The Guardian
Elon Musk’s trillionaire status at risk after drops in SpaceX and Tesla’s shares – business live
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Shares in Airbus have dipped by 0.5% this morning after Europen regulators ordered urgent inspections of 16 Airbus A380 planes.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued an emergency airworthiness directive, after cracks were found in a wing component on some aircraft.
Segro may be the biggest fish in the UK REIT pond, but at a market cap below £10bn is a minnow compared to Prologis.
It remains to be seen whether the combination will go ahead - in our view Prologis would be reluctant to increase the offer materially and take it above NAV - but the very fact that it was deemed possible given the company’s pan-European footprint and 460 employees that make it a more complex transaction than its smaller peers means that the entire sector could be back in the shop window for even larger, foreign companies.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 07:55
The Guardian
World Cup 2026: England frustrated; final group games kick off as Scotland face Brazil – live
⚽ All the latest news on a day packed with six matches
⚽ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail Daniel
How do we feel about the penalty that wasn’t?
I don’t really see how you can’t give it. Fatawu was in and Konsa launches into him, getting nowhere near the ball with no chance of getting at the ball – which makes it a red card too.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 07:49
The Guardian
World Cup 2026: third-place table, who has qualified and who needs what?
With the group stage hurtling towards its end we look at who needs what to make the knockout phase
Teams level on points are separated, in order, by head-to-head points; head-to-head goal difference; head-to-head goals scored; overall goal difference; overall goals scored; disciplinary points; Fifa ranking.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 07:39
The Guardian
Woman attacked by shark at Coogee beach wakes briefly from coma to say three words
‘I love you,’ Leah Stewart told her mother and partner after coming out of a coma on Tuesday
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A woman attacked by a shark at Sydney’s Coogee beach has uttered her first words after waking from a coma 10 days since sustaining her injuries.
“I love you,” Leah Stewart told her mother and partner after coming out of a coma on Tuesday. She was bitten by a great white shark on 13 June.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 07:37
The Guardian
Europe heatwave live: UK braces for record-breaking temperatures; Italy issues red alert for 16 cities
Temperatures expected to hit 40C in parts of the UK, as extreme heatwave spreads slowly eastwards, sparking warnings in Italy and the Netherlands
France records hottest day ever as 40 people drown across country
Tell us: how is the heatwave in the UK and across Europe affecting you?
Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesperson, said the agency is forecasting 39C as a headline maximum temperature on Thursday in the UK, most likely for somewhere in London or the south-east.
“It is possible we could see temperatures higher than the 39C if the final values are at the upper end of our narrow range,” he said, according to the Press Association.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 07:30
The Guardian
I’ve seen Chekhov’s Cherry Orchard 20 times – and it blossoms when tended by the British | Michael Billington
Helen Hunt and Kristin Scott Thomas are leading revivals of the Russian classic whose blend of comedy and tragedy is baked into our own dramatic heritage
What kind of play is The Cherry Orchard? As a new production starring Helen Hunt and Kenneth Branagh beckons in Stratford, I am reminded that it is a question people have been asking since the play’s inception. Chekhov himself wrote that what had emerged in his play was “not a drama but a comedy, in places almost a farce”. Stanislavski, who directed the Moscow premiere in 1904, violently disagreed. “It is a tragedy,” he told Chekhov, “whatever prospect of a better life you hold out in the last act.”
While the debate continues, I hope we shall not be told by anyone involved in the new RSC production that they are at long last restoring the play’s comedy. It is a critical cliche that the British sentimentalise the play and treat it as a lament for the decline and fall of a pseudo-Edwardian aristocracy. In my experience of the play – and I have seen about 20 productions – this is simply untrue. We generally do The Cherry Orchard very well because its blend of styles and moods is something baked into our own dramatic heritage. Eschewing the academic formality of the French, for whom tragedy and comedy are rigidly defined genres, we are used to a glorious impurity in drama: a culture that can produce Twelfth Night should have no problem in comprehending The Cherry Orchard.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 07:17
The Guardian
Dettol apologises after ‘toxic men’ advert sparks backlash in China
British disinfectant brand withdraws advert about a man’s efforts to find a ‘clean and untouched’ woman
The British hygiene brand Dettol has apologised after an advertisement released in China, which it said was intended to criticise “toxic men”, was widely condemned on social media as offensive to women.
The five-minute advert for a multipurpose disinfectant, released across many online platforms at the end of May, features a man comparing his girlfriend with his former partner. Learning that his former girlfriend had previously lived with someone else, the man likens their relationship to a “secondhand service”. He then tells his friends that he intends to find a “clean and untouched” woman for whom he can be the first sexual partner.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 07:16
The Guardian
The American Experiment review – Tom Hanks’ history of the US is absolutely packed with big names
Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, Mike Pence … the heavyweight politicians stack up in this sincere biopic of the United States. It’s so pointedly wholesome it’s like drinking a kale smoothie on a wellness retreat
The Netflix homepage describes The American Experiment to potential viewers unwilling to read more than four words as “Sincere. Informative. Documentary series”. Well, my goodness, is it ever that, that and that! The five, hour-plus episodes about the creation of the United States of America to mark its 250th anniversary are as sincere and informative as you could wish. Possibly, at times, too much so.
Ken Burns fans can probably sit this one out. This is not a time for flair and idiosyncrasy. This is a time for self-consciously milestone TV executive produced by Tom Hanks that is so carefully bipartisan, so cognisant of the stains on the country’s history, so balanced in every conceivable way, that it feels like the televisual equivalent of consuming a kale smoothie on a wellness retreat.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 07:01
The Guardian
Emergency swimming and alcohol bans: what cities could learn from Paris's ‘heatwave mode’ | Helen Massy-Beresford
Following a devastating heatwave in 2003 that killed 15,000, France has adopted four alert levels to help people cope with extreme temperatures
Helen Massy-Beresford is a British journalist and editor who lives in Paris
Over the weekend, as evening fell on the hilly (and, crucially, shady) Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, one of Paris’s most popular green spaces, the joyfully chaotic Fête de la musique – a summer solstice celebration of music in all its forms – got under way, with competing DJs starting their sets in nearby cafes.
It was stiflingly hot and picnickers were cooling down with water, juice or alcohol-free beer – or at least, they should have been. The Paris authorities banned the consumption of alcohol in public spaces (apart from cafe terraces) during the festival, just one of the measures they can put in place to keep citizens safe once the city reaches vigilance rouge canicule – red heatwave alert.
Helen Massy-Beresford is a British journalist and editor who lives in Paris
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 07:00
The Guardian
Which footballers have refused to celebrate a goal against another country? | The Knowledge
Plus: is Dick Advocaat unique among coaches, long waits between World Cups and Dave Beasant revisionism
Mail us with your all of your questions and answers
“Sweden’s Yasin Ayari has a Tunisian father and chose not to celebrate his first goal against Tunisia (he couldn’t resist celebrating when he scored later, though). Declan Rice did something similar after scoring against the Republic of Ireland in 2024, but what is the earliest example of a player not celebrating a goal at international level because of a connection to the opposition?” asks Michael Pilcher.
“I remember Breel Embolo, the Swiss international born in Cameroon, not celebrating after scoring against Cameroon at the 2022 World Cup,” replies Filippo Varanini.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 07:00
The Guardian
Philippines blocks GoreBox gaming app after school shooting kills three, injures 20
Investigators said one of the teenagers who allegedly opened fire on students at a high school had regularly used the GoreBox gaming app
Philippine authorities have temporarily blocked the online gaming app GoreBox days after a rare school shooting in the south-east Asian nation killed three students and injured 20 others.
Investigators said that of the two teenagers accused of opening fire on students at San Jose National high school in Tacloban city, one had regularly played the game, which allows players to use various weapons and depicts graphic violence.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 06:27
NPR Topics: News
Appeals court allows Trump administration expanded use of speedy deportations
A federal appeals court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to resume carrying out speedy deportations of undocumented migrants throughout the United States, not just near the border.
24th June 2026 06:03
The Guardian
‘Like a phoenix rising from its ashes’: queer Muslim life in France – in pictures
Camille Farrah Lenain’s tender photo book Made of Smokeless Fire was inspired by grief for her gay uncle Farid. ‘He left without answering the questions I had for him,’ she says
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 06:00
The Guardian
‘A real difference’: how community hubs help local people fight rising living costs
More locations are offering debt advice, health services, cafes, social activities and support under one roof
Shortly before lunchtime in a London community centre, older visitors are chatting over coffee and crosswords as young families drift in and out. Kitchen volunteers from the Real Junk Food Project are preparing lunch at a “pay as you feel” cafe, using food that would otherwise have ended up in the bin.
Conversations inside the Victorian building at the East Twickenham Neighbourhood Association (ETNA) community centre range from financial advice to digital support, via childcare and legal services. There are counselling drop-ins and self-help groups, while down the corridor yoga is about to start. Over the course of the day, it all builds a picture of what community hubs offer local people.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 06:00
The Guardian
Deja viewing: the return of the cheapo compilation film
While movie mixtapes served a purpose in the pre-video era, Jackass, Demon Slayer, Peppa Pig and other theatrically released assemblages of old material risk looking like cynical cash grabs today
Johnny Knoxville has declared that the fifth Jackass movie, Best and Last, will mark the end of the franchise, and the trailer suggests a victory lap celebrating 25 years of broken bones, injured genitals and general stupidity you shouldn’t try at home. There are new stunts, and conversations with the cast about growing old gracelessly as they enter their 50s, but the most striking thing is how much archive footage there is. And the cast have not been hiding in interviews that it will be heavy on scenes from prior movies.
In other words, it’s the cinematic equivalent of a greatest hits album that has a couple of new songs tossed on to entice fans to part with their money. Or a clip show episode of a US sitcom which is based on flashbacks to older episodes, created so that overworked writers can reach their network-mandated episode count. But in the age of YouTube and streaming, when you can watch many a fan-edited Jackass compilation featuring the same footage, it is asking a lot of audiences to leave their homes and part with their money to see it.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 06:00
The Guardian
The ultimate beach hike: Portugal’s Fishermen’s Trail reveals the Algarve’s wild side
This long-distance coastal trek takes in towering rock faces, isolated beaches and tasty pitstops
The fluorescent green gaiters seemed a ridiculous suggestion, but prove a godsend as we plod across the sand. “I bet you’re glad I told you to get a pair of these bad boys now, aren’t you?” my friend Luke jokes. We’re marching across a wide, crescent-shaped, honeyed beach. The sun is high in the sky and slivers of light flicker through a thick sea fog, as 6ft waves crash and fizz, their white foam licking the towering limestone cliffs.
I’m in Portugal, in the west Algarve, with two friends, hiking part of the Rota Vicentina, or Fishermen’s Trail, a 140-mile (226km) trek that runs from Lagos to São Torpes in Alentejo. Traversing cliffs that lead to wild, remote beaches like this one is part of the trail’s calling card. As the name suggests, it was originally carved out by fishers to reach otherwise inaccessible fishing spots along the Atlantic Ocean. Now it’s part of the Rota Vicentina, a hiking and cycling route spanning 466 miles across Portugal.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 06:00
NPR Topics: News
Archaeologists find huge Viking textile production site in Denmark
Archaeologists have discovered a huge Viking Age textile production site in Denmark that dates back more than 1,000 years and underlines the sophistication of Viking society.
24th June 2026 05:54
The Guardian
A moment that changed me: A telegram arrived – and I had to choose between my head and my heart
Should I follow the man of my dreams to work in a club in Tehran? Or take up a place at an elite university? Thankfully, my dad gave me advice I’ve lived by ever since
My parents did not expect me to land a place at university. I was not considered academic enough. And anyway, I was a girl. Instead, I was being primed for marriage. My mother didn’t see anything wrong with this. Born in Britain between the two world wars, when the scarcity of men had made them precious commodities, she had left school at 14, part of a generation often brought up to believe that matrimony was the only guarantee of a secure social and financial future. While romance and indeed love were a bonus, the unwritten clause in a marital contract stipulated that a wife must play her supportive part at home while the husband went out to work. Without the necessary qualifications for the role, the entire agreement risked failure.
In 1972, I was at college studying for my A-levels, but in the holidays my mother enlisted me on various “finishing” courses. Her intention was that I acquire the domestic skills to enhance my spousal eligibility, including how to cook, carve a roast and drive a Jeep to the shops, in case I landed a nice gentry farmer. Only now, almost 40 years after her death, do I realise how much she regretted the lack of educational and career opportunities open to her. Only now do I sympathise with her subconscious envy when they were offered to her daughter.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 05:45
The Guardian
‘The soul’s been ripped out of it’: Birmingham community housing scheme on brink over costs dispute
Row over ‘landmark’ development in Stirchley has left people homeless and put businesses at risk, say locals
A housing development in Birmingham, touted as a model for community-owned housing in the UK, is at “serious risk of collapse” due to a dispute over construction costs.
The Stirchley Cooperative Development (SCD), which was founded by local residents and businesses in Birmingham in 2016, was meant to provide 39 affordable and landlord-free homes owned and run by the people who live and work there by 2024.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 05:00
The Guardian
Failure to plan for rising temperatures has left UK’s schools sweltering
Many buildings are in use past their predicted lifespans, but even newer designs lack measures to beat heat
To see the UK’s failure to plan for the impacts of climate crisis, look no further than Beaconsfield primary school in west London – where a building more than 100 years old copes with extreme temperatures better than its neighbour, built less than 10 years ago.
“I’ve got two buildings on my site – the older building is a Victorian-Edwardian-style building. It’s roughly 130 years old. That building is constructed with solid brickwork, very thick walls. It stays warm in winter and in summer it tends to keep the heat out so it is cooler inside. Even this week it’s starting to get uncomfortable but it’s still tolerable,” said Dave Woods, Beaconsfield’s headteacher.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 05:00
The Guardian
‘Who is going to pay us when we’re replaced by robots?’ The Indian factory workers told to film themselves for AI
When workers had cameras attached to them, they found it funny at first. But novelty soon turned to concern
The first time the factory supervisors handed garment worker Lalita* a head-mounted camera, she burst out laughing. “The way people mount a CCTV camera on a wall, they mounted one on us,” she says.
The 32-year-old had been working at the garment factory on the outskirts of Delhi for nearly a year when management asked workers on her line to strap small cameras to their foreheads before starting their shifts. Nobody explained why.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 05:00
The Guardian
Documenting Ireland’s vanishing boglands: ‘They hold millennia in their layers’
Photographer Shane Hynan explores the tension between the central role peat bogs play in Irish life and their wider environmental impact
“You can read Ireland’s history in the boglands. They hold millennia in their layers,” says photographer Shane Hynan of his project, Beofhód (meaning Beneath in English).
The boglands, known as portachs in Irish, cover roughly 1.2m to 1.5m hectares or about 14% to 17% of the country’s total land area. The raised bogs of the Irish Midlands are made of peat that forms at a rate of 1mm a year (0.04in) in low-lying, poorly drained basins or former lakes. As the historical geographer Kevin Whelan observes in the Atlas of the Irish Rural Landscape, “the bog has been etched as deeply into the human as into the physical record in Ireland – to an extent unrivalled elsewhere.”
Eddie and Con footing turf for domestic use, Knockirr Bog, County Kildare, 2022.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 05:00Ukraine is raising the cost of war for Russia — and testing Putin's resolve
A string of political victories and deep-strike successes has bolstered confidence in Ukraine amid its long-running war with Russia.
24th June 2026 05:00
The Guardian
Country diary: This ‘secret’ island takes me back to Swallows and Amazons | Amy-Jane Beer
Horsey Island, Hamford Water, Essex: It’s the setting for one of Arthur Ransome’s wonderful books, and today it’s farmed by a single family with innovation and care
You need two permissions to access Horsey Island: one from the farmer, the second from the tide, which offers a four-hour window in every 12 when the causeway can be crossed. It takes me 20 minutes to pick my way over, wading the deeper sections where spindly marker posts show the way. It’s a disconcerting place to loiter. In places the mud either side is a foot higher than the track, and riddled with tiny creeks in which streamers of sea forsaken by the tide rush along invisible gradients. The whole expanse fizzes and trickles as air and water try to escape from the mud and heaps of bladderwrack.
The dreamlike quality is enhanced by a feeling I’ve been here before, which, in a way, I have. The island is the setting for Secret Water, part of Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons series, which I loved as a child and revisited ad nauseam during a phase when my son read almost nothing else. It is here on the River Wade that two of the adventurous children are trapped by rising water and rescued by a marsh-wise local boy nicknamed the Mastodon, because of the enormous round tracks left by his “splatchers” – like snowshoes for traversing mud.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 04:30
The Guardian
Mamdani-backed candidates sweep Democratic primaries in New York City
JFK’s grandson Jack Schlossberg fails to advance in election to replace Jerry Nadler in Manhattan district
Zohran Mamdani’s growing influence over the Democratic party was on show in New York City on Tuesday as three congressional candidates endorsed by New York’s democratic socialist mayor won closely watched primaries, while voters in Maryland, Utah and South Carolina cast ballots in primaries and runoffs.
Brad Lander, the former New York City comptroller who also ran for mayor last year before endorsing Mamdani, won his race comfortably, defeating the Democratic representative Dan Goldman.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 04:26
The Guardian
‘Walking a tightrope’: Burnham’s borrowing plans clash with fiscal realities
The man tipped for No 10 could also come under immediate pressure if his chancellor is deemed by bond markets to be too left-wing
Andy Burnham would enter Downing Street already “boxed in” by financial markets if he signals a rise in borrowing to pay for a more expansive policy agenda, bond investors have warned.
The newly elected MP for Makerfield, who is widely expected to be the next prime minister, could also quickly come under pressure if he chooses a chancellor who is seen to be too leftwing by bond markets.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 04:00
The Guardian
From blond to pink to curly to cropped – my wild week of wearing a new wig every day
Glamorous, fashion-forward, fun – wigs are everywhere you look, with celebrities leading the way. But should you go for something flamboyant, or a more natural style? Time to test-drive a few
‘I think it’s the word – ‘wig’!” says Melanie Burrell, scrunching up her nose. “I prefer ‘hairpiece’.” It’s part of the reason why, when she opened her wig business in Glasgow in 2010, she called it Parrucche – the Italian word for “wigs” being a little more discreet, especially when it came to signage.
But the stigma once associated with wig wearing is quickly diminishing. Outside of Black and queer communities, where using hairpieces has long been commonplace, wigs were once associated with attempts to conceal hair-loss, or for fancy dress. But in recent years, their appeal has broadened. According to data insights company Statista, the global wigs and hair extensions market is predicted to reach $13.28bn this year. For men, toupees, now more commonly known as “hair systems”, are part of this resurgence.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 04:00
The Guardian
Play puts spotlight on Kenya’s crisis of gender-based violence
Autobiographical work Free Me aims to encourage victims to speak out in country where violence against women is rising
There are audible gasps in the auditorium in Nairobi as a husband launches a volley of blows and slaps on his wife and pushes her to the floor. “I wish I could spare you this,” the wife tells the audience. “My husband beat me up as if we were in a bar fight. Except, in a bar someone fights back.”
The scene comes from Free Me, an autobiographical play by Gathoni Kimuyu, a Kenyan theatre and TV producer who lived through an abusive marriage.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 04:00
The Guardian
‘I carry the pain of the world’: Oscar-winning singer Camille on her tumultuous triple album about motherhood
She has won acclaim and countless awards for her body-tapping, raspberry-blowing music. Now she has spent 15 years making her boldest work yet – an epic about birth, infancy and adolescence
It took Camille 15 years to make her new album. The Sound of Milk is a triple record, each part documenting a distinct stage of the French musician’s experience raising two kids with composer Clément Ducol: Naissance is from 2015, Enfance 2020 and Adolescence 2025. She could have put each one out when it was complete, she says, but realised she wasn’t ready. Her son and daughter, now teenagers, “were too little, and I would have felt too exposed to talk about it because it’s about beauty, joy, it’s very deep,” says Camille, calling from her home in the French countryside. “I needed to be able to step back and look at the journey. I needed to feel grounded enough to release it in a world that does not respect children and mothers.”
On the surface, much of Camille’s sixth album may sound very sweet. Naissance features no real instruments – it’s essentially a field recording of raising babies, all gurgles and found sound. Known for her vocal experimentation – beatboxing, raspberries – Camille saw it as a manifesto freeing singing from how disembodied it can be in pop. “As a woman, music is about a way of living,” she says. “It’s about breathing, being with my kids, singing along with what’s going on around me in an open world.” She calls Enfance a “pocket musical”: similarly atmospheric, it’s full of the kinds of ditties parents make up when they’re teaching kids about stairs and the washing machine – raising everyday maternal expressions up as art, I suggest. “I like what you’re saying,” she says. “All families are pieces of art. We create our values, our worlds, a way of talking to each other.”
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 04:00
The Guardian
From The West Wing to Blackadder: the best fictional prime ministers on TV
The UK sure loves speculation about prime ministers. So here’s some more! But who makes the finest – Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, Jane Horrocks or Alan B’Stard?
As the UK gets ready to have its seventh prime minister in 10 years, how long before a revolving door is installed at 10 Downing Street? As social media wags have pointed out, this is likely the first time in history that the UK has been looking for a new prime minister, James Bond and Time Lord at the same time.
With the tribute film Rik Mayall: Magnificent B’stard airing this week (Thursday at 9pm on Sky Documentaries) and Steven Moffat’s drama Number 10 coming soon to Channel 4, it’s time to conduct a poll on TV’s best fictional British PMs.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 04:00The 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule and how to watch
With 104 World Cup games being played in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, it's like "a Super Bowl every single day for five weeks," U.S. team captain Tim Ream told CBS News.
24th June 2026 03:58Three New York Democrats backed by Mamdani win House seat primaries; 2 incumbents lose
Two candidates backed by the Democratic Socialist of America won their primaries, a year after the DSA-backed Zohran Mamdani won New York mayor's race.
24th June 2026 03:56Judge blocks Trump administration from arresting immigrants at courts
U.S. District Judge P. Casey Pitts in the Northern District of California ruled in a 71-page opinion Tuesday that multiple Trump administration policies were arbitrary and violated the Administrative Procedure Act.
24th June 2026 03:27N.Y. House primaries test Mamdani's influence, and more races to watch today
Voters headed to the polls Tuesday for contests in New York, South Carolina, Maryland and Utah.
24th June 2026 03:04Senate adopts House-passed Iran resolution in symbolic rebuke of Trump
The Senate approved a House-passed resolution aimed at reining in President Trump on Iran, marking the first time such a measure has made it through both chambers.
24th June 2026 02:57Moderate Democrat projected to win primary in Utah's new left-leaning district
Former Rep. Ben McAdams faced three progressive challengers in the Democratic primary in Utah's 1st Congressional District.
24th June 2026 02:47
NPR Topics: News
Mamdani's political gamble pays off as his endorsed candidates sweep their primaries
All three progressive candidates backed by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani — including two who took on Democratic incumbents — won their primaries in safe seats almost guaranteeing their election in November.
24th June 2026 02:415 active wildfires rage in Utah
Five large, active wildfires were threatening homes and forcing evacuations in Utah Tuesday. They range from north of Salt Lake City, to south of Provo. Rob Marciano is tracking them.
24th June 2026 02:30Washington Wizards select AJ Dybantsa No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft
In what is considered one of the most talented classes in recent memory, the Washington Wizards selected BYU small forward AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick of the NBA Draft.
24th June 2026 02:25House passes affordable housing bill, sends it to Trump's desk
The House on Tuesday gave final passage to a bill aimed at lowering costs for homebuyers and reining in private equity.
24th June 2026 02:02
The Guardian
North Korea’s ‘exponential’ nuclear program: why Kim Jong-un is racing to expand his arsenal
The heightened rhetoric from Pyongyang has left analysts asking why North Korea appears to need so many nuclear weapons
At a ruling Workers’ party meeting that concluded this week, Kim Jong-un declared that steadily expanding North Korea’s nuclear forces was the “most correct and unique way” to cope with an increasingly unstable world, citing what he described as growing threats from the US and its allies.
The remarks were just the latest in a recent stream of commentary from North Korea’s leadership that has seen Kim pledge to equip warships with nuclear missiles, double weapons grade production and expand the country’s nuclear arsenal at “an exponential rate”.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 01:33
The Guardian
Ukraine war briefing: Crimea locks down as Putin acknowledges ‘huge stream’ of Ukrainian drones
Rail bridge and power plant among latest infrastructure targeted by Kyiv in Crimea, where restrictions on public life have come to prevail. What we know on day 1,582
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 01:27
The Guardian
Budimir rescues Croatia with winner against Panama on Modric’s landmark day
When it was all done, and Ante Budimir had rescued Croatia’s World Cup campaign with the lone goal in a tight match against Panama, 25 Croatians donned black T-shirts over their match kits and warm-up tops.
“Infinite Legacy,” read the T-shirts, printed with the number 200 and an image of Luka Modric. He was the 26th man, but he had quickly taken his off after his teammates had flung him in the air a few times.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 01:23
The Guardian
Chinese supercomputer leapfrogs best US machines to be ranked world’s fastest
China’s LineShine debuts at number one in Top500 – a list sometimes viewed as a national measure of global tech prowess
A supercomputer in China now outranks its US counterparts as the world’s most powerful. It is the first time since 2017 that a Chinese computer has topped a list sometimes viewed as a measure of a nation’s technological prowess.
The LineShine computer in Shenzhen displaced top-ranked US computer El Capitan in the Top500 rankings released on Tuesday. It was LineShine’s debut on the list.
Continue reading... 24th June 2026 01:18Jalen Brunson's mother says she texts him encouragement before every game
Sandra Brunson, mother of New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson, says she's texted her son words of encouragement before every game since he was in high school. "I still send them, and he looks forward to them," Brunson says. See the full interview with Dr. Jon LaPook, Friday on "CBS Mornings."
24th June 2026 00:13Jalen Brunson's mom, Sandra, on what she told him about leadership
Sandra Brunson, the mother of NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, says she told her son, "As a leader, he has to understand that everyone has a job to do and every one of his teammates has to feel comfortable in their role and believe in their role." See the full interview with Dr. Jon LaPook, Friday on "CBS Mornings."
24th June 2026 00:13ODNI under Pulte fires 6 staff, sends 45 back to home agencies
Those who were fired and sent to their home agencies didn't have tasks, or their assigned tasks were outdated, a source said.
24th June 2026 00:1299-year-olds share secret to a long, happy marriage
After Betty and Kermit Eastman celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary, they told CBS News Minnesota about the secret to a long, happy marriage.
23rd June 2026 23:56What we know as U.S., Iran contradict each other publicly
After another day of boasts and denials and conflicting claims from the White House and Iran, Weijia Jiang reports on what we know.
23rd June 2026 23:49
The Guardian
England’s gristly Ghana draw exposes limitations of Madueke and Gordon | Barney Ronay
Inverted wingers were unable to adjust their game, even when they kept running down the same dead end street
After the high: the comedown. You could probably have seen this coming. If only that rush after half-time in Dallas, where England surged with such alluring creative energy, hadn’t been quite so much of a buzz.
It turns out, however, that this is still an England tournament team. Nothing comes easily. The world will not bend to you. We can’t have nice things. Or only some nice things sometimes. By the end watching England struggle in Boston against a gristly and indigestible Ghana was like having your will, hope, sense of fun slowly sucked out of your body through a surgical drainage catheter.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 23:48Nancy Guthrie ransom note, believed to be from abductor, said she died, sources say
Authorities believe two ransom notes addressed to Nancy Guthrie's family — including a note that said she had died — were likely sent by the person or group of people who abducted her.
23rd June 2026 23:47House approves major housing affordability bill, sending measure to Trump
The legislation aims to increase housing supply and lower costs. It marks a rare bipartisan legislative accomplishment for lawmakers.
23rd June 2026 23:45Savannah Guthrie speaks out after new details revealed in Nancy's case
"Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie has renewed her plea for someone to come forward with new information on the apparent abduction of her mother, Nancy Guthrie. This comes after investigators revealed new information from a ransom note. Jonathan Vigliotti reports.
23rd June 2026 23:43Warehouse fire spews potentially toxic smoke in California
A warehouse fire in Southern California has been spewing potentially toxic smoke for nearly a week near the Port of Los Angeles. Matt Gutman reports.
23rd June 2026 23:41
The Guardian
Deaths linked to London air pollution have fallen 40%, study estimates
However, Imperial College team also find that pollution has worse health impact than previously understood
Deaths linked to air pollution fell by an estimated 40% in London over the five years from 2019, according to new analysis.
The city’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, welcomed what he called “overwhelming evidence” that his ultra-low emission zone was saving lives.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 23:01
The Guardian
Adidas, Uniqlo and Calvin Klein ads in UK banned over ‘recycled’ clothing claims
UK regulator has increased its scrutiny of fashion retailers over potentially misleading environmental statements
Ads for Calvin Klein, Adidas and Uniqlo promoting “recycled” clothing and shoes have been banned by the UK watchdog after the advertisers were unable to prove their green claims.
Each of the fashion companies ran paid-for Google ads, with Adidas promoting “recycled running shoes”, Calvin Klein “recycled” tops for women, and Uniqlo advertised fleece coats and jackets made from “recycled materials”.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 23:01As Ronaldo makes history, international fans fall in love with U.S. hospitality
After Lionel Messi became the World Cup's all-time goal leader at age 38, Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, age 41, became the first to score at six different World Cups. Kelly O'Grady is in Boston with more, including how the World Cup is providing a bump to consumer spending.
23rd June 2026 23:00
NPR Topics: News
Supreme Court rules that prison guards can't be sued for shaving Rastafarian's head
The Supreme Court ruled that a Louisiana prisoner whose dreadlocks were forcibly shaved off by prison guards cannot sue the guards under a federal law to protect the religious rights of prisoners.
23rd June 2026 22:336/23: CBS Evening News
Five active wildfires rage in Utah; record heat grips Europe.
23rd June 2026 22:30
The Guardian
England given reality check by stubborn Ghana to leave group in the balance
It was a talking point beforehand in the England dressing room, Harry Kane bringing it up; a message with it, too. At each of the previous three tournaments, the team had spluttered in game two. The roll call of irritation took in the draws against Scotland and Denmark at the European Championship – either side of the draw against the United States at the last World Cup. Must do better this time, was the gist of what Kane said.
England did not do better. The idea was to maintain the momentum they had generated in the 4-2 win over Croatia in their opening Group L tie but there was no surge here. Only stodge. England laboured to create against an ultra-defensive Ghana team, their only pulse-quickening moments coming towards the very end.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 22:15Cerebras falls 10% after chipmaker forecasts shrinking margin in first earnings report since IPO
Cerebras went public on the Nasdaq in May, giving Wall Street access to a pureplay AI company.
23rd June 2026 22:11Tech stocks tumble for a second day. Here's what's behind the selloff.
Nvidia, Alphabet and other technology stocks fell as Wall Street shifted from rewarding AI spending to demanding evidence that it will produce outsized returns.
23rd June 2026 21:35SpaceX raises $25 billion in debt sale less than two weeks after IPO
SpaceX raised $25 billion in a debt sale, after seeing nearly $90 billion worth of orders, sources say.
23rd June 2026 21:295 major changes Trump is making in D.C. during his second term
President Trump's construction projects include restoring the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, building a 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom and a 250-foot triumphal arch.
23rd June 2026 21:06Bill Gates testimony on Jeffrey Epstein ties released by House oversight panel
"I should never have met with Epstein in the first place," Bill Gates told members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
23rd June 2026 21:066/23: The Takeout with Major Garrett
U.S. and Iran offer conflicting accounts of nuclear talks; primary races in New York, Maryland, Utah and South Carolina.
23rd June 2026 21:00
NPR Topics: News
In symbolic vote, Congress directs Trump to remove forces from Iran war
The measure to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran does not require the president's signature, nor does it carry the force of law. But it reflects bipartisan frustration with the war.
23rd June 2026 20:50
NPR Topics: News
Congress passes the largest housing affordability bill in decades
An expansive bipartisan bill intended to bring down the cost of housing by boosting the supply of homes has passed both houses of Congress, and is headed to the president's desk for a signature.
23rd June 2026 20:46Ransom note in Nancy Guthrie case, believed to be from alleged abductor, says she died
The second of two ransom notes sent to the Guthrie family in February regarding the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie said she was dead and was believed to have come from the alleged abductor, sources say. Jonathan Vigliotti reports.
23rd June 2026 20:45
The Guardian
New York eyes 2042 Winter Olympics with Lake Placid-NYC bid concept
Committee to study Lake Placid-NYC Games
2042 emerges as earliest realistic target
State cites existing venues and IOC shift
The prospect of a Winter Olympics stretching from the Adirondacks to New York City has taken its first formal step toward reality as state leaders launched a year-long review into whether the two destinations could jointly host a future Games.
New York governor Kathy Hochul on Monday announced the formation of the Lake Placid-New York City Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games Exploratory Committee, a statewide group tasked with evaluating whether a future Winter Games built around existing venues and shared between the two locations could be delivered sustainably and responsibly.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 20:19Judge blocks Trump administration's SNAP limits on sodas, candy
The ruling deals a setback to the "Make America Healthy Again" campaign, which seeks to curb purchases of foods officials say are unhealthy.
23rd June 2026 20:13
The Guardian
US Senate passes war powers resolution challenging Trump’s Iran war authority
Four Republicans joined Democrats to back a measure seeking to limit the US president’s military authority
The US Senate approved a war powers resolution preventing Donald Trump from continuing hostilities against Iran, delivering the president a significant but symbolic rebuke over a conflict that has proven unpopular with the American public.
The resolution passed by a 50-48 vote, with four Republicans – Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rand Paul of Kentucky – breaking with their party to support its adoption. John Fetterman, of Pennsylvania, was the sole Democrat to vote against the resolution.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 20:12SpaceX closes nearly 1% higher, snapping three-day losing streak
Gains have been pared back at the space and AI company following an initial surge off of its record-breaking IPO.
23rd June 2026 20:05
NPR Topics: News
Is AI 'one big bubble'? Behind the tech sell-off
Investors are selling off AI-related stocks as doubts are starting to surface over whether the massive spending on AI is worth the investment and whether it's "one big bubble."
23rd June 2026 19:31
The Guardian
Transfer latest: Spurs push for Fernandes and Tonali, Chelsea like Palestra
Tottenham also among clubs tracking Summerville
Chelsea consider move for Como’s Jacobo Ramón
Roberto De Zerbi has been given significant funds and is looking to make two big moves in midfield. Tottenham are pushing to land Sandro Tonali, even though Newcastle will demand a huge fee for the Italy international, and have entered the race to sign Mateus Fernandes.
West Ham need to raise funds after relegation from the Premier League and are expected to lose Fernandes. The 21-year-old impressed after joining from Southampton for £38m last summer and is a key target for Manchester United. However Tottenham are pushing for the Portuguese midfielder and prepared to beat United on the finances. Real Madrid have also considered a move for Fernandes.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 19:17
NPR Topics: News
Portugal's Ronaldo shakes off World Cup doubters, scores 2 after sluggish start
At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the oldest players in the World Cup. Against the Democratic Republic of Congo he was mostly invisible and questions mounted. Against Uzbekistan, he sparkled.
23rd June 2026 18:59
The Guardian
Israel continues to commit genocide by targeting children in Gaza, UN inquiry finds
Independent report says by aiming at children Israel is undermining capacity of Palestinian people to exist
Israel continues to commit genocide by deliberately targeting Palestinian children in Gaza, an independent UN inquiry has found.
The report by the UN independent international commission of inquiry examined violations against Palestinian children since the start of the war in Gaza, and said about 30% of the people killed by Israeli forces have been children.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 18:56
The Guardian
Rubio insists strait of Hormuz will be toll-free as he arrives for Gulf meeting
US secretary of state seeks to reassure UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain over security and US-Iran ceasefire deal
The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has said no country, including Iran, would be allowed to charge tolls for shipping in the strait of Hormuz as he sought to reassure US allies in the Gulf that Washington would take a firm line in peace negotiations with Tehran.
Rubio is to meet Gulf allies on Tuesday and Wednesday in an attempt to reassure them that the US remains committed to their security and the 60-day ceasefire deal struck with Iran last week will not embolden Tehran.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 18:37Inside Kevin Warsh's selection process for the next Atlanta Fed president
Choosing a new head for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta is an opportunity for new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh to reshape the central bank.
23rd June 2026 18:25Bipartisan housing bill aims to boost homeownership. Could it work?
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which has rare bipartisan support, would make it harder for major investors to hoard homes.
23rd June 2026 18:20
The Guardian
Burnham and Starmer hold ‘frosty’ meeting to thrash out transition of power
With Burnham and his team potentially having only weeks before he becomes PM, Starmer has agreed to give him access to civil service
Keir Starmer has met Andy Burnham for the first time since the Makerfield byelection in what sources said was a “frosty” meeting to thrash out a transition of power.
The prime minister has agreed for his likely successor to have talks with the civil service to smooth his path, but there is deep resentment within his inner circle towards Burnham for ousting Starmer.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 18:17
The Guardian
Canadian police warn of possible copycat attacks after deadly shootout in Montreal
Assailant behind shooting that left three people dead wrote ‘incel’-like manifesto that was posted by a far-right outlet
Police in Canada are warning of possible copycat attacks after three people died in a shootout in Montreal and the assailant’s lengthy manifesto, which called for “a new bloodletting”, was posted online by a far-right outlet.
The document contains many of the hallmark grievances of the “involuntary celibacy” – or “incel” – movement in addition racist and misogynistic conspiracy theories.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 17:34Supreme Court rules ex-inmate can't sue prison officials for shaving dreadlocks
The Supreme Court rejected a former Louisiana inmate's effort to sue state prison officials after they shaved his dreadlocks in violation of his religious beliefs.
23rd June 2026 17:31
The Guardian
The Guardian view on extreme heat: as risks escalate, adaptation plans are dangerously lagging | Editorial
Record-breaking temperatures should focus minds on the UK’s lack of preparedness for the climate dangers ahead
As western Europe bakes under what scientists describe as a heat dome, or “atmospheric lid”, reports of dozens of drownings, and heat-linked deaths of children and elderly people in France, are a stark reminder of the threat to life from extreme heat – and the fact that some people face higher risks than others. The red alert covering most of southern England and Wales for Wednesday and Thursday is only the second such warning to be issued.
With the UK’s June record of 35.6C expected to be broken, hundreds of schools are closed. Network Rail has advised against non-essential travel. Temperatures in France and Spain are expected to be even higher, before the heat moves eastwards. But since the UK is less used to intense heat than its Mediterranean neighbours, it faces distinct challenges.
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.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 17:30
The Guardian
Tiger Woods returns to introduce golf’s two-tier PGA Tour shake-up from 2028
New elite series to include promotion and relegation
23-24 events spread across February to August
The PGA Tour has announced sweeping changes to its competitive structure, approving a two-tier system with promotion and relegation to take effect in 2028.
The elite-tier PGA Tour Championship Series will run from February to August and feature 23-24 events with $20m (£15m) purses, while the $4m (£3m) events on the Challenger Series will provide a path for players to earn their way to the top level.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 17:21Factory job cuts in June neared financial crisis and Covid levels, S&P says
Though the firm's manufacturing index ran better than expected for June, it came largely from an inventory rebuild and despite sharp job cuts.
23rd June 2026 16:40
NPR Topics: News
A Revolutionary War soldier's DNA links him to living relatives
Continental Army soldier John Pumphrey enlisted as a teenager in 1777 and fought at significant battles before his death in action against the British in Camden, S.C.
23rd June 2026 15:59
The Guardian
Returning England captain Stokes and McCullum clear the air after ‘slight blip’
Pair had long talk before training session at Trent Bridge
Atkinson, Smith and Bashir also return to starting XI
Ben Stokes returned to the England set-up on Tuesday following talks with Brendon McCullum before training. The past fortnight, McCullum said afterwards, was essentially a “blip” and they are still “very aligned” before a third Test against New Zealand that could decide the future of their working relationship.
The fact that the head coach and captain felt the need to clear the air before nets shows how much the temperature had risen around this England team. Stokes, Gus Atkinson, and the late night after Lord’s that led to them being stood down before the 253-run defeat at the Oval, has put the leadership under pressure.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 15:58Meta announces new smart glasses starting at $299, as Zuckerberg keeps pushing wearables
Meta executives have said they see the lightweight smart glasses as a step towards a more advanced device that includes screens in the lenses.
23rd June 2026 15:56
The Guardian
Merz backs plans to raise Germany’s retirement age to 70 in pension changes
Recommendations from commission propose gradual rise in retirement age by the early 2090s
Germany will gradually raise its retirement age to about 70 by the early 2090s under recommendations backed by the chancellor, Friedrich Merz, as a means of future-proofing the pension system for an ageing population.
Presenting its findings on Tuesday, an expert commission set up to explore reforms to the pension system said retirement age should be linked to rising life expectancy and early retirement should be scrapped.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 15:48
NPR Topics: News
Afghan Taliban hold first, closed-door talks with EU on deportations
Rights groups criticized the meeting, saying it undermines the EU's human rights obligations.
23rd June 2026 15:34
The Guardian
Kirsten Tibballs’ chocolate custard pastry stack – recipe
The MasterChef Australia guest judge and chocolatier shares a creamy, crunchy creation that can be made ahead of time
At this time of year, I’m always drawn to desserts that feel a little more luxurious. Something rich and chocolatey with lots of texture and contrast. This recipe brings together silky chocolate custard with crisp filo pastry in a creamy, crunchy combination.
While you will need to start at least four hours ahead of time to allow the chocolate custard to set, it doesn’t demand hours of effort, and making the filo pastry in advance as well means assembly is quick and stress-free when it’s time to serve. The custard can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, while the cooled pieces of filo pastry can be kept in an airtight container for up to five days.
Kirsten Tibballs appears as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia on Wednesday 24 June at 7.30pm. MasterChef Australia season 18 airs on Sundays at 7pm and Monday to Wednesday at 7.30pm, and is available to watch and stream on 10
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 15:00
The Guardian
Quantum of Solace: a heartbroken James Bond is fuelled by rage in Daniel Craig’s most underrated 007 film
The sequel to Casino Royale was plagued by a writers’ strike, but its shaky-cam style and erratic action aligns perfectly with our hero’s fractured state of mind
In the final moments of Casino Royale, a piercingly blue-eyed Daniel Craig holds the conniving career criminal known as Mr White (Jesper Christensen) at gunpoint on the steps of his Lake Como villa. “The name’s Bond,” the spy says coolly to his captive. You can probably finish the rest of that sentence.
Despite the intense scrutiny Craig endured prior to its release, the 21st entry in the 007 franchise would prove to be an era-defining take on a truly modern-day Bond. If past iterations saw him reduced to a smattering of cliches, all parodied to death over the years, Craig’s debut as the suave secret agent was lauded for being a stripped-down, back-to-basics approach to a character audiences were already familiar with.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 15:00
The Guardian
‘There’s a way to fly mindfully. Like, I don’t have my own plane any more’: can DJ megastar Alok make dance music more sustainable?
The Brazilian musician, who collaborates with Indigenous artists and puts millions into philanthropy, explains his mission – and defends his jetsetting
When Alok, the most successful Brazilian DJ of his generation, was brainstorming the concept for his new live show, he considered calling it Rave New World. “But when I asked a gen Z kid, the daughter of my creative director, she made me realise how pretentious my idea was,” he says. “The grownups trying to find an easy way out for all of our problems.” Instead, “I started figuring out that it’s not about a new world, it’s about this world. We need to ‘Rave the World’.”
That new title might still seem trite to some, or hypocritical, coming from someone at the heart of a dance music industry with a heavy carbon footprint from constant flying: when I meet Alok, he’s about to board another plane at a private airport outside São Paulo. But dance music has often had a utopian bent to it, and Alok – who champions Indigenous Brazilians in his work and has partnered with the UN on climate initiatives – is certainly making efforts to better the world.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 14:45
The Guardian
JD Vance has written another book? Couldn’t he just concentrate on his day job? | Arwa Mahdawi
As the US tries to limit the damage from the Iran war, its vice-president has admitted he doesn’t understand diplomacy. Of course not: he’s been too busy churning out another memoir
Has JD Vance been injecting Barron Trump’s new energy drink straight into his veins? It would explain a few things, including how the man manages to juggle so much. First there’s the parenting: Vance has three young kids and a baby due soon. Then there’s the vice-presidenting. But despite his long to-do list, Vance still makes time for endless holidays. And he’s even managed to get some writing done: the bestselling Hillbilly Elegy author recently published his second book. It’s a memoir about his spiritual journey called Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.
So, should you find your way to a bookshop to buy a copy? Most book critics seem to say no. It’s hard to know exactly what regular readers think because two of the biggest review platforms have restricted feedback. Amazon says reviews are limited to verified purchasers because of “unusual review activity” (translation: a torrent of one-star reviews), while Amazon-owned Goodreads has suspended reviews altogether. It’s a shame that Usha Vance, a voracious reader whose Goodreads account notes she just finished Communion (shortly after reading Death Comes for the Archbishop), hasn’t had a chance to give hubby a five-star review.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 14:44
The Guardian
Tomljanovic accuses anti-doping chiefs of being out to get players after Vondrousova ban
Australian veteran says four-year ban is a ‘disgrace’
ITIA says strong testing means unpredictable timing
Ajla Tomljanovic has described the lengthy doping ban administered to Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon singles champion, as a disgrace and has accused the tennis anti-doping authorities of being out to get players even when they have done nothing wrong.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency announced on Monday that Vondrousova had been handed a four‑year suspension by an independent tribunal after the Czech player had refused to provide a sample to a doping control officer at her home last December at around 8pm.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 14:25
The Guardian
From yoghurt to luxury sails: how to shade your home from supercharged UK heatwaves
As hot weather becomes more common, companies and homeowners are coming up with innovative ways to keep properties cool
When graphic designer Marc Alabaster had a new set of glass doors installed at his West Sussex home eight years ago, he soon realised how they magnified the heat of the afternoon sun.
“The kitchen was 40-plus degrees,” he said. Then he went on holiday to Spain and saw an apartment building wrapped in louvre-like rows of angled fins or blades that shaded the external walls against the sun.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 14:00'I like their money': Trump threatens lawsuits against ABC for reporting on Reflecting Pool
The latest action against ABC comes as the broadcaster faces two investigations from the Federal Communications Commission.
23rd June 2026 13:23
The Guardian
‘Lawns don’t need watering!’ How to garden in a heatwave, from recycling bathwater to making the most of shade
Whether you have a few pots on a balcony or an expanse of greenery, here’s how to help everything thrive when the mercury spikes
After the two hottest May days on record in the UK last month, gardeners may be surveying the damage and dreading the summer months ahead. “Heatwaves early in the summer can result in scorched, brown leaves,” says Leigh Hunt, the principal horticultural adviser at the Royal Horticultural Society. “When temperatures climb over 35C, there are more extreme effects.” (Thermometers hit 35.1C in London on 26 May.)
But don’t put down your trowel in defeat just yet. “Plants were caught out by the sudden change in temperature,” says Hunt. “They are a bit more naturally resistant later in the summer.” Plus, there is plenty you can do to support them without wasting gallons of water or installing an inefficient sprinkler system – and the payoff is massive. “Plants provide shade and release moisture; they cool our towns and cities by 2C to 4C,” says Hunt. “Your little bit of greenery is part of a network of greenery doing its bit. It makes the places we live better and cooler.”
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 13:20
The Guardian
You’re only supposed to blow the bloody hooves off: AI Michael Caine narrates Odyssey audiobook
AI company ElevenLabs unveils its officially licensed replica of the iconic actor’s voice in a retelling of Homer’s epic poem, while director who previously recorded the star recalls real-life experience
Next month, Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster version of The Odyssey is set to storm cinemas around the globe. Auguries suggest the almost three-hour drama will repeat the success of Nolan’s previous film both at the box office (Oppenheimer took nearly a billion dollars) and the Academy Awards (it won seven Oscars).
But before that, a new audiobook version of Homer’s tale has been released starring one of Nolan’s most frequent collaborators: Michael Caine, with whom he has worked on eight films, including the Dark Knight trilogy.
Continue reading... 23rd June 2026 13:02