Us - CBSNews.com
Timeline: The disappearance of Maya Millete

Maya Millete, 39, went missing in January 2021. What was happening between her and her husband before she disappeared and what does spellcasting have to do with it?

19th July 2026 06:10
Us - CBSNews.com
Police say husband asked spellcasters to hex his now missing wife

Shortly before Maya "May" Millete vanished, authorities say her husband Larry messaged a spellcaster, "Please punish May and incapacitate her enough so she can't leave the house."

19th July 2026 06:10
Us - CBSNews.com
Where's Maya Millete? Family, friends continue search for missing California mom

A California mother disappears without a trace – did her husband try to have a hex put on her so she wouldn't leave him?

19th July 2026 06:10
The Guardian
Israel threatens to seize ancient water reservoirs near Bethlehem

Solomon’s Pools date back to the second century BCE, and have become a source of recreation for nearby Bethlehem

Israel is threatening to seize ancient water reservoirs near Bethlehem, in what would be a significant escalation in an intensifying campaign for control of West Bank land and the Middle East’s historical narrative.

Since Israel’s extremist finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, made an explicit threat in May to “erase” the agreements that confirmed Palestinian ownership of Solomon’s Pools more than 30 years ago, Israeli settlers and troops have stepped up their presence around the spectacular site.

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19th July 2026 06:00
The Guardian
No car? No problem! Six cheap family days out in England by bus

With bus fares capped at £3 and free for kids in August, it’s the ideal time for wildlife watching, woodland walks, world-class art and more

Trips to waterfalls, gardens, galleries, medieval forests and prehistoric caves will make the long school holidays a lot more fun. To help families explore affordably, throughout August buses in England will be free for kids and adult fares will be capped at £3 single. Or, if you arrive somewhere by train, you could buy a PlusBus ticket, which include unlimited local bus travel. Here are six ideas for family outings by bus around England.

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19th July 2026 06:00
The Guardian
‘We noticed a login from a new device’: the message from fraudsters targeting your X account

They are out to steal your password to commit further fraud such as crypto scams or phishing attacks

You have had an X account for years, since it was known as Twitter. When an email arrives about a new login from a location nowhere near where you live, alarm bells begin to ring.

“We noticed a login to your account from a new device. Was this you?” the email asks.

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19th July 2026 06:00
The Guardian
Dozens of Russian missiles pound Kyiv in major attack

At least one death with authorities reporting fires and damage to offices and homes, while Ukraine’s forces earlier hit logistics warehouses in Russia

Russia has carried out one of its biggest ever ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv, launching a five-hour raid that left at least one person dead and seven injured, with fires and damage across the city.

Ukrainian officials said the capital was hit with about 40 Iskander-M and hypersonic Zircon missiles. Residents heard an air raid siren sound at 1.30am. There was the sound of air defences followed minutes later by a series of booms and explosions.

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19th July 2026 05:49
The Guardian
‘We couldn’t let her story end there’: Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s brother on the year since her shocking death – and why he’s still fighting in her name

She was the young girl in that infamous photograph with Prince Andrew, and the best-known survivor of Jeffrey Epstein. As Virginia’s explosive posthumous memoir continues to reverberate, her brother Sky Roberts and his wife, Amanda, talk about her final tragic months

A British prince was arrested at 8am and was stripped of his title; ambassadors, politicians and numerous other high-profile men lost their prestigious jobs; millions of files relating to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were released and a US president remains under scrutiny. So much has happened since the death of Virginia Roberts Giuffre in April last year, and the posthumous publication of her memoir Nobody’s Girl six months later, detailing for the first time the full story of her abuse by Epstein and his associates. “This year has been extraordinary,” says Sky Roberts, Giuffre’s younger brother. “I just wish Virginia was here to see it.”

He is determined that there will be many more advances to come. Giuffre had become one of the most recognisable survivors of Epstein; in the midst of grief, Sky and his wife, Amanda, have become accidental advocates. “She paved the way, and we want to keep paving that road forward for other survivors out there,” says Sky.

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19th July 2026 05:00
The Guardian
One week, two killings: Trump’s immigration crackdown turns deadly – again

The fatal shootings of two men, both killed in their vehicles by ICE agents, have rekindled anger over the US’s militarized deportation push

Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, was driving to work with his brother and two other passengers in Houston, Texas, when immigration agents began tailing his car. They pulled him over and fired a fatal shot through the open passenger-side window.

Six days later in Biddeford, Maine, Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, 26, was driving around his neighborhood when agents stopped him at an intersection – right outside the laundromat where he’d often go with his three-year-old daughter – and shot him dead.

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19th July 2026 05:00
The Guardian
Bank of England to stop accepting bonds linked to coal for key loans

Campaigners hope move will force commercial banks to rethink holding assets linked to the fossil fuel

Climate campaigners have declared a victory after the Bank of England said it would no longer accept bonds linked to one of the most polluting industries on the planet for key loan arrangements.

The ban, which comes into force in October, marks a fresh crackdown on thermal coal, which is burned in power plants to create electricity, and has long been a target of green policy activists.

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19th July 2026 05:00
Us - CBSNews.com
This week on "Sunday Morning" (July 19)

A look at the features for this week's broadcast of the Emmy-winning program, hosted by Jane Pauley.

19th July 2026 04:37
The Guardian
Lashes, langers, bozzers and belly bachelors: a new book decodes Cork’s local slang

Sex, drink and religion are common motifs in the ‘extraordinarily rich’ colloquial vernacular of Ireland’s second city

If Des MacHale had to nominate a favourite from the lexicon of insulting and inexplicable terms that comprise Cork slang, it would have to be “langer”.

Depending on tone and context it can mean idiot, drunkenness or penis, a versatility that baffles outsiders and further enhances the word’s value. “Langer is an absolutely beautiful word. I’m very fond of it,” says MacHale.

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19th July 2026 04:00
The Guardian
São Tomé and Príncipe heads to polls in tense presidential election

Incumbent Carlos Vila Nova hopes to defeat his former party and secure second term as independent

Voters in São Tomé and Príncipe go to the polls for a presidential election on Sunday as one of Africa’s least populous countries seeks to burnish its democratic credentials.

According to the National Election Commission, about 142,000 people are registered to vote in the tiny African state’s elections, approximately 15% of whom live in the diaspora.

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19th July 2026 04:00
... NPR Topics: News
Argentina, Spain and their stars Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal meet in World Cup final

Worry no more about wildfire smoke and $10,000 ticket prices. Sunday's final between Argentina and Spain — the first meeting of their transcendent stars — is here and seems destined to be a classic.

19th July 2026 04:00
Us - CBSNews.com
Social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate arrested in Miami

Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate have been arrested by federal authorities Saturday in Miami.

19th July 2026 02:58
Us - CBSNews.com
2 U.S. service members killed, 1 missing following Iranian strike on Jordan

U.S. forces launched a new round of airstrikes against Iran Saturday evening at the direction of President Trump following the deaths of two U.S. service members.

19th July 2026 02:26
Us - CBSNews.com
Healthcare costs associated with aging out of reach for many Americans

One New York couple depleted their retirement and savings accounts, paying out-of-pocket for healthcare, before they were able to access Medicaid funds.

19th July 2026 01:59
... NPR Topics: News
The Tate brothers are arrested in Miami, U.S. Marshals Service tells AP

The brothers were taken into custody on a sealed warrant, the Marshals Service told the AP. British prosecutors said they were seeking the extradition of the brothers on rape and trafficking charges.

19th July 2026 00:57
Us - CBSNews.com
Northeast, Mid-Atlantic under tornadoes and flood risk as wildfire smoke lingers

A severe weather threat is in effect from the Ohio Valley through the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

19th July 2026 00:51
Us - CBSNews.com
Taylor Farms pulls iceberg lettuce linked to cyclosporiasis outbreak

Taylor Farms said none of its branded salads or kits contain the iceberg lettuce associated with the outbreak.

19th July 2026 00:47
Us - CBSNews.com
Wildfire smoke fouls air across Northeast

Smoke from hundreds of wildfires burning across Canada and Minnesota is creating air quality issues in the Northeast. There are also severe weather threats to the Midwest, as well as the risk of flash flooding in some areas. Meteorologist Andrew Kozak has the forecast.

19th July 2026 00:46
Us - CBSNews.com
Costs put healthcare out of reach for many aging Americans

One New York couple depleted their retirement and savings accounts, paying out of pocket for healthcare before they were able to access Medicaid funds. They are among many Americans facing the same challenges. Jericka Duncan has the story.

19th July 2026 00:17
Us - CBSNews.com
Cyclosporiasis outbreak sparks race to remove contaminated lettuce

A cyclospora outbreak, which has sickened thousands of people nationwide, is believed to have been traced to contaminated lettuce from Mexico supplied by produce giant Taylor Farms. Ian Lee has the latest.

19th July 2026 00:11
The Guardian
Andrew and Tristan Tate arrested in Miami on UK charges of rape and sex trafficking

Britain to seek extradition over alleged sexual exploitation, ‘extreme pornography’ and assault and indecent images of a child

Andrew and Tristan Tate, brothers who are social media influencers, were arrested on UK charges by federal authorities Saturday in Miami, the US Marshals Service said.

They were arrested on an extradition request from British authorities, according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to publicly discuss the case.

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18th July 2026 23:57
The Guardian
Conservatives around world at war against ‘leftwing globalists’, Bridget McKenzie tells CPAC London event

Nationals senator echoes comments by Pauline Hanson as Labor criticises One Nation leader’s divisive stance

The National party’s Senate leader, Bridget McKenzie, has used an appearance at a conference of the populist right in London to declare that conservatives are “in a war” against mass immigration, “leftwing globalists” and “woke” institutions, and to urge rightwing movements across the English-speaking world to unite and fight back.

McKenzie was speaking at the inaugural CPAC GB in London, a British spinoff of the influential US Conservative Political Action Conference, organised by the former British prime minister Liz Truss. She gave a speech on Saturday morning before appearing on a panel chaired by Truss, alongside other rightwing figures.

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18th July 2026 23:37
Us - CBSNews.com
England holds on to defeat France 6-4 in wild World Cup third place match

It was the highest-scoring World Cup game since Hungary beat El Salvador 10-1 in 1982.

18th July 2026 23:28
Us - CBSNews.com
The 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule and how to watch

With 104 World Cup games being played in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, it's like "a Super Bowl every single day for five weeks," U.S. team captain Tim Ream told CBS News.

18th July 2026 23:21
The Guardian
Saka hat-trick seals 6-4 England win over France in epic World Cup third-place playoff

Where to start with this rollercoaster of a match? Thomas Tuchel had promised a reaction but he could not have imagined the manner of the response from England, albeit against a France team firmly on their sunloungers during an incredible first half in which they conceded four times.

Yet with Kylian Mbappé on the hunt for his second successive Golden Boot in Didier Deschamps’ last match in charge of Les Bleus, even that lead courtesy of goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and two from Bukayo Saka almost wasn’t enough. Mbappé began the comeback straight after half-time before adding his second after Bradley Barcola’s strike. The 27-year-old has become the first male player to reach double figures at a World Cup since Gerd Müller in 1970. Over to you, Lionel.

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18th July 2026 23:05
U.S. News
Two U.S. service members killed in Jordan, one missing; Iran threatens 'unforgettable lessons' after calling off interim peace agreement

When asked about Iran no longer abiding by the interim peace agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly said, "I couldn't care less."

18th July 2026 23:04
The Guardian
Fifa to announce record $15bn World Cup revenue, smashing expectations

  • Hospitality and secondary ticket market help fuel rise

  • Gianni Infantino will feel this shores up his position

Fifa will announce record $15bn (£11.2bn) revenues from this summer’s World Cup, significantly exceeding the targets set before the tournament.

Fifa’s member associations were informed of the boost in income by Gianni Infantino on Saturday. Originally the governing body had projected $11bn in earnings. Sources have indicated that hospitality and ticketing, especially through the steeply priced secondary market, account for a significant amount of the increase. Fifa takes 15% from the buyer and another 15% from the seller on the secondary market.

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18th July 2026 22:30
Us - CBSNews.com
7/18: CBS Weekend News

At least two U.S. soldiers were killed in an Iranian attack on a military base in Jordan; Smoke from Canadian wildfires engulfs Northeast.

18th July 2026 22:30
The Guardian
Hungary’s president agrees to stand down after law change ends his term

Tamás Sulyok signed the constitutional amendment that cited ‘serious loss of confidence’ in him as leader

Hungary’s president, Tamás Sulyok, has agreed to step down after signing a constitutional amendment passed by the ruling Tisza party of the prime minister, Péter Magyar.

The amendment will end Sulyok’s term immediately, citing society’s “serious loss of confidence” in a leader elected in early 2024 by lawmakers from the former prime minister Viktor Orbán’s nationalist Fidesz party.

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18th July 2026 22:17
U.S. News
Taylor Farms recalls iceberg lettuce in 27 states due to cyclosporiasis outbreak

Taylor Farms is recalling iceberg lettuce in 27 states because of the potential that the greens could be contaminated with cyclosporiasis.

18th July 2026 22:04
The Guardian
England’s 13 men thwart Argentina comeback in controversial finale

  • Argentina 24-31 England

  • Visitors run in five tries; hosts denied late score by TMO

It has been a long season but England’s well-travelled players can finally head to the beach with some degree of satisfaction. Spurred on by a fine performance from the wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, they had to weather a frantic finale to complete an eventful five-try win over Argentina, thus denying their hosts a notable sporting double over their English amigos this week.

Reduced to 13 and briefly 12 men at stages in the second half, with four players sent to the sin-bin along the way, they were ultimately indebted to Marcus Smith and Feyi-Waboso for all-important tries in the final quarter, along with a brace of first-half scores for Ben Earl. England also had to defend stoutly at times, with Ollie Chessum, Ellis Genge and Joe Heyes all fronting up well at the fag end of an energy-sapping campaign.

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18th July 2026 21:45
The Guardian
Cyclospora: iceberg lettuce recalled in 27 states and more products may follow

Taylor Farms does not specify where products were served or sold, as US braces for weeks more of outbreak

Taylor Farms recalled potentially contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce in 27 states on Friday, including lettuce distributed as recently as Thursday, as cases of cyclosporiasis continue rising in the US.

The US is likely to see at least another two weeks of possible cases, since infections may have happened in recent days. And the expanding outbreak investigation could point to other products in coming days.

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18th July 2026 21:25
The Guardian
Nappy factor? New dad Sam Burns steals march on chasing pack to lead Open

  • American two shots clear of Ryan Fox and Kim Si-woo

  • Burns playing because wife gave birth earlier than expected

After one of the more fiery 24 hours in Open history, how appropriate that a golfer named Burns leads going into the final round at Royal Birkdale.

While Rory McIlroy directed spicy barbs at Bryson DeChambeau, as the row over the American’s behaviour after he was docked two shots for a rules infringement rumbled on, Sam Burns was coolness personified.

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18th July 2026 20:33
... NPR Topics: News
Josh Kerr of Britain breaks 27-year-old world record in the mile

Kerr announced his bid to break the world record months in advance, and pulled off the plan in London on Saturday.

18th July 2026 20:06
The Guardian
Australia’s fuel tax break slowing BHP’s decarbonisation, mining giant’s investors warned

Removal of tax credit would incentivise electrification of truck and rail fleets, Australian Centre for Corporate Responsibility says

A briefing document circulated to BHP investors has warned that the federal government’s fuel tax break is acting as a handbrake on the decarbonisation of the miner’s Australian operations.

Earlier this year, a leaked cache of documents obtained by Guardian Australia and the ABC’s Four Corners revealed BHP had halted or delayed key emissions reductions projects, just years after describing climate change as an “existential” threat that required the greatest mobilisation since the second world war.

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18th July 2026 20:00
The Guardian
When Pauline Hanson and Tommy Robinson met, hatred was a given. More disturbing was the spectacle | Hugh Riminton

One Nation’s polling popularity is proof we live in an upside-down world which surpasses substance and vaults reason

Pauline Hanson’s podcast with Tommy Robinson was dispiriting in unexpected ways. Racism was a given: more deflating was the recognition of its entertainment value. Enough attention has been directed towards Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. He is a thug, a fraudster, a bully and a bigot.

Despite, or because of this, there are those who rush to swing hands with him.

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18th July 2026 20:00
The Guardian
Burnham to scrap Starmer’s digital ID scheme in ‘reset of priorities’

Incoming PM will reallocate unspecified resources from unpopular plan to helping with cost of living

Andy Burnham is expected to scrap Keir Starmer’s plans for digital ID cards in a “reset of priorities” when he enters Downing Street on Monday.

The new Labour leader plans to redirect the resources earmarked for the scheme towards tackling the cost of living, his team indicated on Saturday.

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18th July 2026 20:00
The Guardian
The moment I knew: I thought he was a handsome, arrogant colleague – then the tension between us broke

At work, Alison Muir’s relationship with Peter Thorn veered between flirtation and hostility, until one day he stopped sidestepping his feelings

In 1990, I’d started an exciting job as executive assistant to the director and chief curator of the not-yet-opened Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. On my first day, I was introduced to Peter, the museum’s talented publications manager. I smiled as I shook his hand, but he made no distinct impression.

As I settled into my role, I felt as if he was deliberately avoiding me. I chalked it up to his apparent conceit as, along with good looks, he had a swagger and confidence that made half the female staff infatuated with him.

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18th July 2026 20:00
The Guardian
Republican lawmaker Ralph Norman to join race to succeed Lindsey Graham in South Carolina

Congressman to run for seat despite Donald Trump backing Graham’s sister, Darline, should she choose to run

The Republican representative Ralph Norman, ⁠of South Carolina, has announced he will join the race to succeed the late senator Lindsey Graham, despite Donald Trump backing Graham’s sister, Darline, should she choose to run.

Announcing the launch of his bid on Saturday, Norman wrote on X: “I’m running to represent the people of South Carolina in the US Senate because we need a fighter who will stand with President Trump and carry on Lindsey Graham’s legacy!”

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18th July 2026 19:14
U.S. News
Korean beauty products are becoming mainstream in the U.S. Why there may be even more growth ahead

Morgan Stanley forecasts that K-beauty sales in the U.S. can reach approximately $4 billion in 2026.

18th July 2026 19:11
The Guardian
Luis de la Fuente reveals Spain will not man-mark Messi in World Cup final

  • Coach tells of first encounter when Messi was 16

  • ‘I took man-marker off and Messi scored four’

Luis de la Fuente says he will not man-mark Lionel Messi in the World Cup final, even though the Argentina captain has scored eight times and provided four assists and the Spain coach’s own experience suggests it might not be a bad idea.

In the buildup to Sunday’s final in New Jersey, De la Fuente told the story of the first time he encountered Messi, 22 years ago, when the Argentinian was a 16-year-old coming through at Barcelona, he was the youth-team coach at Sevilla and the under-19 cup draw brought them together in the last 16 in May 2004 at the Miniestadi.

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18th July 2026 18:15
... NPR Topics: News
Air quality improving in Northeast, while wildfire smoke hangs over Midwest

Wildfire smoke and unhealthy air persist and shift direction, as Trump demands explanation from Canada.

18th July 2026 18:15
... NPR Topics: News
U.S. launches new airstrikes to 'punish' Iran for troop deaths

Two U.S. service members were killed in action while "partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks," U.S. Central Command said Saturday.

18th July 2026 18:14
The Guardian
Chelsea poised to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa in record-breaking £117m deal

  • Fee makes Rogers most expensive English player

  • Arsenal were also keen on Rogers, a £15m Villa signing

Chelsea are poised to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for £117m. The attacking midfielder has agreed terms on a six-year contract and is due to undergo a medical on Monday.

Arsenal were interested in Rogers and made contact with Villa this month but Chelsea have long tracked the 23-year-old’s progress and have moved quickly to land one of Xabi Alonso’s top targets.

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18th July 2026 18:10
Us - CBSNews.com
ICE officer in Maine shooting has history of violent behavior, relatives say

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who shot and killed a Colombian man in Maine this week is an Army veteran who has struggled with serious mental health issues since early childhood, relatives say.

18th July 2026 17:48
The Guardian
Shackle Rodri the metronome and Argentina’s passion play can floor Spain | Jonathan Wilson

The World Cup final is a classic clash of the process team against a side riding an emotional urge to fulfil Messi’s destiny

In the 37 minutes between England going ahead against Argentina and falling behind, they had 12% possession. It’s fair to assume that in the World Cup final Spain will provide a rather different challenge. They do not suffer the Mafeking tendency of the English, seeking to re-enact some famous siege every time they take the lead. The finalists have averaged 64% possession so far in the tournament. Spain could hardly be more different to England: their way is not of panic but of process.

There is a clearly defined Spanish style, as there has been since Vicente del Bosque replaced Luis Aragonés as Spain manager in 2008, and arguably before. In that, perhaps, there is hope for England. Spain once were even greater underachievers but Aragonés inspired the revolution against the furia roja orthodoxy. The result has been three Euros and a World Cup in the past two decades, with perhaps another to come on Sunday.

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18th July 2026 17:00
Us - CBSNews.com
Maps show wildfire smoke forecast, air quality alerts in swath of U.S.

Heavy smoke from several large wildfires blazing in Canada and Minnesota is engulfing large swaths of the Midwest and the U.S. East Coast this week.

18th July 2026 16:44
The Guardian
McIlroy lashes out at DeChambeau for ‘holding the Open hostage’ over penalty row

  • ‘I won’t defend Bryson – I’m not fond of him’

  • Masters champion says rival’s actions ‘not a good look’

Rory McIlroy has accused a “performative” Bryson DeChambeau of “holding the tournament hostage” after the incredible scenes which marked the end of the American’s second round at the Open.

DeChambeau’s antics were matched in noteworthy terms by the scathing sentiment of McIlroy on Saturday. “I won’t pretend to be up here and defend Bryson,” said McIlroy. “I’m not particularly fond of him.”

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18th July 2026 16:29
Us - CBSNews.com
1 dead, 3 missing after boat sinks near Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay

One person died and three were missing in San Francisco Bay on Tuesday after a boat with 20 people on board sank near Alcatraz Island, authorities said.

18th July 2026 16:28
The Guardian
North Dakota men who discover they were switched as newborns sue hospital

Kyle Bylin and Jeremy Morrison uncovered the truth after Bylin received an at-home DNA test as a Christmas gift

A DNA discovery has led two families to accuse a North Dakota hospital of changing the course of their lives after learning two newborns were allegedly switched at birth nearly four decades ago.

Kyle Bylin uncovered the truth after receiving an at-home DNA test during a Christmas gift exchange. The test connected him with his biological aunt through a genealogy platform, prompting her nephew, Jeremy Morrison, to take his own DNA test. The results confirmed the two men had been raised by each other’s biological families.

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18th July 2026 16:23
The Guardian
Pogacar attacks ⁠on steepest climb to clinch fourth ⁠Tour de France stage win

  • Slovene now 4min 30sec ahead of Vingegaard

  • Paul Seixas takes lead in young rider classification

Tadej Pogacar’s rapacious appetite for stage wins was in evidence yet again in the climbs of the Vosges on Saturday, as he raced to his fourth victory of this year’s Tour de France at Le Markstein.

Pogacar’s attack came 1.6km from the summit of the final climb, the Col de Haag, and 7.5km from the finish line and once again left Jonas Vingegaard, Paul Seixas and Remco Evenepoel in his wake.

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18th July 2026 15:58
The Guardian
Mercedes’ Antonelli outpaces Verstappen to grab F1 Belgian GP pole

  • Russell will share second ​row with Ferrari’s Leclerc

  • Norris ‌third fastest ‌but has a 10-place grid penalty

Kimi Antonelli has suffered a run of no little bad luck of late, but the Italian teenager demonstrated it had left him entirely unfazed as he produced a dominant lap to secure pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix.

The 19-year-old’s composure and control at Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday was something to behold as he flew round the circuit in the Ardennes mountains with ease, comfortably beating the Red Bull of Max Verstappen into second place. Notable was the manner in which he did so given Verstappen had benefited from having a tow from his teammate, Isack Hadjar, who willingly sacrificed his laps given he had a 30-place grid penalty to come.

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18th July 2026 15:39
... NPR Topics: News
Reporter's Notebook: Finding World Cup joy in speaking to women who love soccer

Tune into World Cup coverage, and you are likely to see waves of male, screaming, sweaty fans. But one of the joys of covering this World Cup has been speaking to women who love soccer.

18th July 2026 15:30
The Guardian
‘Where did they go?’: homeless people feel force of America’s brutality in World Cup clean-up

Fifa says football brings the world together but the unhoused in Atlanta feel targeted and completely excluded from the tournament

“A lot of our community has been pushed out by the World Cup. We’re not just dollar signs, we’re more than that. We’re people and we’re frustrated that they’ve chosen to treat us less than human.”

They dropped me off there in the middle of the night. They call them Mormon centres or whatever, but it ain’t nothing but a warehouse of cops. It looked like a Fema camp. When I saw it, I left, I walked all the way back here. It’s because of the World Cup. They’re trying to make it look good for tourists. They don’t want the eyesores around.”

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18th July 2026 15:15
The Guardian
Germany’s CDU parliamentary leader resigns after using surrogacy to become parent

Jens Spahn had criticised ‘rented wombs’ and his party is strongly opposed to surrogacy, which is banned in Germany

A senior German politician and ally of the chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has resigned as parliamentary group leader of the Christian Democrat (CDU) party after he and his husband used a surrogate mother to become parents, a practice he has criticised in the past and his party is vehemently opposed to.

Surrogacy is banned in Germany, a policy Jens Spahn refused to relax when he was health minister in 2020, so he and his husband, Daniel Funke, used a surrogate mother in the US.

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18th July 2026 15:09
The Guardian
Federal court strikes down New Jersey ban on assault rifles and large-capacity magazines

Ruling comes as supreme court is set to consider whether bans on semiautomatic rifles violate US constitution

A federal appeals court on Friday ruled that New Jersey’s bans on assault firearms and magazines that can hold 10 or more rounds is unconstitutional.

It marks the first time a federal appeals court has struck down a state ban on such weapons, and comes as the US supreme court is set to consider whether bans on semiautomatic rifles violate the second amendment in the fall. Just last week, another federal appeals court upheld Illinois’s ban on semiautomatic weapons.

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18th July 2026 15:03
The Guardian
Doctors question evidence behind Pentagon plan for testosterone screening

Pete Hegseth announced that soldiers aged 30 and older in the US military will be screened for low testosterone

The US defense secretary, ⁠Pete Hegseth, this week ordered an annual testosterone-deficiency screening for active-duty and reserve service members aged 30 and older, which he says will help to maintain military readiness.

But many medical professionals warn it might do nothing of the sort and instead could increase service members’ risk of infertility or lead to other consequences if testosterone is prescribed inappropriately.

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18th July 2026 15:03
The Guardian
‘Rifts began to appear’: Why many Latin Americans want Spain to beat Argentina in the World Cup final

A history of racism and ongoing footballing rivalries have made the choice of which team to get behind in Sunday’s final a charged topic

The Brazilian journalist and columnist Julia Duailibi usually writes about politics in her weekly column for the leading Brazilian newspaper O Globo, but last Thursday she took a different tack, writing instead about why she would not be supporting neighbouring Argentina in the World Cup final.

“I have always been an admirer of the hermanos [as Brazilians affectionately call Argentinians] and would have loved to cheer on a fellow South American team,” she wrote on the morning after Argentina’s dramatic semi-final victory over England. “But I admit that the racist scenes involving a minority of the fans, and the silence of the majority on the pitch, turned my stomach.”

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18th July 2026 15:03
The Guardian
Josh Kerr makes athletics history by shattering one-mile world record in London

  • Time of 3min 42.66sec betters El Guerrouj in 1999 by 0.47

  • Kerr becomes seventh British man to hold record

Having put himself out there in the manner that he did, Josh Kerr left nowhere else to go. He had to deliver on Saturday. You call your shot, you take it. So he did. And boy, was it spectacular.

For the first time in 27 years there is a new one-mile world record-holder. On the morning of this London Diamond League meet, Sebastian Coe – a three-time mile world record-holder himself – described Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj, the incumbent, as the greatest miler in history. If that fact remains undisputed, the record books will now show Kerr’s name above El Guerrouj as the man who ran one mile in 3min 42.66sec. Just as he said he would.

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18th July 2026 14:56
Us - CBSNews.com
7/18: CBS Saturday Morning

Smoky air in parts of the U.S. as President Trump renews election interference claims. Plus, an interview with Anne Hathaway and Matt Damon.

18th July 2026 14:00
The Guardian
Cuba edges toward breakdown as power cuts and US meddling push society to brink

As Cuba swelters under six-month oil blockade imposed by US, tempers are fraying and unrest is growing

When Cuba’s national grid collapses, as it did for the third time in 10 days on Tuesday, a collective groan spreads across its cities and people wonder, again, whether the island’s antiquated electricity system may soon become unrecoverable.

The 777-mile Caribbean island of 9.5 million people has been sweltering under a six-month-long oil blockade imposed by the US, part of a pressure campaign to bring down its communist government. But the parlous state of Cuba’s infrastructure goes far further back.

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18th July 2026 13:14
The Guardian
Rachel Roddy’s recipe for pasta with courgette, onion and raw tomato salsa | A kitchen in Rome

Hot summer days call for a pasta dish that’s treated like salad leaves – tossed gently through a fresh, room-temperature sauce

In her encyclopaedic but not at all stuffy book about Neapolitan food, Jeanne Caròla Francesconi provides half a dozen recipes for pasta with raw tomato sauces suitable for hot days. The one I always notice is vermicelli all’insalata, because of the arrangement of the words. Not the familiar insalata di pasta (pasta salad), but all’insalata (like a salad), which serves as a reminder that, as with salad, the important thing with this family of recipes is that the pasta is treated like leaves of salad and tossed gently but thoroughly with plenty of tasty and suitably cut condiments and dressing.

The dressing in this instance is the result of mixing two recipes that we used to make during cooking lessons on hot days at the old Latteria Studio: pasta with courgette, and pasta with double tomato sauce. The courgette softened in plenty of olive oil with spring onion is the warm part of the recipe, while a raw and juicy salsa of tomato, garlic and herbs provides the room-temperature element.

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18th July 2026 13:00
... NPR Topics: News
Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?

U.S. presidents have promised short, decisive wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. All have proved much more difficult than advertised and fallen far short of the political goals set at the beginning.

18th July 2026 12:45
Us - CBSNews.com
2 kidnapped Forest Service workers safe after being zip-tied, held at gunpoint

Two suspects, a father and his adult son who were allegedly armed with guns and knives, have been arrested, authorities said.

18th July 2026 12:19
The Guardian
When Trump accuses others of wrongdoing, you can bet he’s up to something himself | Arwa Mahdawi

Thursday’s speech about election integrity was a case in point, as the president seeks to undermine the system

America’s mad king is spiraling. Donald Trump’s approval ratings are mired in the 30s as the Iran war rages on with no end in sight. As prices rise and the US’s reputation tanks, Trump is building self-serving monuments and putting his face on new $1 coins to ensure he leaves a lasting legacy. Don’t worry, Donald, we’ll never forget you! Your name will forever be associated with corruption, crime and a nationwide outbreak of explosive diarrhea.

When the going gets tough, Trump tends to go into full-on victim mode. This week was no exception. On Thursday, the president gave a televised primetime speech in which he rehashed all his usual grievances. A random jab about trans people? Check. Boasting about how he’s single-handedly made America great again? Check. Demonizing the media? Check. Complaints about how unfair it was he lost to Joe Biden in 2020 coupled with accusations about Chinese interference and misinformation about election integrity? Check. “No country can be great without fair and honest elections,” Trump announced. “If there can be no trust, there can be no greatness. Unfortunately, the system we have falls catastrophically short of that standard.”

Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist

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18th July 2026 12:00
The Guardian
Nelson Mandela held a mirror to humanity – and showed us what solidarity means | Zohran Mamdani

In a speech given on Wednesday in honor of Nelson Mandela Day, New York’s mayor reflects on what Madiba can teach us in a fractured era

What a privilege it is to be together to honor the leadership of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. For 27 years, this organization has insisted that Madiba’s legacy belongs not only in museums, but in movements for freedom too. I would like to recognize a man whose legacy lives on in the millions that he inspired.

Madiba lives in every protest for justice, every call for democracy, every march with a righteous demand. Madiba lives in every township and slum where dignity remains just out of reach, and he lives in each person who reaches for that dignity, who works all day and then returns home with food for the hungry and medicine for the sick. Madiba lives each time someone bears witness to oppression, or want, or misery, and does not accept it as inevitable, but rather as something that we each can fight. So many of us are only where we are today – can only conceive of the principled as possible – because Madiba showed us the path.

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18th July 2026 12:00
U.S. News
World Cup audience stayed bipartisan despite Trump's prominent role, CNBC survey finds

Nearly half of registered voters watched the 2026 World Cup, with income and education shaping viewership more than party affiliation, the survey found.

18th July 2026 12:00
... NPR Topics: News
Opinion: The continued courage of Captain Sully

Retired pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger is known for safely landing an airplane on the Hudson River in 2009. This week, he announced that he has Alzheimer's disease.

18th July 2026 12:00
The Guardian
Faced with inadequate US healthcare, Black women fly to South Korea: ‘It could save your life’

Black women who feel minimized or dismissed in the US are traveling thousands of miles for South Korea’s patient-first approach

For years, Americans have crossed borders in search of affordable healthcare, whether it be for dental work in Mexico, prescription drugs in Canada, or hair transplants in Turkey. But a new destination in medical tourism is gaining momentum among Black American women, who are increasingly booking flights to Seoul, South Korea, for something else: care that feels inclusive.

South Korea holds a reputation as the global capital of cosmetic dermatology and plastic surgery. But many visitors are discovering comprehensive preventive medicine, extensive diagnostic testing and appointments that are more affordable and easier to access than in the United States. “Our clients have told us they want to know what’s actually going on in their body,” says William Ban, the co-founder and COO of Himedi, a preventive health platform that connects American clients with comprehensive diagnostic screening in South Korea. “They arrive in Korea and access a level of diagnostic thoroughness with same-day imaging, comprehensive panels and specialist review that would take months and significant out-of-pocket cost to assemble in the US, if they could access it at all.”

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18th July 2026 11:00
The Guardian
Wife of US heir and activist donor on fighting his extradition to US: ‘It’s incredible that this can happen’

Stella Schnabel says Trump administration is falsely accusing James ‘Fergie’ Chambers of contributing to Hamas

Although her husband, James “Fergie” Chambers, had been locked up in Spain for nearly a week, Stella Schnabel didn’t break down and cry until Thursday, when she finally got to speak to him for several minutes – enough time, she said, “for us to say we love each other and for him to say: ‘Tell the kids I love them.’”

Spanish authorities, operating on a US extradition request, arrested the 41-year-old Chambers, a US citizen and wealthy donor to leftwing and humanitarian projects worldwide, last Friday in Ibiza. He has been transferred to a prison in Madrid. The Trump administration’s Department of Justice is seeking his extradition for alleged financial support of Hamas, according to a spokesperson for the Spanish high court.

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18th July 2026 11:00
The Guardian
Into the Wild inspired my life of adventure – but I learned the wrong lessons about freedom

The film helped me realise that getting out into nature would also allow me to escape my anxieties, but I started to see the costs of constant escape

It’s 5.30am, and I’m waking up on a granite slab overlooking the Domeland Wilderness, with nothing but forest, stone and silence for miles. I am 44 days into hiking the Pacific Crest Trail – a journey of about 2,650 miles from the Mexican border to Canada through desert scrubland, pine forests, deep valleys, volcanic terrain and alpine mountains. Each day, I walk about 20 miles with everything I need for the next four months on my back.

I was 16 when I first watched Into the Wild, the film telling the true story of Christopher McCandless, an adventurer who gave up his middle-class life to live in the wilderness. I’d always had a sense of adventure and was enticed by the idea of breaking away from expectations and moving through the world on my own terms. I began to fantasise about escaping my north London bubble to live somewhere as remote and unknown as the wild American landscapes in the film.

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18th July 2026 11:00
The Guardian
What will Keir Starmer do next?

Outgoing PM has joked about cookery classes and cutting hedges, but does the international stage beckon?

As his time in Downing Street comes to an end, Keir Starmer has been joking with friends about what he might do after he stands down as prime minister.

He has teased that he might take a cookery course. “He needs it, he only makes two meals,” one friend said. Another not entirely serious suggestion was cutting his father-in-law’s hedge in the expectation that if he did well, he could graduate to lawns.

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18th July 2026 11:00
... NPR Topics: News
8 killed and more than 60 wounded in Ukrainian drone attack on Russian regions

Kyiv's forces are continuing their aerial campaign against energy infrastructure and military targets inside Russia, aiming to undermine Moscow's war effort.

18th July 2026 10:45
The Guardian
Eye masks, cherry gel and an afternoon kiwi: Ezri Konsa, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and other top sports stars on how to get a good night’s sleep

The England defender wears a tracker, the heptathlete is experimenting with kiwi fruits – and world champion swimmer Adam Peaty swears by hours and hours of history videos …

Katarina Johnson-Thompson

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18th July 2026 10:30
Us - CBSNews.com
The Uplift: Weaving American history

We travel to South Boston, Virginia, where they are weaving pieces of American history every day at a patriotic flag factory. Plus, David Begnaud shares three heartwarming stories sent to him by viewers.

18th July 2026 10:30
The Guardian
Tell us: are you wearing the new Meta glasses?

If you’re wearing the new glasses, we want to know more about how you’re using them. We’d also like to hear from people about how they feel about others around them wearing the glasses

With over seven million pairs of glasses reported to have been sold by Meta in 2025, it is clear that their popularity is growing and we’d like to find out more about how people are using them.

There have been some concerns around nonconsensual filming and the data protection of users, however the glasses have proved life-changing for those with visual impairments and hearing loss.

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18th July 2026 10:17
... NPR Topics: News
The 2000s called. They want their digital camera back

Why are people who weren't born 25 years ago snapping up the digital camera of that era? Blame Taylor Swift, trend cycles, childhood nostalgia and smartphone fatigue.

18th July 2026 10:01
The Guardian
‘As individuals, we keep ourselves in cages, without connecting to others’: Jibak Bhattacharya’s best phone picture

On a break from work, the oncologist was struck by the sight of construction workers balancing on scaffolding for a new high-rise

There is no window in Jibak Bhattacharya’s consultation suite, in Kolkata’s Apollo multispeciality hospital. The oncologist took this photo in 2024 while on a break. “I often crave sunlight between seeing patients, so I step out on to the landing, which has a huge square glass window where you can enjoy the outside view,” he says. “Previously, it was unobstructed nature, but they are developing a high-rise now.”

Bhattacharya noticed the pattern made by three workers on the scaffolding, and how you could draw a line straight through it, as in noughts and crosses.

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18th July 2026 10:00
The Guardian
Natalie Imbruglia: ‘I forget the words to my own songs on stage. You’d be surprised how few people notice’

The singer on struggling with the English weather, a secret celebrity crush, and her terror of tinned spaghetti

Born in Sydney, Australia, to an Italian father and Australian mother, Natalie Imbruglia, 51, joined the cast of Neighbours at the age of 17. In 1997, she released her debut album, Left of the Middle, which gave her the global hit single Torn. She releases her seventh studio album, Algorithm, on 4 September. She lives in Oxfordshire with her son.

What is your greatest fear?
As an Italian, tinned spaghetti. As a child, I was once served it at someone’s house. It was quite frightening.

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18th July 2026 09:00
The Guardian
‘Maybe the best pumped-up sequel ever made’: James Cameron’s Aliens hits 40

The director’s more-is-more approach to the 1986 sequel gave us seat-edge action and an indelible performance from a rule-breaking Sigourney Weaver

James Cameron loves tough female characters. That seems like a given now, after three Avatars and two particularly muscular arms belonging to Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2. Even the lushly romantic Titanic is about a supportive, sweet-natured boyfriend lending his love the extra smidge of strength she needs to live a rich and iconoclastic life without him, until she’s freely chucking diamonds into the sea at 100 years of age. But in Cameron’s 1984 de facto feature debut The Terminator (after a Piranha sequel that he attempted to disown), T2’s Hamilton is stalked and appropriately terrified by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s slasher-like killer robot. She’s a great character who gets majorly pumped up for the sequel in 1991. By then, Cameron had plenty of practice: he had already written and directed Aliens, maybe the best pumped-up sequel ever made, which turns 40 this week.

Ellen Ripley, introduced as the warrant officer onboard the ship Nostromo in Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror picture Alien, is already a great character by the end of that film. But while the anecdote about James Cameron pitching a sequel by appending a dollar-sign to Alien’s title, concisely showing what a simple pluralization could do, has perhaps overtaken the buffing up of Ellen Ripley in the most-circulated lore about this movie, she’s really the first subject of Cameron’s great plussing. Without betraying the simplicity and resilience of her character in the first film, Cameron reintroduced Ripley as a survivor, landing on Earth almost 60 years after the events of the earlier film. (In a deleted scene restored in the film’s longer special edition, Ripley even learns that her daughter has died in the interim – as an adult, given that Ripley was in cryosleep for decades.)

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18th July 2026 09:00
The Guardian
Hagitude author Sharon Blackie: ‘At 60 I wasn’t ready to give up, I was just starting’

The writer of cult hit If Women Rose Rooted is on a mission to bring folklore to modern readers. She talks about confronting her fears, communing with nature – and the power that comes with age

Like many of the wise women in her books, Sharon Blackie lives miles from anyone. Hers is the only house on the road winding through a valley deep in the Yorkshire Dales. The River Eden runs along the bottom of her garden, which overlooks the ruins of a castle built, as legend has it, by King Arthur’s father. The writer shares this romantic idyll with three border collies, six sheep, nine hens and her husband, David Knowles, a former RAF Tornado pilot.

It seems an appropriate setting for an author who is on a mission to bring fairytales to modern readers. Blackie runs spiritual retreats and workshops at the nearby Broughton Sanctuary and publishes a popular Substack called The Art of Enchantment. Her books, including word-of-mouth hits such as If Women Rose Rooted and Hagitude, are a beguiling mix of memoir, mythology and eco-feminism – manifestos for a better way of living.

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18th July 2026 08:00
The Guardian
London Underground users should know about toxic dust risk, whistleblower says

Former tube network cleaner says tribunal vindicated his health concerns, including about asbestos, that could affect public

A London Underground worker who was unfairly sacked after whistleblowing about his concerns over exposure to asbestos and other toxic dust has said he wants all tube passengers to know about the potential hazards his case has revealed.

Micky Steeds, a former professional boxer from Aveley in Essex, started working for London Underground in 2018 cleaning up decades of dust from vents, lift shafts and inverts – confined channels underneath station platforms for cabling.

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18th July 2026 06:58
The Guardian
Farage’s furious clash with Times editor stuns figures close to him

‘Strong confrontation’ comes at fragile moment for Reform’s relations with rightwing media as coverage turns negative

Nigel Farage is no stranger to expressing his ire at what he regards as the liberal establishment, but even figures close to him were surprised at the tirade of anger he unleashed upon the editor of the Times.

The exchange, which is said to have included an expletive aimed at Tony Gallagher, was triggered by the Reform UK leader’s outrage that the paper was planning to run a story about his houses, which he said endangered his family.

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18th July 2026 06:00
The Guardian
Pompeii: Out of Time With Tom Hiddleston – the tale of ordinary Romans’ hopeless heroism is tearjerking television

The Avengers star teams up with real-life scholars for a look at the eruption of Vesuvius. At points it’s elegiac and moving, at others it’s majestic and brutal

It’s always funny when documentaries strategically pair a possibly boring topic with a famous face, just to sex them up. A History of NCP Car Parks By Tinie Tempah, say, or World’s Deadliest Sleep Disorders With Anna Maxwell Martin. So when I saw that Tom Hiddleston was hosting a National Geographic investigation into the destruction of Pompeii in AD79 (Disney+, from Thursday), there was no way I wasn’t watching.

The actor has famously sauntered through life’s most vaunted way stations: Eton, Cambridge, Rada, Kong: Skull Island. Privilege and perceived smugness have long been sticks to beat him with. It’s harder to argue he’s not qualified for this job, having earned a double first in classics. Here, he slips into the role of undergraduate detective. A real-life scholar is forced to cosplay as his don during their interview, addressing Hiddleston by surname, issuing prim little reprimands. Hiddleston even translates Latin headstones in the first episode. I don’t know what the ancient Roman for “screw it, I’m leaning in” is, but I think that’s what it means.

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18th July 2026 06:00
The Guardian
The Guide #252: Christopher Nolan forces ​all rivals to flee as he dominates the battle of the blockbusters

In this week’s newsletter: Is Nolan our last superstar director? Every one of his films is an event, clearing the release schedules and selling out cinemas

This July, competitors are running scared – like Ithacans fleeing the cyclops Polyphemus – from The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s humongous staging of Homer’s epic poem. The only significant alternatives you’ll find at the cinema in the week of its release are a handful of Aardman rereleases and an astoundingly poorly reviewed adaptation of Animal Farm. The tumbleweeds roll on into next week too, where the star attraction is a cheapo horror film capitalising on Pinocchio’s public-domain status. Only by the 31 July does a blockbuster tentatively poke its head above the parapet – we commend you for your bravery, Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

No other film-maker is able to make studios retreat from the battlefield like Nolan, such is his clout. Sure, other directors might be able to attract sizeable numbers of moviegoers by dint of their name on the poster – Paul Thomas Anderson, Tarantino, Scorsese – but none of them are operating on the same “event cinema” scale, selling out cinemas for months on end. Modern-day Spielberg, with a fair wind behind him, might come close, but that depends completely on the project: flashy sci-fi movie that harks back to his golden era of ET and Close Encounters – perhaps; semi-autobiographical paean to the wonders of moviemaking – not so much. Nolan doesn’t tend to experience that variability: everything he stamps his name on will reliably hit.

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18th July 2026 06:00
The Guardian
It’s time to admit it: my dog has a bigger social network than me

Accompanying my wife on a morning walk is a humbling experience – not least because our pet enjoys better name recognition than I do

I don’t normally do the morning dog walk; it’s my wife’s thing. But we’re going away for the weekend straight afterwards, so on this particular Friday it makes sense for us to go together. The park is more or less on the way out of town.

“Morning!” my wife sings, waving at someone in the car park.

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18th July 2026 05:00
The Guardian
Blind date: ‘We swapped numbers. I think that sends out good vibes, no?’

Hugh, 55, a teacher and musician, meets Edie, 50, an independent advocate

What were you hoping for?
An exciting, exhilarating experience and a beautiful lady to talk to.

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18th July 2026 05:00
The Guardian
Meera Sodha’s recipe for roasted Greek salad with orzo | Meera Sodha recipes

Bring the flavours – and heat – of Athens into your kitchen, with this traditional salad baked for an added sweetness and jamminess

Greeks, look away now! Those who don’t turn on the oven in the summer months might want to turn the page, too. Personally, I don’t mind putting something in the oven in summer, not least because I enjoy that the oven does the work when I might not want to. I even quite like that cheeky blast of heat when I open the door, imagining briefly that I’m on the streets of Athens. I digress … Today’s recipe is for a Greek salad (minus the cucumber) that’s roasted to make the flavours sweeter and more jammy, then cut with briny feta and cooked with orzo to fill bellies after a long summer’s day.

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18th July 2026 05:00
The Guardian
Trump, not Iran, is the world’s greatest danger. He’s a one-man weapon of mass destruction | Simon Tisdall

As the bombing starts again, it’s clear the president has dragged the US into a limitless fiasco – and the world into an economic quagmire

Feckless and clueless, Donald Trump is lost in Iran, unable to find a way out of the disastrous war he started. Once again, the US military is pummelling the country and, increasingly, its civilian infrastructure. As before, this unlawful bludgeoning strengthens the resistance of a hardline regime that cares little for its people’s suffering. How often have Trump and Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon’s wildling lord of bones, hailed a bogus victory? The president claimed this week to be “winning big”. No one believes him. Even as it counts the vast human and economic cost of his Persian folly, a watching world scoffs at US impotence.

Control of the strait of Hormuz, closed due to Trump’s belligerence, is now the White House’s limited, elusive objective. The grander US and Israeli war aims – eliminating Iran’s nuclear programme, degrading its regional militias, regime change – are less attainable than ever. It’s Trump’s craven leadership that renders US forces ineffective, not the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. If Iran really is the existential menace he claims, the logical course would be all-out conquest. When George W Bush decided Iraq posed unacceptable dangers, he invaded with 170,000 ground troops. It was a catastrophe. But at least Bush had balls.

Simon Tisdall is a Guardian foreign affairs commentator

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18th July 2026 05:00
The Guardian
‘An overnight success after 25 years? Delicious’: Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham on sexism, stunts and stardom at 51

The actor seemed destined for a long but unflashy career in musical theatre – until a role as a football club owner in the TV hit changed everything. She talks about her new Hollywood era, calling out misogyny and why she’s ‘more than just camp’

Hannah Waddingham clears her throat. Her voice is a little scratchy. Two days before we meet, the star of Ted Lasso hosted the TV comedy show Saturday Night Live UK. She took part in almost all of the sketches that night, from a skit about “two top-heavy, Reading-based drama teachers” called Janet, to a musical number about how many glasses of wine to drink at a bar, to a bit in which she played the stern northern leader of a speed awareness course. In her opening monologue, she zipped through a variety of accents and impressions. “You see?” she told the cheering crowd. “Range! Range.

I should have remembered this line when making small talk. We are tucked away in the hidden private dining room of a hotel in London, the city where the actor was born and raised and where she still lives with her young daughter. When Waddingham walks through the lobby, people notice her. She is tall, striking, and wearing the pulled-down baseball cap that is an actor’s day-off uniform. During lockdown, Ted Lasso – the amiable football series in which she plays Rebecca Welton, the owner of a fictional team called AFC Richmond – made her famous on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2021, it won her an Emmy award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series. At 47, after a long but unflashy career on stage and screen, there was a sense that her time had come.

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18th July 2026 05:00
The Guardian
From Evolution to The Odyssey: the week in rave reviews

Chris Packham takes us back to the beginning in awe-inspiring fashion, while Christopher Nolan heads for Homer with a grand adaptation. Here’s the pick of the week’s culture, taken from the Guardian’s best-rated reviews

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18th July 2026 05:00
The Guardian
The hill I will die on: Parisian waiters are not rude – they’re just badly misunderstood | Helen Massy-Beresford

After living here for years, I can see through that old stereotype. My tip: if your server is not full of bonhomie, why not try saying ‘bonjour’?

Parisian waiters are professionals, providing an excellent service – they are not rude or unfriendly, just sometimes slightly misunderstood. No, really, hear me out. We’re all familiar with the trope of the rude Parisian waiter, looking down their nose at your inferior wine choice. They have been called “brusque and unwelcoming”, “snooty and rude” by travellers who voted Paris the unfriendliest city in the world. But after living here for many years, I’m struggling to think of an experience that really lives up to the stereotype. Harried and busy, sometimes, yes. But rude? No.

So why do Parisian waiters (and let’s face it, Parisians) have a such a bad reputation? Partly, it’s about misunderstandings. Good manners and greetings between strangers in France are quite formal and can (and did, to this Brit, arriving in 2007) seem a little frosty. There are golden rules that many visitors unwittingly break and the big one is “bonjour”. Or rather, a lack of “bonjour”. Going into a shop or a restaurant in Paris (or anywhere in France) and not greeting the staff is incredibly rude. That means many waiters or shop staff in touristy areas are actually, by French rules, being snubbed thousands of times a day. No wonder some of them feel a little grumpy.

Helen Massy-Beresford is a British journalist and editor who lives in Paris

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18th July 2026 04:00
Us - CBSNews.com
DOJ says it's no longer illegal to download TikTok on federal devices

The Justice Department determined this week a federal law banning TikTok from government devices no longer applies to the social video app.

18th July 2026 03:53
Us - CBSNews.com
Trump threatens Canada with higher tariffs over wildfire smoke

President Trump threatened more tariffs on Canada for wildfires that have blanketed large parts of the Midwest and East Coast in smoke in recent days.

18th July 2026 01:02
U.S. News
Leather jacket worn by Nvidia CEO goes for just under $1 million at Sotheby's auction

The high price for the garment is a sign that collectors are looking to bid on artifacts and collectibles from the artificial intelligence boom.

17th July 2026 23:18
The Guardian
‘A revolutionary act to watch it’: the film India’s censors do not want you to see

Director Honey Trehan decries ‘dystopian’ opposition to his film depicting crackdown on Punjab’s separatist movement

For as long as he has been a film-maker, there is one story Honey Trehan has wanted to tell above all.

Growing up in the Indian state of Punjab, Trehan saw firsthand the devastation wrought by police who carried out tens of thousands of killings and illegal cremations in the 1990s, as they cracked down on a separatist insurgency. To those in Punjab, the period remains one of the darkest in India’s modern history. Jaswant Singh Khalra, the activist who exposed the crimes and was murdered in the process, is a national hero.

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17th July 2026 23:05