Middle East crisis live: Trump claims Gaza deal reached; Iran targets US bases in Kuwait

Response from Hamas and Israeli officials suggest Gaza deal still faces obstacles; Tehran launches drone strikes at Kuwait in retaliation for recent US attacks

• Trump claims agreement for ‘complete disarmament’ of Hamas in Gaza but support uncertain

• Saudi Arabia prepares sea and possible land offensive against Houthis

We are getting some of the first international reactions of the supposed Gaza deal announced by Donald Trump.

In the UK, Louise Haigh, who runs the new office of the prime minister, said any progress in peace negotiations is “extremely welcome” while the government awaits Israel’s response.

Melodies International presents Ariwa Sounds review – head-spinning classics from dub legend Mad Professor

(Melodies International)
With cuts from the producer’s Ariwa Sounds label between 1984 and the present day, this compilation hops from skulking proto-grime to dreamy lovers rock

In the late 1970s, Neil Fraser, AKA Mad Professor, and his wife moved into a house in Croydon. “The normal thing would be to put in some chairs, a table,” he said in a podcast last year. Instead, the legendary dub producer fitted his living room with a four-track mixing desk and his collection of homemade gear, thus marking the beginning of the studio and label Ariwa Sounds.

The early years of Ariwa were captured in a 1984 album, which was reissued by Melodies International in 2023. Now, the two labels reunite to document the sounds that followed. This double compilation isn’t an attempt at a greatest hits collection, nor a chronological history, but an insight into the label’s expansive output between 1984 and 2026, featuring big names like Sister Nancy, Horace Andy and Sandra Cross, plus a handful of deeper cuts.

‘Extremely scary findings’ show climate crisis is supercharging Europe’s wildfire weather

Latest study says global heating has made hot, dry and windy conditions in Spain at least 20 times more likely

The extreme heat and drought stoking huge wildfires in Spain and France were made far more likely by the climate crisis, a scientific analysis has found.

Global heating made hot, dry and windy weather at least 20 times more likely in Spain and twice as likely in France, experts from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) consortium calculated. The finding is the latest to pin the blame for the continent’s sweltering and deadly summer firmly on the heating caused by the burning of oil, gas and coal.

‘I was born without self-esteem’: Hannah Einbinder on Hacks, her buzzy queer horror – and being Hollywood’s most outspoken star

The Hacks lead was cast in meta-slasher sensation Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma for her ‘deranged physicality’ – but it’s a fitting role for an actor who has made a point of confronting shame and speaking her mind

‘God is good all the time,” laughs Hannah Einbinder. She’s fresh off a plane from Los Angeles and curled up barefoot in an armchair. This, she says, is “a crazy time in life. Starring in Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma in the midst of Hacks ending … it’s definitely an embarrassment of riches.”

Hacks is the HBO comedy that ended earlier this year; in May, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, Jane Schoenbrun’s queer meta-horror, became the breakout hit of this year’s Cannes film festival.

Franco Baresi, iconic former Milan and Italy defender, dies aged 66

• Italian icon had undergone surgery on pulmonary nodule

• ‘The entire history of ⁠Milan is in ⁠tears,’ Serie A club says

The former Milan and Italy defender Franco Baresi, one of the most recognisable players of the ⁠golden era of Italian football in the 1980s and 1990s, has died at the age of 66.

“The entire history of ⁠AC Milan is in ⁠tears following the ​passing of Franco Baresi,” his former club said on Friday. “His example and integrity will be forever etched into the club’s DNA, just as his iconic No 6 shirt is.”

Iran targets strategic U.S. assets in Kuwait, Bahrain after Egypt drone attack

Iran's army said it launched attacks on strategic U.S. assets and military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.

John Tilbury: At Home album review – an eclectic and extraordinary treasure trove

John Tilbury
(Another Timbre, four CDs)
The great interpreter of Morton Feldman and a towering figure of experimental music signs off with four discs of intimate, revelatory recordings

Few have made a more significant contribution to the fields of contemporary, improvised and experimental music than John Tilbury. When, at 82, he decided to end his live appearances, Simon Reynell, founder of Another Timbre, asked if he might occasionally visit the pianist’s home in Deal, on the Kent coast, and record whatever happened to be on his mind. Eight years later, Tilbury has decided to hang up his hat for good, hence this four-disc set celebrating a unique artist and musical pioneer.

Morton Feldman admired the “swagger” of Tilbury and the British avant garde, and the pianist went on to become perhaps the US composer’s leading interpreter. His recording of Madame Press Died Last Week at Ninety is authoritative, a masterclass in spontaneous phrasing and sonic sensitivity.

Spain deploys military to Ceuta after thousands of people breach Morocco's border

Spain will deploy its military to restore order at its border with Morocco in Ceuta after thousands of migrants streamed into the tiny Spanish territory, with at least nine dying in the attempt.

Calls grow ‘to flunk’ Portugal’s education minister amid exam marking fiasco

Fernando Alexandre’s push to digitise marking process deemed a failure with some students and parents contemplating legal action

Pressure is growing on Portugal’s education minister to resign amid student and teacher protests over his handling of this year’s national school exams.

Fernando Alexandre is accused of failing to take responsibility for what critics say is an unprecedented and chaotic school exam season affecting children aged 14 to 18, prompting student protesters to call for him “to be flunked”.

Jacaranda by Gaël Faye review – the limits of forgiveness after Rwanda

This bold family saga explores a search for healing and truth in the aftermath of the Rwanda genocide

How to forgive the unforgivable? How to live in the aftermath of atrocity? Following 2016’s Small Country, French-Rwandan rapper and writer Gaël Faye takes on huge questions in his second novel, Jacaranda, which explores the seismic events of the Rwanda genocide and the aftershocks that continue to ripple through the generations.

Structurally bold, the story opens in summer 1994 with Milan, Faye’s then 12-year-old protagonist, enjoying an extended break from school. Milan’s father is white French and the family’s life in Versailles is the embodiment of first world ease – their holiday that year, as usual, spent sailing at the Île de Ré. Milan’s mother, though, is Rwandan. Venancia arrived in the 1970s, establishing a life for herself, a successful clothing boutique, a family. However, she cannot share the French ease, much less her thoughts on the disturbing reports from Rwanda now making the evening news.

Death toll from southwestern Japan quake climbs to 34

Searchers continued to work in the Kumamoto area, including at the site of the collapsed mall, where some of the most serious damage was recorded.

Trump announces a deal for Hamas to disarm, but many hurdles and uncertainty remain

President Trump says a deal has been reached for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza. But many hurdles, conditions and long timelines remain to wind down the war in the Palestinian territory.

Crop shop: what to wear with culottes

Not too long and not too short, culottes are the perfect length for summer 2026

Benjamina Ebuehi’s‘ summer berry dutch baby recipe

Think giant sweet yorkshire pud filled with a lake of summer berry compote … that’s some brunch!

This pancake/yorkshire pudding hybrid is nothing if not fun. The edges crisp and puff up in the most dramatic way, making for a very impressive brunch centrepiece that makes a change from regular pancakes. Although delicious just with some icing sugar, I’ve filled this one with a quick fruit compote to make the most of summer berries. The juices soak into the base, making way for my favourite part of a yorkshire: the slightly soggy bottom.

Drones offer alternative to balloons for weather research

Pre-programmed flights gather data at different altitudes then return to bases to recharge and download

Weather happens in the boundary layer, the atmosphere from ground level to a few thousand metres, but this can be difficult to study in detail: weather stations are too low, and aircraft are expensive. Instrumented weather balloons are the traditional solution, and thousands are released every day. But these are at the mercy of the wind and use irreplaceable helium.

Drones offer an alternative and the US company Meteomatics has taken the idea further with Meteobase, a base station on the ground with a drone that can be launched and recovered automatically. It carries out a pre-programmed flight, gathering data at different altitudes, then returns to recharge and download data which the Meteobase sends to researchers.

Fifa to push ahead with consultation plan despite backlash and insists ‘nobody is selling football’

• Body responds after Uefa’s World Cup boycott threat

• Claims ‘process disrupted by incorrect media reports’

Fifa has responded to the threat of a boycott from European nations with a statement saying that “nobody is selling football”, while blaming the media for disrupting its consultation process over controversial plans to sell chunks of the World Cup to US-based private investment.

After an emergency meeting on Thursday, Uefa member associations agreed to boycott all Fifa tournaments, including World Cups, unless the proposal was abandoned entirely.

Country diary: Rumours of glowworms set me off on a twilight stroll | Anita Roy

Wellington, Somerset: Desiccated leaves crunch underfoot and ponds have shrunk to muddy pools. Will I catch a glimpse of bioluminescence?

July is staggering to a close: exhausted, feverish and desperate for a drink. It’s been one of the hottest on record, and still no sign of rain. Townsfolk have become crepuscular: walking the dog before dawn and venturing out only after sundown.

It’s been a terrible year for plants and trees – everyone battling to keep gardens watered and alive. But it’s been an extraordinary year for Wellington wildlife: we’ve had ospreys, beavers – and now glowworms?

Experience: I drive a bus for dogs

I worked with children for years, so the noise doesn’t bother me. You know you’ve done a good job if they’re quiet on the way home

I’ve been a bus driver for 25 years. Before that, I worked in engineering sales and was on the road a lot, but it became impractical once I had young children. I took my kids to soft play centres and I thought: “I could run a place like this.” I opened my own centre in a Victorian shopping arcade in Otley, West Yorkshire, in 1995. It was great as my daughters could come with me. Then, a customer told me about play buses – vehicles converted into soft play centres with slides, ball pits and climbing frames. I liked the idea.

I went to an exhibition to look at some and bought a doubledecker that had already been converted. My uncle drove it home, because I couldn’t. I had to learn quickly as it was parked outside my house. It had no power steering and a ratchet handbrake. I threw up during my first lesson because I was so scared, but driving it soon became second nature. I passed my test within six months.

After teargas, protests and legal strife, Turkey has a new opposition party. Is this the man who can oust Erdoğan? | Kaya Genç

Under Özgür Özel, the CHP became Turkey’s most popular party. Now his Yeni (New) movement is growing fast

In May this year, police in Ankara stormed the headquarters of the Republican People’s party (CHP), the oldest political party in Turkey. Officers used teargas to enforce a controversial appeal court decision that reinstated the CHP’s 77-year-old former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu – seen as less of a threat to the ruling Justice and Development party (AKP). CHP members aligned with Kılıçdaroğlu’s successor, Özgür Özel, placed furniture at the building’s entrance, creating a barrier to prevent police from entering. It didn’t work. Hours later, party members loyal to Özel were physically removed from the premises.

Entering the offices of Turkey’s leading opposition party in such a fashion was a spectacular act with historic consequences. Last Friday, Özel and 90 CHP deputies resigned from their party and declared the founding of the New (Yeni) party. The CHP had served as Turkey’s main opposition since 2002. But not any longer: with the exodus of members to the New party, the CHP is reduced to just 44 legislators in the 600-seat parliament, its third smallest party out of seven.

Will brutal wildfires force French leaders to take climate crisis seriously?

Campaigners worry politicians will have moved on by time of elections in which Marine Le Pen is expected to challenge

As dozens of forest wildfires burned across France this week amid the summer’s fourth brutal heatwave and increasing air pollution, some wondered whether voters’ first-hand experience of the climate emergency would change the political debate ahead of next year’s presidential election.

The Green leader, Marine Tondelier, who cut short a tour of France on medical advice that at seven months pregnant she should avoid breathing smoke-filled air in the south-west near a huge wildfire in Gironde, said the political class still had its head in the sand.

Anthropic reveals Claude "gained unauthorized access" to "real-world systems"

Anthropic's artificial intelligence model Claude "gained unauthorized access" to three outside organizations on three separate occasions during testing.

Trump says he may pull Blanche's nomination until 2 Senate critics leave office

President Trump said Todd Blanche will remain acting attorney general as a holdup on his nomination continues.

U.S. investigating if Iran was behind cyberattack on Minnesota water systems

Malicious cyber activity affected technology at more than 30 community water systems across Minnesota this week, leading authorities to dig into whether Iranian actors are behind the attack, CBS News has learned.

‘A car in the bus!’: Toyota becomes airborne and then wedged in side of Brisbane bus

Queensland police fine driver of another car that allegedly caused Yaris to swerve before it hit kerb and catapulted into air – and bus

A Queensland driver has been fined after being involved in a stunning crash that saw a car become airborne and then stuck in the side of a bus.

The drama unfolded at Rocklea in Brisbane’s south on Wednesday evening. A blue Toyota Yaris hit a traffic island and was catapulted into the air before smashing into the side of the council bus. The back of the car was left protruding from the bus.

World-renowned climber Nirmal Purja among 10 feared missing after avalanche on Pakistan mountain

Expedition on Broad Peak includes mountaineers from Nepal, the US, Pakistan, Oman and China

The world-renowned climber Nirmal Purja – a former British Special Forces member – is among 10 climbers feared missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak in Pakistan, one of the world’s highest mountains.

Purja, who is Nepalese born and also known as Nims Dai, made history in 2019, climbing all of the world’s 14 peaks over 8,000 metres in just over six months.

Could AI take your job? Some workers in China already know the answer

Across the country, workers are fearful about the impact of AI on their livelihoods in an increasingly fragile labour market

On the tree-lined streets of Wuhan, where cars jostle for space with mopeds and cargo trucks, the malfunctioning of a new type of vehicle has recently been causing chaos on the city’s roads.

In March, several cars from a fleet of driverless taxis stopped abruptly in the streets. The “system malfunction” left distressed riders stranded for hours. The robotaxis, known as Apollo Go and powered by artificial intelligence (AI), were taken off Wuhan’s streets for months for investigations.

SK Hynix shares surge 25%, while Samsung soars over 20% as AI rally roars back

South Korea's chip heavyweights SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics soared more than 20% on Friday, tracking a sharp rally in U.S. technology stocks.

Tim Cook sees Apple's hybrid AI strategy as a 'competitive weapon'

Ahead of the launch of Siri AI, Apple's outgoing CEO Tim Cook said the company will charge for artificial intelligence through iCloud.

Hair sample found at Nancy Guthrie's home inconclusive as search hits 6-month mark

A hair sample found at the home of Nancy Guthrie came back inconclusive after undergoing testing, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos revealed Thursday.

Instead of selling his luxury boat company for millions, he invested in his employees

Eddie Smith, the owner of Grady-White Boats, could have sold his business for hundreds of millions of dollars. Instead, he decided to turn the company over to a charitable trust.

Pima County sheriff says he is optimistic about Nancy Guthrie's case "based on all the evidence"

Nearly six months after Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped from her home in Tucson, Arizona, Jonathan Vigliotti sat down with the sheriff at the forefront of the investigation.

WNBA sees sideline controversy over trans athletes in sports after Cunningham comments

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham made news off the court for her recent comments about transgender athletes in women's sports. Jan Crawford has more.

U.S.-Iran war widens further after drone strikes on Egyptian port

U.S. Central Command released new video it said to show fighter jets launching what it described as a "heavy wave" of strikes against Iran. It was the first resumption of strikes in several days. The U.S. said it was in direct retaliation for the recent missile attack on U.S. forces in Jordan. Charlie D'Agata reports.

ICE agents increasingly arresting immigrants at U.S. airports

ICE agents have ramped up arrests at some U.S. airports, working with the TSA to crack down on travelers at check-in counters and even at the departure gates. Camilo Montoya-Galvez has the story.

Trump suggests he may pause Blanche's confirmation amid GOP pushback

Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche's confirmation is on hold after some Republican senators refused to vote for him. President Trump suggested that he may press pause on the nomination. Nikole Killion has more details.

Police fatally shoot suspect in deadly California kidnapping

On Wednesday night in Chino Hills, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles, deputies fatally shot a suspect after a deadly kidnapping. Carter Evans reports as authorities piece together exactly what happened.

Australia’s golden sprinters speak out on cycling defector: ‘Good riddance’

• Views on Matt Richardson aired after gold in team sprint

• One of three Australian cycling golds won on day seven

Leigh Hoffman has bid Matt Richardson good riddance after Australia’s gold medal in the team sprint on day one of the Commonwealth Games track cycling program.

Teammate Ryan Elliott also joked they had cleared Hoffman as their leader, checking his passport to make sure he will stay in the Australian program. While expressing sympathy for Richardson after a recent nasty race crash in Japan, his former teammates finally spoke freely about the shock defection.

Massive explosion rocks quiet Ohio neighborhood

A massive explosion rocked a quiet Ohio neighborhood on Thursday. The blast was caught on video. Tom Hanson has the details.

Stolen Civil War-era cannonballs found in suitcase at Alabama airport

Law enforcement officials say a set of stolen Civil War-era cannonballs was discovered in a passenger's suitcase during a routine security screening at Alabama's Gulf Shores International Airport.

Diane Abbott and Joani Reid readmitted as Labour MPs

Both MPs have had the parliamentary whip restored following separate independent disciplinary processes

MPs Diane Abbott and Joani Reid have been readmitted into Labour and had the parliamentary whip restored, just under two weeks into Andy Burnham’s premiership.

The party confirmed that this followed separate independent disciplinary processes, although Labour said the leadership played no role in either decision.

Reddit CEO says Google's AI Overviews can't replace '10 blue links' for referral traffic

Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said his company has to find ways to work around changes at Google, which is delivering less traffic than in the past.

Microsoft's Xbox chief lays out plan to pass rivals on margin by 2030 in memo to employees

Microsoft's gaming unit wants to invest in its Minecraft franchise and expand through partnerships, including in China.

US government map of Africa mislabels every country at global conference

State department ‘takes full responsibility’ for erroneous, widely shared chart displayed at Aids conference in Brazil

A US government map of Africa mislabeled every country during a state department presentation at a ⁠global conference in Brazil ⁠this week, ​causing a stir among attenders who took screenshots and posted them online.

Reuters viewed a video of the presentation given at the Aids 2026 conference in ⁠Rio de Janeiro, which shows the errant map displayed halfway during a presentation about the state department’s new health agreements.

Record low water levels across Europe reveal mammoth skeletons and forgotten shipwrecks – video

Water levels across several of Europe’s major waterways have dropped to exceptionally low levels, setting new records in some areas.

Extreme heat exacerbated by the climate crisis is intensifying the drought hitting the continent as record-breaking heatwaves means the hot atmosphere is evaporating water from rivers, lakes, soils and plants quickly.

The Danube has hit the lowest level of water in 30 years in several countries including Hungary, Serbia and Romania, and the Rhine has dropped to its lowest recorded level in some sections and is expected to drop further due to drought

• Climate crisis-driven heat ‘sucking soils dry’ as extreme drought hits Europe

Amazon got $600 million in Trump tariff refunds and will pass return along to some customers

The company previously hadn't disclosed whether it would recoup tariff costs after the Supreme Court ruled many of President Donald Trump's levies were illegal.

7/30: CBS Evening News

Mass migration triggers a military response in the Spanish city of Ceuta; a powerful explosion destroys an Ohio home.

Reddit shares sink 11% on 'choppy' search referrals even as results blow past estimates

Reddit reported second-quarter earnings that beat on the top and the bottom, and gave a revenue forecast that topped estimates.

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.

American Airlines makes its flight refund policy more restrictive

American Airlines is tightening its flight refund and cancellation policy. Here's what to know.

Don’t Date Brandon review – this lazy true-crime show doesn’t start to do justice to these women’s horrors

The tale of the women who came together to unpick the destructive swathe that one man cut through his local dating pool is woefully lacking in the detail you need to understand their plight. It feels voyeuristic and misguided

I’m beginning to suspect that the feminist movement is operating a covert psyops wing. I like to think that this is the motive force behind the slew of true-crime documentaries that show us, time and again, what bad men do and how they go about it. Perhaps the repeated stories of women – often unhappy with parts of their lives, or otherwise emotionally vulnerable – being love-bombed by apparent male saviours then finding themselves isolated, controlled, coerced, destabilised and battered into submission and sometimes killed that form the predominant subject of this popular modern genre are a way of teaching the young (especially) what is out there. Maybe it’s a way to help them spot the earliest signs of a predator’s approach and arm the innocent against them.

Otherwise, you know, it’s just voyeuristic filler for the ever-gaping schedule maw.

Peptide vendor sentenced to nearly 6 years in prison: "An incredible trail of harm"

A federal judge sentenced the owner of a peptide company to nearly six years in prison after finding the business deceived customers and sold products that were adulterated with steroids.

Apple and Amazon report rising revenues as investors turn on some tech stocks

Both tech companies beat Wall Street predictions on revenue in their second quarters

Apple and Amazon both released their second quarter earnings on Thursday, a test of investor confidence in major tech companies amid growing concerns over exorbitant AI spending.

Apple revealed quarterly revenue of $109.4bn, beating Wall Street expectations of $108.65bn in revenue. It also reported $2.02 earnings per share, driven by sales of its marquee products such as iPhones and laptops.

Netflix sued for allegedly losing unreleased Nicolas Cage movie

Lawsuit alleges that a drive storing $45 million spy film starring Nicolas Cage was "stolen right off a Netflix desk."

CONCACAF rejects Infantino's World Cup investment plan after UEFA's boycott threat

North America's soccer body on Thursday rejected FIFA president Gianni Infantino's plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors, joining European nations in opposition.

Amazon hikes 2026 capex to $220 billion due to higher memory costs

AWS sales expanded 37% year over year, which trounced analysts' expectations for 31% growth.

Ex-White House counsel says Epstein accuser’s testimony ‘lacked inherent credibility’

Kathryn Ruemmler was blasted by family of late Virginia Giuffre after House committee transcripts were released

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A former White House counsel and former general counsel of Goldman Sachs, who has faced scrutiny over her past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, told a House committee this month that some of the allegations made by one of his most prominent accusers “lacked inherent credibility”, according to newly released transcripts.

Kathryn Ruemmler’s name appeared thousands of times in records related to Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender, that were released earlier this year by the US Department of Justice under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Rivian reduces 2026 spending plans, narrows earnings guidance

Rivian reduced its 2026 spending plans and slightly narrowed its previously forecast losses this year as the company reported second-quarter results.

7/30: The Takeout with Major Garrett

Cornyn and Tillis meet with Blanche amid hold on AG nomination; details on where U.S.-Iran talks stand as war appears to expand to Egypt.

Trump says sanctions bill should include tariffs on Iran, despite 'trivial' trade with U.S.

Trump said he'd "like to see tariffs on Iran" added to a bill that would impose economic sanctions on Russia and those supporting its war against Ukraine.

Mortgage rates hit their highest level in a year, driven by war and inflation concerns

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reached 6.66% on average Thursday.

After Fauci Senate hearing, experts worry about 'chilling effect' on public health

The accusations against Dr. Anthony Fauci, once the nation's leading infectious disease expert, have some experts worrying that these events may further erode public health staffing in the U.S.

Cyclospora outbreak has hurt Taco Bell but sales are already improving, Yum Brands CEO says

The restaurant company provided no update on the cyclospora outbreak tied to Taco Bell restaurants is affecting its business.

Amazon's AWS posts fastest growth since 2021, citing AI and chip demand

Amazon Web Services announced new business with Meta and OpenAI in the quarter.

Jersey Mike's stock falls 6% in public market debut after pricing shares at $23

Jersey Mike's priced its initial public offering at $23 per share.

Should I leave my polyamorous relationship if I want to start a family? | Leading questions

Polyamory is supposed to be about abundance, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith. But your partner’s behaviour risks making it a zero-sum arrangement

• Read more Leading questions

I have been in a wonderful relationship for six years. We are polyamorous and recently we have been thinking about marrying and starting a family. I think this shift should include stricter boundaries and safeguards, as carrying a child will be disproportionately taxing for me and I expect I won’t want to feel vulnerable or jealous. I also think children necessarily bring about changes in lifestyle, and I would be happy to put the promiscuity on pause. At the very least, I’d like him to steer clear of romantic connections; I’m much more open about him simply having sexual liaisons or flirting.

He will not commit to this, on philosophical grounds. He says I am his soulmate, but also that there can be many soulmates and that “nobody can promise anything for ever”. When I suggest this means we should not be primary partners so that I may pursue those milestones with someone who can give me the reassurances I need, he disagrees very strongly and asks me not to decide on the fate of our relationship without him.

Netflix sued for $105m over stolen Nicolas Cage war thriller

Makers of unreleased $45m film Fortitude sue after hard drive stolen from streamer’s Los Angeles office

Netflix is being sued for $105m over the theft of a hard drive including an unreleased Nicolas Cage war movie.

The streamer’s Los Angeles office was the target of a theft involving a number of hard drives, one of which contained a copy of second world war spy thriller Fortitude.

Charley Hull refuses to apologise after £100,000 scratchcard prank on caddie

• Hull: ‘I think people need to lighten up’

• Thitikul leads on -7; double major winner Ryu on -5

Charley Hull has delivered an emphatic, unapologetic response towards those who criticised a prank on the eve of the Women’s Open.

Hull used pre-tournament media duties to reveal she bought fake scratchcards in a Blackpool joke shop, before using one to trick her caddie, Adam Woodward, into believing he had won £100,000. Hull filmed Woodward’s initially euphoric and subsequently despondent reaction to the incident.

Mortgage rates hit highest level in a year amid inflation fears

Mortgage rates are drifting higher as the Fed's interest rate decision and war in the Middle East fuel inflation concerns.

Senate committee advances Dr. Erica Schwartz to be Trump's CDC director

If confirmed by the full Senate, Dr. Erica Schwartz would become the 22nd director of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Afghan woman to fight U.S. efforts to deport her over "alien terrorist" claim

Nazira Haji Zada's lawyer argued that the Justice Dept. is violating her due process rights.

Spain sends extra troops and police to Ceuta after thousands of migrants arrive

Unknown number of people have swum and waded into Spanish enclave that neighbours Morocco

The Spanish government is deploying extra troops and police officers to its north African enclave of Ceuta after thousands of people swam and waded into the tiny territory from neighbouring Morocco in a matter of hours.

Videos shot at Tarajal beach on Thursday showed crowds of people walking around the breakwaters and running on the beach and roads.

China’s open-weight model lead exposes America’s AI blind spot

The future of AI may be dictated not by who builds the smartest model, but who builds the models everyone runs on. Right now, that's China.

Millions of kids have caffeine in their diet. It's not all coming from soda.

On any given day, kids consume an average of 19.4 milligrams of caffeine, which is about two-thirds of what's in a can of Coke, according to a new report.

Want to save on student loan payments? Here's how to get a discount.

Federal student loan borrowers can qualify for a 1% discount on monthly interest charges if they enroll by the deadline. Here's what to know.

The Trump administration wants $10 million more to cover its July Fourth celebrations

Congress allocated $150 million for 250th birthday events. The Trump-backed group that planned the state fair and July 4th fireworks is asking for an additional $10 million in reimbursements.

Are you choosing to stay single? We want to hear from you

Solo living, solo travel, and solo dining are all being embraced as more adults are choosing to remain single. Many Americans aren't interested in dating, and being single is a symbol of autonomy.

Russian missile destroys US firm’s Kyiv drone factory

Strike on Terminal Autonomy plant appears to be first time in the war that Moscow has targeted a US company

A drone factory in Kyiv destroyed by a Russian ballistic missile on Friday was owned by a US corporation registered in Delaware, in what appears to be the first time Moscow has targeted a US company in the conflict.

Terminal Autonomy makes precision “deep-strike” drones with guidance systems that are resistant to Russian jamming signals, according to a person familiar with the company.

European soccer leaders to boycott the World Cup in an unprecedented step

European soccer associations said they would boycott the World Cup unless FIFA reverses a controversial deal to sell minority stakes to the marquee soccer tournament.

Burnham promises ‘pragmatic’ approach to North Sea oil and gas

PM tells reporters the government cannot ignore the energy resource ‘when people are struggling’

Andy Burnham has said he will take a “pragmatic” approach to oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, saying the government could not ignore the potential energy resources it holds.

The prime minister’s comments came in response to a question about his conversation with Donald Trump on his first day in No 10. Trump had said Burnham told him he would “open up” North Sea oil, something the UK summary of the call made no mention of.

How NBCUniversal's deal with YouTube could jump-start the next chapter of the streaming wars

The next iteration of the streaming wars is likely to be about aggregating content on the biggest existing platforms.

Labour says Reform ‘up to its neck in sleaze’ and demands investigation into donations

Exclusive: Electoral Commission urged to look into donations made by mother of convicted fraudster

• Revealed: George Cottrell transferred $2m to his mother days before her donations to Reform UK

Labour has accused Reform UK of being “up to its neck in sleaze” as it called on the Electoral Commission to urgently investigate substantial donations made to the party by the mother of a convicted fraudster.

Bridget Phillipson, Labour’s new chair, called on the commission to examine whether any rules had been broken, after revelations in the Guardian that George Cottrell transferred more than $2m to his mother in the days before her donations to the party in 2024.

Trump says he may ‘temporarily’ drop bid to make Blanche US attorney general

President says he has no objection to pulling his former lawyer’s name until dissenting Republicans are out of office

• US politics live – latest updates

Donald Trump said on Thursday he may “temporarily” pull the nomination of Todd Blanche to serve as attorney general, but would keep him in the role in an acting capacity until two Republican senators objecting to his confirmation leave office next year – an extraordinary escalation of an intra-party fight over an agreement to create a $1.8bn slush fund and give the president tax immunity.

Two Republican senators – John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina – have refused to back Blanche’s nomination until they receive written confirmation from the justice department that it is not moving forward with a widely criticized agreement creating a $1.8bn fund to compensate people claiming they were targets of political weaponization and granting the president, his family and business entities broad immunity from past tax investigations.

‘I was hyperventilating and sobbing’: Tomi Adeyemi says Children of Blood and Bone film ‘the worst thing I’ve ever lived through’

Author of books behind forthcoming film starring Viola Davis and Idris Elba appears to have had disagreement with cast member Amandla Stenberg

Tomi Adeyemi, the author of Children of Blood and Bone, has spoken further on the difficult process behind adapting her novel for this big screen, calling it “the worst thing I have ever had to live through”.

In a five-minute video on TikTok, the author said she left the set of the Paramount production “hyperventilating and sobbing”, adding: “I never want to hear about this project again”.

More prisoners in England and Wales are recalled than released for first time

Returns for breaches of licence conditions rose 31% in the first quarter of 2026, adding to pressure on prison places

More people were recalled to prison than were released during the first three months of 2026, the first time on record the “recall rate” has surpassed 100% in England and Wales.

Between January and March 2026, 12,977 people were released from prison while 13,193 people were returned to prison for breaching their licence conditions, up 31% from last year, new Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data showed.

Trump says he 'may' pull Blanche AG nomination temporarily

The news comes as two key Republicans are withholding their support over concerns about the Justice Department's deal with President Trump.

Gunther von Hagens obituary

German anatomist who devised a system of ‘plastination’ to preserve cadavers that were exhibited all over the world

The German anatomist Gunther von Hagens, who has died aged 81 of a cerebral haemorrhage, following nearly two decades of living with Parkinson’s disease, was the creator of the international exhibition Body Worlds, which generated plaudits and revulsion in equal measure whenever and wherever it toured. Frequently accused of showmanship and self-aggrandisement, the theatrical Von Hagens, always seen wearing a black fedora, was known by some sections of the media as “Doctor Death” thanks to his use of a technique called “plastination”, which he had invented to preserve human corpses. Bodily fluids, fats and organs that usually decay after death were replaced with plastics, so tissues remained intact. The corpses could then be put on display, usually with the skin peeled away to reveal skeletons, organs and muscles.

Plastinated corpses remain flexible, meaning they can be manipulated into lifelike poses – a basketball player or a trapeze artist – or sliced into cross sections. But Von Hagens often trod a fine line between scientific exposition and the macabre. Other exhibits included a dead expectant woman with her foetus still in her uterus and a man who had deliberately killed himself by driving into a tree at the place his wife had died previously. Both had donated their bodies for plastination and were exhibited along with the objects that caused their deaths.

Ferrari CEO says he 'would not change anything' about polarizing Luce EV debut

Ferrari is pleased with the launch of the Luce all-electric vehicle despite significant criticism upon the car's spring debut, according to CEO Benedetto Vigna.

Amazon's Zoox to begin charging for rides in Las Vegas after clearing NHTSA hurdle

The exemption allows Zoox to operate up to 2,500 vehicles annually for two years, subject to "enhanced, adaptable" oversight conditions.

Ferrari raises 2026 guidance after Q2 earnings beat

Ferrari is bumping up its 2026 guidance after beating Wall Street's second quarter expectations amid "healthy" demand for its products.

U.S. economy slowed to 1.5% growth rate in Q2; June core inflation at 3.3%

While the GDP number was below expectations, the miss appeared to come from a decline in federal government spending and inventories.

Jeep maker Stellantis swings to profit on rising demand in North America

Auto giant Stellantis on Thursday swung to profit in the second quarter, boosted by rising demand in North America.

Why would I waste my precious holiday time going to a zoo in another country? | James Colley

I can hear the howls of disagreement now but we’ve got zoos – complete with giraffes and elephants – at home. Seen one, you’ve seen them all

When I first took my toddler to the zoo, I realised that here were her celebrities. To see a giraffe in real life is the three-year-old’s equivalent of seeing Tom Hanks strolling through your local shopping centre. After all, every night we lie in bed and read stories about the exploits of shy turtles or bossy rhinos or the occasional lion who didn’t want to go to bed. Then, one day, these heroes are right in front of you, ambling about in a pen, being gawked at by the paparazzi.

All of a sudden, I felt my own childlike excitement reinvigorated, getting to surprise her with the next animal and the next animal. A visit to your local zoo is truly one of the greatest experiences you can have as a parent.

James Colley is a comedy writer from Sydney. His debut novel, The Next Big Thing, is out now

Pope Leo calls himself pontiff who ‘happens to be American’

First US pope says mission is to be pastor of a universal church but expresses ‘great love’ for his home country and its core principles

Pope Leo, the first US pontiff, has expressed “great love” for his home country and its core principles of freedom, opportunity and welcoming immigrants, but qualified that he just “happens to be American”.

In an interview with the US broadcaster NBC on the sidelines of a prayer event in Castel Gandolfo, the papal retreat near Rome, Leo, who has condemned the immigration policies of Donald Trump’s administration, spoke about his own family history in describing his relationship with the US.

The economy slowed a bit -- but Americans continued to spend

The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 1.5% in the spring, according to the Commerce Department. That's a modest slowdown from the previous quarter — but consumer spending picked up steam.

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Analysis: Fed Chairman Warsh's credibility in question after leaving interest rates unchanged

The Fed held interest rates steady, but long-term Treasury yields jumped. Investors are questioning whether he will act forcefully enough on inflation.

‘It’s a peptide wild west’: how RFK Jr is clearing way for a market of untested drugs

A century ago, compounding pharmacies helped people get bespoke drugs. Now these less-regulated businesses are fueling the peptide boom

Robert F Kennedy Jr is sitting stiffly in Joe Rogan’s podcast studio, inside the influencer’s enormous Texas mansion. Atypically for Rogan’s guests, Kennedy still cloaks himself in the trappings of authority; in a blue suit and pink novelty tie featuring kayakers paddling upstream, he is a stark contrast from Rogan, who sports a biceps-hugging T-shirt depicting a cowboy and an outline of Texas, from the “regenerative wellness” brand Ways2Well.

This was in February, when Kennedy, amid his nationwide Take Back Your Health tour, was pushing his new red-meat-heavy food pyramid on to Americans. For an hour and a half, the two chatted casually about everything from soda pop to medical scams that supposedly fund Boko Haram.

Fifa’s sales pitch revealed: more tournaments, more debt … but no mention of women’s game

• Fifa’s 25-page sales deck produced by JP Morgan

• Reference made to doubling global tournaments

Fifa’s sales pitch to persuade members to approve the sale of the World Cup’s commercial rights clearly states that its plans for financial growth will be achieved by staging more tournaments, having higher ticket prices and debt financing.

A 25-page sales deck titled “Fifa Forward Enterprise Member Materials”, that has been seen by the Guardian, makes the case for the creation of a new company to run Fifa’s commercial operations, 20% of which would be sold to Joshua Kushner, a US investor who is the brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

The future of AI hinges on openness and cooperation. China and Britain can gain much by working together | Zheng Zeguang

There is no point competing in isolation. There are so many benefits to be had, in manufacturing, healthcare, research and governance

• Zheng Zeguang is the Chinese ambassador to the UK

Artificial intelligence is widely regarded as one of the defining technologies of our time. Like the steam engine, the harnessing of electricity and the internet before it, it has the potential to transform how we work, live and interact.

But every technological revolution brings challenges as well as opportunities. As AI systems become more capable, people are asking legitimate questions. How can AI remain safe, accountable and under human control? How should its development be governed? How can its benefits be shared more widely?

‘It’s the Meryl Streep of the orchestra’: why cinema loves the cello

From Audrey Hepburn to Pedro Pascal, cellists have become a movie shorthand for sensitivity, intensity and emotional depth. But why has Hollywood turned one orchestral instrument into a character in its own right?

There’s a throwaway line in 2012’s The Avengers, after a character’s death, when his partner is alluded to. “There was a cellist, I think,” muses Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark. It’s a spot of pathos amid the punch-ups – but also rather telling. Because when even a superhero blockbuster reaches for the cello, you know the instrument is carrying more than just a melody.

Earlier this month, a trailer dropped for the upcoming Pedro Pascal drama Behemoth!, in which he plays a celebrated cellist returning to Hollywood to score films. Real-life cellist and film composer Hildur Guðnadóttir says the instrument “is definitely having a moment right now. But it’s always been present.”