NBA finals 2026 Game 3: San Antonio Spurs v New York Knicks – live updates

• Knicks host Spurs with 2-0 lead in best-of-seven series

• Donald Trump given hostile reception at NBA finals

• How New York Knicks finals fever reached Rikers Island

• Reach out to Bryan on Bluesky or by email

Spurs 19-9 Knicks, 6.49, 1st quarter

Finally, it’s time for basketball. The Spurs rattle off the first seven points behind a couple of Wembayana dunks and a Vassell three, doing their best to take the steam out of a deafening atmosphere. Hart answers with a three-pointer, but another Wembanyama lay-up and a Castle three makes it 14-5 to San Antonio. The Spurs have made six of their first eight shots while New York look quite scattered on the defensive end. Play continues well past the first TV timeout and by the time of the first whistle, San Antonio lead by 10.

Trump loudly booed at Madison Square Garden before Knicks-Spurs NBA finals game

Trump's decision to attend Game 3 of the NBA Final was controversial for Knicks fans, some of whom feared he would jinx what has been an epic playoff run.

French star Patrick Bruel held by police investigating new sexual assault allegations

Two new rape complaints have been filed against the 67-year-old singer and actor, who denies the claims

French singer and actor Patrick Bruel, facing sexual assault allegations from multiple women, was taken into police custody on Monday, as two new rape complaints were filed against him.

The 67-year-old, a major figure in French pop culture with multiple top-selling albums and more than 40 film appearances, is being questioned about 13 victims, the prosecutor’s office in the western Paris suburb of Nanterre said in a statement.

Agence France-Presse contributed to this report

Safety concerns over doctors prescribing experimental weight loss drug not approved by FDA

There's a new safety concern about doctors prescribing one experimental weight loss treatment, retatrutide, that hasn't even been FDA approved yet. Adam Yamaguchi reports.

How to buy SpaceX shares as its blockbuster IPO readies for liftoff

SpaceX is setting aside a large chunk of shares for ordinary investors as it seeks to raise a record $75 billion. Here's what to know.

Apple announces new safety features for kids and parents

Apple on Monday announced new safety features for kids and parents, changing how they will use their devices. Jo Ling Kent reports.

Nithya Raman edges out Spencer Pratt to face Karen Bass in LA mayoral runoff

Progressive challenger to face incumbent mayor in November as former reality star Pratt trails behind

Nithya Raman, a progressive Los Angeles city council member, has advanced to the November runoff for LA mayor, edging out former reality TV villain Spencer Pratt for the chance to face incumbent mayor Karen Bass.

Pratt, who decided to run for mayor after his Pacific Palisades home burned down in the 2025 wildfires, held a lead over Raman for days. But as ballot processing from last week’s election continued, the city councillor pulled ahead.

ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan suspended amid sexual misconduct inquiry

Khan, a prominent British lawyer, has repeatedly denied the allegations which first emerged in 2024

The chief prosecutor of the international criminal court, Karim Khan, has been suspended after a disciplinary process triggered by sexual abuse allegations against him reached a conclusion.

The ICC’s governing body announced the decision on Monday evening after its executive committee voted to refer the proceedings against Khan to a special session of the court’s member states for them to consider his future.

Man appears in court for allegedly boarding United flight with fake boarding pass

A man appeared in a Houston courtroom Monday after he was removed from a United Airlines flight last month for allegedly getting on the plane with a fake boarding pass. Jason Allen reports.

Flooding could impact more than 88 million as storms threaten multiple states

States across the Midwest and northern Plains could see flooding as severe storms hit, forecasters say.

Millions in central U.S. facing severe weather threats after weekend of storms

Nearly 90 million Americans are facing flood threats Monday night after rain during the day unleashed flash floods in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. On top of that, heat alerts are also posted across the central plains with triple-digit heat moving in and pushing to the east by the end of the week. Meteorologist Rob Marciano is tracking it all.

Blue mushrooms, shy trees and glowing seas: Beaker Street science photography prize – in pictures

The 12 finalists will be exhibited at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery during Beaker Street festival from 6 to 17 August, including images of newborn fish, a native wasp and satellite trails across the night sky

• The language of termites: Liss Fenwick’s The Colony – in pictures

Trump NBA Finals visit locks down 5-block perimeter around Madison Square Garden

President Trump will watch the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals from an executive suite, as an invited guest of Madison Square Garden CEO James Dolan. Ed O'Keefe reports.

Kalshi and Polymarket prohibit affiliates from spreading election misinformation

Prediction market apps are doubling down on paid content creators denying election results, asking them to remove posts or lose sponsorship

Popular online prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket will prohibit paid creators and affiliates from denying election results, NPR reports, as online creators spread misinformation about California’s election.

In a social media post, Bobby Allyn, NPR technology reporter, reports: “Kalshi now says it prohibits paid creators from calling into question the integrity or accuracy of an election, legal ruling or official determination in connection with an election.

USDA Secretary Rollins calls Texas ag chief 'unserious' amid screwworm threat

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller lost his bid for a fourth term in a March Republican primary, despite Trump's endorsement.

U.S. bars entry of FIFA World Cup referee from Somalia

Federal immigration authorities barred a Somali soccer referee who was slated to officiate the FIFA World Cup from entering the U.S. over the weekend, citing "vetting concerns."

Plan for AI legal assistants in England and Wales ‘cannot replace funding and staff’, lawyers say

David Lammy to announce trial of AI assistants in crown courts in effort to cut backlog of cases

A plan to roll out virtual legal assistants powered by artificial intelligence to crown courts has prompted warnings that the technology should not be used to “replace vital funding and additional court staff”.

David Lammy, the deputy prime minister, will announce on Tuesday that AI assistants will be trialled in an effort to cut the backlog of court cases in England and Wales.

Family courts show ‘widespread’ gender bias and victim-blaming, report finds

Exclusive: Analysis shows 72.5% of 91 judgments in England and Wales contained judicial victim-blaming, with mothers scrutinised more intensely

A report has found “widespread and concerning evidence” of bias and victim-blaming in the family courts – primarily disadvantaging women.

The report, Scratching the Surface: Victim-Blaming and Bias in Family Court Judgments, by the nonprofit organisation Right to Equality, will be shared with MPs on Tuesday at an event in parliament.

Former NY Knick, NJ Sen. Bill Bradley says Trump "second fiddle" at Game 3

"The people are there to see these two teams play," Bill Bradley said of President Trump's plan to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night.

Top African referee Omar Artan refused access to US and will miss World Cup

• Was going to be first Somalian to officiate at a World Cup

• ‘He deserves the support of the football community’

A Somali referee, who was set to become the first person from his country to officiate at a World Cup, has been denied access to the US and will not work at the tournament.

Fifa confirmed that Omar Artan “will be unable to train and officiate at the Fifa World Cup 2026” in a statement issued to media on Monday. The governing body passed responsibility for the situation to the US government, saying that they were “informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present”.

‘I love you, sir’: Todd Blanche, devoted Trump enforcer, tapped to do his bidding full time

Attorney general pick joined Trump’s legal team in 2023 – there seems little doubt he would be prepared to carry out the president’s wishes

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Todd Blanche’s nomination to be permanently made the attorney general marks the apex of a gamble from a man who bet everything on representing Donald Trump and became one of his most steadfast and punishing enforcers.

Trump announced the news at the White House on Monday. The nomination will require Senate confirmation to become permanent.

OpenAI says it filed confidential IPO as it positions itself for AI arms race

Going public will allow OpenAI, valued at $852 billion, to inject more cash into its business as the AI race quickens.

OpenAI confidentially files for initial public offering on US stock market

ChatGPT maker expected to be valued at more than $850bn, one of most highly valued listings in market history

OpenAI has filed confidentially to go public on the US stock market, according to a company blogpost published on Monday. The artificial intelligence giant’s debut on Wall Street is expected to be one of the most highly valued listings in market history with a valuation at more than $850bn.

“We recently submitted a confidential S-1. We expect it to leak so we’re just announcing it,” the company’s post reads. “We have not decided on timing yet; it may be a while because there are things we want to do that are likely easier as a private company. But it’s a complicated set of tradeoffs and this gives us the option to go public sooner if that ends up being best.”

Silicon Valley’s new buyout playbook is hitting Wall Street

Instead of selling AI tools to companies, venture firms are buying legacy companies outright and rebuilding them around AI from the inside.

‘Luckily I play with my feet’: Spence talks up World Cup hopes despite broken jaw

England defender getting used to protective brace and hopeful of contributing to Tuchel’s tournament effort

In the disorientation of the moment, as Djed Spence lay on the turf, the pain radiating from the left side of his jaw, it was tempting to wonder what flashed through his mind. The Tottenham full-back had been cleaned out by the elbow of Chelsea’s Liam Delap in the closing stages of the penultimate game of the Premier League season. Spence had eyes only for the high ball while Delap looked directly at his opponent before spinning and throwing out his left arm.

For starters, there had to be surprise that Delap was not sent off. “Yeah, it was a crazy challenge,” Spence says. What about his involvement in Spurs’ final match of their relegation battle at home against Everton? And beyond that, the World Cup? Did he fear it might be all over for him?

Prediction markets have become a draw for young men. Here's why

Prediction markets have become a draw for young men in search of quick cash and thrills, experts say. "I had almost $4,600 at one point but squandered that," one man said.

Apple partnering with Google and Nvidia for most advanced AI model

Apple's artificial intelligence strategy took center stage at its Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, Calif.

How Trump acolytes seized on UK teen’s killing to push anti-immigration agenda

Senior administration officials jump on death of Henry Nowak – and statements echo language of the far right

Over a breathtaking few days that spanned Saturday’s 82nd anniversary of D-day, senior Trump administration officials have trampled over diplomatic protocol to tear into Europe’s immigration and anti-racism policies and argue that such actions could end western civilization.

From the United States, Vice-President JD Vance and other administration officials jumped on a controversial murder case in Britain to accuse Keir Starmer’s government of lacking the Trump administration’s “political will and leadership” to stop mass migration and defend national sovereignty.

Israel and Iran step back from renewed conflict after Trump calls for halt

Netanyahu acknowledges pause in fighting in TV speech but vows forceful response to future attacks

Fears of a return to a full-scale regional war in the Middle East eased on Monday as Israel and Iran said they had halted attacks on each other after an appeal from Donald Trump to “immediately stop shooting”.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, acknowledged the halt in fighting with Iran in a televised speech, but vowed to respond “with force” to future attacks.

Trump nominates Todd Blanche for attorney general amid controversy over DOJ fund

Blanche previously served as a criminal defense lawyer for President Trump.

Hey, Siri: Apple just announced a long-awaited AI update

At its annual developers' conference, Apple put the spotlight on new AI features, while highlighting security and child safety — and critiquing the company's AI competitors.

Trump formally nominates Todd Blanche as attorney general

Currently acting attorney general, Todd Blanche may face an uphill confirmation battle from some wary Republican senators.

Judge voids Trump's $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas

U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled in favor of a group of 20 states that challenged President Trump's new $100,000 visa fee.

Can an AI agent cover for you while you're at the beach?

"AI can make everything that was on my plate visible to colleagues while I'm gone," one expert said.

Zelenskyy: Russia is losing the initiative – video interview

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, says Vladimir Putin’s days are numbered. As the Russian president’s influence wanes and his war machine crumbles, Zelenskyy says it is important for Europe and the world to stick together. In an interview with the Guardian after talks with Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz in London to discuss the next steps in the conflict, he said Ukraine’s military position was the strongest it had been for more than two years. ‘Russia is not winning,’ he declared

Ben Stokes’ future as Test captain in doubt after nightclub incident

• Player considering his position following altercation

• Atkinson also present at club along with Saracens players

Ben Stokes’ future as the England Test captain has been thrown into doubt after the England and Wales Cricket Board launched an investigation into “a breach of team protocol” related to an incident involving Stokes and Gus Atkinson that took place in a London nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning.

Both players have been referred to the Cricket Regulator, an independent disciplinary body with the power to impose suspensions and unlimited fines, and a decision is expected imminently over whether they will be allowed to participate in the second Test against New Zealand that starts at the Oval on 17 June – a squad without them in it could be named as early as Tuesday. Stokes is understood to be considering his position as captain.

Fifa vice-president Victor Montagliani: ‘MLS can become the second-biggest league in the world. Maybe the biggest’

The Canadian has been tipped as Gianni Infantino’s successor. He defends World Cup ticket prices and explains why the Premier League may soon have a rival

Victor Montagliani believes the World Cup will trigger a “cultural revolution” in North America that could result in Major League Soccer rivaling the Premier League at the top of club football.

In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, the president of Concacaf, who is also Fifa vice president:

Defended the tournament’s controversial pricing strategy on the grounds that a World Cup in North America will be the peak of Fifa’s earning power that funds global football.

Claimed Donald Trump will have “no part to play” at the tournament and that Fifa is “more than one guy.”

Insisted it is too early to begin discussing expanding the World Cup to 64 teams, something which has been requested by South American confederation Conmebol.

Expressed support for increasing the Club World Cup to 48 teams to raise standards and drive revenue growth.

Left the door open to running for the Fifa presidency in 2031, after Gianni Infantino completes a final term following his expected reelection next year.

Pentagon updates religious codes after criticism from Mormons

On Friday, the Pentagon cut the number of religious affiliation codes from over 200 to 31 to help military chaplains streamline religious support services.

Congress moves toward approving $70 billion for ICE and CBP through Trump's presidency

The U.S. House is expected to vote this week on a $70 billion measure to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection after delay.

Trump claims he ‘didn’t guarantee’ no US wars. Here’s what he’s actually said

US president for years has repeatedly suggested – and said outright – that he would not take the country to war

Donald Trump has forcefully denied he ever promised not to draw the US into war, having spent years pledging to avoid doing just that.

The US president’s own biography on the White House website credits him with “putting a stop to endless wars” – raising questions about the US-Israel war on Iran, which he launched, with no end currently in sight.

Food supply 'not at risk' after new Texas screwworm cases, USDA secretary says

The U.S. will lean on the same playbook it did starting in the late 1950s, part of which involves releasing sterile insects to suppress the pest's population.

Australia cruise to win over England in Women’s T20 World Cup warm-up

• Eng 157-6; Aus 158-5. Aus win by five wkts

• England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt fails on return

Ellyse Perry’s half-century guided Australia to a comfortable five-wicket win against England in their T20 World Cup warm-up match in Cardiff. Perry was superbly caught by Dani Gibson at deep midwicket off Lauren Bell for a match-winning 64 with two runs needed as Australia cruised to their target of 158 with 10 balls to spare at Sophia Gardens.

After losing the toss and being put into bat, England were restricted to 157 for six, having recovered from 19 for three, and were then punished in the field for three dropped catches of varying difficulty. Opener Beth Mooney’s 26-ball 43, which included two sixes, ensured Australia stayed ahead of the run-rate, while Perry struck nine fours and faced 44 deliveries. Mooney was dropped by Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Gibson and Perry was given a let off when Bell spilled her one-handed attempt.

Federal judge rules Trump’s $100,000 fee for H-1B visas unlawful

President dramatically raised cost of visa for highly skilled workers in executive order last year

A US judge has invalidated Donald Trump’s $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications, ruling it an unlawful tax that violated federal administrative law and the constitution.

US district judge Leo Sorokin in Boston issued the 42-page ruling in a lawsuit filed by 20 Democratic state attorneys general challenging a fee Trump announced in September that dramatically raised the cost of obtaining H-1B visas.. The ruling vacated the sweeping fee, which was a 20-to-50 fold increase on existing rates, and the Trump administration is widely expected to appeal.

Airlines find the grass isn't always greener with new engines

Airline CEOs complained that manufacturers aren't making enough of their engines and that they're falling short on reliability.

‘Overconsumption isolates us’: how to start shopping less

Spending can be exciting – but how do you function outside of it? Experts share their tips for paring down buying

For years, I have been caught in a tiresome, expensive cycle: when I’m bored (or sad, or insecure) I scroll through my phone, looking for stuff to buy. In those moments, it feels like the right purchase will relieve me of ennui or unpleasantness. These shoes will make my life more glamorous! This face wash will make me feel forever beautiful!

Sometimes this rush lasts up to two days after I receive my item. But the excitement fades – sometimes as soon as I click “confirm purchase” – and I inevitably think: “Why did I do that?”

With just days left, the U.S. opening match at the World Cup is still not sold out

Hundreds of tickets are still available for the U.S. and Canada opening matches for the World Cup on Friday. Even more are available in resale platforms — many at below face value.

Scotland in World Cup war of words with Norway over cancelled training match

• Scotland branded ‘unprofessional, weak’

• John McGinn: ‘Our job is to look after Scotland’

Scotland’s return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence has been immediately overshadowed by a war of words with Norway. Steve Clarke and Scotland were branded “unprofessional”, “embarrassing” and “weak” by the Norwegians after the cancellation of a training game planned for Monday in Charlotte. After the Scottish FA expressed “surprise” at the Norwegian stance, the Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn told the aggrieved parties to read up on Scotland’s injury situation.

With the Scots and Norway both based in North Carolina, a game was scheduled to afford minutes to players requiring them. Scotland postponed the match on Saturday, with the injury sustained by Billy Gilmour during the recent friendly against Curaçao – which put him out of the World Cup – apparently uppermost in Clarke’s thoughts.

Working remotely can hurt people's mental health, research finds

Although working remotely offers flexibility, it also takes a toll on people's mental health, experts said.

‘Wasn’t even good’: US tourist says she was charged €44 for two ice creams in Rome

Post on Facebook received more than 900 comments, with one Italian writing that they were ‘ashamed’

A US tourist has warned visitors to Rome after paying €44 (£38) for two ice-creams in the Italian capital.

Nicole Ann, from Florida, advised fellow tourists to “avoid Don Nino”, an ice-cream parlour on a street off Piazza Navona. She claimed she had ordered two small cups of ice-cream but instead was charged for two large cones topped with trimmings that were allegedly not requested, including macarons, cannoli and panna (whipped cream).

France and Germany abandon joint project to build European fighter jet

Paris and Berlin conclude firms involved unable to agree on way forward in blow to Europe’s common defence push

France and Germany have concluded that the companies involved in building a joint fighter jet will not be able to reach an agreement and have abandoned the project, officials in Berlin have said in a blow to Europe’s common defence efforts.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, had “reached the shared assessment that the companies will not be able to come together”, an official told Agence France-Presse. “They acknowledge this reality.”

The Guardian view on climate equality: a richer life and real public abundance, not just more stuff | Editorial

The Global Justice Report offers a hopeful bargain: tax extreme wealth and replace consumer excess with social and economic security for all

Humanity can raise living standards, reduce inequality and keep global heating within a 2C rise, according to a sweeping vision for planetary survival, the Guardian reported last week. In an age of ecological dread, that is a bracingly hopeful claim. The optimism came courtesy of the Global Justice Report, produced by Thomas Piketty’s World Inequality Lab.

It arrives against the grain of the times. Anti‑migrant demagoguery, fossil-fuel revivalism, attacks on multilateralism and billionaire capture all militate against the redistributive state capacity that the report requires. Yet Prof Piketty’s team insists that decarbonisation, “sufficiency” and equality can mean a good life for most people.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Trump walks out of interview with NBC

President Trump abruptly ended an interview with NBC News when repeatedly challenged on his claims of election fraud

Nearly half of Americans say they're worse off financially than a year ago

New York Fed survey shows growing concern about household finances and the job market, even as the job market remains solid.

Lassana Diarra settles with Fifa and Belgian FA after landmark transfer case

• Former Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder wanted €65m

• He was denied a transfer to Charleroi in Belgium in 2014

Lassana Diarra has reached a settlement with Fifa and the Belgian Football Association over claims for compensation after his landmark transfer case.

The former Chelsea, Real Madrid and France midfielder had initially demanded €65m from the two bodies, arguing the sum covered damages incurred after he had his contract cancelled by Lokomotiv Moscow, and was subsequently denied a transfer to Charleroi in Belgium in 2014.

Ben Jennings on protecting children online – cartoon

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Summer Game Fest highlights: 34 new video games to look out for, from Alien Isolation to Crazy Taxi

Hundreds of video games were shown at June’s annual bonanza. After watching more than 15 hours of showcases, our video games editor picks the highlights

The sequel to a revered 2014 horror game from British developer Creative Assembly: this time you must evade the xenomorph on the surface of a storm-ravaged colony world.

‘Severe’ stress on oceans as rate of sea level rise doubles in 10 years, UN warns

Global effort needed to limit effects of pollution, industrial fishing and climate crisis, World Ocean Assessment says

The world’s oceans are under “severe and accelerating” pressure from human activities, with the rate of sea-level rise double that of a decade ago, according to a damning assessment from the United Nations.

The “intensifying” stressors, which include pollution and large-scale industrial fishing, are cumulative, said the report, resulting in widespread biodiversity loss and putting ocean systems under “severe strain”.

Two US pilots killed after plane bound to pick up former MLB star crashes

Plane on way to pick up Yadier Molina and his family crashed in Dominican Republic, killing pilot and co-pilot

A pilot and co-pilot from the United States have died in a fiery plane crash as they attempted an emergency landing in the Dominican Republic, authorities said.

Former major league baseball all-star catcher Yadier Molina said on social media that the plane was bound for Texas to pick him up, along with family and friends.

Man describes how a single moment as a teen changed his life

CBS News contributor David Begnaud shows an athletic coach in Illinois how he impacted one of his students, changing the trajectory of that student's life forever.

Marvell Technology and Flex to join S&P 500 index, replacing Pool and Campbell's

The move highlights the growing importance of the technology sector to the stock market.

U.S. launches largest-ever effort to denaturalize citizens accused of fraud

The Trump administration on Monday announced it is seeking to revoke the citizenship of 17 U.S. citizens accused of immigration fraud.

Savannah Guthrie makes new plea for missing mother as search surpasses four months

Today show host shares post saying ‘Bring her home’ months after disappearance of Nancy Guthrie from Arizona

Savannah Guthrie has shared another emotional plea for her missing mother as the search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie surpassed the four-month mark.

On Sunday, the anchor of NBC’s Today show posted an Instagram story featuring a painting of Jesus Christ and the words: “Oh my, my soul it cries out, soul, it cries out.” In a separate caption, Guthrie wrote: “Bring her home” with a yellow heart emoji.

Household worries over finances hit highest level since July 2022, New York Fed survey shows

While the central bank's monthly survey showed the inflation outlook mostly unchanged, the general perception of conditions deteriorated.

Manchester United think they can beat City to £100m-rated Elliot Anderson

• Nottingham Forest rejected City’s £80m bid for midfielder

• United’s Jason Wilcox also monitoring Mateus Fernandes

Manchester United remain intent on signing Elliot Anderson, with the club’s executives optimistic they can beat Manchester City in the race to acquire the 23-year-old midfielder, who is valued at about £100m by Nottingham Forest.

Jason Wilcox, United’s director of football, is also monitoring Mateus Fernandes as another option to strengthen the midfield department of Michael Carrick’s squad. West Ham are believed to want in the region of £80m for the 21-year-old Portuguese, though this may prove an unrealistic fee.

Did you solve it? Do you have a snout for numbers?

The answer to today’s puzzle

Earlier today I set this elegant number puzzle. Here it is again with a solution.

Nose to tail

I have found the perfect book group – we discuss problematic text messages | Zoe Williams

My friends and I were keen to meet regularly, but couldn’t agree on what to read. Then we found an excellent solution

There comes a point in every friendship ecosystem when someone suggests starting a book group. It’s a beautiful moment, the platonic modern equivalent of the 1950s “shall we go steady?” It means you want to see one another at least every six weeks, preferably on a fixed day in the calendar, so that when someone tries to pinch that day for another, less interesting thing, you can in perpetuity reply: “I can’t, I have book group.” Since nobody ever disbands a book group, it is adult‑speak for “friends for ever”, which, if you stare at it hard enough, is almost tearjerking.

So, anyway, this poignant moment arrived with my newish friends R and S, then immediately hit the road hump that none of us wanted to read a book. Nothing against books, guys, it’s just I am generally reading something weird that I wouldn’t want to impose on you. S suggested a poem group; R nixed that. I said maybe we could read Poems on the Underground while we were on the underground on our way to the poem group. That was nixed, too.

Loneliness influencers: why are people suddenly boasting about having no friends?

Chronicling your humdrum, solitary life has become an online trend. It’s certainly perplexing. Is it also empowering?

Name: Loneliness influencers.

Age: A few months old.

NPR's new chief content officer: 'I've been training for this job my whole life'

Less than two weeks after overhauling its newsroom, NPR has hired Nadine Zylstra to be its chief content officer. She has been a top executive at Sesame Workshop, YouTube and Pinterest.

Revealed: the ‘less lethal’ weapons Australian police don’t want you to know about

Launchers that shoot ‘bullet-like missiles’, chemical irritants and stinger grenades: experts say these weapons can cause serious injury or even death. But they are deployed by police against crowds with little scrutiny

Projectiles that release powder designed to burn the eyes and throat. Flashbang grenades. Teargas. Launchers that resemble semi-automatic rifles.

In Victoria, police have refused to publicly provide the make and model of their rubber bullets and other weapons even to the state’s parliamentarians due to “operational and community safety considerations”.

Contracts worth millions for these weapons are often with third-party distributors rather than the manufacturers, obscuring what police have access to.

During coronial inquests, after baton rounds and other weapons may have contributed to deaths, Victoria police have sought suppression orders that bar media from describing any details of weaponry.

In some states, details about Tasers have been suppressed during inquests, including the training materials given to officers.

Guardian Australia approached each force in the country for a list of the manufacturer and model of their less lethal weapons but all declined to provide one, with most citing operational safety.

Why preparation isn’t everything at a World Cup | Jonathan Wilson

From high-altitude training to made to measure kits, teams have resorted to all manner of things to adapt to conditions at the tournament

• Predict the winner | Daily podcast | Download our app

The heat and the altitude worried everybody. The 1970 World Cup in Mexico would not be a normal one. So the Bulgarian authorities sent their squad south of Sofia to get used to playing several thousand feet above sea level. Which seemed a great idea until somebody noticed that the temperature in the Pirin mountains was not in the mid-20s as it is in Mexico but somewhere near freezing. How then could they replicate the effect of playing in intense heat? By restricting water intake so that the players got used to performing while dehydrated.

The plan was not a great success. Bulgaria lost their first two World Cup games in 1970 and had already been eliminated by the time they drew with Morocco. It’s safe to assume that preparations for this World Cup will be rather more sophisticated than they were 56 years ago. Most countries back then seemed to take the view that training at altitude was the logical way to prepare for games in Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara. Israel went to Ethiopia and Colorado. Uruguay played in Quito and Bogotá. Mexico held a five‑month training camp that featured 13 friendly internationals in four months before two games against Dundee United.

United CEO brushes off airline mergers after American rejection: 'There's nothing'

When asked about a wave of consolidation among airlines, Kirby said further combination opportunities look unlikely: "There's nothing."

‘You escape the slaughter. But there’s a long tail of sadness’: musician Bedouine on the strangeness of Arab life outside the Middle East

With roots in Armenia, Syria and Saudi Arabia, the singer-songwriter now lives in the US. But despite her Carole King-style sound, her homelands are never far from her mind

The title song to Azniv Korkejian’s fourth album as Bedouine, Neon Summer Skin, recreates a perfect day from childhood. “Being taken to the pool, where my only worry is being dragged away when the sun’s setting,” she says, calling from Los Angeles. “Later on, mom and dad wash me in the tub and put me to bed.” Steeped in dreamy 70s soft pop, the track isn’t merely an exercise in nostalgia. “I wanted to paint a picture of what it’s like to feel safe,” she says. “So much of the record is about not having the luxury to not consider your own safety. I think about this a lot when it comes to the children in Palestine and Lebanon, who are not afforded that right.”

The conflicts that have ravaged the Middle East are context for Neon Summer Skin, but the album’s themes of displacement, identity and insecurity – wrapped in the deceptively soft sound of 1970s-style MOR pop – are also personal. Korkejian’s family are Armenian, but she and her parents were born in Syria, while her brothers were born in Saudi Arabia, where the Korkejians lived, “on a US compound that was like a gated community”, until 1995. That year, unnerved by the proximity of the recent Gulf war, the family successfully applied for the green card lottery and relocated to the US. “And thank God, because we would eventually have had to return to Syria,” Korkejian says. “I don’t know what would have happened to us then.”

Reigning champion Tatjana Maria shocked by Queen’s wildcard snub

• Four British players receive wildcards

• Harriet Dart shocks Samsonova 5-7, 6-4, 6-3

Tatjana Maria, the reigning Queen’s Club women’s champion, has revealed her shock at not receiving a wildcard to defend her title this week, suggesting winning last year’s tournament should command greater respect.

The German was snubbed for a wildcard in favour of four lower-ranked British players, forcing her to go through qualifying in west London. A year on from winning the title aged 37, she successfully navigated back-to-back matches on Sunday to make it into the main draw.

Post your questions for David Byrne

As the former Talking Heads frontman releases his concert film American Utopia in 4K, he will join us to answer your questions

The big suit is what you think of first when you think of David Byrne on stage – but the Talking Heads frontman has kept his pedigree as a live performer at an astonishingly high level right into his mid-70s. As he prepares a 4K cinema version of his acclaimed American Utopia tour, he’ll be joining us to answer your questions.

Born in Scotland but later settling in the US with his family, Byrne brought erudition, passion and puckish wit to Talking Heads, who formed amid the astonishing creative maelstrom of 1970s New York. Across eight studio albums – including hits such as Once in a Lifetime and Burning Down the House – they created a very particular type of funky, spry new wave, which arguably found its finest form in the live concert film Stop Making Sense (with that big suit, a floor lamp as a dance partner, and more).

Trump insists negotiations are continuing despite Israel and Iran trading strikes

Iran and Israel striking each other threatens the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has been in place since early April.

Man honors former coach who helped him "learn how to believe" in himself

CBS News contributor David Begnaud went to New Orleans to ask everyday Americans who believed in them. He spoke with 23-year-old Chris Wurl who described how a former coach made a major impact on his life.

Tell us: which Steven Spielberg movie means the most to you?

We’d like to hear about your favourite films made by the director and why you love them

On Sunday we published the best Steven Spielberg films chosen by directors, critics and super fans. Now we’d like to hear from our readers – what is missing from our list and which Spielberg movie means the most to you?

If you’re having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.

Call to phase out ‘inhumane’ guga hunt by working with Hebridean islanders

Annual killing of infant gannets has been carried out on a remote Scottish island for at least 400 years

Animal welfare campaigners have called for talks on phasing out the “inhumane” hunt for infant gannets known as guga, which are killed by hunters on a remote Scottish island once a year.

OneKind and the League Against Cruel Sports said it should be slowly phased out in dialogue with the Hebridean islanders who see the hunt, which has been carried out for at least 400 years, as a cultural pursuit and as sustainable food harvesting.

‘Screaming girls chased me down the street’: how we made Strictly Ballroom

‘A big dude came up to me and said, “My wife dragged me kicking and screaming to see your movie – and it was the best thing she’s ever done”’

Baz Luhrmann was this cool guy two years ahead of me at NIDA, the drama school in Sydney. When I graduated, I joined his theatre company Six Years Old and the play of Strictly Ballroom came out of that. It was inspired by Keith Bain, who taught movement at the school. He was a ballroom-dancer who had left Australia for South America in the 1950s then came back with these shocking new steps. We talked a lot in rehearsals about the paso doble, and from that came Fran’s Spanish immigrant background. I thought up the name Frangipani because Sydney has frangipani trees everywhere. On my walk to rehearsals, I’d often pick one of the flowers to put in my hair.

Powerful earthquake in southern Philippines leaves at least 35 dead

People told not to enter damaged buildings for fear of aftershocks from magnitude-7.8 quake

At least 35 people have died after a magnitude-7.8 earthquake shook part of the southern Philippines early on Monday, collapsing buildings and triggering tsunami alerts.

The quake hit early in the morning about 20km (12.4 miles) off the coast of Sarangani province, with tremors felt strongly across Mindanao and 420km away in the city of Manado on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

Career expert tackles job search struggles from experience to AI

LinkedIn's latest workforce report found hiring rates are nearly 5% lower than a year ago. Catherine Fisher, a LinkedIn career expert, explains how job applicants can break through the market, using AI when applying and more.

Heavy rain triggers flash flooding in South while more severe weather slams Northeast

Flash flooding hit parts of the South over the weekend, leaving drivers stranded and leading to water rescues. Meanwhile, more severe weather and high winds were reported in the Northeast. Rob Marciano reports.

Officer told captain of flight that hit light pole he was "a little low," NTSB says

The NTSB released its preliminary report on a United Airlines plane that struck a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike in May.

Lauren Hemp confident Lionesses will bounce back from Spain hammering

• European champions beaten 4-0 in Mallorca on Friday

• Hemp: ‘As a group, we’ve come together and stuck together’

Lauren Hemp says the England squad are sticking together after their heavy defeat against Spain on Friday and have vowed to bounce back from that setback when they face Ukraine in their final Women’s World Cup qualifier at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The European champions were outplayed in a 4-0 defeat in Mallorca where they missed the chance to secure automatic qualification for the tournament in Brazil next summer, with Spain leapfrogging them at the top of the group. By virtue of their stronger head-to-head record against England, Spain have the group’s sole automatic qualification spot firmly in their hands.

Trump storms out of interview after being challenged about election fraud claims, DOJ fund

The president said he would like to see the weaponization fund proceed despite setbacks.

Trial begins for man accused of sparking LA’s deadly Palisades fire

Jonathan Rinderknecht is accused of starting the blaze that became Los Angeles’s deadliest and destructive wildfire

The trial of a 29-year-old charged with sparking a wildfire that went on to become the deadly Palisades inferno, the most destructive blaze in Los Angeles history, is set to begin on Monday in a case that has gripped the city as Angelenos seek answers more than a year after the deadly fire.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, an occasional Uber driver, is accused of starting a small blaze on New Year’s Day 2025, later dubbed the Lachman fire. Although the Los Angeles fire department extinguished the fire on 2 January, it reignited five days later due to high winds and tinderbox conditions after burning undetected deep in the dry hillsides.

Artists are making ‘anti-slop’ to rebel against AI: ‘It’s been rammed down our throats’

In response to AI’s hyperrealism, artists and creatives are gravitating toward the homespun and imperfect

Earlier this year, a group of film-makers, commercial directors and AI industry influencers gathered in New York City for the Runway AI Summit – a daylong hype-fest, trumping up the potential of this new technology. During one talk, Rob Wrubel, co-founder and managing partner at San Francisco ad firm Silverside, talked up his work on the Coca-Cola company’s AI-generated 2025 Holiday Caravan ad. “What’s incredible about AI,” Wrubel said, “is that you can go from script to production is just two weeks!”

What Wrubel failed to mention was that the ad – with its computerized polar bears and fake-looking trundling delivery trucks – was widely despised by pretty much anyone who saw it. Indeed, the public distaste for the campaign became its own news story, spawning headlines like “People really don’t like Coke’s AI holiday commercial” and “Coca-Cola’s New AI Holiday Ad is a Sloppy Eyesore”. It may indeed have been quickly conceived – and it looked like it. Reached for comment about the backlash, Wrubel admits: “The conversation around the ad became almost as important as the ad itself because it surfaced questions the entire creative industry is wrestling with right now.”

Pope uses Spain speech to warn of global ‘spiritual and cultural crisis’

Addressing lawmakers, Leo XIV also highlights migration at a time when Madrid is bucking European trends

Pope Leo XIV has used an address to the Spanish parliament to warn the world is undergoing “a deep spiritual and cultural crisis” and to urge the international community to tackle the causes and consequences of what he termed “the tragic drama of migration”.

In a wide-ranging speech delivered to lawmakers in Madrid, the pontiff also touched on conflict, artificial intelligence, the climate emergency, and the issues of abortion and euthanasia.

A humanoid traffic officer and Pride in Brazil: photos of the day – Monday

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

How much does Sean Penn hate selfies? Enough to invoke the Holocaust

In his own unique words, the One Battle After Another actor made it clear there is no one he won’t reject for a fan photo – and revealed the real reason he skipped the Oscars

One of the highlights of this year’s Oscars was Sean Penn’s win for best supporting actor. Not because he deserved it – although in truth he probably did – but because he didn’t turn up, which simultaneously made the ceremony a little bit shorter and spared the world a Sean Penn acceptance speech.

At the time, much was made about the reason for Penn’s absence. Since he spent Oscars night in Ukraine, the leading theory was that he was making a profound point about the frivolity of backslapping awards shows during times of tangible crisis. Turns out that isn’t quite the case, though. Sean Penn skipped the Oscars because he hates selfies. We’ll get to the exact quote in a minute, and you should probably brace yourself for it, but he really, really hates selfies. A lot.

Xi and Kim express hopes for greater ties between China and North Korea

Xi traveled to Pyongyang on Monday in a likely attempt to reassert China's unique influence over its socialist neighbor.

Italian coffee giant Lavazza launches single-serve tablets to make espresso in the U.S.

With Tablì, Lavazza is betting that sustainability is still a top consideration for many coffee drinkers.

U.S. confirms second Texas screwworm case, Canada restricts livestock imports

New World screwworm larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, creating severe wounds that can be fatal if left untreated.

Inside the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal that Trump withdrew from

The U.S. and Iran have yet to reach a peace deal or address Iran's nuclear ambitions, despite signals from Trump that talks are progressing.

White South African refugees fall foul of Republican driving rules in US midwest

Onerous and costly restrictions aimed at immigrants cause difficulties for group prioritized by Trump for admission

Among President Trump’s most vocal supporters are South Africans seeking asylum in the US.

An estimated 6,300 people have arrived in the US since the administration’s announcement in February last year of a refugee resettlement program specifically for white South Africans and other minorities.

Doctors prescribing weight loss drug not yet approved by FDA, CBS News investigation finds

The weight loss drug retatrutide has been touted as "Ozempic on steroids." It's still in clinical trials and not approved by the FDA, but a CBS News investigation found that hasn't stopped doctors from offering it, and it could come with serious side effects. Adam Yamaguchi reports.

A Murder Between Friends review – Joan Collins’s detective diva sparkles in trashy whodunnit

Hot tubs and high camp as a TV star dripping in rhinestones tries to solve a real-life crime in this fabulously flawed murder mystery. Who cares who did it

Here is a camply craptastic murder mystery that aims to offer queer-minded fans of trashy detection stories a treat for Pride month with a manifestly cheap and cheerful, amusingly badly performed, diva-centric exercise. Let us be clear: this is not well-made in the slightest, with a script as shonky as a flatpack gateleg table, with similarly slapdash direction by collaborators Trent Garrett and Jacob Young. (Clearly it takes two people to make something this inept.) But its flaws somehow make it endearing, mostly because it stars Joan Collins, looking insanely fabulous at whatever free bus-pass-qualifying age she is.

Collins plays Francesca Carlyle, a famous TV detective lady, lacquered in rhinestones, and always in faintly softer focus than everyone else. She rents her mansion to a gang of old friends getting together for a European holiday in an indeterminate country; this early-middle-aged gaggle, who supposedly have known each other since university, is comprised of a mix of Americans such as bullish Josh (Young), his vampy, fake-eyelash-wearing wife Kat (Nadia Bjorlin), and slightly more modestly attired Sonia (India Thain). There are Brits like Sonia’s husband Devin (Simon Cotton), and newcomer Sydney (Toby-Alexander Smith) who just married the core group’s friend, ambiguously accented Louisa (Hana Vagnerová). One of the cohort is killed on the first night after some carousing, during which two of the above blokes grope each other on a stairway, overseen by a third, and hot tubs are deployed.

Republicans in Congress are defecting from Trump over Iran. Will more follow? | Rajan Menon and Daniel Depetris

The vote reflects his diminished standing at home and loss of leverage over Iran as he scrambles to exit a disastrous war

Donald Trump suffered a significant setback last week. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a measure under the 1973 War Powers Resolution. It directed the White House “to remove all US forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran”. This occurred several weeks after the US Senate voted 50-47 to advance its own version of the bill. (A final vote has yet to be scheduled.) Unlike previous failed attempts, both votes won support from some Republican lawmakers.

Trump was predictably irate. “Yesterday, in a meaningless vote, the House voted, 4 bad Republicans and all of the Dumocrats, to limit my War Powers, right in the middle of my final negotiations to end the War with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he wrote in a June 4 Truth Social post. “Who would do such an unpatriotic thing. [sic]”

Arizona lake closes indefinitely to visitors after all of its fish die

Wildlife department says drought conditions and water released from dam led to ‘major fish kill’ at San Carlos Lake

Arizona officials have indefinitely closed a popular lake to visitors after its entire population of fish died recently.

The recreation and wildlife department that maintains San Carlos Lake said in a Facebook statement on Friday that drought conditions as well as water released from a dam there “resulted in a major fish kill affecting approximately 100% of the fish population”.

Catch me if you can: Kimi Antonelli’s Monaco triumph rattles F1 rivals | Giles Richards

Other drivers are trying to remain upbeat but the Italian is untouchable on present form, and his Mercedes team principal is in awe

Kimi Antonelli reached new heights at the Monaco Grand Prix, his talent and potential made abundantly clear as he became the race’s youngest winner. The question now in Formula One, only six races into the season, is increasingly whether anyone can catch the teenager. His rivals are trying to remain upbeat but on current form the Italian is untouchable.

In Monaco pole position is all, and Antonelli delivered it with an outstanding lap acknowledged with no little appreciation by his Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, a man not given to hyperbole.