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Met chief criticises court system after paedophile granted bail

Officers left feeling ‘hamstrung’, says Mark Rowley after offender allowed to return to flat overlooking playground Pressure to cut the number of prisoners on remand has led to “dangerous and prolific offenders” being granted bail, the country’s most senior police officer said after a paedophile was allowed to return to his flat that overlooked a children’s playground. Zafer Dogan was jailed on Thursday for two years and four months after he was convicted of taking thousands of pictures of women and girls before using AI technology to turn them into nude images for his sexual gratification. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/uxW4pV0

Why is the UK’s suppressed climate national security report significant?

Warnings about the catastrophic effects of vital ecosystems collapsing were not published under previous PM UK shares findings of damning climate crisis national security report suppressed under Starmer UK spy chiefs warned government ministers of the catastrophic impacts on national security from the collapse of vital ecosystems around the world, driven by the climate crisis and the overexploitation of nature. But their report, which was supposed to be published almost a year ago, was suppressed under Keir Starmer. Now the government is briefing foreign ministers from other countries on the findings , with a view to gathering global support for more concerted action on the risks. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/IfspND9

‘It sent a message’: anti-migrant feeling pervades Hampshire town where hundreds protested

Far-right posters go up around Gosport, but some residents say there’s ‘another side’ to life in the town Alan Dale was in two minds as he gazed across at Portsmouth harbour in the late September sunshine and reflected on the latest show of force by far-right activists on the south coast against a supposed disembarkation of asylum seekers. A stone’s throw away, masked followers of the anti-migrant activist Daniel Thomas had been cheered on Tuesday night by hundreds of people, many of them local, who had gathered after social media posts suggested authorities planned to land the migrants in the nearby town of Gosport. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/PBAQmti

Six-year-old Chinese girl ‘sets new women’s Rubik’s Cube world record’

Lian Yunzhi solves 3x3 puzzle on several occasions in average time of under 4.5 seconds, according to state media A six-year-old Chinese girl has set a new women’s world record for solving a Rubik’s Cube in just over four seconds, state media reported. “Speedcuber” Lian Yunzhi broke the women’s 3x3 average world record twice this month at two World Cube Association certified competitions in Wuhan and Guangzhou, according to state broadcaster CCTV on Monday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/NJl9M6t

Is it true that … cycling affects fertility?

Saddling up is only likely to be an issue for elite athletes – and those with low sperm counts “Cycling isn’t big on the radar of fertility doctors,” says Prof Colin Duncan, a fertility expert at the University of Edinburgh. For women, he says, the only time cycling is likely to affect fertility is when it’s done at extreme levels, such as the kind of training undertaken by elite athletes. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/PI9MnUt

Manchester United’s engine room runs out of puff as fans begin to voice frustration | Jacob Steinberg

Carrick’s side were short on inspiration, despite the summer spend in midfield, and the lack of quality in the final third was stark One of the more damning aspects of Manchester United’s tortured rebuild is their inability to multitask. So much money has been frittered away, pushing United into the ridiculous position of going one position at a time each summer. Last year was all about the attack and the recent window was about central midfield, even though the options at full-back do not look strong enough to cope with a season back in the Champions League. United remain a listless, drifting operation. The ownership is reviled and the fanbase is becoming increasingly mutinous. It was not just Gary Neville seeing red as he commentated on United’s dismal efforts away to winless Fulham. There was an ominous shift in the mood in the away end at Craven Cottage, summed up by the boos that greeted Michael Carrick substituting Kobbie Mainoo with 10 minutes to go. Continue reading... from ...

Elderly man allegedly beaten to death in Virginia Walmart by parents of employee

Bert Atienza and teen worker reportedly exchanged words before parents showed up and allegedly attacked shopper A 77-year-old Walmart shopper died after he was allegedly attacked inside a Virginia store by the parents of a teenage employee he had confronted over a shopping cart incident involving his wife, according to US media reports. Bert Atienza died from blunt head trauma on 8 June, one day after the attack at the Walmart in Norfolk, Virginia, WTKR reported on Monday. The shocking incident was captured on surveillance video . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/YDuF8fb

Coventry delight in Jay Dasilva winner but ruled-out goal riles Nottingham Forest

No, but seriously. Maybe Frank Lampard and Coventry do have a chance of Premier League survival. A first top-division win since April 2001 was celebrated rapturously, victory an object lesson in staying in a game long enough to trouble opponents for whom confidence wavers, and finding the right moment to strike. After that, Coventry dug in doggedly, squeezing play such that Nottingham Forest’s creative talents were blunted, though City rode their luck with a late video assistant referee call that enraged home fans, coaches and players alike. After Championship promotion rehabilitated Lampard’s reputation, Coventry’s troubled start to the season had revived doubts in his capabilities as a Premier League manager. Far too many echoes of a quarter century in the wilderness. Whatever happens, their fans, under weakening, early-evening sun, were determined to enjoy themselves, singing plenty of choruses of their boating song. Even if it’s for a single season, why not make the most of things?...

Trump on war in Iran, Houthi advance in Yemen: ‘It’ll all work out’ – live

President tells NewsNation that he is waiting to ‘see what happens’ in Iran to determine how he would move forward Sign up for the US Breaking News email Shapiro and Newsom aren’t the only governors making moves on AI lately. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, announced at a news conference today plans for tighter rules on data center development in order to address transparency, energy use and environmental concerns. And Nevada’s governor, Joe Lombardo, a Republican, signed an executive order aimed at tackling similar issues. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/YZO8eMK

Judge orders Kennedy Center to give 30 days’ notice before significant physical changes

Ruling comes amid potential demolition threatened by Donald Trump A federal judge has ordered the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to provide 30 days’ notice before making any significant physical changes to the building – including a potential demolition threatened by Donald Trump. Christopher Cooper, a US district judge, said on Thursday his ruling would “avoid any confusion on that score given more recent events”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/PgBhWiA

The Liberation review – Carrie Coon joins all-female cult in unsettling drama

Toronto film festival: Director Guy Nattiv draws on personal experience for an 80s-set tale of a woman abandoning her family for a creepy commune We remain fascinated and horrified by the hows and whys of cult narratives, how someone could be so seduced by something so unknown and why they would then risk everything for it. Oscar-winning writer-director Guy Nattiv has been personally affected by these questions for most of his life, his grandmother joining a cult when he was a child and never coming back. His attempt to try to understand who she was and why she acted in such a way has led to unsettling drama The Liberation, a fictionalised tale that acts as a form of therapy for him and a mostly successful antidote to more sensationalist cult stories for us. Enough Netflix docuseries and schlocky horror movies have given us a more extreme and often violent idea of how cults infect and destroy vulnerable people but Nattiv opts for a more thoughtful slow-burn. He’s recruited a suitably ...

John Healey in talks with Canada about UK joining new global defence bank

Exclusive: Britain is understood to have been formally invited to become founding member of multilateral lender John Healey is in talks with the Canadian government about joining a new global defence bank intended to help allies rearm to counter mounting security threats, just weeks after Rachel Reeves rejected the move. The chancellor is understood to be actively considering a bid to join the proposed Canada-led defence, security and resilience bank (DSRB), which proponents say could help the UK fund defence projects at lower cost, before planned talks with his Canadian counterpart this week. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/B5gybiO

From influencers to brutal finishes, US Open 2026 was worst grand slam in recent memory | Tumaini Carayol

Despite the drama on the court, the poor condition of Arthur Ashe Stadium was just one problem among many At the end of another comically late night and early morning in Flushing Meadows, when the remaining spectators were departing, a familiar scene was unfolding on the US Open tournament grounds. A handful of workers had congregated directly beneath a hole in the ceiling inside one of the tournament shops as they tried to stop water from flowing out of a broken pipe and ruining thousands of pounds worth of merchandise below. This was not a surprising sight. Upon entering Arthur Ashe Stadium this year, fans were greeted by some ominous signs: “Pardon our appearance while we write the next chapter of Arthur Ashe Stadium.” The tournament’s appearance, it must be said, was hideous. Inside the corridors and rooms at one of the biggest sporting events in the world, it felt like its main building was falling apart. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/uTRbZ8C

Russian oligarch close to Putin reportedly paid for part of Donald Trump Jr’s lavish wedding

US president’s eldest child married Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson in three-day celebration across two exclusive private islands US politics live – latest updates A top Democrat has demanded answers after it was reported that a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin paid hundreds of thousands of dollars toward Donald Trump Jr’s wedding in the Bahamas earlier this year. Trump Jr, the US president’s eldest child, married Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson in a lavish three-day celebration across two exclusive private islands in May, which according to ProPublica was partially bankrolled by Umar Kremlev, a member of the Russian president’s circle. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ICwSJLc

European football: Lamine Yamal keeps Barcelona perfect, Leipzig rout Hamburg

Teenager hits two in 4-2 victory at Levante Lepizig smash five past struggling Hamburg Barcelona continued their perfect start to the ⁠season with a hard-fought 4-2 La Liga victory over Levante in Valencia ⁠on Sunday. Levante ⁠found ​themselves two goals down within 19 minutes after swift play from ⁠Barcelona led to goals for Xavi Espart and Lamine Yamal. The home side ⁠then rallied, finishing the half with six ​shots to Barcelona’s ‌three. This story will be updated Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/7Xrl2bH

Elena Rybakina joins elite with US Open title but questions remain over coach | Tumaini Carayol

New world No 1’s relationship with her previously banned coach, Stefano Vukov, remains under spotlight despite her rise to the top In the bitter aftermath of her straight-sets defeat by Elena Rybakina at the WTA Finals last November, an inconsolable Aryna Sabalenka walked over to her courtside player box and slumped into a chair. She had been completely overpowered by her opponent, a strange and unusual feeling for such a powerful player, and she was seething. Sabalenka eventually settled on a popular Russian idiom to explain Rybakina’s untouchable form, which she believed was fortunately timed: “Once a year, even a stick shoots,” she said. That stick, it turns out, has spent the past year shooting straight at Sabalenka in every significant match. Rybakina’s performance in Riyadh was a clear warning and she has dominated the hard‑court grand slam tournaments this year, beating Sabalenka in the Australian Open and US Open finals. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.t...

Solheim Cup: Hull and Woad flop for Europe as Kupcho pulls USA level

Scores level at 8-8 after dramatic day two Anna Nordqvist pairing of star duo fails to pay off It has been the great anomaly of this Solheim Cup. Europe keeping perfect pace with the United States is an impressive achievement even without factoring in the meagre points contribution from Charley Hull and Lottie Woad. European hopes of reclaiming the trophy lost to the United States two years ago surely depend heavily on their star turns finding singles form. The heroics of Jennifer Kupcho in fading light dashed Europe’s ambitions of taking a lead. It is 8-8 as things stand. A 12-match shootout remains. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1kcoxAi

The week around the world in 20 pictures

The 25th anniversary of 9/11, Russian strikes in Kyiv, wildfires in Indonesia and Sabalenka at the US Open – the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists Warning: this gallery contains images some readers may find distressing Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/f6r2ALk

Scherzetto review – Toni Servillo brings gravitas to a dithering Neapolitan ghost story

Venice film festival The Venice fixture plays an illustrator haunted by his boyhood in Mario Martone’s part spooky, part sentimental oddity It’s always good to see the veteran Italian star Toni Servillo at Venice; in fact, the festival is pretty much unthinkable without him. But this initially promising prospect – adapted from a novel by Domenico Starnone – is a minor, quibbling tonal oddity, unsure if it wants to be scary or sentimental. Servillo lends it as much gravitas as he can: his mere presence is valuable ballast and the streetscape scenes of Naples are handled with a connoisseur’s touch by director Mario Martone, whose previous Naples-set movie Nostalgia was far superior. Daniele (played by Servillo) is a septuagenarian book illustrator whose old-fashioned, hand-drawn artistry is something he testily treasures. He has come back to his family home in Naples, to the gloomy apartment where he was brought up, just behind the train station, and where his grownup daughter Betta (...

French FA accuses Infantino of ‘seriously damaging’ football as it withdraws support

‘Image and unity’ of game affected, FFF president says It will consult sacked former Fifa official Kevin Lamour The French Football Federation’s president, Philippe Diallo, said Gianni Infantino had “seriously damaged the image and the unity of football” as he announced the end of France’s support for the Fifa president’s re-election. The FFF’s executive committee unanimously voted on Thursday to withdraw its backing, which had been formalised at the end of June. Diallo referred to “events during the World Cup” which had “flagrantly gone against the way we believe our sport should be run” and to Infantino’s World Cup sell-off plan, which was revealed in July and scrapped after a widespread backlash. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/zWG8DYl

Péter Nádas obituary

Hungarian author who explored memory and history in his fiction and was nominated for a Nobel prize The writer Péter Nádas, who has died aged 83, transformed the modern history of his native Hungary into epic fiction that rooted its upheavals and calamities in the minds, and bodies, of his all-too-human characters. “I’m not a historian,” he said. “I’m not an anthropologist, nor am I a sociologist. I work with the fates of individuals.” Those individuals filled a series of books that, in their scope, depth and stylistic ambition, made Nádas a perennial contender for the Nobel prize in literature. Yet it would be his younger compatriot László Krasznahorkai, drawing on the senior writer’s example, who took that honour in 2025 . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/wLdcC5U

Ikea wins right to launch legal action against Belgian far-right party

EU’s highest court allows Swedish furniture firm to begin proceedings after Vlaams Belang used its trademarks in immigration campaign Ikea has won the right to take legal action against a Belgian far-right political party that parodied the Swedish flatpack furniture firm’s branding in its anti-immigration campaign. In a ruling on Tuesday, Europe’s highest court said that Ikea had the right to oppose the use of its trademarks and distinctive graphics by Vlaams Belang, a rightwing Eurosceptic political party that advocates for an independent Flemish state. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/W2qLkbS

‘Safety, security and service’: behind the scenes with police at Arsenal v Chelsea

Facial recognition and spotters part of operation at Emirates that involved a dozen incidents and two arrests The concourses are silent when, deep in the Emirates Stadium’s bowels, Chief Inspector Pete Dearden’s briefing begins. Arsenal’s 4.30pm kick-off against Chelsea is still hours away but the fixture carries significance as a London derby and because the Premier League champions are hosting a realistic challenger. Dearden is a senior officer in the Metropolitan police’s public order command and Sunday’s matchday commander. He is, to borrow football jargon, giving the pre-match team talk, running through intelligence and in-game tactics. “Set the right style and tone,” he says. After Dearden has finished, the police room becomes a pseudo-station for the afternoon, with all incidents triaged by the same crime officer. Football offences can be found in niche legislation, and the Met wants London’s matchdays to be, so far as possible, policed uniformly. Continue reading... from Th...

Hawaii declares state of emergency as Hurricane Lowell approaches islands

Storm, which may make impact as soon as Monday, is third system in weeks to threaten state during hurricane season Hawaii has declared a state of emergency as powerful Hurricane Lowell makes its way toward the islands, with the first impacts expected as soon as Monday. The storm is the third system in just over three weeks to threaten Hawaii during an active hurricane season in the central Pacific. Lowell remained a category 3 hurricane early on Sunday morning, packing winds of 125 miles per hour while moving north-west at six miles per hour. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/E12JqVy

European football: Lamine Yamal’s double powers Barcelona to rout of Valencia

Fermín, Raphinha and Pedri also score in 5-0 La Liga win Goalkeeper Koeman Jr scores two penalties in Eredivisie Lamine Yamal struck twice for Barcelona as they demolished Valencia 5-0 on Sunday to maintain their 100% start in La Liga. The reigning champions moved three points clear at the top of La Liga after Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid lost 1-0 at Real Betis on Friday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/FAXCPMW

When Dad asked me to edit his novel, I wanted to say no – but ran directly towards the lion’s den | Anna Spargo-Ryan

My father doesn’t ask for help from just anyone. And yet he asked for mine. He believed in me My dad and I believe in many of the same things: cheesecake; the Geelong football club; my mum. And that we should immediately be experts at anything. First try. No practice. No revision. He taught me this in kindergarten. Every day he pushed me to be brilliant. We played spelling games in the car and did maths workbooks for fun. Before I started school I had “published” a library of my own books, complete with copyright information. I had become – and I’m assuming this is true of most Guardian writers – a precocious kid who irritated everyone around her by being boisterously, aggressively right about everything all of the time. Just like my dad. (Obviously I’ve grown a lot since then.) Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/cUCQgZ6

Robin Morgan, child star who became feminist, poet and editor, dies aged 85

Leading second-wave feminist co-founded Women’s Media Center with Jane Fonda and Gloria Steinem Robin Morgan, a child star of the 1940s and 50s who grew up to become an all-American radical as a poet, essayist, editor and second-wave feminist, has died. She was 85. Morgan’s death was confirmed Saturday by the Women’s Media Center, an organization she co-founded with Jane Fonda and the celebrated author and activist Gloria Steinem , who died Wednesday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/4L3681M

The Basics of Philosophy review – Paul Schrader back to his cool, cruel best

Venice film festival When a figure from his past turns up to a family funeral, a college professor faces an agonising dilemma that makes him question his own morality and whether he can change Paul Schrader is back with his most successful picture since First Reformed in 2018. It’s a stereotypical Schrader study of masculinity in some ways, about a man agonising over moral choice and ethical behaviour while – as so often in Schrader’s movies – reading and writing philosophy in an austerely furnished room. And yet there is nothing abstract about the issue he faces here. The film moves with a determined suspenseful tread, everything hangs together right up to the queasy final shot and Schrader flavours everything with a streak of melodrama and even a kind of gaunt black comedy. Karl Glusman’s cameo is surely the weirdest thing at Venice this year. The scene is a blandly prestigious liberal arts college, presided over by a genial, grey-haired dean, played in cameo by Richard Gere. John J...

‘‘Never Forget’ is not a slogan’: Mamdani designates 9/11 as a Day of Remembrance and Service

The New York City mayor will sign two executive orders honoring those impacted by the attacks, as he faces campaign to exclude him from the 25th anniversary commemoration New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani is set to designate September 11 as a Day of Remembrance and Service ahead of the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Mamdani’s office announced on Friday morning that the mayor will sign two executive orders honoring victims, first responders, survivors, city workers and families affected by the attacks. The orders will also strengthen the city’s ability to protect New Yorkers and maintain essential services during emergencies. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/u1RLHpr

Schools in England face checks to root out unhealthy lunches

Ministers draw up inspection regime to enforce rules limiting sugar, fat and salt Schools could be reprimanded if they serve food containing too much fat, salt or sugar under new checks to ensure pupils receive healthy lunches. The Department for Education is finalising plans for a promised “ robust national enforcement system ” to ensure all 21,500 state-funded schools in England comply with existing nutrition standards. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/7XsV5za

Mike Dean claims he played secret games for a laugh while refereeing matches

Former official says he ‘tried to stay in the centre circle’ Referees’ group thought to be puzzled by remarks The former Premier League referee Mike Dean claims he used to take part in secret challenges while officiating, including trying to stay in the centre circle for as long as possible, as he confessed to “just joking about” during matches. The remarks, made by one of the most well-known officials in the English game, have been met with bemusement by refereeing officials who say there is no evidence of any such behaviour having ever taken place. Dean was a member of the select group of referees for more than two decades before he retired in 2022 and a brief spell as a video assistant referee followed. In an interview on Jamie Vardy’s podcast this week, Dean shared anecdotes from his time as a top-flight official in the pre-VAR era. “We used to say, ‘We’ll kick off now. Right, see how long we can go without blowing a whistle,’” he said. “I’ve done that a few times in the Premier Le...

Google defeats US justice department bid to force ad tech sale

Judge declines to make Google sell AdX in win for firm against US antitrust enforcers’ attempts to break up big tech Alphabet’s Google escaped a breakup of its advertising technology business on Wednesday, when a judge in Virginia ⁠rejected US antitrust enforcers’ bid to force a sale of Google’s online advertising exchange. While the ad exchange is a small part of Google’s business, the ruling is the second powerful ⁠symbolic victory against the US Department ⁠of Justice in ​its efforts to force Google to sell assets to address illegal monopolies. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/wYAN4u1

Maia Bouchier powers England to record ODI run chase against Ireland

Ireland: 281-5; England: 283-4 Bouchier hits 104; three 50s by Ireland batters A century from Maia Bouchier led England to a record one-day international run chase against Ireland at Leicester on Tuesday, as they reached their target of 282 with six wickets and 71 balls to spare. Bouchier missed out on selection for the T20 World Cup in June but remains a key part of England’s ODI plans, as they look to build a new team in the wake of the retirements of Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/lMI8z7a

US trade regulator and 22 states accuse Amazon of taking $20bn with secret surcharges

FTC alleges in lawsuit that online retailer ‘secretly and systematically overcharged’ advertisers for years The US’s main trade regulator and 22 states sued Amazon on Monday, alleging the online retailer “secretly and systematically overcharged” advertisers on Amazon.com. “Amazon has millions of advertising customers who were misled into paying significantly higher prices. These higher costs were largely passed on to American consumers,” said Andrew Ferguson, the FTC chair. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Tuhegv9

Conservative reshuffle: who’s who in Kemi Badenoch’s top team?

From a darling of the Tory right to a moderate former army officer, we profile the key players Andrew Griffith and Tom Tugendhat join Badenoch’s top team in Tory reshuffle Kemi Badenoch has kicked off the return to parliament with a reshuffle of her top team in order to take on Andy Burnham and Reform UK. She has made sweeping changes to the shadow cabinet and ruthlessly axed her shadow chancellor. Here is a run-down of the new characters sitting across from Labour on the opposition frontbench. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/560ueDV

Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United return feels like a marriage of convenience | Will Unwin

A lack of offers and problems in finding a replacement may be behind the move, but that does not mean it cannot work The first chant of the match was for Marcus Rashford, Manchester United’s returning rogue son, the one banished for 18 months, first to the Midlands and then Catalonia. Every football fan loves an academy product who has risen up the ranks, from scrawny child to getting 76,000 off their seats. Rashford is one of these, living out the dream of everyone inside Old Trafford and they are willing to forgive but want something in return. Not since 7 December 2024 has Rashford been seen in red at Old Trafford. Then it was as a substitute forlornly trying to turn things around in an eventual 3-2 defeat by Nottingham Forest. His relationship with Ruben Amorim was already deteriorating, the second head coach to have become irritated with Rashford. After loans with Aston Villa and Barcelona, everyone is surprised to see him back; it feels like a marriage of convenience bec...

Man killed by falling sign at Christian festival named as church pays tribute

Robert Guanco, 41, a pastor at Jesus Living Water church in Eastbourne, described as having ‘touched many lives’ A 41-year-old man who died after a large wooden sign fell at a Christian festival on Friday has been named as Robert Guanco, a pastor at a church in Eastbourne, East Sussex. A tribute from his church on Sunday described him as a respected pastor who was a “loving husband” and “a devoted and caring father”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/U2YFvqx

No country for old men: Premier League grind is why managers are getting younger

The boss in the dugout is typically no longer an ageing former player – most are in their 40s on an exhausting treadmill One of the problems with getting older is that you’re never quite sure whether it’s you or them. Is the world really changing, or is it just you, struggling to adapt? There’s a milestone in life, probably as you’re contemplating university or a first job, when you realise you’re watching a footballer who is younger than you. Then, 15-20 years later, you realise you’re watching a manager who is younger than you. And 15-20 years after that, especially if you’re watching the modern Premier League, you realise that almost every manager is younger than you. At which you do two things: give thanks for David Moyes; and check to see whether it’s actually happening, or whether this is just the football equivalent of the policemen-getting-younger cliche. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/5cdi3Hx

Spencer Jones: Dogs review – barking comic sniffs out community through canines

Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh Behind this grab-bag of papier-mache heads and walkies banter lies a celebration of simply talking to one another First came Ricky Gervais’s cynical cats ; now here are Spencer Jones’s optimistic Dogs. One was tawdry, the other couldn’t be sweeter, as the prop-comic delivers this hymn to the canine-human relationship. Like much of Jones’s work , it’s a grab-bag, as he circles seemingly at random between character comedy in papier-mache heads, loop-pedal nonsense and dopey dog-walking business with an animatronic mutt. Not all of it is dog-related. And yet, it adds up to something winning, as Jones leads his four-legged friends towards a closing message about social cohesion in acrimonious times – and how our pets can help. It begins as a chat with the audience about their animals, with Jones poshing it up in character as a snobby dog-walker. One strand of the show, taking as its motto the question “Aren’t humans weird?”, functions as a gleeful anthropology of ...

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 for 11; Jofra Archer picks up three Joe Root did not want the England captaincy when it 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, asked about a full-time return as a hypothetical and has since said this was met with a “no”. Root was apparently then swayed by the impending arrival of Stephen Fleming as head coach, with the pair speaking regularly before roles were finally 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 just as much of a clincher. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/skwzap1

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. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/tzH2mZM

The Wreck review – scuba drama about siblings under pressure

Summerhall, Edinburgh Gabe Winsor’s inventively staged tale is charming and sweetly lo-fi, but the emotion never quite clicks Deep sea diving and plumbing the depths of family history make a decent parallel in this nimble multimedia production by Buzzcut , which has a sweetly eccentric air yet leaves a little too much beneath the surface. The premise is familiar, as Eddie (Morgan Beale) returns to the seaside town where his sister, Ira (Camilla Anvar), still lives in her childhood bedroom and runs the family pub now that their parents are gone. Guilt, resentment and jealousy bubble up as they squabble over which of them was their parents’ favourite and what to do with the business, while Ira shares her doubts about Eddie’s new husband. At Summerhall, Edinburgh , until 31 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2qFSGlP

CIA director John Ratcliffe reportedly on Moscow visit

Unannounced trip reported by US media is said to be Ratcliffe’s first known visit to Russia as CIA chief The CIA director, John Ratcliffe, has made an unannounced visit to Moscow, US media reported, after flight data showed an American military aircraft flew to the Russian capital, where a US diplomatic motorcade was later spotted. CBS News quoted sources familiar with the situation as confirming Ratcliffe’s trip, saying it was his first known visit to Russia as CIA chief. Axios separately confirmed the visit, quoting a US official. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/pZdOKJx

Share your tributes and memories of Dolly Parton

We would like to hear your tributes and memories of country music star, actor and philanthropist Dolly Parton – whether you met her, or appreciated her work The death of country music legend Dolly Parton was announced today. She was 80. The singer-songwriter known for hits such as I Will Always Love You, Jolene and 9 to 5 also invested millions in child literacy, Covid-19 vaccine development and other causes. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/KVQYmvU

Goodbye Dandelion review – ode to a fabulous friendship with a 50-year age gap

Underbelly, Edinburgh Maddie and Marcus Rice relate with words and songs the lessons passed on from one woman to a younger one An unexpected theme on this year’s Edinburgh fringe is assisted dying. It is central to Morna Young’s After Party , about a matriarch who chooses to die after her 80th birthday, and Ben Harrison’s adaptation of Andrew O’Hagan’s Mayflies , in which a terminally ill man travels to Dignitas. It is hinted at in Eilidh Loan’s Cathy , about a woman adjusting to bereavement. And it is here again in this breezy storytelling show by sibling duo Maddie and Marcus Rice. The semi-fictional tale is about Maddie’s befriending of the 87-year-old Darcy O’Shea, an artist and piano teacher 50 years her senior, who is full of zest and vigour. As Maddie puts it, she is “unapologetically herself”, a woman living a life of happy self-reliance with limited tolerance for anyone else. A long-gone partner nicknamed her Dandelion because of her sticky-up hair, and it suits her personali...

RFL in talks with Australia’s NRL over radical changes to investment deal

Discussions surround £50m loan package Clubs rejected £35m NRL deal last week The Rugby Football League (RFL) is exploring radically different terms to the funding deal initially offered by Australia’s NRL with talks under way over seeking a £50m loan package to replace the guaranteed investment of £35m that was rejected last week. The Guardian has seen details of an alternative vision produced by Rugby League Commercial in a document entitled Project Magic, which the 14 Super League clubs owners will discuss at a meeting on Tuesday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CFXLmR0

Frustrated Lewis Hamilton claims Ferrari strategy cost him F1 Dutch GP podium

Briton says team too slow to pit Charles Leclerc ‘It’s something that we need to discuss offline’ Lewis Hamilton has told his Ferrari team that they must up their game if he is to remain in the Formula One world championship fight after the British driver was angry with strategy calls at the Dutch Grand Prix , comparing them unfavourably with the decisive way his former team ­Mercedes had acted. The race was won by McLaren’s Lando Norris from Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Hamilton was fourth but believed he might have had a shot of a podium had Ferrari moved Charles Leclerc aside sooner when Hamilton, on a different tyre strategy, was quicker than his teammate. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/tU1fMQv

Fast-moving wildfire in Reno, Nevada, forces thousands to evacuate homes

Hawk fire has covered more than 13,000 acres as blaze approaches University of Nevada campus in Reno A fast-moving Nevada wildfire exploded to more than 13,000 acres (5,200 hectares) early on Sunday, pushing from the Sierra foothills toward the center of Reno and forcing nearly 42,000 residents to evacuate as flames threatened neighborhoods and reached the edge of the University of Nevada campus. The Hawk fire’s “GO NOW” evacuation zone had expanded to the edge of the university campus as strong, gusty winds, low humidity and dry vegetation fueled the blaze, according to Truckee Meadows fire and Rescue in Reno. An additional 45,000 people were in the evacuation warning zone, and encouraged to leave now and be prepared to stay away for several days to clear the roads for first-responders. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/fEtnXlZ

Drinks are on Daiquiri Bay at York after Ebor win: horse racing – as it happened

Alan King was ‘blown away’ after Daiquiri Bay’s fast finish delivered a memorable victory in Europe’s richest handicap 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. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/DniGCe6

33m tons of toxic seaweed clogs Caribbean beaches – video

A record amount of sargassum has piled up along coastlines of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Sargassum is a brown seaweed that causes lower oxygen levels and foul-smelling gases when it decomposes on beaches. Researchers and marine scientists have warned that the algae build-up starves underwater plant life of sunlight, affects human health and can leak arsenic into sand Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/lR9MD43

US supreme court lets Trump continue work on White House ballroom for now

Chief justice signs temporary order to permit work while court considers emergency appeal from administration The US supreme court has allowed Donald Trump to continue construction of his controversial White House ballroom for now, temporarily pausing a lower court order that would halt much of the project. Supreme court chief justice John Roberts signed a temporary order on Friday, permitting work to continue while the court considers an emergency appeal from Trump’s administration. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/cN1DJSs

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 bea...

Edmonton Marathon admits 2026 route was more than half a kilometre too long

Canadian contest sparked outrage from scores of frustrated runners online and in Canadian media The organisers of the Edmonton Marathon have admitted the course was more than half a kilometre too long, after outrage from scores of runners who complained about the distance. The error resulted in the upending of runners’ personal bests and potentially prevented some from breaking records. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/dv5NfyF

Wladimir Klitschko pays tribute to ex-partner Hayden Panettiere: ‘She left this world too soon’

Boxing champion says he will raise their daughter, Kaya, to remember the late actor’s ‘immense talent’ Hayden Panettiere ’s daughter will be raised to remember her mother’s “immense talent” and “incredible career”, according to a tribute posted on social media on Tuesday by Wladimir Klitschko, the ex-lineal world heavyweight boxing champion and the late Hollywood actor’s former partner. Their daughter, Kaya, has been raised by the Ukrainian retired world boxing champion since 2018, when Panettiere ceded full custody to concentrate on her battles with alcoholism, depression and substance abuse. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/qvYr6Tj

Luigi Mangione New York murder trial postponed after guilty plea in federal case

Lawyers seek dismissal of state charges after Mangione pleaded guilty in federal case over Brian Thompson killing A New York state ⁠judge on Monday ⁠effectively ​postponed Luigi Mangione’s trial on murder and weapons charges over ⁠the 2024 killing of a health insurance company CEO, after Mangione pleaded ⁠guilty last week to separate federal charges. The ​trial had ‌previously been ‌scheduled to begin on September 8. Mangione ‌has pleaded not guilty to the state charges. Mangione’s lawyers on Friday asked New York state justice Gregory Carro, who is overseeing the state case, ‌to dismiss the charges. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/uvlHEZy

Todd Boehly and Mark Walter consider selling Chelsea shares to Clearlake Capital

Chelsea chair Boehly and Walter each own about 13% Sale would give Clearlake effective control of club at 86% The Chelsea chair, Todd Boehly, and director Mark Walter are considering selling their shares in the club to the majority owners, Clearlake Capital, in a deal that would give the private equity company complete control at Stamford Bridge. Clearlake, whose investment is managed by Behdad Eghbali and José E Feliciano, already owns more than 60% of Chelsea, but in an unusual arrangement agreed when buying the club from Roman Abramovich four years ago, they share operational control with a consortium led by Boehly, who along with Walter and Hansjörg Wyss each own about 13%. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/v8eJDfw

At least six people dead from days of storms and record flooding in Indiana

Four-year-old boy, two men and three women among those who died since storms began on 11 August, officials say Days of storms and flooding in Indiana left at least six people dead as flood waters peaked in Indianapolis’s White River – and rains were expected to ease in the state capital region and other parts of the state on Sunday. A four-year-old boy, two men and three women were among those who had died since the storms began on 11 August, state homeland security department spokesperson Liz Woods said. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/jBoebNy

Blackbox review – a legendary escape from slavery is told with magic tricks

Underbelly, Edinburgh The story of Henry ‘Box’ Brown, who succeeded in mailing himself out of bondage, is recounted rather than fully dramatised Henry “Box” Brown is wrapped up in chains when he has an idea to claim his freedom. As inspiration hits him, actor Josiah Alpher flexes his muscles and, miraculously, the chains appear to pass through his neck. Magic! It is a neat visual metaphor for a true story that seems miraculous in itself. In 1849, Brown made a break to flee slavery near Richmond, Virginia, by posting himself in a wooden crate to Philadelphia, a state where ownership of human beings had been phased out by the Gradual Abolition Act of 1780. Alpher describes a painful journey, squashed, upturned and knocked about, before Brown’s happy delivery . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/IJoC4vO

‘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 examp...

Iga Swiatek takes swing at critics after ending title drought in Cincinnati

Pole beats Rybakina to win her first title in 11 months but is angry about disapproving voices from her own country 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. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/d4hT7B3

Cheryl Hall obituary

Actor who played Shirley Johnson in the sitcom Citizen Smith, and whose dozens of other roles included EastEnders, Doctor Who and The Bill Cheryl Hall, who has died aged 76, was an actor best known for her roles in 1970s sitcoms. As Shirley Johnson in Citizen Smith, she was the girlfriend of Wolfie, the would-be revolutionary leading the Tooting Popular Front with the battle cry “power to the people”. Wolfie Smith, played by Hall’s then husband, the actor Robert Lindsay, and his small “army” of self-styled urban guerrillas, are simply inept, concocting plans such as stealing a Scorpion tank in order to mount an attack on the House of Commons, only to discover that parliament is in recess. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/DbmVUI4

Come Back Home review – loss and love in Palestinian artist’s intriguing fringe hour

Summerhall, Edinburgh Fadi Murad’s unconventional drama is a collage structured with the free-form imagination of a poet Last year, a group of Scottish producers staged a four-day mini festival called Welcome to the Fringe, Palestine . One of the excerpts was a scratch performance by Fadi Murad, which now returns as a full-length show. It is not a conventional drama. Rather, Come Back Home is structured with the free-ranging imagination of a poet, an impressionistic collage that resists straightforward interpretation. Murad’s theme is one of loss and the pull of home, focusing in particular on the death of his mother in a car accident when he was nine. He speaks touchingly from a child’s perspective of what it meant to lose the nurturer in his life, the one he turned to in just such a moment of distress. And he shares video footage of his younger self singing Mad World by Tears for Fears at her memorial. It is as cute as it is sad. At Summerhall, Edinburgh , until 31 August All our Ed...

Trump administration pulls support for annual Arctic environmental report

Move by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is latest government rollback of climate science activity The Trump administration has pulled its support for an annual report on the environmental changes across the Arctic, a region that is already heating up four times faster than the global average due to the climate crisis. On Tuesday, Kim Doster, the communications director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), said the federal agency was withdrawing its support for the Arctic Report Card, which has provided environmental updates on the region to scientists and the public since 2006. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/EFgzKAo

Matthias Jaissle urges fans to ‘keep the optimism’ through ‘transition phase’ | Louise Taylor

The former Al-Ahli head coach, chosen by the club’s Saudi owners to replace Eddie Howe, admits ‘vacuum’ after sale of three key players Matthias Jaissle has been described as “fire” and a “rock star”, but his formal “unveiling” as Newcastle’s manager revealed a rather more considered and conservative character than advertised. At the precise moment the clock struck 3pm on Tuesday the 38-year-old German walked into a packed media suite at St James’ Park. Before taking his seat on the stage Jaissle, wearing a smartly understated open necked suit complete with a silk pocket square, took a deep breath and jumped down into audience, making a point of shaking everyone’s hand. It was a courteous and classy gesture. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/42EuH7B

Ten Ways to Die Happy review – gameshow invites you to don a robe and treasure time

Underbelly, Bristo Square, Edinburgh Audience members are invited to examine what they will do with their lives in this earnest shared thought experiment If you could hold the years of your life in your hands like coins, would you choose to spend them differently? This is the thoughtful, earnest tone of Ten Ways to Die Happy, an existential but somewhat formulaic Italian production (performed here in English) created by Emanuele Aldrovandi and Jacopo Giacomoni. In this gentle gameshow, we are asked not just to consider how we would use the finite time we have, but to put this thought experiment into practice. Eight people are plucked at random from the audience. My number is called, so I don a white robe, choose a new name for my new life, and take a seat on stage. Perla Ambrosini is our ethereal host, standing in fabric armour in a shallow pool of water. Each of us has a tray of flowers that we throw into the pool, every plastic bud representing the “energy” available to invest in wor...

Harriet Richardson: Creep review – a scandalous delve into shame and desire

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh With the air of a hungover postmortem, Richardson gives a head-spinning account of an encounter with an older comedian If you’re partial to a bit of gossip and scandal, Harriet Richardson is your girl. In this gloriously juicy debut hour, she dishes the dirt on the DMs she received from an older comedian and the intense, utterly absorbing events that followed. Yes, she found his eBay account. And yes, she spent six months tracking him down on a dating app only to play his profile song hundreds of times. But what else is a girl driven by obsession supposed to do? We meet Richardson, who until now has worked primarily as a performance artist, all smiles and ready to share. She takes us back to the creation of her 2024 viral piece 100 Dates , in which she spent Valentine’s Day online speed-dating in an attempt to analyse her relationship with infatuation and connection. The comedian in question used the project as the opening line of his first message to her...

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. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/UwZoAQY

Navy says it is spending 25% more time monitoring Russian vessels around UK waters

Warning of increased activity as patrols spent 21 days in July shadowing Moscow’s ships in Dover Strait and North Sea The Royal Navy has warned of increasing Russian activity around the UK’s waters after it spent 21 days in July monitoring Moscow’s ships. Naval operations to monitor Russian vessels increased by 25% last month compared with the previous year, with warships making repeated voyages through the Dover Strait and North Sea. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/qsGcmEg

Versatile Bruno Guimarães gives Mikel Arteta options to shuffle midfield pack | Ed Aarons

While able to play deeper, the onus will also be on Arsenal’s £75m signing to provide creativity in an attack that has struggled to break down the low block Data shows deal could be another set-piece masterstroke If there was one of his many assets Newcastle supporters grew to love above all about Bruno Guimarães then it was best summed up by the man himself after being unveiled as Arsenal’s new £75m signing . “That’s a tough one,” said the Brazil midfielder when asked what fans in north London can expect from him. “I would say I can pass the ball, run a lot and play like a warrior. I’ll never give up.” After more than four years on Tyneside and having seen Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali precede Eddie Howe’s departure, Guimarães – who was devastated after missing a penalty for the Seleção in their defeat against Norway in the last 16 of the World Cup – was determined to seize his opportunity. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/4AzVD0J

At least one person dead in California wildfire allegedly sparked by chainsaw

Police arrested Herbert Wayne Smith, 65, in connection with the Gann fire, which has burned more than 15 sq miles in Calaveras county At least one person has died in a wildfire burning in the foothills of California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range that officials believed was sparked by a man using a chainsaw. Police arrested Herbert Wayne Smith, 65, in connection with the Gann fire, which has destroyed seven buildings, scorched more than 15 sq miles in Calaveras county and killed a well-known dog breeder in the town of Angels Camp. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/U3bxVtO

Argentina’s government posts ICE-style video of immigration operation

Social media video shows 60-year-old woman being led away in handcuffs, but she was released minutes later The Argentinian government posted a video on social media showing a 60-year-old woman being led away in handcuffs by two federal police officers during an immigration operation in Buenos Aires. The woman’s face is shown unblurred in the video, which has nearly 1m views and depicts one of hundreds of such operations carried out by the administration of the far-right president, Javier Milei, directly inspired by Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in the US. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/DTzlMvo

TikTok creator Sydney Towle, who shared cancer journey, dies aged 26

The creator documented her battle with rare bile duct cancer, inspiring more than a million followers online Sydney Towle, a TikTok creator who shared her battle with stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma, or bile duct cancer, with over a million online followers, has died at age 26, her family announced on Thursday. Towle gained fame for her posts about her life as a spirited young woman who encouraged her TikTok followers to rethink how a cancer patient might look and live. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/IJUNn41

‘Disturbing’: TikTok faces criticism after Perez Hilton livestreams self-harm

Many online questioned how long the blogger’s broadcast remained up on the app and shared mental health resources Social media users have criticized TikTok after celebrity blogger Perez Hilton livestreamed himself self-harming on the platform, prompting many to question how long the broadcast remained live and others to share mental health resources and encourage those in need to seek help. On Tuesday night, Hilton, 48, livestreamed himself engaging in self-harm as viewers pleaded for him to stop. Shortly after, local authorities responded to his home in Miami, Florida, where he was transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/y54wY9Z

Judge signals Trump’s defamation lawsuit against Wall Street Journal may be dismissed again

Obama-appointed judge seemed unmoved by Trump attorneys’ arguments in case also naming Murdoch A federal judge in Florida seemed skeptical of arguments from Donald Trump ’s legal team on Wednesday over whether the court should allow a $10bn defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal to move forward. Trump sued the Journal and the News Corp founder Rupert Murdoch over a July 2025 article about a “bawdy” letter reportedly from Trump that was included in a 2003 birthday book for disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein . Trump has denied authoring or signing the letter, and his attorneys have argued that the Journal published the story despite having been told it was false. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/o905FaS

Peter Gill: a theatrical visionary with an unsparing honesty

Gill’s dramas of divided class loyalties such as The York Realist had a clear-eyed precision matched by his rigorous work as a director Peter Gill, playwright who turned ordinary lives into extraordinary drama, dies aged 86 Peter Gill, who has died aged 86, was one of the unsung heroes of British theatre. As both director and playwright his work was characterised by its uncompromising honesty and unflinching integrity. Much admired by his fellow artists, he at last achieved a degree of public fame in his annus mirabilis of 2002 when his terrific play The York Realist won a number of awards and the Sheffield Crucible staged a month-long retrospective of his work as well as a brand-new play, Original Sin . Few remember that Gill, born into a Welsh, working class Catholic family, began life as an actor: look closely and you can spot him in the film of Zulu. But it was at London’s Royal Court, where he began work as an associate director in 1964, that he learned his craft and acquired th...

Raging Washington state wildfires destroy homes and force 60,000 people to evacuate

Hundreds of structures damaged as firefighters battle to contain 15 major wildfires amid extreme heat and drought Firefighters in Washington state are battling wildfires that have forced 60,000 people to flee and destroyed hundreds of buildings as drought and extreme heat fuel an “extraordinary” fire season in the Pacific north-west. Fifteen major blazes are raging across the state, David Upthegrove, the head of Washington’s department of natural resources, told reporters over the weekend. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/nhgxq10

RFK Jr tells US families to vaccinate children against measles amid outbreak

Health secretary, longtime vaccination skeptic, spent years boosting misinformation about vaccines including MMR Robert F Kennedy Jr , the US health secretary, on Sunday told American parents that they should get their children vaccinated against measles , as the surge in infections has reached numbers not seen in the past 35 years. Kennedy, a leading vaccination skeptic who has spent years amplifying misinformation about vaccines, including the shot that protects against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), made his call in the course of a contentious interview with CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday morning. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/wE0yKV2

Rhys Nicholson: ‘Get a hobby – don’t become a full-blown racist’

The comedian and Drag Race Down Under judge on Harry Styles, not having the legs for short shorts, and why sleep is the most expensive beauty product You’re back on the judging panel of Drag Race Down Under vs The World. What do you think gives Australian queens the edge? I think our drag tends not to focus as much on female impersonation. It’s about building a character. People like Lazy Susan, who’s on the judging panel this year, is one of my favourites because there’s no illusion about this being a man in women’s clothing, but there’s creativity to it. I think Australian drag is about creating art, as opposed to creating a woman. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/iX5oZlu

Yealimi Noh leads Women’s Open by three shots after Ryu Hae-ran stumbles

Ryu’s bid for third consecutive major win in doubt England’s Lottie Woad and Charley Hull in contention Had this stumble taken place a day later, it would have counted as one of the most remarkable in recent major championship memory. Instead, Ryu Hae-ran has 18 holes to recover from events at Royal Lytham and St Annes in round three of this Women’s Open. Saturday proved it is never, ever over on terrain such as this. Adam Scott can verify that, such was his horrible capitulation here as Ernie Els claimed the Open of 2012. There must be something about Lytham. Ryu is looking to set an extraordinary record of three major wins in as many starts. Early in the third round, she looked firmly on course for that. The South Korean marched to a four-shot lead after four. Her advantage was the same on the 7th tee. By the time she walked from the 18th green, Ryu was three adrift of Yealimi Noh. Quite the turnaround. How damaging? That remains to be seen. Continue reading... from The Guardian h...

French riot police used teargas on people trying to board small boat, charity claims

CRS officers funded by UK tried to stop boarding of boat, on day four asylum seekers died trying to cross Channel French riot police funded by UK taxpayers used teargas on asylum seekers in a bid to stop them from boarding a boat in which three women were later found dead, a charity has claimed. Footage and photographs seen by the Guardian show CS gas canisters being fired towards groups of people on Plage du Braek near Dunkirk at 4am on Thursday. At 6am, three women were found dead in a boat near the same beach. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/AujXObf

Saltburn suspend fielder accused of cheating in ‘Clicky Ponting’ incident

‘Will not play again in foreseeable future’ Club concede Wednesday’s second-team cup fixture Saltburn Cricket Club have said they are treating allegations of cheating very seriously and have suspended the player at the centre of the controversy for the “foreseeable future”. A Saltburn fielder was accused of clicking his fingers to get a catch behind and footage of several incidents later went viral on social media. The first video, posted on Monday evening, was from Saltburn’s second XI victory over Norton in Division Two of North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League. It showed the fielder clicking his fingers as the ball passed the bat of the Norton batter, Noman Shabir, before being caught by the wicketkeeper, Josh Bowes, and the umpire gave him out. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/n0Tto9d

EBay and ex-executives to pay $55.7m to couple sent cockroaches in harassment campaign

Bloggers David and Ina Steiner were stalked by eBay executives over their critical coverage of the company Ebay and three former top executives have agreed to pay $55.7m to resolve a lawsuit by a Massachusetts couple who fell victim ⁠to a bizarre stalking and ⁠harassment campaign carried out ​by several of its employees in retaliation for their coverage of the e-commerce company in a newsletter they publish. David and Ina Steiner announced the settlement late on Monday, bringing an end to a ⁠case they filed in 2021 in Boston federal court after several former eBay employees were prosecuted for targeting them in a cyberstalking campaign that involved sending the couple cockroaches, fly larvae and a bloody Halloween pig mask. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/s62GTLh

Mind the ever-growing gap: the Premier League keeps spending big

English clubs have spent more on players this summer than the other four major European leagues combined The financial power of the Premier League is unmatched. The teams in England’s top division have collectively invested more than £1.4bn in new players already this summer (through disclosed fees alone), around £303m more than the 76 clubs from the Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A combined. These figures are the gross spend, so take no account of players sold to help balance the books. Factoring this in only increases the divide. The clubs of Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga are £203.4m and £72.2m in credit from their transfer dealings respectively. While La Liga (£163.1m) and Serie A (£124.1m) have spent more than they have earned, they are an ocean adrift of the Premier League’s net spend of £523.6m. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/NGzDbx5

Mitch McConnell still not cleared to resume Senate duties, office says

Kentucky senator has been absent and not seen in public since mid-June after he was hospitalized due to a fall US politics live – latest updates US senator Mitch McConnell is still not cleared to return to work, his office confirmed on Monday, six weeks after he was hospitalized after a fall at his home. An update released alongside a new photograph of the Republican lawmaker – one of the highest-profile figures in Congress , as a former Senate majority leader – said he was undergoing “intense physical therapy” and is “working hard” to get back to his duties. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/t2DPk05

Netanyahu accuses Mamdani of ‘fomenting hate’ in calls for PM’s arrest

Israeli prime minister says ICC’s war crime charges are ‘bogus’ and plans to be in New York for UN gathering this fall Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Zohran Mamdani , the New York City mayor, is “fomenting hate” by calling the Israeli prime minister a war criminal who should be arrested over Israel ’s war in Gaza if he visits the city for the United Nations general assembly. Netanyahu said he intends to be in New York in September to address the annual UN gathering of world leaders, despite the mayor’s suggestion that he is not welcome. Mamdani said on Wednesday that while New York City does not have legal authority to execute an arrest warrant issued by the world’s top war crimes court, he encouraged the federal government to do so. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/KTPQedt

Force of Nature review – this nature show turns the climate crisis into a pompom-shaking spectacle

Cheetahs forced to cross roiling rivers, owls battered by storms … the tone of this look at how extreme weather affects animals is all a bit disaster movie. Subtle, it is not You have a thick neck and poorly defined calf muscles and you live in South Dakota with your feckless partner and your five expressionless children. You are an owl. Your days consist of lengthy stretches of nothing, punctuated by sudden bursts of unimaginable terror. Coyotes, badgers and snakes are all bent on reducing your beak to marmalade. But it’s the weather that poses the biggest threat. Specifically, shouts Force of Nature, it’s the “MONSTER STORMS” that rumble ominously across the prairies, each of which forces you and your family to scurry into your burrow, whereupon you will stand with your trembling backs to the wall, legs wide apart and fluffy britches a-flap, like anxious viscounts in the court of Charles II. Will you survive? Or will you be eviscerated by the “ cluster bombs of tornadoes ” that churn...

The moment I knew: We discussed the pill on our first date, kissed on our second. By the third, I knew he was the one

In the 1960s, 19-year-old Anne Ring was set up with Ian and felt an immediate attraction Find more stories from the moment I knew series It was June 1961, I was 19, and innocently dating in the ways of that time – I’d had several boyfriends, had my heart broken once and had broken two. A platonic friend decided I should meet Ian, as we both liked to talk. So he invited Ian – who was 20 – and me to dinner. It was at our friend’s family’s home with Beethoven’s violin concerto playing in the background, and he was right. From the outset Ian and I were totally immersed in our conversation, and I felt an immediate connection and attraction to him. Driving me home, he asked me out the following Saturday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2MjN54G

From Haaland love to Mexico’s Merlin: 26 memories from the 2026 World Cup

Norway’s striker left his mark, as did Scotland’s fans in Boston, but Turkey’s dark horses fell at the first hurdle “I played with him on my PlayStation, and now I’ve scored against him,” Livano Comenencia said after converting Curaçao’s first World Cup goal past Manuel Neuer in their opening match against Germany. The smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup went on to lose 7-1 but that goal – their only one of the tournament – will go down in history. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/bG3vR7c

‘You need to evolve’: Enzo Maresca plots life after Pep at Manchester City

Italian does not shy away from the task of following a legend but his previous time at the club may help him Relaxed and tanned, Enzo Maresca offered a warm note with his first words to the media as the manager of Manchester City, who must somehow follow the generational Pep Guardiola. “Before we start, I would like to send a message and a big hug to Kevin Keegan’s family for this moment,” said the Italian in tribute to a football legend, following his death on Monday. Keegan, of course, was a former City manager who had at Newcastle famously locked horns with Sir Alex Ferguson when he led Manchester United, the fierce rivals of Maresca’s new team. When the 46-year-old, sat on the dais occupied for 10 mostly glittering years by Guardiola, offered an unsolicited reference to Ferguson – and Arsène Wenger – you could see he comprehended the mammoth task before him. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/EAMej7B

Southern California suburb alarmed as ‘exceptionally rare’ cancer sickens multiple children

Residents in Ladera Ranch in Orange county voice concerns after six children diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Concerns are growing in southern California over a cluster of “exceptionally rare” cancer cases that has sickened multiple children in a suburban community. Families living in the Orange county neighborhood of Ladera Ranch, home to about 26,000 people, have reported that six children in the community were diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, Katrina Foley, the vice-chair of the county board of supervisors, said in a statement . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Rq4WGmp

Kemi Badenoch ‘has to adapt’ her rhetoric to take on Andy Burnham

Conservative leader is becoming more confident and forging a message for her party, but faces a new opponent “So, Andy Burnham seems like a nice guy.” Those were the slightly unexpected opening words of Kemi Badenoch’s first speech since the change in prime minister. But make no mistake: she was there to bury her opponent. Even Badenoch-sceptics inside the Conservative party and farther afield agree the Tory leader is becoming more confident, and has been able to forge an increasingly coherent message for her party, one based on a promise of economic competence. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/4VJZPRG

Zelenskyy under growing pressure to reinstate sacked defence minister

Campaigners in Ukraine pledge to continue nationwide protests until Mykhailo Fedorov gets his job back Volodymyr Zelenskyy was under growing pressure to reinstate his sacked defence minister on Wednesday, after campaigners said they would continue indefinite nationwide protests until Mykhailo Fedorov got his job back. On Tuesday, Zelenskyy bowed to public demands by firing Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi . He appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new head of the country’s armed forces , as part of a radical reshuffle of the top military command. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1qK8icS

Tropical Storm Bertha strengthens as Gulf coast braces for flooding and surge

Storm warnings stretch from Florida to Louisiana as Bertha brings heavy rain, flooding risk and possible tornadoes Tropical Storm Bertha strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico and was moving slowly toward the Florida Panhandle and Alabama, causing a tropical storm warning and storm surge watches, forecasters said. The storm was about 125 miles (201km) south-east of Mobile, Alabama, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Tuesday afternoon. It was moving north-west at 5mph (8km/h) with maximum sustained winds of 60mph. Guardian staff contributed Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/h9S2kRB

‘My shirt was wringing’: National Express bus drivers speak out on 40C conditions

Drivers in West Midlands say buses ‘unbearable’ during heatwaves, raising employee and passenger safety fears Bus drivers in the West Midlands have spoken out about the “horrendous” working conditions they have experienced during heatwaves, which led to 40C temperatures in their cabs. The UK was hit by high temperatures and dry weather in three successive heatwaves, with temperatures topping 37C last month when the country recorded its hottest ever June day . Last week, the Met Office warned climate extremes were becoming the “new ‘normal’ for the UK”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2QZnkeM

US boxer Hannah Rapp struck and killed by driver while cycling, police say

Investigators arrest 31-year-old man identified as Charles Medina in connection with death of Rapp who was 26 US boxer Hannah Rapp, who in June fought for the World Boxing Council (WBC) women’s featherweight championship, was killed on Saturday while she bicycled in Texas after a motorist struck her with his car, according to authorities. Rapp was 26, and investigators arrested a 31-year-old man identified as Charles Medina in connection with her death, the sheriff’s office of Brazos county, Texas, said in a statement. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/O5yKdaQ

Flash flood warnings strike north-east US amid wildfire smoke from Canada

Poor air quality from wildfires continues to plague New York City as several neighborhoods hit by thunderstorms Saturday is delivering a double dose of dangerous weather across the north-eastern US, with smoky skies from Canadian wildfires giving way to severe thunderstorms that have already triggered a flash flood warning as torrential rain pounds parts of the region. After a brief break on Friday, smoke from the wildfires moved back into New York City and surrounding communities on Saturday, sending air quality back into unhealthy levels . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/UBteRSZ

Argentina v England: Nations Championship rugby – live

Live rugby union updates from 8.10pm BST/4.10pm ART Robert Kitson’s view of England 1-2 Argentina Email Lee | Sign up for the Breakdown 3 mins. Fin Smith pops a neat inside pass to Feyi-Waboso off his wing who breaks into open pasture. He feeds it right to Marcus Smith who can’t hold onto it, but it was on an advantage from earlier so the visitors will get to go again. 2 mins. Argentina were this close to reclaiming that kick-off, but it wobbled forward off the hands. An early scrum for England is super solid, allowing van Poortvliet to move the ball away and the phases to start around halfway. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Wq0EPQh