect resources – and there’s nothing new or notable here to conjure anything but deja vu...

The Guardian • 8/26/2026, 12:00:28 AM
science

Dogs blink more often when they see owners blinking, study finds

Scientists say research suggests blinking may have acquired a social relevance in interactions between dogs and people Stare into a dog’s eyes and you may encounter a bemused expression. But researchers have found that dogs blink more often when they see their owners doing so, suggesting there may be more to the mutual gaze than meets the eye. Scientists have previously found that dogs turn on the puppy eyes when humans look at them, and that their brains can distinguish happy human faces from other expressions – even telling apart fearful faces from those that are angry or sad...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 11:01:27 PM
sports

Celtic throw away four-goal aggregate lead to crash out of Champions League against Lask

Celtic threw away a four-goal lead in Austria as they missed out on the Champions League for the second year running. The Scottish champions looked to be cruising into the league stage when Callum McGregor put them 4-0 up on aggregate against Lask with a 21st-minute deflected strike. However, they went on to endure one of their all-time European lows with a 5-1 defeat in Linz delivering a £20million-plus blow...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 9:40:06 PM
power

Wife of US soldier deported after Trump rollback on military family protections

Cristy Maryori Villafranca-Trejo, deported to Honduras, is latest military spouse to face removal amid Trump 2.0 The wife of an active-duty US soldier was deported on Monday to her native Honduras, according to her family and the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Cristy Maryori Villafranca-Trejo is at least the seventh spouse or parent of an active-duty US soldier to be deported under the immigration crackdown during Donald Trump’s second presidency...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 8:23:55 PM
technology

Taiwan charges nine people for smuggling ‘high-end’ AI servers to China

Among those charged are two Super Micro employees and one from Nvidia, marking another flashpoint in US-China AI rivalry Taiwanese prosecutors charged nine people Monday, including one from Nvidia and two from Super Micro, for illegally exporting “high-end AI servers” to mainland China, adding another wave of turbulence in the AI ​​rivalry between China and the United States. Prosecutors said the servers involved were graphics processing units known as “B300,” which have been banned from sale to China...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 7:02:42 PM
power

Burnham mulls insolvency law shake-up to help bring utilities under public control

Exclusive: Rules on special administration seen as potential ‘roadblock’ to reshaping how UK’s essential services are run Andy Burnham is considering ripping up the country’s insolvency laws to make it easier to bring key utilities such as Thames Water under public control. Sources have told the Guardian the prime minister is considering a range of options as he seeks ways of delivering on his promise to radically reshape the way Britain’s water and energy companies are run...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 6:13:56 PM
culture

Dolly Parton’s peerless career turned country music cliches inside out | Alexis Petridis

Beneath the wig and rhinestones, Parton was the genius behind strings of classic songs from Jolene to I Will Always Love You that continue to inspire new artists Dolly Parton, US country star, actor and philanthropist, dies aged 80 Dolly Parton dies aged 80 – latest updates Share your tributes and memories of Dolly Parton In December 1977, Dolly Parton submitted to an interview with ABC Television’s Barbara Walters, much against her friends’ advice. Walters was not noted for her deep love and understanding of country music. She was a notoriously tough cookie, a Boston-born, Sarah Lawrence-educated journalist who had battled scarcely believable sexism to become the first female co-host of an American news programme. The month before she met Parton, she had interviewed Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin while they were working out the terms of the Egypt-Israel peace treaty. It was all a very long way from Parton’s world, and the interview has something of the anthropological exercise about it. Walters looks aghast as Parton shows her around her tour bus, her collection of wigs and her “hand-washable and wrinkle-free” stage outfits (“you really like this? To me, it seems like horror”), and sits impassively as Parton sings Coat of Many Colours to her: an impressive feat, given the song’s saga of rural poverty and homespun wisdom is the mother of all tearjerkers from an artist never averse to yanking at her audience’s heartstrings. She asks Parton if people from “where I come from” would call her a hillbilly; regards the singer’s outfit with a jaundiced eye and tells her “you don’t have to look like this”. And, most infamously, she enquires: “Do you ever feel that you’re a joke?”..

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 6:07:47 PM
technology

Trump-backed Ken Paxton unveils ‘Texas first’ datacenter plan aimed at ‘negative impact’

The Republican Senate candidate announced the plan with a graphic X flagged as ‘Made with AI’ US politics live – latest updates Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the US Senate in Texas, has unveiled plans to tackle the “negative impact” of datacenters amid a growing backlash across the political spectrum. Paxton, endorsed by Donald Trump but facing a close contest against Democrat James Talarico, posted a “Texas first” datacenter plan on X with a graphic that the social media network flagged as “Made with AI”...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 5:54:00 PM
world

At least 47 killed and dozens kidnapped in gang attack near Haiti capital

Gang leader threatens to kill hostages after attack in Kenscoff in which homes were also set alight ‘A massacre’: Haiti gangs carrying out mass killings At least 47 people were killed and more than 50 others kidnapped when armed men attacked a once peaceful community near Haiti’s capital at the weekend, the UN has said. A gang leader has threatened to kill the hostages if authorities kill any gang members as they try to secure the community of Kenscoff, nestled in the hills above Port-au-Prince...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 5:35:16 PM
culture

Ulez has been a breath of fresh air for London | Letters

Sadiq Khan’s ultra-low emission zone in London is celebrated by Lorna Henderson, George Coleby and Leonard Neamtu after a study showed its health benefits for children In light of the astonishing results achieved in lowering air pollution by the introduction of the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) in London by Sadiq Khan (Ulez led to better lung size and function among London children, study finds, 18 August), should we now not extend this philosophy into every city in the UK to save lives? Surely it is a human right to breathe clean air? Why does Ofsted or the Department for Education not insist on air-quality monitors and give data for each school so parents are aware of the risks? Lorna Henderson Newcastle upon Tyne..

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 4:44:13 PM
power

Cyberattacks target French government agencies

🇫🇷 🧑‍💻 French government agencies are more frequently landing in the crosshairs of hackers, leaving important personal data increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks. In 2026 alone, organs of the French finance ministry have been victim to three massive cyberattacks, compromising the data of millions of people. FRANCE 24's Tanishk Saha explains what they have revealed - and why you should be concerned. #France #data #cyberattack #finance

France 24 • 8/25/2026, 4:16:17 PM
health

People’s bodies are changing in the age of Ozempic. How are we meant to talk about it?

Discussing people’s bodies can be fraught. We asked eating disorder experts how to do so – or not – responsibly In the age of Ozempic and people being open about plastic surgery, discussion about people’s bodies is rife. At the same time, nobody seems quite sure how to talk about them, as shown by recent coverage of celebrities like Ariana Grande. It is a fraught topic. We asked eating disorder experts for guidelines to follow when talking about other people’s bodies, and how to do so without doing harm...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 4:00:18 PM
climate

London bus drivers resume strike over heatwave working amid fears over air con deal

Drivers concerned that bus operator’s offer to retrofit cabs on 730 buses will not be complete by next summer London bus drivers have resumed strike action over having to work in high temperatures, amid fears that proposed improvements to air conditioning will not be complete by next summer. About 1,500 members of the Unite union working across north London and Essex are taking part in the four-day strike from Tuesday to Friday, after industrial action earlier this month. Further stoppages are planned for the coming weeks...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 3:59:22 PM
business

VW workers boo boss as he urges them to ‘pull together’ amid job cuts

Oliver Blume faces workforce at German HQ as carmaker struggles against Chinese competition and US tariffs The chief executive of Volkswagen has faced boos and whistles of protest at the company’s headquarters after telling thousands of workers that a comprehensive reorganisation, which could include job losses and factory closures, is vital for its future. As Oliver Blume urged more than 10,000 workers on Tuesday to “pull together”, saying drastic restructuring measures at the struggling manufacturer were essential, they held up banners and shouted slogans, including: “Our jobs are not your balance sheet adjustments”...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 3:47:56 PM
climate

Australia may face a rush of datacentre construction as AI firms look to dodge upcoming rules, experts say

Regulations will require new sites to avoid pushing up power prices by building renewable energy plants and minimising water use Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Planned datacentres around Australia may avoid strict new rules being proposed by Anthony Albanese if they can secure approvals in the coming months, amid growing calls growing for a moratorium. The prime minister is aiming to come to an agreement with national cabinet on federal regulations for datacentres at a meeting on Wednesday...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 3:00:19 PM
sports

The ex-gang member breaking the cycle of violence among LA youths

‘A child isn’t born to commit gun violence,’ Francisco Villarruel says Francisco Villarruel and Gustavo Galvez sat in a park in Los Angeles reminiscing on their first boxing lesson together. They had gone to a big commercial gym, where they took turns hitting boxing pads and doing footwork exercises. They then started regularly training together. For Villarruel, 40, working out together wasn’t really about boxing. It was about giving Galvez, 19, an opportunity to open up and to mentor someone whose pain he understands. “ I think a lot of the traumatic scenarios that he went through are very similar to mine in my upbringing,” Villarruel said...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 3:00:18 PM
culture

‘The whole world is becoming rightwing and anti-gay’: William Yang on 60 years of capturing LGBTQ+ life

Yang has taken more than 500,000 photographs since he first moved to Sydney in the late 1960s and now devotes most of his time to untangling the past As a young adult, William Yang discovered that his family’s story was actually a murder mystery. His uncle, William Fang Yuen, was killed by an employee on the family’s farm in far north Queensland in 1922, but his mother refused to tell him the full story. In 1990, he travelled to Innisfail in search of the truth. One aunt told Yang that his uncle and the worker had got into a fight over a gambling debt, and the worker had stabbed him to death with a spear. A cousin said a gang was involved. A local woman, who had been a child at the time, remembered it as a card game gone wrong...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 3:00:17 PM
business

New York business group sues Mamdani over city-owned grocery stores plan

Multicultural Business Coalition sues New York City mayor, alleging plan for city-run stores will harm smaller grocers A New York City business group sued mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday over his plan to create five municipally owned grocery stores. The Multicultural Business Coalition, which says it represents hundreds of small supermarkets, filed two lawsuits in New York county supreme court on Monday, arguing that the plan violates the civil rights of smaller, immigrant- and minority-owned businesses. The group argues that smaller stores would be unable to match the discounts offered by the city grocery stores and “therefore, will be put out of business,” according to the lawsuits...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 2:48:54 PM
world

‘Not an isolated incident’: Russian drones stalk Ukraine’s civilians in ‘human safaris’

The video of a Ukrainian cyclist being targeted and killed by a short-range drone posted – and later deleted – by the Russian military Friday left viewers outraged and shaken. But it’s not the first time that Russian drone operators have been accused of terrorising Ukrainian civilians by deliberately targeting them in “human safaris” denounced as a war crime by an independent UN commission.

France 24 • 8/25/2026, 2:27:23 PM
climate

‘Not any old vermin’: rats numbers are on the rise thanks to global heating – and poison may not be the answer

Robert Corrigan has been dealing with the ‘smart’ rodents all his life – and believes there are better solutions to deal with the growing infestation in the world’s cities “The rodents have paid for every single bill I’ve ever had – every mortgage, every car payment, every pint of Guinness,” says Dr Robert Corrigan. “It’s been a great ride and I’m still at it.” New York-based Corrigan is one of the most respected voices in the world of rodentology. Now in his 70s, he has devoted his entire adult life to studying rats and our relationship with them...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 2:00:38 PM
climate

We asked our climate reporters to highlight one idea for positive change. We got a chronicle of global transformation

There are countless initiatives around the world that can inspire people and spur them into action. Amid the devastation of the climate crisis, our journalists strive to highlight these stories of hope Climate campaign 2026: help us reach 30,000 acts of support The news is very often about the bad things (especially if you’re on the Guardian’s environment desk). Wildfires, floods, tipping points, billionaires making huge profits and buying themselves island refuges for the apocalypse … And yet, ticking along beside that is the steady pulse of what the rest of humanity is doing in response to the climate crisis. From housing developments with no cars to buildings made out of hemp, all over the planet people are ploughing ahead and changing their neighbourhoods and cities and the world. But as news stories typically need to be about new developments or things people didn’t previously know about, it can be hard to cover all those brilliant initiatives being undertaken in the background – no matter how cheering they are. Which is why, back in 2023, we decided to ignore the usual rules about what constitutes “news” and start writing about them anyway. Readers, we knew, would like to hear about them. Climate campaign 2026: help us reach 30,000 acts of support..

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 12:27:21 PM
world

Meet the young Kenyan designer preserving culture through traditional craft

At a time when fashion is increasingly dominated by mass production, a young Kenyan designer is taking a slower approach. Hillary Mukabwa, the founder and lead designer of Mukabwa Studio in Nairobi, works with hand looms to create cotton fabrics that he turns into clothes, bags and more in a deliberate attempt to reconnect with a craft increasingly being pushed aside by modernisation.

France 24 • 8/25/2026, 12:19:46 PM
culture

Artist known for sculptures of Mao Zedong jailed for slandering ‘heroes and martyrs’

Gao Zhen sentenced to three years in prison after already spending two years in detention Gao Zhen, a prominent Chinese artist known for provocative sculptures of the former leader Mao Zedong, has been sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of slandering China’s “heroes and martyrs”. The sentencing came two years after he was detained while visiting the country with his family, according to his wife and human rights groups. The case has attracted international condemnation, largely because the artworks at the centre of the case were created more than 10 years before China created the law under which Gao was charged...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 11:53:58 AM
climate

Climate-saving wonder – or €240m vanity bauble that ages like milk? The rocks set to hit Rotterdam docks

MVRDV – the firm behind Marble Arch Mound – says Rotterdam ROCKS! will inspire visitors to live sustainably. But in an era when the greenest building is the one that already exists, this tottering cairn looks set to misfire ‘It looks like something Shrek would throw up,” sniffed one online commentator, unflatteringly comparing Rotterdam ROCKS!, the recently unveiled proposal for a waterfront site in Europe’s largest port, with the vomitings of a cartoon ogre. Designed by Dutch architectural firm MVRDV, which gave London the supremely underwhelming Marble Arch Mound in 2021, Rotterdam ROCKS! (the use of EMPHATIC CAPITALS connoting an in-your-face energy) is the winner of a major architectural competition intended to create “a new world wonder”. But instead of a modern Hanging Gardens of Babylon or contemporary Colossus of Rhodes, MVRDV’s super slick renderings depict a pile of artificial “rocks” (or ROCKS!) stacked together in a humongously scaled tottering cairn, wreathed in suspiciously luxuriant foliage and sluiced by a preposterous waterfall...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 11:37:02 AM
science

Creatine: is there truth behind the hype? – video

Creatine has become the go-to supplement for anyone wanting to give their fitness a boost and build muscle. It’s even made it out of the gym, with influencers touting its cognitive benefits. But what’s the science behind creatine, and does the evidence stack up? Madeleine Finlay hears from science editor Ian Sample and Dr Justin Roberts, professor of nutritional physiology at Anglia Ruskin University..

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 11:31:45 AM
health

As a doctor, I say this: before we even consider assisted dying, fix how we care for the most vulnerable | Zubir Ahmed

A person’s wish to die can be shaped by whether they have access to proper palliative care – and in England and Wales, too many do not Zubir Ahmed is a transplant surgeon and former Labour minister As a doctor, I have spent much of my professional life caring for people at some of the most vulnerable moments they will ever face. I have seen the anxiety that surrounds the prospect of dying, and the desperate wish of patients and families to avoid unnecessary suffering. Naturally, we all want people facing the end of life to be treated with kindness and respect. But when considering the debate on assisted dying, true compassion demands that we ask a more fundamental question. What kind of society are we building if, before we’ve fixed the systems designed to care for people, we introduce a system designed to help them die? As a former health minister who has seen the system from the inside, I am able to say it is not ready or equipped to answer this question. Zubir Ahmed MP is an NHS vascular and transplant surgeon, and served as the parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department of Health and Social Care from 6 September 2025 to 12 May 2026. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please..

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 11:00:34 AM
climate

'Thermal safety: Not just climate in action; it's biology & physiological capacity to cope & recover

Eve Irvine is pleased to welcome Ronita Bardhan, Professor of Sustainable Built Environment and Health at the University of Cambridge. Extreme heat is no longer simply a question of climate exposure. It is a question of thermal safety, public health, energy security, urban design and inequality, explains Professor Bardhan. Her starting point is that, in an emergency, protecting human life must come first: people need immediate access to cooling, through shade, hydration, cooling centres, passive design or, where necessary, air conditioning. The challenge, she says, is not to choose between adaptation and mitigation, but to pursue both simultaneously.

France 24 • 8/25/2026, 10:49:46 AM
technology

US building twice as much gas-fired capacity as China in AI boom, analysis finds

There has been a 76% increase in under-construction gas-fired projects amid ‘frenzy’ to build more datacenters The US has surged ahead of China in the building of new gas-fired power generation, largely to feed a boom in artificial intelligence (AI) that is adding vast amounts of planet-heating emissions, a new analysis has found. For decades, China’s rapid economic growth has seen it outpace the US in the addition of new gas power generation but a recent “frenzy” in datacenter construction for AI has reversed this, said Global Energy Monitor (Gem) in its new report...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 10:00:34 AM
technology

‘Environmental violence’: inside the fight to save indigenous land from becoming a nuclear dumping ground

New documentary To Use a Mountain spotlights the pain and triumph of resisting government efforts to turn parts of rural US into disposal sites Nuclear energy was supposed to be our salvation, humanity’s chance to retool technology first conceived as a weapon of mass destruction into an engine of limitless prosperity. But even as the industry touted nuclear fission as an economic game-changer (never mind the astronomical startup costs), a safety paragon (never mind the spills at Chornobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima) and harmless fodder for an American comedy institution (never mind that glowing rod on Homer’s back or the three-eyed fish), there was no getting around the matter of what to do with all the toxic waste (never mind nuclear’s claimed green credentials). The stagnant state of that dirty business brought Casey Carter, the director of the new avant-garde documentary called To Use a Mountain, back to his interview with a Washington state farmer who was part of a class-action lawsuit against the government over the release of radioactive material from the Hanford nuclear reservation – site of the world’s first full-scale plutonium production reactor. The farmer’s words still echo, despite ultimately being cut to fit the film’s 90-minute runtime. “He joked that nuclear power is the only faith-based energy because everyone always asks, ‘Do you believe in it?’” Carter says. “He was like, ‘You don’t have to believe in solar. It’s just a pretty good idea.’”..

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 9:00:53 AM
business

From Scotland, I look at England’s water privatisation disaster. I wish you had done what we did | Devi Sridhar

Listening to debate, you’d think bringing English water companies into public ownership was a radical socialist idea. Here, we call it common sense Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh Every few months, there are more shocking headlines about the behaviour of England’s water companies. The latest are about the ever-increasing pay of the chief executives and chief financial officers, which rose to a total of £25.3m across 14 companies over the past year. Meanwhile, people living in England struggle with rising water bills and untreated sewage being discharged (often illegally) on to beaches and in to lakes, and companies such as Thames Water are on the brink of insolvency and want government backing. It’s not surprising that we’re in this situation: England’s water companies have long been accused of putting the interests of shareholders above those of customers. From their perspective, the privatisation of water has been an astounding success. Between 1991 and 2019, dividends to the shareholders of the parent companies totalled £57bn, which averages out to more than £2bn every year. The majority of these private parent companies are foreign-owned, so the profits aren’t even kept in Britain. Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh..

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 9:00:53 AM
sports

Lego sales rise as World Cup and F1 ranges prove to be winners

Danish toymaker also scores success with KPop Demon Hunters, Star Wars and botanicals products Business live – latest updates Lego sales have risen by more than a fifth as tie-ups with the football World Cup, Formula One and the hit film KPop Demon Hunters as well as its flower-based and Star Wars kits drive demand. The Danish toymaker said its revenues increased by 21% to 41.9bn Danish kroner (£4.8bn) in the first six months of 2026, driven by strong growth in the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific regions. Sales by its clients to consumers rose by 22%...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 8:08:03 AM
climate

Triage by Claudia Rankine review – how should we respond to the world’s atrocities?

The American poet and essayist weaves memoir, fiction, criticism and lyrical lament into a tale of friendship in an age of existential crisis “Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental,” writes the multi-award winning Jamaican-American poet, essayist and playwright Claudia Rankine in the disclaimer to her latest work. “Unless it isn’t.” The pretzel-logic of this statement, its assertive ambiguity, sets the tone for a book that digs directly into the question of what we are to do with the idea of truth, when the world we live in is asking us “to hold, visually and emotionally, realities we do not yet have a viable system of language for”. In Triage, Rankine borrows from her personal history and from a world whose landscape now encompasses “the rise of fascism, the implementation through deportations of the Great Replacement theory, the starvation of devastated populations subjected to war and climate change”, and uses the material she gathers to pose a simple question. When faced with realities such as these, what do you do? Do you stand, or do you fall? The book begins with a friendship. Two young people – our narrator, and another she refers to only as “the theorist” – meet in college in the late 20th century, and are drawn to each other. They’re passionate; they’re idealistic; they’re committed to the activism of the time (“shantytowns were built on campus to protest apartheid South Africa”) and steeped in the texts and authors and philosophical conceits of the humanities. Over time, they develop a game. “When we spied each other during the day,” the narrator explains, “we had to collapse.”..

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 8:00:51 AM
world

‘Children were in pieces’: memories still raw 6 months after Iran school strike

For months, Masoumeh Zakeri has endlessly replayed the last night she spent with her nine-year-old daughter before she was killed in a strike on her school during the opening hours of the US-Israel war with Iran. Motahreh excitedly talked about coming holidays, planned weddings and the clothes she wanted to buy. She had a Ramadan pre-fast meal shortly before dawn and then Zakeri tucked her into bed. “I never saw her again. (That was) the last time,” the 44-year-old mother told Agence...

South China Morning Post • 8/25/2026, 7:09:13 AM
technology

Tell us: do you think AI has made Google search better or worse?

As people grow used to AI chatbots, we’d like to hear your views about Google’s search engine Google has put artificial intelligence at the front and center of its search bar. The most-visited site on the internet still shows the same list of links to users, but they have to scroll past a summarized response from an AI chatbot, a feature Google calls AI Overviews. The change to what was once the gateway to the rest of the internet has been profound, and the browsing habits of billions of people are shifting. “AI is driving the most significant upgrade of the Google Search experience ever,” Liz Reid, Google’s vice-president of search, wrote last August. In May, the company said more AI is coming...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 6:00:50 AM
business

‘Petty grievances’ and an alleged troublemaker: unsealed Murdoch court documents give rare glimpse into bitter succession battle

Rupert Murdoch said in newly released correspondence that it would be a disaster if his media empire fell into the ‘wrong hands’ A year ago, Rupert Murdoch resolved the long-running fight over which of his children would control his sprawling media empire, ending a bitter legal battle and anointing his eldest son, Lachlan, as his successor. Now, court documents have offered a rare glimpse into the family’s clashes before the decision, revealing the patriarch’s view of son James as a troublemaker who had to be ousted from the business and detailing tensions between Murdoch’s four eldest children and their airing of “petty grievances” about their father...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 5:33:18 AM
technology

‘Never seen this level of objection’: Scotland pushes back against datacentre boom

Holyrood ‘inching towards moratorium’ amid concerns over massive proposed developments in Auchtertool and beyond In a village 21 miles north of Edinburgh, a real estate consultancy plans to build a datacentre larger than the village itself – 35 metres high, with an area larger than 100 football pitches. Billed as the second-biggest datacentre in the world, the development in Auchertool, Fife, has attracted 1,600 objections...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 5:00:49 AM
power

Canadians do not seek a trade war – but neither will we be bullied by Donald Trump | Jen Gerson

A fundamental rupture in the values that have united North America is not a problem that can be wished away: this is a warning to the western alliance The Canadians are exceedingly angry. I realise this can sometimes be difficult for foreigners to deduce, given our national struggle to express the full range of human emotion outside ice hockey riots. However, let me assure you that the prime minister Canadians saw take the stage on Saturday morning in the wake of the collapse in trade negotiations with the US was a Mark Carney practically vibrating with fury. “You’re at war when you get attacked. We got attacked,” he said, in a rare press conference that was as candid and clear as he ever tends to be. “That’s fine … We’ve got the reserves, we’ve got the resilience, we’ve got the plan, we’ve got the focus. We’re gonna respond, we’re going to focus on what we can control and what we’re going to build.” Jen Gerson is a Canadian commentator and co-founder of The Line. She lives in Calgary, Alberta..

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 5:00:48 AM
culture

The ear witness: Turner-winner Lawrence Abu Hamdan and his ‘sound evidence’ exposés of human rights abuses

From killings in Gaza to the alleged use of a sonic weapon on a vigil in Belgrade, the Lebanese-British artist reveals how his work for activist group Earshot is inseparable from his art Lawrence Abu Hamdan has a double identity. He is an artist who, in 2019, jointly won the Turner prize; and one of his works is, for my money, among the most striking on show at this year’s Venice Biennale. But he is also the director of a young NGO, founded in 2023, called Earshot, which investigates human rights abuses using sound evidence. In less euphemistic language, that means, on occasion, investigating horrific killings. He and his team might analyse the direction and position of bullets Israeli soldiers have fired at emergency workers in Gaza, or build evidence that a sonic weapon was likely used to disperse a mass silent vigil in Belgrade. The foundational work he did in this field was a project with the London-based research agency Forensic Architecture for Amnesty International. Back in 2016, he interviewed rare survivors of the unimaginably barbaric conditions in Syria’s Sednaya prison. There was a paradox at play in this murderous place – prisoners were held in complete darkness, and enforced silence, killed for making any sound. Listening was both the inmates’ only source of information, and a tool for survival and resistance. Their acute sonic memories of screams of distress and pain; keys turning in locks; bread being slapped down outside their cells; even of lice being snapped – helped Abu Hamdan and his colleagues build a picture of the prison architecture and its conditions, nearly a decade before it was opened to the light after the fall of the bloody Assad regime...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 4:00:47 AM
climate

At least 35,000 excess deaths recorded in Europe’s back-to-back heatwaves

True figure likely to be much higher as it only covers about half of continent and does not include August totals At least 35,000 more people died during Europe’s four record-breaking, back-to-back heatwaves this summer than would normally be expected, according to incomplete figures from barely half the continent. Excess mortality in three of the EU’s larger countries – Germany, France and Spain – alone has already exceeded 25,000, according to the provisional national figures, and experts say the toll will rise significantly once August totals are consolidated...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 4:00:47 AM
world

Japan enlists 1,800 people to drag a 360-tonne castle keep using ropes and rollers

After repairs to Hirosaki Castle in Aomori prefecture, officials employed a technique known as hikiya to move the structure more than two metres To chants of “so-re, so-re”, about 1,800 people came together in northern Japan over the weekend to pull a 360-tonne castle keep a little more than two metres closer to its original resting place as part of ongoing renovations. The keep – a fortified tower within a castle – had to be moved to repair a wall that was damaged in a major earthquake...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 1:10:44 AM
world

Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella announces immigration crackdown

Far-right leader echoes ally Donald Trump and says operations to ‘track down illegal immigrants’ should begin this week, amid earthquake aftermath Colombia’s far-right president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has announced a crackdown on immigrants, ordering authorities to detain and deport people who are in the country irregularly or have committed crimes. In office for just over two weeks, the millionaire former lawyer made the announcement on Sunday as the country continued to grapple with the aftermath of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake on 10 August that killed more than 300 people and destroyed more than 30,000 homes...

The Guardian • 8/25/2026, 12:34:47 AM
health

Lindsay Clancy trial: psychologist says he doubts claim she was hallucinating

Dr Kirk Heilbrun says he believes Clancy took children’s lives so they wouldn’t ‘suffer’ after she killed herself With just days to go before the murder trial for Lindsay Clancy concludes, a forensic psychologist called by the prosecution testified on Monday that he did not believe she was experiencing acute psychosis when she killed her three children. Kirk Heilbrun, who reportedly performed psychiatric tests on Clancy in April, told the court that he questioned her claims that a hallucinated voice commanded her to commit the act, and that he believed she took their lives so they wouldn’t “suffer” after she killed herself...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 11:00:53 PM
climate

Nevada files lawsuit challenging federal plan for Colorado River revival

In Trump administration’s plan, California, Arizona and Nevada face about a 20% cut to water supply over two years Nevada filed a federal lawsuit on Monday challenging the Trump administration’s new plan for the imperiled Colorado River, launching what could become the first of many court battles over the waterway that supplies 40 million people, dozens of tribes and 5.5m acres of farm land across the American west. The federal plan, issued Friday, cut roughly 20% from the water supplied to lower basin states – Nevada, Arizona and California – over the next two years, with a potential for harsher cutbacks in the future, based on conditions...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 8:56:51 PM
world

US strikes a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing 2 people in first attack in months

US Southern Command has struck another vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing two accused of trafficking drugs After a pause of more than two months, the US military announced Monday that it once again carried out a strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people accused of trafficking drugs. It brings the overall death toll to 223 people killed in 67 strikes during the nearly year-long US campaign of bombing alleged drug boats off Latin America’s Caribbean coast and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. US Southern Command says the campaign has resulted in the destruction of 64 speedboats, three “low-profile” ships and a semisubmersible craft...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 8:23:26 PM
health

Alfalfa sprouts linked to food-poisoning outbreak in 15 states, US officials say

Everything Sprouts recalls products after CDC says agency is aware of dozens of food-poisoning cases nationally US healthcare officials recently said a food-poisoning outbreak tied to alfalfa sprouts and involving multiple germs had sickened people in at least 15 states. Officials announced the outbreak after documenting more than three dozen cases in Minnesota and Wisconsin. On Friday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the agency was aware of at least 55 cases nationally, including four people who had been hospitalized...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 6:58:12 PM
business

Trump announces new 50% tariff on Canadian cars, trucks and steel

Move is latest deterioration in trade relations between neighbors with historically strong economic ties Donald Trump announced a new 50% tariff on automobiles and crucial raw materials from Canada, the latest deterioration in trade relations between the two neighbors with historically strong economic ties. Trump said that the increased tariffs would start 1 January 2027 on all cars, trucks, automobile parts and steel. He also derided the nation’s tariffs on American farmers, writing on social media that Canada has been “ripping off” the US “for years”...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 6:55:43 PM
climate

French tourist dies in California’s Death Valley after being stranded in heat

Man, 68, was left searching for help in 116F weather after his car became stuck in mud along remote park road A French tourist recently died in Death Valley national park after a car mishap left him stranded in 116F (47C) weather. The visitor, identified as 68-year-old Pierre Michel Formosa, was traveling with another French man along the park’s remote West Side Road when their vehicle became stuck in mud near Queen of Sheba Mine Road...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 6:55:22 PM
power

Mark Carney says Canada can’t accept US trade deal that would weaken French language

Prime minister praised for rejecting US trade proposal as Trump shows little interest in retreating from dispute Are you a Canadian boycotting US products? We’d like to hear from you Mark Carney said on Monday that while American negotiators saw the French language in Canada as an “irritant … in Quebec, these are rights,” days after receiving widespread praise from political leaders for rejecting a US trade proposal that many perceived as weakening the country’s Francophone culture. The prime minister’s remarks came hours after the US president, Donald Trump, showed little interest in retreating from the spat, posting on social media that Canada had been “ripping off the United States of America for years” and threatening a swath of new, economically devastating tariffs on cars and trucks...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 6:22:14 PM
technology

UK to use Ukraine battlefield data to train AI to protect sensitive sites

London and Kyiv in deal to help stop protesters and hostile states targeting military bases and critical infrastructure AI models trained on Ukrainian battlefield data will be used to stop protesters and foreign states targeting UK defence sites, railways and energy plants under a deal struck between London and Kyiv. Private companies will also be given access to the vast trove of data from Ukraine’s Avengers AI lab to help build new systems, the first agreement of its kind in the UK...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 6:16:14 PM
power

UK, France ‘re-announce’ anti-missile technology for Ukraine: ‘None will be online for years’

Annette Young is pleased to welcome Dr. Frank Ledwidge, former military intelligence officer and Senior Lecturer in Strategy at Portsmouth University. According to Dr. Ledwidge, the latest European commitments to Ukraine are merely politically symbolic. He warns that the coalition is failing to address Kyiv's most urgent problem: air defence. Ukraine needs interceptors capable of defeating Russian ballistic and hypersonic missiles, The war-torn country remains exposed to attacks on its defence industry and Russia’s ruthless campaign against civil energy infrastructure as winter approaches.

France 24 • 8/24/2026, 6:16:00 PM
power

Reform would evict social housing tenants over unkempt gardens

Plan part of a wider policy to remove foreign nationals from social homes and prioritise young British-born couples Social housing tenants will be evicted if they fail to keep their gardens well maintained under a Reform UK government, the party has announced. Lee Anderson, the party’s chair, said that if Reform came to power it would insist that those in social rented homes would be required to keep their properties decorated and gardens looked after...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 5:40:02 PM
world

Prince Harry quits board of wildlife charity after rangers’ human rights abuses

Spokesperson for Duke of Sussex says he remains an ‘active and avid supporter’ of African Parks’ mission The Duke of Sussex has stepped down from the board of a major African wildlife charity that had been at the centre of a human rights controversy. Prince Harry’s spokesperson confirmed he was no longer a trustee of African Parks, which admitted last year that human rights abuses were committed by its rangers in the Republic of the Congo...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 5:34:50 PM
business

Problems brewing for the proper pint as Camra membership falls

Cost of living has hit campaign group while multinationals are threatening to squeeze out independent breweries For centuries, the wooden real ale pump has been the hallmark of a good British boozer. But now problems are brewing for the proper pint, as the Campaign for Real Ale has seen its membership sink to an eight-year low and its accounts show it is firmly in the red, making an £800,000 loss last year. Real ale is a traditional draught cask beer, a “living” product that is produced and stored in its cask. It differs from a cold, fizzy lager, in which the yeast is killed and carbon dioxide is added. Real ale contains live yeast so it continues fermenting until it is served...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 5:01:13 PM
technology

Rupert Lowe set to be paid as much for divisive posts on Elon Musk’s X as for being MP

Restore Britain leader paid up to £1,476 an hour by platform, which critics say is financially incentivising inflammatory content Rupert Lowe, the leader of Restore Britain, is on course to earn as much from the social media platform X as he does from his salary as an MP, after surging income from posts that include demands for mass deportations. Lowe has earned £932 an hour for his posts on X, formerly Twitter, since the start of the year, according to his own declarations in the register of MPs’ financial interests, which detail how many hours he has spent on X for each payment he received from the platform...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 4:41:37 PM
world

MBS in the City of Light: In a world of realpolitik, does West value economic interests over values?

Jean-Emile Jammine is pleased to welcome Susanne Koelbl, Der Spiegel's award-winning foreign correspondent. According to Koelbl,, Emmanuel Macron’s decision to welcome Mohammed bin Salman at the Élysée reflects realpolitik in its purest form: 'Saudi Arabia had become too important for energy, regional security, investment and diplomacy in the Middle East to be permanently isolated. So Macron wanted to establish France as an independent, balanced power between the Mediterranean and the Gulf."

France 24 • 8/24/2026, 4:26:34 PM
climate

Households in Great Britain ‘could owe energy suppliers £7bn by end of year’

After higher prices for winter kick in, energy debt unpaid for more than 30 days likely to rise, says Energy UK Households in Great Britain could owe their energy suppliers as much as £7bn by the end of the year after higher gas and electricity prices forecast for the winter kick in, an industry group is warning. Domestic energy debt and arrears climbed by about £500m over the past year to a record £6bn at the end of June as the Middle East conflict continued to stoke rising gas market prices...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 3:40:33 PM
sports

Brydon Carse dropped by England as investigation begins into handcuffs incident

Bowler spoken to by police outside bar in Derby Carse replaced in squad for second Test by Sonny Baker Brydon Carse has been stood down from England’s squad for the second Test against Pakistan this week as the footage of him in police handcuffs outside a bar in Derby city centre is investigated by the sport’s disciplinary body. Carse was filmed by a member of the public while being spoken to by police officers outside Molly Malone’s Tavern on Saturday night, as Durham celebrated victory over Derbyshire in the County Championship earlier in the day...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 2:31:00 PM
world

Video shows hundreds held captive after Nigeria mosque kidnapping

Gunmen ‌attacked worshippers in Dekara village on Friday taking women, children and older people An armed group has posted a video showing what ⁠residents said were about ⁠600 women, children and ​older people abducted in an attack on a mosque in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State last week. The video, posted on Facebook and WhatsApp, ⁠showed large groups of people seated in a forested area surrounded by armed men. Several children could be heard crying in the background...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 2:19:14 PM
technology

Albanese seeks to quell datacentre disquiet as climate expert warns ‘we’ve got one shot to get the rules right’

Prime minister will use national cabinet meeting to assuage premiers over new AI law as AEMO forecasts seven-fold rise in datacentre power use Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Anthony Albanese will seek to use Wednesday’s high-stakes talks with premiers to quell growing unhappiness about national controls on datacentre developments, promising new approval laws will complement state rules. Faced with growing opposition from conservative governments in Queensland and the Northern Territory, Albanese will tell national cabinet he plans a major piece of legislation next year to ensure the economic benefits of AI are shared widely...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 2:01:35 PM
business

Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon price rises in western Europe ‘highest in world’

World’s largest streaming services have also increased subscription costs repeatedly in US, research finds Business live – latest updates Subscribers to Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video in western Europe have faced higher price increases than in any other market in recent years, according to research. Over the past four years the world’s largest subscription video streaming services have dramatically changed their business models introducing lower-priced, basic advertising tiers to attract new subscribers, while also increasingly monetising users willing to pay more for a premium experience...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 1:45:04 PM
power

France's left fractures further as MEP launches presidential bid

French centre-left politician Raphael Glucksmann announced his candidacy for France's presidential election next year, joining a crowded field of far-right figures, centrists and fellow left-wingers. Hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon is planning to stand while Greens leader Marine Tondelier is campaigning while pregnant, socialist Party (PS) leader Olivier Faure and even possibly ex-president Francois Hollande are also mulling runs.

France 24 • 8/24/2026, 1:39:18 PM
power

Middle East live: Iran warns of a harsh response to anticipated US sanctions

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson on Monday warned that Tehran would respond harshly to expanded US sanctions, including measures against countries it sees as cooperating with Washington. The prospect of expanded sanctions comes after weeks of impasse, with the United States having not yet dislodged Iran’s grip on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

France 24 • 8/24/2026, 12:50:27 PM
business

Up to £464m ‘moved through more than 3,000 UK high street shell companies’

Research shows firms are branded as beauty and convenience but apparently operate in money-laundering and terrorist financing sectors Up to £464m has “moved through” more than 3,000 UK shell companies branded as beauty and convenience stores but apparently operating in the money-laundering and terrorist financing sectors, a new analysis sets out. The companies – listed as hairdressers, barber shops and salons, on the one hand, or mini-marts and corner shops on the other – show “remarkably similar lifespans” of about six months despite their seemingly different purposes...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 12:49:17 PM
climate

World’s oceans hit hottest temperature on record in August

Average sea surface temperature outside polar regions was 21.1C on Saturday, latest data finds The world’s oceans were hotter than ever previously recorded on Saturday, according to the latest data. The average surface temperature was 21.1C, with the rising marine heat a stark indicator of the climate crisis. More than 90% of the heat trapped by carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning enters the oceans. The Guardian’s climate forum 2026 On Tuesday 20 October, join Damian Carrington, and our panel of experts – including Professor Andy Haines, Katie White MP, Asad Rehman, Shruti Suresh Gareth Thomas and Amy Fairman for a hopeful and solutions-focused evening. Book tickets here or at guardian.live..

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 12:49:15 PM
world

Guinea searches for survivors after landfill landslides kill 30

In Guinea, a landslide at a garbage dump outside the capital Conakry has claimed the lives of at least 30 people. The government of the West African country says it has mobilised significant resources to try and find survivors that may still be trapped under massive piles of waste. Less than a week ago, that same government had announced plans to close the Dar-es-Salam landfill due to dangerous conditions there.

France 24 • 8/24/2026, 12:42:59 PM
power

Minister tells social media firms to remove posts that ‘celebrate’ dangerous driving after A66 crash

Luke Pollard says government will force platforms to remove content, after latest deadly crash involving a car driving in wrong direction A minister has pressed social media companies to remove content from their platforms showcasing dangerous driving after a fatal collision that killed seven people in Middlesbrough. The crash in the early hours of Saturday, in which PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough died, occurred when a Volkswagen Passat, containing five individuals aged between 23 and 17, crashed head-on with a marked armed response vehicle while driving the wrong way on the A66...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 10:50:36 AM
sports

EFL and Scottish league pushing to stop illegal broadcast of matches in Russia

Leagues stopped rights packages in Russia in 2022 They are considering legal action against Football TV The English Football League and Scottish Professional Football League have launched investigations and are considering legal action after discovering that television coverage of their matches has been broadcast in Russia this season. Football TV, a Russian subscription and streaming service, has broadcast numerous games from the opening two rounds of the EFL, as well as Scottish Premiership matches featuring Celtic, Rangers and Hearts...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 10:43:41 AM
business

Thames Water creditors accused of ‘shuffling deckchairs’ with plan for new board

Campaigners say proposal for £10bn rescue deal in bid to avoid nationalisation is a ‘cosy stitch-up’ Business live – latest updates The group of creditors pursuing a rescue bid for Thames Water have been accused of shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic after proposing an overhaul of the stricken utility’s board. In a bid to stave off temporary nationalisation by Andy Burnham, the lenders said they would appoint Liz Barber, the former chief executive of Yorkshire Water, and Clive Selley, the former chief executive of network operator Openreach, as directors if they are allowed to take formal control of the company...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 10:38:07 AM
world

Europe ramps up support to Ukraine as its US-dependent air defence runs low

European leaders are meeting Kyiv as Ukraine holds celebrations for its 35th Independence Day. The so-called Coalition of the Willing is set to hold talks regarding support to the country, four-and-a-half years after the Russian invasion started, with the European Union having announced it was releasing over six billion euros in aid. But US support to Kyiv regarding critical air defence is still missing. FRANCE 24's Kethevane Gorjestani tells us more.

France 24 • 8/24/2026, 10:37:54 AM
health

Children make up half of mpox cases in Guinea-Bissau as epidemic spreads

West African country reports 46 suspected cases in outbreak declared in July, amid fears virus may be spreading undetected More than half of the mpox cases reported in Guinea-Bissau have been among children, local authorities have said, almost two months since the country announced an epidemic. A national outbreak was declared on 4 July, just over a week after a 27-year-old woman became the first confirmed case of mpox in the west African country. Since then, there have been seven confirmed cases and 46 suspected cases. Half of those patients have been children, with 16 under the age of four...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 10:11:34 AM
world

'Scared to death': Over 40,000 people evacuated as Nevada's Hawk fire spreads

An additional 45,000 people have been placed under evacuation warnings in the northwestern US state of Nevada. This comes as the fast moving Hawk fire threatens the city of Reno. According to officials the fire was "human caused", but they have not detailed if it was set intentionally. Eight hundred firefighters have been mobilized to bring the blazes under control. Unpredictable winds have complicated the effort, and so far there's been zero percent containment.

France 24 • 8/24/2026, 10:10:48 AM
climate

This is not a natural calamity: it is being done to us knowingly

Global heating is an outrage, not a tragedy. We deserve the facts about the climate crisis – I choose the Guardian because it’s one of the few places left to share them honestly Climate campaign 2026: help us reach 30,000 acts of support Well, there’s no getting around it now. What many of us once feared has become a reality. The dangerous conditions climate scientists long warned of have become our common, if deeply unwelcome, experience, and season by season, our acquaintance with disorder and extremities deepens. In both hemispheres, wildfires rage right into our cities and incinerate entire neighbourhoods. Marine heatwaves are bleaching corals and cooking seagrasses on a global scale. This northern summer has brought temperatures most Europeans associate with the Australian desert. Heat events in Europe have paralysed whole countries, destroyed infrastructure and killed citizens in their thousands. Climate campaign 2026: help the Guardian reach 30,000 acts of support..

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 9:45:55 AM
power

Strategic talks in Paris show France and Saudi Arabia 'need each other too much'

The Saudi crown prince and French President Emmanuel Macron are to chair on August 24 the first meeting of the Saudi-French strategic partnership council, and a number of agreements arer expected to be signed. Among them are a new Dragon-Ball themed amusement park deal in the Paris region and the sale of French military equipment to the kingdom. FRANCE 24's Philip Turle tells us more on what to know about the talks.

France 24 • 8/24/2026, 9:27:33 AM
world

Despite ceasefire, Israeli strikes still kill in Gaza and the West Bank

Despite a ceasefire that has been in place since October 2025, violence continues in Gaza. On August 23, Israeli strikes left several people dead in the enclave, and a young boy was killed by the Israeli military in the West Bank, according to local authorities. Since the announcement of the truce, more than 1,280 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, while Israel has reported the launch of drones, balloons and kites towards its territory.

France 24 • 8/24/2026, 9:17:26 AM
science

‘Cookies’ made from plastic may be on the menu for future astronauts

Nasa-funded project uses yeasts to recycle plastics and other waste into food shaped into biscuits by 3D printers Cookies produced from upcycled plastic may sound like something straight out of a dystopian sci-fi plot. But researchers say that they have succeeded in creating such a product as part of a Nasa-funded project aimed at feeding astronauts on future space missions. The technology uses specially designed yeasts to transform plastics and agricultural waste into edible proteins, fats and flavourings. The resulting slurry is pased through a 3D printer to create a disc-shaped “cookie”...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 9:00:30 AM
business

UK graduate job vacancies plunge to lowest in a decade

Just 8,383 jobs for people leaving university were advertised in July, says recruitment website Adzuna Business live – latest updates Graduate job vacancies in the UK have sunk to their lowest level since they started being tracked a decade ago, according to a recruiting website. Just 8,383 jobs for people leaving university were advertised in July, Adzuna reported on Monday, down 45% compared with the same point last year and the lowest since the company started gathering the data in 2016...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 6:55:31 AM
power

New Zealand to consider banning children under 16 from social media

Prime minister Christopher Luxon’s party to introduce bill seeking the ban, citing harm to a generation of children New Zealand prime minister Christopher Luxon has said his party will introduce a bill in parliament that ⁠seeks to ban children ⁠under ​16 from using social media, proposing fines of up to 10% of a platform’s global revenue for non-compliance. The bill would ⁠require social media platforms to take reasonable steps to verify users’ ages, including by utilising existing account information, facial technology and ⁠digital identity documents...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 5:22:19 AM
health

New daily diabetes pill that helps with weight loss launches in UK pharmacies

Foundayo will be available on private prescription, with pharmacists warning of counterfeit GLP-1 problem A new daily pill that treats diabetes and helps with weight loss will be available in UK pharmacies from Monday. Pharmacists said the move would be welcome for people who cannot use weight-loss jabs, but also issued a warning over the growing problem of fake, unlicensed or counterfeit versions of GLP-1 tablets...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 5:01:52 AM
climate

Air conditioning push favoured over emissions cuts in five European nations, survey finds

Poll also finds sizeable majorities who believe it should be easier to install air con in homes Given the choice, more people across five major European nations including the UK favour encouraging the adoption of air conditioning over keeping carbon emissions down, a survey has found. After four extreme heatwaves that have caused thousands of excess deaths across the continent, the survey showed between 30% and 52% of people in six countries had feared for their household’s health in temperatures close to or above 40C (104F)...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 5:00:53 AM
health

‘An amazing relief’: implant offers hope for those with refractory angina

Study finds device brings significant fall in chest pain in 75% of patients, but further trials and NHS approval are needed “It’s an amazing relief, both physically and emotionally, to be able to live my life again normally, without feeling that I’m limited all the time in what I can do.” Cristian Jensen is describing the difference that an implant inserted in his chest – to reduce the symptoms of his debilitating angina – has had on his life...

The Guardian • 8/24/2026, 5:00:52 AM
world

Live: Ukraine backers gather as Russian attacks escalate, air defence runs low

Ukraine on Monday hosts a meeting of its key European backers to press for air-defence supplies and more pressure on Moscow, with Russian attacks killing more civilians than at any time since the first months of the invasion. The meeting of the Coalition of the Willing will be jointly chaired by the leaders of Britain, France and Germany. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

France 24 • 8/24/2026, 4:50:32 AM
sports

UEFA chief Ceferin calls for Infantino to quit, but 'not interested' in replacing him

Aleksander Ceferin, president of the European soccer confederation (UEFA) has announced that he will not run against Gianni Infantino but warned the under-fire FIFA president that he must either quit or face a leadership challenge in March. Infantino has been mired in a crisis since the failure of his controversial – and ultimately abandoned – plan to open FIFA to private investors.

France 24 • 8/24/2026, 3:19:11 AM
power

Government vows to make business rate valuations for pubs and hotels fairer

Review will look at improving system for English and Welsh hospitality venues before next revaluation date in 2029 The government has promised that business rate valuations will be “made fairer” for pubs and hotels in England and Wales, as Andy Burnham faces growing calls to help the UK’s struggling hospitality sector. An independent review for England and Wales will look at improving the system for hospitality venues, which were hit by higher business rate bills this year after the end of pandemic-era relief and when new revaluations took effect...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 11:01:45 PM
business

UK productivity growing faster than official figures suggest, thinktank finds

Resolution Foundation suggests economy may finally be emerging from shadow of 2008 financial crisis Productivity in the UK – a vital measure of economic health – is growing more strongly than official figures suggest, according to analysis from the Resolution Foundation. The thinktank suggests the chancellor, John Healey, may have inherited an economy finally starting to emerge from the long shadow of the 2008 global financial crisis...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 11:01:45 PM
health

Eight-year-old dies after contracting rare brain-eating amoeba in Louisiana

Lillian Smart of Ruston infected with fatal Naegleria fowleri, likely after swimming in Lake Claiborne, health officials say An eight-year-old Louisiana girl has died after contracting a rare, typically fatal brain-eating amoeba after a swim in Lake Claiborne. Lillian Smart, of Ruston, died on Saturday, one day after celebrating her birthday, her family announced in a public Facebook post on the “Love for Lillian” page...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 10:17:53 PM
world

Landslide at waste mound in Guinea’s capital kills 30, government says

Dump site in Conakry, which minister had just promised to move, collapsed after heavy rain in west African state A ⁠landslide at a huge waste dump in Guinea’s capital has killed 30 people, the government said on Sunday, after heavy rains overnight prompted it to ⁠collapse, engulfing nearby tents and shacks. The incident occurred less than a week after the government announced plans to close the ⁠site and relocate the waste because of the threat it posed, especially during the rainy season, which causes landslides and fatal flash ⁠floods each year in crowded, underdeveloped cities across parts of West Africa...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 10:16:53 PM
power

US envoy walks back his comments on Golan Heights that contradicted Trump’s position

The US special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey on Sunday walked back his comments from two days ago that Israel “still” occupies the Golan Heights in violation of UN resolutions, remarks that went against US President Donald Trump’s position on the disputed territory. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981. The United Nations and most of the international community consider the territory occupied Syrian land and does not recognise...

South China Morning Post • 8/23/2026, 7:44:53 PM
world

French centre-left candidate launches presidential bid amid divided left

Centre-left politician Raphaël Glucksmann on Sunday launched his bid for the French presidency, aiming to unite moderate left-wing voters and challenge Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s influence ahead of France’s 2027 election. With Marine Le Pen leading first-round polls, Glucksmann is seeking to position himself as a pro-European, pro-Ukraine alternative to both the far right and hard left.

France 24 • 8/23/2026, 7:38:57 PM
business

The lesson from Canada’s collapsed trade talks with the US: negotiation may be futile

Breakdown shows Washington now prioritises its own interests over any semblance of shared economic ground ‘No more!!!’: Trump lashes out after US-Canada talks devolve into trade war The calamitous collapse of trade negotiations between Canada and the United States is a warning to nations worldwide that pursuing any kind of dialogue with the current US administration is doomed at the outset, according to observers who say this recent episode indicates seeking a fair deal is futile. Andrea Lawlor, an associate professor of political science at McMaster University in Ontario, said: “No matter the closeness of the historical relationship, the American administration has signalled that it now prioritises its interests above those of some sort of global economic coordination or harmony...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 5:24:46 PM
health

It’s unwise to end local scrutiny of NHS trusts | Letters

Abolishing the role of statutory governors is ill-advised, says Jean Flanagan. Plus a letter from Jonathan Phillips on the abolition of Healthwatch I wonder how many members of the public are aware that the latest health plan for England, due to be ratified by parliament this autumn, abolishes the role of statutory governors on all of its constituent health trusts? For a number of years I have volunteered to act as a governor at two hospital trusts in Yorkshire. As a former health professional and principal nursing educator, I have brought years of experience to the role, for which I have been elected locally. For any organisation to wilfully remove hundreds of such skilled and committed activists from their supportive scrutiny seems ill-advised...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 4:57:19 PM
world

Landfill collapse kills at least 30 in Guinea as rescuers search for survivors

A mountainous heap of refuse collapsed at Dar es Salam, the largest landfill in Guinea’s capital Conakry, early on Sunday killing at least 30 people, according to a provisional death toll from the country’s civil protection service. Heavy rains, which started at around 3am, washed over the refuse, triggering a landslide that buried nearby shacks. Lancine Sylla, the head of the suburb where the incident happened, said he feared a heavy death toll. Guinea’s minister for territorial administration,...

South China Morning Post • 8/23/2026, 4:54:40 PM
sports

Maresca concedes Manchester City ‘a work in progress’ after hair-raising escape

Gvardiol’s stoppage-time strike gives City points ‘I’m looking for solutions. When you win games it helps’ Enzo Maresca said Manchester City remain a “work in progress” after Sunday’s last-gasp win over Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium. Marc Guéhi’s 85th-minute equaliser and Josko Gvardiol’s 91st-minute winner gave City’s new manager victory in his first game, after Marcus Tavernier’s first-half strike for the visitors...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 4:32:04 PM
sports

Brydon Carse handcuffed by police outside nightclub prompting ECB investigation

England fast bowler released without charge Incident happened in Derby as Durham celebrated win Brydon Carse was handcuffed by police in Derby on Saturday as he became the latest England cricketer to become involved in a late-night incident. A brief video on social media shows the fast bowler being apprehended by several police officers outside a nightclub as he celebrated Durham’s County Championship win over Derbyshire...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 4:04:05 PM
technology

After more than 15 years of laptops in the classroom, do Australian schools need a rethink?

‘We don’t want distraction, we want concentration’: many teachers and parent groups think its time for a ‘digital detox’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Earlier this month, the federal education minister, Jason Clare, took to Facebook. “When I was a kid there was a computer room at school. Now they are everywhere. From morning till night,” he wrote. “I think there is a good argument our kids need a digital detox.” Since that post, as the minister told ABC News Breakfast last week, he has been “inundated” with support from parents and teachers...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 3:00:37 PM
power

Zelensky rejects wartime elections, saying vote would 'split' Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that holding elections during wartime would pose a threat to the country, following a controversial call by his former defense minister to pave the way for an election. According to the latest opinion poll by the Kyiv Institute of Sociology carried out this summer, only 15 per cent of those surveyed want an election to be held at this time. Details by Eliza Herbert.

France 24 • 8/23/2026, 2:49:42 PM
technology

An AI ‘debt bomb’ crisis? No. This isn’t Enron 2.0 | Gene Marks

Fears of a datacenter buildout debt crisis are exaggerated. The risks are different than in the past and they are recoverable Some experts are warning of a looming “debt bomb” crisis because big datacenter builders such as Meta, Oracle, xAI and CoreWeave are not only raising billions to construct these facilities but are also not recognizing these long-term debt obligations on their balance sheets. Should we be concerned? No. I know because I’ve seen this movie before...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 2:00:34 PM
world

Greek Ithaca island hopes for big tourism boost thanks to Odyssey movie

Greece's most famous islands have spent this year fighting to keep tourists out... with Santorini and Mykonos now capping cruise arrivals and charging steep entry fees just to manage the crowds. But on one small island, they're hoping for the opposite problem. Ithaca, the legendary home of Homer's Ulysses, is banking on a Hollywood boost, as Christopher Nolan's Odyssey draws new attention to a corner of Greece that's largely stayed off the tourist map. Story by Camille Knight.

France 24 • 8/23/2026, 1:43:52 PM
climate

If all car tyres were filled with CO2, would this cut atmospheric carbon significantly?

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions probes an intriguing scientific question in relation to the climate emergency Readers reply: Is it inevitable that consumerism will literally fill up the planet? If all the vehicles on the planet had their tyres pumped up with CO2, would this lock up enough carbon to lower the amount in the air significantly? Would there be other issues, such as the carbon cost of trapping it all into the tyres? Chris Coldwell, Lancaster Post your answers (and new questions) below or send them to nq@theguardian.com. A selection will be published next Sunday...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 1:00:33 PM
science

Personal care products are awash in unlabeled toxic chemicals, study finds

Even products labeled ‘eco’, ‘green’ or ‘natural’ can contain dangerous compounds including Pfas Common personal care products widely contain unlabeled toxic chemicals, results from a new peer-reviewed study suggest. The testing of more than 110 items ranging from shampoo to baby lotions found evidence of unlabeled toxic chemicals in about 85%. Many contained multiple ingredients known to be carcinogens or health hazards, and even 26% of products labeled “eco”, “green” or “natural” contained at least one dangerous compound. The products averaged more than three times as many chemicals than were listed on labels...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 11:00:31 AM
health

Ebola day 100: why this outbreak could become the deadliest in history – video explainer

More than 2,000 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the first case of this epidemic was recorded in May. The Guardian's global health correspondent, Kat Lay, spoke to CDC Africa's Yap Boum II to understand why health teams on the ground are struggling and what is being put in place to try to contain the spread Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo now deadliest in country’s history..

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 10:50:36 AM
sports

China shows off record-breaking robots at strategic games

The five-day World Humanoid Robot Games are underway in Beijing, featuring 51 events, 30 sport competitions and more than 2,000 humanoid robots. They have already revealed the technology can out-run and out-jump humans and that they are capable of sports such as table tennis and soccer. And the machines will also take on human tasks, such as connecting cables or handling packages. For China, the Games are another chance to showcase its competitiveness in the global tech race. Details by Eliza Herbert.

France 24 • 8/23/2026, 10:22:37 AM
science

Artemis II crew to receive top US space medal for historic lunar journey

Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen broke record for farthest distance traveled from Earth The crew of the historic Artemis II lunar flyby mission have earned the US’s top space medal, officials have announced. Cmdr Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are set to receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor on 28 August, the US space agency Nasa said...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 10:00:30 AM
world

Venezuela: Two months after the quake, 12,500 people still live in temporary camps

Two months after two earthquakes struck Venezuela, more than 12,500 people are still living in temporary camps in La Guaira. Many survivors are still struggling to come to terms with the loss of loved ones and their homes. They have been forced to adapt to precarious living conditions, exposed to the elements, with little access to medical care and humanitarian aid. France 24 reporters Herminia Fernández and Julio Uribarris visited three camps housing earthquake survivors.

France 24 • 8/23/2026, 9:45:24 AM
power

Middle East live: Iran's president says country facing 'many problems' as US sanctions loom

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday said that his country was facing "many problems" and that authorities were striving "to overcome inflation, livelihood problems, unemployment, and to secure the future of the people". His comments came after the US vowed last week to bring about the "collapse" of the regime through a newly announced sanctions campaign. Follow our liveblog fot the latest updates.

France 24 • 8/23/2026, 9:23:01 AM
world

Ukraine: Zelensky asks for more Patriot interceptors as civilian deaths hit highest level since 2022

Kryvyi Rih is still digging through the wreckage. The Russian strike on a shopping centre there, in President Zelensky's own hometown, has now claimed at least sixteen lives, with several people still unaccounted for. It has added urgency to the request Zelensky has been making for months: he needs Patriot interceptors as the threat of winter looms. Camille Knight has more.

France 24 • 8/23/2026, 9:05:59 AM
business

‘The line’s running half-empty’: Llanwern steelworks feels the heat from cheap steel imports

New quotas to protect UK firms and jobs appear to be having opposite effect in products such as galvanised steel At Tata Steel’s factory in Llanwern, south Wales, production lines that should be running full-time are now falling quiet for parts of the day, with workers being put on to maintenance and cleaning work while machines sit idle. There aren’t enough orders to keep them running all the time, the company says, because of a surge of cheap steel coming from Asian countries that is threatening the viability of several UK sites that make similar products, and risk hundreds of jobs...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 9:00:28 AM
technology

‘We are hitting a different chapter’: OpenAI leader warns of threat of ‘persistent’ AI cyber-attacks

Chris Lehane tells Guardian of need to implement new safety standards as critics say AI firms acting ‘recklessly’ A senior leader at OpenAI has said people should prepare to defend against “ongoing, persistent” cyber-attacks from AIs, as cutting-edge artificial intelligence models gain advanced capabilities to plan and launch offensives. The leading AI company this week announced a pause in development of its most advanced internal models amid rising safety fears, and Chris Lehane, its chief global affairs officer, said: “We are hitting a different chapter, a different moment within AI, in terms of what the capabilities of this technology can do.”..

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 8:00:27 AM
power

Why Trump’s economic pain could spark more Iranian attacks on Gulf nations

President Donald Trump is betting new sanctions, a naval blockade and ramped-up economic pressure against Iran’s trading partners can accomplish what thousands of bombs and missiles could not: force Tehran to accept a deal to end the war on US terms. But like other US efforts to force Iran into capitulation, there is one main problem: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has claimed control of the vital Strait of Hormuz and sent volleys of attack drones across the Gulf, may be...

South China Morning Post • 8/23/2026, 7:04:02 AM
technology

‘Pretty shambolic’: new EU border checks cause stress for UK travellers

Britons report that EES digital entry and exit system has led to frustration, visa mix-ups and long queues On top of fears about extreme heat and possible jet fuel shortages, Britons planning summer holidays in the EU this year had another thing to worry about – long queues and waiting times caused by the bloc’s new border checks. The EU digital entry and exit system (EES), which requires non-EU citizens to register and be photographed and fingerprinted on arrival and departure from the Schengen zone, has been technically in full force since April after launching last autumn, but has been beset by teething problems...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 7:00:26 AM
health

London’s low emission zone is working – so why are cities around the world so cautious about clean air?

Similar initiatives have been launched from Barcelona to Bogotá, but they have misinformation, political pressure and vested interests stacked against them Ten years ago, Alastair Harper was an advocate for young people’s health sitting in a stuffy meeting room in London planning an air pollution campaign. “My phone started buzzing,” he said. “I took the call, and then told the room I needed to leave immediately. “I had to get to UCLH [one of London’s major hospitals]. My own child was headed there in a blue-lit ambulance because she was struggling to breathe London’s toxic air.”..

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 7:00:26 AM
power

UK orders reviews of franchising sector after Vodafone allegations

Two studies will be used to shape government policy amid claims about a former franchisee who took his own life Ministers have commissioned a pair of in-depth reports into how franchising businesses are policed in the UK, as the government considers introducing new laws after high-profile allegations about conduct in the sector. The action follows a Guardian investigation last December, which revealed claims that Adrian Howe, a former Vodafone employee who had agreed to start a franchise in 2018, had taken his own life after pressure from the FTSE 100 telecoms group...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 7:00:25 AM
business

First Bus bans under-16s in Stoke-on-Trent travelling alone after 6pm after disorder

Company says decision comes after spate of antisocial behaviour since free travel scheme was introduced For some, it is a quotidian nuisance that inevitably occurs when you are in the vicinity of teenagers. For others, it is an expression of modern-day lawlessness among young people. Whatever view you take, antisocial behaviour on public transport has become a hot debate – and with the introduction of free bus travel for kids aged 5 to 15 across England during August, matters have come to a head in Staffordshire...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 7:00:25 AM
sports

Sydney Swans fans turn out in record numbers for AFLW match but hundreds walk out before men’s fixture

Supporters held banners in support of women as others expressed conflicted feelings at SCG double-header Some Sydney Swans fans have walked out of the Sydney Cricket Ground in protest during a historic double-header amid a scandal that has shaken Australian football. Five AFL players – Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon – have been stood down for the rest of the season by the Swans for breaching the club’s standards, including drinking and bringing women back to their hotel after their round 23 win over Essendon...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 6:59:52 AM
business

‘Friday afternoon fraud’: warning for UK homebuyers on bank scams

Victims have lost tens of thousands – and in one case £300,000 – due to fake emails from solicitor or estate agent You are poised to move house and are awaiting the solicitor’s instructions that things are ready to go and it is time to hand over your deposit. When the email arrives giving you their bank details, you set up the transfer and move the cash. And then the solicitor calls to ask where the money is. Conveyancing fraud involves criminals getting access to an email chain between homebuyers and their solicitors or estate agents and requesting payment to a bank account they control. Sometimes the solicitor has been hacked, but often the homebuyer has been the victim of a phishing exercise...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 6:00:24 AM
power

Onshore windfarm applications hit 10-year high in England

Surge in proposals follows Labour’s lifting of de facto ban, with about 45 plans submitted in the year to March Plans for new onshore windfarms in England have reached their highest annual level in a decade, after the government overturned the Conservatives’ de facto ban in 2015. About 45 applications for new onshore windfarms were submitted in the year to March,according to a Guardian analysis of government data...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 6:00:24 AM
world

Quake-prone Indonesia’s first nuclear power plant plan stokes safety fears

Coal-dependent Indonesia is reviving decades-old plans to build nuclear power plants that were put on hold following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, as it seeks to meet its decarbonisation targets. Some members of the public and experts, however, have voiced concerns about the risks of a nuclear disaster in the quake-prone country, despite one of the leading candidate sites being an uninhabited island considered not to be in an active seismic zone. The government began discussing...

South China Morning Post • 8/23/2026, 3:52:00 AM
business

Heathrow expansion ‘is threat to England’s largest surviving medieval barn’

Exclusive: campaigners warn 600-year-old New Barn at Harmondsworth could be ‘shaken to pieces’ by vibrations Six hundred years after it was built, England’s largest surviving medieval timber-framed barn could now be “shaken to pieces” by aircraft vibrations, campaigners warn. The public has until 1 September to submit objections to the Heathrow airport expansion, which could threaten the survival of the New Barn at Harmondsworth, considered a remarkable example of medieval architecture...

The Guardian • 8/23/2026, 12:00:17 AM
power

Iran condemns US plans to announce new sanctions

Iran on Saturday denounced US plans to announce ⁠new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic’s economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China. Iran on Saturday warned countries against taking part in the United States’ “economic war” against the Islamic Republic, saying they would be considered enemies. “We declare to all countries … do not join the economic war waged by the United States. Any country participating in the imposition of...

South China Morning Post • 8/22/2026, 9:21:14 PM
health

40,000 bottles of eye drops across the US recalled over issues with sterility of product

Prestige Brand Holdings has voluntarily recalled a batch of its Clear Eyes eye drops after FDA alert Nearly 40,000 bottles of eye drops are being pulled from store shelves across the US over concerns about potential contamination, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Prestige Brand Holdings, based in Tarrytown, New York, has voluntarily recalled 39,060 bottles of Clear Eyes Maximum Itchy Eye Relief eye drops because of a “lack of assurance of sterility”, an FDA enforcement report states. The FDA classified the action as a Class II recall, defined on the agency’s website as a moderate-risk situation “in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote”...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 3:44:00 PM
sports

Drinks are on Daiquiri Bay at York after Ebor win: horse racing – live

Live updates as festival concludes on Saturday Love Me Tender can give Mullins fourth Ebor win Drop Greg an email with your thoughts Hamad Al Jehani had two big handicap winners at Glorious Goodwood. Archivist has just followed up in the Group Three Strensall Stakes and Evening Saigon, the Stewards’ Cup winner, will attempt to do the same in the Constantine Handicap at 4.10. 1. ARCHIVIST 9-1, 2. Saber Strike 8-1, 3. Persica 11-2. 11 ran...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 3:06:24 PM
sports

South Africa v New Zealand: rugby union first Test – live

The All Blacks begin their four-test tour at Ellis Park. 7.10pm KO Sign up for The Breakdown | Mail Daniel There’s been a minor war of words over the pace of the game. All Blacks assistant coach Tana Umaga fired the first shot: “We want to speed the game up. It’s very frustrating for us when teams are visibly trying to slow it down.” He added that rugby needs to decide “what kind of game we want to play, in terms of globally.”..

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 2:48:41 PM
health

DR Congo receives Ebola vaccines in face of 'exponential' outbreak

The Democratic Republic of Congo has received more than 16,000 doses of an Ebola vaccine, as authorities step up efforts against the ongoing outbreak. More than 2,500 people have already died and health officials from the WHO are warning this epidemic could surpass the deadliest on record – that occurred between 2014 and 2016 and caused over 11,000 deaths across West Africa. Dr Muhammad Munir, Professor of virology at Lancaster University in the UK, helps us understand the situation on the ground.

France 24 • 8/22/2026, 12:47:14 PM
power

100 UK, French ex-ambassadors accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing in open letter

Former British and French diplomats are urging action over what they say is Israel’s "erasure"of Palestine. More than 100 of those diplomats have penned a letter to the French President and the British Prime Minister calling for a ban on trade and arms sales to press Israel to accept a Palestinian state. Among the signatories: Sir Vincent Fean, British former Consul-General Jerusalem and current trustee of the Britain Palestine Project. What does he hope the letter will achieve? He answered our questions.

France 24 • 8/22/2026, 12:32:42 PM
world

Man leaves young son on Mount Fuji before ascending Japan’s highest peak

Boy, seven, had complained of feeling tired so father left him with snacks and a soft drink and continued his climb A man who abandoned his seven-year-old son on Mount Fuji in Japan after the boy complained of feeling tired while on a family hike has been reprimanded by local police. A worker on Japan’s highest mountain discovered the child sitting alone on a bench near the sixth station of the Fujinomiya trail at an altitude of more than 2,000 metres (6,500 feet) on Thursday...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 12:25:16 PM
sports

Andy Burnham says he wants to bring men’s World Cup back to UK in 2042

PM tells regional mayors during informal discussions he is keen for tournament to return to British Isles Andy Burnham has said he wants to bring the men’s World Cup to the UK in 2042, returning the tournament to Britain for the first time in almost eight decades. During informal discussions at No 10 North in Manchester on Friday, the prime minister told regional mayors he was keen for the tournament to be played in the British Isles...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 12:13:28 PM
culture

‘Penchant for bling’: can Sports Direct’s Mike Ashley take a bigger slice of luxury retail?

Frasers billionaire bought Harvey Nichols and increased Hugo Boss stake despite tough times for high-end stores What billionaire doesn’t love to splash the cash on a luxury item? Some may buy watches or yachts, but Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley has been snapping up entire brands. Harvey Nichols is the latest bauble to drop into his shopping basket after his company bought the Knightsbridge department store out of administration earlier this month. It sits beside a large slice of Hugo Boss, a chunk of Mulberry, a snippet of Burberry, the remains of Agent Provocateur and the entire Flannels and House of Fraser chains...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 12:00:03 PM
health

Antwerp's 'human zoo': Belgium confronts shame of colonial past

In 1894, when the Belgian city of Antwerp was hosting a World's Fair, more than a hundred Congolese people were forcibly brought to the city to be exhibited in the Congo Pavilion. In this "human zoo", seven Congolese men ultimately died of disease. Today, this shocking episode still haunts Belgium as one of its colonial history's darkest chapters. This year, a monument to the victims was unveiled. Report by Alix le Bourbon and Dave Keating.

France 24 • 8/22/2026, 11:05:57 AM
world

Tupac murder trial: Cans the prosecution use the defendant's words against him?

Who killed Tupac Shakur? Three decades after the rap superstar was murdered in Nevada, a trial in Las Vegas intends to answer that question. 63-year-old Duane Davis is accused of orchestrating the drive-by killing. Kim Langtree, lecturer in Law and the University of Salford in the UK, has been following the case closely. She delivers her analysis of the case’s latest developments.

France 24 • 8/22/2026, 11:03:24 AM
health

Trump’s new attorney general poses a huge threat to abortion rights | Moira Donegan

A call revealing Todd Blanche’s plans to crack down on mifepristone lays bare the danger The abortion pill is a miracle. Mifepristone, then called RU-486, was synthesized by a French lab in the 1980s; in combination with misoprostol, commonly used as ulcer medication, it cuts off the body’s supply of progesterone, halts the development of a pregnancy, and incites contractions, which empty the uterus. The drug allows pregnancies to be terminated with a shocking degree of reliability and ease. Gone are the concoctions of ergot and Spanish Fly dispensed by 19th century midwives, which only sometimes worked to induce a miscarriage; gone are the backroom procedures of the pre-Roe US, when drunk, lascivious, incompetent or cruel providers wielded bent coat hangers in dirty rooms. The abortion pill is safe, effective and cheaper than ever. And since Dobbs, it’s everywhere: even if you live in a state with an abortion ban, you can get the pills shipped to your house in the mail. Since Roe was overturned, there has not been a return to the terror of mass death that marked the pre-Roe era of septic abortion wards, where women routinely found themselves maimed, sickened or killed. There’s exactly one reason why: because illegal abortions were largely unsafe without the pill, and they are extremely safe with it. So of course, the Trump administration and their allies on the American right are trying to get rid of it. And this month, they gained a powerful new ally when Todd Blanche, Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and an anti-abortion zealot, was confirmed as attorney general...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 11:00:02 AM
power

Myanmar air strike kills 14 praying at monastery, rebel witnesses say

A Myanmar military air strike on a monastery where civilians were gathered for a meditation retreat marking Buddhist Lent killed 14 people, two rebel fighters who witnessed the aftermath said. Myanmar has been consumed by civil war since the military staged a 2021 coup ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and detaining the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Over the past five years, more than 100,000 people are estimated to have been killed across all sides as the military battles an...

South China Morning Post • 8/22/2026, 10:48:41 AM
power

Turkey accuses Netanyahu of 'genocide', Israeli PM calls Erdogan 'antisemitic dictator'

Turkey and Israel traded barbs on Friday after Ankara announced it had sought an international arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of "genocide" linked to the interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Turkey is one of Israel's fiercest critics over its war in Gaza, sparked by the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on southern Israel. Story by Charlotte Lam.

France 24 • 8/22/2026, 10:38:30 AM
world

Children among wounded in Zelensky's hometown, struck by Russian drones

Early this Saturday, Russian strikes killed at least two people in Ukraine. In Zaporizhzhia, a drone killed a man and wounded four, according to officials, while a warehouse was on fire in Kyiv. It comes after a Russian bombing killed at least 20 people on Friday, 16 of them in two successive strikes on a busy shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih. Details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Kiyv, Emmanuelle Chaze.

France 24 • 8/22/2026, 9:38:57 AM
sports

Formula One 2026: George Russell on pole for Dutch Grand Prix sprint race – live

️ F1 qualifying updates from 11am BST ️ Preview | Mail Philip “And now excuse me while I interrupt myself.” Every summer, the F1 season channels the late Murray Walker, taking a month off, and every summer we do excuse it, and welcome it back. Here we go for the last 11 or 12 race weekends of the season. Eleven or twelve because we still don’t know where the season will end: it should be in Abu Dhabi on the first weekend in December, a week after Qatar, but if Donald Trump’s war with Iran rules out those two then a European finale will be arranged, likely at Imola. Which should be fun, given the seasonal weather in November/December...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 9:01:32 AM
sports

‘See you at the hairdressers’: Infantino’s bizarre reply to bald reporter

Fifa president tells Sky man: ‘You have a nice haircut’ Defies Concacaf president plea to stay away ​from youth event Gianni Infantino told a reporter “I’ll see you at the hairdressers” after he was asked whether he had betrayed football over his aborted World Cup sell-off plan. The Fifa president was stopped outside a hotel in the Dominican Republic by the Sky News US correspondent, James Matthews, who challenged the under-fire leader of football’s governing body over why he had not resigned, despite calls from across the game for him to step down...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 8:09:22 AM
power

Unions worry Labour’s plan for zero-hours contracts may break manifesto pledge

Leaders claim scaremongering from business figures may cause key legislation to become ‘meaningless’ Trades unions are warning Andy Burnham that Labour’s policy on cutting zero-hours contracts risks failing to live up to the party’s manifesto. Union leaders are seeking reassurances from the business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, amid what the TUC has condemned as “scaremongering” from business groups...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 8:00:58 AM
business

Why am I called The Black Farmer? Because there are so few of us in Britain. I’d like that to change | Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones

Running a farm is tough – TV’s Clarkson’s Farm shows that – but I know many minorities would love the chance. And we would all benefit Who’d be a farmer? Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon is great entertainment but it also gives some indication of the stresses and challenges behind the farm gate. Would anyone who lacked the significant alternative income that Clarkson is lucky to have want that? Well, actually, yes. I’m an entrepreneur who owns a farm, as opposed to hands-on running the small one I bought 25 years ago, but as I look around the industry, I’m struck by a significant fact: the very reason I can be known as the Black Farmer is because I am such a rarity that it makes me readily identifiable...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 8:00:57 AM
sports

Mitchell Starc sparks Bangladesh collapse before Australia’s batting woes continue

Second Test, day one: Bangladesh 64; Australia 165-8 in Mackay Fast bowler takes five wickets before lunch and finishes with 6 for 12 Left-arm pacemen Mitchell Starc and Shoriful Islam starred with six-wicket ⁠hauls as Bangladesh rallied from a dreadful start to pin back Australia on a ⁠rollercoaster day one ⁠of ​the second test on Saturday. Eighteen wickets fell across three madcap sessions on the ⁠bouncy Mackay wicket, with Australia limping to 165 for eight at stumps but holding a ⁠101-run lead after blasting out the tourists for 64 ​in the first innings...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 7:50:35 AM
business

‘The worst part is the guilt’: the owners who fear dog food caused pets’ eye problems

In the week that Years recalled all of its fresh meals, concerns grow about a potential link to dogs’ health conditions “It’s been horrible – Chester developed sudden red and gunky eyes in May,” said Elizabeth, whose six-year-old cavachon “can’t open his eyes” on many days. The 29-year-old civil servant is one of a number of people who contacted the Guardian because they are concerned about a potential link between a recalled dog food and their pet’s eye condition...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 7:00:57 AM
culture

‘A brilliant initiative’: the Youth Sport Games goes from strength to strength

Europe’s biggest amateur sports event for children – that has drawn celebrity ambassadors ranging from Sean Dyche to Alastair Campbell – has marked its 30th birthday in Split On a dais overlooking the Adriatic, 20 children are playing chess. Arranged in a circle, they are competing not against each other but against the grandmaster Nigel Short, who passes awkwardly around the group playing one move each time. The children are no slouches, the best young chess players from the Balkans. But, in a twist, they can also call on the support of celebrity coaches. And so we have the unusual sight of precocious chess talents being coached through their games not just by the former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic, but by the former Burnley manager Sean Dyche and, in quite the eyebrow-raiser, the rightwing tech billionaire Peter Thiel. This is just one event at the Plazma Youth Sport Games (YSG), which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in the Croatian city of Split this month. Described by some of its more esteemed visitors as “the Davos of sport”, it brings eminent figures from the world of sport and politics to the Dalmatian coast each summer. More important, it is also the biggest amateur sports event for children in Europe. Just under half a million young people from across Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia and North Macedonia took part in qualifying for this year’s event. The finals in 10 sports – from chess to 3v3 basketball – are then held over the course of a week in Split. Alongside the competition, children are encouraged to learn lessons in teamwork, collaboration and putting phones away. The organisers describe Plazma as both a sporting event and a “social project”...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 7:00:57 AM
sports

Fifa general secretary Mattias Grafström sounded out about standing against Infantino

African federations sound out Swede over role ‘They think he can group all the continents’ Senior figures in African football have held talks with Fifa’s general secretary, Mattias Grafström, to sound out his interest in standing against Gianni Infantino, the Guardian can reveal. As many as 15 federations in Africa are also said to be ready to turn their backs on Infantino when he seeks re-election as Fifa president next year, despite the Confederation of Africa Football (Caf) claiming that its executive committee (exco) had “unanimously reconfirmed” its support for the under-fire 56-year-old...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 7:00:57 AM
business

Battery fires at recycling centres are costing UK £1bn a year, figures show

Experts say fires caused by wrongly discarded lithium batteries, such as those in vapes, are putting lives at risk Fires at recycling centres caused by wrongly discarded lithium batteries such as those found in vapes are occurring at the rate of more than 10 a week, according to new figures. Experts say the sheer volume of battery fires now occurring at waste facilities has reached a crisis that is putting lives at risk, costing £1bn a year and frustrating fire chiefs...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 6:00:57 AM
technology

‘Digging the grave of my profession’: the Hollywood creatives training AI to do their jobs

Amid a jobs slump, award-winning writers, directors and producers taking on sometimes lucrative temp work teaching AI skills such as screenwriting and production Hollywood creatives are taking gig work to train AI models to replicate their skills in a bid to offset tightening earnings in a trend one compared to being “handed a shovel and asked to dig the grave of my profession”. Experienced and award-winning writers, directors and producers are being paid from $12 to $200 an hour to teach AI models the intricacies of their jobs, from writing a screenplay to devising a shooting schedule...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 6:00:55 AM
business

‘It exists only for pleasure’: does ice-cream have a future in the age of wellness fads and weight-loss drugs?

As fitness-conscious consumers turn away from processed foods, the industry is scrambling for new ideas, including nutrient-rich lollies and protein-packed tubs. Will they take the fun out of this summer treat? Last month, I stood in the biggest ice-cream factory in Britain and watched a 5-metre Viennetta mint-flavoured ice-cream cake get made. The factory – which is owned by the Magnum Ice Cream Company and produces nine different brands of ice-cream – is based in an enormous building in Gloucester, where the air is thick with the scent of custard. I walked past the Twister and Solero sections on my way in, through clouds of tangy fruit, before arriving at the Viennetta assembly line, where everything smelled minty fresh. A Viennetta is built on a conveyor belt by a fully automated system, and watching it take shape was oddly hypnotic. Every few inches a nozzle attached to the belt squirted out a frilly layer of mint ice-cream, then another nozzle smoothed a flat layer of vanilla on top of that, then came a squirt of chocolate sauce, and it was back to frilly mint again. On and on it went, layer upon layer, popping out finished Viennettas at the end of the line at a rate of 200 cakes every 60 seconds. A slop bucket full of Viennetta overrun stood at the side of the conveyor belt and I fought a strong urge to squelch my fingers into it. Later, the factory operations manager allowed me to push my whole hand into the slop bucket up to the wrist and then lick my hand at a sink, before washing it and resuming the tour...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 5:00:57 AM
technology

‘They’re thinking about the likes’: deadly TikTok motorway trend horrifies Ireland

Social media platforms face public ire after fatal crash involving teenagers filming themselves driving on wrong side Videos often begin with the camera panning across a glowing dashboard as a gloved hand starts the ignition. The camera turns to show figures with masked faces in the rear seat, who are also filming, and swivels back to show the windscreen. Beyond it, a dark cityscape. The engine throbs, headlights puncture the night and the journey begins, first down a suburban road, then a motorway. The speedometer shows acceleration, the needle juddering as the car gathers velocity...

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 5:00:56 AM
technology

Would even an AI disaster on the scale of Hiroshima be enough to make humankind protect itself? I fear not | Timothy Garton Ash

It’s clear here in Silicon Valley that AI is advancing faster than humans’ ability to control it. That means even sober prophecies seem optimistic Here in Silicon Valley, the experts think that within the next couple of years we’ll see an extraordinary takeoff for artificial intelligence. “Welcome to the foothills of the singularity,” as a Stanford University friend greeted me. More prosaically, the imminent breakthrough is described as “recursive self-improvement” – the point at which AI itself trains each successive model of AI, resulting in an exponential development to something which, in many significant respects, is more intelligent than us humans. As Robert Wright puts it in his book The God Test: “Never before has the near-term future … held such a wide array of not-implausible paths for humankind that would be so wildly transformative.” But will this be heaven or hell? Heaven, says Elon Musk, who predicts “an age of amazing abundance” – although he also sees a 10-20% chance of killer robots murdering us all. Hell is more likely according to Geoffrey Hinton, one of the intellectual founding fathers of AI. “My intuition is, we’re toast,” he told an interviewer in 2023. And talking to Sebastian Mallaby, author of The Infinity Machine, a book about the quest for superintelligence, Hinton estimates p(doom) – the probability of human extinction – at 50%, “because I haven’t got a clue how to estimate the real number”. “As soon as evolution [of AI] kicks in, we’re fucked,” he adds cheerfully. But whether it’s God or Godzilla, artificial superintelligence is just around the corner. Timothy Garton Ash is a Guardian columnist..

The Guardian • 8/22/2026, 5:00:54 AM
power

Malaysia’s Anwar traded reform for power. Now Umno wants it all

The roar from thousands of People’s Justice Party (PKR) delegates gathered at a grand convention centre in Melaka last weekend exuded all the confidence expected of a party leading Malaysia’s government. The past three years have been the culmination of more than two decades of struggle for PKR, with it finally achieving its long-held goal of installing leader Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister and wielding the power to push through reforms. Yet beneath the confident facade lurks a ruling party now...

South China Morning Post • 8/22/2026, 12:00:19 AM
business

Tesla recalls nearly 3m vehicles in China over door handle safety risks

Recall comes after Chinese authorities said it would ban hidden car door handles commonly seen on Tesla models Tesla and other carmakers are making a major recall of more than 4m vehicles in China over safety concerns mostly related to their door handles, according to Chinese authorities on Friday. The US carmaker is recalling about 2.98m China-made and imported EVs including Model 3, Model Y, Model X and Model S over door-handle safety risks, according to China’s state administration for market regulation...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 11:48:16 PM
sports

Australia v Bangladesh: second men’s Test, day one – live

Updates from the Great Barrier Reef Arena Start time in Mackay is 10am AEST Any thoughts? Email Jonathan Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons has done a monumental job with this team, especially on the mental side of Test cricket. After convincing his side they could compete with Australia in Darwin his task is now to keep his players on task in Mackay. “It’s a proud moment for all of the players - even ex-cricketers from Bangladesh. But it’s done; I think It’s gone. We need to play five days of good cricket again. This is a very important Test match for us to do well against this bowling and batting attack. We did a great job but we need to focus on this Test match and we have very much prepared ourselves for the last couple of days.”..

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 11:29:22 PM
sports

Martin Ødegaard resumes his role as Arsenal’s smoothing agent and pass master | Barney Ronay

His goal was like something from It’s A Knockout, but the Arsenal captain showed signs of recovery from an injury-wrecked campaign We’re back, baby. Welcome to the content zone. And yes, we did actually go away for a bit. Seriously. Check back. We really did. In the lead-up to this Premier League opener, Sky Sports had been trailing the fact it will show a total of 1,500 live games this season. Lay these end-to-end and that adds up to about 3,000 hours, or 125 whole days doing nothing but watching football. Chuck in the endless over-gorge of clips, highlights, noises off, VAR rage, furious punditry shemozzles, and that’s pretty much the next eight months spent slumped in your memory foam chair, cramming in those great dripping handfuls of sweet, sweet football-derived product...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 10:43:42 PM
technology

TikTok agrees to $400m settlement to resolve US children’s privacy litigation

The DoJ sued TikTok and its former parent company in August 2024 for allegedly failing to protect children’s privacy and collecting their information ⁠TikTok and its Chinese former parent company ByteDance on Friday agreed to a $400m settlement to resolve the US Department of Justice’s allegations that the short-form video app ⁠violated children’s online ⁠privacy. The justice ​department sued TikTok and ByteDance in 2024 for allegedly failing to protect children’s privacy and illegally collecting their information. The defendants were accused ⁠of violating a law requiring online services aimed at children to obtain parental consent to collect personal information from users under age 13...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 10:05:24 PM
climate

As natural disasters rage, does China’s ‘top-down’ climate model provide a way forward?

A punishing drought is draining Europe’s great rivers, pushing the Loire, the Danube and the Rhine towards record lows. At the Kaub gauging station, the reference point for shipping on the Rhine – Germany’s economic artery – the water level fell to 17cm (6.7 inches) this month, a low unseen since measurements began in 1880. Meanwhile, wildfires are burning across southern Europe, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands and producing the defining image of a European summer in which...

South China Morning Post • 8/21/2026, 10:00:08 PM
technology

TikTok, ByteDance agree to US$400 million settlement with US over children’s privacy suit

TikTok and its Chinese parent ByteDance have agreed to pay US$400 million to settle a US Justice Department lawsuit accusing the video-sharing app of violating children’s online privacy laws, resolving a major federal case as the platform’s American operations remain under intense political scrutiny. The settlement, announced on Friday, resolves allegations brought by the Justice Department and the US Federal Trade Commission in 2024 that TikTok and ByteDance collected personal information from...

South China Morning Post • 8/21/2026, 9:39:53 PM
sports

Manchester United agree deal for Carlos Baleba to continue midfield rebuild

Brighton midfielder will join Tielemans and Santos Club’s most expensive summer signing at initial £65m Manchester United have agreed a deal worth an initial £65m for Carlos Baleba and the Brighton midfielder will have his medical this weekend in Manchester. If the 22-year-old is signed he will be the third midfielder added to Michael Carrick’s squad in the window. Baleba, a No 6, will join Youri Tielemans, a No 8, and Andrey Santos, who is also a holding player...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 9:30:45 PM
sports

Wigan sink Wakefield and hit Super League summit with 12th straight win

Super League: Wigan 26-12 Wakefield French leads the way as Warriors break club record If you are a Wigan Warriors supporter and a keen believer in omens, it may be wise to cancel any plans you had for the first weekend of October. The Warriors are back on top of Super League, albeit for potentially just 48 hours before Leeds Rhinos get the chance to return serve on Sunday in York. But this was a record-breaking night for one of rugby league’s great clubs, who have now set a club record for most consecutive league wins in the summer era after a 12th straight triumph, this time against Wakefield...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 9:20:55 PM
technology

Dutch regulator fines Uber $966m for automating driver suspensions

European regulators have imposed billions in penalties on US technology companies due to privacy, competition and digital market rules The Dutch data protection authority has fined ⁠Uber €825m ($966m) for deactivating driver ⁠accounts through automated systems without ​adequately informing them, according to a 17 August decision. The penalty would be the second-largest issued yet under Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 8:12:33 PM
sports

Pull. Breathe. Kick. Glide … the cautionary tale of the first cross-Channel swimmer | Emma John

In this content-driven age, we consume sport as fleeting entertainment – but the fate of Captain Matthew Webb suggests we always have Pull. Breathe. Kick. Glide. Three decades since my last swimming lesson, I found myself sitting in a lecture theatre chanting these words with a few dozen strangers, all of us trying not to take anyone’s eye out as we matched them to the actions. Pull. Breathe. Kick. Glide. I’ve been to enough Edinburgh fringe shows to inure myself to the embarrassment of audience participation. And, to be honest, this one was a pretty euphoric communal experience. It turns out you don’t need to be near water to marvel at a swimming feat, especially one that’s more than 150 years old...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 8:06:59 PM
culture

You’re Killing Me review – did an AI monkey write this terrible Brooke Shields crime caper?

I desperately wanted this show to be Gilmore Girls meets Murder, She Wrote – but the story of a novelist turned amateur sleuth is just so lazy. And yet, I still have high hopes for the confirmed second season Look, we all want Brooke Shields to be in gainful employment. We all want her to have a fabulous third act to her career. God knows, the child model turned star of prurient fever dreams Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon (and the “Nothing comes between me and my Calvins” jeans ad campaign when she was 15) has earned it. Plus, she did a fine turn in Friends and a number of us remember Suddenly Susan very fondly. But she’s terrible in the terrible new thing she’s in, which is a six-part comedy drama called You’re Killing Me. Shields plays successful cosy mystery novelist Allison Chandler, who lives in the picturesque town of Founder’s Cove, Maine. It’s Murder, She Wrote vibes all right, but please lower your expectations...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 8:00:43 PM
climate

The US has a plan to save the Colorado River. Experts say it won’t be enough to stop the crisis

The 10-year blueprint mandates water cuts of up to 40% for California, Arizona and Nevada It’s official: after years of tense negotiations and missed deadlines, there is finally a plan to govern the future of the imperiled Colorado River - or at least the makings of one. With the previous framework set to expire in October, the US Bureau of Reclamation publicly released its proposal for a new plan on Friday...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 7:41:48 PM
health

Trump administration asking public comment on vaccine recommendations

Asking people to weigh in on adoption of different categories in move that will sow confusion and create access challenges, say experts The Trump administration is asking for public feedback on changes to the ways it recommends vaccines – likely opening the door to greater access challenges and confusion, experts say. In a notice published by the health and human services (HHS) to the Federal Register on Friday, officials say they are now seeking comments from the public about the current categories for vaccine recommendations, which so far fall into routine, risk-based and shared clinical decision-making...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 7:11:43 PM
power

Iran president says time to end war while Tehran is in position of strength

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Friday it was time to end the months-long Middle East war with the US because Tehran appeared to be in a stronger position than Washington. Talks between the long-time foes remain on hold, and the war started by the US and Israel in February has been locked in a stalemate. Tehran is keeping the key Strait of Hormuz partially shut, and Washington is persisting with a naval counter-blockade of Iran. “It is better that we bring the war to an end now as we...

South China Morning Post • 8/21/2026, 6:29:22 PM
climate

Britain’s railway prepares for more extreme weather as intense El Niño develops

Experts say more must be done to adapt to changing climate, after two trains derailed within 24 hours during a recent heatwave Railway companies are racing to prepare for another brutal summer next year, as a developing El Niño could see 2027 break more heat-related records. Britain’s railway system has already been under stress from extreme heat this summer, with several operators reducing timetables and train speeds...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 6:07:51 PM
sports

Root reveals incoming England coach Fleming was in daily contact during first Test win

‘It’s great that he’s very invested already,’ says captain England bowlers ‘don’t understand how good they are’ Joe Root celebrated a commanding start to his latest reign as England’s Test captain, his side thumping Pakistan in Leeds, and afterwards said Stephen Fleming had been in daily contact before he starts his role as head coach. Fleming does not take up his position until after the series against Pakistan but has been in touch with Root during the week. “It’s been great to have [him] on the end of the phone,” said Root. “It’s great that he’s very invested already in what we’re trying to achieve.”..

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 5:07:54 PM
power

The Guardian view on Andy Burnham’s buses: a blueprint for governing Britain | Editorial

The prime minister is right to think that taking Manchester’s model national could widen opportunity, clean the air and rebuild state capacity. Other public services could be next Barely a month into his premiership, Andy Burnham is already taking the lessons of Manchester’s buses national. This week his government backed the West Midlands mayor Richard Parker’s move to bring the region’s main bus operation into public control. In July, he announced that he would reinstate a £2 national bus fare cap from January 2027. He’s also expanding free bus travel for disabled people to all hours. Transport affordability is clearly part of Mr Burnham’s cost of living programme. That is to be applauded, as is the emphasis on public transport, which – importantly for Labour – reduces social exclusion, boosts local economies, and is better for the environment. Yet buses may matter to Mr Burnham for another reason: they offer a blueprint for how he wants to govern. This is because Mr Burnham seems to have a worked-out model. He told the Times this week that the prescription for services such as water, housing and energy isn’t yet clear, “with the exception of buses”. Public control, Mr Burnham reasons, gives government the power to make provision cheaper and more reliable – and to shape it around the public interest. For buses, that means the government determining the shape of the network even where private companies run the services. Municipal ownership this is not. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please..

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 4:25:08 PM
sports

Contenders primed to chase down Antonelli as F1 season resumes

The young Italian has a substantial lead but his rivals will not see him as being out of reach going into the Dutch GP The Dutch Grand Prix may be hosting its final meeting on the Formula One calendar this weekend but its farewell heralds the opening of a championship run-in that is far from over. Rested, reset and ready to rumble, there is an anticipatory air among the title contenders in Zandvoort as they enter the sharp end of a fight which, as last season demonstrated, could yet be taken to the finale. Resuming after F1’s summer break there is, as always, a sprightly atmosphere to the sport. Team members have had time with their families and drivers have had a chance to decompress, assess, heck, even have a bit of fun, with Mercedes’ George Russell becoming engaged to his partner Carmen Montero Mundt and Lando Norris out and about in Ibiza with pals. Lewis Hamilton got his head down and trained hard, proclaiming himself fitter then ever, energised and refreshed, while Max Verstappen emerged at his home race to announce a new contract with his Red Bull team...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 4:04:58 PM
sports

‘He was all fire’: brilliant Bacio blasts to Nunthorpe Stakes success at York

Jockey Juan Hernandez dashes to airport after victory ‘He’s just so fast that it doesn’t matter what he runs on’ His name is the Italian for a kiss but there is little delicacy or tenderness about Bacio, the front-running winner of the Nunthorpe Stakes here on Friday. He was headstrong and belligerent on the way to post and simply brutal once the race was under way, tearing down the five-furlong strip without seeing a rival on the way to a one-and-a-quarter length success. Juan Hernandez, Bacio’s jockey, had a plane to catch later on Friday – he has booked rides in California on Saturday afternoon – and his mount did all he could to ensure that he got to Heathrow on time, producing a carbon copy of his win in a five-furlong handicap at Royal Ascot in June...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 4:04:45 PM
world

Deadly daytime heat turns Japanese farmers nocturnal

Japan's farmers are opting for more nocturnal schedules as daytime summer heat makes working conditions dangerous. North of Tokyo, Motoaki Iijima harvests flowers in his illuminated greenhouse long after sunset. The farmer was pushed to make a dramatic change after a worker suffered heatstroke picking sunflowers in the greenhouse three summers prior. A few towns away, poultry farmer Tetsuya Usuba has also adopted a nocturnal schedule, waking his flock at 2:30 am to eat.

France 24 • 8/21/2026, 3:25:21 PM
power

JD Vance reportedly mocks Carney for trying to ‘out-tough’ Trump on trade

Audio recording of US vice-president apparently made at New York fundraiser and shared with Canadian Press Leaked audio from a private event has reportedly captured the US vice-president, JD Vance, mocking Canada for apparently capitulating in a trade deal and taunting the prime minister, Mark Carney, for trying to “out-tough” Donald Trump. The recording, which was apparently made at a fundraiser and shared with the Canadian Press, comes in the last stretch of a difficult negotiation in which the US president has threatened to impose 50% tariffs on Canada...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 3:22:48 PM
culture

Salty Brine: How Strange It Is (The Neutral Milk Hotel Show) review – one of today’s most powerful stage voices

Summerhall, Edinburgh Intertwining his diaries with Anne Frank’s gives Brine a tough job, but his passionate performance and force of will combine in a heady brew It’s a hell of a swing to make a show paralleling your first love with Anne Frank’s – the more so for that show about her to end on an uplift. But Salty Brine is nothing if not the man for a big swing. This most overbrimming of cabaret artists is in town with his Living Record Collection project, which makes shows inspired by, and featuring, the songs from beloved rock and pop albums. This one takes Neutral Milk Hotel’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea as the launchpad for an inquiry into religious traditions, the origins of the world, the migration of souls – and the adolescent passions of Frank and Brine. Is it in poor taste, I wondered, to co-opt the horrifying story of this murdered teenager for aesthetic effect? In Brine’s defence, the album in question itself riffs dreamlike on Frank’s story, fashioning from it something deeply moving – and the same could be said, for my money, of How Strange It Is...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 3:07:18 PM
sports

England’s bowlers tear through Pakistan to seal crushing innings victory in first Test

1st Test, D3: England, 409, bt Pakistan, 171 & 135, by inns & 103 Archer, Robinson and Tongue all take three wickets The sounds heard emanating from the Headingley area at 3.38pm on Friday were not simply the belching roars of the Western Terrace as England wrapped up a one-sided victory over Pakistan. A pressure valve had also been released. One win against a team as ragged as this Pakistan might not have been reason for Joe Root to hang bunting off the Dickie Bird balcony at his home ground. But given events this year – events that have thrust Root back into the Test captaincy under an interim head coach – the alternative outcome was unthinkable...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 2:56:52 PM
climate

What a record-breaking El Nino could mean for the world

This year's El Nino is on track to be the strongest on record, threatening to unleash extreme weather across the globe and make 2027 the hottest recorded year by far. It is expected to be the most "intense" El Nino in more than a century, the head of long-range forecasting at the UK's Met Office warned on Friday. Stacked on top of long-term human-caused climate change, the temporary jolt will offer a glimpse of the heat the world can expect by the late 2030s, experts say.

France 24 • 8/21/2026, 2:28:01 PM
power

Tour of Britain Women: Kim Le Court storms to stage three win and overall lead

Mauritian rider bursts clear on final climb of Great Orme Le Court leads GC standings with two stages remaining Mauritius’s Kim Le Court powered to victory in stage three of the Tour of Britain in Llandudno and moved top of the general classification. The 30-year-old AG Insurance-Soudal rider attacked with 2.5km to go on the 104.7km-route from Mold to cross the summit finish on Great Orme 13 seconds ahead of Germany’s Liane Lippert (Movistar)...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 2:24:49 PM
power

E1 Israeli settlement poses ‘existential threat’ to two-state solution, UN chief warns

The United Nations on Wednesday said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was alarmed by reports of illegal Israeli settlement outposts in the West Bank, warning that development in the E1 area threatened a two-state solution. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the E1 settlement would sever the connection between the northern and southern West Bank and have severe consequences for the territory’s integrity.

France 24 • 8/21/2026, 2:24:13 PM
sports

Jannik Sinner ‘very sad and disappointed’ as knee injury puts him out of US Open

World No 1 makes ‘difficult decision’ to miss slam ‘New York has a special place in my heart’ Jannik Sinner will miss the US Open with a right knee injury. The world No 1 has not played a match since beating Alexander Zverev last month to successfully defend his Wimbledon title, missing the Masters 1000 events in Canada and Cincinnati. The news comes a day after his great rival Carlos Alcaraz, whom the Italian lost to in the final in New York 12 months ago, revealed he will make his comeback at Flushing Meadows after four months out with a wrist injury...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 2:21:49 PM
science

First ever Fat Marmot Week to kick off in effort to raise money for research

Researchers hope contest – similar to Fat Bear Week – starting Monday will be latest wildlife watching craze Monday sees the start of what researchers hope will be the latest wildlife watching craze – Fat Marmot Week. Last winter was tough for marmots living high in the Colorado mountains, where researchers say two-thirds of one population died while hibernating because of insufficient snow cover...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 2:17:55 PM
health

Ditch the giant handbag, don’t overdo the botox and 16 other ways to extend your ‘hotspan’

If ‘lifespan’ is the time you’re alive and ‘healthspan’ the years you’re disease-free, then ‘hotspan’ is the period you’re attractive and vibrant. Want to increase yours? Experts share their tips Forget 12-step skincare routines, red light therapy and injectables – the single most important thing you can do for your skin is wear UV protection. “Not just sun protection, but UV protection, every single day, regardless of weather or season,” says Dr Jennifer Owens, resident aesthetic expert at the Reborne Longevity clinic in London. “Up to 90% of visible skin ageing is caused by UV exposure – nothing else comes close in terms of impact.”..

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 2:00:36 PM
health

What is salmonella, how does it spread and are eggs safe to eat?

UKHSA says imported eggs eaten in restaurants are source of outbreak that has infected more than 200 people Contaminated eggs have infected 207 people with salmonella across the UK, killing one and hospitalising 34. Eggs imported into Britain and eaten in cafes and restaurants were the source, the UK Health Security Agency has said. The outbreak has prompted public concern. But what is salmonella, and are eggs safe to eat?..

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 1:46:05 PM
science

‘I could have put a deposit on a house or do this crazy experiment’: the British musician playing 365 gigs this year

Isaac Neilson is burning through his savings to play a gig every day in 2026 in a bold bid to break through – and champion Britain’s struggling grassroots music scene In a lively pub in Oxford this week, Isaac Neilson picked up his guitar and performed live for the 231st day in a row. The singer-songwriter’s performance at the Old Bookbinders is part of a marathon effort to play a gig every day this year. The challenge has seen him put nearly 20,000 miles on the clock of his Peugeot 208 and cost him the best part of his life savings. “I was in a position where I could maybe put a deposit on a house or I could do this crazy experiment,” says Neilson, 26. “I chose to go all in on the music.”..

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 1:37:51 PM
power

Netanyahu focused on reelection as Israeli govt grows 'less concerned' about international isolation

Annette Young is pleased to welcome Dr. Aaron Y. Zelin, Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He sees Israel’s recent actions in the West Bank and Syria as part of a broader shift in its strategic posture. Since October 7, the Israeli government has become markedly less concerned with international opinion, prioritizing what it defines as its security interests even at the cost of growing diplomatic isolation. Domestic politics matter here. With elections approaching, some recent military activity can also be understood through an electoral lens. But he would distinguish that from Israel’s increasingly confrontational posture toward Turkey, which predates the current election cycle. As Iran and its regional proxy network have been weakened, figures around the Israeli prime minister have increasingly framed Turkey as a potential future strategic challenge.

France 24 • 8/21/2026, 12:57:22 PM
sports

Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly: ‘It’s given me more of a focus: club football is my one job’

Former England striker on retiring from the Lionesses, being a role model, and taking on Chelsea in the WSL A year after taking up golf, Rachel Daly has already reached a handicap of 19. “I think that’s too generous, I was playing really well in the summer,” she point outs before politely declaring that further questions about her pastimes are out of bounds. “I’m not that exciting, to be honest,” Daly says. “I walk the dogs, play golf. I don’t do a whole lot. I don’t lead a very exciting life.” Instead, Daly wants to talk about the new Women’s Super League season, which is more than fair enough. Coincidentally, by next summer, 19 will be the number of seasons Daly has played at the top level, ever since breaking into Leeds’ first team as a 16-year-old in 2008, and therefore it feels reasonable to disagree with her view that a former Olympian, who played 84 times for England and was the WSL’s player of the season only three years ago, does not lead an exciting life. Yet there is another number on Daly’s mind as she discusses her role as Aston Villa’s captain...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 12:48:49 PM
culture

Who Killed Marilyn? review – dismal attempt to solve mystery of Monroe with Pixie Lott

Emerald theatre, London An account of the superstar’s life revisits her relationships and considers some conspiracy theories but never gets beyond cliche There have been 600 books written about Marilyn Monroe since she died in 1962. So we are told by Monroe (Pixie Lott) herself in Sharleen Cooper Cohen’s play. The star’s body was discovered by her housekeeper, and her death at the age of 36 has spawned as many conspiracy theories as Elvis Presley’s. Was it an overdose, or a contract killing by the Kennedy family because she had kompromat on them? Did the mafia have something to do with it? Was an enema administered on the night she died? These are some of the questions that have been asked by Monroe obsessives. You imagine this drama is setting itself up for something beyond the slew of familiar theories. But there is little to gain from this trot through Monroe’s life, narrated in cliches...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 12:22:54 PM
sports

Rugby brain injury case able to continue after high court ruling

Governing bodies had asked for ruling to end cases Judge says claimants ‘blameless’ for missing documents More than 500 former rugby union and league players’ lawsuits ⁠over neurological injuries can continue, London’s high court ruled on Friday, despite their former lawyers’ failure to disclose ⁠key medical evidence ⁠to governing ​bodies. World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union, plus the Rugby Football League and the ⁠British Amateur Rugby League Association, argued the claimants’ lawyers had repeatedly failed to provide records...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 12:09:49 PM
money

Jamie and Jools Oliver pay themselves £1.7m dividend as profits almost halve

Pre-tax earnings slump at chef’s food and media group after one-off costs including for a new cookery school Jamie and Jools Oliver have paid themselves a £1.7m dividend – more than 40% down on last year – after profits at their cookery and media empire almost halved. Sales at Jamie Oliver Holdings remained broadly steady at £28.4m in 2025, £160,000 less than in the previous year, as a strong performance at the group’s own restaurants, franchise business, cookery schools and TV productions offset a decline in royalties, licensing and endorsements...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 12:02:48 PM
culture

When TV turns sour: the shows we simply can’t stomach any more

They were once the hottest shows on television – gripping, sexy, hilarious, zeitgeisty. But for our writers, the likes of America’s Next Top Model, House of Cards and The Office are now part of their viewing history they feel tainted by When I think of the summer holidays when I was a teenager, I think of watching America’s Next Top Model for hours on end, critiquing each contestant with my sister. The makeover episode was always my favourite: girls sobbing as their hair was cropped short, or even shaved off. At the time, Tyra Banks seemed like a big sister, giving the contestants the tough love they’d need to succeed in a ferociously competitive industry. Now I feel differently. I hadn’t watched America’s Next Top Model since I was young, but like many, I recently watched Netflix’s excellent series, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model. It was the strangest sensation, rewatching episodes I hadn’t seen in more than two decades. At times I felt almost teleported back. How could I not find these scenes of models collapsing with hunger utterly abhorrent? I wondered what influence watching a show that celebrated eating disorders had on my own brain. I think it had an impact. I think the residual taint of it is still there. I can’t watch America’s Next Top Model any more, nor do I want to. Ironically, it’s all too ugly. Sirin Kale..

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 12:00:34 PM
culture

Mike D: ‘After Yauch died I couldn’t make music. I’d open a computer file and just feel sadness’

As part of the Beastie Boys, the rapper shot to fame and notoriety in the 80s, before bandmate Adam Yauch’s death saw him withdraw from the spotlight. He returns with a solo album that sees him reckon with greed, mortality – and his past ‘It’s funny how far a joke will get you,” Michael Diamond grins. This time 40 years ago, the New York rapper known as Mike D was working with schoolfriends Adam “MCA” Yauch and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz on Licensed to Ill, their 1986 debut album as the Beastie Boys. The “joke” in question is that record’s cartoonish send-up of frat-bro culture, set to fusions of hard rock riffs and hip-hop beats. As for how far it got them: destinations included global stardom, a page in the history books with rap’s first US chart-topping album, and the crosshairs of British tabloids as they roused a generation to “fight for your right to party”...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 12:00:34 PM
business

Airbus bows to remote working demands after series of strikes

Aeroplane maker said to have watered down plans to restrict working from home to one day a week Airbus has reportedly bowed to employee demands on remote working, after a series strikes over its chief executive’s return-to-the office orders. The world’s largest aeroplane maker is said to have watered down plans to restrict remote working to one day a week from September. Currently, staff are able to work remotely for two...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 11:37:23 AM
power

Quarter of branded baby foods in UK still have too much sugar, analysis finds

Exclusive: Of 224 branded infant foods and snacks, more than half are in breach of guidelines brought in a year ago Almost a quarter of popular branded baby foods sold in UK supermarkets still contain excessive amounts of sugar, a year after the government introduced voluntary industry guidelines. In August 2025 the government gave baby food manufacturers 18 months to reduce the sugar and salt content of their products, stop marketing snacks to infants under 12 months and address misleading and inaccurate labelling that makes some infant foods appear healthier than they actually are...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 11:00:32 AM
technology

Cybercriminals perfect 'social engineering': 'Each hack feeds the chances of the next one succeeding

Peter O'Brien is pleased to welcome Simon McGarr, Lawyer with McGarr Solicitors in Dublin, and Managing Director of Data Compliance Europe. Cybersecurity is no longer simply a question of whether governments possess adequate technical defences, explains McGarr. AI is altering those risks at extraordinary speed, placing capabilities once associated with states or sophisticated criminal organizations within reach of much smaller actors. If threats evolve month by month, governments must focus on prevention: identifying vulnerabilities, adapting defenses and developing long-term institutional capacity before emerging threats become crises.

France 24 • 8/21/2026, 10:04:07 AM
technology

I worked at OpenAI. Here’s how tech companies can prepare for a slowdown | Miles Brundage

I understand the pressure on AI companies to rush forward. But employees are right to be concerned Last month, more than a thousand employees at frontier AI companies signed a letter asking the US government to find a way to “pace” AI development, citing the risk of the technology spiraling out of human control as it begins to build itself. They were right to be concerned: just days earlier, two AI models that OpenAI was testing internally escaped the test environment, then autonomously hacked the company Hugging Face and at least three other online services. A few days after that, Anthropic announced that some of their models had also broken out and hacked other companies during testing...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 10:00:32 AM
technology

Proposed London datacentre will have annual carbon footprint of 27,000 flights to New York

Exclusive: Planning documents show datacentre in north Ockendon will be incompatible with UK net zero targets A “hyperscale” datacentre in outer London would generate more than 1m tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, equivalent to the carbon footprint of 27,000 flights from London to New York, planning documents show. The East Havering Data Centre Campus (EHDCC) in north Ockendon would be one of the largest datacentres in Europe if approved by Havering council, using 218 hectares of green belt to run servers and data storage systems for AI and cloud computing. Its developer, Digital Reef, has described the scheme as “a unique opportunity to create a sustainable datacentre campus of the future”...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 10:00:31 AM
culture

Strangers in their own land: Mexicans deported from Trump’s America find refuge in ‘Little LA’

With plentiful jobs and community support, one Mexico City neighbourhood has become a haven for those who have lived much of their lives in the US With its wide avenues lined with tall palm trees, its quaint cafes and old-school cantinas, as well as the mix of English and Spanish spoken on the street, the Tabacalera neighborhood in downtown Mexico City has a certain US feel – so much so that it is has become known as Little LA. The nickname is about more than appearances, however. In recent years, this corner of the metropolis has become a haven for many Mexicans deported from the US, particularly those who spent years or decades living across the border and for whom Mexico feels like a foreign country. In Little LA, they have found a more familiar place to belong...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 10:00:31 AM
power

China’s drone production capacity can only meet 60% of war demand: study

Even when fully mobilised, China’s industrial system would only be able to meet 60 per cent of the country’s military demand for drones in a conflict, according to a rare study looking into the expected effects of a sudden war. The estimates were produced by an artificial intelligence model that covered a multilevel supply chain linking drone assembly plants with subsystem and component suppliers. The study also accounted for inventories, production capacity, order backlogs, budgets and civilian...

South China Morning Post • 8/21/2026, 10:00:05 AM
business

In Senegal's Saint-Louis, traces of slave-trading past fade away

A dilapidated two-century-old building in Saint-Louis, Senegal bears testament to the island's little-known past as part of the transatlantic slave trade, the traces of which are quickly and quietly disappearing from view. Located in the country's north, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Senegal River, the island is rarely mentioned in the history of the slave trade, even though it was a hub through which tens of thousands of Africans passed.

France 24 • 8/21/2026, 9:50:38 AM
power

France, Germany, UK and Italy condemn Israel's 'E1' West Bank plan

France, Germany, ​Britain and Italy condemned on ​Thursday plans by Israel to open up construction tenders for a ​residential ‌property project ⁠called 'E1' in the occupied West Bank. Hundreds of ​thousands of Israelis have settled among millions of Palestinians in land ​captured by Israel in ​a 1967 war. Nearly ​all countries and a range of ​UN bodies consider that such settlements violate international law, although Israel disputes this, citing historical ⁠and biblical ties to the land. FRANCE 24's Noga Tarnopolsky reports from Jerusalem.

France 24 • 8/21/2026, 9:48:52 AM
power

Hong Kong's Tiananmen vigils organisers convicted in national security case

Two former organisers of Hong Kong’s annual vigils in remembrance of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown were convicted by government-approved judges Friday for inciting others to overthrow China's communist leadership. Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were charged with inciting subversion in 2021 under a China-imposed national security law that has effectively crushed the city’s previously thriving pro-democracy movement.

France 24 • 8/21/2026, 9:47:18 AM
health

Ex-Pakistan PM Khan taken back to jail after hospital checks

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was transferred back to jail early on Friday, hours after being taken to a hospital for court-ordered medical checks, the government said. The Supreme Court ordered on Tuesday that Khan, Pakistan's most popular politician, be taken to the private Shifa International Hospital in the capital Islamabad within 48 hours for treatment, after his lawyers petitioned the court over concerns that his health was poor. The ex-cricket captain and his wife Bushra Bibi, who is also his spiritual guide, were both sentenced late last year to 17 years in prison.

France 24 • 8/21/2026, 9:44:53 AM
climate

El Niño rains in Peru disrupt access to Machu Picchu

Heavy rains ⁠linked to ​the El Niño weather phenomenon caused flooding in Peru ​on Wednesday that disrupted access to the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, closed roads due to landslides and flooded ​homes ‌in the capital Lima. Peruvian authorities ordered ⁠the Inca Trail, a main tourist route to Machu Picchu, closed ‌until Saturday due to overflowing waterways and debris, according ⁠to local media.

France 24 • 8/21/2026, 9:43:30 AM
world

Trump ultra-loyal aide Natalie Harp in the spotlight

She is a near-constant presence at US President Donald Trump's side, but until recently his ultra-loyal aide Natalie Harp had managed to stay out of the spotlight. That has all changed since it emerged the 35-year-old was one of a handful of people who secretly swapped from Air Force One with Trump in Turkey after a security threat. The blonde executive assistant to the president was then mentioned by a Democratic senate hopeful, in comments that set the internet alight – and incensed the White House.

France 24 • 8/21/2026, 9:42:04 AM
power

Tunisia opposition protests against president amid economic discontent

Activists and opponents ⁠of Tunisian President Kais ​Saied took to the streets of Tunis on Thursday, calling for his departure ​and the restoration of democracy in the latest protest against his governance amid growing political and economic discontent. Hundreds of protesters said they reject "one-man rule" and "a slide towards dictatorship," ​and urged ‌the release of jailed opposition figures, activists and journalists. FRANCE 24's Lilia Blaise reports.

France 24 • 8/21/2026, 9:38:29 AM
health

Ebola outbreak: five big questions

On 23 August, it will be 100 days since the Bundibugyo strain was first reported. How did it became the DRC’s most deadly outbreak and what must be done to stop it becoming the world’s largest? Almost 100 days ago, Africa’s public health watchdog reported an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There have now been almost 5,000 cases and more than 2,000 deaths since 15 May, making this Ebola outbreak the biggest and most deadly in the DRC’s history...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 9:02:22 AM
sports

‘The friendship disappeared’: López faces Romero after years of sparring and support

Boxing’s most mercurial star is putting an old friendship aside as he moves up to 147lb to challenge Rolly Romero for the welterweight title he won against Ryan Garcia For more than a decade, Teófimo López’s friendship with Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero endured through amateur tournaments, Las Vegas sparring sessions and the mismatched peaks and troughs of two volatile careers. That friendship ended, López says, the moment they signed to fight one another. On Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena along the Vegas Strip, the 29-year-old López will challenge for Romero’s World Boxing Association welterweight title. The former lightweight and junior-welterweight champion is moving up to 147lb in pursuit of a belt in a third division. For Romero, himself a three-weight belt-holder after stacking titles at 135lb and 140lb, a victory would add another marquee name to a résumé transformed by last year’s upset of Ryan Garcia. The fight will be broadcast globally on Dazn pay-per-view and will see the champion go off as a roughly 2-1 underdog...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 9:00:31 AM
culture

Alice Roberts: ‘By the time I’d finished Richard Dawkins I’d left faith behind’

The TV presenter and author on the evolutionary biologists who inspired her, the genius of George Eliot – and fun with Frog and Toad My earliest reading memory The first books I remember were from The Village with Three Corners series Sheila K McCullagh. I loved the – literally – colourful characters, like Johnny Yellow Hat. I was reading with my Grandma, in her garden perhaps, sitting on a small patio, surrounded by bright begonias and busy lizzies. My favourite book growing up Arnold Lobel’s wonderful Frog and Toad stories. Toad would get himself tied up in knots, trying to find a button or fly a kite, but Frog was always there – a constant, caring and funny friend. I enjoyed reading these stories to my own children when they were young, and we still sometimes go back and revisit them. They’re so full of humour, heart and simple humanism...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 9:00:31 AM
sports

Uefa and Concacaf discuss joint Nations League in latest challenge to Fifa

Biennial tournament could launch as early as 2028 Confederations are seeking to oust Gianni Infantino Uefa and Concacaf have begun talks about setting up a combined Nations League tournament featuring all 96 European and North and Central American and Caribbean countries, in another direct challenge to Fifa. The Guardian has learned that having come together to push for Gianni Infantino’s removal in the light of the World Cup sell-off controversy, the two confederations are now working on creating their own biennial tournament, which could launch as early as 2028 after the next European Championship...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 9:00:30 AM
sports

Retail sales in Great Britain fall despite heatwave increasing food and drink demand

Volume of goods sold in stores and online dropped 0.5% in July, ONS says Business live – latest updates Retail sales across Great Britain weakened last month despite the men’s football World Cup and record temperatures boosting the demand for food and drink. The Office for National Statistics said the volume of goods sold in stores and online fell 0.5% in July. That is down from 0.7% rise in June – revised down from initial estimates of 1% – and a 1.3% rise in May...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 8:58:10 AM
sports

Tadej Pogacar looks unstoppable as he sets sights on another slice of history at Vuelta

Slovenian is aiming to become the ninth rider to win all three Grand Tours, and it doesn’t look like anyone can stop him Who’s coming second? That’s the question being most frequently asked as the peloton convenes for the final Grand Tour of 2026, the Vuelta a España, which rolls away from the start line in Monaco on Saturday. The unrelenting Tadej Pogacar, making his first appearance in the Spanish race since 2019, is the overwhelming favourite to take the top spot on the podium in Granada on 13 September, with his cowed rivals already seemingly accepting of his supremacy...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 8:31:31 AM
sports

Premier League returns with Arsenal v Coventry; transfer news and more: football – live

⚽ All the latest football news, comment and previews ⚽ This weekend’s fixtures | Read Football Daily | Mail Tom Why not start the day right with some transfer tittle-tattle? There’s some tasty morsels in today’s Rumour Mill, including this little treat: After Vinícius Júnior signed a shiny new deal at Real Madrid, Arsenal are having to look elsewhere for a new winger. Turkey’s Kenan Yildizm who plies his trade with Juventus, is of interest to Mikel Arteta and the Gunners hierarchy. One potential way of getting the deal done is to send Gabriel Martinelli in the opposite direction...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 8:24:20 AM
climate

Weather tracker: Extreme rainfall deluges Japan and South Korea

Unprecedented downpours cause deaths, evacuations and transport chaos. Plus, Hurricane Lala batters Hawaii South Korea and Japan were hit by extreme rainfall late last week and into this week. On 13 August in the city of Chiba near Tokyo there was a record-breaking 115mm of rainfall in just one hour, while the nearby city of Sakura broke its own record with 97mm in one hour. A level five emergency warning for heavy rain was issued by local authorities – the highest alert level and the first time one has been issued since the system was implemented in May. More than 100,000 households were asked to evacuate, with more than 20,000 in the Chiba prefecture left without power, while thousands of people were stranded at Tokyo’s Narita airport. Thirteen people have been confirmed dead, at least three of whom were found trapped inside their vehicles, with one person still missing...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 8:19:21 AM
world

China’s Typhoon Maysak death toll soars to 159 as region tallies catastrophic losses

The official death toll from Typhoon Maysak’s devastating floods in southern China jumped from 39 to 159 on Friday, as authorities updated the figures for the first time in six weeks. According to media briefings held in Nanning and Guigang in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, 10 people remained missing and the disaster affected more than 1.65 million people, state news agency Xinhua reported. The typhoon triggered “historically rare, large-scale and persistent heavy rainfall” in the province in...

South China Morning Post • 8/21/2026, 8:12:15 AM
world

Indonesian quake survivors recall trauma of all-day intense aftershocks, self-rescue

Carolus Winfridus was asleep when an earthquake struck off Indonesia’s island of Flores, as he was awoken by intense rumbling and saw his wardrobe doors flying open. He and his family quickly scrambled for a way out of their house in the town of Maumere, Sikka Regency, one of nine regencies hit by Saturday’s devastating 7.7-magnitude quake that killed almost 80 people and displaced nearly 100,000. Survivors and officials describe how blocked roads, power cuts and relentless aftershocks have...

South China Morning Post • 8/21/2026, 8:03:05 AM
climate

Increased rainfall and storms to hit UK due to biggest El Niño for a century, says Met Office

‘Unprecedented’ weather pattern over Pacific Ocean to be felt worldwide with severe droughts expected in southern hemisphere The El Niño event developing over the Pacific Ocean is likely to be the strongest for more than a 100 years, the UK’s Met Office has said. Increased rainfall and storms are forecast to hit the UK this autumn as a result of the “unprecedented” weather pattern, which will also cause severe droughts in the southern hemisphere, the Met Office warned...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 7:42:21 AM
sports

Tottenham close on deals for Manchester City’s Savinho and Omar Marmoush

Separate deals worth a combined £160m Summer spending on De Zerbi’s squad nears £400m Manchester City are close to agreeing the transfer of Savinho to Tottenham for £85m, with a separate deal of around £75m for the arrival of Omar Marmoush from the FA Cup-winners to the north London club also being worked on. Savinho signed for the City Football Group in summer 2022 for 40m euros (£30.8m), first joining Troyes, so the prospective sale of the 22-year-old for £85m represents a near £55m profit for City’s owners. After loans at PSV and Girona, the Brazilian joined City two years ago but the winger failed to establish himself as a first-choice under Pep Guardiola, the former manager...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 7:30:42 AM
sports

Chess: Magnus Carlsen wins Esports World Cup in Paris without losing a game

Norway’s world No 1 outclassed the field and won the $250,000 first prize at the four-day event in France Magnus Carlsen, Norway’s world No 1, triumphed again last weekend when he won the 2026 Esports World Cup, staged over four days at the prestigious venue of the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. Carlsen retained his title from Riyadh 2025 and took home a monster first prize of $250,000 (£183,000). The time limit was close to blitz, 10 minutes each per player with no per move increment, a format where blunders would be hoped for, and were indeed made, as entertainment for the capacity audience...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 7:00:29 AM
sports

New rules, managers and pundits: what’s different this Premier League season?

A crackdown on time wasting, a record number of new people in charge, and some new faces on Match of the Day The 2026-27 Premier League season kicks off on Friday and while the familiar rivalries return, the English top flight has some alterations this campaign. From evolved rules to new faces and broadcast changes, there is plenty to catch up on before a ball is kicked. Marco Rose – Bournemouth Xabi Alonso – Chelsea Pierre Sage – Crystal Palace Álvaro Arbeloa – Fulham Gary O’Neil - Ipswich Town Andoni Iraola – Liverpool Enzo Maresca- Manchester City Matthias Jaissle – Newcastle Oliver Glasner – Nottingham Forest..

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 7:00:27 AM
culture

Anthony Hopkins: Life Is a Dream album review – easy on the ear melodies written from the heart

Philharmonia Orchestra/Dudamel (Decca) There’s a cinematic flourish to many of Hopkins’ compositions, together with fine arrangements of Welsh tunes and pieces dedicated to family Anthony Hopkins has, it turns out, has been composing music all his life. Now, at the age of 88, the Welsh-born Hollywood actor makes his Decca debut, securing the services of LA Philharmonic’s outgoing music director Gustavo Dudamel to bring his music to life. So, what does an Oscar winner sound like? Not surprisingly, there’s a significant cinematic influence, inspired by the music that caught the attention of a lad growing up in Margam, a suburb of Port Talbot. The opening Fanfare and March is a catchy, Technicolor splash, like everything here harmonious and written from the heart. Ditto the Khachaturian-flavoured Two Pieces for Orchestra. Welsh roots are honoured too: My Fatherland, featuring six traditional tunes, four sung in Welsh, would not seem out of place at the Last Night of the Proms...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 6:30:27 AM
business

Retail sales fall despite World Cup and hot weather boosting alcohol and drinks trade – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest events in global financial markets, the economy and major corporate moves Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy. Retail sales fell in July after a bumper period the previous month, despite the World Cup luring punters into pubs and the hot weather boosting alcoholic drink sales in supermarkets. 7am BST: ONS retail sales data 7am BST: ONS public finances 9am BST: Flash PMI eurozone 9.30am BST: UK flash PMI 2.45pm BST: US flash PMI..

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 6:24:22 AM
culture

Life of M by Rachel Cusk review – is this story of a film star based on Natalie Portman?

A teasing tale of the friendship between a writer and an actor explores the fallout from fame, and the blurring between pretence and reality M is a celebrated film actor. A star since childhood, now the face of a major fashion brand, she has been famous all her life. That her career closely resembles Natalie Portman’s has been gleefully seized upon by the press, something Rachel Cusk must surely have anticipated: in the novel, M’s first film has its sex scenes cut at her mother’s insistence, as happened with Portman’s 1994 debut Leon, while her ballerina movie is recognisably Black Swan. M is also, in the words of the nameless and genderless narrator of Life of M, “a good sport”. When the narrator suggests writing M’s autobiography, M likes the idea. “Would you just make it up?” she asks. A celebrity autobiography is seldom the work of the celebrity herself. And yet any suggestion that the narrator will serve as a kind of ghostwriter to M is dispensed with in a few pages. The pair meet for coffee at a luxury hotel and, after the narrator’s partner falls suddenly and seriously ill, for lunch in a restaurant. The lunch is unsatisfactory, an attempt at intimacy that the narrator acknowledges afterwards to have been a mistake. Though M is determined to live as normal a life as possible (“her personal task is to become real, or rather to acquire some reality”), the narrator is uncomfortably aware of their own falseness with M: “It was as if I was acting, while M came across as authentic and real. It was as if she was the only one good enough at acting to attain reality.” After that the two of them do not see one another again “for a long time”...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 6:00:27 AM
health

UK men with heart disease at higher risk of developing and dying from cancer

Decade-long study finds stark gender difference in outcomes of people with heart disease Millions of men with heart disease have a higher risk of developing and dying from cancer, according to a decades-long study. The biggest drivers behind male cases were smoking, obesity and drinking too much alcohol, researchers said, with the link most pronounced in lung and oesophageal cancers...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 5:01:25 AM
climate

What happens to people’s health when air pollution is reduced?

Growing evidence that cutting coal use and bans on high-polluting vehicles are leading directly to health benefits Failing crops, wildfires and overloaded health systems are focusing minds on the local impacts of our changing climate. While carbon emissions reduction is normally framed as having a global benefit rather than a local gain, studies published in 2025 and 2026 from Greece have added to growing evidence that cutting coal use and air pollution can provide immediate health benefits to local communities...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 5:00:26 AM
world

Russia’s missile tests around disputed islands anger Japan

Pacific fleet launched missile drills near what Moscow calls the Kuril Islands but Japan regards as its Northern Territories Japan has criticised missile tests carried out by Russia’s navy around the disputed islands visited by Vladimir Putin last week amid continuing tensions between the two countries. Russia’s Pacific fleet said on Thursday that it had fired Bastion surface-to-ship missiles from Etorofu, the largest island in the disputed archipelago, simulating an attack on enemy vessels, hitting all of its targets approximately 300km away...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 4:54:01 AM
climate

Philippine flood-control scandal resurfaces after latest monsoon deluge

The latest floods to hit Metro Manila and parts of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon have turned a familiar seasonal disaster into a renewed test of political accountability for President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, as anger over allegedly corrupt flood-control projects returns to the centre of public debate. Analysts said the deluge had sharpened scrutiny of the slow-moving investigation into allegedly substandard and non-existent flood-control works, exposing the gap between Marcos’...

South China Morning Post • 8/21/2026, 4:53:58 AM
power

How Supreme Court’s new ruling changes the definition of ‘industry’ | Explained

The majority held that ‘industry’ under the IRC must be interpreted based on its own specific text and statutory context, unburdened by the legacy of the 1978 precedent; Chief Justice Kant noted that while the core principles of the 1978 ruling had stood the test of time, the 1978 judgment would no longer act as the “sheet anchor” for interpreting ‘industry’ under the IRC

The Hindu • 8/21/2026, 4:34:40 AM
culture

Badgers review – the audience investigates in this true-crime podcast yarn

Traverse theatre, Edinburgh Malaika Kegode delivers a supernatural story about the strange disappearance of a maudlin folk singer Playwright and performer Malaika Kegode tops and tails this show for Theatre Royal Plymouth with a message about the allure of storytelling. In a festival city bursting at the seams with stories, it is an unnecessary observation. A more important question is about which stories we choose to tell, which resonate and which pass us by. Why, for example, did Kegode want to write a story – and it is a story rather than a play – about the strange disappearance of a maudlin folk singer? She focuses on the subsequent investigation by Meles Costas, an under-qualified true-crime podcaster, living in the shadow of a high-achieving and terminally ill mother. And she laces her story with gothic fairytale imagery: folk songs with dark-magic properties, human-to-animal transmutation and a hint of witchcraft. At Traverse theatre, Edinburgh, until 30 August; Theatre Royal Plymouth, 2–5 September; Bristol Old Vic, 8–12 September All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 4:00:25 AM
health

Python named Jodie Foster first snake to receive pioneering cancer treatment

Chester zoo resident, 23, ‘back to her usual feisty self’ after electrochemotherapy for tumour in her jaw A 15ft (4.5-metre) python is believed to be the first snake in the world to be given a pioneering, life-saving cancer treatment normally used on humans. The 50kg reticulated python, named Jodie Foster after the Hollywood star, has just turned 23 and lives at Chester zoo. Keepers first became concerned that she may be unwell when she began eating less and spending more time inactive in her habitat...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 4:00:25 AM
culture

‘It is the riskiest film I’ve ever made’: Pedro Almodóvar on being the villain in his own movie

As his new film Bitter Christmas is released, the legendary Spanish director turns his fire on Donald Trump, Will Smith, Netflix – and himself Black sunglasses indoors and a tufty cloud of cotton-wool hair: it can only be Pedro Almodóvar, bourgeois arthouse darling nonpareil and master of everything from screwball romps (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) to clammy thrillers (Live Flesh, The Skin I Live In) – and sumptuous melodramas such as his 24th film, Bitter Christmas, a cautionary tale about the perils of autofiction. We are sitting in the library of a London hotel and Almodóvar is dressed in a thin black windcheater, grey trousers and white trainers; add a whistle on a string and he could pass for a PE teacher. The 76-year-old director may have won more than 60 awards including two Oscars, five Baftas and six Goyas but when the shades come off today, he looks momentarily sorry for himself. He has been deaf in one ear since childhood, he tells me, and now the other one is giving up the ghost. In addition, a nasty stye has turned his left eye a gluey purple. Might he have picked it up while swimming? “I do swim almost every day because I have a pool,” he sighs. Never can those words have sounded so sorrowful...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 4:00:24 AM
world

Tiananmen Square vigil organisers found guilty in Hong Kong of ‘inciting subversion’

Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung - leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance – were tried under under a 2020 national security law Two Hong Kong activists who organised annual vigils marking China’s deadly Tiananmen crackdown in 1989 were found guilty of “incitement to subversion”, in a case widely criticised as exemplifying the erosion of freedom of expression in the Chinese city. Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, and Chow Hang-tung, 41 “incited other persons to organise, plan, commit or participate in acts by unlawful means with a view to subverting the state power”, a press summary handed out to reporters said...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 2:45:42 AM
world

Japan executes man behind pachinko parlour arson that killed 5

Japan executed on Friday a man convicted of an arson attack on a pachinko parlour in 2009 that killed five people, authorities said. It was Japan’s first hanging since Takahiro Shiraishi, the “Twitter killer” who murdered and dismembered nine people, was put to death in June 2025. Sunao Takami, the man executed on Friday, doused a pachinko parlour – a popular game mixing pinball and a slot machine using small steel balls – near his home in Osaka with petrol and set it on fire, killing four...

South China Morning Post • 8/21/2026, 2:38:31 AM
climate

Panama canal to reduce shipping as El Niño strikes vital route

Further restrictions on shipping lane possible as Central America gripped by severe drought The Panama canal will cut the number of ships passing through it starting next month because of drought caused by the El Niño phenomenon, the operator of the strategic waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific said Thursday. From 3 September, the number of vessels allowed through each day will fall from 36 to 34 due to low water levels in two artificial lakes that feed the canal, the Panama Canal Authority said. From 15 September, the number of ships permitted will drop to 32...

The Guardian • 8/21/2026, 2:21:55 AM
power

Japan faces ‘nightmare scenario’ as it struggles to defend ICC judge

Japan has spent years casting the International Criminal Court as a pillar of the rules-based order. This week, its closest ally sanctioned the Japanese judge who leads it. The move has left Tokyo in an uncomfortable bind: defend Tomoko Akane, the Japanese president of The Hague-based court, and risk antagonising US leader Donald Trump, or temper its criticism and appear weak in the face of an attack on an institution central to Japan’s rule-of-law diplomacy. Washington’s sanctions, announced on...

South China Morning Post • 8/21/2026, 12:00:38 AM
sports

European playoffs: Rangers scrape first-leg win as Brighton draw in Norway

10-man Rangers hang on for 1-0 win against Jablonec Tromsø 0-0 Brighton; Hearts 2-2 Rapid Vienna Ryan Naderi’s second-half strike gave an unconvincing Rangers a narrow 1-0 win in the first leg of their Conference League playoff tie against Czech side Jablonec at Ibrox. Derek McInnes got his first win as Rangers manager at the fifth time of asking with a 5-1 thumping of St Mirren on Sunday but there was regression in the goalless first half which brought boos at the interval whistle. The Govan side pepped up after the break and Naderi opened the scoring from close range in the 50th minute but in the 78th minute the substitute Cammy Devlin was sent off – minutes after coming off the bench – for a high tackle on Jiri Slama to leave Rangers to see out the game with 10 men...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 10:54:49 PM
sports

Can Aryna Sabalenka find a way to repair her collapsed form? | Tumaini Carayol

With one semi-final in her last seven tournaments, the coming months will define the next stage of her career Towards the end of a messy first set tie-break late on Wednesday, Aryna Sabalenka wildly sprayed another painfully nervous backhand before slamming her racket to the ground. As the racket connected with the acrylic floor, its vibration dampener detached from the strings and rolled off in the direction of the broadcast camera pit by the side of the court. With the diminutive 20-year‑old Czech player Sara Bejlek leading Sabalenka 6-5 in the tie-break, this slapstick sequence forced play to pause while the Belarusian and a couple of volunteers comically searched for the missing vibration damper underneath the cameras until she gave up and retrieved a new one. A few minutes later, Sabalenka trailed by a set...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 9:11:51 PM
sports

Jordan Cox reflects on missed opportunities despite England’s big lead against Pakistan

Cox: ‘We were hoping one of us would have kicked on’ Sam Curran will miss rest of the summer due to injury Jordan Cox was one of four half-centurions as England maintained control of the first Test against Pakistan – but there were a few regrets as no one reached three figures on day two in Leeds. “We were hoping one of us would have kicked on and instead of make it just a hundred, make it 150, 160, 170,” said Cox, who hit 73 in his first Test innings at No 3. “And then the game looks, not completely different, but it puts us in definitely a better position.”..

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 9:09:04 PM
world

US deports 20 people to Liberia, the first of 1,200 migrants under Trump deal

Agreement is among largest third-country deportations driven by Trump administration’s immigration crackdown Twenty deportees from the United States arrived in Liberia on Thursday, as part of a new agreement that will see the west African country receive as many as 1,200 people under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The group arrived at the Roberts international airport outside the capital, Monrovia. The Liberia-US agreement is one of the largest third-country deportation arrangements pursued by the administration since Trump returned to office last year...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 7:57:59 PM
sports

Jordan Cox brings swagger to unfamiliar No 3 role after waiting for his chance | Taha Hashim

The Essex batsman, filling in for Jacob Bethell, wasted no time in laying down a claim to a longer run in the England side When Jordan Cox was 19, playing in his fifth first-class match and unbeaten overnight on 167 for Kent against Sussex, he decided to set himself a new task. Cox told Sam Billings, his captain and an England international, that he would go past Billings’ first-class best of 171. The top scores of other teammates were in sight, too. “I was just ticking people off,” Cox said a few weeks later. “Having a higher score than Sam Billings and Joe Denly at 19, that’s what got me going.” Denly, an England No 3, had a best of 227. Cox finished on 238 not out. Six years on, that confidence and bit of swagger made its way to Leeds, with Cox resuming on 23 after England’s near-perfect Wednesday. There were no visible nerves, no rollerskates on the feet. A few gentle taps of the ground, a small shift on to the back foot and then plenty of time before he presented the middle. He looked on holiday while batting in only his second Test, and that too with the responsibility of building a first-innings lead at first drop. Joe Root, 167 Tests in, was at the other end and Cox did not look out of place alongside his captain. The pair have done a bit of this now. Just last week they were decked out in red, trying to launch it together in the Hundred. Strong Welsh Fire, strong England?..

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 7:50:01 PM
sports

Players welcome record $108m US Open prize fund and will not stage protests

Total prize pool for tournament will be $108m Players guaranteed $140,000 for making first round The world’s leading tennis players have welcomed the US Open’s announcement of a 20% increase in prize money and agreed not to continue their protests at this year’s tournament as a result. The build up to both the French Open and Wimbledon was overshadowed earlier this year by a media boycott as the players continue to demand a greater share of tournament revenues, but after the US Tennis Association announced a record prize pot of $108m there will be no such disruption at Flushing Meadow...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 7:23:21 PM
sports

Gianni Infantino eyes junior tournament in Dominican Republic as potential route out of crisis

Meetings around event seen as chance to lobby for votes Fifa president may meet his most credible challenger Gianni Infantino wants to split the European and North American coalition that is seeking to oust him by attending a junior tournament in the Dominican Republic this weekend in another gamble to cling on to power from the Fifa president. The Guardian has learned that Infantino has made plans to attend the U14 Boys Challenge competition organised by the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), 21 of whose associations are voting members of Fifa, despite being urged to stay away from the event by senior figures within Concacaf – the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football – which is working with Uefa to remove him...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 7:03:08 PM
sports

Premier League returns and Arsenal sense opportunity with rivals in flux

New managers galore suggest many of the usual suspects will struggle to dethrone the champions, but their own hunger could be the key Mikel Arteta wants to get his messaging absolutely right. According to him, Arsenal are not about to defend their Premier League title. They are set to attack another one. Remember Win the dog, who the manager brought in to the club’s training ground a few years back? She must now be called “Won”. But it is when Arteta quibbles over another bout of semantics that he highlights why he is entering the new season with such energy and optimism...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 7:00:13 PM
culture

Crybabies: The Scaring review – chills and laughs abound in twisty tale of demonic possession

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh This fantastic comic play from the Radio 4 trio unleashes a torrent of great gags and illusions Horror pastiche has a proud lineage at this festival – for example Garth Marenghi, and Andrew Doherty’s hit Gay Witch Sex Cult two summers ago. In that company, Crybabies’ The Scaring can stand as tall as the demon Haeldrrun towering over its finale: it’s another fantastic comic play from the Radio 4 trio of Michael Clarke, James Gault and Ed Jones with chills as well as laughs, and production values rarely seen on the fringe. A tale of demonic possession and a disillusioned priest, set in a guesthouse that makes the Overlook in The Shining seem five-star by comparison, it’s as tightly packed with smart gags as a hotelier’s cellar with the corpses of slaughtered guests. The plotting, too, is twistier than Regan’s neck in The Exorcist, a moment referenced in one creepy/comical scene here featuring a haunted dolly. It begins with two priests exorcising a beast from another dimension. But the beast wins, leaving our hero Father Arthur bereft of his partner, and his calling. And so (cue non sequitur second scene) he must take up work in the immersive stag-do industry – at least until summoned to the Lyle Away hotel, where a reckoning with his traumatic past awaits …...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 7:00:13 PM
health

‘Biased’ Channel 4 programme on ADHD misrepresented my views, says expert

Prof Katya Rubia withdraws support for The Great ADHD Myth? as other leading figures voice criticisms A contributor to a controversial Channel 4 documentary on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has withdrawn her support for the programme, saying it was biased and could lead to an increased suicide risk by encouraging parents to take their children off medication. Katya Rubia, a professor of cognitive neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, also said The Great ADHD Myth? misrepresented her views...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 5:54:51 PM
health

Extreme heat: 'We're really starting now to understand how global climate is impacting our health'

Annette Young is pleased to welcome Dr. Simon Williams, Behavioural Scientist, WHO Consultant, Lecturer in psychology and a public health researcher at Swansea University. What concerns Dr. Williams most is that the health consequences of extreme heat, particularly for older adults, are emerging sooner and at lower levels of warming than we had previously understood. We are already living with approximately 1.3°C of global warming, and increasingly severe summers are exposing profound age-related vulnerabilities, from reduced physiological capacity to cool the body to underlying cardiovascular and other health conditions.

France 24 • 8/20/2026, 5:53:16 PM
technology

Landmark case against Meta: Focus shifts from online content to 'design and infrastructure'

Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Leïla Mörch, CEO / Founder of Geminy. She specializes in technology, public policy, with a focus on social media regulation. She sees the landmark trial against Meta as potentially significant not simply because the social media giant is being asked to answer for harms associated with social media, but because the legal focus is shifting from content to design. Section 230 has historically shaped debates around platforms’ responsibility for what users publish. Here, however, the central question is increasingly about the infrastructure itself: recommendation systems, infinite scroll, attention-maximizing features, and the choices platforms make about how users encounter content and engage.

France 24 • 8/20/2026, 5:46:38 PM
health

The Guardian view on Trump’s MMR executive order: endangering the children he claims to care about | Editorial

The president’s empty advice that children should receive separate jabs against measles, mumps and rubella will only lead to less take-up by parents Nobody wants to hurt a child. The howl of pain, the tears, the look of betrayed shock all make it very hard to deliver a cherished small person to the needle-wielding nurse. But that’s part of being a responsible parent. It becomes a lot tougher if mum or dad is being fed mixed and erroneous messages about the benefits and harms of vaccination. Parents have to make a lot of decisions about what’s right for their child, from the school they should go to and the food they should eat to the hours they should spend on the phone or watching TV. In the US, Donald Trump wants them to add another: do they choose to give their children separate jabs against measles, mumps and rubella, involving six visits to the clinic, or should they opt for the combined MMR vaccine, which does the job in two? For decades, the vast majority of families have been taking the advice of doctors, accepting their assurance that the MMR vaccine is safe and very effective. But what are they to think when a US president announces that the triple jab could be “quite lethal” and signs an executive order advising states to offer separate vaccines?..

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 5:46:02 PM
business

Mark Zuckerberg buys 440-acre Strancally castle estate in Ireland

Meta chief executive paid roughly €20m for gothic-style mansion built in 1830 and its surroundings It stretches the definition of pied-à-terre but Mark Zuckerberg now has a pad in Ireland: Strancally castle. The Meta chief executive and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have bought the gothic-style mansion and its 178-hectare (440-acre) estate in county Waterford to use as a base during visits to Ireland...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 5:39:44 PM
business

Reform’s new economic adviser has called for end of pensioners’ triple lock

Exclusive: Mitchell Palmer has also argued for privatising the NHS and immigration as way of cutting poverty Reform UK’s new economic adviser has previously called the pensions triple lock unsustainable, advocated privatising the NHS and welcomed migration as a poverty alleviation tool, the Guardian can reveal. Robert Jenrick, Reform’s economic spokesperson, has appointed Mitchell Palmer, a rightwing economist at the free-market Adam Smith Institute, as one of his key aides...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 5:36:17 PM
business

JD Sports boss is still struggling to turn up the heat amid tepid trainer market

Latest profit warning is particularly disappointing in a World Cup year, which should have given the business a sporty buzz JD Sports cuts £50m from profit forecast as cost of living pressures hit trainer sales It was a slower quarter for “high-heat footwear product”, said JD Sports. It didn’t mean it was struggling to shift sandals during a heatwave. Rather, it was referring coyly to the big global trainer brands’ failure to come up with hot new designs. When Nike and Adidas, reckoned by City analysts to account for slightly more than half JD’s sales, are on tepid form, the self-styled “king of trainers” retailer usually is as well. The low-heat grumble will be familiar to JD’s shareholders. So, too, the one about “incremental cost of living pressures”, especially in the US. And the phrase “a promotional market” has appeared so often in the company’s updates in the past couple of years that it would be easier to tell us when discounting isn’t dominant...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 5:14:31 PM
sports

Liverpool see £50m bid for Yankuba Minteh rejected by Brighton

Minteh targeted as replacement for Mohamed Salah Winger sidelined after recovering from leg surgery Liverpool have had a £50m bid for Yankuba Minteh rejected by Brighton. The club are looking to add two wide forwards to Andoni Iraola’s squad before the transfer deadline, with their pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola continuing. Liverpool’s shortlist of targets also includes Minteh but Brighton, who have lost Danny Welbeck to Chelsea and have Kaoru Mitoma out injured, have rebuffed the approach for the 22-year-old winger...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 4:59:12 PM
sports

Australian rider says she was nearly hit by car at Tour of Britain Women

Maeve Plouffe says incident on Wednesday was ‘scary’ Josh Tarling to ride in Vuelta in memory of brother Fin The Australian rider Maeve Plouffe says she was nearly hit by a non-race car during the opening stage of the Tour of Britain Women. With cycling still coming to terms with the death at the Volta a Portugal of the 19-year-old British rider Finlay Tarling, who was last week killed in a collision with a vehicle that had entered the course, Plouffe said the incident occurred as she was chasing the peloton after a puncture on Wednesday...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 4:47:04 PM
sports

‘Enzo is a Chelsea player,’ says Alonso but doesn’t guarantee Fernández’s future

Midfielder linked with £120m move to Manchester City Chelsea still interested in Bournemouth’s Alex Scott Xabi Alonso has refused to offer any guarantee that Chelsea will hold firm if Manchester City try to sign Enzo Fernández. Fernández’s future remains up in the air and the prospect of him leaving Stamford Bridge has not gone away, even though Chelsea’s unofficial deadline for clubs to make written bids of £120m for the 25-year-old Argentina midfielder has already passed. City, who are also tracking Roma’s Manu Koné, have targeted Fernández as part of their midfield rebuild following Rodri’s move to Barcelona and are weighing up whether to make a move before the transfer window shuts...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 3:50:12 PM
sports

Maracanã to host opening game and final at next year’s Women’s World Cup

Stadium has hosted two men’s World Cup finals Arena Itaquera in São Paulo will host 10 matches The Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro will host the opening game and the final of next year’s Women’s World Cup. The 78,838-capacity stadium, which hosted the finals of the 1950 and 2014 men’s World Cups as well as the finals of the Olympic football competitions in 2016, will be the venue for Brazil’s Group A match on 24 June and the final on 25 July. Fifa released the schedule on Thursday for all 64 matches for the tournament, which features 32 teams. The draw will take place this year after more of the qualification playoffs have been contested...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 3:25:54 PM
world

Spain expands Ceuta migrant shelters to ease crisis

The Spanish government announced on Thursday the creation of shelters for 1,800 migrants in Ceuta in a bid to relieve the humanitarian crisis there following last month's influx from Morocco. Some 72,000 migrants breached the border in an unprecedented and deadly rush into the north African territory on July 30-31, with 70,000 having since returned to Morocco, according to Spanish government figures. FRANCE 24's Sarah Morris reports from Madrid, Spain.

France 24 • 8/20/2026, 3:18:09 PM
technology

UK cinemas look at banning Meta smart glasses over piracy fears

Trade body says local chains would have to balance concerns with potential benefits of AI-enabled technology Cinemas across the UK are considering banning customers from wearing Meta’s smart glasses amid fears they could be used to pirate films. The UK Cinema Association (UKCA) trade body said that a number of local chains could end up introducing policies that restrict camera-enabled smart glasses at the big screen, adding to a growing list of venues concerned about covert use...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 2:57:25 PM
sports

Robot building and Essien: Yirenkyi’s circuitous path to Premier League

Coventry’s £26m record signing from Nordsjælland, a Right to Dream academy alumnus, can make a top-flight splash It is mid-July in Kössen, an Austrian village on the edge of the Alps, close to the German border, at Nordsjælland’s pre-season camp. The Danish Superliga club’s coaching staff, including Michael Essien, are preparing for the new campaign, the stunning scenery par for the course. Every training session is recorded by a drone. The operator with the joystick in his hands? Well, that would be Caleb Yirenkyi, the Ghana midfielder who returned a week early from his post-World Cup break. He requested to join his teammates in the drills, but after physios told the 20-year-old he required more rest Yirenkyi did the next best thing. It is a story that speaks volumes of his modest character and, a month on, he is poised to make his Premier League debut at Arsenal on Friday after Coventry made him their £26m record signing...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 2:29:33 PM
culture

‘I need to think like a CEO’: Weezer on the shifting sands of success, ugly feelings and the joy of spreadsheets

As the self-professed geeky rockers release their conceptual 20th album, Rivers Cuomo and Patrick Wilson discuss dodging failure, being saved by fans and their obsessive creativity The first song Rivers Cuomo wrote for Weezer’s new album, their 20th, blatantly mimics the US rockers’ 1994 debut single, Undone (The Sweater Song). On the track CEO, the singer-guitarist grumbles over a slow, Velvets-y backing about having to crank out “another 90s jam” and wishing he could do “something new – but nobody wants to hear that”. It’s a deliciously meta moment, but also one that allows Cuomo to gently vent “my frustrations over people wanting me to just write songs about our first two albums”. Cuomo wrote the song straight after SZNZ, the four-album song-cycle Weezer released throughout 2022, each album named after a season. That project fed his notoriously intense, analytic and occasionally obsessive approach to songwriting. Thanks to the kind of data artists have at their fingertips in the streaming age, though, he realised that, with each subsequent SZNZ, “fewer and fewer people were listening to them”...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 2:16:19 PM
business

Lewes rail line to reopen in September as work under way to remove train

Derailed carriages lifted using two cranes as workers operate under ‘very challenging circumstances’ Business live – latest updates The East Sussex railway line on which a train derailed will reopen in September as crews continue to remove the carriages that left the track. Rail bosses said they were prioritising reopening the route before the end of the school holidays, despite recovery workers operating under “very challenging circumstances”...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 2:13:34 PM
climate

Lobsters and acidic seas: can shellfish help neutralise one of the greatest threats to the ocean?

Crustaceans are the subject of tests to see if alkalis added to seawater, so it absorbs more CO2, harm marine life. But Trump’s halt to funding threatens to scupper the research For many in the US region of New England, the lobster roll is synonymous with summertime. Loaded into a toasted bun, chunks of the sweet meat are served hot and soaked in butter, or chilled and slathered in mayonnaise with celery and herbs. The only thing more debated than the recipe is the price: the once-humble roll now routinely fetches $30 (£22), or even $50, in a sign of the changing times – and seas. Scott Lord brings in his catch of lobster to the wharf in Tenants Harbor, Maine..

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 2:00:52 PM
world

Ceuta: FRANCE 24 brings you up-to-speed

🇪🇸 🌍 🔎 In Ceuta, the fate of migrants who crossed into the Spanish enclave at the end of July remains murky, but the trauma of the precarious journey remains. Most of the migrants who remain are forced to sleep in dangerous conditions, many among them unaccompanied minors. Meanwhile, the families of those who attempted the crossing have little to no news of what happened to their loved ones. FRANCE 24’s Hamza Hahboub, back from the enclave, brings you up-to-speed on the situation.

France 24 • 8/20/2026, 1:31:40 PM
power

ICC slams US decision to sanction the court's president and a senior prosecution lawyer

The International Criminal Court on Wednesday slammed the latest US sanctions targeting senior ICC staff, including its president, as a “flagrant attack” on the global tribunal's independence and vowed to continue seeking justice for atrocities around the world. The State Department announced Tuesday that it had hit ICC president Tomoko Akane, a Japanese national, and ICC senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, who is from Senegal, with sanctions that freeze any assets they have in US jurisdictions or come into contact with the U.S. financial system.

France 24 • 8/20/2026, 1:30:15 PM
world

Huge questions loom over Prince Harry and Meghan's shock return to UK

Dozens of questions swirled Thursday as Prince Harry prepares to move back to the UK with his wife and children, six years after his departure sparked a bitter rift with the royal family. In a surprise move, Harry and Meghan "plan to leave the United States by the end of the month to settle in a private, non-royal residence, which is said to be located outside London", The Daily Telegraph reported late on Wednesday. FRANCE 24's Delano D'Souza tells us more.

France 24 • 8/20/2026, 1:24:23 PM
technology

Their cities dropped Flock surveillance cameras. They’re still being watched

Despite policy victories over Flock, Americans are finding themselves under similar monitoring by a new company – or unable to remove the original cameras Activists in Colorado thought they would be celebrating a victory against mass surveillance in December when the Longmont city council decided to let a contract with Flock Safety lapse. But that excitement was cut short only months later when lawmakers voted to approve a new vendor to install automated license plate readers (ALPRs) on the city’s streets...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 1:00:53 PM
sports

‘Why would you want to retire me?’: Novak Djokovic is still driven by doubt

A revealing Prime Video documentary out Thursday explores the stubbornness, childhood scars and siege mentality still driving Novak Djokovic at 39 The moment comes roughly 20 minutes into the thoughtfully done Prime Video documentary, Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter, where Djokovic, winner of 24 grand slam titles and owner of the most-ever total weeks atop the ATP rankings (428), gets to the core of what has driven him to tennis royalty. Djokovic can rightfully claim the title of the greatest male tennis player who has ever lived (“It is as clear as it gets – he is the best of all time,” Andre Agassi says in the doc) but how tennis fans feel about him has always been more complex than the universal love adorned on contemporaries Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 1:00:52 PM
business

Travelodge boss quits amid fallout over hotel chain’s security failings

Joanna Boydell steps down after widespread criticism over company’s handling of guest safety issues Business live – latest updates The boss of Travelodge has resigned after a backlash over security failings at the hotel chain, including a case where a domestic abuser was given a key to a woman’s room before assaulting her. In a company statement on Thursday, Travelodge said Joanna Boydell had stepped down and been temporarily replaced by its finance chief, Ray Reidy. The company has launched a formal search for a permanent substitute...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 12:47:18 PM
sports

PSG’s Ligue 1 home opener moved to Rennes after pitch damaged by heat

Sunday’s match against Rennes moved at short notice Parc des Princes surface poses risk to ‘safety of players’ Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 opener against Rennes has been relocated at short notice, because of damage to their pitch following extreme heat this summer. Sunday’s match will now take place at Rennes’ Roazhon Park ground, the LFP (Ligue de Football Professionel) competitions committee announced late on Wednesday...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 12:41:01 PM
business

Boohoo fined €2.3m by French watchdog over deceptive discounts

Fashion site also broke rules on labelling by using terms ‘leather’ or ‘suede’ for synthetic products The British online fashion seller Boohoo has been fined €2.3m (£2m) by France’s consumer watchdog ⁠for deceptive ⁠practices ​such as offering fake discounts. The Manchester-based firm, whose parent company renamed itself Debenhams Group last year, was found to have exaggerated the discounts it was offering, giving shoppers a false impression ⁠of the savings they were making, ​according to the directorate-general for competition, ‌consumer affairs and ‌fraud control...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 12:40:04 PM
culture

There is nothing scientific about The Great ADHD Myth? ‘documentary’ | Gina Rippon

Channel 4’s programme wastes a chance to ask important questions about how ADHD is diagnosed and treated, instead indulging in unscientific methods and conspiracy theories Prof Gina Rippon is emeritus professor of cognitive neuroimaging at the Aston Brain Centre, Aston University When Channel 4 announced that it would air a documentary titled The Great ADHD Myth?, an outpouring of fury followed. Despite this, I set out to approach it as a scientist – not just as a scientist whose own work has dealt with developmental disorders, but as someone who has enormous respect for the scientific process and for the importance of evidence-led debate. Channel 4’s press release claimed the documentary sought to determine whether attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was a “genuine neurodevelopmental disorder, or a social construct”. At one level this is a brave enterprise. ADHD is recognised worldwide as a disorder, by the World Health Organization and our own NHS among others. Estimates suggest ADHD affects roughly 8% of children and adolescents and about 3% of adults worldwide. To overturn this consensus would require robust, reproducible findings capable of explaining away decades of genetic, developmental and clinical research. The press release described the documentary as “science-led”, which hinted at just such an enterprise. Was it really science-led? Prof Gina Rippon is emeritus professor of cognitive neuroimaging at the Aston Brain Centre, Aston University, and the author of the books The Gendered Brain and The Lost Girls of Autism Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please..

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 12:18:28 PM
culture

Hazy sunshine, factor-50 smiles and Cliff Richard at the wheel: the 20 best summer holiday movies – ranked!

From feelgood romances to heated interactions, here are the films that best capture the seasonal moment Let’s begin at the end. 2 September 1962: the final night of the summer vacation; one last big blowout before adult life intervenes. George Lucas’s rambunctious salute to footloose youth paints vivid vignettes of Modesto, California, rocking around the clock with its loose-knit gaggle of characters. But this has one eye on the meter and knows that time is running short...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 12:05:39 PM
sports

England v Pakistan: first Test, day two start delayed by rain – live

Updates from Headingley; play starts 11am BST Day one report | Sign up for the Spin | Mail Jim In fact, that’s quite a decent, if soggy, rabbit hole to head down for an OBO discussion. The Butterfly Effect of rain delays. Which games and whose careers might have looked significantly different if the wet stuff hadn’t fallen at a particular time or other? I’ll wrack my brains, right now I’m just thinking of Tim Henman v Goran Ivanišević in the 2001 Wimbledon Semi Final:..

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 11:52:36 AM
sports

‘He must resign’: Fans’ petition calls for Infantino to quit as Fifa president

Fans say Infantino has ‘lost the right to lead’ Statement also calls for Fifa to be reformed Fans’ groups worldwide have launched a petition calling for the resignation of Gianni Infantino as Fifa president and for wholesale reform of the organisation. Infantino is under mounting pressure after being forced to abandon plans to seek private investment to run Fifa tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 11:13:15 AM
culture

Making Love with David Magidoff review – instant improv musical based on Fran Healy’s teenage infidelity

Assembly George Square, Edinburgh The US comic’s troupe tell the tale of a special guest’s romantic encounter, in this case Travis’s frontman – but their incoherence makes for a scatty if fun show It’s a lovely format for improv: a special guest tells David Magidoff the story of some romantic (mis)adventure from their past, and Magidoff and pals turn it into an extemporised musical. Shades of Improbable theatre’s tender and funny Lifegame, many moons ago – although Making Love is more knockabout than that. Between musicians and improvisers, US actor and comedian Magidoff assembles no fewer than nine bodies on stage. It’s a lot, populating the stage with a surfeit of comic ideas, occasionally at the expense of the affaire du coeur that Travis frontman Fran Healy has offered up as raw material. Magidoff is a Travis fanboy; he has Healy sing two songs, and gets starry-eyed about it, before the show proper begins. In conversation, the genial Healy then volunteers a droll story of teenage infidelity, a drunken tryst with a girl from another part of Glasgow, which he wrongly thinks will insulate him from discovery. The improvisers, led by Magidoff, then take over, goofing into being several scenes in which young Fran and his pal cop off with two Protestant schoolgirls, then must face the music when their misdemeanour is exposed. At Assembly George Square, Edinburgh, until 23 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 11:07:07 AM
culture

‘I painted myself blue – but got skin problems’: how four Edinburgh stars created their weird characters

From a cake-baking Elton John to possibly the most horrible man in the world, comedians reveal how they get in character – and how far they can push things In the Covid lockdowns, I was drawing all these silly things, and one day I drew Elton John as a scone. It brought me lots of joy. I love Elton John and everything he’s about – his music and his outfits – and my first job as a musician was in a bar in Soho, where I used to play his back catalogue. I turned the drawing into a very silly character, just for my enjoyment...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 11:00:51 AM
business

Has Trump no shame about all the money he has made since being in office? | Francine Prose

By now we know that charity, generosity and compassion are virtues that the US president doesn’t seem to have even in trace amounts Many years ago, in the crowded corridor of a Manhattan hotel, I was surprised to find myself standing face-to-face with Imelda Marcos, then the first lady of the Philippines. At that time, she was said to possess 3,000 pairs of shoes. I desperately longed to ask the wife of the dictatorial president Ferdinand Marcos why anyone could need all those shoes. And more importantly, why would someone spend so much of her country’s wealth on stiletto heels when so many citizens were so desperately poor? But natural reticence, good manners or simply fear prevailed, and I walked away...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 11:00:51 AM
sports

Frank Lampard urges Coventry to play without fear in Premier League

Promoted club have targeted players 6ft and above ‘Physicality is a big part of what you need to compete’ Frank Lampard has urged his Coventry players to impose themselves on the Premier League, calling on his side to ensure they have no regrets after Friday’s curtain-raiser against Arsenal. Coventry play their first top-flight game in 25 years at the home of the champions, four months after celebrating the Championship title. Lampard, who last managed in the Premier League with Chelsea three years ago, acknowledges there is a step up in class to navigate, but wants his players to embrace the challenge in front of them...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 10:44:59 AM
culture

It Ends review – gripping micro-budget horror ranks among the year’s best

Led by a stellar cast of gen-Z newcomers, Alex Ullom’s directorial debut is an expertly crafted nightmare about a road trip gone wrong Time loops often feel like the movies’ favorite zany stylistic trick: Bill Murray plotting to win Andie MacDowell’s heart, a college student solving the mystery of her own grizzly murder, or as a ruse for Anne Hathaway to face off with a T rex. The excellent new indie horror film It Ends takes a different approach with its nightmarish depiction of a carful of friends stuck in an endlessly repeating day. It’s less of the moony japes of Groundhog Day or Palm Springs than an arthouse spin on the Prometheus myth, with the unfortunate souls of the film cursed not with death but with the torture of eternal life. After helping their friend move into a new apartment, a crew of aimless twentysomethings take a late-night drive to get food, but after GPS leads them deeper and deeper into a desolate forest, it’s clear that they have lost their way. When they pull over, they are set upon by a group of people that look eerily similar to them – young people who are dressed like they stepped out to the corner store and couldn’t find their way back. “They look scared,” one character says with a pained expression. “Why are they scared?”..

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 10:00:49 AM
business

We are finally witnessing the decline of corporate Democrats | Robert Reich

Americans are backing progressives not because they want socialism, but because they want candidates who will fight for the working class Most discussions about the Democratic party in this election cycle focus on the remarkable rise of progressive Democrats, such as the Florida state representative Angie Nixon, a democratic socialist who scored an upset win in the Democratic US Senate primary on Tuesday. But an equally big story is the remarkable decline of corporate Democrats...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 10:00:49 AM
technology

Frustrated GP patients hang up as Yorkshire accent baffles AI receptionist

‘Emma’ the Rotherham chatbot has 17 languages says AI firm – but health watchdog says system struggling with local ‘twangs’ Patients in a South Yorkshire town are frustrated by an AI GP receptionist not understanding their “broad accents”, a health watchdog has said. Healthwatch Rotherham, a local health and social care watchdog, said a number of practices in the area had introduced a new AI receptionist called Emma...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 9:25:57 AM
world

Australia 'outraged' over Israel decision to close probe into aid worker killings

Australia's top diplomat Penny Wong on Thursday said relations with Israel were "difficult" after it dropped a probe into the killing of aid worker Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom and her colleagues in Gaza. Australian national Frankcom was among a group of seven World Central Kitchen staff killed in April 2024 when their aid convoy was hit by an Israeli air strike. Their deaths triggered global outrage and a renewed push to ensure the safety of aid workers in Gaza.

France 24 • 8/20/2026, 9:19:30 AM
business

Sales of trainers dive as cost of living pressures hit JD Sports performance

Inflation deterring shoppers from spending, especially in the US, says sportswear fashion chain Sports fashion retailer JD has slashed its profit forecasts as cost-of-living pressures, fuelled by the US war on Iran, weighed on sales of trainers. JD Sports, which sells a range of sports brands including Nike and Adidas, said widespread inflation had hit shoppers’ wallets, resulting in falling sales across important markets such as the US, where it struggled to quickly shift trainers and other footwear...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 9:03:50 AM
climate

Without action wildfires in Europe will increase 39% even in best-case climate scenario, study finds

Improvements in fire management however could mitigate increases by more than 70%, study shows Wildfires are projected to burn 39% more of Europe by the end of the century even in the best-case scenario for stopping the planet from heating, a study has found, unless action is taken to manage them better. The increase in hot, dry and windy weather that leads to small fires turning into raging infernos is to engulf more of Europe as carbon pollution pushes temperatures higher. In the worst-case scenario the researchers modelled, which would see global heating reach 3.6C above preindustrial levels, the burnt area would almost triple...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 9:01:47 AM
culture

‘It was a damn unicorn’: the pioneering, divisive power of Paul Simon’s Graceland at 40

On its anniversary, the author of a new book about the album explains the complex legacy and masterful musicianship of the 1986 classic It was the summer of 1984 and things weren’t going well for Paul Simon. The year prior, a blockbuster Simon and Garfunkel tour ended in bickering. Meanwhile, even though the 1980 single Late in the Evening reached the US Top 10, Simon’s last two albums had not sold very well, and his marriage to Carrie Fisher was starting to unravel. In the midst of all that the 43-year-old folk icon was steadily working on building a beach home out on the far end of Long Island. Many of Simon’s pilgrimages from Manhattan out to Montauk were soundtracked by a bootleg tape of accordion-heavy mbaqanga, a South African music style with jazz rhythms and bright guitar chords, he had received from a friend. It was on those drives that the seeds of Graceland, the crown jewel of Simon’s discography, were planted. “Many of us, in that day and age, found a moment of self-reflection – of being able to go deep inside ourselves – when we were in the car on these road trips,” said Ashley Kahn, whose new book, Days of Miracle and Wonder, follows the gestation process of Graceland. “If it wasn’t the radio, it was cassettes.”..

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 9:00:48 AM
world

Whales spark joy in New York but face threats from boat traffic

Eager cruise passengers zipping around New York's southern shores rush to the starboard bow: a humpback whale is up for air, a breathtaking sighting set against Manhattan's iconic skyline. Such scenes are no longer uncommon in the city's waterways, sparking excitement for animal lovers but also forcing new policy efforts to protect whales venturing into one of the busiest port regions in the United States.

France 24 • 8/20/2026, 8:58:19 AM
world

Migrant women tell of sexual harassment in Spain's crisis-hit Ceuta

Some women who entered Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta on July 30 as part of a mass migrant crossing say the hardships of ​sleeping rough as they wait to be registered are compounded by the threat and fear of sexual harassment. Authorities say that between 5,000 and 8,000 people remain in the enclave, more than two weeks after 72,000 people crossed from Morocco ⁠in a deadly border surge.

France 24 • 8/20/2026, 8:54:23 AM
sports

Women’s Super League finances: club-by-club breakdown and verdict

Detailed accounts highlight the growing financial might of the elite, and the challenges the rest of the division face The financial figures for 2024-25, the most recent season available, for the eight Women’s Super League clubs who published detailed accounts illustrate a growing gulf between the rich and the poor. The Guardian breaks down the key numbers. Note, any figures exceeding £1m have been rounded to the nearest £10,000...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 7:00:46 AM
sports

Frugal or foolish? Manchester United may regret not backing Carrick

Another left-back has been a priority all summer, but there seems to be no sign of one coming to Old Trafford After signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka in 2019, Manchester United’s PR machine boasted they had scouted 804 right-backs before landing on the Crystal Palace player. At the time it felt like an unnecessary brag, designed to convince fans and journalists the club were doing their due diligence when it came to scouting and data. Now, as the search for a left-back to challenge Luke Shaw drags on with less than two weeks of the summer transfer window remaining, there seems to be a lack of credible targets...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 7:00:46 AM
climate

Relax, everyone: Elon Musk has a mantra to make the climate crisis go away | Emma Brockes

It’s simple, says the SpaceX boss – according to something called the ‘Kardashev scale’, we just have to move energy production ‘off-planet’ Next time the weather gives the UK 61 days without rain and we wonder idly if this is the end, there is a term we may whistle up to soothe us. Like murmuring the rosary, or putting our fingers in our ears and humming, this phrase is to be mumbled on repeat – “the Kardashev scale, the Kardashev scale” – a buzzy concept in tech, much favoured by Elon Musk, and precisely the thing we’ve been waiting for. The Kardashev scale is the answer both to our impending doom and our anxiety around it – and if we decide to believe in it, we won’t have to give the climate crisis a single thought until the last drip falls from the tap. This is the idea and it’s a familiar one to anyone who has watched tech billionaires take intractable, commonplace crises and decide that, among the measures and proposals in play, the vital missing ingredient so far has been them. Do you remember when Jeff Bezos, rather than doing something quotidian and loserish like funding public education by ensuring Amazon pays the same tax rate as regular Americans, decided instead to reinvent preschools? Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist..

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 7:00:45 AM
world

Investigation into killing of Hind Rajab and Gaza paramedics comes ‘extremely late’

The investigation into the killing of Hind Rajab and paramedics in Gaza launched by the Israeli army came as a “surprise” in the country, “because so much time has passed” since the events took place, FRANCE 24 correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky said. “The timing is extremely late.” But Tarnopolsky said “the fact that these two very renown cases are being referred to criminal investigation is already an admission on the part of the Israeli army that something here went deeply wrong.”

France 24 • 8/20/2026, 6:06:07 AM
power

Israeli army admits firing on car in death of 5-year-old Hind Rajab

The Israeli military on Wednesday admitted its troops fired on a car carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza in 2024, saying it had ordered a criminal investigation into the killing which drew international outrage. The military also published reviews into four other high-profile incidents in Gaza, saying it was launching a criminal probe into the 2025 killing of 15 Palestinian medics and humanitarian personnel. FRANCE 24's Emerald Maxwell brings us more with this report.

France 24 • 8/20/2026, 5:56:47 AM
sports

Instant classics, odd inspirations and barcodes: 2026-27’s best and worst kits

A look at six of the best and worst of the new season’s strips gives us Pro Evo chic, throwbacks done right, and how – and how not – to use stripes The Premier League season kicks off on Friday and league debutants such as Christos Tzolis and Victor Muñoz, along with masses of fans, will be pulling on their teams’ shiny new strips. There were some lovely efforts at the World Cup (not least by the co-hosts the USA), and others more tedious than a 0-0 draw. It’s a mixed bag once again. Manchester City have gone with an ombre design, which feels – apposite for a gradient fading of colour – exhausted as a look in 2026. In the most surprising but successful collaboration since Olivia Rodrigo and Robert Smith,Sunderland have teamed up with Elvis Presley, or his estate, anyway, for a pink away shirt that nods to the supporters’ longstanding unofficial anthem Can’t Help Falling in Love...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 5:00:44 AM
culture

Weatherwatch: Climate crisis fuelling steep fall in migratory bird numbers

Many species under threat use the African-Eurasian flyway, one of the planet’s largest mass-migration systems It may still feel like summer, but in the world of birds, autumn migration is already well under way. Cuckoos and swifts have already left us, and while swallows and many species of warbler will not depart our shores until September, many species of Arctic-breeding waders have begun to stop off at our coastal marshes to refuel for their long journey south. This year, however, there could be fewer than usual. A review by the British Trust for Ornithology, working with other international conservation organisations, has found that more than half of these global travellers are suffering major declines in numbers – a worrying downward trend. Many of those under threat use the African-Eurasian flyway, one of the largest mass-migration systems on the planet...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 5:00:44 AM
climate

From bone-dry to soaked to the bone, welcome to the age of climate whiplash | Aditya Chakrabortty

This punishingly hot and dry summer will probably be followed by another wet winter. But it’s nothing compared with what Britain will endure in years to come This summer could be the hottest, driest and deadliest in English history. Successive heatwaves have so far claimed almost 3,000 lives. Nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales is in drought, while key reservoirs are parched. Across this brown and stickily unpleasant land, from Grimsby down to St Ives, hosepipe bans are in force, while music festivals are staged not on green fields but in giant dust bowls. Just how bad is it? I asked a leading climate scientist. Aditya Chakrabortty is a Guardian columnist..

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 5:00:43 AM
business

Oxfam ‘can’t guarantee future’ of charity shops as it also reviews warehouse business

Dwindling donations and stiff competition from secondhand sellers online prompt review but ‘no plans for closures yet’ Oxfam is reviewing the operations of its three warehouses in Batley, Bicester and Milton Keynes and says it “cannot give guarantees” on the future of its high street shops in a “difficult economic climate”. The charity said it had no plans to close warehouses or shops but insiders fear that Batley, which houses Oxfam’s main textile recycling centre, will shut as part of a cost-cutting drive because the West Yorkshire site’s lease is up for renewal...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 5:00:43 AM
technology

It used to be our imperfect bodies that made us insecure. With AI, it’s our minds as well

For most of modern history, technology sought to imitate humans. Humans increasingly seek to imitate technology Two faces that appeared on my Instagram feed in recent months gave me pause. One belonged to John Travolta at Cannes. The other to Carla Bruni on a date night with her husband, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Both looked recognisably themselves, yet, they both also looked oddly unfamiliar. Their looks have provoked speculation about cosmetic enhancement, though never acknowledged by them. Bruni has previously denied having had work done. In any case the feeling lasted only a second: a flicker of unease, as though I were looking at people who had become approximations of themselves. Joseph de Weck is an associate fellow with the German Council on Foreign Relations and writes for Guardian Europe from Zürich and Paris..

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 4:00:42 AM
culture

Magicians and margarine: 10 of the funniest jokes from the Edinburgh fringe 2026

Every year, hundreds of standups from across the world descend on the venerable festival. Here are some of their finest one-liners 10 of the funniest jokes from the 2025 fringe Olaf Falafel: I remember thinking, as I taped a piranha to my boomerang, this could come back to bite me. Richard Stott: To the person who stole my bank card and spent all my money on ancestry.com – you know who you are...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 4:00:42 AM
culture

‘Are you ready for some filth?’ Julian Clary and more on comedy’s great smut explosion

Clary’s back with Fully Dilated, a burlesque star called Entendre Entendre is doing lewd singalongs and there’s an A-Z of very dirty words. Our writer investigates Edinburgh’s smut outbreak – and ends up getting his own fantasies turned into erotica On a street in Edinburgh, a woman I’ve only just met is quizzing me on my sexual fantasies. “Do you want softcore or hardcore? What positions do you prefer?” asks Cameryn Moore, a former phone sex operator turned playwright from the US, along with other, less printable, questions. Her business plan is simple: for £20, punters can tell Moore what turns them on. She will then bash out a piece of bespoke erotic fiction for them on her typewriter. “I listen to their content then spit it out on paper – no punctuation, very stream of consciousness,” she says. “I also offer to read it out loud to them – and they walk away grinning from ear to ear because nobody’s ever asked them what they like when it comes to sex. So that’s what I do every day at the fringe: sit down for four or five hours a day and crank out dirty shit.” She calls the service Sidewalk Smut...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 4:00:41 AM
world

‘Like a miracle’: 84-year-old woman pulled alive from rubble three days after Indonesian quake

A landslide triggered by the quake had blocked access to the village where Paulina Pobi had lived, leaving her buried under the collapsed remains An 84-year-old woman has been discovered alive in the flattened remains of her home three days after a powerful earthquake hit eastern Indonesia, authorities have confirmed. The 7.7-magnitude quake struck off Indonesia’s Flores island on Saturday morning, killing at least 73 people, injuring more than 900 people and displacing nearly 60,000 others...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 12:57:42 AM
technology

UC Berkeley professor admits to using AI to edit op-ed on students’ math skills

Zvezdelina Stankova says she used AI to ‘help edit’ an article about some of her students being ‘five to eight years’ behind A math professor at the University of California, Berkeley, criticizing a “severe” math deficiency among students in an op-ed for the San Francisco Standard, admitted to using artificial intelligence to help edit the piece. The Standard published a 2,000-word piece by Zvezdelina Stankova last week, in which the professor said some of her math students were “five to eight years” behind and lacked a “middle school” education on fractions and basic algebra. Stankova said the UC system’s test-blind admissions were to blame, suggesting that students who weren’t sufficiently prepared for the rigor of Berkeley’s mathematics program were admitted because a longstanding benchmark like the SAT had disappeared...

The Guardian • 8/20/2026, 12:35:11 AM
climate

California becomes first US state to set efficiency rules for replacement tires

Regulations that would block sale of older tires praised by environmental groups amid rightwing backlash California has become the first state in the nation to mandate that replacement tires be energy efficient, a major auto industry regulation set to block the sale of older tires and make vehicles on the road greener. State regulators have said the new rules will reduce emissions and drivers’ fuel costs. But the rules – which come as the Trump administrations fights to block other California restrictions to promote greener cars – have already sparked a rightwing backlash, with one conservative news outlet calling the policies a “massive overreach”...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 11:48:06 PM
sports

‘Really exceptional’: O’Neill hails Durán as Celtic surge towards Champions League

A stunning double from the summer signing Camilo Durán helped Celtic open up a commanding lead against Lask in their Champions League playoff. Benjamin Nygren also produced a superb finish to send Martin O’Neill’s side on their way to a 3-0 first-leg win over their Austrian opponents in Glasgow. The visitors had two goals disallowed for offside and created chances throughout in an open encounter but Celtic were clinical as they continued their strong start to the season. Nygren has been at the heart of it with four goals and four assists in as many games and he opened the scoring in the 26th minute. The Swede readjusted his body to volley into the top corner from 20 yards after a weak clearance from Kieran Tierney’s cross...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 10:24:52 PM
sports

Teenage ace Rafael Jódar endures defeat by Cobolli but his star is rising

Spaniard loses narrowly in fourth round of the Cincinnati Open yet the buzz around him will only get louder As Rafael Jódar slowly trudged from the court, he could only bring himself to wave at his adoring crowd for no more than a millisecond. The 19-year-old was appropriately devastated after he had come within two points of victory on numerous occasions before losing 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open to an excellent Flavio Cobolli. No matter, Jódar departs Ohio having further solidified himself as the subject of so much conversation on the ATP Tour. This has been a turbulent and unpredictable year in men’s tennis, largely thanks to Carlos Alcaraz’s extended injury layoff. The one certainty through it all has been the imperious rise of Jódar. After a short period competing at the University of Virginia, Jódar started to play regularly on the tour only in May last year. In August 2025, he was ranked No 540. He began the 2026 season at No 165...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 9:33:39 PM
health

Fewer anti-Asian hate crimes in US, but immigration crackdowns raise concerns

Almost five years after the pandemic-era surge in anti-Asian hate in the US, new Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) data shows a downward trend nationally. But advocates say concerns persist amid immigration crackdowns and heightened US-China geopolitical tension. A survey from Stop AAPI Hate, a self-reporting platform formed during the pandemic, paints an even more worrying picture, with almost half of individuals indicating they have been targeted but many decline to report it to...

South China Morning Post • 8/19/2026, 9:32:37 PM
sports

‘Believe your eyes’: Masters says Premier League’s integrity cannot be doubted

CEO says English football is ‘everything that it should be’ Concern over perception following World Cup scandal Richard Masters has sought to reassure fans that the Premier League remains “everything that it should be” after the Folarin Balogun red-card scandal called the integrity of disciplinary decisions into question. Both Masters, the chief executive of the Premier League, and Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer for English football, were critical of the process that led to Fifa’s ­disciplinary committee suspending the USA striker’s one-game ban for a year after an intervention by the US president, Donald Trump. Masters went further, calling for a candidate with “a different offer” to run against Gianni Infantino for Fifa president next year...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 9:08:21 PM
health

Love You to Death review – is this all they asked the woman who faked her son’s illnesses?

Lisa Hayden-Johnson was convicted of child cruelty, but she still insists that she didn’t do anything wrong – and barely gets a grilling about it. Her children, who speak for the first time in this documentary, deserve much more There’s an increasingly common pattern emerging whereby documentary makers take a story that was run through the Outrage-A-Tron by the tabloids to produce headlines that warped public understanding (“Britain’s Worst/Most Evil/Most Deadly” and so on), then proceed to put back some of the lost nuance and present the more complicated original picture. Lucy Letby (“Britain’s Worst Child Killer”) has been the subject of at least two such films redressing the lost balance. Last week, the story of Rhianan Rudd (“Britain’s Youngest Terrorist”) was unpacked and its many sadder parts laid out for inspection in The Schoolgirl Terrorist? In Love You to Death, it is the turn of Lisa Hayden-Johnson, who became known as “Britain’s Most Evil Mum” during her trial and conviction for child cruelty after years spent fabricating her son Matthew’s apparent illnesses. He was put through more than 300 medical encounters, nine general anaesthetics, four operations by the age of nine, and endured many unnecessary constraints on his life, including using a wheelchair, feeding tube and oxygen tank, until Lisa was arrested when he was nine...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 9:00:33 PM
sports

Manchester City target Roma’s Manu Koné as Spurs talk over Savinho and Marmoush deal

France World Cup midfielder could cost £50m Tottenham discussing £150m double deal for forward pair Manchester City have identified Roma’s Manu Koné as a potential target to strengthen further Enzo Maresca’s options in midfield. While City have already bought Elliot Anderson for £116m and are closing in on the £85m signing of Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi, Maresca admires Koné for his dynamic mode of play. He would be expected to cost about £50m...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 8:56:13 PM
world

Five Americans among seven killed in safari helicopter crash in Kenya

Officials say all seven people onboard killed, including Telemundo executive and Ecuador intelligence chief Seven people, including five Americans, were killed when a safari helicopter crashed on Wednesday morning in a remote part of northern Kenya, according to local police and the state department. Among the dead were an executive with Telemundo, the US-based Spanish-language network owned by NBC Universal, and the director of Ecuador’s national intelligence service...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 8:17:39 PM
sports

Fifth Fifa vice-president turns against Infantino, saying he has ‘lost confidence’ in him

Hungary’s Sandor Csanyi highly critical of Fifa president He cites dismissal of COO Kevin Lamour as ‘final straw’ Gianni Infantino has lost the support of another one of Fifa’s vice-presidents, with the Hungarian football federation chief, Sandor Csanyi, criticising the president’s “professional judgment, ethical standards and leadership”. In an explosive letter sent to Infantino on Tuesday, which was first obtained by the news agency Agence France-Presse, Csanyi states that he has “lost the confidence I previously placed in you” and describes the “unexpected dismissal” of Fifa’s chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, as the “final straw”...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 7:04:48 PM
sports

Tongue and Robinson’s high fives put England in control against Pakistan

First Test day one: Pakistan 171; England 112-2 Root (37 ) and Cox (23 ) add 64 to leave deficit of 59 For all that Joe Root was playing his 167th Test match for England, and had led the side on 65 previous occasions, there will surely have been a few butterflies as he pulled on the blazer and walked out for the toss on his home ground. Root was resuming what he once described as an “unhealthy relationship” with the captaincy, while a supposedly one-off return to the job earlier this summer ended in a crushing defeat to New Zealand. Aged 35, England’s premier batter could easily have said a polite “no thank you” when the vacancy came around again...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 6:58:53 PM
power

What has Burnham promised since he became PM, and when will it happen?

From cutting household bills to moving power out of Westminster, how will the measures announced unfold? Since becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham has floated a number of policies, ideas and ambitions for his government, from shifting power out of Westminster, bringing services like transport under public control and addressing the rising cost of living. But many of his promises are not actually firm commitments, so what has he pledged, how much will it cost and when should the public expect to see change?..

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 6:30:05 PM
health

The Guardian view on the Ebola outbreak in the DRC: a case study in why international aid matters | Editorial

The Trump administration’s ‘America first’ approach has contributed to the scale of the crisis now unfolding in one of the world’s poorest countries For months health experts have warned that the scale of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could surpass the one that swept west Africa in 2014-16. This week, the authorities in the DRC announced that a grim milestone has already been passed: at least 2,325 people have died from the virus, making it the deadliest of the country’s 17 outbreaks and the fastest-growing in history. There is no effective vaccine against Bundibugyo – a rare strain of the virus that spread fatally undetected during the spring, often being misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid. In contrast to neighbouring Uganda, which succeeded in eliminating an outbreak, multiple factors are combining to let the disease rip through the DRC. The worst-affected region is contested by armed groups, and a context of population displacement and chronic insecurity has made monitoring and surveillance more difficult. Ebola treatment centres have been attacked as a result of misinformation and community distrust...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 5:59:29 PM
business

The Guardian view on the Grenfell Tower fire: Britain is letting companies pass the buck | Editorial

Victims received less compensation than shareholders in the company behind its flammable cladding. Parliament must make corporations pay for harm caused There is something profoundly wrong when the company behind Grenfell Tower’s flammable cladding paid more compensation to its shareholders than to victims of the disaster. Of Arconic’s £86m in Grenfell-related settlements, all but £1.5m was covered by insurers. Hardly enough to make a multinational think again. The company whose product the inquiry found was the “primary cause” of the fire’s rapid spread has ended up paying only a fraction of the wider social cost, while the multibillion-pound bill for making hundreds of buildings safe falls largely on the state. In June 2017, 72 people – including 18 children – died in London’s Grenfell Tower fire. Almost a decade later, nobody has been criminally charged over its causes. It’s hard to conclude anything but that Britain’s system of corporate accountability is rotten. A new report by the thinktank Common Wealth and the financial investigations group FIND suggests putting right this state of affairs in England and Wales by adopting two changes that parliament could enact quickly. The first is a “failure to prevent” law that would make companies responsible for having adequate systems to prevent foreseeable serious harm. The second is to adopt a “punitive damages” approach. Rather than compensating victims for their loss, punitive damages ask what a company should pay for its conduct. Such an award against Arconic could have been used to meet the costs of remediation, the report says, “at no public cost”...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 5:58:57 PM
power

Kim Jong-un’s sister casts doubt on Trump’s claims of secret US-North Korea talks

President says he plans to meet dictator this year but Kim Yo-jong says Washington remains Pyongyang’s enemy Donald Trump has said he is planning to meet North Korea’s Kim Jong-un later this year even as the reclusive leader’s younger sister cast doubt on their communications and dampened hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough between the two leaders. Trump, who also claimed North Korea had 57 nuclear weapons, had suggested he and Kim were holding secret negotiations on Tuesday after announcing the US would downgrade its participation in military exercises held by South Korea, a US ally. Asked whether Kim had responded to his request for a conversation, Trump said: “Yeah, he has.”..

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 5:39:56 PM
power

All power to the UK competition watchdog’s war on ‘drip pricing’

Competition and Markets Authority on message with PM’s planned purge of hidden fees and add-on charges Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving School face investigation The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is on-message with Andy Burnham’s declaration of war on the small – and sometimes not-so-small – hassles and expenses of everyday consumer life created by companies’ underhand and misleading pricing tactics. Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving School found themselves under investigation on Wednesday for various forms of alleged “drip pricing” – not being upfront about mandatory add-on charges, in other words. The prime minister had nothing to do with the CMA’s pursuit, it should be said. The watchdog’s “consumer protection drive” pre-dates his arrival and was encouraged by legislation under the last Tory government – the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act of 2024, which gave the regulator “direct enforcement” powers, meaning it no longer had to go to court under consumer protection laws. And it is using those powers: eight cases were opened last November and driving schools AA and BSM plus the ticketing site StubHub UK have already been fined...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 5:39:16 PM
climate

Human remains again found at Lake Mead as water levels drop amid drought

Discovery marks latest grim finding in lake as water levels in crucial reservoir outside Las Vegas continue to decline Human remains have once again been discovered at Lake Mead outside Las Vegas, Nevada, marking the latest in a line of gruesome discoveries as water levels in the crucial reservoir continue to drop, authorities said. These remains were discovered on 16 August, USA Today reported. The National Park Service (NPS) told the outlet there did not appear to be anything suspicious about the body...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 5:30:28 PM
sports

Unexpected Item arrives just in time to win York’s International Stakes – as it happened

Item, a 10-1 chance, ran down Almaqam to win the International Stakes at York with Constitution River and Ombudsman only third and fourth It all went according to plan for the low-numbered stalls there, as Lexington Blitz fired out into the lead and gave the far side an advantage that they never surrendered. The first four home were drawn five, nine, four and six...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 4:48:00 PM
health

Stop putting women through brutal hysteroscopies without pain relief | Letters

The medical system is biased against women, says Carole Kendall, pointing to the very different way men who have colonoscopies are treated I fully endorse everything Anna Moore writes in her excellent article on the lack of pain relief for hysteroscopies (‘It was barbaric. I was crying my eyes out’: why are so many women left in agony by routine womb examinations?, 16 August). I have had three of these barbaric procedures, two of them being associated with being on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). All three were administered with very basic pain relief, ie a small amount of local anaesthetic, which I would compare to numbing a gum with a piece of ice and then proceeding with root canal treatment. I was offered a general anaesthetic on the third occasion, but this is way too much. At no point was anything else offered, like it is for colonoscopies...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 4:46:30 PM
culture

My Edinburgh fringe odyssey: ‘The nudity is expressive, shocking – sometimes harrowing’

There are 3,649 shows at the fringe this year, but how many embody its spirit of radical experimentation? I took a journey through foam, lube and gore to find out... Somewhere in Edinburgh, a man is drinking his own urine. Elsewhere, the story of a religious sect that commands its followers to use “butt plugs” plays out as a musical. In yet another room, a comedian sings the same song over and over for an hour. It is shows like these that have sustained the welcomingly weird and ungovernable lore of the Edinburgh festival fringe. In recent years, though, the annual jamboree has been accused of becoming an increasingly commercially savvy entity. The radical experimentalism might just be intact, but does this now sit at the fringes of the fringe, rather than its centre?..

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 4:42:59 PM
business

Is the US actually too chicken to take on China for trade?

A weak yuan guarantees Beijing massive trade surplus even as the White House tries tamp down on Chinese imports Since China offered a truce in the trade war last October following its threat to deprive the United States of rare-earth magnets, the Trump administration has been happy to stop escalating. After all, imports from China have been falling, down by 40% in the year to June, compared with the same period in 2024. Best to declare victory and call it a day. But the US hasn’t won this battle – and there’s strong evidence to show it’s too chicken to really try...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 4:42:08 PM
health

Trump nominates abortion opponent Heidi Overton to be head of FDA

Overton has said that Congress should strictly regulate abortion drug mifepristone ‘to protect women and children’ Donald Trump nominated Dr Heidi Overton – an abortion opponent who stood next to the president as he made false claims about vaccines – to be commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Today I am honored to nominate the wonderful Dr. Heidi Overton, MD, PhD, as our next FDA Commissioner. Dr. Heidi has been a ROCKSTAR in my Administration, where she has worked directly with Secretary Kennedy, Dr. Oz, and team, to deliver on the MOST TRANSFORMATIVE Health Agenda in History. She is known to take on the HARDEST issues, and bring me solutions that work best for the Country,” the president wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 4:31:59 PM
climate

Tice should apologise to firefighters for ‘enjoy it’ remark on extreme heat, says Labour

Exclusive: Bridget Phillipson’s comments show her party feels voters have been alienated by Reform net zero attacks Richard Tice should apologise to firefighters for his comments this week urging British people to “enjoy” this summer’s extreme heat, according to the Labour party chair. Bridget Phillipson has called on Reform’s deputy leader to say sorry to those who have battled wildfires across the country over the last few weeks, forcing evacuations and destroying homes...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 4:19:41 PM
sports

Tour of Britain Women: Lorena Wiebes sprints to victory on opening stage

27-year-old Dutch rider takes win in Cumbria GB’s Josie Nelson in third, Italy’s Chiara Consonni second Lorena Wiebes took the victory in the first stage of this year’s Tour of Britain. The opening stage started and finished in Cockermouth on a circuit spanning 158.9km in Cumbria. The Dutchwoman powered to victory in a thrilling sprint finish, where the Team SD Worx-Protime rider narrowly pipped her rivals over the line. Italy’s Chiara Consonni finished in second, while Great Britain’s Josie Nelson claimed third...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 4:02:09 PM
science

Astronomers detect fastest known star in Milky Way

Star’s extreme proximity to Sagittarius A means it could open new window onto black hole’s fundamental properties Astronomers have detected the fastest known star in the Milky Way, hurtling around the supermassive black hole at the heart of the galaxy. The star, called S301, travels at about 25,000km (15,500 miles) per second, 100,000 times faster than a commercial plane. It is also the closest known star to the Milky Way’s central black hole, Sagittarius A, approaching it around the distance of Saturn to the Sun...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 4:00:25 PM
culture

‘You’ll be sorry you told me this!’: the 98-year-old composer who gets musicians – even bassoonists - on their feet

Scotland’s Thea Musgrave is still writing radical music with perambulatory soloists and a message of hopefulness. Her latest work, for bassoonist Amy Harman, comes to the Proms this weekend Thea Musgrave is a phenomenon. Born in Scotland in 1928, the composer has lived in the US since the early 70s, but has lost none of her accent, her infectious optimism, and her drive to keep writing. As she told me from her home in California, with a joyfully rolling laugh, “I’ve got to this age, and from now on I’m going to do what the fuck I want to do”. That includes her latest opera, on Virginia Woolf’s novel Orlando – Orlando: An Escapade – which will premiere at the Buxton festival next year, and a new bassoon concerto for Amy Harman, Out of the Darkness, which you can hear at the Proms this weekend, on 23 August. The bassoon concerto develops one of the central innovations of Musgrave’s life and career, which she’s still intensifying and exploring in her 99th year: what she calls her “dramatic-abstract” approach to her orchestral compositions, in which the players aren’t a single collective told what to do by a conductor’s gestures, but instead are released as individual characters and identities...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 3:49:27 PM
power

Israeli military probes killings of Hind Rajab and Palestinian paramedics

Israel’s military on Wednesday announced its first criminal investigations into troop conduct in the war in Gaza, focusing on the killings of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and her family and of 15 Palestinian paramedics. The military said it would not launch criminal investigations into three other attacks that killed aid workers from World Central Kitchen and Doctors Without Borders. FRANCE 24's Noga Tarnopolsky reports from Jerusalem.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 3:47:52 PM
business

Zuckerberg lied about concern for child safety, Meta whistleblower testifies at landmark trial

Arturo Béjar, former Meta safety engineer, tells jury tech company was aware of products’ potential harm to children Meta has taken a “don’t ask, don’t tell” strategy when it comes to the safety of children on its social media platforms, according to a whistleblower who testified during a landmark trial against the company on Tuesday. He is slated to continue his testimony on Wednesday. Arturo Béjar, a former Meta safety engineer, told the jury that the company was aware of the harm its products caused children, which included its recommendations pushing content from sexual predators and violent and graphic images. He said he repeatedly raised the issue to various Facebook and Instagram executives but that they did little to resolve it...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 3:38:45 PM
climate

Reform says we need to choose between climate and economy. It's wrong | Larry Elliott

The party’s deputy leader Richard Tice says we should stop worrying about extreme heat and enjoy it. This dangerous nonsense will wreck our finances and the planet So now we know: the smart response to the UK’s summer of record temperatures is to do precisely nothing. According to Richard Tice, Reform UK’s deputy leader, the climate crisis is just one of those things. Nothing can be done about it, so we should simply bask in the sunshine. It is reasonable to assume Tice would not have said anything quite as crass had he been addressing people in Stourbridge who have seen their homes burn to the ground. Or the farmers whose crops shrivel in parched fields. Or the firefighters exhausted from battling wildfires across Britain. Larry Elliott is a Guardian columnist..

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 3:10:12 PM
technology

Roblox commits to privacy overhaul after eSafety discovers adults can contact children via gaming platform

Regulator says verifiable safety measures are ‘critical’ to the online service’s viability Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Roblox has committed to making changes to its online gaming platform after Australia’s eSafety commissioner discovered adults were still able to see child accounts and send connection requests without parental consent. The company has provided a legal agreement to the online safety regulator after testing earlier this year also revealed children and adults could view and respond to one another’s posts on forums outside game environments without parental consent...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 3:00:17 PM
culture

‘We never apologised for our rage or revenge-seeking’: riot grrrl legends Heavens to Betsy reunite

Alongside Bikini Kill and Bratmobile, Corin Tucker and Tracy Sawyer created a feminist punk vernacular that’s still inspiring the likes of Olivia Rodrigo. They recall the clarity and conviction of their historic teenage exploits Back in June, a cut-and-paste photocopied flyer began appearing on telegraph poles around Portland, Oregon, promoting a DIY show by an apparently defunct band at an intimate community space. The band hadn’t mentioned it online, but hopeful fans bought every ticket anyway. Their bet paid off: the gig really was the first in 32 years for Heavens to Betsy, the pioneering feminist punk duo of drummer Tracy Sawyer and singer-guitarist Corin Tucker – the latter’s band before Sleater-Kinney unleashed her visceral vibrato unto the world. Tucker proudly made the flyer herself. Heavens to Betsy were barely out of high school when they played their very first show, 35 years ago this week, in Olympia, Washington, a two-song set as part of a now-mythical indie fest dubbed the International Pop Underground Convention. The festival also featured the likes of Fugazi, Bikini Kill and Melvins; meanwhile Heavens to Betsy had practised only a couple times. Before an audience of about 100, Sawyer was so terrified that all she could think was, “This has to be over soon.”..

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 3:00:16 PM
power

Zelensky's office probed for corruption as fired defence minister demands elections

Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies announced Wednesday that they are investigating senior officials in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, a day after the country’s recently fired defence minister called for national elections despite the ongoing fight against Russia’s invasion. The political drama was an unwelcome distraction for Zelenskyy as Ukraine’s war with its bigger neighbor extends into its fifth year. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Philip Turle tells us more.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 2:37:26 PM
power

Turkey slams Israel's 'untenable' claims after strikes on Syrian base

Turkey firmly rejected on Wednesday ⁠what it called "untenable ​allegations" by Israel regarding its military position in Syria, after Israel bombed a Syrian air base near ​the Turkish border and said Syria was on the verge of permitting Turkish troops to deploy there. Israel carried out airstrikes against the Abu al-Duhur base near Aleppo on Tuesday, drawing condemnation from Turkey ​and criticism from a ‌US envoy who called the attack an "unnecessary escalation". FRANCE 24's Jasper Mortimer reports from Ankara, Turkey.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 2:35:12 PM
power

Ukraine MPs approve new defence minister after divisive reshuffle

Ukraine's lawmakers approved the country's new defence minister on Wednesday, a month after a reshuffle that triggered a public backlash after the dismissal of his popular predecessor Mykhailo Fedorov. The decision comes a day after Fedorov in a video statement called for a move towards elections that have been put off because of the Russian invasion. FRANCE 24's Emmanuelle Chaze reports from Kyiv, Ukraine.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 2:34:28 PM
business

PA financial crisis: No budget for 'essential services' including infrastructure, education & health

Annette Young is pleased to welcome Joost Hiltermann, Special Adviser for MENA and training for the International Crisis Group. He sees the Palestinian Authority’s financial crisis not as an approaching emergency, but as an ongoing process of institutional and economic erosion. The PA has already lost much of its capacity to provide essential services, pay public-sector salaries in full, maintain infrastructure, and sustain education and health care. All the while, settlement expansion, settler violence and Israeli restrictions are occurring alongside financial measures that are threatening Palestinian institutions and economic life.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 2:33:26 PM
power

Spain to allow 500 children in Ceuta to go to mainland in immigration U-turn

Madrid government changes stance after previously saying anyone who entered territory illegally would be sent back The Spanish government has U-turned and said it will allow 500 migrant children in Ceuta to relocate to the mainland. The majority of the estimated 70,000 people who crossed into Ceuta – a Spanish territory on the coast of north Africa – on 30 July have returned to Morocco. However, under Spanish law, the state has a duty of care to young, unaccompanied migrants until they reach the age of 18...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 2:33:24 PM
world

Australia mushroom killer's lawyers point to jury irregularities at appeal

Australian mushroom killer Erin Patterson's lawyers said Wednesday the jury was not properly sequestered in her trial as they sought to overturn her conviction in a triple-murder case that sparked a worldwide media frenzy. The 51-year-old was found guilty last year of murdering her husband's parents and an elderly aunt in 2023 by serving them a beef Wellington lunch laced with lethal death cap mushrooms.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 2:30:23 PM
power

Visitors return to Syria's Palmyra after years of war and destructions

After years of war and destruction, Syrians are trying to reclaim their heritage – not least in the ancient city of Palmyra, where night-time tours are now being organised. As FRANCE 24’s Dana Alboz reports, it is a way of reclaiming the country’s history, but also of reviving a site that fell into the hands of the Islamic State group in 2015, where the group committed one of its worst atrocities.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 2:28:39 PM
culture

‘I’m not Mr Saturday Night’: the highbrow brilliance of Ahir Shah, past winner of comedy’s top prize

Three years ago, he won the Edinburgh comedy award with a work in progress. Now he’s back with a show inspired by Gerard Manley Hopkins and Friedrich Nietzsche. Isn’t this all a bit grownup? Among past winners of the Edinburgh comedy award, few seemed less likely when the starter’s pistol fired than Ahir Shah in 2023. Not because Shah wasn’t a contender: he had been nominated twice before. But that year he arrived on the fringe with a mere work in progress, not even eligible for the award. Shah’s director, the great Adam Brace, had recently died and the comic had just returned to the stage after a break from comedy. But then Ends, a tribute to the performer’s late grandfather and a hymn to multicultural Britain, began gathering steam. Shah reclassified it as a work-now-finished and, to a chorus of rapturous acclaim, it bagged the biggest prize in world comedy. Three years on, he is returning with the follow-up: less uncut diamond this time and more, he hopes, a polished gem. But didn’t the success of Ends prove polish was unnecessary? “You can get very in your head approaching the fringe, thinking: ‘Well, it has to be absolutely locked in by August because x thousand pounds are on the line,’” Shah admits. So doing a work in progress allowed him to “quiet some of those voices – and have less of a panic attack about what you’re going to say”...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 2:16:03 PM
culture

Larry Dean: Hellbent review – SNL UK star’s cheery riffs on romance and royalty

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Emotionally open and a little weirder than usual, the Glaswegian comic updates us on his recent marriage When SNL UK hit big earlier this year, it made stars of several comics just starting their careers. That was not the case with Larry Dean, who has been peddling his brand of crowd-pleasing Glasgow comedy for well over a decade. You know what you’re going to get with a show from the fringe veteran: little in the way of depth or innovation, but plenty of expert standup craft from a man whose body, face, voice and words are all oriented directly towards the funny. While his act rarely changes, one discerns a scintilla more weirdness in 36-year-old Dean than in the cheeky-chappy, boy-next-door version of old. He’s got up in a smoking jacket and artist’s bow tonight, as he updates us on his recent engagement and marriage to his Black Country beau, and on the autism diagnosis first outlined in his 2024 show Dodger. There’s some riffing on the overlaps between gay and autistic, and a fun bit imagining the generation of “non-trauma gays” we might expect now homosexuality is no longer so stigmatised...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 2:14:48 PM
technology

Did someone wearing Meta Glasses film you today? Are you sure?

People say they’ve been secretly filmed in their own home, at concerts and at work. Are the wildly popular smartglasses the final nail in the coffin of personal privacy? “I’ve had one person who told me that their intentions were creepy,” a man tells me over a video call, on condition of anonymity. He’s based in Los Angeles, and while we speak, he eats what appears to be tuna directly out of the can. “He said: ‘I go to strip clubs, and I want to record the strippers … Normally I put my phone in my chest pocket, but the glasses are more convenient.’” The man I’m talking to runs a business called Ghost Metas. He’s one of hundreds of vendors, easily discoverable online, who specialise in disabling the flashing LED light embedded in Meta’s smartglasses that blinks when wearers capture photos, videos and audio. After Ghost Metas disables the LED, it’s impossible for someone to know they’re being filmed...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 2:13:08 PM
business

Calls for urgent law change as UK’s largest water reuse system cannot be switched on

Recycling system in Cambridgeshire that could save thousands of litres a day is deemed not in line with rules The largest water reuse system in the UK, which could save thousands of litres of water a day for people living in one of the driest regions of the country, is not allowed to be switched on because of drinking water regulations. As water supplies in England reach critical levels, the Guardian can reveal that a model water recycling system within an urban housing development in Cambridgeshire has not been switched on since it was made ready in 2021...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 2:00:14 PM
power

‘A critical crossroads’: who is the woman vying to become the first Caribbean head of the UN?

If elected, Guyanese politician, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett wants to prioritise climate issues and restore the United Nations as a force for good Don’t already get The Long Wave in your inbox? Today, I’m taking over the Long Wave to bring you one of those stories. This summer, Guyanese ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett has made history as the first Caribbean candidate for the prestigious post of United Nations secretary general. If successful, she will be the first woman to hold the position too. I spoke to her about the value of the UN, and what a Caribbean leader could bring to the role. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett started life in the remote Indigenous village of Santa Rosa, in the interior of the Caribbean and South American nation of Guyana...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 1:55:49 PM
business

Lewes derailment: images show track defect before incident on hottest day

Network Rail and Southern owner GTR apologise after investigators reveal picture of possible heat-buckled track Rail operators have apologised after a report into last Thursday’s train derailment in East Sussex found a “track geometry irregularity” on the approach to the site where the train derailed on the hottest day of the year so far. An interim report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said CCTV images showed the fault existed before the incident occurred near Lewes, injuring 30 people...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 1:33:07 PM
culture

Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing review – like a horror movie … only this is real life

In 2022, Rory Kennedy exposed the aviation safety scandal in which 346 people died – but since then, a plane door has blown out mid-flight and more whistleblowers have come to the fore. Will anyone pay for this? It is unfortunate that a sequel was required to Rory Kennedy’s 2022 documentary feature, which alleged that the profit-driven culture at a US aeronautics firm led to two plane crashes and the deaths of 346 people. But given the lack of corporate accountability evident at the end of Downfall: The Case Against Boeing – and the apparent complicity of regulatory body the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) – it was inevitable. Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing opens with a rundown of a significant development in the story: the mysterious death in March 2024 of John Barnett, a former Boeing employee turned whistleblower. Barnett, a contributor in the first film, was in the middle of a deposition when he was found dead at his hotel, which investigators ruled a suicide. Is this another casualty to add to Boeing’s mounting death toll? And is the alarming aviation safety scandal – supposedly resolved in November 2020, when the FAA lifted its grounding order on the Boeing 737 Max – in fact still ongoing?..

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 1:25:31 PM
culture

Senegal's first elite girls' boarding school challenges patriarchal norms

Off the coast of Dakar, Goree Island is home to the Senegal’s first elite boarding school for girls. The Mariama Ba School of Excellence encourages its students to challenge what has traditionally been expected of girls across the predominantly Muslim West African nation. The school has a 100% completion rate, and admits 35 students, whose tuition and board are completely state-funded, each school year.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 12:52:05 PM
business

Chinese carmaker Chery to set up UK research centre

Manufacturer, which makes Jaecoo and Omoda brands, will open facility in Bedfordshire in autumn The Chinese carmaker behind the irreverently nicknamed “Temu Range Rover” is plotting further UK expansion with a major research and development centre in England. Chery, which makes the Jaecoo and Omoda car brands, said the launch of a new R&D site was “the next step in our long-term plan” for Britain as it also moves towards manufacturing its cars in the UK...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 12:46:40 PM
culture

Tom Holland set to earn $100m from Spider-Man: Brand New Day

In a year that’s seen the British actor star in the season’s two biggest blockbusters – and marry his co-star from both – he is reportedly earning a huge pay packet thanks to box-office bonuses The British actor Tom Holland is expected to “make at least $100m” for starring in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, according to the Wrap. Unnamed sources “with knowledge of Holland’s deal” say he was paid $20m (£15m) upfront, about double what he reportedly received for his previous Spider-Man film No Way Home in 2021. But the extraordinary success of Brand New Day at the global box office means the 30-year-old is expected to earn another $80m or more in backend bonuses...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 12:35:36 PM
culture

Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra/Wilson review – white-hot intensity as Verdi Requiem shakes St Paul’s vast dome

St Paul’s Cathedral, London Elemental roars and full-frontal vocal expressivity as the UFO focuses on a mission bigger than a good performance There were climaxes in Verdi’s Requiem that would surely have registered on a seismometer as they gathered into a thrillingly elemental roar before dissipating as a series of echoed convulsions into the vast dome above. There were choral susurrations that swept over the orchestra, exhortations delivered in crisp consonants. There were sinuous woodwind lines that took a few seconds to wend their way out of the orchestral clamour, and vocal soloists – Natalya Romaniw, Natalie Lewis, René Barbera and Jongmin Park – who cut instantly through it in a shock of full-frontal expressivity from the very front of the stage. Four years after making their UK debut with their second ever performance, the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra is now on its fifth international summer tour. Founded by Canadian-Ukrainian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson in response to the Russian invasion in February 2022, this orchestra has always had a mission bigger than producing a good performance. And what counts as “good” is always shaped by circumstance, after all. As the numerous speeches that preceded the music stressed, the UFO tour as “cultural ambassadors”, their work centred on hope and resilience, solidarity and justice at what one Ukrainian diplomat called “probably the most difficult moment in our modern history”. One of the orchestra’s percussionists is away at the frontline – so too is the son of composer Bohdana Frolyak, whose Gloria opened the concert, its smudgy chromaticism weighted with sadness...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 12:26:34 PM
climate

Forecast energy price cap rise in Britain could push UK fuel bills up 4% this winter

Forecast quarterly rise highest in three years and likely to wipe out Burnham’s VAT cut on electricity bills Household energy bills across Great Britain are expected to climb to a three-year high this winter as the impact of the Middle East war wipes out Andy Burnham’s tax cut on electricity bills. The government’s cap on energy prices is on track to rise by 4% from this October to the equivalent of £1,729 a year through the last three months of 2026 which could “hit struggling households especially hard” this winter, according to analysis by the energy consultancy Cornwall Insight...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 12:11:04 PM
culture

Coyote Vs Acme review – quirky comedy returns from the dead to flip Wile E Coyote’s slapstick-violent world

After being shelved as a tax-writeoff, this Looney Tunes reboot redraws the hapless hunter as the Erin Brockovich of the cartoon world Here is a quirky, peculiar, yet strangely diverting live-action-toon hybrid of the kind that hasn’t been popular at the movies for many a day; it gives us a new twist on the surreal forever war between Wile E Coyote and the speedy Road Runner (catchphrase “beep beep”, pronounced “meep, meep”). The music over the closing credits will incidentally disappoint fans of this animated franchise; they’ve gone with the Clash’s I Fought the Law, but surely it should be Roadrunner from Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers? Coyote Vs Acme is a comedy whose obsessive and hyperactive pedantry is exhausting, but arguably part of the point, aimed at America’s litigious culture, corporate arrogance and monopoly capitalism. So when producers Warner Bros initially decided to shelve the whole thing as a tax writeoff, that must have felt to director Dave Green like an ironic cartoon anvil to the head. Well, the film was rescued and it would be great therefore to discover that this is a masterpiece. Sadly it’s not, but there are some laughs and the pure fanatical oddity makes this watchable...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 12:00:14 PM
business

Dog food recalled after reports of pets losing their sight

Move by Years, which provides personalised meals in subscription-based service, follows recipe change A dog food brand has recalled all of its fresh meals after reports that a recipe change may have caused some animals to develop an eye condition that, if left untreated, can lead to sight loss. Years said owners should stop feeding its fresh meals to their dogs “immediately” and also told them not to feed the meals to any other animal, or to donate or sell them...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 11:03:02 AM
health

Medical researcher who touted Covid ‘cure’ and was hailed by Dr Oz under fire over ethics

New findings further call into question scientific judgment of current health leaders in the Trump administration A French researcher whose work was praised by Donald Trump and Dr Mehmet Oz during the Covid-19 pandemic published hundreds of papers with “substantial” ethical and legal concerns, according to a new analysis. An international team of scientists found concerns in 853 articles published by the Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, or the IHU, hundreds more than previously flagged by past investigations into work at the large research hospital. Of those, institute founder Didier Raoult was listed as co-author on 758 of them, according to one of the researchers behind the new analysis...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 11:00:13 AM
technology

Will AI give you the job? Automated hiring tools spark discrimination and secrecy lawsuits

A rise in lawsuits over AI use in employment decisions is raising questions about how companies hire and fire For the last four years, Erin Kistler has applied for thousands of jobs at companies like Paypal, Microsoft and Netflix, only to find her résumé disappear into a black hole. A product manager with nearly 20 years of experience, Kistler believes she was qualified for every role, yet she never received a single interview. Now, Kistler is suing Eightfold AI, the Silicon Valley maker of hiring software used by hundreds of companies, including those where she applied, in a class action lawsuit. The case, filed in January in California court, is one of the first to argue that automated screening functions as an undisclosed consumer report or applicant dossier, ranking job applicants on their likelihood of success without giving them the chance to see or challenge the results, according to Kistler’s legal team...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 11:00:13 AM
culture

Ihsane review – Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui leads us from brutal tragedy to euphoric harmony

Festival theatre, Edinburgh The choreographer combines a homophobic killing from 2012 with a remembrance for his father in an often rapturous show about healing In 2019 at the Edinburgh international festival, the Swiss director Milo Rau staged an intense theatrical investigation, La Reprise: Histoire(s) du Theatre (I), recreating a homophobic killing in Belgium. The murder of Ihsane Jarfi, seven years earlier, had made headlines and the news disturbed choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui who was just a little older, also gay and had a Belgian mother and Moroccan father like Jarfi. Cherkaoui now arrives at the same festival with his own act of remembrance, every bit as engrossing as Rau’s, yet more expansive. It pays tribute, too, to the choreographer’s father who died 30 years ago and whose past is interwoven with Jarfi’s death. If that raises any qualms, Cherkaoui’s larger point is about the interconnectedness of all lives and his characters morph into each other. He takes his cue from the victim’s first name, which essentially means “benevolence”, and counters the production’s disturbing flashes of violence with a floating lightness, whether in breakdance or traditional forms, and by presenting ideals of harmonious joy and kindness...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 10:28:54 AM
health

Why are progressives winning across the United States? It’s not complicated | Bernie Sanders

Poll after poll shows the same thing. The American people know that the current economic system is rigged The media pundits have written article after article desperately trying to understand why progressive candidates, despite being heavily outspent, keep defeating establishment Democrats in primaries around the country. Well, the answer is not complicated. Whether it is a corrupt campaign finance system, unprecedented income and wealth inequality, a broken and wildly expensive healthcare system, the enormous threats posed by AI or an immoral and destructive foreign policy, progressives are talking about the real issues facing working families. And they are providing real solutions. Establishment Democrats are not...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 10:00:11 AM
world

Meta knowingly hooked children and misled public, prosecutors tell court

Meta knowingly hooked and exploited children, a US federal court heard Tuesday in a trial against the social media giant on charges that it deliberately made Instagram and Facebook addictive to young users. In what many experts have called social media's "big tobacco moment," a coalition of states is asking that Meta be penalised by around $200 billion for designing products addictive to children.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 9:28:12 AM
power

Ousted Ukraine defence minister challenges Zelensky's leadership

Ukraine’s ousted Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called Tuesday for elections to be held even as the war against Russia continues, saying the country was gripped by a crisis of governance. The move by one of President Volodymyr Zelensky's most loyal and longstanding team members until recently could become the most significant internal challenge Zelensky has faced since Russia’s full-scale invasion. FRANCE 24's Emmanuelle Chaze reports from Kyiv, Ukraine.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 9:23:28 AM
power

Iran parliament speaker Ghalibaf in Iraq for talks

Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led negotiations with the United States to end the Middle East war, arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday for talks. Ghalibaf will head "a high-level parliamentary delegation to discuss regional developments" and "strengthen strategic cooperation between Tehran and Baghdad," Iran's Fars news agency said. The visit comes as Iraq faces pressure from Washington to disarm powerful Iran-backed armed factions, which have built considerable political and financial clout in the country. FRANCE 24's Reza Sayah reports from Tehran, Iran.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 9:21:55 AM
world

UN atomic watchdog says found tons of nuclear material at Syria site

The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said Tuesday its inspectors had found several tons of nuclear material in Syria, at a site Damascus reported to the agency last month. Speaking at a news conference in Damascus, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, praised Damascus's "courageous decision" to report the undisclosed site, which dates back to the rule of ousted former leader Bashar-al-Assad.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 9:19:47 AM
technology

Ethiopia’s digital IDs scheme offers refugees a way out of limbo

The Ethiopian government, partnered with UNHCR, is integrating refugees via mass issuance of digital IDs. Labelled the Fayda system, Amharic for “value”, it allows refugees the freedom to move throughout the country, access to education, and to get a job. In the Somali region, the initiative is giving hope to thousands who have fled Al-Shabaab, and have been living in camps for years in limbo in some cases for decades. FRANCE 24’s Tom Canetti reports.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 9:16:00 AM
power

Activist forced out of US after criticising Trump-aligned Colombian politician

Beto Coral held up banners in Florida warning fellow Colombians to not vote for Abelardo de la Espriella In the week before Colombia’s presidential election, Beto Coral, a well-known activist living in the United States, travelled to Florida to persuade fellow Colombians not to vote for the far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella. Coral held banners outside polling stations in Miami warning that the millionaire lawyer, whose candidacy was endorsed by Donald Trump, would “help deport all of you”...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 9:00:12 AM
sports

‘I felt like Babe Ruth’: baseball’s 3ft 7in pinch-hitter, 75 years on

Baseball showman Bill Veeck’s most audacious stunt sent Eddie Gaedel to bat for the lowly St Louis Browns in 1951 – and created an unforgettable diamond spectacle Bill Veeck had a track record for designing some of the most elaborate marketing promotions during his four stints as a Major League Baseball owner, including an exploding scoreboard in 1960. But his most outlandish publicity stunt was sending 3ft 7in inch pinch-hitter Eddie Gaedel to the plate at a game 75 years ago Wednesday. Sporting uniform number 1/8, Gaedel was greeted with a standing ovation at Sportsman’s Park in St Louis as he came to bat in the second game of a doubleheader on 19 August 1951 for the St Louis Browns. A famous AP photo shows Detroit Tigers catcher Bob Swift sitting on his knees with a ball in his glove, towering over Gaedel and his tiny strike zone. Not surprisingly, he walked on four pitches, and was immediately lifted for a pinch-runner...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 9:00:11 AM
climate

Reforestation and sustainable land & water management can help combat desertification

Oliver Farry is pleased to welcome Serena Ferrari, Economist and Researcher at CIRAD. Desertification is driven by climate change, explains Ferrari, but economic and political choices, including intensive water use, chemical-dependent agriculture and the pursuit of ever-higher productivity, can intensify pressure on already fragile ecosystems. Mongolia makes this particularly visible: as a pastoralist and rangeland country facing an increasingly harsh climate, it stands at the intersection of the ecological and social questions being debated at COP17.

France 24 • 8/19/2026, 8:50:18 AM
business

Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving School investigated over hidden ticket fees

UK competition watchdog investigation is part of broader clampdown on illegal ‘drip pricing’ Business live – latest updates The UK’s competition watchdog has launched investigations into Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving School over concerns that all three companies displayed misleadingly low prices to their customers. The Competition and Markets Authority’s investigations are part of a broader clampdown on “drip pricing”, an illegal practice that makes a product appear cheaper by not including all mandatory fees...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 8:50:13 AM
business

Rising inflation underlines scale of Andy Burnham’s cost of living challenge

PM’s plan to shield households from more pressure risks being overwhelmed by wider price rises UK inflation rises to 2.9% Business live – latest updates July’s increase in inflation, to 2.9%, is likely to be the first of several, underlining the challenge facing Andy Burnham in shielding consumers from a fresh cost of living squeeze this autumn. Rising energy bills, as an increase in Ofgem’s quarterly price cap came into force, were the main driver of the jump in inflation, from 2.6% in June...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 8:40:35 AM
culture

Shapes and ladders: Edinburgh fringe’s dance shows reach for the sky

With brute strength and beauty, party tricks and personal revelations, this year’s dance and circus programme has ambition and a spirit of togetherness If you want to be wowed by technical prowess, I recommend taking a trip to see a couple of New York pole dancers, Donna Carnow and Gina Alm, in their Edinburgh fringe show Dusk/Night/Dawn. The pair are wildly impressive performers with just one piece of apparatus, a hanging pole suspended above the stage, on which they climb and spin and balance seemingly on thin air and origami their limbs into impossible shapes, swimming and spiralling through the shadows in mesmerising fashion. What they demonstrate is absolute mastery of their art, Carnow especially – a former dancer and US Pole Art champion. The movement is utterly fluid, despite the brute strength required; the physics of it is so finely tuned but you’re unaware because you’re lost in the flow. That’s what a great performer does, and Dusk/Night/Dawn is in part about performance. At one point their two bodies are writhing under flashing red light, smeared with black paint, and then suddenly the lights come up and it’s like waking up, they’re wiping themselves down, the act’s over. There are all sorts of slippery questions about the dissolving line between person and performer, the nature of fantasy, the pleasure of discovering the power of your own body, and there’s also just the awesome talent...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 8:19:52 AM
power

In cutting joint drills, Trump has given South Korea’s president what he wants. So why does Seoul look so uneasy?

President Lee Jae Myung has long pushed for stronger homegrown defences, yet Donald Trump’s move has sparked alarm in some quarters At their first summit, in August last year, South Korean president Lee Jae Myung told Donald Trump: “If you, Mr President, become the peacemaker, then I will assist you as the pacemaker.” The remark at the Oval Office captured the thrust of Lee’s approach to the North: dial down the military posturing and make repeated peace overtures to revive dialogue, even if they have been consistently rejected by Pyongyang largely over Seoul’s insistence on denuclearisation...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 5:40:29 AM
science

Plantwatch: Cities make a surprising refuge for threatened UK wildflowers

Nooks and crannies in urban areas provide a welcome alternative to intensive farming and other rural pressures Wildflowers are having a rough time in the countryside, mostly from the onslaught of intensive farming with fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides and less grazing. On top of that, there are building developments, competition from invasive plant species and the climate crisis to contend with. The UK has lost 97% of its wildflower meadows over the last century and over half of the country’s native flowers have been in decline for 70 years...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 5:00:06 AM
health

Camilla found it ‘difficult’ keeping king’s cancer diagnosis private before announcement

In video celebrating Maggie’s cancer charity, queen recalls ‘longing to let it out’ on visit to centre in 2024 The queen has spoken for the first time of how difficult she found it to keep King Charles’s cancer a secret before it was announced publicly. Camilla found herself “longing to let it out” during an official visit to a Maggie’s cancer support centre in 2024, after Charles had received his diagnosis but before the news was released...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 4:01:04 AM
power

US defence chiefs tour Asia to calm fears as Trump’s drill remarks sow doubts

Senior US defence officials have fanned out across Asia in recent weeks to reassure allies of Washington’s commitment to the region, even as the war with Iran strains American resources and President Donald Trump fuels doubts by criticising joint combat drills with South Korea. The visits by Admiral Frank Bradley and Under Secretary of Defence for Policy Elbridge Colby were intended to show that Washington was still invested in the Indo-Pacific, according to analysts. But the comments by Bradley...

South China Morning Post • 8/19/2026, 4:00:09 AM
climate

Tourists on pastry quest overrun scenic spot in Italian mountains

Alpine communities hit out after influencer videos draw huge queues to Friedrich August refuge in Dolomites Hundreds of people overwhelmed a mountain hut in the Italian Dolomites, not for the panoramic views but in search of a creamy pastry, reigniting the debate about social-media-driven tourism. The visitors ventured en masse to the Friedrich August refuge – perched at 2,300 metres (7,500ft) above sea level, between Col Rodella and Passo Sella in Val di Fassa – some reportedly waking up at dawn or camping overnight, just to ensure they could buy a freshly baked krapfen, a traditional German pastry similar to a doughnut, before they ran out...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 4:00:05 AM
climate

Carbon pollution has fuelled ‘massive expansion’ of marine heatwaves in Europe, study finds

Hottest periods this year in most sea regions would have been ‘virtually impossible’ in a preindustrial climate Carbon pollution has fuelled a “massive expansion” of marine heatwaves in Europe this summer, research has found, with some waters recording temperatures 6C higher than normal. The hottest fortnights of this year would have been “virtually impossible” in a preindustrial climate in three of the four sea regions studied, according to analysis by World Weather Attribution, while in the Celtic region, which covers much of the water around the British Isles, heat hit levels that used to strike just once a century...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 4:00:05 AM
world

Father and 2 daughters killed in Malaysian immigration truck crash

A father and his two daughters died after an Immigration Department truck allegedly ran a red light and triggered a series of crashes in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur early on Wednesday. Preliminary investigations found that the empty truck, driven by a 43-year-old man, was headed to Chow Kit district at about 1am to pick up undocumented migrants detained in an operation, said Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zamzuri Mohd...

South China Morning Post • 8/19/2026, 3:30:16 AM
world

Vietnam police confirm ex-politician spared charges over crash that killed teen in Hanoi

A former Vietnamese politician unintentionally killed a ⁠teenager in a traffic accident in central Hanoi last year but was exempted from criminal prosecution, a police officer told state television, shedding light for the first time on a case that has fuelled criticism online for months. The interview was broadcast on Monday evening, days after people began leaving flowers at the site ‌where the accident occurred last May, in what dissident and youth groups described as an act of protest in the...

South China Morning Post • 8/19/2026, 3:15:11 AM
power

US-led drills to end six days early, South Korea says, amid Trump push for Kim Jong-un talks

South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise would end on 21 August at the request of the US South Korea’s military has confirmed that joint military drills with the US will be cut short, days after Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back the exercises. In a statement on Wednesday, South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said at the request of the US side, the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise – which began on Monday would end on Friday, six days earlier than originally planned...

The Guardian • 8/19/2026, 2:18:25 AM
science

Shrews may grow bigger snouts in winter to cope with cold air, scientists say

Study of long-clawed shrew skulls from Japan shows that while skulls get smaller in winter, snouts elongate Humans turn to heated blankets and fluffy socks to cope with winter, but long-clawed shrews have a very different adaptation: they increase the size of their snouts. Researchers have previously discovered that certain small mammals, including the common shrew and European mole, reversibly shrink their body mass, skull size and brain mass in winter, with regrowth seen in the spring – a strategy that has been named Dehnel’s phenomenon...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 11:01:02 PM
climate

Introducing Ulez was my hardest decision as mayor of London – but now we know its astonishing impact | Sadiq Khan

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 Guardian • 8/18/2026, 10:30:02 PM
climate

Ulez led to better lung size and function among London children, study finds

Researchers find capacity stunted by pollution was restored after introduction of ultra-low emission zone Children’s lungs grew bigger and stronger after the most polluting vehicles were restricted from entering London, a study has found. Examinations of London schoolchildren before and after the introduction of the city’s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) found a restoration of lung capacity that had been stunted by exposure to pollution...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 10:30:02 PM
health

GPs’ advice service is causing cancer diagnoses to be missed, inquiry finds

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...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 10:10:48 PM
culture

Harvard to pay $53m over theft and sale of human remains from medical school

Cedric Lodge, 58, sentenced in December to eight years in prison for stealing and selling body parts in national scheme Harvard University has agreed to pay a $53m settlement to resolve civil lawsuits stemming from the illegal theft and sale of human remains that had been donated to its medical school for scientific research. A former Harvard medical school morgue manager, Cedric Lodge, 58, was sentenced in December last year to eight years in prison after he had pleaded guilty in May to stealing and selling human body parts in a nationwide scheme. Prosecutors said this had involved the theft and sale of organs, skin, brains and dissected heads from cadavers donated to Harvard from 2018 through at least March 2020...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 9:44:31 PM
technology

OpenAI announces slowing pace of development after hack by rogue agent

Amid race with Anthropic, firm plans to overhaul research and training and require more safety parameters after hack OpenAI on ⁠Tuesday said it had slowed down the ⁠pace of ⁠its ​AI development while it overhauled its ⁠research and training systems. The company’s researchers were ⁠caught unaware last month ​when an ‌AI agent ‌under testing hacked another AI ‌firm, Hugging Face...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 8:47:17 PM
sports

Lisa Nandy urges deal to keep Rugby League World Cup on free-to-air TV

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...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 8:10:46 PM
culture

Exit review – a circus squad who really drive each other up the wall

Zoo Southside, Edinburgh The acrobats in this symphony of ins and outs build and break tension as they clamber over the set together Four performers enter the auditorium and walk among us but they’re sizing up the space not the audience. On stage is a scaffold structure with a cutaway design and a white facade featuring several doors, which soon frame a series of comings and goings. With this much slamming it’s no surprise that there’s an element of farce as the cast move in and out, become human dominoes and narrowly miss each other. No one has time to knock during the frantic arrivals. I’d recommend taking a side seat so you can appreciate the full effect. So far so frivolous in this family-friendly Belgian production, although there’s a cheeky hint at what might be happening behind those closed doors and whether swiping right is a factor among the increasing acrobatics. Choreographed by Piet Van Dycke, the show then knuckles down to more serious tricks, with the performers undertaking a series of costume changes that are so subtle you don’t notice them at first...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 8:00:54 PM
sports

Jeff Bezos consortium could be majority Liverpool shareholder within a year

1892 Holdings has first refusal if FSG opts to sell Group paid more than £2bn for initial 38% slice of club 1892 Holdings, the new investor in Liverpool, has first refusal to become the majority shareholder in the next 12 months should Fenway Sports Group decide to sell. The consortium led by Amit Bhatia and including the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was believed to have bought 30% to one-third of Liverpool when the deal was announced on Friday. However, the agreement is for 38% of the Anfield club, meaning 1892 has paid FSG just over £2bn to become a minority shareholder. The increased stake, first reported by the Athletic, still values Liverpool at about £5.5bn...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 6:49:29 PM
health

Social media on trial as $200bn case against Facebook and Instagram begins

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...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 6:27:09 PM
power

The Guardian view on global inequality: extreme wealth threatens democracy | Editorial

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 Guardian • 8/18/2026, 5:59:07 PM
science

‘You have to be careful, to go slow & fast’: Inside high-risk mission at International Space Station

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.

France 24 • 8/18/2026, 5:52:48 PM
technology

‘Can’t enjoy your pint’: Wetherspoons customers welcome ban on loud phones

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...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 5:32:31 PM
climate

Ministers are waking up to Britain’s gas supply risks. It’s time for decisions

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...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 5:30:47 PM
health

Contemplating death helps us to really value life | Letters

Say the thing, mend the relationship, share the story – and then get on with living, says end-of-life doula Rebecca Jo-Rushdy, while Jane Andrew thinks EM Forster said it best What struck me most about this article (What end-of-life experts know about living well: love your wrinkles, celebrate birthdays and don’t obsess over work, 13 August) is the idea that preparing for the end of life can actually help us live more fully now. As an end-of-life doula, I have seen how a terminal diagnosis can suddenly bring clarity. The things that once felt urgent often fall away, while relationships, memories, unfinished conversations and the question of what we leave behind become profoundly important. But I don’t believe that we should have to wait for a diagnosis to begin that work...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 5:05:36 PM
culture

By a Thread review – soulful circus with a sprinkle of magic

Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh Emotional group dynamics and individual skills make One Fell Swoop stand out in the crowded circus genre You cannot move at the Edinburgh fringe for circus shows. There are so many people in this city who can climb a rope, hang upside down, swing on a trapeze – so how do you make a show special when plenty of other folks are hawking the same skills? Melbourne company One Fell Swoop Circus have worked out a way, sprinkling a bit of magic on their festival offering. It’s a show that was originally made a decade ago, but had its Edinburgh debut last year and was such a hit that they have brought it back. Like many of the best shows, it’s really just one good idea, with all the juice thoroughly squeezed out of it across the course of an hour. That idea being: one giant rope, two pulleys, seven bodies, and everything they can do together. At Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh, until 30 August. Then touring All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 4:01:29 PM
technology

OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Teens with stronger safeguards

Teen version is intended for children aged 13 to 17 and includes content protections on self-harm and sexual chats OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers – the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence – who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship. The San Francisco-based company says ChatGPT for Teens, which launches on Tuesday, is tailored for children aged 13 to 17 with stronger protections including content restrictions around things such as suicide, self-harm and romantic or sexual chats. It also provides homework and study support designed to help students learn rather than spit out answers and school essays...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 3:28:57 PM
culture

Christopher Berry-Dee dropped by publisher after allegations of abuse made against him

Bonnier Books will no longer publish UK’s top-selling true crime author following Guardian investigation The main publisher of the bestselling true crime writer Christopher Berry-Dee has dropped the author following a Guardian investigation into allegations of violence and sexual abuse against him, which he denies. Waterstones has also removed his books from sale. “We are shocked and appalled by the very serious allegations relating to Christopher Berry-Dee, and our thoughts are with those affected,” said the publisher Bonnier Books in a statement to the Guardian...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 3:14:30 PM
business

‘A feudal relationship’: Stonegate Pub Partners under scrutiny after complaints of tenant mistreatment

UK’s largest pub company with the lowest satisfaction rating accused of entrapping landlords into financial loss situations “We’re pleased to welcome Stonegate Pub Partners as a sponsor for the Great British Pub Awards 2026” read a post on the event’s Facebook page. Within minutes it had backfired. “Must be 1st April again,” said one commenter. “This is like Pontius Pilate being appointed child welfare ambassador,” said another. Other comments about the UK’s largest pub company were significantly less polite...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 2:22:25 PM
technology

Ikea to take on eBay and Vinted with UK online secondhand site

Platform set to launch later this year will enable loyalty card members to sell preloved Billy bookcases and Poäng chairs Business live – latest updates Ikea is taking on eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Vinted with its own secondhand selling site in the UK. The new platform, which will enable shoppers signed up to the Swedish company’s membership scheme to connect directly to one another to buy and sell pre-owned Ikea items locally, is due to launch in the next few months...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 1:49:21 PM
science

The ultra rich are collecting fossils. And that’s bad for science - video

One of the UK’s best fossil collections has been sold overseas in what experts have called a loss to the nation. The collection, which is now on display at the Natural History Museum in Abu Dhabi, was gathered on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. As dinosaur fossils sell to private collectors for increasingly large sums, scientists are worried that domestic museums are being priced out of the market, and in turn scientists are missing out on the opportunity to make new observations. To find out how fossils became big business and what it could mean for research, Madeleine Finlay hears from science correspondent Nicola Davis..

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 1:44:08 PM
climate

UK risks running out of gas by 2030s, ministers told

Government assessment warns of supply shock that could leave homes and businesses without gas within a decade Great Britain risks running out of gas in the 2030s despite its growing clean energy sources, unless ministers take “unprecedented” action to guard against a future gas supply shock, according to an official assessment of the country’s gas security. The government is considering plans to provide direct financial support to safeguard the country’s ageing gas infrastructure after a consultation found that a “high stress scenario” could mean homes and businesses run out of gas within the next decade...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 1:34:12 PM
business

Labour urges Gambling Commission to investigate firms linked to Reform UK donors

Bridget Phillipson writes to watchdog asking it to look into claims Tether.bet and Fispay operated without a licence The Gambling Commission has been urged to investigate claims that companies linked to Reform UK donors and allies of Nigel Farage have been operating without a licence. The Labour party’s chair, Bridget Phillipson, has written to the watchdog asking it to look into Tether.bet, a Montenegro-based gambling company, and Fispay, a UK company owned by Reform’s data protection officer, Mowbray Jackson. Whether Tether.bet, and its operators, provided or advertised remote gambling facilities to consumers in UK without the required licence Whether Fispay Ltd, or any other UK company, provided or supported gambling facilities or services to consumers in the UK without the required licence.”..

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 1:30:49 PM
world

Philippine school shooter kills fellow student and himself in livestreamed attack

Country’s second fatal school shooting in two months took place in southern city of ⁠Zamboanga A student livestreamed himself shooting and killing another pupil in a classroom in the southern Philippines before taking his own ⁠life, ​the second school attack in the country in less than two months. The shooting took ⁠place at a school attached to Ateneo de Zamboanga University in the southern city of ⁠Zamboanga, a Catholic private institution in western Mindanao. Zamboanga city’s mayor, Khymer Adan Olaso, told the DZMM radio station that the ‌shooter “managed to enter carrying a high-powered firearm and a.45-calibre pistol”...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 1:21:43 PM
technology

Reel-ing it in: Meta is paying influencers to promote teen accounts

Tech Transparency Project’s report shows whenever governments mull platform regulations, company recruits influencers to promote its safety features In July 2025, Meta gathered parenting influencers from all over Australia at a waterfront venue overlooking the Sydney Opera House. It was a camping-themed event and in many ways was like any other influencer affair. There were Instagram-branded tents to take pictures in, an Instagram-branded step-and-repeat, a custom-tote making station and Instagram-branded snacks and coffee cups. But this “screen smart” event wasn’t about the photo op...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 1:00:47 PM
climate

‘A new normal’: Miami faces worsening seaweed problem as piles of algae wash up on beaches

Officials have had to remove thousands of tons of sargassum from Florida’s beaches amid the climate crisis Dealing with seaweed is the bulk of Chris Bumpus’s job during the summer. As chief of conservation for Miami-Dade county’s parks, recreation and open spaces department, Bumpus is in charge of cleaning sargassum off 17 miles (27km) of county beaches. But some days, the odds are stacked against him and his team. More and more sargassum, a kind of floating brown algae, has been washing up on the beaches of south Florida, west Africa, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 11:30:44 AM
world

Singapore’s seniors turn to parkour to boost balance and strength

Parkour may conjure images of rowdy teenagers swinging from building to building in urban landscapes, but since 2017, coach Tan Shie Boon has been using these techniques to improve Singaporean seniors’ strength and agility. Tan’s Movement Singapore classes have gone viral online, showing people in their 60s and 70s climbing structures, vaulting over railings, rolling down slanted surfaces and jumping off platforms.

France 24 • 8/18/2026, 11:15:59 AM
health

Ebola in DRC: Deadliest outbreak on record ‘outpacing the response’

Eve Irvine is pleased to welcome WHO Spokesperson Tarik Jašarević. His central concern is that we do not yet know where all the places the Ebola virus is circulating: infected people remain outside treatment centres, transmission chains go undetected, and patients who seek care too late face much poorer chances of survival. Conflict, population mobility and other humanitarian pressures make surveillance more difficult, but community engagement is equally crucial. Without trust and cooperation, testing, contact tracing, safe burials and early treatment cannot work effectively.

France 24 • 8/18/2026, 10:55:17 AM
business

‘Come fetch your people’: 300 anti-migrants protesters call out to SADC leaders

South Africa hosted a gathering of leaders from the southern African regional bloc amid xenophobic violence and anti-migrant protests. As the continent’s wealthiest country, South Africa has long attracted migrants, but it faces an unemployment rate of over 30 percent and deep-seated inequalities. Pretoria has called for a continent-wide conference on the issue of migration. Details by Eunice Masson, FRANCE 24 correspondent in Cape Town.

France 24 • 8/18/2026, 10:38:45 AM
business

‘Picky bits’ on the menu as British shoppers snap up picnic food in heatwave

Consumers also turn to supermarket deals to save money, helping slow grocery price inflation Business live – latest updates Shopping baskets took on a decidedly summery complexion during last month’s heatwaves as consumers filled up on a British picnic staple: picky bits, and grocery inflation slowed. Spending rose on foods such as potato salad, olives and coleslaw, while ice-cream sales also increased, according to new data from Worldpanel by Numerator, a market research company...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 10:29:58 AM
power

French PM announces support for fire-damaged villages after jeers from residents

The French government has approved a special budget worth 12 million euros to help towns affected by the recent wildfires in the country's south. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced a raft of other support measures including tax breaks for companies affected by the calamity. Earlier, he was jeered by some inhabitants when he visited Le Porge where 183 homes were ravaged by fire. Story by Yuka Royer.

France 24 • 8/18/2026, 10:01:14 AM
world

Visit Rome by night: Italian capital tests new tourism strategy

In the face of recent heatwaves and the big crowds that saturate the historic tourist sites during the day, this summer, Rome is testing a new way to visit the city: by opening tourist sites at night. This initiative includes museums, parks, archeological sites, monuments, villas, and historic residences. A revolution in the tourist rhythm explained by our correspondent in Rome, Natalia Mendoza, along with Bernard Bedarida and Charlotte Davan Wetton.

France 24 • 8/18/2026, 9:20:03 AM
technology

The best vacuum cleaners in the UK for hard floors, carpet and pet hair – tested

From handheld to corded, self-emptying to stick models, these are our resident cleaner’s favourite vacuums for a spotless home • The best cordless vacuum cleaners, tested • How to make your vacuum cleaner last longer Buying a vacuum cleaner isn’t as easy as you might think. With so many brands and models to choose from, it can be bewildering. Sticking with established brands isn’t necessarily a safe bet, with past performance being no guarantee that the latest models will be as good. Meanwhile, prices can be deceptive, with some affordable models now closing the gap on top-of-the-range brands when it comes to cleaning performance. You can’t know all this by browsing through a department store or online. The ideal thing to do would be to take a few models home to try them out – but good luck persuading anyone to let you do that. Thankfully, you won’t have to try because I’ve tested an array of models for you. I’ve measured each one’s ability to perform a range of real-world cleaning jobs, so you can discover the best vacuum cleaner for you...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 9:01:05 AM
technology

Dickovers, baggravation and botiquette: 18 new words to describe our tech hellscape

There are many tech irritants that are a scourge of modern life, yet we have lacked the vocabulary to describe them... until now The “dickover” is the scourge of the modern age. Coined in May by John Gruber, a tech writer, it is defined as “a modal panel, popover, or curtain presented by a website or app, deliberately obscuring its own content to frustrate the user”. Essentially, it is the thing (or more often, things) you have to click away in order to read the thing you wanted to read. It is the “ ” box, the “sign in with Google” box, the pop-up video box, etc. We shouldn’t fool ourselves into thinking that dickovers are the only terrible thing about technology in 2026. Until now, though, we have lacked the vocabulary to describe them, so here are some suggestions...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 9:00:20 AM
power

South Korea calls for solid US alliance after Trump says 'good relationship' with Kim Jong Un

The United States and North Korea could be edging back toward direct communication, while creating separation with South Korea by cutting down on joint military exercises. US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Kim Jong Un had responded to his recent diplomatic outreach, marking what would be their first engagement since Trump's first term. Story by Caitlin Brown.

France 24 • 8/18/2026, 8:51:28 AM
world

Fake troops loot earthquake-hit homes in Japan’s Kumamoto

Men in military fatigues identical to those worn by Japan’s Ground Self-Defence Forces (SDF) are reportedly prowling evacuated communities in Kumamoto prefecture to loot abandoned homes and businesses in the aftermath of last month’s earthquake. An official at the prefectural government confirmed media reports of “fake SDF personnel” attempting to enter properties in affected areas, although she said the authority’s immediate priority was still to find shelter and provide food and medical care...

South China Morning Post • 8/18/2026, 7:58:57 AM
culture

Wetherspoons pubs ban playing music or taking calls on phone speakers

Chain tells customers to ‘pipe down’ and use earphones instead, calling its venues ‘an oasis of tranquillity’ The pub chain Wetherspoons has banned customers from playing music or taking calls on speaker after growing complaints about the noise. The company announced it had introduced the ban across its 792 pubs, saying sounds from smartphones and tablet computers had become an “increasing problem in recent years”...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 7:10:58 AM
business

US states take on Meta in pivotal trial over child social media addiction claims

State attorneys general allege that tech company intentionally designed addictive products that harm young people More than half of the states in the US have joined together in an unprecedented lawsuit against Meta that goes to trial on Tuesday, accusing the parent company of Instagram and Facebook of deliberately designing addictive products that lured in young people and caused them harm. The jury trial is taking place in federal court in Oakland, California, and is expected to last between six and eight weeks. The jury is expected to hear from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri and employee turned whistleblower Arturo Béjar...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 7:00:17 AM
business

UK pay growth slows as Iran war prompts cost of living squeeze

Unemployment rate remained at 4.9% in the three months to the end of June, ONS figures show Wage growth in the UK slowed in June as workers come under pressure from a renewed cost of living squeeze amid the economic impact from the Iran war, official figures show. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show average growth in total earnings, including bonuses, fell to 4.1% in the three months to June, down from 4.3% in the three months to May. City economists had forecast a larger fall to 4%...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 6:34:20 AM
culture

Temi Wilkey: Lover Girl review – wildly intimate comedy goes to infinity and beyond

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Both outrageous and tender, this stellar follow-up to Main Character Energy gives new meaning to body language Temi Wilkey serenades us, asks if we fancy her and wonders if the love of her life could be here right now. The G spot? Call it the T spot, says Temi, before popping the question: “Do you want to come inside my Infinity Pussy?” It’s seductive stuff and, naturally, the room agrees to take things to the next level. Cue a conversation between Wilkey and, with a soundscape to make you blush and a quick change into a ruffled reddish peignoir, her forthright vagina. At Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, until 30 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 6:31:04 AM
culture

Ukrainian Lessons by Charlotte Higgins review – when art and war collide

A vivid and hopeful study of how culture endures in the midst of extreme violence Towards the end of her subtly piercing book about art in wartime, Charlotte Higgins recounts an autumn visit to Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city, in the north-east of the country, a short drive from the Russian border. In a tranquil park, she sees a man standing in a stream, making stones balance on top of each other in a teetering tower – “a metaphor of life in that city,” she writes, “that would have seemed too obvious for a novel”. Still, as a good novelist would, Higgins doesn’t seem to beg telling details from a place so much as have them leap to her open eye and ear. The cartoons a boy is watching that fall silent in a power cut, allowing the distant boom of explosions on the frontline to be heard. A cityscape tattooed on a young poet’s arm that cuts off suddenly where skin from his leg was grafted after he was torn up by shrapnel. Cataracts of larkspur, as Higgins describes them, in a field in the frontline Donbas region, “pouring down the hill, pooling at the bottom into a great lake of blooms … Larkspur thrives on ground where there has been recent disturbance.”..

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 6:00:15 AM
world

Middle East live: Iran declares 60-day negotiation deadline null and void

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the 60-day negotiation deadline set out under the June Iran-US memorandum of understanding for a lasting settlement had been rendered null and void by "violations" committed by Washington. After meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, US envoy Jared Kushner said Monday he hoped to see the start of Hamas's disarmament within "30 days". Follow the latest developments.

France 24 • 8/18/2026, 5:07:06 AM
climate

Burnham is choosing jobs over climate security. That’s a big risk | Gaby Hinsliff

The PM’s net zero pragmatism may please some voters, but as parts of the country go up in flames, it’s an increasingly hard sell When the siren sounded on Friday night, my first thought was fire. Weeks of unrelenting sun in the normally soggy Peak District, where I was visiting my mum, have bleached green valleys a dangerously dry, crispy blond. One of her neighbours had earlier pointed out an ominous cloud of smoke on the horizon, coming from one of the wildfires raging all summer on the moor. When that harsh, discordant shriek blared from every mobile phone in the house, I was half-braced for an evacuation order, not what turned out to be a faintly melodramatic warning to the nation to lay off the barbecues. A false alarm, of sorts, but one that felt uneasily like a wake-up call...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 5:00:16 AM
power

Half of homes in Great Britain taking longer to sell than last year amid mortgage volatility

Many buyers wait in hope of better deal, although there are hotspots in Scotland and northern England Half of homes in Great Britain are taking longer to sell than last year as volatile conditions in the mortgage market amid the Iran war prompt buyers to “wait and see” if they can get a better deal, according to a report. As the Middle East conflict continues to unfold, the property platform Zoopla said homes in 180 out of 363 local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales were taking longer to sell compared with a year ago...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 5:00:15 AM
climate

Iraq’s ghost villages: Islamic State drove people away – now a new enemy is preventing their return

Nearly a decade after fighting ended in northern Iraq, the climate crisis has brought extreme heat and a water shortage, making life almost impossible The first thing that strikes visitors arriving in Faka, a small village in Sinjar district, northern Iraq, is the silence. No children play in the streets. No shops are open. Roofless houses stretch across the hillside, their walls pockmarked by shellfire, while weeds and wild grasses grow through collapsed living rooms. A decade after Islamic State (IS) swept across the region, war remains visible everywhere. But according to the people who returned, another enemy has quietly taken its place. Rajab Mohammed says the problem in his village of Faka is no longer Islamic State but water and jobs..

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 5:00:14 AM
culture

Top economists urge Burnham to sign UK up to UN initiative on global inequality

Open letter signed by 40 academics including Nobel winner Joseph Stiglitz and Kate Pickett, co-author of The Spirit Level Forty prominent progressive academics are urging Andy Burnham’s government to join a new global push to tackle inequality. The experts include Nobel winner Joseph Stiglitz, University College London professor Mariana Mazzucato, vice-chancellor of the London School of Economics Larry Kramer, and Kate Pickett, co-author of The Spirit Level...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 4:00:15 AM
health

I was abused as a child – and thought I had healed. Then I began drinking in lockdown

Decades after being sexually abused, the author and doctor Frank Spinelli believed he had moved on emotionally. But alcohol destroyed his sense of security. He describes how he confronted his shame Not so long ago, Frank Spinelli seemed to have sorted out his life. He was happily married, working as a doctor and had a sideline writing medical thrillers. He thought he had dealt with the sexual abuse he had suffered as a child – not only had he helped bring the man who groomed and abused him to justice, but also he had written a memoir about it. “I felt that I had closure,” he says. “I had the good fortune of working with some amazing therapists and I believed I had done the work and moved past it and I was a healed person.” Little did he know that his recovery was fragile. The Covid pandemic took away his routine and structure: “All the external pillars that were tightly holding me together – the engagements at the office, the work trips.” Two years earlier, he and his husband had moved from Manhattan to a leafy suburb, from where he is speaking to me over a video call today. He was dealing with uncertainty and felt isolated. “We know one thing about shame: shame breeds in isolation.”..

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 4:00:14 AM
technology

Democracy v the machine: the birth of the digital age and the warnings that were ignored

Many hoped that the march of technology would usher in an egalitarian utopia – but some foresaw the threat it would pose to liberal society. Why did nobody listen? One of the stranger things about this dizzying, headlong moment in time is that it doesn’t have much of a past. Everything is about the future of this, the future of that: the future of work, the future of humanity, the future of the planet. It’s as if everyone is screaming (some ecstatically, most terror-stricken): robots are taking over the world! Meanwhile, you can’t put down your phone, unplug, delete your AI apps, tell Zoom to piss off; it feels as if you are racing toward something, and can’t stop, or look back, or think straight. But of course this weird moment in history does have a past. It comes from somewhere. It wasn’t inevitable. Things could have turned out differently. They still can. And if you look back, one thing you’ll see is that a lot of people saw this all coming. They foresaw our present when it was still the future. They thought it might turn out fabulously, a computer utopia. And they worried it might turn out disastrously. Above all, they issued warning after warning about the rise of what I call the artificial state, the replacement of the liberal democratic nation-state, the consent of the governed, with the rule of people by machines. They warned of a future in which democratic deliberation would be replaced by prediction by calculation, the public sphere would be supplanted by data-driven commerce, and drones would take the place of the demos. Why didn’t anyone listen? The new underworld is made up of innocent and well-intentioned people who work with slide rules and calculating machines and computers which can retain an almost infinite number of bits of information as well as sort, categorise, and reproduce this information at the press of a button. Most of these people are highly educated, many of them are PhDs, and none that I have met have malignant political designs on the American public. They may, however, radically reconstruct the American political system, build a new politics, and even modify revered and venerable American institutions – facts of which they are blissfully innocent...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 4:00:13 AM
world

Torrential rains kill one in South Korea while Philippine capital battles major flooding

More than 800mm of rain was recorded in the South Korean city of Geoje, which triggered a landslide that killed one person Torrential downpours that have pounded southern parts of South Korea have killed one person and injured four others, officials have confirmed. Heavy rains have been recorded in South Gyeongsang province, including the city of Geoje, where the 800-mm deluge triggered a landslide, the interior and safety ministry said...

The Guardian • 8/18/2026, 12:37:42 AM
health

Extreme heat more dangerous for people 60 and over than previously thought

Study finds older adults could face harmful heat stress at just 1.5C of warming above preindustrial levels People aged 60 and over face dangers to their health from exposure to heat at much lower temperatures than previously thought, research has found. Older adults will bear the brunt of increasingly frequent sustained spells of extreme heat globally as the world continues to warm up, according to a study in The Lancet Public Health...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 10:30:06 PM
health

Buried With Michael Sheen review – this vital look at a toxic waste scandal is deeply enraging TV

The actor does a brilliant job of probing the alleged dumping of ‘forever chemicals’ in Wales. After grilling a stranger for two days, his investigation turns up horrible incidents – including potential links to cancer cases You may scoff at celebrity-fronted documentaries, but there’s no need to moan about Buried With Michael Sheen, an investigation into how toxic “forever chemicals” were dumped in Welsh quarries in the middle of the 20th century. Much of our knowledge of the subject comes from a filmed interview given nearly 10 years ago by the environmental campaigner Douglas Gowan, who, after decades of trying to raise awareness, had only weeks to live and wanted to divulge all he had learned. The person behind the camera and asking the questions? Sheen. The actor and director is a little coy about how or why he came to spend two days – two days! – grilling a stranger to create the most valuable document we have about an underappreciated injustice. He says something about stumbling across Gowan online during a career lull and wanting to know more. But however it happened, the fact is that the best qualified person to present this two-parter is the award-winning Hollywood star, so here he is...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 9:00:04 PM
power

Netanyahu, Kushner agree US general to verify Hamas disarmament before Israel withdraws from Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US envoy Jared Kushner agreed Monday that an American general would oversee the disarmament of Hamas, an Israeli official said, as Netanyahu insisted Israel would not withdraw from Gaza until the group gives up its weapons.The understanding comes as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to revive its Gaza peace plan amid tensions with Netanyahu.

France 24 • 8/17/2026, 6:14:46 PM
power

Ministers drop plan to relax affordable housing rules after rural homes backlash

Government concedes ‘significant opposition’ requires new approach on quotas for medium-sized development sites Ministers have dropped plans to relax affordable housing rules for developers in England after a backlash from housing experts who warned it could drastically cut the number of cheaper homes available in rural areas. The government said on Monday it would not go ahead with proposals to end affordable housing quotas for private builders on sites between 10 and 49 houses after a consultation triggered an overwhelmingly negative response...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 5:45:17 PM
power

Trump’s move to gut South Korea alliance is ‘inane, haphazard decision’, lawmakers say

US president’s abrupt order to scale back joint exercises with Seoul is meant to ‘flatter’ North Korea’s dictator, top Democrat says US politics live – latest updates Donald Trump’s move to gut Washington’s 73-year-old military alliance with Seoul has been called “inane” and “shortsighted” as lawmakers warned it risked strengthening Russia’s hand in Ukraine. The US president abruptly ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea just days after North Korea test-fired ballistic missiles, justifying the decision by citing his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong-Un, the nuclear-armed dictator such exercises exist to deter...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 5:43:53 PM
sports

Sergio’s stunner lights up El Sardinero on Racing Santander’s emotional La Liga return | Sid Lowe

Teenager’s glorious strike made it 2-0 against Villarreal – but though they were pegged back to a draw the match sealed a feelgood return from the abyss “The poor kid couldn’t believe what had happened; none of us could have if we’d just done what he had just done,” said Álvaro Mantilla, Racing Santander’s captain in the match they had longed for more than anything in the world. Which was why the kid – a 19-year-old from just along the coast who had been at the club half his life – wasn’t the only one crying. The day Sergio Martínez played his first game for Racing, he had climbed into the stand to hug his grandad; the day he played his first in primera, on Sunday afternoon at the Sardinero, he just about managed to stand before it, legs giving way a little and tears coming to his eyes. All around him they felt it too, 22,413 people absolutely losing it. What he had just done was, well, everything. At least that’s how it felt right then. “Euphoria”, his captain called it. In his first game in the first division, his third start ever, Sergio hadn’t just scored; he had scored the kind of goal you get in a comic, all explosions and exclamation marks. The ball sat up like an invitation and Kapow! – Sergio smashed it on the bounce, a cartoon arrow drawn to the top corner. It tore through the air and through time, flashing past at 126km an hour and 14 years a second, so Sergio ran to the corner, holding the badge he has worn since he was 10. There, there was a wobble as it came to him just what he had done. Bloody hell, this was actually happening...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 5:15:00 PM
climate

European farmers face ‘unprecedented crisis’ after successive heatwaves

Vegetable and grain growers call for urgent action, warning of ‘catastrophic’ harvests due to continent-wide drought Successive intense heatwaves and an increasingly severe, continent-wide drought have left many of Europe’s farmers in an “unprecedented” crisis, with vegetable and grain growers in particular warning of “catastrophic” harvests. French vegetable production is down by “a very significant extent” compared with previous years, French growers have said, with shortfalls put at 25% for courgettes, 35% for lettuces, 40% for peas, 60% for broccoli and 50% to 100% for artichokes...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 4:01:47 PM
culture

Top album releases linked to rise in fatal crashes as ‘distracted’ drivers access music

Harvard study finds traffic fatalities increase by 15% on release dates compared with similar days either side The release of a new album by Taylor Swift might be a cause for celebration among her fans, but such events have also been linked to a more sombre phenomenon: an increase in fatal car crashes. The team behind a new study say it sheds light on the impact of distracted driving. “You can’t randomise people into using their phones, and drivers rarely volunteer what they were doing in the seconds before a crash,” said Dr Vishal Patel, first author of the study based at Harvard Medical School...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 3:00:02 PM
climate

Reform’s Tice says people should stop fighting climate crisis and ‘enjoy’ heat

Deputy leader says it is ‘arrogant’ to try to halt global heating, despite UK being left reeling by summer firewave Reform’s deputy leader has dismissed efforts to tackle climate breakdown as futile, as he urged British people to “enjoy” the warmth of the recent heatwaves. Richard Tice told a press conference on Monday he believed it was “arrogant” to try to stop the climate emergency and added that politicians should focus instead on adaptation efforts, while encouraging people to focus on upsides such as better English wine...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 2:51:21 PM
health

Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo now deadliest in country’s history

At least 2,325 people have died from the virus, according to official data, with outbreak on track to be biggest in history The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is now the deadliest in the country’s history, with at least 2,325 people dead, according to government data, surpassing the toll from the 2018-20 outbreak. The DRC’s public health institute said confirmed cases had risen to 4,945, including 101 detected in the previous 24 hours...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 2:07:31 PM
technology

‘Humiliated’: Sainsbury’s store pauses AI scanning after false shoplifting accusation

Supermarket chain says ‘human error’, not its Facewatch technology, to blame for ejecting a customer Sainsbury’s has paused the use of AI face scanning in one of its stores after a customer was wrongly identified as a shoplifter and ejected from the shop. “I was embarrassed, mortified even, and felt quite humiliated and powerless,” Matt Arnold, 46, said of his ordeal...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 1:21:25 PM
climate

Not all 'doom and gloom': Reform's deputy leader downplays climate crisis – video

Richard Tice suggested Britain should 'adapt' to the climate crisis, arguing we 'can't stop it', at a Reform UK press conference. When asked if climate change was real during the Q&A section of the event, the party's deputy leader sought to downplay the catastrophic effects of the crisis, including on crops, animal habitats and human health, amid the extended period of hot and dry weather this summer. Tice suggested people should adapt to the 'changing' climate and celebrate a boom in English sparkling wine UK politics – latest updates..

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 12:58:54 PM
health

What is Ebola and why is the outbreak in DRC causing so much concern?

Strain of virus with no vaccine has potential to overrun response impeded by conflict and misinformation Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are losing their battle to contain the country’s deadliest Ebola outbreak. DRC’s health ministry declared an outbreak in Ituri province on 15 May, though sequencing shows it had begun in February. It has since spread to five other provinces and is on track to overtake the 2014-16 west Africa outbreak as the largest in history...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 12:53:16 PM
world

Europe’s wildfires: How prepared are we for the next fire?

Massive wildfires are burning across Europe, from Belgium and Greece to Spain, Italy and France. Alexander Held, Senior Expert at the European Forest Institute, explains why fires are spreading into unexpected areas and whether Europe is facing a new normal. He also looks at how citizens can help prevent and limit wildfires, while stressing the need for greater resilience and better funded government support to deal with increasingly extreme fire seasons.

France 24 • 8/17/2026, 12:52:20 PM
business

JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimon warns UK chancellor not to hike taxes on banks

Billionaire CEO of world’s biggest bank says any windfall tax on sector’s bumper profits could harm jobs in City Business live – latest updates Jamie Dimon, the boss of the US bank JP Morgan, has urged John Healey not to use his first budget as chancellor to increase taxes on banks’ bumper profits. Speculation has been growing that a windfall tax could be imposed on UK lenders to fund Andy Burnham’s cost of living agenda, with campaigners estimating such a move could raise £19bn...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 12:26:33 PM
health

Alzheimer’s research is latest casualty in Trump administration war against ‘DEI’

Grant cancellations at leading research institutions appear to target the study of the impacts of racism on brain health A new round of scientific grant cancellations has hit brain health and Alzheimer’s disease research at two leading research institutions, Emory University and the University of Pittsburgh. The latest cancellations are the Trump administration’s most recent effort to remove disfavored topics from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) $47bn scientific portfolio – and appear to target the study of the impacts of racism...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 12:00:54 PM
business

Senior Russian banker fired after scathing speech on wartime economy

Andrei Klepach of VEB said Russia’s economy was falling behind China, US and ‘in some respects Ukraine’ Europe live – latest updates The chief economist at Russia’s second-largest bank has been fired after a series of critical comments about the state of the economy, including warnings that Moscow would not win a prolonged economic war with Ukraine. Andrei Klepach, who had served in the role at the state-controlled development bank VEB since 2014, was fired days after Russian media reported on a scathing speech he had delivered to fellow economists in May...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 10:29:58 AM
technology

Temperatures to fall across Europe as substantial rain heading for parts of UK

Temperatures could drop by more than 15C compared with last Thursday as cold front moves arrives from Monday Relief from the unrelenting heat is finally arriving this week across western Europe, with more unsettled conditions bringing the chance of rain. Temperatures are expected to fall back towards the seasonal norm, with some parts of the UK even falling about 3C below normal by Thursday. After such a scorching summer, and with a temperature drop of more than 15C compared with last Thursday’s heat, it may feel surprisingly chilly. There are signs that some substantial rain could be on the cards for the south of the UK this week as a cold front moves in from the Atlantic on Monday night into Tuesday. As of Monday, parts of southern England had endured 62 consecutive days of no rainfall – this is observed at a Met Office weather station in Wisley, Surrey. Even the last recorded rainfall here on 16 June amounted to just 0.4mm...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 9:37:38 AM
business

Virgin Trains gets go ahead to run services to Europe in new blow to Eurostar monopoly

Operator wins track access approval for up to 20 daily return trains through tunnel to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam in 2030 Virgin Trains has been granted track access by the rail regulator to run new services between London and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam in 2030, in a step forward for its plans to break’s Eurostar’s passenger monopoly on the cross-Channel route. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said it had granted approval for Sir Richard Branson’s company to run up to 20 new daily return services through the Channel tunnel...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 9:15:03 AM
climate

‘Our new normal’: how marine heatwaves affect life in British seas

As warming seas push native species to cooler waters farther north, once-rare visitors have become more common ‘It sounds silly but I thought it was a person in the water waving,” says Kurt Lander, skipper of the Yellowfin charter boat, based out of Brighton. But when he grabbed his binoculars, he realised the fluttering movement he had noticed in the middle of the Channel shipping lane was a pair of sunfish. The huge fish were lying on their sides and flapping their fins. “Apparently, they do it as a visual attraction to birds,” he says. “They’re trying to get the birds to eat the parasites off them.”..

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 9:00:50 AM
climate

Wildfires rage in France and Greece as Belgium tackles enormous blaze – Europe live

Wildfire thought to be largest in Belgium’s history creeps closer to German border prompting evacuations Belgium’s King Philippe will visit the area affected by what is believed to be the largest wildfire in the country’s history this morning, after a weekend of intense firefighting in the Hautes Fagnes nature reserve. The fire has been raging since Friday afternoon, burning more than 3,000 hectares of land, provisional figures show...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 7:39:32 AM
business

My generation had no voice on Brexit – but Burnham gives the young fresh hope on Europe | Ceira Sergeant

Brexit didn’t create all the problems young people now face, but renewing close ties with Europe will give us so many opportunities I was 14 when the UK voted to leave the EU. Too young to vote, but not too young to understand that a decision was being made that would affect the rest of my life. In many ways, Brexit was my political awakening. It taught me that politics matters, because decisions made by people in power can change your future before you’ve even been given a say. Ceira Sergeant is a student and the founder of National Rejoin March Youth..

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 7:00:48 AM
business

Biggest August fall in British house prices since 2018; Dimon warns UK against higher bank taxes – business live

British house prices expected to fall this year, despite ‘Burnham bounce’, Rightmove reports Asking prices for newly listed homes in UK’s richest borough fall by £100k in one month Elsewhere this morning, the boss of JP Morgan has renewed his pressure on the UK government not to raise taxes on banks. Jamie Dimon told chancellor John Healey that creating a more hostile tax environment for banks could cost jobs, the Financial Times reports. The Wall Street executive told Healey in a call on Thursday that higher taxes often drive jobs elsewhere, citing a material decline in finance roles in New York that he attributed in part to the city’s tax burden, according to people briefed on the conversation. “The new Prime Minster has brought a general boost to optimism and has ruled out property tax changes in October’s Budget, meaning buyers have fewer reasons to wait around and see what happens.”..

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 6:37:59 AM
culture

I Made You a Mixtape review – frothy fringe fun as dorm mates party like it’s 1999

TheSpace Triplex, Edinburgh Nine college students fall out and make up as they dance to punk-pop and alt-rock in this lively show This is such a festival show: uncategorisable, buzzing, slightly chaotic and unlike anything else. As director Christie Lee Manning of Response Theatre Company tells us at the outset, I Made You a Mixtape is not a play, not a musical, not (really) a dance show, even though it is pretty much only dance all the way through, plus some hand-written captions. But it’s the kind of dance that real people do – or how you’d like to think you could dance, especially if you were nine girls at a college dorm party somewhere in North America in the 1990s, which is the setting here. The show fully embraces nostalgia from the off: camcorder, cassette tapes, the Friends board game, Sporty Spice’s wardrobe, and a pop-punk, alt-rock soundtrack (Blink-182, No Doubt, Red Hot Chili Peppers – not the Britpop/trip-hop 1990s of the UK), with live drums and guitar to make it all the more visceral. At theSpace Triplex, Edinburgh, until 29 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 6:00:48 AM
climate

Spotlight on UN desertification summit as it mulls how to spend $12bn war chest

Extreme weather has raised the significance of Cop17 talks starting this week on tackling drought and land degradation As swathes of the northern hemisphere bake in what could be the hottest year on record, with wildfires blazing across North America and Europe and heatwaves afflicting millions across Asia, the UN’s bi-annual talks on desertification have assumed much greater importance – and have started attracting more money. Work will begin this week on allocating more than $12bn (£8.9bn) to vulnerable countries to help them deal with drought and land degradation, when scores of countries gather in Mongolia for Cop17...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 5:00:47 AM
science

Starwatch: Vega the bright star will light the way to the constellation of Lyra

Lyra, the lyre, represents the harp played by the Greek poet Orpheus We turn our attention this week to one of the sky’s smallest constellations. High overhead from the UK after darkness falls, Lyra, the lyre, is easy to find thanks to the brilliant white star of Vega. The chart shows the view facing south and looking up towards the zenith from London at 22:30 BST on 17 August...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 5:00:45 AM
business

Asking prices for newly listed homes in UK’s richest borough fall by £100k in one month

Fierce competition in some areas of London means landlord purchasers are making successful lowball offers The average price of a home coming up for sale in Britain’s richest borough has dropped by almost £100,000 in a month as fierce competition among sellers in many areas prompts some to slash their price expectations, data shows. The property website Rightmove said that for Britain as a whole, average newly listed asking prices for homes had fallen by 2% over the past month, the largest August price drop in eight years...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 4:00:46 AM
technology

Are Microsoft’s AI plans being held back by a shortage of chips?

Guardian investigation finds apparent discrepancy between what tech company has said about its AI capacity – and the number of advanced chips it has in operation The chips are quite small and some can be held in the palm of a hand. They are fundamental to the development of artificial intelligence models – and the world’s biggest technology companies need vast numbers of them to keep ahead. Microsoft is one of them. And, on paper, it seems to have a problem. A Guardian investigation has found an apparent discrepancy between what the company has said about its AI capacity – and the number of advanced AI chips it has in operation...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 4:00:46 AM
technology

Report supporting Australia’s teen social media ban appears to contain AI hallucinations, Senate hears

Exclusive: Guardian analysis finds one section of report includes links to academic articles that do not exist, but authors deny the references were made up by AI Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The authors of a report testing the technology underpinning Australia’s social media ban have conceded ChatGPT was used in editing, but denied a number of citation errors in the report were due to AI hallucinations. The $3.48m age assurance technology trial, run by the UK-based Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS) last year, tested various types of technology that could be used by social media platforms as part of Australia’s under-16 social media ban...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 2:58:05 AM
power

Trump orders cuts to South Korea joint drills despite warnings of North’s growing battlefield experience

President says move is based on ‘very good relationship with Kim Jong-un’ but US military officials have said Ukraine war is boosting regime’s combat capabilities Donald Trump has said he is scaling back joint US military drills with South Korea aimed at deterring North Korea, despite military officials from both countries warning that Kim Jong-un’s regime was learning new battlefield tactics from the Ukraine war. The drills under Ulchi Freedom Shield, one of two major annual exercises held by South Korea and the US, start on Monday and run until 27 August...

The Guardian • 8/17/2026, 12:19:53 AM
culture

Summer jobs bounce back in UK thanks to busy calendar of sport and music

Industry tracker finds ‘exceptionally warm weather’ has helped boost job listings in hospitality and tourism sector The summer job has staged a comeback this year thanks to the hot weather and a packed calendar of events such as the men’s football World Cup, new UK figures show. Recent months have seen a significant increase in seasonal hiring in sectors such as hospitality and tourism compared with summer 2025, said the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), which runs a monthly labour market tracker...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 11:01:38 PM
power

Chokepoints and the cost of cutting off access

In 2022, Ukraine asked SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to activate Starlink coverage around Sevastopol to support an attack on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. He refused, saying SpaceX would become “explicitly complicit in a major act of war”; he later also cited US sanctions covering Crimea. At the moment that mattered, one private actor had the final say. It exposed a question hidden inside every chokepoint. We usually ask where dependence is concentrated: a strait, mineral, technology, network. But three...

South China Morning Post • 8/16/2026, 9:30:09 PM
sports

‘That’s the standard’: Mikel Arteta hails Arsenal’s desire on blue day for Maresca

Champions delight manager by ‘winning the first trophy’ Maresca wants Manchester City signings to arrive soon Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal players demonstrated their hunger to defend the Premier League title in their Community Shield triumph over Manchester City. Arsenal, who ended their 22-year wait last season and are seeking to win back-to-back top-flight titles for the first time since 1934-35, beat City 3-0 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff in Enzo Maresca’s first significant match in charge. Riccardo Calafiori opened the scoring after 24 seconds, the fastest goal in the competition since Bobby Owen’s strike for City in 1968, before Kai Havertz doubled Arsenal’s lead and their captain, Martin Ødegaard, completed the scoring on 48 minutes. The 3-0 defeat represented the joint-heaviest loss for a City manager in their first game in charge, with Harry Newbould the most recent to suffer a three-goal opening defeat – 4-1, also to Arsenal, in 1906. It is also Maresca’s joint-heaviest defeat as a manager in England...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 7:37:19 PM
power

Brazil’s Lula launches historic fourth term bid – but son of jailed Bolsonaro stands in his way

President, 80, vows to keep far-right from power as Flávio Bolsonaro tells supporters he will ‘fight this system’ Brazil’s leftwing president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has launched his campaign for a historic fourth term and vowed that as long as he lived he would not allow the “shameless” right to return to power. Addressing a sea of supporters in São Bernardo do Campo, the industrial city where his political career began nearly half a century ago, the 80-year-old politician reminded voters of the chaos and violence that unfolded during the 2018-22 presidency of his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, whose son Flávio Bolsonaro will face Lula in October’s presidential election...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 6:44:41 PM
sports

Arsenal send out early warning to City and title rivals with ominous victory | Ed Aarons

Additions of Guimarães and Tzolis, plus re-emergence of Ødegaard, mean champions start clear favourites after Community Shield win If this was a glimpse of the Premier League’s new order then the rest had better watch out. By the time Martin Ødegaard sat Gianluigi Donnarumma down to make it 3-0 to the champions, the Arsenal party was in full swing. “Can we play you every week?” their supporters gleefully taunted their counterparts in sky blue. Those in red and white who had made the journey to south Wales could barely believe what they were watching, even if winning the Community Shield is unlikely to spark the same kind of celebrations that were seen on the streets of north London in May after ending a 22-year wait to win the title. Having been forced to settle for three successive second-place finishes before finally reaching the summit, this time it was Manchester City’s fans who had to face the reality of being humbled by their closest rivals. As Viktor Gyökeres had put it beforehand: “Against City? In a friendly? We want to win.” That much was clear from the opening whistle at the Principality Stadium...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 6:32:08 PM
technology

The Guardian view on the changed world of job interviews: missing the human factor | Editorial

Andy Burnham’s doubts about Zoom interviews apply more widely to a hiring process being transformed by AI Almost half of UK jobseekers have found themselves pitching to an AI bot, according to recent research, leading many to give up in frustration. As one despairing applicant lamented in the pages of the Guardian a few months ago: “The hiring process has become so mechanised, both figuratively and literally, that it’s hard to believe that the people who end up getting hired aren’t merely the best at gaming the system.” For young people especially, experiencing repeated rejection without interacting with a single human being is alienating as well as disappointing. It was encouraging, therefore, to hear Andy Burnham voice concerns about online recruitment processes on a recent employment-focused podcast. Describing the jobseeking environment for young people as “harsh”, the prime minister criticised the widespread use of interviews on Zoom and Microsoft Teams, and questioned whether applicants could properly convey their personal qualities without a face-to-face meeting. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please..

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 5:30:31 PM
health

How surrogacy helped my sister and friends | Letters

Hazel Davis responds to a letter about the regulation and ethics of surrogacy I wish to respond to Lexi Ellingsworth’s letter (Regulation cannot eliminate surrogacy risks, 23 July). I gave birth to a baby for my friends in January. While the baby is living with its parents, my husband and I are the legal parents. We are waiting for our family court date in September to recognise the baby’s biological parents as legal parents. My surrogacy story started when my sister suffered complications following the birth of her first child. After a second difficult birth, the doctors told her that it wouldn’t be safe for her to carry any more children. I became an auntie via surrogacy when my sister’s friend carried her third child. Now my niece is a determined five‑year-old, just as much a part of the family as her older siblings, and I see no evidence that her origins have any impact...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 4:54:13 PM
climate

Water companies in England and Wales explore ‘surge pricing’ bills during drought

Suppliers could factor water scarcity into charges as part of Ofwat proposal to reduce consumption Water companies could be allowed to raise bills for customers during periods of drought under proposals being considered by the sector’s regulator for England and Wales. Suppliers would be permitted to factor “water scarcity” into bills as part of efforts to reduce consumption under Ofwat’s plans, which are being likened to surge pricing – the practice where private hire firms raise taxi fares at times of higher demand...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 4:28:00 PM
culture

Italy: Four Renaissance artworks stolen from Messina museum in Sicily

Four artworks by Renaissance painter Antonello da Messina have been stolen from the Museo Regionale in Messina, Sicily, overnight on August 15. The thieves took three panels from his Polittico di San Gregorio, depriving the city of part of the only surviving works by the painter still held in his hometown. Italian authorities have launched an investigation. FRANCE 24's Seema Gupta, correspondent in Italy, has the latest.

France 24 • 8/16/2026, 3:49:59 PM
climate

Greek island wildfire kills two people as helicopters called in to tackle Belgium forest blaze

Belgium battling biggest fire in more than a century as flames near German border and 600 people told to evacuate Two people have died in fires on the Greek island of Salamis as firefighting aircraft were called on to help tame the biggest blaze in Belgium in more than a century in the latest wave of wildfires in Europe. The bodies of two people were recovered from the Peristeria beach area of Salamis on Sunday after two fires broke out on the island, a fire department spokesperson told AFP. Hundreds of people have been ordered to evacuate...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 3:16:45 PM
sports

Nabizada’s breakaway solo stunner edges Watford past Southampton

Southampton will have to get used to being barracked as they travel the Championship this autumn, the Spygate team are set to be everyone’s favourite boo-boys in the second tier. Certainly that was the case in Hertfordshire, with Watford fans and players alike beside themselves after a hard-fought victory, decided by two memorable first-half goals. Watford paid tribute to Kenny Jackett before the match, the one-club legend and local boy hailed with two minutes of applause. As everyone clapped, the cameras remained stubbornly focussed on Tonda Eckert in the dugout. The Southampton manager has the potential to become a pantomime villain as this season unspools. Remaining under investigation by the FA for his part in the Spygate affair, and with the prospect of a potentially heavy sanction to follow, Eckert’s fate has cast uncertainty over his side’s prospects this season and given opponents added motivation...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 2:44:07 PM
world

West Bank: Activist recounts life under settler siege in Qusra

A week after Israeli settlers began besieging Palestinian homes in the West Bank village of Qusra, human rights activist Netanael Hanadaro joined FRANCE 24 to recount what he witnessed there. He said he and other NGO members reached the isolated homes on foot and left food outside for the trapped residents, with the Israeli army saying it would deliver the supplies. Hanadaro described an extraordinary situation in which the homes, located on the outskirts of the village, have been surrounded by settlers while the army works to prevent clashes between the settlers and activists.

France 24 • 8/16/2026, 2:38:57 PM
culture

Four Walls and a Roof review – fascinating tale of Brecht, the red scare and today’s émigrés

Studio Theatre, Edinburgh Rabih Mroué and Lina Majdalanie explore the playwright’s life, and their journey from Beirut to Berlin, in an absorbing show at the Edinburgh international festival Bertolt Brecht termed it “cold execution”. He was thinking of the way the US government, in the era of the House Un-American Activities Committee (Huac), could murder its opponents not by directly killing them but by cutting them off from what kept them alive. Where the cold war was waged without bullets, these cold executions were enacted, for example, on any blacklisted artist who could no longer work in Hollywood. It is an idea picked up by Lebanese artists Lina Majdalanie and Rabih Mroué who use the story of the playwright in exile as a way of thinking about displacement in our own era. Brecht, no doubt seeing the writing on the wall, got out of his native Germany soon after the burning of the Reichstag in 1933. It took him several countries, eight years and a journey across land and sea to reach the US. As Majdalanie and Mroué wryly point out, getting back to Europe after the US questioned his communist affiliations took only a day. At Studio theatre, Edinburgh, until 17 August...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 2:00:28 PM
culture

WAFCON final: Women's sport seeks greater recognition

The Women's Africa Cup of Nations final takes place tonight in Rabat, with Malawi facing Cameroon in a historic showdown. Speaking to FRANCE 24, sports journalist Charlotte Richardson discussed the growing popularity of women's sport, but also the persistent gaps in media coverage, funding and infrastructure compared with men's competitions. She also highlighted the WAFCON's last-minute postponement earlier this year, saying such a decision would be unthinkable in men's football.

France 24 • 8/16/2026, 1:00:14 PM
world

Week in pictures: A solar eclipse, quake in Colombia and Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank

A solar eclipse seen across parts of Europe, ongoing search-and-rescue efforts in Colombia after a devastating earthquake killed at least 300 people and left hundreds missing, and escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, condemned by the US ambassador to Israel as "acts of terror": FRANCE 24 takes a look at the week's most striking images.

France 24 • 8/16/2026, 12:02:18 PM
technology

‘I see the incredible promise’: on set of an AI film shoot as new studios embrace controversial tech

Amid fears for jobs, some film-makers say AI could enable them bypass studio giants and take more creative risks Near the collonaded entrance to Sony Pictures’ historic Culver City film studio, a tech-powered rival has sprung up this summer. The artists at Promise, a new studio feeding off the potential of AI, can glimpse the lots where Singin’ in the Rain and Men in Black were shot, but no longer do they need to get beyond the studio’s high walls to make their visions come true. From far more modest premises, they are making movies with rapidly accelerating AI models that create backgrounds, special effects and even “synthetic performers” – using US models but also driven by market-leading Chinese AI...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 12:00:25 PM
climate

Andy Burnham has barely acknowledged the climate crisis. If only Britain’s workers had that luxury | John Harris

Nurses collapsing, builders with heatstroke, bus drivers in cabs that reach 44C. The new PM wanted to spend the summer talking about the cost of living – he should change his plans I don’t think I have ever written before about a British strike directly related to the climate emergency. But that’s exactly what began late last week in north London, with a zeitgeisty connection to Andy Burnham’s fixation on buses: picket lines outside depots and massed walkouts, while the temperatures in the relevant parts of the capital and its suburbs hovered at about 34C (93F). Last Friday, more than 1,500 drivers employed by the transport giant Arriva began a planned run of 26 stoppages through to October, affecting bus routes spread between London and Essex. Everything is being led by the union Unite, whose recent grievances include alleged company union-busting and assaults by the public on staff. But the fundamental basis of the dispute is at the heart of the national condition: the near-impossibility for millions of people of working through another insanely hot summer. John Harris is a Guardian columnist..

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 11:33:42 AM
business

Burnham urged to crack down on gig economy firms to protect 4m workers

Exclusive: Campaigners say millions are missing out on key rights including sick pay and protection against unfair dismissal Andy Burnham is being urged to protect 4 million gig economy workers by prosecuting companies that use widespread “bogus” self-employment practices to deny people their rights. As the prime minister fleshes out his agenda, the Fabian Society and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation have warned that millions of workers are missing out on key statutory rights including parental leave, redundancy pay and protection against unfair dismissal...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 11:29:41 AM
climate

‘It is not only a future certainty – the disaster is already here’: why we need climate fiction

As wildfires rage across Europe and Britain swelters through its hottest summer on record, literary fiction has a vital role to play in capturing the severe consequences of climate crisis Earlier this summer, I travelled through Europe on a book tour. Everywhere I went, the heat broke records. In Italy, Germany and Spain, I sought refuge from the afternoon sun in air-conditioned hotels. In normally temperate Zurich, it averaged 37 degrees. I jumped into the Limmat for relief. On my final day in Warsaw, Poland had never been hotter – one of 14 countries to hit a historic high. In June, when I left to return to the US, Europe was scorching. At the end of July, as I write this, it is burning. Since the heatwaves began, there have been more than 10,000 excess deaths. Yet for many, myself included, the high temperatures brought nothing more than inconvenience – uncomfortable commutes, heat rash, less time outdoors. This seems to be a defining feature of today’s climate crisis; deadly for some, banal for others. Even when the world is on fire, it somehow doesn’t feel like an emergency for everyone...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 11:00:24 AM
power

Angela Rayner moves to protect pubs from being turned into houses or offices

Housing secretary says developers will have to prove there’s no way to save pub, as she prepares planning shakeup All pubs will get protection from being turned into housing or offices under a shakeup of planning laws in England to be presented by Angela Rayner this week. The housing secretary will publish a new national planning policy framework aimed at loosening planning laws even further to help build 3m homes by the end of the parliament...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 10:09:09 AM
climate

Which plants will survive and can I use grey water? Gardening as UK summers get drier

As parts of Beth Chatto’s visionary drought-tolerant gardens in Essex turn brown, the head gardener offers advice Her debut book, in 1978, was titled The Dry Garden. Since then, the late Beth Chatto created a rich legacy with her expertise as a plantswoman and by setting up one of the oldest unwatered public gardens in England. Once a car park but transformed in 1992 into an experiment to test what plants were drought-tolerant in Essex, the driest county in the UK, Chatto’s gravel gardens south of Clacton are being visibly tested this year...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 10:00:22 AM
world

South Lebanon: Doctor describes escalating humanitarian toll

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon have killed at least 11 people, in what local authorities describe as the largest escalation since the June agreement. Speaking to FRANCE 24, Pierre Catoire, an emergency doctor working in the area, described a deteriorating humanitarian situation, saying some doctors lost their homes in Saturday’s strikes and healthcare workers are increasingly worried that hospitals could also be targeted. He said the most common injuries are blast and compression wounds, while doctors are also concerned about infections, as well as the long-term psychological impact on civilians.

France 24 • 8/16/2026, 9:46:15 AM
business

A positive new report raises the question: was Reeves undermined by dodgy data? | Heather Stewart

Assessment that has found a jump in UK productivity emphasises urgent need to appoint a national statistician Keen new chancellor, John Healey, responded to last week’s better-than-expected economic news by claiming the government is “bringing hope back”. Growth did not plunge as feared after Donald Trump unleashed war on Iran – with GDP expanding at a pretty decent 0.4% in the second quarter. But what if we should have held on to a bit more hope all along? A new assessment of the UK’s recent productivity suggests this critical measure of the country’s economic strength may have been systematically underestimated...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 9:30:05 AM
culture

University spinout to launch water quality app for UK and US waters

Molendotech will collate data from daily tests that detect E coli and other bacteria amid reports of swimmers falling ill A UK university spinout behind a rapid bacterial water testing kit is planning to launch live water quality maps, as scores of beachgoers report falling ill after swimming. Molendotech, a spinout from the University of Plymouth, sells a portable test that detects E coli and other bacteria in water and delivers results on the spot, without waiting for days to get laboratory results...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 9:00:22 AM
science

Block export of ‘national treasure’ UK fossils, says MP

Sale of one of UK’s top collections overseas prompts call new rules to help keep items in country One of UK’s best fossil collections sold in ‘loss to the nation’ An MP has called on ministers to change export controls so that significant fossils can be classed as national treasures after one of the UK’s best collections, unearthed on Dorset beaches, was sold overseas. Last week, a Guardian investigation revealed that an unparalleled collection of fossils from the UK’s Jurassic Coast, comprising hundreds of specimens including ichthyosaurs, had been sold to the Natural History Museum in Abu Dhabi for what one source described as an “eight-figure sum”...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 9:00:22 AM
technology

The first anti-AI protester to be jailed has a message for OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta: ‘Regain your humanity’

Wynd Kaufman, 69, chained and locked the front doors of OpenAI’s headquarters last year with members of StopAI An activist who blocked the entrance to one of the world’s biggest AI companies is believed to have become the first person jailed for protesting against artificial intelligence as supporters dub her the “Rosa Parks of AI risk”. Wynd Kaufman, 69, surrendered herself on Friday to authorities in San Francisco. She was found guilty by a jury for her role in an action last year that saw members of the group StopAI chain and lock the front doors of OpenAI’s headquarters in protest against the pursuit of artificial superintelligence...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 8:00:20 AM
business

From tourism to power generation and productivity, Europe feels economic cost of heatwaves

Low river levels have stalled German freight traffic and forced closure of nuclear plants in France Across Europe this scorching summer, workers have struggled in the heat as wildfires raged and critical infrastructure was shut down. Here we look at the impact of the heatwaves on several major economies across mainland Europe – with the help of analysis from economists at the Dutch bank Triodos, who estimate a total of €180bn could be wiped off EU GDP by the heatwaves. In the UK, the green thinktank Verdant said this week that the heat had already cost the economy £4.4bn by the end of July...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 8:00:19 AM
technology

‘Our children are less cognitively capable,’ says neuroscientist who wants to cut screen use in schools

Jared Cooney Horvath argues that educational technology undermines how children learn and develop Jared Cooney Horvath is on a mission. In the wake of global campaigns for smartphone bans in schools and social media restrictions for under-16s, the neuroscientist wants to raise the alarm about educational technology in classrooms. A former teacher, Horvath believes the use of screens and digital tools in schools is undermining how children learn and develop. “This might be one of the hardest truths our generation has to face,” he writes in his book, The Digital Delusion...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 7:00:20 AM
power

The Fair Hill Five: horse racing’s bizarre transatlantic betting coup – explained

Four horses with little record of success suddenly won in the US. A seemingly coordinated betting operation across London did too – and now racing authorities want answers To understand why horse racing on both sides of the pond has been gripped by the Fair Hill Five over the past week, start with a basic principle of betting: when two unlikely horses win in back-to-back races, a wager correctly picking both should pay off handsomely. Last Sunday at New Jersey’s Monmouth Park, it did not. The sequence began with The Great Amira, a 17-1 longshot who went from finishing last in her previous two starts to winning wire to wire by nine and a half lengths. Her trainer then won the very next race with Tepeyac, who went off at about 4-1, and the meager Daily Double payout for picking both outsiders suggested the exact combination had been unusually well backed. Later that afternoon, two more longshots linked to the same Maryland training base were surprise winners at Saratoga...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 7:00:18 AM
climate

Fire rangers of Mongolian steppe: climate crisis spurs revival of ancient knowledge – photo essay

Fire has always be part of life on the grasslands, but has grown worse due to rising temperatures and severe droughts. In response, people have turned to their nomadic heritage to help tackle the blazes Sodnomjamts Damchaabadgar squats in a shallow, rocky depression, working quietly with his hands. Inches above the rim of the pit, the wind whips across the grasslands. But in the marginal shelter of the dig site the air remains calm – essential for delicate operations. Damchaabadgar, a research fellow at the Institute of Archaeology at the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, has erected a ger, a traditional nomad’s tent, nearby, which serves as his sleeping quarters and a field station. Two gers stand alone against the vast openness of the steppe in Eastern Mongolia. The ger – often called a yurt outside Mongolia – is a round dwelling designed to be assembled or disassembled in a matter of hours..

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 6:00:17 AM
technology

‘We detected unusual activity’: the scam that uses AI to exploit your holiday photos

Fraudsters use pictures posted on Instagram or Facebook to create emails seeking bank account details You are on a short break in Porto and post some pictures of your family on Instagram or Facebook. With a small section of the Douro river in the background, you think it could have been taken anywhere. A few days later, you get a text saying that your card was compromised. “We detected unusual activity while you were travelling in Porto – please verify immediately,” says the message...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 6:00:17 AM
business

New UK cost of living crisis looms with soaring energy bills forecast to lift inflation

Latest reading on Wednesday likely to frame scale of challenge for new PM to ease pressures on households amid Iran war fallout British households are facing a renewed cost of living squeeze, with official figures expected to show this week that soaring energy bills drove up inflation in July to close to 3%. As the Iran war continues to send shock waves through global energy markets, economists predict the surge in UK gas and electricity bills last month will push Britain’s headline inflation rate to 2.9%...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 5:00:16 AM
power

Japan’s defence minister heads to Australia to meet Marles in wake of melon-gate controversy

Discussions to focus on Australia’s acquisition of Mogami-class frigates as Japan plays down Albanese’s podcast comments Japan’s defence minister will visit Canberra this week, the highest level engagement with Australia after controversy over Anthony Albanese’s comments about a gift of melons from prime minister Sanae Takaichi. The defence minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, will meet his counterpart and deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, on Tuesday, with discussions focused on Australia’s acquisition of Japan’s Mogami-class frigates and enhanced security cooperation...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 4:44:30 AM
world

Live: Moscow targeted by 600 drones overnight, explosions heard in Kyiv

Six hundred drones targeted the Moscow region in a sustained overnight assault that wounded three people, the Russian capital's mayor said on Sunday, as Ukraine steps up long-range attacks into Russian territory. The assault came as Russian ⁠forces launched a ​missile attack on Kyiv, sparking fires in at least two districts of Ukraine's capital, Mayor ​Vitali ‌Klitschko said. Follow our live blog for all the latest updates.

France 24 • 8/16/2026, 4:42:16 AM
climate

Destroyed crops, riverbed cyclists and a ‘Rock of Starvation’: how drought has devastated the Danube

The Guardian travelled 100 miles along the EU’s longest river, where some residents are struggling to secure drinking water For centuries, the rock was seen as a warning. When it began to emerge from the Danube, beneath Gellért Hill in Budapest, it meant the river had fallen so low that floating mills could no longer operate, crops were probably failing, and hunger would almost certainly follow. That is why, in the Hungarian capital, where over time the boulder became little more than a legend, it was named Ínség-szikla – the Rock of Starvation. Today, amid record-low water levels on the Danube, the rock has not only emerged from the water, but surfaced almost in its entirety, along with the sandy riverbed on which it rests, astonishing geologists and government scientists sent to examine it. And, much as the rock was said to warn, Hungary is now facing an unprecedented energy crisis that has forced the country to shut down all but one of its Danube-cooled nuclear reactors for the first time in 44 years...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 4:00:15 AM
world

Rescue teams search for survivors in Indonesia after powerful earthquake

Searchers dig through collapsed buildings and debris after 7.7 magnitude quake killed at least 51 people Rescue crews dug through collapsed buildings and landslide debris in eastern Indonesia on Sunday as they searched for bodies and possible survivors a day after a powerful earthquake killed at least 51 people, injured more than 100 and displaced thousands. At least 24 people died in Manggarai regency and 17 in neighbouring East Manggarai, with additional fatalities reported in Sikka, Ngada and Ende regencies, the national disaster management agency said. Rescuers were still searching for people feared buried beneath landslides triggered by the quake across six regencies on Flores, a predominantly Catholic island in Muslim-majority Indonesia...

The Guardian • 8/16/2026, 3:57:34 AM
science

Science or fiction? Shadowy ‘paper mills’ let you pay to be a published author – of fraudulent research

Paper mill activity has exploded in recent years, polluting the scientific ecosystem with falsified data and compromising medical research Dr Reese Richardson’s phone constantly buzzes with notifications. The scientific research integrity specialist has been tracking shadowy organisations known as “paper mills”, which turn a profit by offering fraudulent academic authorship of scientific papers, IP registrations and other scholarly outputs. For a fee, paper mills offer to list people as authors of scientific journal articles, often of falsified research that bypasses the peer review process. Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads..

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 8:00:07 PM
sports

Newcastle’s Matthias Jaissle looks on bright side despite lacklustre Leverkusen defeat

In spite of a 2-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen, the new head coach at St James’ Park showed signs he is on the right path, and is closing in on Benfica’s Amar Dedic Reasons to be fearful or cause to be cheerful? Newcastle fans among a crowd in excess of 39,000 at St James’ Park on Saturday had much to debate as they headed home from a slightly underwhelming 2-1 friendly defeat by Bayer Leverkusen. The bad news is that a suddenly youthful team still coming to terms with life without this summer’s departed stars, Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães, look more than a little undercooked before Liverpool’s visit on Premier League duty next Sunday...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 7:18:10 PM
sports

Transfer roundup: Aston Villa close on Japan keeper Zion Suzuki as Emiliano Martínez nears exit

PSG sign Spain’s Ferran Torres from Barcelona Djed Spence completes move to Inter from Spurs Aston Villa are preparing for the potential exit of goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez by accelerating a move for Parma’s Zion Suzuki. Juventus have revived their interest in Martínez, who is open to leaving after six seasons at Villa and is increasingly likely to depart during this transfer window. Villa are advancing a deal to sign Suzuki as the Argentina No 1’s replacement. Villa dismissed an offer from Juve for Martínez earlier this summer, but Juve have now revisited a move for the 33-year-old, who is under contract until 2029. Juve are also thought to be monitoring Ederson, now of Fenerbahce, and Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario. Suzuki was poised to join Paris Saint-Germain this week but the Champions League winners, who defeated Villa in the Super Cup in Salzburg on Wednesday, pulled out of a deal worth about €35m (£30m)...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 5:53:31 PM
health

Massive egg recall in US south and south-west due to salmonella outbreak

1.6m dozen eggs from Texas recalled amid one of the largest recorded foodborne illness outbreaks in US history A massive egg recall affecting nearly 1.6m dozen eggs has been elevated to the US Food and Drug Administration’s highest-risk warning as officials investigate a salmonella outbreak that has sickened nearly 100 people. The FDA on 12 August reclassified the recall of nearly 1.6m dozen white and brown cage-free eggs over concerns they may be contaminated with salmonella...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 4:01:10 PM
climate

Royal estates rent out homes that fail to meet legal energy efficiency standards

Exclusive: More than 100 homes on King Charles and Prince William’s inherited estates have EPC ratings of F or G • ‘It’s archaic’: the struggle to heat poorly insulated homes let by royal estates More than 100 homes on the inherited royal estates of King Charles and Prince William fail to meet the legal minimum energy standards for landlords, the Guardian can reveal. An analysis of a large sample of domestic lets on the duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall and the Sandringham estate found that one in five have Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings of F or G...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 4:00:01 PM
power

Alarmed by the alarm: people react to ‘severe alert’ on phones with message on UK wildfires

Many complained online that piercingly loud tone was ‘overreach’ while others lamented lack of action on decarbonisation On Friday at 7pm, Thérèse Coffey was nine miles away from a nuclear power station when her phone made a loud, piercing and very worrying sound: it was a “severe” emergency alert. “Was expecting [a] much more specific alert, not a generic message on wildfires,” the former Tory cabinet minister said on X. She wasn’t alone in being alarmed by the alarm sent to phones in England and Wales. In the aftermath, thousands of social media users expressed their shock at alert. Some shared funny memes and others lamented what they viewed as lack of government action on decarbonisation. Academic John Ritzema called it a “massive overreach” and said the alert system should be “meant to be for ‘drop everything and prepare for something terrible’ situations”, something Coffey echoed, saying alerts should not become commonplace to avoid “Peter cries wolf situations”...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 3:54:15 PM
sports

EFL roundup: Bolton beat Preston on Championship return, Luton edge thriller

Dalby and Gale fire promoted Bolton to 2-1 win Kodua pounces at death as Luton beat Reading 4-3 Sam Dalby and Thierry Gale scored first-half goals as Bolton beat Preston 2-1 to record their first Championship win since March 2019. Last season’s League One playoff final winners have been predicted to struggle on their return to the second tier after seven years away. But in front of a sellout 26,262 crowd at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, Steven Schumacher’s side dominated the longstanding members of this division. This story will be updated..

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 2:44:42 PM
technology

‘Once I started zooming in, I never stopped’: the mesmerising art of macro photography

Converts describe a demanding form of capturing nature very close up that has grown in popularity in last few years Vote here for your favourite invertebrate of the year “I always just pray ‘please don’t fly away’,” says Dara Ojo. As a wildlife photographer, he can handle spending minutes, hours and sometimes days waiting for the shot, but insects are not always very cooperative. Ojo is one of an increasing number of photographers turning their lenses towards something smaller: macro photography. This refers to photographing the natural world at an extremely close range, close enough to see the facets of a fly’s eye, or the geometry of a spider’s face...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 2:00:01 PM
business

‘Strategic change and grasping nettles’: where now for John Lewis as boss exits?

Peter Ruis appeared ‘to be doing a good job in difficult circumstances’ at department store chain, says analyst “Going up?” After a tough week for department stores it feels as if that sales aspiration is as dated as the singsong phrase in the opening credits of Are You Being Served? Simpsons of Piccadilly, which inspired the fictional Grace Brothers department store in which the 1970s TV sitcom was set, is long gone, and several of its modern equivalents are now fighting oblivion. The boss of John Lewis, Peter Ruis, clearly decided it was time to exit the elevator this week, announcing his abrupt departure from the UK’s biggest department store chain in a surprise statement. Days later, Harvey Nichols, the luxury Knightsbridge store that was once a byword for 1990s chic, was bought out of administration for a knock-down price by the owner of Sports Direct, Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 2:00:01 PM
sports

Scotland hope to name 39-year-old Pocognoli as successor to Clarke in fresh approach

Belgian would be first non-Scot in role since Berti Vogts Scotland face Slovenia on 26 September in Nations League The Scottish Football Association hopes to name the Belgian Sébastien Pocognoli as the successor to Steve Clarke as manager early next week. The 39-year-old, who was sacked by Monaco in June, will become the country’s first non-Scottish manager since Berti Vogts, who was in charge from 2002-04. Clarke’s abrupt departure came as Scotland exited the World Cup at the group stage. He had signed a four-year contract extension immediately before the tournament. It quickly became clear the SFA would turn towards a foreign manager; Jon Dahl Tomasson and Kasper Hjulmand were linked with the position...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 1:09:59 PM
culture

Missed out on tickets to see the Bayeux tapestry in London? A £1,000 hotel stay will get you in

British Museum’s £33 tickets sold out in a day but some slots have been reserved for guests at five-star One Aldwych Those hoping to snare a glimpse of the Bayeux tapestry when it comes to the British Museum this September faced nine-hour online queues, with the £33 tickets sold out within a day. But the monied guests of a five-star hotel in Covent Garden have not had to go to such arduous lengths to get a view of the nearly 1,000-year-old depiction of William the Conqueror’s victory over King Harold II of England at Hastings in 1066...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 1:00:57 PM
culture

Charlene Kaye: Diversity Shredder review – killer riffs slay toxic music industry

Gilded Balloon Teviot, Edinburgh This is a fun and feverish journey, with well-crafted comedy and screaming guitar, through the star’s career so far In an industry that claims to be inclusive, it’s so easy to feel tokenised. For musician and comedian Charlene Kaye, it has been an uphill battle feeling like the token queer Asian female guitar player, in demand to cater to people’s otherwise superficial concern around diversity, as well as their attempts at being perceived as politically conscious. But if you’re booked and busy, and genuinely skilled at what you do, does it matter if the requests come in through slightly nefarious means? Diversity Shredder is a fun and feverish romp through Kaye’s journey of finding her artistic voice, and what it means to be an Asian American musician in the context of a very broken and unbalanced capitalist system. Using well-crafted, multi-genre musical comedy along with her masterful guitar skills, Kaye reflects on the mental gymnastics at play when you’re a person of colour trying to navigate a career in music, when all people really seem to want is Cassandra from Wayne’s World. At Gilded Balloon Teviot, Edinburgh, until 30 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 1:00:57 PM
sports

Bolton v Preston, Middlesbrough v Lincoln, Bristol City v Millwall and more: football - live

⚽ EFL updates on the first weekend of the season ⚽ Live scores | Wolves 2-2 Blackburn | Email Scott The 2026-27 Championship race started dramatically last night … … but it really gets going now. Bolton Wanderers and Preston North End are already partying like it’s 1888-89, having kicked off an hour ago, and we’ll have more of that Victorian-adjacent malarkey in a minute. But! Wait!! Here’s the 3pm card!!! Bristol City v Millwall Charlton Athletic v Derby County Middlesbrough v Lincoln ‌City Norwich City v West Bromwich ​Albion Portsmouth v Queens Park ⁠Rangers Stoke City v Swansea ​City..

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 12:30:56 PM
business

Met apologises for exposing 143 email addresses of Mohamed Al Fayed victims

London police force tells Telegraph incident was result of ‘human error’ and it is conducting an investigation The Metropolitan police have apologised for accidentally exposing the email addresses of more than 140 victims of Mohamed Al Fayed. In a group update about its investigation into the former Harrods owner, the force copied the email addresses of 143 victims of Fayed in a message that included about 12 other recipients, the Telegraph reported...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 12:22:47 PM
sports

Finlay Tarling’s NSN team withdraw from Volta a Portugal in wake of his death

19-year-old killed on Friday by collision with van ‘We will continue to hold Fin in our hearts’ Finlay Tarling’s NSN cycling team withdrew from the Volta a Portugal on Saturday, the day after the death of the 19-year-old British rider in an accident during the race. Tarling, the younger brother of the Ineos rider Josh, was reportedly involved in a head-on collision with a vehicle unconnected with the event which was travelling in the opposite direction...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 11:57:33 AM
sports

Prichard Colón, boxer left with brain damage after 2015 fight, dies aged 33

Puerto Rican suffered brain bleed in only defeat WBC blamed illegal blows to back of the head Colón had won his first 16 professional fights The boxing world was in mourning Friday following the death of Puerto Rican fighter Prichard Colón at the age of 33, 11 years after he sustained brain damage in the only defeat of his professional career. Colón’s death was confirmed in statements by the World Boxing Council and the World Boxing Organization late Thursday...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 11:42:02 AM
health

Lindsay Clancy murder trial: prosecutors revive theory of faked suicide attempt

Prosecutors pointed to internet searches made on the family computer in the months before the killings to make their case Prosecutors revived a theory in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial case this week, suggesting she had faked a suicide attempt after allegedly strangling her three children. While prosecutors have been arguing that Clancy acted intentionally and should be held criminally responsible, her defense has said she suffered from postpartum psychosis...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 11:00:56 AM
sports

Women’s U20 World Cup boycott may hurt in short term but can send Fifa a vital message | Tom Garry

Women’s football has much to gain from the kind of reforms that threats to snub upcoming tournaments might prompt. Infantino should be taken on “And I say to all the women … Pick the right battles. Pick the right fights. You have the power to change. You have the power to convince us men what we have to do and what we don’t have to do. You do it. Just do it. With men, with Fifa, you will find open doors. Just push the doors. They are open.” Those were the condescending words of Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, three years ago during a tone-deaf speech in Sydney, which left his audience, including some of the most senior women in the game, exasperated. It is a damning indictment of Infantino’s tenure that his patronising monologue on the eve of the Women’s World Cup final now barely even creeps into the top 10 of the most controversial moments since his latest re-election, in March 2023...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 11:00:55 AM
culture

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt convinced me to give up on my fashion industry dreams

I was struggling to make ends meet as an unpaid intern when a sarcastic song from the hit comedy gave me the clarity to walk out It was 3am in the summer of 2017, and I was lying in a triple bunk bed in a hostel in London, listening to the sounds of the 14 other people in my dormitory snoring. I had been working unpaid internships in the fashion industry in London for the past 18 months and living in £12-a-night hostels. When I couldn’t sleep, I would watch TV on my beaten-up phone to drown out the snores. I was watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, an absurdist comedy about a woman who moves to New York after 15 years imprisoned in a doomsday cult’s underground bunker. Her relentless positivity often inspired me to keep going, but on that particular night, the opposite happened: Kimmy gave me the courage to give up...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 11:00:55 AM
sports

Wicket: Beyond the boundary – a photo essay

Through the Royal Photographic Society’s Eamonn McCabe bursary programme, Nathan McGill set out to explore women’s cricket across Bradford. What emerged was a close and extended engagement with one club: Bradford Park Avenue Ladies Cricket Club Interest in women’s cricket is expanding rapidly across the country. Attendance and viewing figures for this year’s Women’s T20 World Cup in England reached an all-time high, while the recent Test at Lord’s set a new attendance record for a women’s Test match. This month, the Hundred match between London Spirit and Southern Brave also set a new record for attendance at a women’s group game. Yet visual culture often struggles to keep pace. Historic archives remain sparse, although growing interest is creating a richer contemporary record – one to which this project, Wicket, contributes. Wicket is rooted in relationships and place. The project puts women and girls at the centre of the narrative, creating images that foreground not only participation but belonging, camaraderie and community. Bradford Park Avenue Ladies is a visibly diverse, intergenerational team shaped by a range of lived experiences – a reflection of Bradford’s social fabric, though still largely absent from mainstream images of cricket...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 11:00:55 AM
business

UK’s biggest EV battery gigafactory shelves expansion as Jaguar Land Rover talks stall

Chinese-owned AESC has pushed back plans in sign of slowing transition from petrol and diesel to electric cars Andy Burnham moves to cut new EV sales targets The UK’s biggest gigafactory has shelved plans to expand production in Sunderland because of stalled talks on a deal to supply electric car batteries to Jaguar Land Rover. Chinese-owned AESC produces batteries for Nissan at its gigafactory next door to the Japanese carmaker’s Sunderland plant. However, AESC has had to push back its ramp-up plans because of lower-than-expected demand from Nissan and the lack of a deal with JLR, according to people with knowledge of the situation...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 11:00:54 AM
culture

Ayo Adenekan: Homeland Insecurity review – SNL UK writer woos the room with summer romance

CabVol @ Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh A fringe fling is the backbone for a mischievous set with deft jokes and a fresh perspective but some of this material needs another draft Ayo Adenekan’s ascent has been swift. Last year, the rookie comic cracked a joke on stage about Doctor Who’s Ncuti Gatwa. This year, he scripted jokes for Gatwa, as a writer on Sky’s Saturday Night Live UK. In this second fringe set, the Edinburgh man shows why TV producers spirited him away after last year’s debut: his perspective is fresh, he writes a deft joke, and he has the warmth to win over a room. But he’s not the finished article. He could vary the pace, which tends to the sonorous. Several of his ideas go underdeveloped. And the story Homeland Insecurity tells is unremarkable. It’s a love story, Adenekan tells us at the start, about a summer romance splashed across the canvas of the Edinburgh fringe. A meaningful but fly-by-night fling, it provides the backbone for an hour in which the 24-year-old ranges across his relationship with his dad, his “straight white man friends”, and his outrage when a namesake comedian comes up from London to steal his thunder at last year’s festival. “I’m not concerned about the boats, man. Stop the trains!” There’s a running visual gag too about product placement, which could be something, but Adenekan never really commits to the bit. At CabVol @ Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh, until 30 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 10:41:14 AM
climate

Heathrow passengers face disruption after flood restricts access

Airport advises passengers travelling from terminals 2 and 3 to use rail and tube as pipe leak prevents closes road Heathrow airport has warned of disruption after flooding caused by a pipe leak has restricted access to terminals 2 and 3. Water in the central terminal area means anyone trying to travel to or from either terminal is unable enter by road. Passengers are being advised to travel by rail and tube instead. Access to the terminal car parks is also impeded, leaving passengers with parked cars unable to access them...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 10:36:50 AM
power

Donald Trump doesn’t just love billionaires, he loves multimillionaires too

US tax policy deprives the government of revenue and overwhelmingly serves the interests of the rich After the House passed its version of Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) last year – the one that paired a $5tn-plus tax cut with $1tn-plus of cuts from food stamps and Medicaid – the House speaker, Mike Johnson, explained that “this is not giving tax cuts to the millionaires”. The beneficiaries, he said, were “small business owners” that “provide the jobs in every community in America”. Johnson was playing to the myth of the modest, sturdy Main Street job creator. It is an appealing story. It’s also the most consequential piece of BS distorting American policy that deprives the government of tax revenue, stunts American capitalism, twists regulations, thwarts competition and overwhelmingly serves millionaires’ interests...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 10:00:54 AM
health

The Fauci hearing was painful to watch. But we need answers on Covid-19’s origin| David Relman

Despite the recent hearings in Congress, we seem to be even further from the goal of understanding Covid-19’s origin’s than we have ever been As a microbiologist and infectious disease clinician, it has been tough to watch the recent devolution of public discourse on Covid-19 origins. It has been especially difficult for me to read the comments of Anthony Fauci about the origins debate in his now-public diary. And it has been painful to watch the televised spectacle hosted by the US senator Rand Paul on 29 July involving a hostile interrogation of Fauci. Despite many early pleas, including my own, for a dispassionate, objective assessment of what we know, don’t know and need to know about Covid-19 origins, we seem to be even further from this goal now than we have ever been – plagued by politicization, polarization and illogical thinking. David Relman is a professor of medicine and microbiology at Stanford University. He was an inaugural member of the US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity and president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America..

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 10:00:53 AM
technology

Gen Z flocks to BirdTok as birding takes flight: ‘It’s a craving for something real’

Social media and Shazam-like birdsong apps drawing young people to hobby as they seek a gentler connection to the outside world Sorry Elon, but they’re not your kind of tweets. Social media users are flocking to TikTok to join a burgeoning trend for birding videos as the hobby attracts a younger demographic. With the internet ever more cluttered with polarising, shouty and AI content, evidence is emerging of Britons preferring a gentler, more melodic window on the world in the shape of footage of the nation’s feathered friends...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 9:00:53 AM
culture

Will Poulter on challenging stereotypes in new opioid drama: ‘Shame on us for stigmatizing people’

The British actor delivers his strongest performance to date in indie film Union County as a person struggling with substance abuse trying to turn his life around Every week, Annette Deao, a drug dependency counselor, sits in the county jail and offers incarcerated people in rural Ohio a chance at recovery. One bright day she meets Cody, a young man who shuffles towards the lectern and quietly says that he’s ready to give it a shot. “His self-respect is in the basement,” said Will Poulter, the British actor who plays the character. “He doesn’t like or accept himself enough to embark on helping himself.” Directed by Adam Meeks, an Ohio native, Union County is a bruising yet poetic depiction of a real life drug recovery court in Bellefontaine, Ohio, where individuals join long-term treatment programs with daily sobriety testing. Though the film is led by Poulter and Noah Centineo as foster brothers taking steps to get clean, much of the supporting cast is made up of first-time actors who share their real – and often painful and non-linear – stories of recovery. The hybrid of narrative feature and documentary-esque elements combine in a deeply affecting watch that is anchored by Poulter’s natural-feeling approach to the role...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 9:00:52 AM
business

‘I don’t even drink whisky’: Scotland reels in visitors as much of Europe swelters

More direct flights from North America and, say tourism chiefs, Highland warriors and Tartan Army have helped For the tourist industry, 2026 has been a rocky year, with war, EU border delays, climate and economic woes gnawing away at holiday plans. But while much of Britain is feeling the loss of visitors from the Middle East and beyond, one part is thriving. Scotland is reeling in ever more visitors, with strong annual growth and a 15% rise in flight bookings to Scottish airports in June and July, compared with a drop in bookings to London and the rest of England in recent months, according to VisitBritain figures...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 9:00:52 AM
sports

Australia on brink of historic defeat to Bangladesh as batting woes resurface

First Test, day three: Australia 198 and 161-4; Bangladesh 426 Cameron Green rides luck to remain unbeaten on 43 at stumps Australia will have to dig themselves out of a huge hole without their best batsman Steve Smith after Bangladesh kept their foot on the hosts’ throat in pursuit of an upset Test win in Darwin. Under-pressure all-rounder Cameron Green, who was bailed out by a stroke of luck, was looking composed on an unbeaten 43 at stumps on day three, along with wicketkeeper Alex Carey (19 no), as Australia reached 161 for 4 in their second innings...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 8:36:12 AM
culture

Good With Faces review – mesmerising power struggle will have you sitting uncomfortably

Summerhall, Edinburgh Every comment sparks suspicion in Oisín Kearney’s bold play about a meeting between a mother and a social worker If you book a seat for Good With Faces you might only use the edge of it. This is a hugely assured psychological thriller, performed with just the right precision and edge. It is written and directed by Oisín Kearney, whose collaborations with Michael Patrick included the 2018 fringe hit My Left Nut, which transferred to TV – this could easily do the same. I’d advise watching it without knowing anything else first. The two-hander opens with social worker Hegarty (Patrick McBrearty) training his video camera on newly single mother Garrick (Clodagh Mooney Duggan) in her hastily tidied living room, with children’s toys swept under the sofa. Garrick’s son has a bruise, which has led to this referral. It’s a matter of procedure, a discussion “for internal use”, Hegarty assures her, in an opening exchange where every comment sparks suspicion and even the correct pronunciation of bourbon biscuit is scrutinised. At Summerhall, Edinburgh, until 31 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 8:28:17 AM
health

‘Dangerously hostile’: heatwaves leave hospital wards unsafe, data reveals

Figures disclosed by 33 NHS trusts show temperatures on wards during July rose above 28C limit set by NHS England Hospitals in England have recorded temperatures of almost 42C this summer, with surgeries being cancelled because operating theatres’ cooling units stopped working in the intense heat. The Northern Care Alliance NHS foundation trust, which runs four hospitals in Greater Manchester, recorded a temperature of 41.8C during last month’s heatwave – 14C above the recommended safe maximum. Some patients are also cancelling their own surgery because it is too hot for them to travel. Hospitals and GP surgeries are offering frail elderly patients appointments at the start and end of the day, when it is less hot, to make it easier for them to attend. Ambulance services are struggling to keep some medications at the right temperature because it gets so hot in the back of their vehicles. NHS ambulance trusts have relaxed their usual dress code rules to help crews stay cooler, for example by wearing shorts rather than trousers..

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 8:01:29 AM
technology

No 10’s ads for a TikTok team show why social media is a smart career move

The Guardian’s deputy editor of social platforms on the demand from high-profile people and brands for help in harnessing the power of TikTok I didn’t want to work in social media. If you’d asked 15-year-old me my dream job, I might have said foreign correspondent, or maybe travel writer. So you can imagine my surprise to now find myself giving these very colleagues advice on how to get the best selfie angle or write the sharpest TikTok ‘hook’. But taking a job as the Guardian’s deputy editor of social platforms, may prove to be one of my smartest career moves if the current job market is to be believed...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 8:01:11 AM
business

Carry on collecting: why old British shopping bags are suddenly in demand

Vintage classics from WH Smith, M&S and Tesco are being bought online, perhaps as part of a nostalgic return to owning tangible items When it comes to everyday objects, a supermarket carrier bag could be the ultimate one – a thing we’re more accustomed to squeezing into a drawer or using until it falls apart than giving any special treatment. But these most mundane items are now enjoying something of a new life...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 8:00:51 AM
technology

Secondhand booksellers in UK and Ireland suspect AI firms behind ‘strange’ bulk orders

Development comes after Anthropic was found to have spent millions on books to scan for ‘data acquisition’ Secondhand booksellers in the UK and Ireland are reporting a flurry of bulk orders from mystery buyers, amid speculation AI companies are acquiring the tomes for their data. Bookshops contacted by the Guardian say they have been receiving orders from buyers in the US, Canada, continental Europe and the UK. The increase has been replicated around the world, with booksellers in the US, Australia and Europe also reporting unusual orders...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 8:00:51 AM
sports

Carter Gordon impresses on return as Wallabies surge clear of Japan for dominant win

Australia 56-17 Japan in Nations Championship Test in Townsville No 10 shows why he could be solution to coach Les Kiss’s problem Les is proving more for the Wallabies, with new coach Les Kiss leading the side to a second consecutive victory in an eight-try 56-17 triumph over Japan in Townsville. The impressive victory gives the Australian men their first three-match winning streak since 2024 and fires the hearts and hopes of fans in the 14-month run-up to the 2027 World Cup. In eight attempts, Japan had never beaten Australia at home. But after a scratchy, scary three-point win in Osaka last week, the Wallabies had to be far more ruthless on Saturday. Kiss’s strategy to swap his starters and finishers again paid off, with several of the Wallabies exciting young stars seizing their chance to shine on the big stage...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 7:28:00 AM
sports

London City Lionesses’ Mapi León: ‘It is a club created for women. It is beautiful and exciting’

Spain defender on swapping Barcelona for Bromley, embracing the contrasting style of the WSL – and her newfound love for beans and crumpets ‘No, I can’t, I’m sorry, it’s a secret!” Mapi León roars with laughter, in response to being asked what persuaded her to join London City Lionesses. Does this bode badly for our interview? Fear not, the Spain centre-back is in as banterous and jovial a mood as you could imagine any new signing to be, as she embarks on her first major interview since signing for the Women’s Super League club. Across the course of our conversation, in bright sunshine outside a quiet hotel near Maidstone, it is evident that the 31-year-old could scarcely be happier about her decision to swap Barcelona for south-east England. She is sorely missing her cat, Bagheera (“Here, you ask for so many things for pets, you can’t [really] fly with them, it’s so many documents, so many things”) but, that aside, she is buoyant, relaxed and clearly embracing English life. She says she likes the “little bread” in the morning, and we eventually establish she is referring to crumpets, and reveals: “I like the beans in the morning. It’s really interesting. My Spanish teammates like Alexia [Putellas] and Jana [Fernández] are like: ‘What are you doing eating beans in the morning? You need to train.’ I go: ‘No, it’s fine I like it.’”..

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 7:00:51 AM
sports

Farewell Cristian Romero, you actually always were ‘that type of player’ | Max Rushden

You can’t help but feel the Argentinian with a penchant for red cards will arrive at his spiritual home when he completes his move to Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid ‘He’s not that kind of player” is perhaps the greatest of the co-commentators’ meaningless banalities. Used shortly after a “nice guy” has scythed someone in half about a day after the ball has gone, it is by definition nonsense because if you have scythed someone in half about a day after the ball has gone, then you are indeed that kind of player. But I don’t recall ever hearing anyone saying “the thing is Clive/Brian, he is that kind of player”. I haven’t analysed every foul in Premier League history to tell if you those kinds of challenges are carried out by players all of us would consider to be “that kind of player” as opposed to the opposite – but the list of players with the most red cards suggests a pattern – Richard Dunne, Duncan Ferguson, Patrick Vieira with eight reds, Lee Cattermole and Roy Keane on seven, Vinnie Jones, Joey Barton and Alan Smith (obviously not that one) among those on six...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 7:00:50 AM
science

‘A tax on being thin’: only high earners make overall savings on food bills from weight-loss drugs

Users need discretionary income of nearly £100,000 a year to make savings on their grocery spend after paying £1,200 for GLP-1s, analysis finds The high cost of weight-loss medication is a “regressive tax on being thin” because the outlay outweighs any saving on food costs for all but the highest earners. Someone needs to have discretionary income of nearly £100,000 a year to actually save money after covering the £1,200 annual cost of GLP-1 medication, according to an analysis by the consultancy Baringa...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 7:00:50 AM
sports

La Liga 2026-27 preview: Madrid look to Mourinho in bid to dethrone Barcelona

Florentino Pérez pressed the Special One button again after two straight trophyless seasons at Real, but Lamine Yamal and co remain title favourites A lot has changed since José Mourinho was last appointed Real Madrid manager, but a lot has also not changed. Before his first game in charge in 2010, Spain had just become world champions, their extra-time winner in the final scored by a Barcelona player after their opponents, who had been reduced to 10 men, had tried to kick them off the park. Like then, Mourinho’s task is to take down a Barcelona team that have won two La Liga titles in succession. And like then, he has a host of world-class talent at his disposal. Florentino Pérez is also still around – and he is largely the reason why Mourinho is back. After the chief executive, José Ángel Sánchez, was said to have led the charge to appoint Xabi Alonso last summer, the 79-year-old club president has made the decision his own this time. He promised Mourinho, who won La Liga with 100 points in his first spell, would return if he was re-elected in snap elections in June and the announcement came, in true Pérez style, on the opening day of the World Cup...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 7:00:50 AM
business

It’s the SUV tyranny: where have all the normal family cars gone? | Coco Khan

They rule the roads and, in their wake, even old-style saloons have been supersized. It’s an illusion of consumer choice Recently, while traipsing from showroom to showroom in search of a used car for my growing clan, the iconic line from Christopher Nolan’s seminal Batman movie The Dark Knight came to mind: “You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” And by villain, of course, I mean an SUV driver. Because, if you haven’t shopped for a secondhand family car recently, I’ll save you the shock: wherever you look, it’s SUVs...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 7:00:50 AM
culture

A Foot Is Not an Appropriate Prize for the Tombola review – a fateful day at the fete

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Daniel McVey merrily recruits the audience for a fun hour of cosy crime that bleeds into cosmic horror With a title like that, perhaps it’s no surprise that this afternoon’s show is sold out. Who wouldn’t want to find out how a stray limb ended up in a village fete’s raffle? Writer, performer and director Daniel McVey greets us as his drag character Lydia, a woman who rules over local festivities with a strict schedule – and a firm grip on the tombola. Audience members are encouraged to get up and have a go, and not just that: they’re also cast in McVey’s play as glove puppeteers, actors and – gasp! – suspects in a terrible murder. At Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, until 31 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 7:00:23 AM
power

'We are seeing the cracks of Israeli politics play out in the West Bank'

Palestinian residents of three houses in Qusra near Nablus in the occupied West Bank say they have been effectively cut off from food and other supplies since the siege by Israeli settlers began on Sunday. But the Israeli military has not done anything to remove the settlers. "We are seeing the cracks of Israeli politics, including a paralysed prime minister’s inability to condemn basic filmed violent acts, play out in the West Bank," says FRANCE 24 correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky.

France 24 • 8/15/2026, 6:37:15 AM
culture

Little Bird: this beautiful, moving Canadian drama will fill you with visceral anger

There is dignity and tenderness to this drama based on the real story of the Sixties Scoop – the scandal of First Nations children who were forcibly taken from their parents and adopted by white families Here’s one you’ll like: a man comes home to find his wife handcuffed to the wall and his young children missing. They have been taken by child protection services due to the lack of a fridge in the house, which is treated as a sign of neglect. When he confronts law enforcement officials outside, they beat him to death. Decades later, one of the children, now adopted into a Jewish home in Montreal, goes looking for the family she lost, risking the collapse of her new life to do so. I never said it was a joke. Although it turns out there was a fridge, behind the house. Watching Little Bird (18 August, 9pm, Sky Atlantic), I was reminded that TV is capable of more than mere entertainment, something we lose sight of when we think of it as a purely profit-or loss-making enterprise. I felt the visceral anger and sadness of this story of a First Nations woman caught between cultures, robbed by forces beyond her control and stonewalled by the authorities. Set in Canada, the attitude, if not the events, feel shamefully familiar...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 6:00:51 AM
power

‘Their Strength Through Joy conversation is killing me’: Samuel Beckett’s German diaries

Published for the first time this month, the Irish writer’s record of his months in pre-war Germany is a fascinating insight into his understanding of, and unease with, Nazism War was not yet on the immediate horizon when Samuel Beckett visited the German city of Hamburg in October 1936, but after watching the apoplexy that Adolf Hitler’s braying induced in ordinary Germans, the Irish playwright was certain that peace could not last. “They’ll need to fight soon (or burst),” he noted in his diary on 6 October. The six notebooks that Beckett compiled during his six-month journey across Germany between late September 1936 and April 1937, published for the first time by German publisher Suhrkamp on 20 August this year, put paid to a commonly held view of the author of Waiting for Godot as a poet of pure pessimism, interested in despair and stasis but unconcerned by real-life politics...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 6:00:49 AM
power

China blasts Japanese officials’ visit to Yasukuni Shrine on WWII anniversary

China has “strongly condemned” Japanese leaders for visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine and making an offering on the 81st anniversary of Japan’s announcement of surrender in World War II. Beijing lodged a formal protest after Japanese defence chief Shinjiro Koizumi visited the shrine on Saturday. China and many other countries in Asia view the site as a symbol of Japanese militarism. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi did not visit the site in person but she sent a ritual offering to...

South China Morning Post • 8/15/2026, 6:00:48 AM
culture

‘Watch your spending, use free perks’: an insider’s tips on student money

Avoid getting into debt at university with tricks to save cash, earn extra funds and have a good time Over the past two years university student Erin has been giving Martin Lewis a run for his money when it comes to hunting down the best hacks, tips and tricks to save cash and earn money. The 21-year-old has seen Oasis for free; earned tickets to race days; made money from selling secondhand clothes (£200 in one weekend alone); and enjoyed cut-price treats with friends...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 6:00:48 AM
power

Middle East live: Trump threatens US takeover of Hormuz as Iran vows to retain control

US President Donald Trump threatened to declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory after vowing to “finish defeating” Iran in a New York rally on Friday. Tehran rejected the claim on Saturday, with Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi saying the strategic waterway “will remain Iranian” and can be opened or closed only at Iran’s command. Follow our live blog for the latest updates.

France 24 • 8/15/2026, 5:12:23 AM
culture

Christopher Berry-Dee is the UK’s all-time bestselling true crime author. Is he also a violent abuser of women and children?

The British writer is known for his unique ability to get inside the heads of serial killers. But a Guardian investigation reveals multiple accusations of assault and child sexual abuse. What is the truth about the man described by his own daughter as ‘absolute evil’? Warning: this article contains descriptions of sexual abuse and violence From the outside, it looked like the sort of happy family home a child might draw. Red brick, surrounded by rolling countryside, in Curdridge, near Winchester. Here lived the true crime writer Christopher Berry-Dee, with his second wife, Tracey Dee, and their two young daughters, Zoe and Sasha, in the early 1990s. Inside, it was a house of horrors, full of murder memorabilia. In a wardrobe were the clothes a nine-year-old girl had been murdered in. One afternoon, Zoe was playing when she found them. The now 38-year-old council worker from Romsey says she remembers “putting it all on … going downstairs and everyone being absolutely traumatised”. Later, another gruesome memento was added to the collection: the Austin Metro that convicted murderer Michael Sams had used to transport a body in 1991. Bloodied sections of the seatbelts had been cut out for forensic tests. Berry-Dee was the serial killer man. He wrote to convicted murderers in jail and befriended them. They told him everything. Through them he saw the terror in their victims’ eyes, watched their anguished death throes, heard their final screams. He listened to tapes of their confessions in his study. Zoe grew used to hearing them echo through the house. “It would always be on,” she says. “At the time, it felt normal.”..

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 5:00:49 AM
culture

From Tony to Jungle: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead

Dominic Sessa plays Anthony Bourdain in a fun biopic, and the ever-danceable UK funksters are back with a sun-dappled new album Tony Out now This comic biopic of Anthony Bourdain focuses on the celebrity chef and documentarian’s late adolescence, as he gets a summer job at a restaurant in Cape Cod at the age of 19. Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers) plays Bourdain, with Matt Johnson directing. Rich Sommer, Leo Woodall and Antonio Banderas also star...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 5:00:48 AM
power

Russia’s role in Middle East politics endures, shifts to being ‘secondary power’

Russia is confounding expectations that its influence in the Middle East would drastically decline after the downfall of Syria’s Assad regime in 2024. At the time, Moscow operated about 100 military facilities in the war-torn country, following its intervention in the Syrian civil conflict from 2015 to prop up then president Bashar al-Assad in alliance with Iran and its regional proxies. When Assad was forced to flee to Moscow, and control of most of Syria was seized by Islamist rebels led by...

South China Morning Post • 8/15/2026, 5:00:12 AM
power

South Korea’s president proposes formal end to Korean war talks with North

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung proposed talks with North Korea to formally end the long-running Korean war, as Pyongyang deepens ties with Russia while asserting its status as an “irreversible” nuclear state. The two Koreas remain technically at war because their 1950-53 conflict, triggered by a North Korean attack, ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. Lee made the proposal in his speech at a ceremony marking the anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan’s 1910–45...

South China Morning Post • 8/15/2026, 4:44:05 AM
sports

Australia v Japan: Nations Championship rugby union international – live

Updates from second Test between the Wallabies and Brave Blossoms Kick off time in Townsville is 3pm AEST/2pm JST/6am BST Any thoughts? Get in touch on email Just the five changes from Eddie Jones after his team’s promising display last weekend. Among the quintet coming into the starting lineup is Harry Hockings, born a couple of hours along the Bruce Highway in Prosperpine. 1 Takato Okabe, 2 Hayate Era, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 4 Harry Hockings, 5 Warner Dearns (c), 6 Ben Gunter, 7 Tiennan Costley, 8 Faulua Makisi, 9 Naoto Saitō, 10 Ryunosuke Ito, 11 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 12 Dylan Riley, 13 Shunsuke Uenobo, 14 Haruto Kida, 15 Takuro Matsunaga. Reserves: 16 Mamoru Harada, 17 Sojiro Otsuka, 18 Izi Sword, 19 Jack Cornelsen, 20 Michael Leitch, 21 Itsuki Kamimura, 22 Samisoni Tua, 23 Kazuma Ueda...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 4:37:53 AM
sports

‘In the heatwaves, it’s crucial’: the fight to save France’s rural swimming pools

Ageing facilities offering daily refuge face funding threat as record temperatures parch the countryside Suzy Bernard took a breath and jumped into the deep end of her village swimming pool with a splash. “There’s a wonderful feeling of wellbeing in the water,” said the former hospital healthcare assistant, who recently learned to swim aged 75 and was now gliding along with her daughter and grandson...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 4:00:46 AM
business

Five key takeaways from parliamentary hearings into client leaks at KPMG

Partners say they ‘don’t recall’ leaked papers and are accused by lawyers of being misleading as more whistleblowers come forward Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast KPMG staff misled colleagues who tried to investigate leaks of confidential client information, a parliamentary inquiry has heard. The audit and consulting firm and leading clients such as Westpac, Macquarie and Optus faced a grilling on Friday. Westpac’s representative threw his weight behind the Labor-led inquiry’s calls for the Albanese government to reform the big four firms...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 4:00:46 AM
business

Flamenc Oh!! review – frills, flirting and fierce footwork in breezy Spanish comedy

Assembly Hall, Edinburgh Can you dance flamenco to Eye of the Tiger? Of course, says the company Yllana, in a flamboyant celebration of breaking down barriers You don’t need to know anything about flamenco to enjoy Flamenc Oh!! That overuse of exclamation marks gives you an idea of the subtlety of this fun/silly dance-comedy by Spanish company Yllana, based on flamenco’s battle between tradition and modernity (which is a real thing in the flamenco world, with its division between purists and progressives). Here is our patriarch with his straight spine and authoritarian streak, banning all music other than flamenco from his family. There’s mother and daughter in polka dots and frills, the son forever trying (and failing) to impress his dad, and their hunk of a cousin who has returned from his travels with some new guitar chords and a love of the blues, ready to upset the status quo...

The Guardian • 8/15/2026, 4:00:46 AM
power

The US’ future policymakers are questioning the standard ‘China threat’ playbook

For years, the conventional wisdom in Washington was that America’s China policy was moving in one direction: tougher. But walk into a classroom at Georgetown, Rice or another US university where the next generation of diplomats and foreign-policy professionals is being trained, and the picture looks less settled. A generation that has grown up with China’s rise is increasingly sceptical of the idea that Beijing should be treated primarily as America’s great strategic rival. That matters because...

South China Morning Post • 8/15/2026, 2:00:55 AM
power

Japan’s Takaichi sends offering to Yasukuni on WWII anniversary, Koizumi visits shrine

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Saturday sent a ritual offering to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, while the country’s defence chief Shinjiro Koizumi visited the site as Japan marks the 81st anniversary of the end of the second world war. Sources have said Takaichi, a conservative, is likely to refrain from visiting the war-linked shrine on the war anniversary. The shrine honours Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals. Visits by Japanese prime ministers and lawmakers...

South China Morning Post • 8/15/2026, 1:17:08 AM
world

Magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes off coast of Indonesia and tsunami warning issued

Quake hit Indonesia’s Flores region with a depth of 10km early on Saturday morning A powerful 7.7-magnitude quake has struck off the coast of Indonesia, the US Geological Survey said. No immediate casualties or damage were reported. The quake hit Indonesia’s Flores region with a depth of 10km at 5:58am on Saturday Indonesia time. It’s epicentre was 68km (42 miles) north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 11:43:18 PM
climate

Burnham announces £65m for drought-hit farmers after Labour pressure

PM steps up climate response with measures including better water access and support for building farm reservoirs Farmers must not carry the risks of the climate crisis alone, Andy Burnham has said, as he announced £65m of funding to help them manage the devastating drought. The prime minister is stepping up his response to the immediate climate crisis after facing a backlash from his own MPs and Labour’s grassroots for not addressing the climate crisis despite wildfires tearing through Britain and a drought affecting food producers. Labour MPs argued Burnham had taken too long to talk about the climate crisis and had not made it a priority...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 9:30:38 PM
sports

‘Not going to be an issue’: Mikel Arteta relaxed about Arsenal contract situation

Manager’s deal expires at end of the new season ‘They don’t have to worry … I want to be here’ Mikel Arteta has said he is relaxed about his Arsenal contract expiring at the end of the new season and believes his side will need to be better than last year to defend their title successfully. The Premier League champions will face Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City in the Community Shield in Cardiff on Sunday and are heavy favourites to win back-to-back league titles for the first time since the 1930s. The departure of Pep Guardiola from their traditional rivals City means Arteta is now the Premier League’s longest-serving manager, with the Spaniard having joined in December 2019...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 9:30:38 PM
sports

Raúl Jiménez’s injury-time penalty salvages point for Wolves against Blackburn

Raúl Jiménez marked his return to Wolves with the stoppage-time equaliser that saved them from an embarrassing start to their return to the Championship. The Mexico striker, who scored against England during the World Cup finals, retained his composure to convert a penalty given for handball by Rayan Alebiosu that would have had VAR questioning whether the defender was in the area when Jackson Tchatchoua’s cross struck his arm. Thankfully for Wolves, the video assistant referee is no longer their problem. Jiménez, who had bought scarves for all supporters in the South Bank in gratitude for their response to welcoming him home, tucked away his first goal in this second spell for the club he graced during their recent heyday...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 9:21:18 PM
world

Ontario free to axe Toronto bike lanes, region’s top court rules

Win is significant for region’s premier, Doug Ford, who blames protected zones for city’s traffic ills The Ontario government is now free to rip out Toronto’s bike lanes on its busiest streets after the region’s top court ruled in favour of the province on Friday, overturning a lower court’s decision that decreed removal would violate constitutional rights. The win is significant for Ontario’s premier, Doug Ford, and his government, who have long railed against Toronto’s bike lanes, blaming the protected zones for the city’s traffic ills...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 9:03:43 PM
health

Trump says record Navy deployment in Iran operations 'not nearly long enough'

US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed concerns about the toll on sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, who have endured a record deployment of almost nine months, saying that the deployment had been “not nearly long enough”. The Lincoln has been supporting the US war against Iran, and reports have emerged of sailors struggling with mental health issues.

France 24 • 8/14/2026, 8:17:38 PM
climate

Iga Swiatek takes swing at critics after ending title drought in Cincinnati

Pole wins her first title in 11 months ‘Sometimes we need to fight things we shouldn’t’ It came as no surprise that almost a year of pent-up emotion exploded from Iga Swiatek the moment she slotted her final backhand winner to clinch the Canadian Open title by defeating Elena Rybakina in two clean sets on Thursday night. As she screamed towards her team members on her corner of the court, pointed to her head and furiously pumped her fist, though, it was the tenor of Swiatek’s emotion that made her reaction noteworthy: she was angry. Her anger, she explained later, stemmed from the doubtful, disapproving voices she has heard throughout these difficult periods, most of it coming from viewers and the media alike in Poland...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 7:24:44 PM
sports

Wolves v Blackburn: Championship opener – live

⚽ Updates from Molineux; kick-off 8pm BST ⚽ Weekend fixtures | Looks like Rodrigo Gomes could play as a genuine winger rather than a wing-back. Wolves are also without Hwang Hee-Chan, Sasa Kalajdzic, Santiago Bueno and Ladislav Krejci for a variety of reasons. Damn, they’ve got a strong squad for the Championship, even if a couple of the aforementioned depart. I’m not ashamed to go to the Championship because I played in it for many years. I had a good chat with Eddie Howe and made my decision at the end of the season that I wanted to try something new. There were a few [interested] clubs but it was important for me that I was close to my children...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 6:24:18 PM
sports

Europe’s top clubs threatened Club World Cup boycott before Fifa plan collapsed

Ultimatum issued hours before plan was scrapped European Football Clubs demanded Infantino back down Europe’s leading clubs threatened not to participate in future Club World Cups unless Gianni Infantino withdrew his Fifa Forward Enterprise scheme, issuing their ultimatum hours before the plan was scrapped. In a letter to the Fifa secretary general, Mattias Grafström, seen by the Guardian, the influential European Football Clubs (EFC) group warned its cooperation with future tournaments would hinge on Infantino backing down. It said the threat will hold unless a joint venture between EFC and Fifa – a framework for which has already been agreed – is completed before television rights can be sold for the 2028 Women’s Club World Cup...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 6:00:34 PM
climate

‘It’s due to climate’: the people of Stourbridge on the town’s wildfires

Thursday has been described by residents as ‘horrendous’, ‘distressing’ and ‘one of the scariest days of my life’ People in Stourbridge have described the fires that devastated more than a dozen homes as “horrendous” and “distressing”, with one describing blazes that surpassed the height of residential houses. Multiple fires spread across the West Midlands on Thursday as temperatures reached record highs of 38.1C in the UK, during the country’s fifth consecutive heatwave...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 5:17:27 PM
sports

Concern grows as British Athletics coach Leon Baptiste vanishes on trip to Morocco

Former international sprinter not been for two months Situation ‘very worrying’, says former teammate Mystery surrounds a highly regarded British Athletics coach who has not been heard from since visiting Morocco around two months ago. Leon Baptiste, 41, who coaches a number of elite athletes including the Paris Olympic 4x400m relay bronze medallist Charlie Dobson, is believed to have gone to Morocco for the weekend with some close friends for a stag do or golf trip...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 5:00:33 PM
culture

Boys Don’t Dance review – jump back to the 80s to celebrate the power of pop

Assembly @ Dance Base, Edinburgh A sunny mashup of music accompanies choreographer Marc Brew’s feelgood coming-of-age story Marc Brew made the acclaimed show An Accident/A Life in 2024, with choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, about the car accident that left him paralysed below the waist aged 20. Brew went on to be a successful dancer and choreographer, performing using a wheelchair, and Brew’s latest piece returns to autobiographical territory. This time the focus is on the young Marc – or dancer Ross Malloy as a proxy – growing up in rural Australia, surrounded by football fans and sheep, and told repeatedly that boys don’t dance. What the show does really well is capture Malloy’s character’s absolute joy in dancing, how totally innate it is, the rhythm in his blood as he’s throwing himself into the routine from Footloose, or dancing along to a nostalgia-fest of songs and video clips from Culture Club, Wham! and cartoon pop star Jem, to the theme from Wonder Woman or jingles for Gillette. We get a sunny mix of disco, jazz, acro-moves and fizzing energy, with BMX tricks thrown in. It’s a reminder of the power of pop music, and also of the boredom and freedom of an 80s childhood. When his mum is out, Malloy dresses up in her clothes and performs, but this thing he desires is also torturing him, as does living in a place where he has to hide his true self...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 4:34:19 PM
business

Canadian plasma clinics pause collections after deaths of two donors

Government launches investigation into potential unsafe practices at Spanish healthcare company Grifols A chain of private plasma donation clinics in Canada said Friday it is pausing collections after the deaths of two donors and a new government investigation into potential unsafe practices. Grifols, the Spanish healthcare company that runs 17 clinics across Canada and is the country’s only private clinic for plasma donation, said it informed Health Canada of its decision to temporarily pause collections on Wednesday...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 4:21:39 PM
technology

Scottish police expect ‘great deal of public opposition’ to planned Larbert datacentre

Planning consultation told ‘robust security measures’ will be needed amid growing resistance to such developments Scottish police have warned that a proposed datacentre will require “robust security measures” to prevent “incursion” amid growing public resistance to such developments in Scotland. “A great deal of public opposition is likely” to a datacentre planned in Larbert, about 30 miles west of Edinburgh, the Scottish police have said in a letter submitted as a part of a planning consultation earlier this month...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 4:05:31 PM
health

Iceberg, romaine, kale: which salad greens are healthiest?

If you’re trying to meet your daily serving of 2.5 cups of vegetables, you might have some questions If you want to eat lettuce, that no longer just means iceberg. In our bountiful age, there are many options: romaine, red-leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, beet greens, bok choy, bitter radicchio, every developmental stage of arugula. Sometimes, it’s simply up to preference. But if you’re trying to meet your daily serving of 2.5 cups of vegetables – or you’re rethinking your salad choices amid the US cyclospora outbreak, you might have some questions about which greens to go with...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 4:00:32 PM
sports

Roxby all set to lord it over Great St Wilfrid rivals at Ripon

Apprentice Alex Jary can steer sprinter to success Dubai Honour set to defy a break at Newbury Frontrunners and prominent racers enjoy a significant edge at Ripon and Nigel Tinkler’s Lord Roxby, a winner over course and distance this month, has a fine chance to follow up that success in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at the Yorkshire track on Saturday. A high-numbered stall is also an advantage in single-figure fields at Ripon as pacier horses can grab the stands’ rail, but Intervention’s front-running success from stall one 12 months ago – with the stands’-side pace horses second and third – showed that speed is more important when, as on Saturday, a big field is likely to split...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 3:44:02 PM
climate

Thames Water plans to restart desalination plant – after drought has ended

Utility company’s plant, which has only run five times, now has an estimated total cost of £500m Thames Water is preparing the UK’s only desalination plant to restart operations later this year – but it will only be ready in the winter, long after the current drought is likely to have passed. The utility company said that it was hoping to start operating its plant in Beckton, east London, “by the end of the year”, in order to help build up reservoir supplies over the winter for next summer...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 3:08:49 PM
climate

The Great Barrier Reef isn’t dead yet. According to News Corp that makes climate science a ‘pseudo-religion’ | Temperature Check

‘High coral cover is evidence of recovery and resilience, not evidence that the disturbances causing mortality didn’t happen,’ scientist says Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here The Australian newspaper appeared to think it had a slam-dunk this week with a front page story pointing to official government data which showed “the Great Barrier Reef is refusing to die” despite decades of warnings that global heating would cause its demise. In an editorial to back its reporting, the newspaper claimed the “continued good health” of the reef was a “welcome reminder that physics rather than the pseudo-religion of climate change doom still holds sway over the natural order.”..

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 3:00:32 PM
science

Scientists hope to shed light on young universe by using dark side of the moon

UK team seeking to put suitcase-sized satellite in orbit around moon in search for 21cm line radio frequency signal Little is known about what was happening shortly after the big bang, but now researchers are hoping to shed fresh light on the matter by harnessing the dark side of the moon. Scientists are hoping to put a suitcase-sized satellite into orbit around the moon, using the data it collects as it passes the far side to search for a radio frequency signal emitted by neutral hydrogen atoms in the early universe...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 3:00:32 PM
power

Burnham temporarily bans disposable barbecue sales in ‘tinderbox’ Britain

PM urges people not to risk lives and homes by starting fires as military brought in to help deal with wildfires UK politics live – latest updates Downing Street has issued a temporary GB-wide ban on the sale of disposable barbecue and brought in the military to help deal with wildfires as Andy Burnham urged people not to risk lives in “tinderbox” Britain this weekend. The prime minister spoke from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, where at least 19 people have been taken to hospital during eight fires that have ripped through several homes...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 2:50:35 PM
sports

The Hundred’s costly makeover still leaves English cricket playing a waiting game

The IPL-ification of the competition has not transformed its fortunes just yet – crowds have been down in another transitional year It was a story about English cricket that took flight in the final days of July. A viral clip that prompted headlines around the globe. A cut-through moment for a sport always hunting for them and unrelated to the international game. Unfortunately for the England and Wales Cricket Board, it also had nothing to do with the Hundred, into its sixth edition, and everything to do with a Saltburn CC fielder accused of clicking his fingers...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 2:26:20 PM
climate

Five reservoirs in England and Wales ‘exceptionally low’ as drought persists

Extreme heat and lack of rain threatening public water supply, with ‘real trouble’ predicted if autumn stays dry Five key reservoirs across England and Wales are “exceptionally low” as drought and extreme heat piles pressure on public water supply that is likely to continue into the autumn. Most of Europe has endured back-to-back climate crisis-driven heatwaves this summer. The extreme heat, coupled with strikingly little rainfall, means almost three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales is now in drought...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 2:00:28 PM
sports

Continental clash: where world football stands on Fifa and Infantino – explained

With Oceania praising Fifa on Friday, all six confederations have finally had their say on the fallout from the World Cup sell-off plan The Oceania Football Confederation’s (OFC) decision to belatedly issue a statement following this week’s executive committee meeting praising Fifa’s “progress achieved over the last decade” means all six continental confederations have finally had their say on the fallout from the World Cup sell-off plan that has split world football, with the votes seeming tied at three apiece on the key issue of whether Gianni Infantino should remain as Fifa president...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 1:26:51 PM
climate

Andy Burnham moves to cut new EV sales targets

Possible cut from 80% down to as little as 50% could add millions of tonnes of CO2 to emissions and comes amid UK heatwaves Andy Burnham’s government has said it will look at cutting electric vehicle sales targets, in proposals that could add millions of tonnes a year to the UK’s future carbon dioxide emissions. The government launched a consultation on Friday on cutting the target for new EVs to as little as 50% of all new cars in 2030, down from 80% under existing rules. The consultation will include several options, including leaving the headline target unchanged, or cutting it to 70%, 60% or 50%...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 1:25:16 PM
culture

A critical mauling: Brian Logan on comedy critics being portrayed as horrible snobs

Two Edinburgh fringe shows feature savage send-ups of reviewers. Is this petty revenge or do they have a case? Our writer finds one ‘a hoot’ – and thinks the other let him off lightly No one ever built a statue to a critic, they say – but plenty of art gets made about them. There was Wild Bore at the Traverse a few Edinburgh fringes back, an eye-catching performance-art attack on the notion of critical authority. There was Tom Stoppard’s The Real Inspector Hound, Sheridan’s The Critic, and the 70s horror movie (later a play) Theatre of Blood, in which critics are subjected to gruesome murder at the hands of a deranged thesp. And while we’re talking unspeakable gore, one feature of Sarah Kane’s queasy play Cleansed, currently enjoying a revival, is that (in a wanton act of literary vengeance) its sadistic torturer antagonist is named after a theatre critic, Jack Tinker, who’d panned Kane’s work. Runts of the reviewing litter though we are, there’s even a sub-genre of art about comedy critics. The comic Russell Kane wrote a novel about one who was unable to laugh. Ex-critic Charlotte Runcie wrote another about a journo giving a woman a one-star review for her standup, then sleeping with her...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 1:06:25 PM
health

Can antihistamines really help with PMDD and menopausal symptoms?

Debilitating symptoms lead some to try over-the-counter medications Allegra and Pepcid due to a social media trend Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and menopause can come with debilitating symptoms, like intense emotional changes and exhaustion. All over social media, women are claiming that a simple hack has helped enormously: a combination of two over-the-counter medications, both antihistamines – typically, the name brands Pepcid AC and Allegra...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 12:00:27 PM
health

I’m a neuroscientist. Here’s why our brains need pop concerts | Bala Subramaniam

Attending a Nick Jonas show with my kids was an invitation to ‘collective effervescence’. We need these shared experiences now more than ever Three years ago, I agreed to accompany my children to a Nick Jonas concert. The appeal of the Jonas Brothers, and in this case only one of them, was unfamiliar territory. The concert happened to land on a particularly inconvenient day. As I sprinted out of the hospital, my mind was filled with the “what if’s” and “should haves” about our work that day...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 12:00:26 PM
culture

‘We get 200 tourists a day’: when your house becomes a TV star

What’s it like to live on the set of a soap opera? Or above Ted Lasso’s favourite pub? The residents of the homes made famous by hit TV shows tell all Half the world recognises the apartment that Carrie Bradshaw lives in. Or the New Jersey mansion where Tony Soprano ate, slept and obsessed over the ducks in his swimming pool. In the 1990s, if you asked a good chunk of the global population where Will Smith lived, they would instantly picture a huge, white abode in Bel Air. For the real people who call those places home, this can be an issue...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 12:00:26 PM
power

Zambia suspends vote count nationwide amid reports of violence, ballot theft

Zambia's electoral commission on Friday suspended vote counting from Thursday's presidential and parliamentary elections for at least 24 hours due to “violence targeted at poll staff” and reported instances of theft of marked ballot papers. Former minister Brian Mundubile, the main challenger to President Hakainde Hichilema, claimed a first-round victory and said his camp viewed "the continued delay... with grave concern".

France 24 • 8/14/2026, 11:57:23 AM
sports

Enzo Maresca says Manchester City will not meet Chelsea’s deadline for Fernández

Chelsea set 5pm Friday deadline for bids for midfielder Maresca: ‘I don’t think we’re going to do something today’ Enzo Maresca is expecting a busy end to the transfer window but says Manchester City will not meet Chelsea’s 5pm Friday deadline to sign Enzo Fernández. Maresca takes charge of City for the first time in a competitive match on Sunday against Arsenal in Cardiff but is a long way from finalising the squad he will have for the season. City are closing to signing the 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, while Chelsea’s Fernández, who worked with Maresca at Stamford Bridge, is of interest but would cost £120m. The Blues set a 5pm cut-off point on Friday to reach their valuation or not bother...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 11:25:06 AM
culture

Midsummer! review – Suri Noelle sparkles in a frisky Dream at the Edinburgh fringe

Assembly @ St Andrew Square, Edinburgh A lusty adaptation by Avenue Q’s co-creator is performed with verve by Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise’s daughter and her fellow students Not every undergraduate Shakespeare show at the Edinburgh fringe makes headlines but this one brings stardust by association. Suri Noelle, the 20-year-old daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, appears with her fellow drama students from Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University. However, it’s a bit of an event regardless – the UK premiere of a “modern translation” of A Midsummer Night’s Dream adapted by Jeff Whitty, a Tony award-winner for the riotous Avenue Q. That show, newly returned to the West End, is populated by some horny puppets and Whitty’s Dream is similarly frisky. Often more lustful than lovestruck, Noelle’s Helena prowls after Demetrius (Logan Yao) on all fours, Puck (Eli Strain) bares his nipples during the “up and down” speech and when Titania (Siahvash Marshall) instructs the fairies to show Bottom some courtesies, it fuels an orgy...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 11:03:51 AM
power

West Bank: Palestinians families trapped in homes

Israeli settlers are conducting a campaign of violence and intimidation against the Palestinian village of Qusra in the occupied West Bank. Families have had their electricity and water supplies cut off, in what residents say is an attempt to force them from their homes. According to France 24 correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky, Israel’s Defence Minister is using settler violence for political propaganda, as the army could remove violent settlers but is not ordered to do so due to far-right political pressure. The situation is expected to remain unchanged, with the army standing by as armed settlers intimidate Palestinians.

France 24 • 8/14/2026, 10:43:44 AM
sports

Arsenal open talks with Bayer Leverkusen over deal for Jarell Quansah

Bundesliga club want at least €50m for England defender Gunners remain interested in Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa Arsenal have opened talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a move for Jarell Quansah as they intensify efforts to bring in cover for William Saliba and Jurriën Timber. The England defender, who left Liverpool last summer for an initial £30m and was part of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, has been identified as an ideal replacement for the France and Netherlands defenders, who will miss the start of the new season due to injury. While Quansah’s preferred position is in central defence, he was also deployed at right-back by Tuchel at the World Cup and was sent off in the last-16 victory over Mexico...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 10:40:24 AM
world

In Nepal, residents learn how to live alongside wild animals

Over the past five decades, Nepal has established itself as a model for wildlife conservation. Nearly 20 percent of the country’s territory has been designated as protected areas. An effective anti-poaching policy has helped save iconic species such as the one-horned rhinoceros and the gharial crocodile, which were once on the brink of extinction. But this success also comes with tragic consequences.

France 24 • 8/14/2026, 10:29:10 AM
culture

How the mob took Hollywood: the story of organized crime and the movies

Hollywood Crime Story: The Mob Takes Over the Movies looks back at how criminals insinuated themselves in the film business “From the foundation of Hollywood, organized crime is there.” So claims Tom Patterson, producer and director of new three-part documentary series, Hollywood Crime Story: The Mob Takes Over the Movies. Organized crime’s connection to the film industry actually predates Tinseltown, being present for the foundation of the medium itself, when inventor Thomas Edison sicced his hired goons on competitors in an attempt to maintain total control over early motion picture technology. As covered in Hollywood Crime Story, this resulted in said competitors – mostly Jewish businessmen from the east coast – fleeing westward and establishing the town and studio system that would become synonymous with movies as we know them...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 9:00:23 AM
sports

NFL preseason storylines: are the Rams inevitable and will the Pats survive scandal?

With the Hall of Fame game done, and the second round of preseason games underway, let’s look at the storylines that could dominate the coming weeks Winning the Super Bowl back in February puts the Seattle Seahawks in line to become the 10th team, and the ninth franchise, to repeat as champions (the Pittsburgh Steelers went back-to-back twice in the 1970s). While a lot of Super Bowl winners experience massive drains of coaching and playing talent after clinching the title, these Seahawks are left in pretty good shape...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 9:00:23 AM
world

Israel sends troops to West Bank homes besied by settles

Israeli settlers are conducting a campaign of violence and intimidation against the Palestinian village of Qusra in the occupied West Bank. Families have had their electricity and water supplies cut off, in what residents say is an attempt to force them from their homes. The IDF has nominally intervened and condemned the violence, but has failed to deter the settlers, who Palestinians say have long benefited from soldiers turning a blind eye to such attacks. Meanwhile, Washington has sharply condemned the settlers’ actions. Antonia Kerrigan tells us more.

France 24 • 8/14/2026, 8:59:38 AM
power

Standards watchdog resumes investigation into Nigel Farage over financial gifts

Reform UK leader’s return to Clacton restarts inquiry into £5m gift from cyrpto-billionaire and support from fraudster The suspended parliamentary standards investigation into Nigel Farage over accusations he failed to declare gifts and donations has resumed after the Reform UK leader’s re-election as the MP for Clacton. The twofold investigation by Daniel Greenberg, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, was paused after Farage resigned from his seat and called a byelection in protest at what he said was unfair scrutiny of his finances...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 8:17:55 AM
culture

Joseph Morpurgo: Highlander 70 review – a dork’s last day at school is one to remember

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh This one-man comic play, told at breakneck speed and featuring West Side Story-like dance-numbers, is highly entertaining It’s as if Joseph Morpurgo had never been away. The Londoner made a splash on the fringe a decade ago with several high-concept comedy shows, of which thrift-shop source material and multimedia presentation were standout features. After a nine-year absence, the same is true of Highlander 70, a one-man comic play built exclusively around an American high-school yearbook salvaged from half a century ago. Drawing on that book’s text and (mainly) innocent black-and-white photographs of wholesome teens, Morpurgo cobbles together a breakneck tale of dorky David Moon’s last day of school. He must navigate assembly, the big game, graduation – and then he’s free. “What could possibly go wrong?” In Morpurgo’s telling, plenty, as our juvenile hero (face painted grey, the better to resemble his monochrome original) embarks on a quest to recover his missing diary, which contains mortifying evidence of a crush on schoolmate Beth. Standing in his way, the school’s martinet principal, its bully Roscoe Peltz and his crew of unconvincing tough guys, and a dance-hall full of dangerously intoxicated adolescents. At Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, until 30 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 8:13:02 AM
health

Three firefighters and a child hospitalised in England as fires blaze in UK, Greece, France and Croatia – Europe live

Four people taken to hospital in Stourbridge, West Midlands with 500 people evacuated in southwest France Four taken to hospital and homes damaged in West Midlands fires UK prime minister Andy Burnham also responded to the wildfire in West Midlands, saying his thoughts are with everyone affected. “I’m in touch with local leaders like [West Midlands Mayor] Richard Parker and will be speaking to emergency services on the ground as they continue their response. Our firefighters are working in incredibly difficult conditions and putting themselves at risk to keep others safe. A huge thank you to them and everyone supporting the effort tonight.” “Please stay safe and follow their advice.”..

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 7:41:58 AM
sports

Oceania declares support for Infantino in boost for Fifa president but New Zealand breaks ranks

OFC’s 11 votes could prove crucial in Fifa election Stance shows continued backing from smaller nations The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has declared their support for Gianni Infantino following demands for the Fifa president to resign from Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation in a development that further highlights world football’s civil war. After a meeting of its executive committee in Fiji on Wednesday, the OFC issued a statement on Friday praising “the progress achieved over the last decade” by Fifa in its first public comments since the abandoned World Cup sell-off plan emerged this month...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 7:13:59 AM
culture

Something Wile E this way comes: how the Looney Toons reboot movie came back from the dead

Cartoon royalty were lined for a live-action toon hybrid Coyote vs Acme. Then it was shelved as a tax write-off. But its cast, crew and fans fought for its release. Three years later it’s set to be a surprise summer hit Back in 2020, Dave Green started making his new film, Coyote vs Acme. Mixing live action with animation, it would be an unconventional courtroom drama that pitched actor Will Forte against a host of 2D Looney Tunes characters – including cartoon royalty such as Foghorn Leghorn, Porky Pig and Bugs Bunny. This, Green believed, would weave a heady spell for cinemagoers of all ages. Six years later, his film is finally about to be released. When Green first called “Action!”, his dark hair was not yet flecked liberally with grey. It is now. “We’ve held on to a lot of hope these past few years,” Green says from his home in Los Angeles, “and we never really let go of it.”..

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 7:00:22 AM
health

‘We’re seeing lots of people who feel dizzy’: how heatwaves are taking a toll on people’s health and the NHS

Doctors and nurses describe rise in fall injuries and other heat-related problems on top of stifling working conditions “The big thing A&E doctors are seeing during extreme heat now is falls in the elderly,” says Dr Adrian Boyle, an A&E consultant at Addenbrooke’s hospital in Cambridge. “During this summer’s five heatwaves I’ve seen elderly people get light-headed and dizzy and fall down a whole flight of stairs and break multiple bones, purely because of the heat. The last fall down stairs because of the heat resulted in multiple broken ribs, a wrist and her lower leg...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 7:00:22 AM
climate

Weather forecasts once gave Britons something safe to chat about. Not any more | Andy Beckett

Our once-mild climate is increasingly extreme – and how we talk about it is now another front in the culture wars In this fragmented but supposedly mild country, watching and talking about the weather forecast is meant to be a reassuring, unifying activity. Collectively, we have created and maintained a national climate narrative of small disappointments and pleasures. The first weather forecaster to appear on British TV, George Cowling, made his debut on the BBC in January 1954, predicting that “tomorrow would be rather windy”, but “a good day to hang out the washing”. For most of the 72 years since, such brief, carefully calibrated broadcasts have provided people from Aberdeen to Penzance with practical information, small talk and minor grumbles about essentially the same situation: living in a country where the weather is constantly changing, in a paradoxically unchanging way. Yet like the traditional British climate, that common weather culture may now be evaporating. “Met Office considers issuing red ‘extreme heat warning’ across Britain while nation enjoys ‘incredible summer’,” said the headline above the forecast on the GB News website on Monday, caught between terror and delight at the latest heatwave. As the climate crisis has affected this country in more and more unmistakable but uneven ways, TV weather forecasters have increasingly struggled to find the right language to describe this transformation’s daily consequences. Their struggle influences and exemplifies that of many Britons to understand, and work out what we think about, the apparent end of the weather patterns we expected to shape our whole lives. Andy Beckett is a Guardian columnist..

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 7:00:21 AM
sports

Shreyas Royal, 17, is youngest ever British chess champion as new generation takes over

Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, is youngest ever British women’s champion while Supratit Banerjee, 12, becomes England’s youngest ever international master A new generation took over at the top of British chess on Sunday, when a trio of youthful talents demonstrated their skills on a national stage. Shreyas Royal, 17, of Dartford, Kent, became the youngest ever British champion, breaking Michael Adams’s 1989 record by two months and underlining his status as an emerging world-class talent. Bodhana Sivanandan, aged 11, and Supratit Banerjee, 12, also delivered memorable performances. First prize at the University of Warwick, Coventry, was £10,000...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 7:00:21 AM
sports

High-flying Sirius chase shock Allsvenskan title despite losing ‘best player in league’

They may have sold Robbie Ure, their top scorer, to Sevilla, but the team from Uppsala have good reason to believe they can finish the job For most teams, losing a forward with 15 goals in 15 games midway through the season, amid a historic title chase, might be cause for panic. Sirius, the runaway Allsvenskan leaders, are not most teams. “I’m actually really confident,” says Henrik Castegren, the club captain, when asked about the team’s ability to adapt after Robbie Ure’s move to Sevilla for a club-record fee, reported to be £5.6m plus add-ons. “I’m really happy for Robbie, but also quite sad because I enjoyed playing with him a lot. I think he was by far the best player in this league for the first six months [of the season] … but, with that being said, I’m feeling quite comfortable with us moving forward.”..

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 7:00:21 AM
sports

Lincoln have faith in double act as they return to second tier

The club will be led by two joint head coaches, Tom Shaw and Chris Cohen, during their Championship campaign The last thing the Championship needs is another spying scandal, so when a lorry emblazoned with KGB parked up alongside Lincoln City’s training ground on Tuesday lunchtime there was laughter as staff pondered whether the Soviet Union were examining their set pieces. It shows the relaxed atmosphere at one of the second tier’s newest clubs, one that has witnessed a summer of change yet maintained continuity by appointing joint head coaches. Tom Shaw and Chris Cohen have replaced Michael Skubala, who led the Imps to 103 points and promotion to this level for the first time in 66 years before leaving for Bristol City. It was a symbiotic appointment because while the former assistants were devising a sales pitch to the club’s hierarchy, the wheels were already in motion to promote from within. Their plan is to banish English football’s memories of Liverpool’s ill-fated pairing of Roy Evans and Gérard Houllier. The duo are doing final preparations for Saturday’s season opener at the Riverside against Middlesbrough, who have spent over £20m on summer signings – Lincoln have spent a quarter of that across their 142-year history, indicating the task ahead...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 7:00:20 AM
climate

Tougher crops and beaver dams: how UK farmers are tackling drought

Hit by heatwaves and low rainfall, food producers are finding novel solutions to help crops and cattle survive Ponds and collection tanks, drought-resistant crops and a certain rodent. As the climate crisis brings more extreme weather to Britain, farmers are experimenting with new tactics to tackle drought – and flooding. The string of heatwaves and drought conditions experienced across vast swathes of Britain this summer has brought a series of challenges for food producers, particularly those growing crops more suited to the UK’s traditional climate...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 6:00:20 AM
culture

The Beverly Hills Housewife by James Cahill review – a trip inside Hockney’s world

Muse Betty Freeman sits at the centre of this sun-drenched book about art, eccentricity, and the spirit of Los Angeles David Hockney was 29 years old when he came to Betty Freeman’s house to photograph her swimming pool. Scouting locations for the pool paintings that would make him a household name, he took preparatory snaps of his partner, Peter Schlesinger, emerging naked from the water. And yet something about his aloof and quietly eccentric host, who dusted the hunting trophies while a handsome young man padded around her patio in the altogether, intrigued the artist. So he asked whether he might photograph her too, and she agreed. Completed a year later, Beverly Hills Housewife (1966/7) shows a beautiful woman standing outside a beautiful house. The scene is lit by an unbroken sun, her blond bob is undisturbed by any breeze, a lush fern sets off her popping pink dress. She is surrounded by the symbols of mid-century American prosperity: a chair by Le Corbusier, a tasteful modernist sculpture. We don’t need the title to know the place and time, because Hockney’s paintings have come to define them in our imagination: shimmering water and scattered light, bright colours and reflective surfaces, a clean and impassive contentment...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 6:00:19 AM
climate

Searches for UK homes with air conditioning more than double

Most owners would consider installing aircon as heatwaves lead buyers to focus on ability to stay cool, Rightmove says Searches for homes for sale in the UK with air conditioning have more than doubled this summer as heatwaves push staying cool up the list of priorities for homebuyers, alongside nearness to good schools and transport links. In the week of the UK’s fifth heatwave, in which temperatures in parts of England hit 38C, the property website Rightmove said the heat was influencing how Britons thought about their homes, with more people paying attention to how comfortable a property would be during hotter weather...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 5:00:20 AM
sports

Cricket reader Q&A: ask Ali Martin your questions ahead of England v Pakistan

England’s men start their post-Bazball future next week with a three-Test series against Pakistan. Cricket correspondent Ali Martin will be online at 2pm BST on Friday 14 August to answer your questions about this new era for the team – and anything else you’d like to discuss Ask a question: log in or Next week Joe Root returns as England captain under new coach Stephen Fleming as the men’s team look to turn their summer around after defeat to New Zealand earlier in the summer as Ben Stokes dramatically announced his retirement and before Brendon McCullum was relieved of his duties. Ali Martin will be here at 2pm BST on Friday 14 August to discuss the new shape of the team. Post any questions you might have below about England, the men and women’s Hundred season or anything else you’d like to ask our cricket correspondent. Ask a question: log in or.

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 5:00:19 AM
climate

Builders, bakers and cheeseburger-makers: the UK workers struggling in extreme heat

From chefs to paramedics, workers tell the Guardian how they are coping and unions outline the changes needed in the workplace In the sweltering kitchen of the Plimsoll pub in north London, the head chef, Joshua Swinney, has a frozen tea towel wrapped around his neck to combat the heat. As temperatures exceeded 35C (95F) in the capital, workers who were not lucky enough to be in air-conditioned offices sweltered in the heat...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 5:00:19 AM
world

‘Unprecedented’ rain kills four in Japan as thousands stranded at airport

Evacuation orders issued for 400,000 as torrential rains hit Chiba prefecture as flooding risks remain high despite rainfall easing At least four people died in eastern Japan after “unprecedented” heavy rain that left nearly 7,000 stranded at Tokyo’s Narita airport, and forced thousands to take refuge in government buildings. The torrential rains hit Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, on Thursday night, triggering landslide warnings and power outages. Evacuation orders were issued for more than 400,000 people in Chiba and other areas, and about 45,000 homes lost power, as 115mm of rain fell hourly, approximately the same amount usually recorded for the whole month of August...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 4:14:17 AM
culture

Dear Michelle Kwan review – fire and ice in a whirlwind figure-skating comedy

theSpace Triplex, Edinburgh Four skaters enter into feral competition in this darkly funny yet flimsily plotted play about female teenhood The title refers to the figure-skating legend and Olympian who, in the noughties, captivated the US with her performances on ice, winning a total of five world championships. Here, the four teen skaters trying to make it big worship her, quite literally, invoking her for strength on and off the ice. It is a great central idea with moments of frozen action as each girl sends a wish, a fear or prayer up to a godlike, absent Kwan in their most anxious or exhilarated moments. Christie Spessard’s play has verve, capturing the extremes of adolescent life and competitive sport. Energetically directed by Ryan Pangracs, it is full of humour with some zingers and movement that contains a true sense of gliding. At theSpace Triplex, Edinburgh, until 29 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 4:00:18 AM
world

Indonesia wildfires threaten orangutans rescued from animal traffickers

Blaze fuelled by hot, dry and windy conditions comes within metres of West Kalimantan rehabilitation centre Orangutans rescued from wildlife traffickers face a new threat from the record number of fires that have broken out in Indonesia in recent weeks. Flames have come within metres of an animal rehabilitation centre in West Kalimantan as hot, dry and windy conditions have been amplified by a powerful El Niño and the human-driven climate crisis...

The Guardian • 8/14/2026, 4:00:16 AM
technology

Unemployed young people to join AI boot camps to get job-ready

Pilot scheme will provide three weeks of training as part of UK government’s latest attempt to address Neets crisis Young people out of work or at risk of unemployment in the UK are to join “AI boot camps” where they harness the technology to get a foothold in the workplace. The government’s latest attempt to address the crisis in Neets – young people not in work or education – involves turning to a technology that many view as a potential threat to employment...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 11:01:10 PM
culture

The Schoolgirl Terrorist? review – by the end of this documentary you feel like you have sat through a nightmare

A vulnerable girl took her life at 16 having faced terror charges and online grooming by neo-fascists. The catalogue of failures by British authorities is utterly enraging The Schoolgirl Terrorist? contains its answer within its very question. Titles are designed to catch your attention. Normally they contain the baldest, most extreme possible summary suggestion of what you are about to see that the makers think they can get away with. A question mark introduces the idea of interrogation, of nuance, of doubt from the off – all things commissioners believe will put people off. The exception is when the subject is so clearly an abominable, Kafkaesque tale of mismanagement and incompetence visited upon ordinary people. To pretend otherwise even for a titular moment would be to undermine your programme’s integrity from the start...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 10:05:09 PM
sports

Leigh dent Leeds’ title ambitions as Super League set to reject £7m NRL deal

Leeds 16-20 Leigh Clubs optimistic of securing better offer soon On what may prove to be the most significant day in Super League’s modern history away from the field, Leigh Leopards blew wide open the race for top spot in this year’s competition on it with a stunning victory against the league leaders, Leeds Rhinos. Super League clubs were finally informed on Thursday morning of a long-awaited opening offer from the NRL to invest in the competition. A figure of around £7m per season, for the next five years, has been tabled but is set to be turned down by clubs – who believe the competition’s value is much higher. In return, the NRL would get a 10% stake in Super League in each year it invests, but this is probably the first of several negotiationsbetween the two competitions, with some leading figures who were in that meeting telling the Guardian a crucial get-together of the clubs next Thursday will probably lead to Super League rejecting that opening bid...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 9:47:22 PM
technology

Massachusetts teen accused of killing mother and brother used ChatGPT

District attorney says Arjun Aravind, 17, used internet and AI to search for fantasy stories regarding killing of his family A Massachusetts teenager accused of killing his mother and younger brother is being held without bail as authorities investigate a double-murder case that prosecutors say is connected to his use of ChatGPT. Arjun Aravind, 17, appeared on Thursday morning for his arraignment in Concord district court, where a not-guilty plea was entered on his behalf to murder and several additional charges...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 9:34:58 PM
sports

Rangers crash out of Europa League as Derek McInnes’s winless start goes on

Rangers 1-1 Jagiellonia Bialystok (2-3 agg) Spirited Hearts hold Benfica but also out of competition Derek McInnes’s fledgling tenure as Rangers manager is in disarray after his side exited the Europa League qualifiers with a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Jagiellonia Bialystok after drawing 1-1 at Ibrox. Rangers had lost 2-1 in the first leg in Poland last week but there was optimism when the captain, Lawrence Shankland, levelled the tie on aggregate with a penalty on 19 minutes...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 9:30:00 PM
business

Flock Safety tries to curb police abuse of its surveillance cameras after scandals

CEO announces steps after reports that system is used to target immigrants or people seeking out-of-state abortions For nearly a decade, the company Flock Safety has gradually built out a network of cameras across the US that allows law enforcement officials to conduct about 20bn license plate scans every month. In that time, the company had largely left the decision to turn on safety measures up to its customers. Many of those organizations did not turn them on...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 8:20:04 PM
sports

Jack Draper ‘in difficult place’ after defeat by Martín Landaluce at Cincinnati Open

Former world No 4 slumps to 6-3, 7-5 first-round loss Draper still recovering from long-term arm injury The minuscule amount of confidence and self-belief Jack Draper currently has to call upon in the most difficult period of his career was underscored in the first game of his opening match in Cincinnati. Draper began his service game by shanking a forehand into the back fence, which he followed up with two double faults. He immediately fell down a break and never recovered. A few fleeting positive moments followed, but this miserable start set the tone for another excruciating day for the former world No 4 as he could not escape the mental fatigue borne out of battling serious injury for 15 months and counting. Draper fell 6-3, 7-5 to Martín Landaluce, the world No 64...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 7:50:58 PM
business

Donald Trump empowers US private companies to conduct cyber-attacks

President signed memorandum giving private sector a role in fighting ‘transnational criminal organizations’ Donald Trump signed a memo on Wednesday that aims to give private companies the power to carry out offensive cyber-attacks against foreign criminal entities. The president ⁠signed a ​national security presidential memorandum directing his administration to “leverage the capability and innovation of the private sector to help conduct these ⁠cyber operations under the direction, control and authority of the US government”, the White House said...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 7:21:00 PM
sports

Championship spending hits record levels and likely to go higher as playoffs expand

With a top-eight finish offering at least a playoff place, the temptation to spend big in pursuit of the Premier League will grow – but so will the risks The Championship’s collective wage bill grew to a record £903m in 2024-25, according to Deloitte’s latest Annual Review of Football Finance. Clubs are paying players enormous sums in their pursuit of Premier League football. With the playoffs expanding this season, the number of owners willing to risk even more money in the hope of securing promotion is only likely to increase. In isolation, the figure of £903m does not signify much. Compared to the Premier League’s £4.4bn salary outlay, it almost looks small. But England’s top division can afford that gargantuan commitment to wages whereas the second tier cannot. The 24 clubs in the Championship earned £942m, meaning salaries consumed 96% of revenue. If there was any surprise in their collective net debt being £1.4bn at the end of 2024-25, it was only that it had reduced from the £1.5bn it was a year earlier...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 7:00:05 PM
health

What is the MMR vaccine and how does Trump’s executive order affect parents and children?

President’s order calls for several changes to childhood vaccinations – and experts say it’ll lead to confusion On Monday, Donald Trump signed an executive order pushing for revisions to how children in the US are vaccinated. The executive order calls for several changes. These include fewer vaccinations overall and a recommendation that the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine be replaced with separate shots for each disease administered during separate medical visits. The latter direction is currently impossible to implement because no stand-alone shots for these diseases are licensed in the US...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 6:00:18 PM
climate

Fossils show huge carbon emissions harm forests, not ‘green the planet’

Study of 56m-year-old leaves counters claims from Trump administration members of ‘benefits’ of fossil fuel pollution Adding huge quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is set to cause the Earth’s forests to wither and die rather than flourish, according to a new study that counters erroneous claims that fossil fuel pollution will green the planet. An analysis of fossilized leaf cells from a period known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (or PETM), which occurred about 56 million years ago, has helped reconstruct how the world’s forests responded when planet-heating gases were previously being released at a rapid rate...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 6:00:04 PM
power

New UN plastic treaty to end pollution is going backwards, experts say

NGOs say agreement held back by tenuous human health commitments and lobbying from plastic industry The latest version of the long overdue plastic treaty is even less ambitious than the previous one, according to experts. A year after UN plastics treaty negotiations collapsed in Geneva in 2025, diplomats met informally in Nairobi between 30 June and 3 July, aiming to flesh out a new “no surprises” document...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 5:59:36 PM
science

The Guardian view on solar eclipses: moments of wonder that bring us together | Editorial

Wednesday’s eerie spectacle united crowds beneath the sky, continuing a human fascination that stretches from ancient myth to modern physics “I’d describe it as a magical eeriness.” Lisa Redfern’s description to the Guardian conveys the combination of beauty and wrongness that accompanied Wednesday’s partial solar eclipse in Britain. Crowds across the country assembled as the sun’s power seemed to wane, twilight changed tone abruptly, the temperature fell and the familiar landscape took on an unnatural appearance. In a divided world, there is comfort in coming together in awe. Ms Redfern, speaking from Cornwall, was right that Britons “may not see another one. We have to make the most of these moments.” The country has to wait 55 years for another comparably deep partial eclipse. To experience the true marvel of the eclipse, one had to be in the path of totality – which this week crossed over Greenland, Iceland and Spain. There the sun was completely obscured. Britain saw a partial version, with the moon covering part of the sun, with only a thin yellow crescent showing. Totality is another world of wonder: for a few minutes a black disc appears where the sun should be, surrounded by a fiery corona in a purplish firmament. It is 64 years before a total eclipse of the sun will be seen over Britain. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please..

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 5:46:44 PM
business

BAE Systems to pay $36m penalty after 104 violations of US arms export rules

State department says it has reached administrative settlement with company’s US arm to resolve breaches The UK defence company BAE Systems is to pay a $36m (£26.7m) civil penalty after breaching US arms exports regulations more than 100 times. The US Department of State announced on Thursday that it had reached an administrative settlement with the US arm of BAE to resolve 104 violations of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 5:35:47 PM
climate

Energy nationalism and interconnectors: the next power threat? | Nils Pratley

Solar eclipses are far easier to manage than Europe’s cross-border electricity politics In the end, the solar eclipse did not cause the electricity grid to flicker. The early drop-off in solar generation was manageable, just as the National Energy System Operator (Neso), the state-owned body responsible for keeping the lights on, predicted. Gas-fired generators still had to be paid nose-bleed prices to fire up, and power via high-voltage interconnectors to continental Europe was also expensively sourced. But the system worked. A summer of heatwaves, however, has highlighted European grids’ reliance on those interconnectors – including seven between the UK and the continent – in an age of extreme weather and greater use of intermittent renewables. On Thursday, another low-wind “heat dome” day, a fifth of power to the British grid was coming from the continent at 10am. Cables from France alone were meeting 11%, or 3.54 gigawatts, of demand, or more than twice as much as the output at that time from the UK’s entire fleet of windfarms...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 5:13:45 PM
culture

116 Grams: A Play to Lose Weight review – a shocking satire of body policing

Zoo Southside, Edinburgh Letícia Rodrigues takes on the titular challenge in this show about shame, rage and how female bodies are surveilled A smiling woman steps on to the weighing scales in front of the stage. She is glamorous with bobbed blond hair, gleaming nails and a trendy red trouser suit. She is exactly 84kg, she states. It is an opening gesture reminiscent of an old-school diet club like the one her mother first took her to at the age of eight. Letícia Rodrigues’s show is autobiographical, albeit dramatised through a character called Gorda who, like her, is Brazilian and has been deemed overweight for most of her life. So she is planning to lose the fat in each of her shows. The weigh-in will be followed by a weigh-out at the end of the hour. The goal is to be 116 grams thinner and so the show is also a training session, she says...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 4:55:54 PM
health

Food Standards Agency should do more in the fight against ultra-processed foods | Letters

Mike Pender responds to an article by Felicity Lawrence in which she reflects on why food firms are panicking and suing Felicity Lawrence’s alarming piece on ultra-processed foods (Why are ultra-processed food firms panicking and suing? Because they know time is running out, 7 August) made no mention of the UK’s Food Standards Agency, whose primary statutory objective is to protect public health from risks arising from the consumption of food. The FSA is an independent, non-ministerial government department. Its advice to ministers, and guidance to consumers, is informed by the most up-to-date scientific evidence, free of political or commercial considerations...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 4:38:57 PM
science

‘Colander sales jumped nearly 40%’: How Britons viewed the solar eclipse

Safety advice was followed by almost all the public but the historic event left behind huge quantities of litter and abandoned Lime bikes It started with the glasses, as people desperate to see the most complete eclipse in decades formed long queues for the proper protective eyewear. Then, when they sold out almost everywhere, they came for the colanders. Sales of the kitchen staple, which could be used to safely view the partial solar eclipse that enraptured millions, increased markedly, retailers have said...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 4:20:25 PM
sports

Carrick rules out £100m signing for Manchester United as Rashford rejoins squad

United unable to financially compete with rivals Rashford back after Barcelona loan but could leave Michael Carrick has stated that Manchester United will not make a £100m signing this summer due to their finances, with the manager also insisting that Marcus Rashford “is our player” despite the forward and club preferring him to depart. In the current window United have invested a total of £85m on Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos but have never spent £100m on a single transfer...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 4:00:02 PM
climate

UK records hottest day of the year as fifth summer heatwave reaches peak

Kew Gardens in London hits 38.1C and 40C-plus expected in parts of Europe with continent trapped under heat dome Europe heatwave – latest updates The UK has recorded its hottest day of the year so far with a provisional temperature of 38.1C in southern England as Europe sweltered under a major heat dome. As temperatures on the continent approached 40C at the peak of the summer’s fifth heatwave, the thermometer at Kew Gardens in west London surpassed the previous high of 38C on 28 June, the Met Office said...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 3:48:53 PM
power

Gaza's beekeepers are rebuilding their livelihoods amid the ruins of war

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.

France 24 • 8/13/2026, 3:18:02 PM
health

DRC’s fast-growing Ebola outbreak spreads to sixth province

Man dies in Bas-Uele after travelling from Haut-Uele, as head of WHO says outbreak on track to be deadliest ever The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spread to a sixth province, officials have said, a day after the head of the World Health Organization said the outbreak was on track to surpass the deadliest in history, which killed at least 11,000 people more than a decade ago. The current outbreak has killed more than 2,100 people out of more than 4,500 cases, according to the latest government figures released on Tuesday. At the same point in the 2014-16 outbreak in west Africa, the previous most deadly outbreak, 755 cases had been recorded, according to WHO data...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 3:17:13 PM
sports

The Lakers have become a poker chip for some of the most powerful men in America

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...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 3:12:26 PM
culture

‘It was fun to get pushed around’: Andrew Rannells on ‘razzle dazzle’, kissing co-stars and being a better friend to Lena Dunham

The star of Girls and The Book of Mormon talks about coming out, turning a showmance into a romance, and going toe to toe with the West Wing’s Allison Janney in new film Miss You Love You Imagine a cute, young, gay Jim Carrey with a withering line in put-downs: that is Andrew Rannells. Or rather, it was, back when he starred in Lena Dunham’s HBO series Girls as Elijah, the formerly closeted ex of her character, Hannah. Dunham had seen Rannells playing Elder Price, the zealous missionary spreading the good word in the original 2011 Broadway production of the bad-taste musical The Book of Mormon, for which he received a Tony nomination. Girls, in turn, spread the good word about him. To this day, fans still shout “Your dad is gay!” at him in the street, a call-back to the moment when Elijah tartly advises Hannah that she might want to fine-tune her gaydar. It is an older, gentler, salt-and-pepper-bearded Rannells who stars in the comedy-drama Miss You, Love You. He plays Jamie, a personal assistant arriving in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to shepherd the spiky and recently widowed Diane (Allison Janney) through the initial weeks after her husband’s death from Parkinson’s. As it dawns on them that Diane’s son – Jamie’s employer – may not make it to his stepfather’s funeral, these strangers navigate their way through the grey area of their flung-together friendship...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 3:00:03 PM
health

Polls open in Clacton, where Farage spent more than £10,000 in byelection against Count Binface – as it happened

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...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 2:54:32 PM
climate

Do I really need air conditioning in the UK? The best portable aircon tested – plus the pros, cons and alternatives

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...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 2:54:03 PM
world

French ambassador to CAR faces investigation over alleged misconduct

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...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 2:21:52 PM
culture

Ham review – vegan take on Hamlet delivers meaty rebuke to carnivores

Summerhall, Edinburgh Vengeance for a slaughtered pig is the starting point for a riotous parody that suggests the meat industry poses an existential threat to human survival That’s my next hotdog ruined. Shakespeare’s “too solid flesh” is squeezed into a sausage-shaped form in Mary Higgins and Ell Potter’s inventively guilt-trippy new show. Leaping wildly from Hamlet, this outrageous, confrontational performance-activism layers hooting comedy with world-ending dread as Mary (a vegan) attempts to persuade Potter (nicknamed “the sausage queen” by their dad) to change their meat-eating ways. Transposing Hamlet’s existential questions to the future survival of humanity via the meat industry’s impact on the planet, Higgins takes on the role of our stubborn, sauntering prince, seeking vengeance for the ghost of a poor, slaughtered, strangely seductive pig. Suave and silly, Potter is both ghost and Gertrude, the latter reading madness into the truth only her son is brave enough to face. At Summerhall, Edinburgh, until 30 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 2:08:39 PM
technology

Are teens on ebikes the ‘new Hells Angels’? Not so fast, boomers

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...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 2:00:02 PM
climate

Imelda Staunton: ‘Umbridge’s giggle needed to be short and sharp. So I just did a boom, boom’

The actor answers your questions on working with her dog, becoming a dame, Harry Potter, and making televisual history in The Singing Detective You and Bill Nighy were comrades in Pride, but play estranged spouses in & Sons. Was it more fun marching alongside him or giving him a piece of your mind? MrSOBaldrick It’s fun doing anything with Bill Nighy! I once saw you at RHS Garden Wisley. Are you a keen gardener? What’s your favourite plant? HeyJudithB Yes, I am a gardener. We love doing the garden. My favourite plant – this week – is the rose Munstead Wood, which has an incredible scent, and a deep, dark raspberry colour. It’s a rose we might be in danger of losing because of climate change. Roses need water, so I think we’re going to have to change our planting...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 2:00:01 PM
world

1 dead, 6 wounded in Rotterdam port explosion

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...

South China Morning Post • 8/13/2026, 1:57:38 PM
sports

‘At any moment I might fade out’: archives reveal fearless era of land speed record breakers

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...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 1:00:02 PM
culture

Sports Direct owner buys Harvey Nichols department store chain

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...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 12:22:13 PM
culture

Billion-streamers, Beyoncé and heart-bruising beauty: Frank Ocean’s 20 best songs – ranked!

It’s a decade since the Los Angeles musician released the seminal album Blonde. To lessen the pain of his hiatus, we count down the best of an artist who redefined R&B Frank Ocean’s pre-fame demos are hard to find – there’s a fan-made, 64-track compilation called The Lonny Breaux Collection floating around – but worth checking out, as evinced by this brief but potent piano ballad. Sweet but heartsore, it packs an emotional punch; it would have been a highlight of the mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra, had it made the cut...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 12:00:01 PM
technology

Mark Zuckerberg says the future of AI is for everyone. But who owns it?

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...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 12:00:00 PM
health

California bans paraquat, highly toxic herbicide outlawed in more than 70 countries

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...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 12:00:00 PM
culture

Chelsea Wolfe: The Dark review – existential reflection goes from whisper to gothic scream

(Loma Vista) The genre-blending Californian artist casts off past toxic influences with a powerful set of tender, brooding and emotionally charged songs that wouldn’t feel out of place as festival anthems When Chelsea Wolfe was interviewed by the Guardian in 2015 about her fourth album, Abyss, she revealed that her music had been informed by the bouts of sleep paralysis she’d suffered from since childhood. The condition – a transitional state between being awake and asleep – affects sufferers in different ways. Some wake up feeling paralysed, others see ghosts or demonic figures. For the California-born singer-songwriter, it meant “waking up, and you can move your body and your eyes are open, but there are figures and people from your dreams still present in your room”. No surprise, then, that her music – a blend of drone, alt, folk, industrial and doom metal – had ended up so spookily unsettling. She appeared on album covers with pupil-less eyes, spoke in interviews about “following the path of witchcraft” and even covered Norwegian black metal act and convicted arsonist/murderer Burzum. She did have a sense of humour about it all, however, telling one interviewer, with a chuckle: “It’s not party music.” Since then, though, much has changed. Wolfe left Los Angeles for the mountains above the city – where she’s finally been able to enjoy a good night’s sleep. Sobriety since 2021 has also brought what she calls “a new clarity”. Both developments inform The Dark...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 11:00:57 AM
health

How Trump’s order on vaccines is sowing confusion, doubt and fear

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...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 11:00:56 AM
technology

Trump administration finalizes rule to end federal support for gender-affirming care

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...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 11:00:56 AM
sports

Kieran Trippier: ‘The Championship is relentless … it’s totally different to the Premier League’

The former England full-back is back in the Championship after 12 years away, hoping to lead Wolves out of it When the question inevitably comes, Kieran Trippier is happy to set the record straight. Fresh from training, head to toe in Wolves kit – vest, shorts and club-branded sliders – he walks into a suite at their Compton Park base, conversation soon shifting to an episode that rocked supporters and stopped outsiders in their tracks: three days after signing, the manager Trippier cited as a significant driver behind his decision to drop into the second tier, Rob Edwards, was sacked. All the while, a deal for his replacement, César Peixoto, was being accelerated. “I’m not going to sit here and lie, I wasn’t expecting it,” Trippier says. “But it’s the club’s decision. I had good chats with Rob, of course, but I’m here to play for Wolves. There are many surprises in football and that certainly was a surprise, I’m not going to deny that. But I just cracked on, I was with my kids on holiday, training in Mallorca and just looking forward to day one in pre-season.”..

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 11:00:56 AM
business

UK economy shows surprising resilience – but that might not last | Richard Partington

Weaker growth, rising energy costs and persistent inflation mean Britain could face tougher times in the autumn UK economic growth slows down Business live – latest updates In the spring the International Monetary Fund warned Britain faced the heaviest economic blow from the Iran war among the world’s most advanced nations. Almost six months into the conflict, on the surface, the UK appears to be proving the forecasters wrong. The latest official figures show the UK maintained its pole position as the fastest growing economy in the G7 in the first half of 2026. Despite the gloomy international backdrop and yet more domestic political uncertainty, consumers have largely continued spending and business investment has boomed...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 10:26:46 AM
technology

Lost jobs, inequality, rogue agents: why are we accepting oligarchs’ AI agenda? | Robert Reich

The dangers of AI become clearer every day. Why are we still acting as if we have no choice about our future? Rather than producing jobs, the US economy actually lost 23,000 jobs in July, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released on Friday. In addition, May and June’s job numbers were revised downward, showing a combined 103,000 fewer jobs than previously reported. As if this weren’t bad enough, wage growth has also slowed. Average hourly earnings rose by just 0.1% from June...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 10:00:56 AM
climate

‘Everyone is scared’: flood-hit Porto Alegre braces for another El Niño

Two years after southern Brazil’s worst climate disaster ravaged the city, and with poor areas still recovering, many fear official neglect has left them exposed once again In the backstreets of Porto Alegre, a state capital in southern Brazil, you can still see signs of the devastating flood that swept through the city two years ago: scattered debris, waterlogged homes and destroyed businesses. In May 2024, flooding killed 183 people in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and displaced more than 600,000. The neighbourhood of Sarandi was one of the hardest-hit parts of Porto Alegre, with water levels reaching up to 5 metres above normal, completely submerging many of its streets...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 10:00:55 AM
world

South Korean airport becomes busiest in world for global traffic amid Iran war

Incheon airport had 38.39m international passengers in first half of 2026, as traffic diverted from Middle East hubs South Korea’s Incheon airport has become the world’s busiest airport for international passengers, in part due to disruption in the Middle East caused by the Iran war. The airport, South Korea’s main gateway about 30 miles (48km) west of Seoul, handled 38.39 million international passengers in the first half of 2026, according to preliminary figures compiled by the Airports Council International (ACI), the global trade body for airports...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 9:45:56 AM
world

US ambassador to Israel slams settler siege against West Bank Palestinians as ‘terror’

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Thursday denounced a siege by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank village of Qusra as a "horrific act of terror". Huckabee, an evangelical Christian pastor who in the past has embraced Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, said the Israeli army intervened on Wednesday after a US request, but the soldiers failed to remove the settlers.

France 24 • 8/13/2026, 9:14:41 AM
technology

I spent 18 months testing the best video doorbells – here are my favourites

Whether you want to improve your home’s security or simply know who’s at the door, the latest generation of smart doorbells will help put your mind at ease • The best robot vacuums, tested Doorbells have evolved. Today, they watch us as we approach, let the people inside the home know we’re coming sooner than our finger can hit the button, and give them a good look at our faces before they open the door. They’re essentially security cameras with a chime function. If you haven’t already installed one of these handy tools, there’s a huge array available. Choosing the best video doorbell can be a bewildering task, with various factors to consider, including how much of your doorstep you want to see and whether you’re prepared to pay for a subscription. To help make the decision a little bit easier, I tested 11 popular video doorbells to find the best...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 9:04:01 AM
culture

‘I feel like I’m at war’: are we losing the battle against machine-made music?

Despite outcry from musicians, AI slop is creeping into the charts as record labels scramble to adapt to a new normal where hits can be made at the click of a button This year, the battle for song of the summer has been eclipsed by a much more complicated – some would even say disturbing – debate. That’s because we find ourselves asking not “What’s the song of the summer?” but rather “Is the song of the summer even real?” Among the top contenders for the title is Fenix Flexin’s Rubberz, a single released in June that has ascended to No 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 and racked up more than 35m Spotify streams. It’s not the sort of fare Fenix usually cooks up. The artist is known for his trap music as part of the rap duo Shoreline Mafia, but Rubberz is a mildly noirish, 80s-inspired synth-pop track featuring a voice nothing like his. The song has drawn comparisons to Morrissey, but it more closely resembles Men at Work’s Down Under, or a Weird Al Yankovic parody of Men at Work. It’s pretty awful. But more importantly, it has an uncanny quality to it. It sounds off...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 9:00:55 AM
health

What end-of-life experts know about living well: love your wrinkles, celebrate birthdays and don’t obsess over work

How can our understanding of mortality shape the way we live? Palliative care doctors and death doulas share the lessons they have learned We will all face death one day, but our attitude towards this is individual. How can our understanding of mortality shape our approach to life? Here, palliative care doctors and death doulas share what they know about the end – and how it informs the way they live...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 9:00:54 AM
health

Stop the bites! How to survive another summer of mosquitoes, midges and horseflies

Dress like a zebra, wash your feet, keep off the beer: insect experts explain what works and what doesn’t – and why some of us get bitten more than others It’s a good time to be a mosquito or other blood-sucking insect. In the UK and beyond, they are enjoying the summer heat, and there are lots of humans outdoors, some wearing very little, like an all-you-can-eat walking buffet. Some of the humans are drinking beer, which apparently makes them even more irresistible to mosquitoes. Many of us are warm and sweaty, which is all the better for the blood-suckers seeking us out. Insect populations are changing because of the warming climate and there are organisations keeping an eye on invasive species, especially mosquitoes, which can be vectors for diseases such as dengue and malaria (globally, more than 600,000 people a year die from malaria). The UK “will have a threat from mosquito-borne diseases as time goes on,” says James Logan, professor of medical entomology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and CEO of Dot, an “odour intelligence” company. “The biggest threats are arboviruses [viruses transmitted by arthropods, especially insects and ticks], such as dengue. We have mosquitoes throughout [mainland] Europe now that can transmit dengue. We also know that we do get those mosquitoes coming across to the UK, but they don’t seem to be breeding here successfully and surviving over the winter.” But, he warns, with milder winters and warmer summers, it is only a matter of time...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 8:59:43 AM
business

Millions face higher water bills as suppliers allowed £3.4bn extra spending

Firms in England and Wales seek to fund measures including supporting new homes and datacentres Business live – latest updates Millions of households in England and Wales face higher bills after water companies were given the green light to spend £3.4bn more than planned, including to support new homes and datacentres. The new spending will come on top of the £104bn programme of investment approved by the regulator that had already meant water bills will rise by 36% over the second half of the decade...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 8:10:54 AM
culture

Jordan Brookes: The Part of You That’s Always Screaming review – former fringe champ’s chewy croissant tale

Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh This is a spiky, interrogative and surprisingly conventional set from an act who usually pushes standup to its limits You can fall victim to your own high standards – and few comics have set higher standards than Jordan Brookes. A new show from the 2019 comedy award champ is an event, at which half the fun is seeing how he’s monstered the form into some unforeseen new shape. If this year’s offering, The Part of You That’s Always Screaming, were delivered by any other comic, I’d be hailing it as one of the twistiest and deepest-thinking hours on the fringe. But it lacks Brookes’ usual ambition: its delivery is fairly conventional; things aren’t pushed as far as we expect. It’s all relative, mind you: this is still a set in which, at one unexpected moment, our comedian turns down the lights, turns up some disturbing industrial soundscape, and jerks threateningly across the stage. But then we act differently when we’re being watched – which is Brookes’ point here, in a show that worries intensely at the relationship between selfhood and being seen. It’s structured, deliciously, around an innocuous experience on a train, when Brookes snacking on a croissant becomes a performative act, awkwardly positioned as he is between the window and a window-gazing fellow passenger. At Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh, until 30 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 8:07:22 AM
power

Europe heatwave live: Temperatures of 40C expected in Spain, with amber heat health warning in place across large parts of UK

In France, 80 departments have been placed on an orange heat warning The government will look at banning disposable barbecues as wildfires continue to rage across the UK, Andy Burnham has said. Disposable barbecues have been the cause of a number of serious fires over the last few years, but campaigners were critical of the prime minister’s failure to link those fires more broadly to the climate crisis. Macclesfield, Cheshire, July 2026: a large woodland fire that was tackled by dozens of firefighters. Cheshire fire and rescue service said a discarded barbecue was the probable cause Three separate fires in one day around London, July 2026: in Feltham, 6 hectares of heathland close to houses were damaged. The London fire brigade urged people not to use disposable barbecues and to properly extinguish cigarettes after crews tackled three grass fires. The Trossachs, Scotland, May 2025: covered 2 hectares in the Glen Finglas region of the national park. Glen Finglas is the biggest Woodland Trust site in the UK. The barbecue understood to have sparked that fire was found with a burger still on the grill...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 8:06:03 AM
culture

My Brilliant Career review – a joyous heroine lights up this rare and beautiful period drama

Phillipa Northeast is brilliant as a young woman rebelling against society’s expectations in 1890s Australia. It is witty, intelligent and absolutely glorious to watch “I’m hot headed, with a snub nose, and that’s why I prefer a direct gaze.” So speaks Sybylla, the charmingly irrepressible and irrepressibly charming heroine of My Brilliant Career, played utterly convincingly and with vim, vigour and joy by Philippa Northeast in the new adaptation of Miles Franklin’s 1901 Australian classic of the same name. Creator Liz Doran must have wept with happiness when they found an actor capable of bringing so much to an already glorious script – and who embodies the joie de vivre upon which so much of the plot, as everyone she meets becomes part of her orbit, depends. My Brilliant Career is on Netflix..

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 7:01:51 AM
sports

We have been staring at Phil Foden for close to a decade – how well do we actually know him? | Jonathan Liew

About to start his ninth season, his first under a club manager who isn’t Pep Guardiola, this could be the year we finally find out who the City enigma is Phil Foden says he is excited about working under Enzo Maresca, his new manager at Manchester City. We should call this exactly what it is: a very obvious barefaced lie. No doubt Foden is excited about playing football again, about challenging for trophies with his boyhood club, the new Premier League season, his new contract, a fresh start, etc, etc. But let’s be real. Holidays are something you get excited about. Birthdays. Weddings. Amazon deliveries. The new Charli xcx album. Christmas. Playing for Enzo Maresca inspires plenty of emotions, but excitement would probably feature pretty low down a list. At best, you brace for Maresca. You steel yourself. You look in the mirror every morning and ask yourself whether you’re man enough for him. But if you’re excited, then he simply isn’t doing his job...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 7:00:53 AM
sports

Empty seats and faded aura show how Springboks outgrew the All Blacks | Daniel Gallan

Back-to-back world champions can use Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry to establish themselves as one of the greatest teams of all time South Africans are supposed to care about the All Blacks more than this. On Tuesday night 14,759 people dotted the 52,000-seat Kings Park Stadium to watch New Zealand dismantle the Sharks 54-0. Durban was cold and soaked, with snow falling elsewhere in KwaZulu-Natal, but even allowing for the weather it made for an awkward for a grand new project. Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry – the eight-match tour by New Zealand, culminating in four Tests, including one in the US – is an attempt to turn more than a century of history into a modern commercial property. The unions have formed a 50-50 venture, sharing commercial income, while taking the final Test to Baltimore is expected to generate $4m-$6m more than another game in South Africa. Both unions need the money and professional sport is supposed to generate revenue. But a rivalry cannot live on branding alone...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 7:00:52 AM
culture

As Far As We Know review – strange solo goes full pelt down the mean streets

Summerhall, Edinburgh With increasing speed, Sam Ward tells the story of a woman who finds holes in her garden – but is it just a shaggy dog story? And there is a man sitting at a desk, welcoming us to the theatre and opening a folder. And the folder contains a sheaf of paper that the man proceeds to read. And the more the man reads, the faster he goes. And the man hits such a speed we realise why he did not learn this script: it would be too prodigious a feat of memory. And as if to emphasise the pace, the man is soon accompanied by a percussive score by Carmel Smickersgill, which has a jazz freedom as well as a sense of urgency and is rather good. And as the story rattles out, so Han Sayles’s lighting design closes in on the man, who is the writer Sam Ward in this solo show by his company YESYESNONO and he seems to be going faster still. At Summerhall, Edinburgh, until 31 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews..

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 7:00:51 AM
sports

UK economy grows by 0.4% in second quarter as some businesses helped by World Cup and hot weather – business live

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as GDP rises in June despite Iran war after stagnating in May Good morning, and welcome to our live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets. The UK economy grew by 0.4% in the second quarter of 2026, in line with economists’ expectations, but with faster growth than expected in June as the football World Cup and warmer weather helped retailers and leisure sectors. The FIFA Football World Cup, which started on 11 June 2026, was cited as a reason for an increase in turnover in June 2026 by businesses in industries such as the manufacture of alcohol, wholesale, food and beverage serving activities, publishing activities, television production and advertising. Some positive impacts were cited by some businesses across a range of manufacturing industries, retail, accommodation, and amusement and recreation activities. On the reverse, the warm weather was also cited as having a negative impact in terms of construction activities and also in education where schools were closed because of the heatwave. 10am BST: Eurozone industrial production (June; previous: -0.2%; consensus: -0.1%) 1:30pm BST: US producer price index inflation (July; prev.: -0.3%; cons.: 0.2%)..

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 6:26:42 AM
business

UK economic growth slows down as Iran war pushes up energy prices

GDP expanded by 0.4% in three months to June, down from 0.6% in the first quarter, says ONS Economic growth slowed in the second quarter of the year, as the disruption unleashed by the Iran war began to take its toll, official figures show. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said GDP expanded by 0.4% in the three months to June, down from 0.6% in the first quarter, in line with City economists’ expectations...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 6:01:19 AM
technology

Taiwan says it was hit by ‘abnormal’ AI-assisted cyber-attack

Taiwan’s statement comes a day after reports that suspected China-linked hackers had carried out a first-of-a-kind breach Taiwan says it detected AI-assisted cyber-attacks on government agencies that came from overseas last month, a new kind of threat that has been reported as “first-of-a-kind breach”. The Ministry of Digital Affairs (MDA) said its cybersecurity monitoring units ‌detected the “abnormal attack” targeting government agencies, which began on 20 July. The National Institute of Cyber Security issued a series of warning alerts while it investigated...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 5:02:28 AM
world

Zambia elections haunted by ghost of incumbent president’s arch-rival

Hakainde Hichilema is bidding for second term, but feud between him and family of Edgar Lungu, who died in 2025, continues As Zambians go to the polls, the ghost of the current president’s predecessor hangs over the elections. Hakainde Hichilema, 64, is bidding for a second term leading the southern African country after defeating his arch-rival Edgar Lungu by a landslide in 2021...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 4:00:49 AM
culture

‘I ran away to Paris to be a writer and ended up begging’: Bill Nighy on dashed dreams, golf emojis and playing a cranky novelist

As his new film & Sons hits the screen, the actor turned podcast agony uncle relives his ‘cliched’ ambitions, deplores working lunches – and yearns to do the splits like Prince A dying patriarch summons his brood for a dramatic announcement. It may not be the most original starting point for a movie, but & Sons adds an eccentric twist – one that it would be unfair to reveal here but which nudges the material into the realm of science fiction. The father in question is a revered novelist who is as reclusive as JD Salinger and as whiskery and dishevelled as Catweazle. Dormant for decades, the fictional AN Dyer is first glimpsed in a horizontal position on the sofa, refusing to come to the telephone: “I don’t do phonecalls,” he grumbles. That is patently not true of the actor who plays him. “I spend a lot of time on the phone,” Bill Nighy says breezily. He is speaking to me from north-west London, where he has been nosing around bookshops. “I’m also an enthusiastic texter. I was always very quick on the old Nokia. Quite proud of myself, I was.” Where does he stand on emojis? “I used to be philosophically opposed. Most of them are a bit naff.” He then proceeds to list the exceptions. “I like the flamingo and the purple dahlia. I like the leaping shark. Sometimes I combine it with the leaping dolphin. Very occasionally, I like the golfer in mid-swing if I’m congratulating someone. I don’t do smiley faces.”..

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 4:00:49 AM
power

Mrs Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library review – interrogating Hannah Arendt

Traverse theatre, Edinburgh An encounter in a police cell with a Nazi officer could have been the end of the political theorist, but Jenny Lyn Bader’s play has little feel for the dramatic The Mrs Stern of the title is the married name of Hannah Arendt, the political theorist much remembered for her “banality of evil” insight. Jenny Lyn Bader sets her play not, as you might expect, in the Prussian state library, but in a police cell where Arendt has been hauled in for questioning not long after the Reichstag fire. The Nazi apparatus has extended its remit to political crimes and she, what with her bookish ways, errant husband and associations with Jewish intellectuals, has come under scrutiny...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 4:00:48 AM
health

An Amputation Obsession: the Monster and the Surgeon review – an engrossing story, if you can stomach it

This documentary follows the shocking case of Neil Hopper, a top surgeon who had his own legs removed due to a fetish. No fetish or obsession is unique, and the internet can always connect you with others whose minds work the same way. It’s one of the great blessings and curses of the digital age, and central to An Amputation Obsession: the Monster and the Surgeon, a two-part documentary on which the “contains material some viewers may find disturbing” disclaimer is no exaggeration. We begin at the Royal Cornwall hospital, known locally as Treliske, in Truro, Cornwall. It used to have a man on its staff who was a minor medical superstar: Neil Hopper, a vascular surgeon, was well known for his clinical expertise and comforting bedside manner, particularly when advising on and performing amputations. He acquired full hero status in 2019, when he was diagnosed with sepsis and had both legs amputated below the knee but miraculously returned to work within six months, astonishing physiotherapists and other medical professionals with how well he adapted to disability. An Amputation Obsession: the Monster and the Surgeon is on Prime Video..

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 4:00:47 AM
business

Victims of road crime feel ‘forgotten by system’, official review finds

Many of those affected in England and Wales think offences are not treated with the seriousness they deserve, says commissioner Bereaved families or seriously injured victims of road crime feel “forgotten by the system” with offences not treated with the seriousness they deserve, an official review has found. The victims’ commissioner for England and Wales found that many of the thousands afflicted each year by criminal driving felt that “the harm they had suffered mattered less” than that from other serious crimes...

The Guardian • 8/13/2026, 4:00:47 AM
climate

Nurses fainting in ‘inhumane’ conditions due to extreme heat, union warns

RCN calls for more air conditioners as Burnham faces pressure to recognise urgency of adaptation to climate crisis Nurses are collapsing during shifts amid “inhumane and impossible” conditions caused by extreme heat, their union has warned, as Andy Burnham promised to grapple with “the bigger questions” of climate adaptation. Amid growing pressure from Labour backbenches to fully acknowledge the urgency of adaptation measures as the climate crisis bites, Burnham said he was for now focusing on the immediate crises caused by an ongoing summer of extreme heat...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 11:01:42 PM
power

Partial eclipse seen from North and West Africa

In tonight's program, across parts of Africa millions lifted their eyes skywards for a rare celestial event, a partial solar eclipse. Also, in Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema hopes for a second term his main rival, says that it's been a tough campaign in part because of deliberate obstruction from the government. And finally, Nigerian driver are increasingly turning to electric vehicles, as the country grapples with a decade long fuel crisis but challenges remain.

France 24 • 8/12/2026, 9:09:38 PM
sports

Manchester United enjoy trip to Dublin with penalty shootout win over Leeds

Manchester United 1-1 Leeds (5-4 on pens) First game between two ­English clubs at Croke Park With blazing sunshine fading over a hot Dublin day, this penultimate friendly for Manchester United and Leeds United felt like a pre-season game on a far continent, not one staged a few hundred miles from the teams’ home across the Irish Sea. The phoney-war element is always present whatever the locale, as ­players sharpen technique and fitness, so when Joshua Zirkzee’s instant left-foot shot met Diogo Dalot’s zipped-in cross and James Trafford saved low, all involved could be satisfied...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 9:01:10 PM
climate

Europe solar eclipse: millions watch rare spectacle across Spain, UK and Iceland – as it happened

Eclipse witnessed by tens of millions across western Europe as enthusiasts gather along path of totality Solar eclipse 2026 across Europe: in pictures Cruise ships, quiet towns and an all-day festival: millions flock to eclipse viewing spots across Europe in Land’s End, Cornwall The roads and car parks of west and north Cornwall are clogged as people gather to watch the solar eclipse...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 9:00:02 PM
science

Cruise ships, quiet towns and an all-day festival: millions flock to eclipse viewing spots across Europe

Beginning in Russia’s remote Arctic north, the eclipse traced an arc over much of western Europe – with the best views in Spain, Iceland and Greenland It was a moment of awe shared by millions across Europe: an eclipse that blocked out the sun, plunging parts of the continent into a daytime darkness in which temperatures dropped and birds suddenly went quiet. Wednesday’s eclipse began in Russia’s remote Arctic north, going on to trace an arc over much of western Europe. From the UK to northern Italy, tens of millions of people turned to the sky as the light of the setting sun was almost completely blocked out...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 7:56:41 PM
world

Former Mexican governor charged in case of 43 students who vanished in 2014

Ángel Aguirre indicted in case that rocked Mexico and became symbol of its brutal cartel violence The former governor of Guerrero state in Mexico has been formally charged over his alleged involvement in the disappearance of 43 students in 2014, a case that has become a symbol of the country’s brutal cartel violence and government impunity. Ángel Aguirre, who was arrested last week, is accused of forced disappearance and obstruction of justice for ordering the destruction of surveillance tapes that may have shed light on what happened to the students from the Ayotzinapa teacher training college on the night of 26 September 2014...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 6:46:30 PM
science

WhatsApp ‘drops’, price hikes and queues: scramble for solar eclipse specs

Amid doubling prices and fraying tempers, shoppers hunt for elusive eyewear to prepare for rare eclipse of sun • Europe solar eclipse – latest updates A secretive WhatsApp group was pinging with notifications throughout Wednesday, letting its members know where in London the latest “drop” would take place. The group’s focus, rather than being for an illicit substance, was for the much-coveted eclipse glasses, which have prompted a frantic rush on shops before the celestial event...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 4:05:37 PM
science

Astronomers discover a new kind of cosmic object – a black hole ‘star’

The body is the size of the entire solar system and glows with a brilliant red light about 30bn light years from Earth Astronomers claim to have discovered a new kind of cosmic object, a black hole “star”, which is the size of the entire solar system and glows with a brilliant red light. The international team made the breakthrough after focusing their attention on a mysterious red spot in images of the early solar system captured by Nasa’s James Webb space telescope...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 3:46:46 PM
technology

AI agents aren’t legally responsible for any harm that they cause, experts say. So who is?

Following Australia’s first reported automated hacking accident, experts warn deployers – and possibly developers – of AI agents could be held liable for the actions of their bots Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The law is clear, says Prof Jeannie Paterson. “If I deploy an AI agent and it causes harm to someone else, I am responsible for that harm. “Even if I didn’t intend for that to happen, it was foreseeable, and I should be taking responsibility.”..

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 3:00:34 PM
business

Canadian airline WestJet agrees to settle flight attendants’ sexual harassment class action

Female staff alleged company failed to maintain safe workplace, after allegations of sexual assault against pilot The Canadian airline WestJet has agreed to pay C$4.5m (£2.4m) to settle a decade-long sexual harassment class action lawsuit levelled by its female flight attendants, who alleged the company failed to maintain a safe workplace. The suit followed allegations by Mandalena Lewis, a former flight attendant, that a pilot had sexually assaulted her and a colleague, but that WestJet kept the pilot flying, thereby putting other employees at risk...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 2:40:36 PM
sports

Josh Kushner and Bob Iger reportedly buying Los Angeles Lakers for $12bn

Mark Walter bought team last year for $10bn Iger and Kushner aim to ‘compete at the highest level’ Josh ⁠Kushner and Bob Iger ⁠are purchasing ⁠the ​Los Angeles Lakers for more ⁠than $12bn in a record-breaking ⁠deal, ESPN reported ​on ‌Wednesday, citing ‌sources with knowledge ‌of the deal. Billionaire Mark Walter purchased a majority stake of the ‌NBA team last year from the Buss family in a ​deal that valued the club at $10bn, with ⁠the deal only ​having ​been approved ​by the board ​of ‌governors ​in ​October...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 2:29:45 PM
power

Burnham to consider ban on disposable barbecues as wildfires rage in UK

PM to look at imposing restriction on devices in public spaces, though campaigners fear it does not go far enough The government will look at banning disposable barbecues as wildfires continue to rage across the country, prime minister Andy Burnham has said. Disposable barbecues have been the cause of a number of serious fires over the last few years, but campaigners were critical of the PM’s failure to link those fires more broadly to the climate crisis. Macclesfield, Cheshire, July 2026: A large woodland fire which was tackled by dozens of firefighters. Cheshire Fire and Rescue service said a discarded barbecue was the probable cause Three separate fires in one day around London, July 2026: In Feltham, six hectares of heathland close to houses were damaged. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has urged people not to use disposable barbecues and to properly extinguish cigarettes after crews tackled three grass fires on Wednesday. The Trossachs, Scotland, May 2025: Covered two hectares in the Glen Finglas region of the national park. Glen Finglas is the biggest Woodland Trust site in the UK. The BBQ understood to have sparked that fire was found with a burger still on the grill...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 2:20:10 PM
climate

10 urgent climate policies the UK should implement now

From rejecting drilling licences to preparing communities for heat, drought and wildfires, here’s how Burnham can ready the UK for a hotter, drier climate From record-smashing temperatures, wildfires, hosepipe bans and thousands of premature deaths, the climate crisis has left its mark across the summer of 2026. Tackling the root cause – the burning of fossil fuels – and ending the crisis will take years. So will fixing the UK government’s calamitous failure to protect lives and livelihoods against the long-predicted affects of global heating...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 1:36:57 PM
power

Faced with ageing population, Vietnam seeks to curb falling birthrate

Vietnam, a country of more than 100 million people, is facing a sharp decline in its birthrate. Once known for large families, the nation's fertility rate has fallen to just 1.9 children per woman. This figure worries the government, which for decades was obsessed with controlling population growth – for more than 40 years, a two-child policy was the norm in Vietnam. But in June 2025, that restriction was officially lifted.

France 24 • 8/12/2026, 12:53:02 PM
business

US inflation cooled slightly to 3.4% in July, according to latest data

Energy is cheaper than at its peak in late April, but gas is still nearly $1 a gallon more expensive than before the Iran war US consumer prices cooled slightly in July as the annualized inflation rate dipped down to 3.4%, though prices still remain higher than levels seen before the war with Iran. Though inflation decreased 0.7% in June during a brief ceasefire between the US and Iran that brought energy prices down, consumer prices have remained elevated. Price increases hit a three-year high in May, with annual inflation reaching 4.2%...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 12:39:46 PM
power

Panama canal fees soar due to Iran war and El Niño as ship ‘pays $4m to jump queue’

Falling water levels linked to weather system are expected to limit number of slots to transit shipping lane Business live – latest updates Commercial ships travelling through the Panama Canal are facing a rise in costs amid disruption triggered by the Iran war and falling water levels linked to this year’s intense El Niño weather system. Highlighting the fragility of global trade, a container ship reportedly paid about $4m (£3m) to jump a queue of vessels waiting to pass through the vital maritime choke point...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 12:26:48 PM
technology

Live facial recognition cameras to be used on UK’s busiest shopping street

Sadiq Khan has indicated the technology will be deployed on London’s Oxford Street despite human rights concerns The Metropolitan police are understood to be planning to use live facial recognition (LFR) technology on Britain’s busiest shopping street. In June the Met said it would introduce the technology in London’s West End by Christmas and into a further six areas next year. Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, has indicated that the newly pedestrianised Oxford Street will be included...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 12:22:31 PM
science

Number of children injured in e-scooter crashes in England surges

Calls for speed limiters or mandated helmet use after research into injuries at three paediatric trauma centres The number of children involved in crashes on e-scooters has soared in recent years, with some as young as nine involved in collisions, research has found. Researchers carried out a review of injuries among the under-16s at three specialist paediatric trauma centres – Alder Hey in Liverpool, and Sheffield and Royal Manchester children’s hospitals – between January 2019 and December 2024...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 10:36:25 AM
culture

Heard about the ‘luteal uglies’? Women know more about our hormones than ever – and that’s beautiful | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

When I was younger, female biology was seen as something to be overcome. Now we can talk about the reality of living in our bodies Have you got the “luteal uglies”? I’m not trying to insult you, merely deploying the latest hormonal buzz phrase on social media, which refers to the phase in a woman’s cycle, two or so weeks between ovulation and menstruation, when she apparently feels at her lowest and most unattractive due to a drop in oestrogen levels. Women’s hormones have become trending topics and, as someone who only found out what a “luteal phase” is when she Googled it, mid-fertility panic, in her late 20s, I am somewhat in awe of the expertise with which younger women discuss their menstrual cycles now. They’re just so incredibly literate. Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett is a Guardian columnist and the author of Female, Nude..

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 10:29:33 AM
technology

AI was supposed to destroy jobs. Where’s the carnage?

The AI jobs apocalypse never showed up. Still, jobs are changing and economists expect more to come. The prediction was stark: artificial intelligence advancements would wipe out jobs en masse. “Half” of all entry-level white collar jobs would vanish, Anthropic’s CEO, Dario Amodei, said in May 2025. A month later, OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, went further, foreseeing the end of “certain job categories”. Companies began citing AI in their layoffs. Workers organized. And students reconsidered their future careers. But a year later, the mass carnage hasn’t shown up...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 10:00:27 AM
climate

Drone footage shows rare bird’s-eye view of stingrays off New York coast

With wing spans up to 3ft, the shy cownose ray species typically arrive in Long Island waters in the warmer months Drone footage of dozens of stingrays in the ocean off New York has captivated beachgoers and marine enthusiasts, offering a rare bird’s-eye view of a species that scientists say has visited the area for decades. The footage was captured last Friday off the coast of Southampton on Long Island by Joanna Steidle, a Hamptons-based professional drone pilot known for her aerial ocean shots. It shows cownose rays gliding through the water en masse near the surface...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 10:00:27 AM
business

Iran war and high living costs fueling last-minute holiday bookings, Tui says

Geopolitics and cost of living crisis have cost Europe’s largest travel company €60m so far Holidaymakers are waiting until the last minute to book their trips because of the continuing uncertainty caused by the war in Iran and the cost of living crisis, according to Tui, Europe’s largest travel company, which said the war had cost it €60m (£51m) so far. In the weeks after the outbreak of war at the end of February, Tui recorded a temporary drop-off in customers wanting to travel to Cyprus or Turkey, in what the company called a “volatile market”...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 9:54:59 AM
climate

Just 20 of 6,600 Defra staff working on climate adaptation amid drought and wildfires

Exclusive: England ‘desperately unprepared’ for effects of crisis including water shortages and heatwaves UK heatwave live – latest updates Just 20 staff are working on climate adaptation within a key government department tasked with protecting the environment and maintaining food security, a freedom of information request has revealed. The officials make up 0.3% of staff within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 9:36:34 AM
climate

Great Britain faces electricity supply shortfall during solar eclipse

Event expected to hit solar power just as fifth heatwave of summer increases use of air conditioning and fans Great Britain faces a shortfall of electricity supplies on Wednesday evening as the near total solar eclipse is expected to wipe out solar power generation. The government’s electricity grid operator raised an official alarm that there is currently not enough power generation expected as the moon blocks up to 95% of the sun over parts of the country, the most dramatic eclipse visible in Great Britain since 1999...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 9:18:21 AM
world

Wisconsin Democrats choose moderate Crowley for governor's race in US battleground state

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley on Wednesday eked out a stunningly narrow win against democratic socialist Francesca Hong in the Democratic party primary for the Wisconsin governor's race. Crowley's win by less than a percentage point comes as the party faces a divide between establishment candidates and an insurgent progressive movement ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections.

France 24 • 8/12/2026, 8:56:42 AM
climate

Mainland Europe's first total eclipse since 2006

We’re just hours away from a rare celestial event: a total solar eclipse. Day will briefly turn to night across parts of northern Spain as the Moon completely blocks out the Sun, while millions more will witness a partial eclipse across Europe, Canada, the northern United States and northwest Africa. But how a total solar eclipse work? Loic Rossi, Project manager at the French Astronomy Association, tells us everything on solar eclipses.

France 24 • 8/12/2026, 8:31:33 AM
climate

UK heatwave live: Met Office issues extreme heat warning as government convenes emergency Cobra meeting

Parts of country face fifth heatwave of the summer with highs of 38C forecast this week We have some comments from the Liberal Democrats and Green party on the Cobra emergency meeting scheduled for later today. While welcoming the government’s announcement, the Lib Dem environment spokesperson Pippa Heylings said emergency meetings were not enough to put out fires or protect our communities, saying “we urgently need a national strategy to make the UK climate-ready”...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 8:28:40 AM
climate

Probation chief says he’s ‘not fully confident’ service will cope with early prisoner releases – UK politics live

Martin Jones expresses concern scheme will increase pressure on probation service as Burnham addresses controversy over PC Harper’s killers Good morning. Andy Burnham is chairing a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee this afternoon to discuss the heatwave and the climate crisis. About time too, some people will say. One of them is Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, who has been calling for this and who posted this on social media in response. Good. Now we need action. Tax fossil fuel giants to pay for firefighting helicopters. A cool space in every community. A maximum working temperature...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 8:07:41 AM
business

China’s EV sales slide again amid fading incentives, weak demand and persistent price war

Deliveries of electric vehicles (EVs) in China fell 3.9 per cent in July from a year earlier, extending their decline to a seventh consecutive month as fading government incentives and weaker consumer demand weighed on the market. Domestic sales of pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles last month also fell 5.8 per cent from June, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). “A bleak market outlook is likely to affect most small [EV] companies, as some of them will be...

South China Morning Post • 8/12/2026, 7:00:14 AM
business

Eerie silence and ‘still surviving’: what happened next after steel town’s last blast furnace shut down

Exhibition in Port Talbot is part of project exploring how communities experience endings and transitions Margaret Heggett, 95, does not remember a time when Port Talbot was ever quiet. Born and raised in the shadow of the steelworks, with a father, brother and husband who worked there, she never imagined what the town could look or sound like without its blast furnaces. “I’m not saying it was beautiful, but there were jobs. We did know the closure was coming and we have to move with the times but it’s affected the town a lot and it’s very sad,” she said...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 6:00:20 AM
climate

All-British chocolate bar made by scientists using Reading-grown cocoa

Master’s student made first bar with 100% UK ingredients since 1932 to highlight affect of climate crisis on cocoa plants The late queen was the only person in history to have ever eaten a chocolate bar made with 100% British ingredients, after she was given one as a six-year-old in 1932 by the confectioner Rowntree’s. The bar was created from a glasshouse-grown cocoa plant, at Rowntree’s headquarters in York...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 5:00:19 AM
business

UK heatwaves may have cost economy £4.4bn in lost output so far this year, analysis finds

Verdant thinktank says cost could top £25bn a year by 2030 and calls for maximum temperature for working and urban redesign to cool down cities Repeated debilitating heatwaves this summer are likely to have cost the UK economy more than £4bn in lost economic output by the end of July, new analysis shows. Green thinktank Verdant had suggested June’s unseasonally hot weather had an economic cost of £2.36bn. Updating its assessment to include last month’s high temperatures, it finds a £4.4bn hit to output...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 4:00:20 AM
science

‘A mouse can’t tell us what works’: UK scientists to grow miniature human organs for drug testing

Organoids and tissues grown from human cells promise more accurate results, with £20m Cambridge project to create standardised models Miniature human organs and other tissues are to be grown from NHS patients’ cells in a drive to improve medicine testing and reduce the number of animals used in drug development. Scientists will use the clumps of tissue to learn how diseases vary between patients, helping them identify which treatments are best for different people based on the particular pathology underlying their condition...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 4:00:19 AM
power

British man with dementia told to leave Sweden after losing migration case

Exclusive: Horace Mason, 74, who has lived in Sweden for 25 years, faces being deported after court ruling A 74-year-old British man who has been living in Sweden for 25 years who needs round-the-clock care for dementia has been given 10 days to leave the country after he lost a post-Brexit migration court case. The deportation order comes after a Swedish court ruling in July that the government’s drive to reduce immigration trumped the needs of a man in full-time care...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 4:00:19 AM
science

‘It’s going to be spectacular’: Millions flock to Spain seeking best view of total solar eclipse

Eclipse chasers, tourists and astronomers searching for the clearest skies to watch the two minutes of totality The online forums are abuzz as people debate potential cloud cover and trade tips on the best viewing points. Hours before wide swathes of Spain were set to experience the country’s first total solar eclipse in more than a century, the excitement was palpable. “It’s going to be spectacular,” said César González, an astronomer and science communicator at the Madrid Planetarium. “A total solar eclipse is one of the best spectacles in nature.”..

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 4:00:18 AM
world

Passenger jet billed as China’s answer to Boeing and Airbus prepares to make first international flight

The Comac C919 will fly from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, although experts say it could take generations for it to challenge the west’s dominance of the industry China hopes to break into the world of commercial aviation with the first international flight of a Chinese-made passenger jet scheduled for Wednesday. The Comac C919 will take off from Beijing capital international airport at 3pm, landing in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, just over two hours later...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 2:02:04 AM
world

Thailand suspends gun licences as teen shooter and grandparents he killed are cremated

Prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul calls for tighter gun controls and ‘decisive penalties’ after nine dead in school shooting Thailand has suspended firearms licences after last week’s deadly school shooting, as the bodies of the teenage attacker and the grandparents he killed were cremated. The prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, said he had ordered the interior ministry and police to stop issuing licenses to possess, purchase and carry firearms, and called for “tighter controls and decisive penalties”...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 1:20:22 AM
power

Cook Islands election: PM Mark Brown speaks on the diplomatic crises that defined his year

The prime minister tells the Guardian that last year’s diplomatic rift with ally New Zealand could be on voters’ minds as they head to the polls As voters in the Cook Islands prepare to head to the polls in a high-stakes general election, they will have much to reflect on. Over recent years, politics in this small island nation has been defined by fierce debates about deep-sea mining, diplomatic rifts with ally New Zealand and a major reshaping of the country’s foreign partnerships. In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, days before Wednesday’s poll, Cook Islands prime minister Mark Brown defended his four-year term and the decisions he made that have seen this South Pacific nation of 17,000 people pushed into the international limelight, turning it into a battleground for influence between Beijing and western powers...

The Guardian • 8/12/2026, 12:24:55 AM
climate

Households near new pylons to get £250 taken off annual energy bills

Discounts confirmed near more than 40 locations across Great Britain amid biggest upgrade to electricity grid since 1960s Households living near new power pylons will have £250 a year taken off their energy bills as the UK government prepares to push ahead with more than 40 grid upgrade projects across the country. The government has promised hundreds of thousands of homes living within 500 metres of new grid infrastructure a saving of up to £2,500 on their energy bills over 10 years in return for “hosting vital infrastructure” which will help the UK transition away from fossil fuels...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 11:01:12 PM
power

Nigerians returnees try to re-adapt after trauma in South Africa

In tonight's program, Nigerian returnees are trying to forget the trauma they experienced during months of xenophobic protests in South Africa that have frayed diplomatic ties between the two African powerhouses. Also, Chad says teaming up with General Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army has made the country's shared border safer. Finally, Liberia's got a new drug enforcement tsar as the country levels up its crackdown on drugs weeks after two record-breaking cocaine busts.

France 24 • 8/11/2026, 9:10:57 PM
climate

The Guardian view on wildfires: firefighters can’t handle this crisis alone | Editorial

The response to this summer’s record heat and drought should be led by ministers – not left to the emergency services The wildfire that began on protected heathland in the New Forest in Hampshire on Sunday was reported to be under control on Tuesday. But with temperatures forecast to reach 36C or higher in parts of England on Thursday, the risk of further outbreaks remains high. Firefighters responded to 185 wildfires in the first 10 days of August. In coastal Suffolk, conservationists and locals are counting the cost of the blaze that devastated Dunwich Heath. Its vegetation and rare bird populations are expected to take decades to recover. Although the immediate cause of many wildfires is litter, the risks are elevated by heat and drought, and repeated warnings from climate scientists do not necessarily lessen the shock and distress caused. As people and governments across Europe assess this summer’s damage, experts including the UN climate chief, Simon Stiell, hope that the fires will focus minds on the urgent necessity of cutting emissions – as well as investing in emergency planning. Europe is currently heating up faster than any other continent, due in part to proximity to the melting Arctic...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 6:04:47 PM
sports

Infantino’s opponents developing new framework for running world football

Uefa, Concacaf and AFC working together on system Fifa has ignored calls for an independent review Gianni Infantino’s opponents are working together to produce a new framework for running world football to replace what they regard as a system of patronage that Fifa has adopted since he replaced Sepp Blatter as president 10 years ago. Repeated calls from Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation for an independent review of Fifa’s governance have been ignored by Infantino since his plan to sell off 21% of the World Cup was made public a fortnight ago, and the rebels are now understood to have taken matters into their own hands...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 5:32:58 PM
power

Will Andy Burnham’s everyday fixes be enough to get the public on his side?

The prime minister’s money-saving policies are popular but they are yet to convince voters he can take on the big things It was last year that Martin Lewis, the money-saving guru, advised the government to find “100 small things that piss people off” and set about sorting them out. That approach has been adopted almost immediately by Andy Burnham since entering office, as he began his programme of “everyday fixes” to tackle problems that can be dealt with through minor policy tweaks...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 5:30:14 PM
world

Canadian airline cancels flight after child refuses to wear seatbelt

Flight from Victoria to Toronto forced to return to terminal after repeated attempts to secure child in seat failed A Canadian airline cancelled a flight from Victoria to Toronto after a child refused to wear a seatbelt. The child was standing in their chair as the 6 August Porter Airlines flight taxied towards the runway, the airline said. Repeated attempts by an accompanying parent and crew to secure the child in their seat failed, so the crew elected to return to the terminal and have the two passengers disembark as “the aircraft could not take off in this unsafe condition”, it added...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 2:03:28 PM
business

Axe stamp duty? How Andy Burnham could change property tax

The new PM could bring in revenue for social care or defence with a land levy or by reforming council tax Residential property is the largest store of wealth in the UK, and has long been a target for those who believe homes should be taxed more. Real estate remains a juicy plum for Andy Burnham to pick as he searches for ways to pay for an overhaul of the social care system and higher defence spending, to name just two fiscal priorities. Yet how to tax property, or possibly the land it sits on, has vexed economists and politicians for centuries. Here we discuss the background to the debate and some of the tax options...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 2:00:01 PM
technology

Spotify to distinguish AI artists from real people and block them from some playlists

Music streaming platform creates ‘AI persona’ label that will appear on profiles and track listings in crackdown on fake performers Spotify is to label AI artists and exclude them from algorithm recommendations as part of a crackdown on fake performers. The world’s largest music streaming platform is creating a label for AI-generated artist identities called “AI personas” that will appear on the artist profile and on track listings on playlists...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 1:40:14 PM
business

‘Real mummy’s curse’: health warning over growing trade in mummified human remains

Academic paper says often illicit trade exposes enthusiasts – and postal workers handling items – to serious risks A growing global trade in mummified human remains has been described by academics as “a real mummy’s curse” that poses a serious health risk to its enthusiasts and the postal services they use. Research into the secretive buying and selling of centuries-old human body parts including hands, feet and heads found alarming risks from dormant microorganisms and the toxic materials used to preserve the remains...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 1:25:07 PM
technology

Meta faces expensive child safety reckoning

Also: Google executives jump ship in race for AI dominance Hello, TechScape readers! Danielle Abril, editor of the Guardian’s Reworked series on AI and the future of work, filling in for Blake Montgomery this week. Major legal battles against Meta over child safety are playing out in courts across the US – and the tech giant is losing. Recent rulings raise big questions about social media companies’ responsibility to their youngest users. Meanwhile, more key executives have jumped ship from Google as it battles OpenAI and Anthropic in the race for AI dominance, and Meta’s smartglasses face a fearsome backlash. Let’s dig in! ‘I’ve definitely lost followers’: influencers face backlash over Meta ‘pervert glasses’ content This man was secretly snapped by someone with smartglasses. He’s not alone in calling that a violation of privacy Tell us: do you believe you have been filmed by Meta’s smartglasses without your consent? Restaurants, pubs and theatres ban Meta’s ‘spy glasses’ over privacy fears ‘I’m not spying’: how Meta’s smartglasses have divided opinion Bernie Sanders calls on Silicon Valley to ‘pause AI development’ in interest of humanity Rising number of UK children report seeing explicit deepfakes of themselves The White House’s plan to vet potentially dangerous AI is cloaked in secrecy ‘This is very real redlining’: outrage in Little Rock as two datacenters loom Safety fears as scientists make first viruses designed by AI SpaceX beats revenue expectations in first earnings report after IPO crash..

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 12:04:51 PM
climate

Drought, water rationing and dry rivers: our water crisis is here | Peter Gleick

It doesn’t have to be this way. We know what needs to be done Disturbing news about our water resources is now constant and unrelenting. In just the past few weeks, media have reported that Puerto Rico is suffering a deep water crisis as severe drought has cut water supplies to thousands. The Rhine and Po rivers in Europe are at record low levels. The seven states sharing the Colorado River in the US are fighting over unprecedented shortages, while its major reservoirs have shrunk to their lowest levels since they were built. Hungary’s only nuclear power plant is on the verge of shutting down because there isn’t enough water in the Danube River to cool it. Toxic chemicals have been found in all English water bodies...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 11:00:01 AM
business

Hotel prices in Europe jump before total solar eclipse

Rooms in Icelandic capital Reykjavík cost double usual rate, with Spain also enjoying strong bookings Europe’s total solar eclipse: the best place to see it Hotel prices have surged in key European cities, as hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to see the first total eclipse visible from the continent this century. Iceland’s capital Reykjavík has seen one of the biggest jumps in hotel room prices, being one of the few accessible locations to see the full eclipse before evening light descends on Wednesday...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 10:50:12 AM
technology

Meta glasses banned from courts in England and Wales

Exclusive: Court service says anyone trying to enter buildings with glasses will have them confiscated and returned when they leave Courts in England and Wales have joined a number of restaurants, theatres and pubs in banning Meta glasses, amid a mounting backlash against what has been described as “spyware”. Last month courts in New York announced a ban on the controversial glasses, which can record video footage while being worn...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 10:29:29 AM
culture

Pakistan's emerging DJ scene: The women behind the turntables

Pakistan, a country known for its conservative values, rarely makes waves in the music and entertainment industry. Yet in major cities like Karachi and Lahore, a quiet but thriving DJ scene is beginning to make itself heard, with emerging talents and artists transforming the music industry. At the heart of this evolution, more and more women are asserting themselves in a field largely dominated by men.

France 24 • 8/11/2026, 10:09:39 AM
health

Trump’s vaccine order is about feelings, not facts | Robert B Shpiner

There’s no evidence that vaccines cause autism, or that we should separate MMR shots. This order is dangerous “This is based on what I feel.” That was the president last September, explaining why he wanted the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine broken into three separate shots. On Monday, he signed an executive order instructing exactly that. Four decades in intensive care have taught me what a feeling costs once it becomes national policy. Children will be hospitalized who did not need to be. Some of them will die. No one can name those the vaccine has saved, because prevented harm is invisible by definition, and that invisibility is what makes preventive medicine easy to dismantle and hard to defend...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 10:00:57 AM
technology

How to buy a bike: expert tips for finding the right budget, frame and fit

Whether you’re commuting, training or riding for fun, we asked specialists to break down what to know before you buy – from specs and safety to price • The best bike locks for every budget For me, cycling is therapy. It’s calming, meditative and uncomplicated. But there’s a catch. To experience the simple joy of riding a bike, you first have to navigate the maddeningly complex process of buying one. Make no mistake: this is not a straightforward case of marching into Halfords, saying, “One bike, please!” and leaving with a shiny new steed. But, while complicated, it needn’t be stressful...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 9:00:10 AM
business

Heathrow says need for expansion ‘clear’ as it loses title of Europe’s busiest airport

West London airport reports 7.86 million passengers in July, compared with 8.15 million for Istanbul Business live – latest updates Heathrow airport has argued “the case for expansion has never been clearer” after it lost its position as Europe’s busiest airport to Istanbul. Figures published on Tuesday showed 7.86 million passengers passed through Heathrow’s four terminals in July,whereas its Turkish counterpart recorded 8.15 million passengers over the same period...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 8:02:59 AM
science

Europe’s total solar eclipse: the best place to see it and how to view it safely

Moon is due to pass directly between Earth and sun on Wednesday 12 August. Here’s all you need to know On Wednesday evening, millions of Europeans will experience a celestial treat: a solar eclipse. A wide band of north and central Spain, plus a sliver of Portugal and parts of Greenland and Iceland will experience a rare total eclipse. The light of the setting sun will be virtually blocked out across much of western Europe, including the UK, France, Belgium, Switzerland and northern Italy. Here’s what you need to know:..

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 7:00:06 AM
power

A question for Burnham as he tours the country: how to reduce the magnetic pull of London? | Peter Hetherington

As someone who has specialised in regional policy, I know the task is huge – not least because there is no plan to ensure prosperity throughout England Andy Burnham is off on his travels this week, aiming to reconnect No 10 and the government with voters and communities across the UK. But just weeks before he set out his stall as prime minister, promising to rebalance the economy with growth in every postcode, a government agency, National Highways, underlined the pulling power of the country’s dominant city-region. It announced that a giant tunnelling machine, 16.4 metres in diameter, “the largest ever used in Europe”, was to take England’s most expensive road under the Thames. The Lower Thames Crossing (LTC), so far priced at £10bn-£11bn, is proving to be a contested 14.5-mile venture on the edge of Greater London. Objectors and local councils say it will deliver only short-term congestion relief and destroy ancient woodland and habitats. At 2.6 miles, the road tunnel will be the country’s longest, involving twin-boring for two three-lane highways connecting the M25 in Essex to the A2/M2 in Kent. The government has so far committed £3.1bn for funding the tunnel. It expects the rest from the private sector. We shall see. Peter Hetherington writes for Society Guardian on communities and regeneration..

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 7:00:06 AM
sports

Consumer confidence at near two-year high as World Cup and UK holidaying lift summer spending

Barclays says survey shows people feel more secure in jobs and have more leeway to spend on non-essentials Business live – latest updates Consumer confidence hit its highest level in almost two years in July, according to research that indicated the closing stages of the men’s football World Cup and more people holidaying in the UK lifted summer spending. A truce in the Middle East conflict in June and the arrival of a new prime minister in No 10 also gave a lift to consumers after a long period of heightened uncertainty...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 6:00:06 AM
science

We’re reading less. And it’s making us stupid – podcast

Books have never been trendier, but studies show that as more and more things compete for our frazzled attention spans, we’re reading less and less. This is a problem because reading has a wealth of cognitive benefits that we’re in danger of missing out on. To find out why declining literacy could affect everything from memory to IQ, Madeleine Finlay speaks to the Guardian’s science editor, Ian Sample. She also hears from Prof Falk Huettig, an experimental psychologist at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and author of The Perks of Being a Bookworm Support the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod Check out the Guardian’s new YouTube food series, Feed..

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 4:00:04 AM
science

The great silence: why haven’t we found any aliens yet?

Given the size and age of the universe, it should be full of species with technology far more advanced than our own. So where are they? • The summer issue of the Long Read magazine is out now. At one point during the discussion, Fermi blurted out: “Where is everybody?” – or, as another participant remembered it, “Don’t you ever wonder where everybody is?” If aliens exist, in other words, why have we never encountered them? The episode has become famous, marking the moment when extraterrestrial life went from a theme for philosophical speculation to a serious scientific problem. For centuries, people had wondered whether life exists on the moon or Mars, but they accepted that we would never know for certain, since making contact with another planet was impossible. By the 1950s, those limits no longer seemed so fixed. In addition to space flight, researchers were developing tools to detect the radio signals that reach us from stars many light years away. These developments were still in their infancy, but it was already clear that humanity was no longer bound to Earth the way it always had been...

The Guardian • 8/11/2026, 4:00:04 AM
power

South Korea faces quandary over Ukraine’s air defence system request

South Korea may have been steadfast in its support for Ukraine against Russian and North Korean forces, but Kyiv’s request for air defence systems could prove to be a step too far for Seoul to accept. In addition to South Korea’s legal and policy limits on arms transfers to countries at war and its own defence needs, providing such weapons to Ukraine could further strain its ties with Russia, according to analysts. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged South Korea to provide air...

South China Morning Post • 8/11/2026, 12:00:18 AM
technology

Zuckerberg pushes ‘superintelligent’ AI for all as Meta drops open-source model

Meta CEO presents utopian vision of AI in 6,000-word essay amid Silicon Valley debate over government regulation Mark Zuckerberg published a lengthy essay on Monday detailing his views on artificial intelligence and announced several plans for how Meta would develop the technology in the future. The CEO’s essay went online the same day as Meta released a new, open-source AI model that seeks to rival Anthropic and OpenAI’s products called Muse Glimmer. Over the course of more than 6,000 words in a post titled “The Future is for Everyone,” Zuckerberg addressed a range of topics related to AI that included datacenters, government regulation, cybersecurity, the creation of bioweapons, labor market disruption, surveillance powers and more. The essay presented a utopian vision of AI as a personalized “superintelligence” – using the word 60 times...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 10:57:57 PM
business

Burnham to give councils more powers to block vape and betting shops

Vape shops in England and Wales to need planning permission while betting shop law change will also apply in Scotland Councils are to be given powers to stop betting and vape shops taking over their high streets under new plans announced by Andy Burnham. Local authorities will be able to reject new betting shops and adult gaming centres, while vape shops will be subject to planning permission under plans Downing Street said could be in place from the start of next year...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 9:30:05 PM
business

The Guardian view on Meta’s smart glasses: regulators must get on the front foot | Editorial

Privacy needs defending against invasive wearable gadgets. So far, businesses are ahead of the government It is not yet clear to what extent Meta’s new smart glasses will live up to the nickname of “pervert glasses” – bestowed in recognition of the obvious appeal of wearable cameras to voyeurs. The past week has seen rising criticism of the devices, which in the UK have been banned by the pub chain Wetherspoons and the theatre group ATG, as well as restaurants, schools and members’ clubs. These organisations deserve praise for standing up for privacy. By contrast, regulators appear once again to be on the back foot. There have, inevitably, already been reports of women being mistreated. Earlier this year the BBC spoke to several who had been filmed without their consent, with footage subsequently uploaded to social media. In one case, the content creator demanded a fee to remove it. In the year to March 2025, image-based sexual abuse and cyberflashing were responsible for more than half of an 11% increase in reported sexual offences in England and Wales. Normalisation of smart glasses would, clearly, make such offences easier to commit. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please..

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 5:47:18 PM
technology

Bernie Sanders calls on Silicon Valley to ‘pause AI development’ in interest of humanity

Progressive US senator urges Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic to ‘stop building machines that humans cannot control’ Senator Bernie Sanders has called on Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic executives to halt their development of artificial intelligence, warning that the US Senate will implement regulation if the companies continue deploying AI at their current pace. In a new letter addressed to the CEOs of three of the country’s leading AI companies, Sanders said the capabilities of these AI models have reached a critical risk threshold and that the companies are losing control over the technology...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 5:44:21 PM
business

Water companies circumventing bonus rules? What did ministers expect? | Nils Pratley

Door was left open to such behaviour because the regulator for England and Wales can only use the powers it was given by parliament Thames Water’s £1m payout to finance chief is ‘unacceptable’, says government department Anybody who followed the supposed “clampdown” on bankers’ bonuses after the great financial crash in 2008 knew what to expect when water company bosses became a similar target for a bash in the bonus department. We would see the waterbed principle in action: when you push down in one area of remuneration, such as the performance-related stuff, another tends to go up. Back in the day, banks invented “role-based allowances” – salary top-ups – to “compensate”, as they put it, their top earners for being subject to EU caps on bonuses. No executive was seriously inconvenienced by forgoing the chance of an astronomical (but not guaranteed) bonus and getting a smaller (but still hefty) increase in fixed pay instead. Some even preferred greater certainty over what they would take home...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 5:44:09 PM
health

Mental health: one step forward and two steps back? | Letters

Dr Kate Martin is encouraged by the new network of community clinics, while Prof Dr John R Ashton says the forthcoming mental health strategy is an opportunity to grasp the nettle, while Marjorie Wallace expresses concerns about plans to cut mental health jobs in the NHS It’s very encouraging to hear the announcement about the new network of community mental health clinics in England (Editorial, 6 August). The focus on early intervention is crucial, as it means that people can access treatment as early as possible, rather than waiting for their mental health to reach a crisis point. The centres should improve access, reaching people where they are. The government should make sure that they meaningfully involve people with lived experience of mental health problems to ensure the centres are co-designed and co-led with them. As your editorial says, parity between mental and physical healthcare became a policy goal in 2011. Mental health is an issue that unites us. According to new research, which we commissioned from More in Common, nearly three-quarters of the public believe that mental health is as important as physical health, most people are comfortable talking about it, and support for early intervention is high across the political spectrum. Three-quarters also say the government should do more to improve services...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 4:46:30 PM
culture

Dogs can distinguish between fearful and angry or sad human faces, brain scans suggest

Researchers analysed activity in regions of brain when dogs were shown images of different facial expressions While dogs are known to turn the puppy eyes on their owners, it seems our pets are keeping a close eye on us too: research has revealed dog brains can distinguish different types of unhappy human faces. Dr Laura Cuaya, a co-author of the study from the University of Vienna, said previous behavioural studies had shown dogs could tell apart some human facial expressions, but such studies tended to only test two at a time, one positive and one negative. As a result, it was not clear if dogs could distinguish different types of happy or unhappy faces...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 3:00:47 PM
world

7.4 magnitude earthquake shakes Colombia, causing serious damage – latest news

More than a dozen buildings collapsed in aftermath of earthquake, which has also prompted evacuations A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia today, shaking the South American nation and neighbouring Ecuador and causing people to evacuate homes and buildings. At least 20 ⁠buildings ⁠collapsed in ​an earthquake on ⁠Monday in the ⁠Colombian ​city ‌of ‌Cali, with people ‌trapped inside, mayor Alejandro Eder said. The city ‌has requested teams ​from Bogota and ⁠Medellin to ​aid in rescue ​efforts, ​he added...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 2:28:54 PM
world

Powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake strikes western Colombia

Reports of collapsed and severely damaged buildings in several major cities, including Cali and Pereira Colombia earthquake live – latest updates A powerful earthquake has struck western Colombia, with reports of collapsed and severely damaged buildings in major cities including Cali and Pereira. The US and Colombian geological surveys reported that a 7.4 magnitude earthquake had struck at 7.34 am local time (13.34 BST) on Monday, with its epicentre in the western department of Chocó. It was also felt in neighbouring Venezuela...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 2:28:36 PM
technology

SpaceX plan for vast rocket launch site on Louisiana coast sparks backlash

Opponents fear Elon Musk firm’s plan to develop 18-mile strip of Pecan Island will badly damage fragile ecosystem Plans by Elon Musk’s SpaceX to build a vast rocket launch site on a stretch of Louisiana’s rapidly eroding coastline have stirred a backlash among some local opponents who fear it will badly damage the area’s fragile ecosystem. A deal for SpaceX to take control of 130,000 acres of coastal Vermilion parish is reported to be close to being finalized, allowing the company to escalate its number of launches, including of its new Starship mega rocket. SpaceX also has ambitions to deploy artificial intelligence datacenters in space, and while some experts have doubts about this, it has submitted regulatory filings to build a constellation of up to a million of them...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 2:00:46 PM
climate

‘It’s very challenging’: how the Duke of Westminster’s farm is taking on the climate crisis

Amid world pressure from heatwaves and fertiliser shortages, billionaire’s business has invested in circular farming and biomethane There is a distinctive smell of cow manure in the air at the Duke of Westminster’s dairy farm near Chester. It is a world away from the collection of grand West End properties controlled by the duke that form the backbone of his near £10bn fortune, a decade on from becoming Britain’s youngest billionaire. As part of his 349-year-old Grosvenor empire, Lea Manor Farm on the duke’s Eaton Estate in north-west England has fared better than most dairy farms in recent years...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 2:00:46 PM
health

DR Congo: Could a vaccine soon be available to the public?

The Ervebo vaccine has proved safe and effective against the more common Zaire strain of the Ebola virus, and World Health Organization experts say early data, notably from animal trials, suggest it may also offer some protection against the rarer Bundibugyo strain, which is spreading in the DR Congo. We discuss this with our guest, Dr. Paulin Mutombo Beya, deputy director at the Kinshasa School of Public Health.

France 24 • 8/10/2026, 1:57:47 PM
business

After Burnham’s ‘rip-offs’ crackdown, what more could PM do to help us save money?

From ticket booking fees to parking, here are six other things he could fix Andy Burnham has announced a ban on fake discounts and made it easier to cancel unwanted subscriptions in an effort to improve life for UK consumers. In the long run, these changes may not make as much difference to your wealth as increasing mandatory contributions on pensions or capping rents, but they will get rid of some day-to-day frustrations. Here are six other things he could fix while he is in the mood:..

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 1:45:32 PM
business

John Lewis managing director Peter Ruis quits job after less than three years

Surprise departure comes after department store chain’s chair warned of ‘really tough trading conditions’ Business live – latest updates The managing director of John Lewis has quit the job after less than three years in charge of the British department store chain, as the company faces “really tough” trading conditions. Peter Ruis will leave the business in order to “pursue new projects”, John Lewis said in a statement on Monday...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 1:04:36 PM
health

Louisiana warns beachgoers amid surge in flesh-eating bacteria infections

State confirms nine cases, including five deaths, from Vibrio vulnificus organism, which thrives in seawater Health officials in Louisiana are urging beachgoers to take precautions during a summertime surge in infections from a flesh-eating bacterium found in coastal waters. Louisiana has confirmed nine cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections this year, the state’s health department said last week in a news release. All were hospitalized, and five died. During the same period over the previous decade, Louisiana reported an average of seven cases and one death...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 12:58:56 PM
business

Crew of Zuckerberg yacht did not hear radio call to assist boat, Meta says

Small skiff ran out of fuel off Alaska and was helped by cruise ship even though Meta CEO’s vessel was closer Zuckerberg faces questions over why superyacht reportedly declined to help stranded boat The crew of a yacht owned by Mark Zuckerberg did not hear a radio call for a maritime assist from a small skiff that ran out of fuel off the coast of Alaska, and by the time it did, another nearby ship had already rendered assistance, a spokesperson for the Meta CEO said. The Alaska Beacon news outlet reported that the skiff had issued a call for assistance through the US Coast Guard last week and a nearby small cruise ship, the Wilderness Legacy, towed it into nearby Farragut Bay in south-east Alaska and refueled it...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 12:42:18 PM
technology

What happens when medical students rely on AI – and never develop their own judgment? | Simar Bajaj and Joseph Sakran

AI’s danger isn’t just in experts losing the ability to reason. It’s that trainees may never learn how to do so in the first place In healthcare, there’s growing concern over doctors becoming less clinically adept as they increasingly rely on AI tools. But what about the trainees – medical students, residents and fellows – who are using these tools before they’ve built their own clinical judgment? The idea of deskilling implies that someone possessed an ability and then lost it. Here, the danger is not just deskilling but never-skilling. Although a doctor who has forgotten how to reason is recoverable, one who never learned how may not be. OpenEvidence, essentially an AI chatbot for clinicians, has given this concern its most concrete form. About two-thirds of US doctors actively use OpenEvidence, asking about puzzling symptoms, drug interactions, and clinical guidelines, getting responses within seconds, anchored in the latest research. Trainees, unsurprisingly, have also begun to use this AI tool in many of the same ways – but at a far more formative stage...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 12:00:44 PM
power

Ivory Coast's Biama boom: TikTok trend gets the nation's youth dancing

Born barely five years ago in Yopougon – the poorest, but also the liveliest area of Ivory Coast's economic capital Abidjan – Biama has got the whole of Ivorian youth dancing. Faster than coupé-décalé, this newer musical and choreographic genre borrows many of its codes. But unlike its older sibling, which is associated with trendy nightclubs, biama is danced in the streets and on social media, making it more easily accessible to its young, working-class audience.

France 24 • 8/10/2026, 11:25:24 AM
climate

‘Unprecedented, dangerous territory’: US north-west reckons with a summer of historic wildfires

Extreme conditions in Washington and Oregon have fueled fast-moving fires, leaving the region draped in toxic plumes – and the danger isn’t over Piles of twisted metal and ashen debris line the cul-de-sacs where the tranquil suburbs of Spokane, Washington, once stood. The scale of devastation from a historic wildfire season in the Pacific north-west has come into sharper focus as firefighters wrangle a trio of blazes that consumed at least 846 structures on the eastern side of the state...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 11:00:44 AM
business

Millions in Great Britain can now face emergency power cuts at short notice

Grid operator Neso can now respond with rolling blackouts as last resort without need for government powers Business live – latest updates Millions of households could face power cuts at short notice under new rules to help the electricity system operator avoid widespread blackouts when energy supplies run low. The changes, which come into effect this week, will make it easier for the national electricity system operator to call for rotating blackouts at short notice if power supplies are running short...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 10:27:26 AM
world

Suspected crime boss Daniel Kinahan lands in Dublin after extradition from Dubai

The alleged leader of an Irish organized crime gang was extradited to Ireland from Dubai on Sunday to face allegations that he ran an international drug smuggling and money laundering empire with tentacles that stretched to Britain, Spain and the US. Kinahan, who was arrested in Dubai in April, was ⁠named by the United States in 2022 as one of three leaders of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group. US authorities offered a $5 million reward for their ‌arrests.

France 24 • 8/10/2026, 10:07:54 AM
sports

Uefa, Concacaf and AFC push for Infantino to quit and discuss rival competitions

Confederations write open letter damning Fifa president Concacaf president Montagliani seen as top contender Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf will push for Gianni Infantino to resign after writing an open letter calling for “leadership that serves football, not seeks to command it”. In a dramatic escalation of the war that has threatened to tear football apart since details emerged of the Fifa president’s failed Football Forward Enterprise scheme, the three governing bodies accused Infantino of “trust broken through deception” and condemned his failure to acknowledge that the proposal should not have been unilaterally launched...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 10:02:37 AM
world

‘Shoved the tube so hard it tore my nose’: Kurdish film-maker recounts ‘inhumane’ ICE force-feeding

Gabar Choli tells of how, for months, he was shackled, pinned and forcibly fed – and the physical and emotional scars the ordeal has left In June 2025, a sluggish and thin Gabar Choli, with sunken temples and bones visible under his skin, braced himself for the immigration detention center guards to charge into his cell once again. Choli was in a solitary confinement medical cell inside the Port Isabel service processing center, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in south Texas where immigrants arrested in Donald Trump’s anti-immigration crackdown are detained...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 10:00:43 AM
power

‘Comedy is my seed of hope’: UK Palestinian comic Sami Abu Wardeh on his Edinburgh show

A growing wave of Palestinian performers are using comedy to tell their stories of occupation, exile and war The war in Gaza is a topic many avoid discussing, let alone joke about. But for Palestinian comedians, humour has become an essential tool for keeping life going while loved ones live under occupation and bombardment. “A lot of Palestinian solidarity events are, rightfully, about grieving,” said the British Palestinian comedian Sami Abu Wardeh. “They’ll read out the names of children and all these atrocities, and then you leave depressed. We have to avoid that at all costs.”..

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 10:00:43 AM
health

Kurdish hunger striker says ICE force-feeding ‘mentally broke me’

Exclusive: Film-maker Gabar Choli describes how he endured coercive treatment over eight months in detention in Texas A Kurdish man who was force fed over the course of eight months while on hunger strike in US immigration detention has spoken out about it for the first time, describing how much the process harmed him physically and psychologically. Gabar Choli, a film-maker and activist now living in Canada after being deported, described how he endured the coercive treatment – a practice widely considered torture by international human rights groups – often twice a day after being detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when his asylum application was denied...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 10:00:40 AM
power

Netanyahu eyes election base as friction with Trump grows over Gaza deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a US-led Gaza plan endorsed by Hamas, putting distance between himself and President Donald Trump as he tries to shore up his base ahead of close elections. “Netanyahu is willing to break ties with Trump over the 15-point Gaza peace deal to gain support from the far-right members of his coalition,” FRANCE 24 international affairs editor Philip Turle says.

France 24 • 8/10/2026, 9:55:44 AM
business

Harvey Nichols warns it could collapse without rescue deal, as bidders circle

Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group is frontrunner to buy Knightsbridge-headquartered department store chain Can Harvey Nichols find its way back to being Ab Fab again? Business live – latest updates Harvey Nichols has warned that it will not be able to survive another year without new investment, as bidders for the Knightsbridge-headquartered department store chain circle. The retailer’s Hong Kong-based owner, Dickson Poon, put it up for sale in June, with Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group aiming to buy it for about £40m...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 9:45:26 AM
climate

Weather tracker: Europe breaks more heat records as temperatures soar

Drought and wildfires intensify across continent, while tropical storms bring heavy rain and disruption to east Asia Europe live – latest updates High pressure has dominated central and eastern Europe in early August, breaking temperature records across the region. Austria recorded a high of 41.2C (106.2F), while Slovakia reached 42.2C. Hungary hit a peak of 41.8C, surpassing a record set in 1905, while overnight temperatures remained above 28C in some areas, marking it as a tropical night. The extreme temperatures have been driven by a heat dome beneath the high-pressure system, which traps warm air close to the surface...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 9:32:54 AM
climate

Labour says Farage has ‘no serious answers’ to prisons crisis – UK politics live

Reform says it will free up space in jails in England and Wales by rapidly deporting all foreign offenders With parts of Britain set to experience their fifth heatwave of the summer this week, Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, has accused the government of not recognising the severity of the crisis. In a statement, he said: We are now facing the fifth heatwave in months following the recent deaths of 3,000 people in our country from extreme weather conditions. This is the greatest crisis this country has faced since the second world war and to complacently dismiss the demands for immediate action by saying everything is under control is gross negligence, blatantly untrue and misses the severity of the crisis...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 9:08:49 AM
business

Thames Water faces row over £1m payment to finance chief

Campaign group says firm is ‘taking the mickey’ by paying fee and Andy Burnham should nationalise it Business live – latest updates Thames Water has paid its chief financial officer, Steve Buck, a £1m signing fee despite intense scrutiny of Britain’s biggest water company’s finances as it tries to avoid being taken into public control. The utility revealed that it made the payment last month, in a letter sent last week by Sir Adrian Montague, its chair, to MPs on the environment, food and rural affairs select committee, Sky News first reported...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 8:41:25 AM
business

Harry Potter fans force relocation of £430m undersea cable to avoid Dobby’s ‘grave’

Power cable linking UK and Ireland now passes near Bronze Age human burial remains instead of fictional grave on Welsh beach Harry Potter fans have forced a new multimillion-pound power cable between the UK and Ireland to be relocated after complaining it would desecrate the “grave” of Dobby, a fictional elf. The character was laid to rest on Freshwater West beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales, in the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Fans of the wizard series come to leave stones reading “Here Lies Dobby” despite being asked not to by the land owner, the National Trust, because the beach is an ecologically sensitive site...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 7:46:52 AM
business

UK employment market shows ‘rays of light’ for jobseekers with upturn in pay, study shows - business live

Temporary vacancies rise for first time in two years, permanent job placements stabilise and temporary billings rise further Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy. There are signs of improvement in the UK jobs market, with an upturn in pay and the first rise in temporary vacancies in two years as employers sought more flexibility. Despite ongoing uncertainty it’s encouraging that businesses are starting to press ahead with investment, which means across the board we are starting to see the data moving in the right direction. This is most pronounced in the continued rise of temporary work, where employers have been looking at flexible approaches and hiring has been growing for several months, and permanent hiring is starting to turn a corner. Rays of light are beginning to break through for the job market as employers revive hiring plans. Temporary vacancies are up for the first time in two years, while recruiters’ revenue from supplying temporary workers has risen for a fourth consecutive month. Remarkably, this is the first month without a decline in permanent placements since Liz Truss resigned as prime minister in 2022, underlining just how prolonged the downturn in permanent hiring has been. That makes it all the more important that the government takes decisions now that build business confidence and momentum in hiring...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 6:40:58 AM
business

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 review: your passport to a folding phone future

Novel squat Android opens to an iPad-like screen for video or multitasking, with plenty of power and battery life Samsung’s latest folding phone breaks the mould with a squat, passport-like shape reminiscent of the Blackberry, which opens up to become a tablet similar to an iPad mini. It is certainly a better shape for a tablet than other designs, but is a short and wide phone when closed a compromise too far? The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is an entirely new variant in Samsung’s foldable family for this year launched alongside the Z Fold 8 Ultra with a more familiar candy bar shape. Both folders are extremely expensive, with the Fold 8 starting at £1,699 (€1,999/$1,899.99/A$2,699) and the Fold 8 Ultra at £1,899 (€2,199/$2,099.99/A$2,999), with RAMageddon driving up prices even at the top of the market...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 6:00:37 AM
business

UK manufacturers face rising hacking risk as survey shows 30% were hit last year

Big companies describe being under constant threat but only half have a plan in place to respond to an attack Nearly a third of British manufacturers have been hit by a cyber-attack on them or a company in their supply chain, according to a survey that highlighted the growing hacking risk to companies. The findings come almost a year after Britain’s largest automotive employer, JLR, was hit by an attack that forced it to halt production for weeks...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 5:00:36 AM
climate

Starwatch: Deep partial solar eclipse in UK to precede the Perseids

The eclipse will begin just after 6pm on 12 August, reaching its maximum just over an hour later The annual Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak this week on the night of 12-13 August, and this year comes with an added bonus. Earlier on 12 August, a deep partial solar eclipse will be visible across the UK. The partial solar eclipse begins shortly after 6pm BST and reaches its maximum at around 7.13pm. From much of the country, about 90% of the sun’s diameter will be obscured, making this the deepest solar eclipse visible here since 1999. The sun will be low in the western sky throughout the event, so choose a location with a clear horizon...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 5:00:35 AM
climate

Typhoon Dolphin: more than a million people evacuated in China as record rainfall dumped on Shanghai

Authorities warn that days of intense rain could trigger widespread flooding and landslides as storm moves north and further inland More than a million people were moved to safety across eastern China by Sunday evening as powerful Typhoon Dolphin made landfall amid fears torrential rain would cause flooding and landslides. Wenzhou, a coastal city in Zhejiang province, said it relocated more than 900,000 people and opened more than 1,500 emergency shelters. In neighbouring Fujian, 98,900 people were moved from high-risk areas...

The Guardian • 8/10/2026, 3:46:36 AM
power

Cut £175 from energy bills for low-income homes, says thinktank

Resolution Foundation proposes £2bn emergency scheme to help people facing higher costs this winter Labour should draw up an emergency plan to cut energy prices for low-income families by up to £175 this winter, the Resolution Foundation has said. One of Andy Burnham’s first policy announcements as prime minister was to remove VAT temporarily from electricity bills, saving households about £45 a year...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 11:01:27 PM
climate

Canadian province to get federal help as wildfire forces evacuations

The Canadian federal government said on ⁠Sunday it would ⁠help British Columbia ⁠as raging wildfires forced thousands of people to evacuate by providing shelter and accommodation for residents displaced in regions around Summerland and Peachland. The Bald Range wildfire, which prompted British ‌Columbia to declare a provincial state of emergency and evacuate about 18,000 people, had spread to more than 10,300 hectares by at the weekend as firefighters continued to battle the blaze. “Last night,...

South China Morning Post • 8/9/2026, 10:22:44 PM
business

Burnham vows crackdown on ‘rip-off’ business practices to ease cost of living

First of PM’s ‘everyday fixes’ to be banning fake discounts and making it easier to cancel unwanted subscriptions Andy Burnham: I’ll end the rip-offs that people hate Andy Burnham has promised a series of measures to tackle the cost of living, including a ban on fake discounts and making it easier for people to escape unwanted subscriptions. The crackdown on “rip-off” business practices is expected to benefit consumers to the tune of £400m a year and will be the first in a range of “everyday fixes” to be implemented in the coming months...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 9:30:26 PM
power

Subscriptions you can’t easily cancel, sales that aren’t sales – I’ll end the rip-offs that British people hate | Andy Burnham

These everyday hassles are small, but they add up – especially in a cost of living crisis. That’s why my government will tackle them head-on Andy Burnham is the UK prime minister Burnham vows crackdown on ‘rip-off’ business practices It’s remarkable how much of modern life can seem designed to wear us down. Every “sale” seems to come with an asterisk. Consumer contracts often find a way of costing more than you expected. And too many companies want you to sign up in seconds, but then make it feel impossible to leave. It’s exhausting. They might not be the issues that keep you up at night. But they’re often the reason you go to bed ticked off. Westminster has got used to telling people that these everyday hassles are just part of life. The response has too often been a shrug of the shoulders or just calling it bad luck. Andy Burnham is prime minister of the United Kingdom..

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 9:30:25 PM
culture

Game of Thrones: The Mad King review – an action-packed saga of dry ice and fire

Royal Shakespeare theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon This prequel to the TV series has one joust after another, spectacular stagecraft and plenty of modern resonance During the RSC’s 65 years, numerous Lears have lost their minds and frequent Caesars been slaughtered by their courts. Now, though, a tyrant new to its stages faces both fates. He is King Aerys II Targaryen, ancestor of one warring bloodline in Game of Thrones, the dramatisation of George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels that helped TV streamers’ rise to global domination during eight HBO seasons from 2011 to 2019. Some may balk at an institution named for England’s greatest dramatist staging an American drama franchise. There is, though, a compelling economic imperative: rising costs due to current wars (a frequent problem for Martin’s ancient oligarchs too) and Covid-era debts now exacerbated by paying back government loans means that the RSC could use another big commercial transfer – as its musical Matilda may not be immortal...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 8:00:24 PM
science

Perseid meteor shower set to dazzle northern hemisphere this week

Astronomers say viewing conditions promising for this year’s shower, and 50 to 100 meteors an hour may be visible The Perseid summer light show is back, and viewing conditions are especially promising across the northern hemisphere. The meteor shower’s is expected to peak on Wednesday night into Thursday morning, and coincides with a total solar eclipse across Spain, Iceland and Greenland and a six-planet parade – though the best time to view the fireballs will come after totality...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 6:43:55 PM
power

Canadian government steps in as ‘out of control’ wildfires force thousands to flee

British Columbia battling 102 fires day and night across province, as breakneck speed hampers firefighters’ efforts Canada’s federal government has announced it will provide urgent assistance to British Columbia after an onslaught of unprecedented fast-moving wildfires forced about 22,000 people to flee their homes in frantic evacuations. A total of 102 wildfires were raging across the province on Sunday, of which nearly half were categorised as “out of control”, according to the BC Wildfire Service. Of those fires, 78 ignited during the past week...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 6:20:25 PM
climate

Typhoon Dolphin makes landfall in China as its strongest storm this year

Tropical cyclone brings torrential rain and high winds to east coast after hitting Japan’s southern Okinawa province Typhoon Dolphin, the most powerful tropical cyclone to hit China this year, has made landfall on the country’s east coast, bringing torrential rain and strong ⁠winds and triggering warnings ​of flooding and landslides. The storm has already swept through Japan’s southern Okinawa prefecture, injuring six people and cutting power to more than 50,000 buildings...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 6:13:57 PM
culture

Prophets review – a mysterious tale of faith at the end of the world

Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh A researcher encounters an isolated community in thrall to a mysterious religious leader in Jack MacGregor’s atmospheric but elusive drama What impresses about Jack MacGregor as a playwright is their willingness to take us into the wider world. Nightlands was set in a deserted Russian research base in Svalbard; Everything Under the Sun concerned militias in Mali; and Our Brother played out in the Cambodia of Pol Pot. So it is with Prophets, which begins with the arrival of Kerris, a Scottish researcher, on the sparsely populated island of Saint John, a fictional British Overseas Territory in the South Pacific. Played by Rebecca Wilkie, she is as curious about the religious activities of the islanders as she is the archaeological record of plant life she is supposedly there to study. Welcomed by Joe, a former merchant seaman played by a multitasking Xander Cowan, she senses something is amiss in the nightly church services led by an elusive man they call the prophet. Her job is about the dawn of time, but the locals are readying themselves for the end of days...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 6:00:21 PM
sports

Iraola says Liverpool have work to do as familiar frailties in defence prove costly

Head coach frustrated by ‘tired’ performance Monaco come from two down to win 3-2 at Anfield Andoni Iraola told his Liverpool team they have work to do after squandering a 2-0 lead against Monaco to lose a second successive pre-season friendly. The former Bournemouth coach last managed a game at Anfield almost exactly a year ago in the memorable opener to the 2025-26 Premier League season, a game the Cherries were unfortunate to lose 4-2. Now on his debut in the home dugout, Iraola saw his team produce a similarly open display and lose again. It became clear Liverpool’s longstanding defensive frailties are still to be eliminated...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 5:55:02 PM
climate

Over 200 firefighters battle blaze in southern France

A fast-moving wildfire was raging in southern France on Sunday, forcing evacuations as more than 200 firefighters raced to contain the blaze. The fire broke out at around 12.45pm in the Lozere region, about 140km (85 miles) northwest of Montpellier. Officials said it might have been sparked by a car catching fire on a local road. By late afternoon, the fire had burned some 90 hectares (220 acres) and continued to spread. Around 220 firefighters from Lozere and neighbouring departments were...

South China Morning Post • 8/9/2026, 5:13:45 PM
sports

‘I’m not ready to compete’: Jannik Sinner pulls out of Cincinnati Open

World No 1 out of tournament with knee injury Italian trying to stay fit for US Open which starts 30 August World No 1 Jannik Sinner has pulled out of the Cincinnati Open due to a right knee injury, the Italian announced on Sunday. “After consulting with my doctors and my team, I have to announce that I need to withdraw from the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati,” he said in a statement posted on the ATP website. “My right knee has been bothering me and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I’m not ready to compete yet.”..

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 5:04:54 PM
power

London mayor orders council to drop plan to ban new pubs and bars in Soho and West End

Exclusive: Sadiq Khan urges Westminster council to adopt ‘positive vision of economic growth’ of nightlife Sadiq Khan has ordered Westminster council to scrap a policy that would ban new pubs and bars from opening in Soho and the West End of London. This comes after the Guardian revealed the council’s new licensing policy asks pubs to stop customers from standing up while consuming beverages, which it calls “vertical drinking”. The policy is under consultation and also asks pubs to have table service rather than allowing orders at the bar...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 5:00:20 PM
sports

La Liga president Javier Tebas says ‘Infantino era is over’ at Fifa

Tebas says Swiss is ‘destroying essence of football’ Any reform at highest levels must be ‘genuine’ Javier Tebas says Gianni Infantino’s position as Fifa president is untenable, claiming he is “destroying the very essence of football” and calling for reform at the highest levels of the game. The La Liga president, who is a longstanding and vociferous critic of the current Fifa regime, said “the Infantino era is over” and called for control of the game to be expanded beyond the current “elite”...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 5:00:02 PM
world

Cologne marches for queer community after Berlin Pride attack

Around 10,000 people gathered in Cologne on Sunday for a demonstration in support of the queer community following the Islamist attack at Berlin Pride. The organisers of Cologne’s own Pride celebrations called for the rally two weeks after the shocking attack in the German capital. Participants gathered in the Deutz district on the eastern side of the Rhine River and marched across to the city centre, with turnout significantly higher than the 2,000 registered with police in advance. A dpa...

South China Morning Post • 8/9/2026, 4:57:34 PM
world

Woman and baby die after boat capsizes in New York harbour

The operator of a boat that capsized in New York Harbor, killing a mother and her infant daughter, is facing criminal charges and authorities are investigating whether the vessel was an illegal charter, the US Coast Guard said on Sunday. The 22-foot Bayliner speedboat overturned at 10.25pm on Saturday near Liberty Island, home to the Statue of Liberty, the US Coast Guard said. Twelve people were rescued from the water before police arrived and police divers later located the 27-year-old woman...

South China Morning Post • 8/9/2026, 4:00:55 PM
culture

Paddy Young: Will Sir Be Laughing Alone? review – morose misadventures of a luckless bachelor

Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh The SNL UK star’s romantic failures and house-share humiliations make for a fun hour of downbeat yet twinkling comedy A recent star of Saturday Night Live UK, Paddy Young is enjoying a moment of life-changing fulfilment and success. But “I’ve brought the worst plus-one to the party,” he says – by which he means himself. If ever the truism that money can’t buy you happiness needed demonstration, look no further than Young’s new show, Will Sir Be Laughing Alone? It finds the 35-year-old lamenting (as ever) the circularity of his domestic life, a luckless perma-bachelor doomed for ever to watch on as his housemates graduate to more grown-up, loved-up lives elsewhere. Young has cultivated the perfect persona to sell this sorry tale: a plangent northerner, half-turned away from the audience and side-eyeing us coyly with this or that tale of hapless manboyishness. Is it an act? Well, no, it’s an exaggeration, and part of the fun is to work out how sincere sad-sack Paddy really is, halfway through his three score years and 10, stuck in a house share with “three PS2s and not a lamp in sight”. He’s bothered not that his flatmate is having sex too noisily, but that it’s not audible enough (“Let me in!”). Ghosted by a recent date, he has resorted to stalking his first teenage kiss on Facebook, then all the way to Copenhagen, fantasising about inserting himself into her wholesome family life...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 4:00:19 PM
world

China waits in wings as Mecca pact signals Gulf shift away from US security umbrella

The grand security bargain between the United States and Gulf countries is widely perceived to be fraying, creating what analysts see as an opening for Beijing to expand its presence in the region. For decades, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states relied on Washington’s defensive shield, while it in turn relied on them for access, energy and influence. Riyadh’s decision to sign a mutual defence agreement with Turkey and Pakistan is the clearest sign yet of that shift. Signed this week in Mecca,...

South China Morning Post • 8/9/2026, 4:00:09 PM
world

Calls for system review after lowest alert in force during record-breaking heat

Hong Kong authorities are under pressure to review the warning system for heat stress at work after the lowest-level alert remained in force on Sunday, despite the city sweltering through its hottest day on record. Labour unionists, joined by a leading meteorologist, also proposed relaxing the law to recognise heatstroke as a work-related injury, thus entitling workers to compensation. A scorching 36.9 degrees Celsius (98.4 Fahrenheit) was recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory in Tsim Sha Tsui...

South China Morning Post • 8/9/2026, 3:42:54 PM
health

Martin O’Neill absent from Celtic’s win at Kilmarnock as Høgh hits hat-trick

Høgh scored first goals since joining from Bodø/Glimt O’Neill ‘doing better’ after procedure in hospital Kasper Høgh scored a hat-trick, his first goals for Celtic, as the Scottish champions made light of the absence of their manager Martin O’Neill with a 5-1 win away to Kilmarnock on Sunday. Victory made it two wins out of two Scottish Premiership games for Celtic, with 74-year-old boss O’Neill missing the trip to Rugby Park after what the club had said earlier this week was a “small procedure” in hospital...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 3:04:54 PM
business

Chinese EV sales surge to new high in Europe, putting tariffs under scrutiny

Imports this year now account for 14% of the market amid claims vehicles are being dumped in the EU and UK Chinese electric car sales have risen across Europe to a record high driven by strong demand and low tariffs in the UK and a surge in buyers in Italy. Against a backdrop of claims that Chinese carmakers are “dumping” state-subsidised vehicles in the EU and UK to gain market share, the figures will give impetus to calls for quotas and higher tariffs to protect European manufacturers...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 2:30:58 PM
science

‘You’re hit with a slam of shadow’: Nasa’s air mission to capture rare eclipse data

Two aviators will take off from Iceland to take pictures of the sun while flying at high altitude along solar eclipse’s path After lunch on Wednesday, two Nasa aviators will climb into a research plane and take off from Keflavik airport on a western tip of Iceland. They will climb north towards Greenland and then bank to head south on a gently curving course 40 miles (64km) off the Icelandic coast. Their mission can be described as chasing an eclipse, but in reality the eclipse is chasing them. As the plane cruises at 50,000ft (15,000 metres), the shadow of the moon will race up from behind, crossing the ocean below at more than 2,000mph (3,200km/h). The pilot will aim to reach the point of greatest eclipse, when the largest fraction of the sun is obscured by the moon, at the moment the shadow catches up with them...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 2:00:16 PM
culture

‘People were giving me dirty looks’: the backlash against Meta smartglasses

Influencers accused of using ‘pervert glasses’ amid fears about people being filmed without their consent It was hardly an offensive video. Amid the buzz of the Tour de France finale, Oliver Hooson filmed himself whipping up a delicious-looking flat white for a fellow cycling enthusiast. But after posting the footage on social media, the comments that soon rolled in were a real shock. “PERV,” read one. “Out here pushing creep glasses,” said another. His mistake? Documenting the moment with Meta’s “spy glasses”. Despite being marketed as the latest must-have gadget, Meta’s smartglasses, which can record video footage while being worn, have faced a vicious backlash, particularly relating to concerns about surveillance. There are widespread fears about the glasses being used to film people, especially women, without their consent, and the resultant footage being posted on social media. This has earned them the label of “pervert glasses”, and content creators, no matter how they are used, have faced a flood of negative comments for deploying them...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 1:37:25 PM
power

Israel, US spar over Gaza withdrawal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected the 15-point plan for Gaza promoted by US President Donald ​Trump and stressed that the Israeli military would not withdraw from the Palestinian territory until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed. In Iran, the Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz would not be reopened until the US accepts Tehran's conditions. France 24 correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky tells us the latest.

France 24 • 8/9/2026, 1:20:42 PM
power

Myanmar rebuffs Asean call to free Aung San Suu Kyi, questions need for envoy

Myanmar’s military-backed government has rejected the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ renewed call for the unconditional release of detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi and dismissed the need for the organisation’s special envoy on Myanmar, according to the foreign affairs ministry. President Min Aung Hlaing, the former army chief who had originally seized power in 2021 from Suu Kyi’s civilian government, has been trying to win political legitimacy since the takeover and resume...

South China Morning Post • 8/9/2026, 12:24:09 PM
world

Blast wounds two as de la Espriella cracks down on prisons

A day after being sworn in as president, Abelardo de la Espriella is facing two bombing attacks in Colombia. He campaigned on a hard-line approach to the country’s ongoing violence and vowed on social media that there would be no leniency. The army says FARC dissidents used explosives to destroy a highway tollbooth near Cali, while a police officer was killed in a separate attack around 1,000 kilometres away in the northern department of Cesar. Antonia Kerrigan has more.

France 24 • 8/9/2026, 11:36:54 AM
technology

What are datacentres doing to the places we love? In Slough, I found a bleak answer | John Harris

Whitehall wants to triple the UK’s number of datacentres – but demand for electricity and water means that could be at the expense of new homes Amid headlines about the UK’s drought, Europe’s wildfires and impossible global temperatures, it was 28C when I arrived in Slough last Monday. I was there to look around Slough Trading Estate, a place that might once have conjured up images of the TV comedy The Office, many of whose laughs came at the expense of this overgrown patch of suburbia, 20-odd miles west of London. But these days, this area of town – an incongruous mixture of old-school businesses such as Mr Clutch and Angling Direct, and vast, metal-clad leviathans that look like something pulled from JG Ballard – has become a byword for the constant expansion of datacentres, those hulking symbols of the vast computing power that big tech now requires, not least because of the ever-more complex workings of artificial intelligence...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 11:03:18 AM
health

We know sleep, exercise and diet are vital for health. But why?

The benefits of all three come down to a crucial piece of cellular kit Sleep. Exercise. Eat well. It’s the oldest recommendation in medicine, repeated so often it’s become a cliche. We know the advice, even if we don’t always follow it. But have you ever stopped to wonder why these three seemingly different habits have such remarkably similar effects on our brains and bodies? For generations we’ve treated them as separate prescriptions – sleep restores us, exercise strengthens us and food fuels us. Yet neuroscience is beginning to suggest something rather more elegant: they’re all essentially doing the same job...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 11:00:15 AM
health

Britain is paying the price for failing to invest in its young people | Richard Partington

Alan Milburn has outlined a generation cut adrift by austerity. We must grasp the nettle and rebuild a preventive state Most people think Britain is not working as it should. For young people, the situation is at its most acute: Only one in four believe that everyone in society has a fair crack. Most think the game is rigged. It is clear why the generation who grew up during the post-2008 crash austerity years and in the shadow of the Covid pandemic are downbeat: the level of public service provision their parents enjoyed is gone, living costs are rising, the AI revolution is changing everything, and the planet is on fire...

The Guardian • 8/9/2026, 11:00:02 AM
world

Hiker dies on Hong Kong trail as city swelters in record-breaking heat

A hiker died on a country trail in Tai Po on Sunday afternoon as Hong Kong endured its hottest temperatures since records began 142 years ago. Police said they received a report at 2.17pm that a man, 64, had been discovered unconscious on the Plover Cove Reservoir Country Trail by other hikers. Firefighters and rescue teams assembled at the reservoir dam before heading up the mountain, with the Government Flying Service also dispatched. The Filipino man, a Hong Kong identity card holder, was...

South China Morning Post • 8/9/2026, 10:49:16 AM