President Trump cleans house at the bipartisan Election Assistance Commission

With just months until the midterms, President Trump relieved the remaining members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, a move condemned by Democrats and voting rights advocates.

The missing scientists at the centre of a UFO conspiracy

Are the disappearances or deaths of 11 US scientists really linked in a nefarious plot? Or just a conspiracy theory with roots in a bizarre broadcast that rocked Britain in the 1970s?

In the last few years, 11 people allegedly tied to top secret US research have died or mysteriously disappeared, sparking a conspiracy that a clandestine operation is silencing those who know too much.

As Phil Tinline explains to Nosheen Iqbal, what began as a series of unrelated tragedies has morphed into a mainstream obsession and even triggered a federal investigation.

Wildfires in southern Spain kill 12 amid soaring temperatures

Wildfire comes as Spain suffers a heatwave, with scorching temperatures triggering orange weather warnings

Twelve people were reported killed in a wildfire in Almeria in southern Spain, as about 150 firefighters battled the blaze which broke out amid soaring temperatures.

“The number of people who died in the fire in Los Gallardos has risen to 12 after the confirmation of six more deaths,” the regional government of Andalusia said in a statement.

Director of "Aces," a docuseries on the greatest male tennis players, breaks down the show

"Aces: The ATP No. 1 Club" is a new docuseries on the greatest male tennis players of all time. It features rare interviews from legends who reached number one in the world. Pat Dimon, the director of "Aces," joins "The Daily Report" to discuss.

Man fatally shot by ICE in Houston was not intended target, DHS says

The Department of Homeland Security said the officer who fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston was not wearing a body camera.

Lynette Hooker may have returned to sailboat before disappearance, source says

Investigators are looking into the possibility that a Michigan woman who went missing in the Bahamas earlier this year may not have fallen overboard from a dinghy as her husband has claimed.

Trump fires last members of election commission, inciting fears of midterm ‘chaos’

Bipartisan Election Assistance Commission maintains mail-voter registration form, among other duties

Donald Trump has terminated the remaining members of the independent, federal commission that assists election administration officials nationwide just a few months before the midterm elections, multiple outlets reported Thursday.

The remaining three commissioners of the four-member bipartisan commission ⁠were forced out on Thursday in different ways. The one Republican appointee resigned and the other ⁠two, Democratic appointees were notified of their terminations via email from ​the White House presidential personnel office.

In private call, Education Dept. tried, but failed, to reassure disability advocates

The disability community has long worried about what would happen if special education oversight moved from the Education Department to another agency. Now, those moves are becoming more real.

Trump's arch clears another hurdle, setting up a big debate: Do height limits apply?

The Interior Department is arguing D.C. height limits don't apply to federal projects, bucking a century of precedent. If the panel reviewing Trump's arch agrees, experts say it could change the city.

Trump's proposed arch needs structural revisions to earn final approval

Washington, D.C., has height restrictions, and the National Planning Commission offered a solution to meet them for the 250-foot proposed arch.

‘A lot of red flags’: plans for New Zealand’s first datacentre spark concern as locals demand greater transparency

Plans to build a NZ$3.5bn datacentre in Makarewa in the country’s south has drawn concern about electricity and water use, and potential noise pollution

People living near the site of New Zealand’s first planned AI datacentre are calling for more transparency about the project, especially about how the centre’s huge electricity and water use and potential noise pollution could affect them.

Singapore-based company Datagrid has secured approval to build a NZ$3.5bn (US$2bn) AI datacentre on a 49-hectare site in Makarewa, just north of New Zealand’s southern-most city, Invercargill. Construction is due to begin this year, with the centre becoming operational by 2028.

Didier Deschamps hails ‘exemplary’ Kylian Mbappé as France reach World Cup semi-finals

• Mbappé misses penalty but scores in win against Morocco

• ‘There’s no problem, he never hesitates,’ says France coach

Didier Deschamps saluted the mentality of his players after France beat Morocco 2-0 in Thursday’s World Cup quarter-final. “That’s three semi-finals in a row,” he said. “That’s already good. But even though it seems logical and natural for us to be here you still have to achieve it.”

Is there a secret? “My credit goes to the players but maybe I do my job well,” Deschamps said. “This is a human venture we are sharing. The only truth is the one on the pitch but the human aspect is extremely important. It’s not copy and paste. It’s never the same situation or conditions. The most important thing in my life has always been the jersey and it’s good to see this group feel the same way.”

The food to expect from the Iowa State Fair

The Iowa State Fair opens next month, and they've just released a list of the food attendees can expect. Tony Dokoupil has the preview.

Investigators dispute Brian Hooker's account of his wife's disappearance in the Bahamas

According to Lynette Hooker's family, the story her husband Brian has been telling about the night she went missing in the Bahamas is apparently not what investigators believe actually happened. Cristian Benavides has the update.

U.S. and Iran escalate strikes, nudging gas prices higher

The U.S. and Iran have begun the most intense fighting since President Trump struck a deal for talks three weeks ago. The U.S. hit around 90 targets in Iran overnight, and Iran responded with ballistic missiles and drones aimed at U.S. bases and military assets in the region. Nancy Cordes has more.

Maine Democrats navigating uncharted waters as Graham Platner says he will step down

Maine is a key state in the Democratic Party's plan to win back the U.S. Senate. But that plan is in trouble as the state's Democrats are scrambling to replace nominee Graham Platner, who is not going quietly.

North Texas aviation pioneer Wally Funk dies, aged 87

Wally Funk was selected in 1961 as one of the elite women in the Mercury 13 program, finishing the same rigorous training program given to the Mercury 7 astronauts.

Charlie Kirk murder suspect said "he wishes he hadn't done it," roommate says

Lance Twiggs said in a recorded interview with a Utah prosecutor that he saw Robinson the day after Charlie Kirk was shot and killed.

Charlie Kirk shooting suspect's former roommate interview released

In the pretrial hearing of Tyler Robinson, accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, prosecutors played an interview with Tyler Robinson's former roommate and romantic partner on Thursday.

Instagram’s AI image generator alarms privacy experts

Instagram users should check privacy settings after rollout of new Meta AI image generator, advocates warn

Meta has sparked blowback from privacy advocates for allowing its new AI image maker to generate photos of users with public profiles by default.

Users of Meta’s Muse Image AI tool, released Tuesday, can tag public Instagram profiles and generate pictures that pull from faces of people featured in these social media posts. Instagram users are not notified when their posts are integrated into what the company describes as its “most advanced image generation model yet”.

Eight charged with murder conspiracy over alleged White House UFC attack plot

Group accused of planning sniper and drone attack on Donald Trump’s UFC cage-fighting show in June

Eight men were indicted on murder and terrorism conspiracy charges Thursday for their alleged roles in a thwarted drone and sniper attack on the UFC cage-fighting show staged at the White House in June.

The indictment, returned in Ohio, charges all eight in two separate conspiracies, one to provide material support to terrorists and a second to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official.

‘Music was my first desire’: Anthony Hopkins releases his debut single

Hollywood actor signs recording deal with Decca after decades of composing pieces inspired by his Welsh childhood

Anthony Hopkins says he has achieved his “first desire” of signing a record deal, with his debut single being released on Friday.

The 88-year-old Hollywood actor’s first album, Life Is a Dream, will be released next month by Decca Classics . It is a collection of pieces he has composed over six decades.

Life Is a Dream will be released on 21 August

The Hay Wain: Walking Constable’s Landscape review – a masterpiece for the climate crisis age

Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich
While Britain boils in a heatwave, a new exhibition built around the much-reproduced canvas reminds us of the beauty of the natural world – and what we could lose

I first saw John Constable’s 1821 painting The Hay Wain as a postcard with cruise missiles brutally stacked in the wooden cart and pointing at the sky. Peter Kennard’s anti-nuke photomontage is just one of the many parodies and travesties this image of a seemingly eternal rustic Britain keeps provoking. A few months ago, a newspaper cartoon depicted a ballistic missile from Iran speeding through Constable’s painting. But when I visited Ipswich to see its Hay Wain exhibition at the start of the latest heatwave it was the climate making a scorching, ironic comment on this temperate scene.

Inside this Tudor house, grey, blue and brown masses of rain-promising cloud hung above Constable’s painted Suffolk fields, dappling them with shade. But outside the grass was straw yellow and the landscape around Dedham Vale and the River Stour, where Constable was born and in which The Hay Wain and many more of his works lovingly linger, appeared to have been blowtorched into oblivion.

New Fed task force members share Chairman Kevin Warsh's embrace of AI

The three members of a task force advising the Fed on artificial intelligence are strong proponents of the technology.

SpaceX and AI startup wealth fuels demand for private jets

Newly minted rich and those anticipating huge IPOs are fueling buying and charter spree in the private jet sector

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Aviation lawyer Amanda Applegate skipped her annual vacation last month as a surge of wealth from AI startups and SpaceX sent a wave of tech investors shopping for private jets, ⁠burying her in paperwork for aircraft-purchase agreements.

The ⁠attorney, based in Cleveland, Ohio, attributed the rush to a handful ​of major “liquidity events” in the tech industry. The initial public offering (IPO) of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, whose holdings include artificial-intelligence firm xAI, raised a record $85.7bn for the company and generated unprecedented employee and founder wealth.

Wally Funk, aviation pioneer and oldest woman to go into space, dies at 87

Trailblazing pilot was denied opportunity to become Nasa astronaut but made history on Blue Origin flight in 2021

Wally Funk, a trailblazing aviation pioneer who was denied the opportunity to become a Nasa astronaut and half a century later became the oldest woman to travel into space, has died aged 87.

Funk died peacefully on Wednesday evening at her apartment in an assisted living facility in Grapevine, Texas, city councilwoman and close friend Duff O’Dell said on Thursday. O’Dell, who described herself as Funk’s caregiver, said she was by Funk’s side. Funk had fallen a couple of times recently and had an infection in her leg. “It took its toll,” O’Dell told the Associated Press.

7/9: CBS Evening News

The Charlie Kirk murder suspect allegedly confessed to his roommate; flash flooding sweeps the East Coast.

France v Morocco: World Cup 2026 quarter-final – as it happened

Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé saw off a Morocco team that barely put up a fight

France have long demonstrated the benefits of diversity at the World Cup. Now Morocco are reaping similar rewards, with six members of Morocco’s squad – Ayyoub Bouaddi, Issa Diop, Neil El Aynaoui, Samir El Mourabet, Gessime Yassine and Redouane Halhal – born in France. This piece from the Guardian Sport Network, on how today’s quarter-final sums up the multicultural nature of the tournament, deserves your time and your love.

The pre-match press conferences. Didier Deschamps plays down the identity of tonight’s referee, with officialdom having been front and centre this week, while giving his opponents their flowers: “This Morocco is of very high quality.” His opposite number Mohamed Ouahbi meanwhile insists his team are here to win the whole thing.

Mbappé stunner ends Morocco resistance to send France into World Cup semi-finals

There is a relentlessness to this France that might make them irresistible. Morocco no doubt had the best of intentions, ideas of how they could hurt the side that had beaten them in the semi-final in Qatar, but France press so well that they soon accepted they had no option but to retreat and endure. France have such attacking quality that simply surviving isn’t really a viable option.

Kylian Mbappé, once again, was the key figure, missing a penalty, scoring a stunning opener and then teeing up Ousmane Dembélé for the second. He went off with 13 minutes remaining to a deserved ovation: the game had seemed to be drifting, and there had just been a sense that Morocco might conceivably pull off an implausible rearguard action, when he produced a goal from nowhere.

Home prices across the U.S. hit an all-time high

Sky-high housing prices make even starter homes too expensive for most Americans, housing data show.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule and how to watch

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

US and Iran trade escalating strikes as supreme leader is buried after days-long funeral

Renewed attacks the largest since an interim memorandum was signed this June, with Trump saying fragile truce is ‘over’

The US and Iran traded retaliatory strikes on Thursday as US president Donald Trump threatened to escalate the conflict unless Iran stopped attacking ships in the strait of Hormuz.

Iran responded to the latest round of attacks by targeting US-allied Kuwait and Qatar and accused the US of striking near its sole nuclear power plant.

France downs Morocco 2-0 to advance to the World Cup semifinal

Morocco was no match for France, which lost 2-0. The French, one of the pre-tournament favorites, move on to the World Cup semifinals against either Spain or Belgium.

Firm hired to check air quality after L.A. warehouse fire has controversial history

Arkansas-based Onterris reported "good" air quality after a giant warehouse fire in Los Angeles. Some experts and activists say the testing is inadequate.

‘There is a magnificent balance’: how Spain built a record-breaking defence

The Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón has not conceded a goal at the World Cup and, worryingly for Belgium, he has not had to face that many shots

“We’re the villains, there to stop the goals that football lives off,” Unai Simón says. If so, there has never been a bad guy as bad as him, the keeper who could do with an introduction from Don LaFontaine: In a World Cup dominated by forwards, one man resists … There were five minutes to go until half-time during Spain’s battle with Portugal in the last 16 when something historic happened, or there would have been if anything had actually happened. Instead, nothing did, which is the way Simón likes it.

As the clock rolled into the 40th minute, Spain’s goalkeeper silently moved on to 560 World Cup minutes without conceding, taking in seven games and going all the way back to Ao Tanaka’s strike for Japan in Qatar. Against Austria in the last 32, he had already left Walter Zenga behind on 517, now he and Spain overtook Switzerland’s record: 559 minutes spread across 14 years and three tournaments in 1994, 2006 and 2010. The next minute, Nuno Mendes hit the bar, but still Simón would not be beaten, Mikel Merino’s 90th minute winner the only goal of the game.

7/9: The Takeout with Major Garrett

Maine Democrats to hold nominating convention after Graham Platner exit; questions arise about new Air Force One plane from Qatar.

Florida's Palm Beach airport renamed for Trump

Palm Beach International Airport is now called President Donald J. Trump International Airport, the FAA said Thursday.

Scaled-back Alibaba settlement reflects DOJ's approach to food and drug cases

The scaled-backed Alibaba settlement reflects a broader trend by the DOJ of pulling back on criminal enforcement of corporate cases involving the safety of food, drugs, and medical devices.

Army to share findings of Kuwait attack probe with Gold Star families

Six Americans were killed in the March 1 Iranian strike on a tactical operations center in Kuwait.

Harry Brook and Phil Salt blast England to T20 series win against India

• Fourth T20i: England, 159-1 beat India, 158-7, by 9 wickets

• Brook scores 79, Salt 59 to win with six overs remaining

This England team’s recent heatwave continued in Bristol, India wilting to lose their cool, the game and the series in what turned into another bizarrely one-sided encounter. Timid with the bat, poor in the field, error-prone with the ball and swift to accept the inevitably of defeat, this was a complete horror show from the world champions and a performance of complete dominance from Harry Brook’s burgeoning side, who won by nine wickets and will overtake their opponents as world No 1 if they win the final game of the series in Southampton on Saturday.

Brook says this team “can go to some special places”, and top of the rankings would certainly count as one. He talks often about adapting to conditions, as England have done impressively this year in a series in Sri Lanka, in the World Cup in that country and in India, and now also at home.

Kevin Warsh names members of his Federal Reserve task forces, including Marc Andreessen, Doug McMillon

Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh on Thursday released names of the experts who will comprise five task forces to examine the institution's operations.

Smithsonian chief emphasizes 'accuracy and integrity' after White House report

The memo from the Smithsonian's secretary, Lonnie Bunch, responded to a White House report that calls the National Museum of American History driven by "a radical, activist ideology."

Djokovic’s powers of recovery face stern Sinner test in tantalising semi-final

The two greats face off at Wimbledon on Friday with both having questions to answer about their fitness and form

Novak Djokovic has conducted about as many press conferences in his career as any other tennis player in history. He knows the deal: after a victory, particularly a big one, he will usually be asked by a journalist to preview his next match. He is always ready with a long, expansive response summarising his opponent and his anticipation for the next encounter. He has mastered the art of doing so while keeping his cards close to his chest and not giving away a single important detail.

And so, as the clock ticked into the early hours of Wednesday morning in the aftermath of Djokovic’s breathless, impossible-to-believe five-hour, 15-minute marathon win over Felix Auger-Aliassime, a 25-year-old man, his next response was telling. Asked how he might physically recover and what the future might hold in his match against Jannik Sinner, for once he had nothing to say: “Let’s see. Let’s see. I have an extra day, which is good …
Future will tell.”

Olympian David Hearn pleads not guilty to charges of damaging Reflecting Pool

Three-time Olympian David Hearn was indicted July 2, after he was accused of ripping out a portion of the sealant from the bottom of the Reflecting Pool on June 19.

Millions of Americans have until July 10 to claim refunds from the IRS

A federal court ruling enabled some taxpayers to seek refunds tied to COVID-era filing deadlines. But that window expires July 10 — here's what to know.

How to deal with seesawing gas prices

Gas prices have fluctuated since the U.S. and Israel launched a war on Iran, which disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and left consumers unsure of what they'll pay at the pump.

Schiff launches inquiry into DOJ's closure of tainted baby formula probe

Sen. Adam Schiff is launching a congressional inquiry into why the Justice Department shuttered a long-running criminal investigation into bacteria-tainted infant formula.

EPA proposes weakening heavy-duty truck pollution rules

The Trump EPA calls Biden-era rules for cutting pollution from heavy trucks "unworkable." The proposed changes have been celebrated by trucking groups and denounced by environmental groups.

Erling Haaland claims pressure is all on England in quarter-final with Norway

• Striker says England one of the ‘clear favourites’ to win World Cup

• Also makes knowing reference to famous ‘Stay humble’ remark

Erling Haaland has ramped up the World Cup mind games by saying England are the team under ­pressure when they face Norway in their ­quarter-final tie on Saturday.

Haaland has enjoyed a ­sensational tournament, scoring seven times in four games, including twice in ­Sunday’s last-16 win over ­Brazil. ­Norway are flying in their first appearance on this stage since 1998 but, in characteristically mischievous fashion, Haaland insisted expectations should only be directed one way.

Questions arise over new Air Force One after Trump uses old plane

The Secret Service advised that President Trump take the old plane to depart Turkey, according to people briefed on the situation.

Mexico investigates whether US lied about role in capture of drug lord

Reporting suggests FBI involved in seizure of Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada García from Mexican territory in 2024

Mexico has launched an investigation into whether the US lied about its involvement in the capture and secretive transfer of a top Sinaloa cartel member in 2024, in what would be a potential violation of the country’s sovereignty.

The US has long denied it played any role in the operation to detain the drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García, a founder of the Sinaloa cartel, inside Mexico. Recent reporting by the local media outlet Pie de Nota, however, suggested that the FBI was involved in his capture.

Rice and Ødegaard put club union on hold in decisive duel between England and Norway

Two architects of Arsenal’s title triumph are likely to have starring roles for their country in pursuit of a place in the World Cup semi-finals

It is one of those times when WhatsApp group chats quieten down. Friendships tend to be suspended when a World Cup quarter-final comes around and club mates, flung against one another for their countries, turn their eyes towards the biggest prize. Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard will not be exchanging breezy pleasantries in the hours before England face Norway but the levels of respect are off the scale. The clash between two architects of Arsenal’s modern success should be decisive in determining who goes through. They have walked out together 117 times but the 118th, in the stifling heat of Miami, may leave the most lasting mark.

These are two players in their prime who may never receive another opportunity this golden. Rice and Ødegaard were born 28 days apart and, partly because of the latter’s fast-tracking into the Norway senior team, did not play against each other at age-group level. Their face-offs have been limited to Mikel Arteta’s intense training sessions at London Colney, where they are depended upon to set standards. They are leaders of differing style and status who will be expected to galvanise their national teams on Saturday.

Ohio is America's Top State for Business in 2026, capping yearslong rise with first No. 1 finish

Ohio tops CNBC's rankings for the first time in 2026, with the Buckeye State culminating a yearslong climb as the place to do business in America. 

Arkansas is America's Most Improved State in 2026 as workers move to Walmart's home for low costs, high quality of life

Arkansas is the Most Improved State for Business in CNBC's annual Top States rankings, as working-age adults are attracted by low costs and quality of life.

Daphne Caruana Galizia screamed in panic before explosion that killed her, court hears

Businessman stands trial over death of Maltese journalist killed by bomb in her car after she reported on corruption

Moments before the explosion that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia, the journalist screamed in panic, a witness has told the trial of the man accused of ordering her murder.

Caruana Galizia was killed in 2017 by a remotely detonated bomb placed under the driver’s seat of her car, after writing a series of reports on political and financial corruption in Malta. The government’s handling of the investigation led to mass protests and ultimately to the resignation of the Maltese prime minister, Joseph Muscat.

A new kind of robot swims the seas and soars the skies

Inspired by diving birds, roboticists built the lightweight machines to move from water to air. The design may one day lead to robots that can monitor and sample the coastal ocean.

Anthony Gordon: ‘I have always been very intrigued to see who I can become’

England winger on his thirst for self-improvement, triumph at the Azteca and the ‘spiritual’ Thomas Tuchel

It was a lighthearted moment – despite the language used – and Anthony Gordon saw the funny side. But trust the England winger to find a way to use it as fuel. It is what he does, what he has always done, since his childhood in Liverpool. It has helped him to reach the point where he completed a £60.7m transfer to Barcelona from Newcastle at the end of May. And it is driving him before Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway in Miami.

Most people have seen the clip. There were 26 minutes on the clock at the Azteca Stadium on Sunday; England goalless against Mexico in the last 16. The Mexico manager, Javier Aguirre, who admits that swearing is second nature to him during matches, was in the mood to show off his English. He called out Gordon’s name and when the player turned around, he had a piece of advice. “Fuck you,” Aguirre shouted, before creasing up with laughter. Gordon did the same.

Vermont is creating a statewide trail, and making sure it's accessible to all

Mountain bike enthusiasts have been working for years on an ambitious 485-mile, multi-use trail called The Velomont that will span the length of the state. They're making sure it's friendly for people with disabilities, particularly cyclists.

Some large ICE facilities haven't been inspected in over a year

Detention facilities are now inspected every year or every other year rather than twice a year, a CBS News analysis of inspection reports found.

Jet fuel prices have dropped. Why are air fares still so high?

Lower jet fuel costs spell relief for airlines. But that doesn't mean they'll pass savings onto customers by lowering airfares, experts said.

Class action suit against AI makers over deepfake child sexual abuse material expands

New plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Elon Musk's SpaceXAI and Stability AI say the companies' AI tools were used to make sexually explicit images of them as children.

UK swelters in third heatwave of the year as western Europe counts cost of hottest-ever June

Britain expands heat alerts while estimates suggest June’s death toll could surpass 20,000 across continent

The UK is sweltering through the peak of its third heatwave of the year as countries around Europe struggle to recover from an early onslaught of baking summer heat.

Punishing temperatures pushed higher by fossil fuel pollution have broken records across the continent in recent weeks. Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record, scientists confirmed on Thursday, accompanied by high global ocean temperatures that could cause “mass-mortality events” for some species.

From 'dear Donald' to 'Trump trillion': Inside NATO chief Mark Rutte's U.S. strategy

NATO chief Mark Rutte lavished praise on U.S. President Donald Trump during a fractious summit in Turkey this week.

Alleged Reflecting Pool vandal David Hearn pleads not guilty; lawyer calls him 'scapegoat'

"If Mr. Hearn can be charged with a felony for touching the Reflecting Pool, every American is at risk," a lawyer said as he blasted the Trump administration.

Tadej Pogacar demolishes Tour de France rivals on the Tourmalet to take ominous lead

• Four-time champion dominates 17km climb to win stage six

• French president Emmanuel Macron in attendance

Tadej Pogacar powered alone to the summit of the mighty Col du Tourmalet, deep in the Hautes-Pyrénées, and rode on to victory on stage six to Gavarnie-Gèdre, taking an emphatic overall lead in the 2026 Tour de France.

In the shadow of the towering cliffs of the Cirque de Gavarnie, and under the gaze of the president, Emmanuel Macron, Pogacar was imperious. Only his perennial rival, Jonas Vingegaard, was able to give chase and by the end of the stage even his resistance seemed futile.

Newcastle face sliding doors moment over Bruno Guimarães in summer of upheaval

With Saudi spending restricted and a glut of departures and arrivals the stakes are high for Eddie Howe, and his captain, amid uncertain times on Tyneside

Is it the end of the road for Bruno Guimarães and Newcastle or are they destined to share at least one more adventure?

With Arsenal anxious to add Eddie Howe’s Brazil midfielder to their armoury and Guimarães receptive to such advances, it remains hard to predict whether Newcastle’s intransigent resistance will be broken.

Ben Jennings on Nigel Farage’s byelection announcement – cartoon

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George Cottrell referred to Nigel Farage as ‘daddy’, says ex-Reform candidate

Exclusive: Questions grow over convicted fraudster’s role in Reform UK as party says he has never held official position

• Why is Farage quitting as an MP, only to stand again?

George Cottrell was routinely introduced as Nigel Farage’s chief of staff before the 2024 general election despite denials that he had any official role, according to a Reform UK candidate who stood aside for the party leader.

Others who have been closely involved in the party have also claimed Cottrell arranged the Land Rovers that ferried Reform’s newly elected MPs to parliament, and that he covered the cost of a fundraising lunch with potential donors before the national vote.

Maine progressives race to find Platner replacement as centrists call for ‘normie Democrat’

Platner’s former backers are seeking ‘real progressive’ to prevent nomination going to establishment Democrat

• US politics live – latest updates

Progressive groups and lawmakers who rallied behind Graham Platner’s insurgent bid for a US Senate seat are now racing to decide where to transfer their support after his withdrawal from the Maine race following yet another allegation of sexual assault.

The scramble and apparent heartbreak underscores the uncertainty facing the coalition surrounding Platner’s anti-establishment message, and the response from more centrist Democrats to proceed with caution. Organizations, voters, volunteers and elected officials that once saw him as a vehicle for a more populist progressive agenda are now weighing whether to unite behind a successor, or hold back until the party’s replacement process plays out.

Racing warrior Rebel’s Romance continues world tour with Newmarket victory

From San Diego to Hong Kong, via Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Qatar the gelding keeps on winning

One of the sport’s great warriors returned to the front line for the 32nd time in a remarkable career on Thursday, with £12.12m in prize money already banked and the all-time record for a European-trained horse of £12.7m now within reach. Jumping fans often complain that Flat horses are rarely around long enough to become heroes, but Rebel’s Romance is a cast-iron case for the defence.

From San Diego to Hong Kong, via Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Qatar, Charlie Appleby’s eight-year-old has taken on many of the world’s best middle-distance horses since first setting foot on a track in October 2020.

Nato leaders surprised by Turkish president’s gift of guns after summit

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan presented engraved revolvers – with bullets – to his guests in Ankara, causing security concerns

What does a world leader do with a gun and six bullets? That was the conundrum Nato leaders faced after the Turkish president offered them each a revolver after the Ankara summit.

Keir Starmer was the first to mention the highly unusual gift presented by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to his guests. On the flight back from Ankara, where Nato leaders had gathered for two days, the British prime minister said he and others had received a revolver engraved with their names.

Trump can halt trade with Spain using law behind scrapped tariffs: Greer

Trump asserted that IEEPA authorized him to slap tariffs on nearly every country, but the Supreme Court struck down those import duties.

Andy Burnham apologises for Labour’s stance on Gaza and says it ‘didn’t get it right’

Exclusive: PM-in-waiting says party must ‘do better’ in approach to Middle East and he will put more pressure on Israel

Andy Burnham has apologised for Labour’s initial response to Israel’s military action in Gaza, saying the party “didn’t get it right” and needs to “do better” under his leadership signalling a significant shift in the UK’s approach to the Middle East.

The prime minister-in-waiting told the Guardian he would put more pressure on the Israeli government, including through further sanctions on individuals and entities, as well as a potential ban on the trade of goods with illegal settlements.

These 10 states are best positioned to land AI data center deals despite rising public opposition

These ten U.S. states have the best infrastructure to win future AI data center deals despite rising public opposition.

Why does hot weather put me in such a bad mood?

Not everyone experiences heat the same way, and studies show aggression, violence and road rage increase on hotter days

Recently, my husband and I embarked on what should have been a pleasant spring errand: a stroll to the local farmer’s market. But a passing heatwave had made it unseasonably hot outside. I cut him off on the sidewalk and he snapped at me, so I snapped at him for snapping at me. We spent the rest of the excursion in sweaty, stony silence. When we were almost home, he said, miserably: “I’m sorry! It’s just so hot.”

Our grouchiness was not simply a weakness of spirit. “Heat doesn’t just affect your body,” said Dr Susan Albers, clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic. “It affects your mood too.”

Muchova into Wimbledon final after nailbiting tie-break defeat of Coco Gauff

• Czech 10th seed clinches a 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (10) victory

• Muchova faces compatriot Noskova in Saturday’s final

She finds a first serve on match point and the contact is perfect: 117mph, punched hard down the centre line, and from the moment her hand receives the message from her strings, she must know this is it. Of course the ball may come back, and indeed the ball does come back, but only barely. And in those few seconds as it arcs over the net, springs back up off the grass and hangs there like a beautiful sweet fruit, Coco Gauff has a Wimbledon final in her grasp.

The afternoon has been hot: viciously hot, sadistically hot, the sort of heat that seems to take years from you. In the crowd, paper fans wave and flutter like butterflies, and this has been a match full of natural beauty, of clean swings and satisfying timing and brilliant shapes set against pale green. And still the return from Karolina Muchova hangs there, high and slow, a sentence demanding a punctuation mark, a piece of Centre Court cinema about to roll the credits.

Tributes paid to mother and children found dead at home in Bedfordshire

Relatives describe ‘unimaginable loss’ as police seek father who is suspected of killing them before fleeing to Zimbabwe

Tributes have been paid to three members of the same family who were found dead in their home in Bedfordshire on Monday. Nothabo Zandile Tshuma and her daughters Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, were described as much-loved members of their community who brought joy to those around them.

An international manhunt is under way for their husband and father, 45-year-old Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, who is suspected of killing them before leaving the UK for Zimbabwe.

Hawaii is America's Worst State for Business in 2026, even its legendary quality of life takes a dip

Hawaii, America's Worst State for Business in 2026, is trying to address one of the few disadvantages it can control: quality of life. It isn’t easy.

Meet SK Hynix, the trillion-dollar South Korean chipmaker debuting on U.S. markets

Following a more than sevenfold rally in its stock price over the past year, South Korea's SK Hynix is listing on the Nasdaq.

How all 50 U.S. states performed over 20 years of Top States for Business

Across 20 years of CNBC's America's Top States for Business rankings, some states have proven to be consistent winners, and others to be perennial dogs.

I am burnt out from emotionally supporting my husband. Should I leave him? | Leading questions

You might hurt him terribly in the short term, Eleanor Gordon-Smith writes. But sometimes sparing people pain isn’t what’s good for them

• Read more Leading questions

I am deeply conflicted about whether to separate from my husband of 20 years, yet I am deeply burnt out from supporting him. He arrived as a refugee, spoke little English at the time, is from a very different culture to mine and has, as yet, untreated ADHD and PTSD. After much coaxing he agreed to couples counselling but we have now exhausted two therapists to no avail.

If I decide to separate I know that I will be far more supported by friends and family than he will be.

This huge, hairy-legged Australian arachnid may be the fastest spider on the planet

A brown huntsman is the quickest of more than 250 species analysed by scientists in the UK and Germany

If arachnophobes were not frightened enough by the horrific ability of Australia’s huntsman spiders to drag dead mice up the sides of fridges, they now have another reason.

They might be the fastest spiders on the planet.

June home sales disappoint as prices reach an all-time high

Home sales dropped in June month over month as mortgage rates remain stubbornly high. Prices hit an all-time high.

Platner quits Maine Senate race; Democrats set to pick new nominee

Maine Democrats must now replace Platner with less than four months until the midterm elections.

‘Injustice and pain’: Justin Baldoni makes first public statement on Blake Lively lawsuit

It Ends With Us director and his wife, Emily, shared five-minute Instagram video on ‘traumatic’ experience

Justin Baldoni has spoken out about his legal battle with Blake Lively for the first time.

In a five-minute Instagram video recorded with his wife, Emily, Baldoni talked about the “injustice and pain” that he says the couple endured in the year-long legal battle with his It Ends With Us co-star.

Judge orders Indian billionaire to answer questions on whether was quid pro quo

The Justice Department in May announced it had dismissed criminal foreign bribery and securities fraud charges against Gautam Adani, India's richest man.

‘I saw it seven times in the cinema’: readers’ favourite films of 2026 so far

On the back of our editors’ choices of the year’s finest, we asked you to share your magical movie moments from the first half of 2026

The film that had me gripped right from its ridiculous and bizarre first scene at a Brazilian country road petrol station was The Secret Agent by Kleber Mendonça Filho. The gorgeous Armando is on the run from a corrupt private company official, who wants to steal his academic expertise for his own financial gain. It’s a deal that Armando knows will sully his academic reputation but by refusing to do so, he ends up with a target on his back from the resentful Ghirotti, who sent chills up my spine. This is a stunning movie. Liz, London

PepsiCo earnings miss estimates as U.S. consumers tighten their budgets

PepsiCo reported weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings despite strong international demand.

Legionnaires’ outbreak rocks New York as experts warn of rising climate threat

Officials say climate crisis ‘worsening our exposure’ to bacteria as at least 28 people sickened in Manhattan

A New York outbreak of legionnaires’ disease, a rare but severe form of pneumonia, highlights the microbe’s growing and disproportionate impacts in a warming climate.

At least 28 people have been sickened in an outbreak on the Upper East Side, a wealthy neighborhood between Central Park and the East River in Manhattan. Health department officials, seeking to stop the outbreak, have sampled water from nearly 160 building cooling towers to test for the bacteria.

Sueye Park: Goldmark and Sibelius album review – Korean violinist’s silvery tone is ideal for Goldmark rarity

Park/Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin/Egel
(BIS)
The young violinist pairs contrasting works by Goldmark and Sibelius in engaging and fluid performances

A relative rarity in the concert hall, Karl Goldmark’s 1877 Violin Concerto has nevertheless fared reasonably well on disc. South Korean violinist Sueye Park pairs it here not with another 19th-century staple but with miniatures by Sibelius: the bucolic Suite from 1929, the Two Serious Melodies, written at the outbreak of the first world war, and two of his six Humoresques.

The composers crossed paths when the Finn studied briefly under Goldmark in 1890s Vienna, but despite the polite whiff of folk music that hangs about the Hungarian’s concerto, it has little in common with Sibelius’s unvarnished Nordic nationalism. It makes the album something of a game of two halves, though there’s nothing inherently wrong with that.

The Odyssey by Homer audiobook review – a truly fantastic journey

Game of Thrones actor Anton Lesser brings poise and depth to this classic adaptation, conjuring monsters, heroes and Gods

With its gods, monsters and dizzying scale, Homer’s the Odyssey is deemed by many to be unfilmable, though it hasn’t stopped directors from having a go, including Christopher Nolan, whose blockbuster adaptation comes to cinemas next week. An audiobook would seem a smart choice, allowing listeners to deploy their imaginations to conjure dark sorcery, supernatural beasts and epic storms rather than leaning on CGI.

This classic recording, first published in 2006, is based on Ian Johnston’s much-admired translation. It is narrated by the Game of Thrones actor Anton Lesser, who brings gravitas and texture to this tale of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his efforts to get home after the 10-year Trojan War. Odysseus’s journey is fraught as he encounters the wrath of the sea god Poseidon in the form of a man-eating monster and a whirlpool that swallows ships. Then comes Calypso, the beautiful goddess-nymph and daughter of Atlas who keeps him on an island for seven years in the hope that he will stay as her husband.

Meta jumps into AI coding market in effort to chase Anthropic and OpenAI

Meta is upgrading its Muse Spark artificial intelligence model under the leadership of AI chief Alexandr Wang.

Licensed to drill? How a Trump-linked Texas oil company is elbowing its way into Greenland

Greenland Energy says billions of barrels of crude could lie beneath territory and claims it has permission to bring drilling kit ashore – a claim denied by Nuuk

On 10 June, a snowy-haired American in his 60s addressed the residents of a remote Greenland hamlet. He was there to tell them about a business venture supported by figures linked to Donald Trump. “So,” Robert Price said via an interpreter, “we have a project to drill for oil here.”

The Texas oil company that Price represents, Greenland Energy, hopes to prove that billions of barrels of crude lie underground by bringing in 300 shipping containers of drilling kit.

2026 Emmy nominations are announced: See the full list

The nominations for the 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced Wednesday morning in Los Angeles, with the final season of HBO Max's "Hacks" setting a new record for the most nominations in a single year for a comedy series.

LGBTQ+ inclusion in film at a three-year low, Glaad survey suggests

The advocacy group’s study finds a decrease in queer people of color and zero trans characters in 2025 films

LGBTQ+ characters are slowly disappearing from film in a trend that disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ characters of color, according to a report published today.

An annual study of films by the LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Glaad has found that just 46 of 225 films released in 2025 contained LGBTQ+ characters, making only 20.4% of last year’s movies inclusive of the queer community.

Experimental bathtub: the remote lake island trying wave power to boost energy security

Researchers on Beaver Island, in Lake Michigan, are trying to find a more reliable form of power using local resources

Beaver Island sits in the middle of the northernmost end of Lake Michigan, about 70 miles from the maritime border with Canada. The forested island, just a little bigger than San Francisco in size, is a popular summer destination for tourists and home to about 600 permanent residents. Getting there requires a boat or plane ride.

Getting electricity to the island is not as easy. Power comes from mainland Michigan through cables that cross roughly 30 miles of lake bed. Outages are common during extreme weather, or when there are problems with the sensitive wires. The devastating ice storm that walloped the state last year knocked out power to the island for weeks.

LGBTQ+ cruise ship refused entry to Egypt days after Turkey turned it away

Scarlet Lady’s 2,000 passengers told of change as one of those onboard says they will ‘sparkle and spend elsewhere’

An LGBTQ+ cruise ship blocked from Turkish waters this week has been refused entry into Egypt.

The Scarlet Lady’s 2,000 passengers, including the Broadway performer Patti LuPone, woke on Thursday morning to find a note placed under their cabin doors informing them that the ship was urgently looking for alternative ports.

Ukraine’s drone playbook is wreaking havoc in Russia — and upending where NATO wants to invest

Ukraine’s deep drone strikes on Russian refineries are reshaping the war and pushing NATO toward a $40 billion counter-drone plan.

From Greek epics to biblical blockbusters: the 20 best mythological movies – ranked!

Ahead of the release of Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey, we rate the top films based on myths, legends and fables

Featuring the young Henry Cavill as a Theseus who barely gets near a labyrinth, this Hellenic “reimagination” bags precious little deep mythological significance. But visuals ace Tarsem Singh at least gives it a strikingly theatrical and oppressive look. Unforgettable images include the Titans locked into their magical prison like ranks of table-football players, the sotto in su vision of the warring gods at the end and the campest Mount Olympus in cinema – like a gleaming Siegfried and Roy Vegas set.

America's Top States for Business 2026: See the full rankings and where your state finished

CNBC's annual study puts all 50 states to the test across 138 metrics and 10 categories of competitiveness. These are America's Top States for Business.