'Winter is coming': Ukraine fears its toughest test since Russia's full-scale invasion

Russian forces have ramped up the number of missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, likely seeking to exploit Kyiv's shortage of ballistic missile interceptors.

Why the U.S. stepped in after decades to prop up Japan's yen — and what's at stake

Washington's decision to join Japan in supporting the battered yen has prompted questions over what motivated the rare coordinated intervention.

Acting attorney general issues order rescinding "anti-weaponization fund"

The order came after Republican Senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn threatened to block Blanche's confirmation for Attorney General if the fund was not rescinded in writing.

Alan Jones trial live updates: former radio broadcaster's indecent assault case in Sydney court – latest news

Former 2UE and 2GB radio broadcaster is facing 22 charges. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guilty

• Warning: This live blog may contain graphic content when discussing evidence in the trial

• Alan Jones trial on indecent assault and sexual touching charges begins in Sydney

Court hears allegations made by complainant C

The court has also heard allegations made by complainant C, who worked at Alan Jones’s radio station 2GB, and as Jones’s driver.

The prosecution alleged Jones would talk about C’s penis, “calling him ‘Donkey’ and saying things like ‘It’s not really that big is it?’ and ‘when can I see it?’”

The court heard allegations that Jones, on several occasions, touched C on the penis, outside his clothes, and rubbed his hand up and down C’s penis as C drove him home from his radio program.

C also alleges Jones would regularly kiss him when they were alone together in lifts, at Jones’s home at 1 Macquarie Street and at the 2GB offices. Often, C was holding Jones’s jacket and briefcase at the time.

C did not consent to any of Jones’s behaviour, prosecutor Georgina Wright told the court.

Wright said the court would be presented with text messages sent by Jones to C, commenting on the “size of his penis, dismay at never having seen C’s penis” and declarations of love.

Wright alleged to the court C did not invite or want to receive the messages but felt he had to reply because he was “concerned about his position in the media industry if he overtly rejected” Jones.

New Zealand legislation making English an official language ridiculed as ‘pathetic’

Passing of bill gives English same status as Māori and sign language but, with it already spoken by 95% of country, critics call it ‘a pointless exercise’

Legislation recognising English as an official language of New Zealand has been passed by parliament, prompting derision from linguists and legal experts and a now-viral broadside from a Māori MP who called it “pathetic”.

The English language bill became law on 30 July giving English, which is spoken by 95% of the country, the same official status as te reo Māori (Māori language) and New Zealand sign language.

A blaze on an Indonesian passenger ferry leaves at least 5 dead and dozens missing

An Indonesian ferry carrying 271 people has caught fire in waters off Madura island, killing at least five people and leaving 41 others unaccounted for, authorities said

Liechtenstein’s archaic abortion laws need to be modernised. But a prince is standing in the way | Gabriella Alvarez-Hummel

The hurdles for women who have to travel abroad to access abortion are considerable, but Hereditary Prince Alois says he will veto any changes

The first person Maria* called when she found out she was pregnant was her doctor. The second person was a lawyer. The single mother of one was in shock, and considering terminating the pregnancy. But she first had to make sure that she wasn’t about to do something illegal, because all she knew was that abortions were forbidden where she lived. “On top of the emotional mountain that was already there, I also had to deal with this,” Maria told me.

She also knew she wouldn’t get any information about abortions in her own country – that’s illegal too. After making her decision, she drove to a clinic across the border. It was a stressful, if short, 45-minute drive, at the end of which another hurdle was waiting: “Oh, you’re from Liechtenstein?” the receptionist said, according to Maria. “Then you have to pay immediately – 680 Swiss francs (£620) please.” She was taken aback and asked: “What if I can’t pay that right now?” The receptionist replied: “Then you’ll have to come back tomorrow.”

Gabriella Alvarez-Hummel is a campaigner and journalist from Liechtenstein, focusing on reproductive rights

‘Am I 68? 69?’ Irvine Welsh on growing old, getting clean, bashing out his new novel – and flirting with guns

Three decades after he channelled his heroin addiction into the cult classic Trainspotting, the Scottish author has discovered the joys of yoga, breathwork and standing desks. But is he quite as ‘Zen’ as he claims?

By rights, Irvine Welsh ought to be photographed somewhere gritty, looking grumpy, he says: “That’s the brand.” Beside a graffitied wall or at the docks, with a beanie pulled low, and definitely not smiling. But here he is, clear-skinned and wholesome in shorts and a T-shirt, drinking tea and – it’s hard to think of anything more off-brand – talking about the health benefits of yoga. Given his reputation for having lived in the worlds his books portray, he should or could look a lot worse. He guffaws at this, eyes a delighted blue, and repeats the phrase as if he’s found a new personal tagline: “Could look a lot worse!”

Over the three decades since his cult debut, Trainspotting, was published in 1993, Welsh’s fiction has explored with humour the darker side of life. Drugs, clubs, alcohol, violence … often alongside psychological or social deprivation. Despite being 17 novels and four short-story collections into his career, selling more than 6m books globally, he remains best known for his first. It achieved, he says, “what most writers want to achieve in a lifetime – the big zeitgeist book that goes into the culture”.

‘It’s not about the Qur’an, it’s about the money’: how boys of five are forced to beg on Senegal’s streets

An old west African practice of sending children away to study is being used as a cover for trafficking, say human rights groups

In a bare, gloomy room on the beachfront at Saint-Louis, in the north-west of Senegal, dozens of young boys sit on a concrete floor chanting verses from the Qur’an, surrounded by fishing boats and piles of rubbish. It is early in the morning but the children have already been up for hours, not to study but to walk the streets begging for food and money.

Every day, these talibés, or students of the Qur’an, join thousands of other boys, some as young as five, on the streets of the city in search of a piece of baguette, a handful of rice or a few coins. They beg not just to fill their own stomachs but also the pockets of their Qur’anic teachers, or marabouts.

Talibés prepare to study the Qur’an under a marabout, or religious teacher, at a daara, or Qur’anic school, in Saint-Louis

‘Trumpeters? We think we’re the kings of the orchestra’: Wynton Marsalis prepares to blow the Edinburgh festival away

It has 12 movements, 200 musicians and aims to unite America. The great US trumpeter and composer talks about his All Rise symphony, his jazz great mentors – and learning humility from his wife

At Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, Wynton Marsalis is hard to spot. When he first played this venue, in 1984, he was the prodigious 22-year-old soloist out front, blowing Haydn’s trumpet concerto under the baton of Lorin Maazel. Tonight he is embedded in the machinery: half-hidden behind ranks of strings and woodwind, a black-suited figure in the heart of his own symphony.

It’s a strange way for a composer to behave – especially one whose public persona has long been associated with certainty, polemic and the upright authority of a man who can make any argument sound like a moral law. Yet Marsalis seems almost pleased by his disappearance. “It’s my piece,” he says, as we talk in his hotel room the next morning, “but it’s not my show.”

Dance, art and Indigenous storytelling: Garma festival 2026 in pictures

The theme of the 26th Garma festival was Bukmak, meaning all of us, everyone together in Yolgnu language. The four-day gathering at the Gulkula ceremonial grounds in Arnhem Land is the largest First Nations cultural event in Australia

• Indigenous leaders look to the future at Garma: ‘People are feeling strong again’

• Noel Pearson: ‘The inability to deliver the changes Indigenous Australians need is no longer just a moral failure but a civilisational one’

Fast-moving wildfires in Washington destroy hundreds of homes

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown called the blazes burning through the area the "worst natural disaster our region has faced."

Massive Attack speak about ‘surreal experience’ of being banned from Singapore over Palestinian flag

British band say they are ‘proud to have made this impromptu expression with our fans in Singapore’, where open display of all foreign flags is banned

Massive Attack have called being banned from Singapore a “surreal experience” after displaying a Palestinian flag during their show.

On Wednesday, the English trip-hop collective – whose current lineup includes Robert “3D” Del Naja and Grant “Daddy G” Marshall – played a show at the Star theatre.

Trump says Iran talks set for Monday as Tehran and Oman discuss strait of Hormuz deal

The US president did not provide details of where Monday meeting would take place or who would be involved

Donald Trump said talks with Iran will happen on Monday but declined to set a deadline for an agreement after earlier saying he had called ⁠off an imminent attack in the hope ⁠of quickly reaching a deal to ​reopen the strait of Hormuz and resolve the impasse over Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.

For its part, Iran said it was nearing a deal with Oman over a new route through the strait of Hormuz, where a tanker reported an explosion nearby on Sunday, underscoring the continued volatility of the strategic waterway. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre reported that the vessel and crew were all safe.

Dog rescue hires a cat to help boost adoptions

Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco has brought on a cat to help determine how open the adoptable canines are to living with a feline. Itay Hod reports.

Malaysia cracks down on social media hiking trend after jump in numbers needing rescue

Officials are banning some ‘compressed hikes’ which involve walkers tackling demanding routes in short timeframes

Malaysia’s government is tightening hiking rules nationwide after a social media trend left increasing numbers of adventurers needing to be rescued when they became lost or stranded in remote locations.

In the first five months of 2026, Malaysia saw 52 cases of lost hikers, an increase of nearly 30% compared with the same period the previous year, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department told local media.

Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv’s forces hit Wildberries again amid deadly trade of strikes with Russia

Drone attack on warehouse of Russian retailer triggers fire as at least 14 killed in cross-border exchanges; EU force boards Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker. What we know on day 1,622

Ukrainian drone strikes killed at least nine people in Russia on Sunday, with targets again including retail giant Wildberries, while Russian attacks on Ukraine killed at least five, according to officials in both countries. Drones attacked a Wildberries warehouse in the Samara region, about 800km (500 ​miles) from Ukraine’s most advanced military positions, governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev ‌said. There were ‌no casualties and a fire triggered by the attack was being put out, he said. Ukrainian forces have attacked about a dozen Wildberries sites since 18 July in an attempt to disrupt the operations of the company, which is Russia’s largest online retailer and a linchpin of the consumer economy often described as the country’s version of Amazon.

Three people were killed and two injured in a drone attack on the Udmurtia region of Russia, acting governor Olga Abramova said. In the border region of ⁠Belgorod, three people were killed and five injured in Ukrainian strikes, the local taskforce reported. A Ukrainian drone struck an area next to ⁠a playground, killing one child and injuring two, acting regional governorAlexander Shuvayev said.

Russian strikes in Ukraine killed two people in the eastern region of Dnipropetrovsk, and at least one person each in the southern regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, according to regional authorities. A separate Russian strike destroyed a postal terminal in the northern Kharkiv region, killing a worker, the mail operator Nova Poshta said.

A strike on a Russian residential building in Samara’s neighbouring region of Saratov killed two people in the city of Engels, governor Roman Busargin ‌said. Civil infrastructure was damaged in Engels and the city of Saratov, he said. Ukraine’s military said on Sunday that their forces attacked the Saratov oil refinery and the Engels military airbase, sparking fires at both facilities. It said its forces also struck an oil depot in the western Kaluga region.

Russia’s defence ​ministry said its forces struck infrastructure and two vessels with military cargo in the Ukrainian port of Mykolaiv, as well as a vessel carrying military supplies in the Black Sea.

An EU naval mission led by Italy boarded a tanker from Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” on Sunday, the ⁠second such operation in ⁠less than ​two weeks as Europe intensifies scrutiny of vessels suspected of helping Moscow circumvent oil sanctions. Italy’s defence ministry said the Toa Payoh, a ⁠tanker subject to EU sanctions, was intercepted west of the Sicilian island of Pantelleria while sailing from Benin to Istanbul. The vessel had switched to ⁠a Cameroon registry only last week, a source familiar with the operation said.

Revisiting Herbert Hoover's legacy as his presidential library reopens

In West Branch, Iowa, the newly reimagined Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum wants to shed a fresh light on what historians consider a mixed legacy. Lana Zak reports.

DOJ to dismiss Reflecting Pool vandalism charges, citing "botched installation"

Federal prosecutors moved to dismiss an indictment charging U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn with ripping the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, saying the damage was caused by "botched installation and not vandalism."

D.C. Reflecting Pool saga continues as Trump slams Pirro for saying contractors caused damage

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is now drained of water and awaiting repairs, as a feud within the Trump administration spills into the open. President Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum are both rejecting the conclusion by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro that contractors caused the pool to peel. Olivia Rinaldi reports.

Trump says outline of Iran deal agreed to, mediators say otherwise, strikes on hold for now

President Trump has called off new attacks on Iran for the time being, insisting an end to the war is close. He's also again calling for the "immediate" re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Imtiaz Tyab reports.

Twin Falls In-N-Out shooting suspect identified after 3 killed, 7 wounded

The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Chad Williams, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

New details on deadly In-N-Out shooting

New details are emerging about this weekend's deadly mass shooting at an In-N-Out restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho. At least three people were killed in the attack and seven others wounded. Lindsey Reiser reports.

Mass evacuations underway as wildfires bear down on Spokane, Washington

Explosive wildfires in Spokane, Washington, have destroyed more than 600 structures, many of them within the city limits. The fast-moving flames led to mass evacuations and chaos, as families fled their homes. Adam Yamaguchi reports and Andrew Kozak looks at the forecast and the record heat threatening 50 million Americans.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day makes debut to $927m box office to land second biggest opening weekend in history

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige hails ‘phenomenal’ opening, which followed box office already buoyed by The Odyssey and Toy Story 5

Spider-Man: Brand New ⁠Day brought in a blockbuster $927m ⁠in worldwide ticket sales to deliver the second most lucrative opening weekend of all time both domestically and globally.

The movie, which marks actor Tom Holland’s fourth ⁠outing as the web-slinging superhero, depicts Peter Parker fighting crime in a world that has forgotten he is Spider-Man. Zendaya, who is married to Holland, co-stars as MJ, the love of Parker’s life. The film explores Parker’s struggles ⁠with loneliness and his pursuit of human connection.

Who will make the bigger splash? Two blockbuster David Hockney exhibitions opening in Australia

A immersive show made with the British artist before he died is headed to Sydney, at the same time as a Hockney portraiture exhibition at Canberra’s National Gallery

Two blockbuster exhibitions dedicated to the late David Hockney are opening in Australia later this year, months after the British artist’s death at the age of 88.

The National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, home to the largest collection of Hockney’s work in Australia, will stage David Hockney: Portraits in Print from September to February. The exhibition will span more than 60 works made over 30 years and offers “an intimate view of his personal life, creative practice and deep engagement with portraiture”, the NGA said.

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UK’s first ‘super-university’, merging Greenwich and Kent, to launch in September

The new London and South East University Group will be UK’s third largest higher education institution

The UK’s first “super-university”, which will merge the universities of Greenwich and Kent, is set to launch in September.

The new London and South East University Group, to be known as the LASEUG, will have more than 50,000 students on four campuses across London, Medway and Kent, making it the third largest higher education institution in the UK.

‘Stop all outdoor activities’: South Korea records its highest ever temperature

Authorities issue alert saying indoor spaces without airconditioning are ‘dangerous’ as temperatures pass 40C for fifth straight day

South Korea has registered its highest temperature since records began more than a century ago, as authorities warned people to “immediately” stop all outdoor activities in affected areas.

The south-eastern city of Yangsan saw the temperature reach 42.5C on Sunday afternoon, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said, the highest temperature reported since modern weather observation began in 1904.

Defunct part of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will slam into the moon

A defunct part of a Falcon 9 rocket could slam into the moon at more than 5,000 miles per hour, according to scientists.

Ariana Grande to take ‘a step back’ from public life due to ‘endless, ongoing scrutiny’

Singer was due to reunite with Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey in London production of Sunday in the Park With George

Ariana Grande has announced plans to take a break from public-facing work after her tour ends due to “endless, ongoing public scrutiny”. She is pulling out of the upcoming London revival of Sunday in the Park With George.

The pop singer was due to appear opposite her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey in a new production of Stephen Sondheim’s critically acclaimed musical at the Barbican in 2027.

Artists, writers and scientists urge UK government to save Jodrell Bank Observatory

New Order and Simon Armitage among more than 100 signatories to criticise ‘foolish and shortsighted’ cuts

More than 100 artists, writers and scientists have called for the UK government to save the “world’s clearest eyes on the sky”, after funding for thenetwork of radio telescopes at Jodrell Bank Observatory was slashed.

New Order, the Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield and the poet laureate, Simon Armitage, are among those calling on the new prime minister, Andy Burnham, to save the deep space observatory which includes the Grade I-listed Lovell telescope, prized by astronomers who study galaxies, star formation and planets beyond the solar system.

At least five Mohamed Al Fayed abuse survivors confirmed as human-trafficking victims

Decision comes after group of survivors claimed ex-Harrods owner’s associates must have helped facilitate his crimes

At least five victims of the former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed have been confirmed by the Home Office as victims of human trafficking.

A group of survivors of abuse by the deceased businessman had called for the Metropolitan police to make trafficking the main focus of its investigation, arguing that Fayed could not have committed his offences without a steady stream of women sent to him by associates.

8/2/2026: Lourdes; The Improbable Tale of Ted Lasso; Birds of War

First, investigating medically unexplained cures. Then, a look behind the scenes of "Ted Lasso." And, birders flock here since guerrillas disarmed.

Leeds stage thrilling comeback to sink Liverpool in Chicago friendly

• Liverpool 2-4 Leeds

• Calvert-Lewin scores twice as Leeds come back from 2-0 down

After 45 minutes at Soldier Field the tale of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the US was of three straight wins and Andoni Iraola’s ideas taking shape thanks in no small part to Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. After 90, with Liverpool’s expensive duo off the scene, it centred on a stirring Leeds fightback and the recurrence of a fragility that Iraola could well do without.

Daniel Farke’s team staged a convincing comeback to inflict a first defeat of pre-season on the new ­Liverpool head coach. Dominic ­Calvert-Lewin, twice, Brenden Aaronson and Sean Longstaff all scored in the space 25 minutes as Liverpool failed to deal with Leeds’ strength at set-pieces and the disruption caused by a series of half-times changes. The drop-off from Liverpool, who led 2-0 at half-time, following the departures of Wirtz, Isak, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha was drastic.

8/2: CBS Weekend News

Mass evacuations underway as wildfires bear down on Spokane, Washington; New details on deadly In-N-Out shooting.

AstraZeneca in talks with Bristol Myers Squibb on $400 billion megadeal, FT reports

U.K. pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca is considering a deal to merge with its U.S. rival Bristol Myers Squibb.

Chelsea sign Argentina international Valentín Barco from Strasbourg

• Barco a left-back who can also play in midfield

• Player had spell at Brighton before move to France

Chelsea have signed the Argentina international Valentín Barco from their sister club Strasbourg on a seven-year deal.

The 22-year-old, who played seven times for Brighton including six Premier League appearances during the 2023-24 season, becomes the eighth arrival of new manager Xabi Alonso’s reign.

Kuwaki wins Women’s Open after Henseleit’s unlucky break off marshal’s leg in playoff

• Japanese 23-year-old wins her first major championship

• England’s Charley Hull and Lottie Woad finish tied sixth

It was no surprise that an extraordinary Sunday at the Women’s Open ended in such circumstances. Has the ankle of a marshal ever before played a crucial role in the outcome of a major championship? A competition that looked for so long as if no one wanted to win rumbled on at Royal Lytham & St Annes until fate played its hand.

Glory for Shiho Kuwaki, pain for Esther Henseleit. That barely explains the half of it. Henseleit had forced a playoff with a stunning birdie from 45ft on the final hole of regulation play. On the first visit back to the 18th, Kuwaki played a glorious approach to secure her four and the extension of the tournament.

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.

Richard E Grant’s Very Modern Odyssey review – far more thrilling than the Christopher Nolan borefest

The actor gobbles up food, roars with glee and finds himself deeply moved in this four-part travelogue inspired by the journey of Homer’s hero. It’s a real success of a show

Here comes Richard E Grant, pounding towards us in his tiny leather jacket as he gesticulates wildly at his cobbled surrounds. “Wow,” he gasps. “Look at that.” We look at that. It’s Malta. Specifically, Malta’s Grand Harbour: a sobbingly beautiful gateway to the Mediterranean and the sun-blessed starting line for Richard E Grant’s Very Modern Odyssey, a four-part travelogue “inspired by Homer’s hero” in which the veteran actor traces Odysseus’s “incredible journey” while wearing a succession of increasingly voluminous linen trousers.

Said tracing is not, however, an exact science. This is not one of those awful celebrity things in which our noble hero arms himself with set squares and a scholastic scowl before setting sail on a “voyage” to uncover “the truth”.

Pressure on Gianni Infantino increases as Uefa members prepare to oppose re-election

• European nations to withdraw letters of support for Fifa president

• Appetite to ensure Infantino is quickly removed from post

European countries are planning to increase the pressure on Gianni Infantino with a mass withdrawal of letters supporting his re-election as Fifa president.

Infantino’s reign is in severe peril after the collapse of his privately backed scheme to sell off chunks of the World Cup, which was largely scuppered when Uefa member associations threatened to boycott future Fifa competitions. The mood remains febrile and there is a widespread appetite around Europe to ensure that he is quickly removed from his post.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur hospitalized after "hit-skip crash" in Toledo, police say

Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur's office said the congresswoman was a passenger and she was on her way to a church service when her vehicle was struck on Sunday.

GOP Sen. Moreno says ex-son-in-law Max Miller shouldn't serve in House, needs 'serious psychological help'

Miller has denied the allegations made against him by his ex-wife Emily Moreno, daughter of Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno.

UCI president backs night-time drug testing after Tour de France controversy

• David Lappartient says selective night testing is justified

• ‘We always have suspicion in cycling, due to our past’

The UCI president, David Lappartient, has said there will “always be suspicion in cycling” and insisted this year’s men’s Tour de France was clean. Lappartient, speaking at the start of stage two of the Tour de France Femmes in Aigle, also said he supported night-time testing during races in “exceptional cases”.

Lappartient added that the absence of any positive test announcements by the International Testing Agency (ITA) indicated that last month’s men’s Tour was drug free. “The ITA never make a press release about negative results, only about positive results,” said Lappartient. “We didn’t see any press release in the Tour de France, so it seems there was nothing in the Tour.”

Sen. Moreno says ex-son-in-law Max Miller shouldn't serve in Congress

GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio said his former son-in-law, Rep. Max Miller, shouldn't serve in Congress amid swirling abuse claims, as Miller vowed to stay in the race for another term and strongly denied all allegations of misconduct.

Capital One says it closed Trump Organization accounts over money-laundering concerns

The bank is asking a judge to permanently dismiss a lawsuit from Trump-affiliated businesses, arguing a monthslong internal review — not the Jan. 6 riot — explains why hundreds of accounts were shut down in 2021.

It’s double Dutch as Lorena Wiebes wins second stage of Tour de France Femmes

• Dutch sprinter makes it two from two in Geneva

• Her team still intend to sue UCI over Giro disqualification

The Dutch sprinter Lorena Wiebes took her second win in this year’s Tour de France Femmes in Geneva, further extending her overall lead in the nine-day race. Wiebes is proving untouchable in the sprint finishes and her turn of speed in the final 250 metres, on the lakeside finish of the Quai du Mont-Blanc, reduced her rivals to onlookers.

Lone breakaway Riejanne Markus had led by more than half a minute on the flat approach to Geneva and maintained that advantage into the final 5km, even with the whole peloton giving chase. But as the kilometres clicked down, the peloton clawed its way back, eclipsing Markus in the last 500 metres, before Wiebes made her inevitable surge to take yet another sprint win.

Republican calls for Max Miller to resign from Congress amid abuse allegations

Senator Bernie Moreno says congressman and former son-in-law should step down after ex-wife’s allegations

Republican senator Bernie Moreno on Sunday publicly called for Representative Max Miller, his ex son-in-law, to step down from Congress amid allegations of domestic and child abuse.

As recently as Friday, the Ohio senator had avoided giving his opinion directly on accusations made by his daughter, Emily Moreno, against the congressman.

Full transcript of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Aug. 2, 2026

On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast, Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly and Republican Rep. Mike Turner join Margaret Brennan.

Two helicopters collide outside Athens as Greece battles to control wildfires

Fire department says two-person crew of one aircraft killed in incident during gale-force winds to west of capital

Two firefighting helicopters have collided west of Athens, killing the two-person crew of one of the aircraft, as efforts to control a massive wildfire barrelling towards the outskirts of the Greek capital intensified.

Footage showed one of the helicopters losing control in the face of gale-force winds that have pushed flames towards settlements on Athens’ western fringes.

‘The greatest arms I’ve ever seen’: Matt Damon’s muscular female stunt double Devyn Dalton

Canadian stuntwoman is only 4ft 6in and stood in for star to make the giant Laestrygonians appear even bigger

A 35-year-old stuntwoman is one of the great unsung heroes of Christopher Nolan’s new blockbuster The Odyssey – standing in for Matt Damon and displaying what the actor called “the greatest arms I’ve ever seen”.

Canadian Devyn Dalton was the Hollywood star’s stunt double in a pivotal scene in the film where Odysseus (Damon) and his men are confronted by the Laestrygonians, giant armoured cannibals.

‘Ready for next 100 years’: Glasgow 2026 chief hails revamped Commonwealth Games

• Phil Batty hails ‘phenomenal’ success of event

• ‘The Games are relevant, matter and are here to last’

This year’s Commonwealth Games have been “phenomenal” and have shown the events have the potential to carry on for another 100 years, the chief executive of Glasgow 2026 has told the Guardian. Phil Batty also said that the revamped Games, which included only 10 sports rather than the 19 in Birmingham four years ago, showcased a formula that made them financially sustainable as they head to Amdavad in 2030.

“What a phenomenal 11 days,” Batty said. “I have had absolute pride in the way that the city and the Commonwealth has come together. These Games have not only exceeded expectations. They have demonstrated that major events can flex and evolve to be fit for purpose in the future.

Cleveland police failed to arrest man who later killed two-year-old girl

Harrison Simpson was subject of arrest warrant for breach of court order 18 months before killing girlfriend’s daughter

Cleveland police failed to arrest a paedophile for breaching a non-molestation order, 18 months before he sexually assaulted and murdered and his girlfriend’s two-year-old daughter, a court heard.

Isabelle Welsh died on 14 September 2025 after what police described as a “campaign of violence” against her. The two-year-old collapsed at her home in Teesside after weeks of abuse that left her covered in bruises and with 21 broken bones.

The Guardian view on drought: hot, dry conditions make inequality starker | Editorial

Water is a vital shared resource, and privatisation has made a just transition harder

Compared with rising heat-related deaths, and devastating wildfires in the Cairngorms and Suffolk, the announcement that the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is considering moving its hydrangea collection from Surrey to Greater Manchester and North Yorkshire might seem unimportant. But it points to geographical differences in exposure to global heating that have arguably never been more evident than this summer, with last month the driest on record. Seven areas of south and east England are officially in drought, along with the whole of Wales.

A drought is less easily measured than a heatwave, which is declared by the Met Office when the maximum temperature exceeds a set threshold on three consecutive days. But the fact that drought is harder to quantify does not make it less damaging. Water shortages are exposing specific vulnerabilities and inequalities, as well as the UK’s lack of preparedness for climate change overall.

The Guardian view on global corporate tax: a $500bn prize that states must seize | Editorial

Donald Trump may reject the negotiations, but he cannot veto a global effort to make multinational companies answer to governments

Governments are told that public services must shrink because money is tight. Yet a new Tax Justice Network report says that countries could capture an extra $500bn a year without raising corporate tax rates. The answer is to tax multinational profits where real economic activity happens – known as unitary taxation. No new profit is created. Revenue simply shifts from tax havens where profits are “booked” to the countries where workers produce and customers spend.

Making that principle a global tax standard depends on UN talks opening in New York on Monday. Modelled on the UN climate regime, a fiscal framework convention would create the governing body and procedures, with protocols providing detailed rules. The UN wants agreement by late 2027. Donald Trump’s US walked out last year and urged others to follow. None did.

Rep. Turner says infrastructure should be "hardened" as U.S. probes water cyberattack

GOP Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio said critical infrastructure assets "need to be hardened" as investigators are probing whether Iranian hackers are behind malicious cyber activity that affected technology at water systems in U.S. states last week.

Full Interview: Hugging Face Co-Founder and CEO Clem Delangue

Watch Margaret Brennan's full interview Hugging Face Co-Founder and CEO Clem Delangue, a portion of which aired on July 19, 2026, about the recent hack of their systems by an autonomous AI agent from an OpenAI training model.

Aurora Orchestra/ Collon review – Freud analyses Mahler to decipher music from the heart

Royal Albert Hall, London
An acted prelude by Jane Mitchell teased out the composer’s motivations for his engrossing First Symphony before the orchestra assayed the work from memory

“Ridiculous,” “offensively trivial”, “a complete disaster,” just some of the critical barbs hurled at Gustav Mahler’s First Symphony following its Budapest premiere in 1889. A babel of such invective echoed around the Albert Hall launching the ingenious theatrical presentation – in effect, a staged programme note – that preceded Aurora Orchestra’s performance of the work in all its maverick majesty. Over an hour, actors and musicians took us on a light touch, deep dive into the circumstances surrounding the genesis of a symphony that frankly baffled its first audience.

“For those that listen closely, everything about me is explained in this music,” declared a beguiling Jack Bardoe, perfectly encapsulating Mahler’s combination of frenetic energy and artistic neuroses (“A bomb encased in razorblades,” is how one-time friend Ferdinand Pfohl put it). The setting was a psychiatrist’s office, with Sarah Twomey a forthright Sigmund Freud (“Tell me about your mother”) linking the composer’s compulsion to write music with a need to re-enact childhood trauma. Paternal cruelty, eight siblings lost in infancy and a disastrous love affair fostered a deeper understanding of what made Mahler tick.

Joe and Heather Manchin on their push to elect more independents

On "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," former Sen. Joe Manchin and his daugher, Heather, discussed their initiative to help more independents get elected to office. They also addressed whether they could ever support a self-described socialist candidate.

The monthly scourge of ‘period poop’ is real. Here’s why your gut acts up

Menstrual and digestive discomfort often coincide, and a researcher who has been looking in to it for a decade tells us what she learned

Every period, right on schedule: the cramps arrive, and right behind them, the urgent need to poop.

If this is your experience, you’re in good company: in one study, 73% of healthy premenopausal women reported at least one significant gastrointestinal symptom in the days before or during their period. Abdominal pain and diarrhea were the most common complaints, but women reported nausea and constipation too.

'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' chases 'Avengers: Endgame' opening record with $355 million domestic debut

Sony and Marvel's "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" snared $355 million in estimated domestic box office on its opening weekend, the second-highest debut of all time.

ICE detentions set Trump-era high in July, as immigration crackdown widens

Detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement set a monthly record high for the second Trump administration in July, internal agency data obtained by CBS News shows, as ICE widened its crackdown.

Sen. Mark Kelly: Trump "has to try to figure out a way out of" Iran war

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly also voiced concerns about the Pentagon's funding requests, calling the approach "irresponsible — and now they want a blank check."

Solar powers record share of Britain’s electricity mix in July

Farms and rooftop panels contribute 14.4% to the grid – and figures reveal a surge in new installations

Solar energy supplied more power to Great Britain’s grid in July than in any previous month as households turned to rooftop panels to cut their energy bills.

Solar farms and rooftop panels provided 14.4% of the country’s electricity after some parts of the UK recorded almost twice the average sunshine hours for the time of year.

This week on "Sunday Morning": The Money Issue (Aug. 2)

This week Jane Pauley hosts "The Money Issue," our annual special broadcast dedicated to the many ways in which money underscores the way we live.

Kindness of strangers: When we were lost in the Thai rainforest, a fellow backpacker picked me up and carried me home

For hours we hobbled back, until we were close enough for him to place me down and run for help

• Read more in the kindness of strangers series

We had heard there was an incredible waterfall somewhere deep in the Thai rainforest. Seeking it out almost killed me.

In 2003 I was travelling solo through south-east Asia when I met Paul, an American with an easy-going, natural warmth. We were the only two people bunking at a youth hostel somewhere in southern Thailand and got chatting one morning. When the staff told us about a beautiful waterfall not far from where we were staying, we made plans to hike there together.

Tom Gauld on how to be a top reader – cartoon

Lawyer for Rep. Miller's ex-wife files for restraining order amid abuse claims

The ex-wife of GOP Rep. Max Miller asked a court to issue a restraining order blocking Miller from contacting her lawyer, as the Ohio congressman faces allegations of abuse — which he denies.

Nature: Big Sur, California

We leave you this Sunday morning among nature's riches along the coast of Big Sur, Calif. Videographer: Lance Milbrand.

8/2: Face The Nation

This week on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly and Republican Rep. Mike Turner discuss Iran. Plus, the CEO of Hugging Face discusses an alarming incident in which OpenAI's technology went rogue and hacked into his company. And former Sen. Joe Manchin discusses his push to elect more independents.

Hunting for sand dollars

In Florida, correspondent Martha Teichner goes searching for sand dollars – cousins of sea urchins and sea stars – with naturalist Kristen Williams (a.k.a. The Seashell Mermaid). She also goes to the California Academy of Sciences' Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco to learn what makes these sea creatures so special. (Originally broadcast April 12, 2026.)

American Girl celebrates girl power

Founded in 1986, American Girl has created dolls, books and accessories that tell the stories of young girls in every American era. On the toy's 40th anniversary, correspondent Faith Salie explores how making history come alive is also creating timeless bonds between generations that celebrate girlhood. (Originally broadcast April 12, 2026.)

The rich get richer as Dodgers land ace Tarik Skubal in blockbuster trade

• Defending champions send prospects to Tigers

• Cy Young-winning Skubal joins stacked rotation in LA

The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired the biggest prize on the trade deadline market, getting two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night.

Skubal got the news during the Tigers’ 8-6 win over the Athletics and was emotional after the game as he prepared to leave the team that drafted him in 2018 and developed him into a star to join the two-time defending World Series champions.

Thousands of people under evacuation order from wildfires in Spokane, Wash.

There are at least three fires in and around the city. Large parts of Spokane are under Level 3 evacuation orders, which read: "Leave NOW! This may be your only notice."

Chaos of border crossing gives way to limbo for Moroccans on Ceuta’s streets

People among the more than 50,000 who entered Spanish enclave this week describe the journey and their prospects

Four days ago, Youssef El Abbas saw an opportunity to reclaim the life he had lost seven years earlier. News was circulating that about 400 people had swum from Morocco to the neighbouring Spanish enclave of Ceuta on the north African coast, approximately 12 miles (19km) across the strait of Gibraltar from mainland Spain.

Here was a chance for the 44-year-old Moroccan father of four to return to Spain, from which he had been deported when his residency expired after the loss of his job in Bilbao in 2019.

Struggling to get through summer? Treat yourself like a beloved dog – and six other survival tips | Emma Beddington

August usually sends me into an anxious funk, but I think I’ve worked out how to handle 2026’s terrifying heat and apocalyptic images

Unfortunately for hairdressers, “How’s your summer going?” is a loaded question this year. Even basking lizards and barbecue obsessives are wavering in their sun worship as cataclysmic wildfires engulf our nearest neighbours (and threaten the UK), Wales and parts of England experience drought, and farmers issue dire warnings about our food supply in the near future. Rescue centres are filling up with dehydrated hedgehogs and the Environment Agency is having to rescue fish. Lazy, joyful, sunscreen-scented days are giving way to stifling, existentially terrifying ones spent skulking in the dark (assuming you don’t need to be out in the extreme heat, as many workers do), sweatily scrolling through apocalyptic images.

Vanity Fair has decreed it’s a “sad-girl summer”, highlighting the female singer-songwriters soundtracking the myriad anxieties of an “undeniably cruel” 2026 season, but it’s not just the girlies who are sad – many of us are struggling and we still have August to survive. How?

The pro-Israel lobby has swayed US presidents since Truman. It must end with Trump | Ian Lustick and Eli Clifton

Our new book tracks the growth over nearly eight decades, of the most powerful foreign policy lobby in US history

In 1948, with war raging in Palestine, Harry Truman found himself trapped.

On one side were Zionist lobbyists and the president’s domestic political advisers, who were urging him to support the establishment of a Jewish state in as much of Palestine as possible. On the other were his top foreign policy and national security officials, led by the secretary of state, George C Marshall. Their unanimous recommendation was to prevent the establishment of a Jewish state, which they believed would trigger war in the Middle East and endanger the future of US relations with the Arab and Muslim world.

8/2: Sunday Morning

Jane Pauley hosts our annual "Money Issue." Featured: Obstacles to home ownership; fighting health insurance denials; Chinese EVs; opposition to AI data centers; American Girl dolls; skin care mogul Scarlett Johansson; roller coasters; the popularity of Bingo!; and is your phone eavesdropping on you?

EU citizens in UK get letters telling them post-Brexit residency rights were given ‘in error’

After years of building lives in UK, potentially thousands of EU citizens could be told they have no right to remain

The UK Home Office has started stripping some EU citizens of their post-Brexit residency rights, in a move that has raised concerns about Britain’s compliance with its withdrawal agreement with Europe.

The UK internal affairs authority has told at least 100 people that they were given residency rights “in error”, disrupting their lives just as they come to the end of their five-year “pre-settled status” and prepare to upgrade to the permanent “settled status”.

Trump is determined to pursue his trade war – and he may be difficult to stop

The president’s minions have trawled the statutes to restore roadblocks to trade. The invocation of Smoot-Hawley looks especially dangerous

Donald Trump may have found the killer weapon to punish countries at will: by imposing tariffs on their exports to the United States.

The president has been looking for a new tool since February, when the supreme court struck down tariffs he slapped on virtually all of America’s trading partners based on the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, or IEEPA, on the spurious grounds that the US faced a variety of national emergencies. It’s become a parlor game among policy wonks to predict what new legal justification he would deploy to replace them.

Eduardo Porter is a journalist focused on economics and politics. He writes the newsletter Being There on Substack

How to make gambas al ajillo – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass

Conjuring memories of sun-drenched holidays and cool tapas bars, this dish is deliciously messy

As a devotee of the small, sweet and winningly cheap cold-water prawn, I don’t often find myself at the court of the king variety, but as a way to conjure happy memories of holidays past, sunny terraces and cool tapas bars, this particular dish is hard to beat. Served sizzling hot and drenched in red, garlicky oil, it’s deliciously messy stuff, and best paired with bread and an icy drink.

Prep 5 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4 as a tapa, 2 as a starter

‘I loved the Police from the get-go’: Elaine Paige’s honest playlist

The singer and actor is partial to Mozart and once did Édith Piaf at karaoke, but to which musical showstopper does she owe everything?

The first song I fell in love with
I used to sing All I Have to Do Is Dream by the Everly Brothers with my schoolfriend who lived over the road, when I was 11 or 12. I sang the harmony and she sang the melody.

The song I do at karaoke
The only time was on holiday in Nice with a friend. We’d been out for a lovely supper and had far too much rosé, and I was about to play Édith Piaf in the West End. I ended up singing Hymne à l’amour, and he did Fools Rush In.

Why flights are so expensive and will likely stay that way

Airlines are paying billions of dollars more in fuel costs this year

A teen was killed at a Seattle protest. New video evidence shows what really happened

An 18-month investigation by The Seattle Times, KUOW and NPR's Embedded podcast and a review of more than a dozen videos from the night of the shooting reveal the most comprehensive view to date of how the chaotic scene unfolded. And they show how a Black teenager who came to join the civil rights movement of his generation — in a zone abandoned by police — ended up killed by a protest movement that thought he was a threat.

Decades on from the US’s disastrous campaign in Afghanistan, Trump is making all the same mistakes | Simon Tisdall

The president has blundered into a ‘forever war’ with Iran he can’t win, but refuses to end. Such hubris has a long history

It’s five years this month since the chaotic retreat of US forces from Kabul. The Nato-backed invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, launched after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington DC, is now widely regarded as a failure. It cost the lives of more than 2,400 US and 450 British troops, and tens of thousands of civilians (the exact number is unknown). Although al-Qaida terrorists were routed, their Taliban hosts reimposed repressive, misogynistic Islamist rule after regaining power in 2021. Afghanistan became a byword for ill-considered western interventionism and nation-building. It was the archetypal “forever war”, a phrase first coined during Vietnam.

If this cautionary tale had any lasting value, it was as a deterrent to politicians and generals tempted to rashly embark on open-ended conflicts without just cause, defined, achievable aims, and an exit strategy. Dismayingly, the forever war lesson had to be learned all over again in Iraq, which the US and UK invaded in 2003 and departed, having caused huge harm for scant benefit, in 2011. “Never again!” was the passionate cry at the time and since. And yet, it seems, the same disastrous pattern is now repeating after Donald Trump’s incomprehensibly foolish decision to attack Iran. A war he termed a “little excursion” is entering its sixth month and has been escalating rapidly. It, too, has a forever feel.

Why is the rate of premature births so high in this community?

About 1 in 4 babies in the Pakistani fishing settlement of Rehri Goth are born prematurely. Researchers are trying to figure out how to bring the numbers down.

Attack of the birthdayzillas: the people turning their big days into epic events – at huge cost to their guests

First it was weddings. Now, going overboard on birthdays, planning murder-mystery breaks or mini-festivals with dress codes and branded merch, is the norm for many. Is this driven by monster egos, or a search for connection in a fractured age?

MikeFest takes place every year, over the August bank holiday weekend, in a large leafy garden on the Cornish coast. Birthday boy Michael’s nearest and dearest turn up in their sparkliest gear (as per the invitation) with tents tucked under their arms. Masks with his face printed on them are handed out, as are handheld fans and sippy cups branded with each guest’s name. Organised fun ensues, including a compulsory talent show. Michael always wins first place with his interpretive dance routine.

Michael is not turning 10; he is about to be 44. And he accepts the title of “birthdayzilla”, admitting that he’s guilt-tripped friends who were unable to make it and barred those who miss two festivals in a row from future events. But he’s quick to defend his fellow birthday fanatics. “It doesn’t feel like there’s much to celebrate these days, and it’s harder than ever to get people together. So yes, I’m militant about my birthday,” he says. “I just think: I’ve managed to build a life I like and a network of people I love, why not make a fuss about it? I don’t think expecting them to show up for me once a year is such a big ask.”

Could a couch-to-5k for books get you back into reading?

With smartphones stealing our attention, we’re picking up fewer books than ever. A novelist shares her eight-week scheme to get you back into the habit

Do you feel that it’s harder to read than it used to be? Not harder to read emails, texts and social media posts, of course. We’re reading those all day long. Harder to sit down and lose yourself in a book? How long is it since you even sat down with a weekend newspaper and read it cover to cover? Do you feel that you used to have a life-sustaining reading habit, everything from fun popcorn novels to serious nonfiction, classic and contemporary, many genres and writers, but somehow it’s gone away? It doesn’t feel like a decision that you made. It just happened.

I feel like that. At least more like that than I’m comfortable with. I’m a novelist and I present programs about thinking on the BBC, and yet even I am finding that I’m reading less than I used to. It seems more of an effort and less of a consistent, persistent habit than it was. I hate this feeling. I still have the habit of acquiring books, buying them, getting them from libraries, being sent them. And I do still read. Compared with many people, I probably read an enormous amount, but I know it’s not as much as I used to read. And I know where the time has gone.

Dining across the divide: ‘He didn’t change my mind on anything – but he did give me a lift to my car’

A prospective Restore Britain voter and a Green-supporting Chinese immigrant found some common ground over small-boat crossings, but where did they land on foxhunting?

• Want to meet someone from across the divide? Click here to find out how

Phill, 58, Hertfordshire

Occupation Stairlift surveyor

What's behind the $4B funding cut for California's high-speed rail?

Records reveal California twice missed deadlines to buy the trains at the center of a federal funding fight — then quietly dropped its lawsuit weeks after missing its new deadline.

This is how we do it: ‘If I’m honest, the fact that Thomas was married made it more exciting’

Vivian and Thomas both left physically unfulfilling marriages and are rediscovering their sex drives in later life

• How do you do it? Share the story of your sex life, anonymously

Since menopause and being with Thomas, my interest in sex is much higher

‘She showed love for everyone’: how did Daphy Michel end up frozen to death in a Pittsburgh bus shelter?

Haitian immigrant with mental illness found dead after ICE released her in 20F weather wearing summer clothes

• Family to sue after woman released from ICE custody froze to death

On the night of 26 February this year, the Michel family in Pennsylvania expected to see their loved one, Daphy, again very soon.

After she had spent six months in jail, a judge had dismissed criminal charges against her and one of her brothers was told she would be released soon, probably the next day.

Pig on a water slide and cyclists’ naked protest: photos of the weekend

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world

From The Wizard of Oz to Trainspotting: 25 films to watch before you turn 25

As AI slop takes over our screens, what better antidote for enquiring minds than a magical film? We ask directors, producers and critics to pick one must-see movie for each year from infancy to early adulthood

***

Screentime has a bad rep these days: it’s allegedly at the root of everything from the collapse of media literacy to the rise of the far right. For parents, and indeed anyone who cares about the future of the planet, the relationship children have to their screens is a particular hot potato.

‘It’s Glastonbury on wheels’: Welsh eisteddfod cultural event celebrates 850th year

This year’s edition, Eisteddfod y Garreg Las, has gone back to its roots at the castle where a prince first held it in 1176

By 1176, Lord Rhys ap Gruffydd, a medieval Welsh prince, had become one of the most powerful rulers the country had ever known. He’d successfully banished Norman invaders from his lands, made peace with King Henry and rebuilt Cardigan castle in stone.

Prosperous and secure, he threw a grand holiday tournament, inviting bards and musicians to play and compete under his patronage in the first recorded eisteddfod, roughly, a “sitting together” – a tradition that still lives on today. This year’s national eisteddfod, a celebration of Welsh language, culture and creativity, has returned to its roots near Lord Rhys’s castle for its 850th birthday.

We asked a first grader to interview his hero: A bird scientist

NPR asked an aspiring scientist in Philadelphia to interview an adult who is living his dream about his career in conservation science.

What Cyclospora does inside the gut and how it gets there

Cyclospora, the parasite that has sickened thousands this summer in the U.S., requires time in the human digestive tract to reproduce.

Idaho fast food restaurant shooting leaves 3 dead, city spokesman says

Police who responded to the shooting found the body of the suspected gunman in an area near the restaurant.

‘Free up the ganja’: Rastafarians in Kenya fight to decriminalise marijuana

Marijuana plays a sacred role among Rastafari followers and they say criminalising it violates their rights

About a dozen people sang along to the pulsing vibrations of drums and a tambourine in a dimly lit room in Nairobi’s sprawling Kibera neighbourhood. For more than an hour they belted out song after song, the lyrics suffused with references to Ethiopia, Jah, Zion, Rastafari and Haile Selassie I.

One song went: “No night in a Zion, there is no night there / Hallelujah there is no night there / Rastafari is our light, and we need no other light / Hallelujah there is no night there.”

‘I have an understanding housemate’: the student who makes videos of fungus on faeces

Alfred Drummond-Herdman’s extraordinary timelapses have been viewed by millions – and led him to identify new species

Alfred Drummond-Herdman is possibly the only person in the UK who is sent animal faeces in the post out of goodwill. His bedroom in Edinburgh is full of the stuff: clothes have been removed from his wardrobe and cupboards, replaced with terrariums and plastic containers housing sections of cowpats, grouse droppings and rabbit pellets.

“I have a very understanding housemate,” he says.