Wander Franco found criminally responsible for abusing minor, avoids jail time

A Dominican judge has ruled that Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco is criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a minor but will not serve a sentence.

Explosion threat at southern California chemical tank eliminated, firefighters say

US officials credit overnight cooling and monitoring for stabilising tank after leak fears triggered mass evacuation

Firefighters contending with an overheating tank of hazardous chemicals in southern California said they had eliminated the threat of the tank exploding in an overnight operation, Orange county fire officials said on Monday.

The damaged chemical tank in southern California had cracked over the weekend, which authorities were hopeful would relieve pressure and reduce the risk of an explosion.

Record May highs sweep across France as extreme heat hits western Europe

Mercury in Spain also climbs to well above normal with weather event set to continue for several more days

More than 350 French towns have recorded their highest-ever temperatures for May as France and the UK set national heat records amid an extreme early-summer heat event that could see the mercury rise to 40C in parts of Spain by the end of the week.

The UK’s Met Office said the country’s all-time record for May was broken when a temperature of 34.8C was recorded at London’s Kew Gardens.

Rays’ Franco criminally responsible for sexual abuse of minor but will not be jailed

• Girl’s mother sentenced to 10 years in prison

• Shortstop has yet to contact his team

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was declared criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a minor, but he will not serve a sentence, a Dominican judge ruled on Monday.

In his decision, Judge José Antonio Núñez considered that Franco had been the victim of extortion and blackmail by the minor’s mother, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually trafficking her daughter.

Guardiola’s farewell bash: old faces, rock stars and a surprise from Khadija Shaw

Former players and Noel Gallagher saluted the departing manager while Khadija Shaw revealed she is staying with Manchester City

How to top Pep Guardiola’s tearful farewell after Sunday’s final match leading Manchester City against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium?

Simple: 24 hours later sell out the Co-op Live next door, that can hold up to 23,500, and move the dial to jubilation and put on a ticker-tape showered show for the departing Catalan that followed the men’s, women’s and youth team’s bus parade in blazing sunshine from the Northern Quarter.

Enhanced Games rejects mistaken world record timing claims as ‘internet drivel’

• Gkolomeev’s time in men’s 50m freestyle disputed

• Organisers launch defence of timing apparatus

The Enhanced Games has dismissed suggestions by online sleuths that a world record set in Sunday’s event was mistakenly timed, calling them “completely unfounded internet drivel”.

Some accounts on Instagram had noted that the Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev appeared to touch the wall after his time of 20.81 seconds in the men’s 50m freestyle flashed up on screen.

Oil prices fall 7% after Trump says Iran talks are 'proceeding nicely'

Trump had said an agreement with Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, among other issues, was largely negotiated and would be announced soon.

Ian McEwan says pessimism ‘a bigger problem than climate change’

Speaking at Hay festival as UK breaks May heat record, author says optimism is a ‘moral duty’

Pessimism is probably “a bigger problem than climate change”, said the novelist Ian McEwan on Monday afternoon, as temperatures broke May records in the UK.

McEwan “constantly” hears people say that they don’t “expect their children to have as good a life as they did”, but suggested that optimism is a “moral duty”.

Retiring Stan Wawrinka bathed in love as age denies him one last fling in Paris

• Swiss beaten 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 by Jesper de Jong

• ‘It will be difficult to leave Roland Garros’

“It’s tough, it’s tough,” said Stan Wawrinka, tears welling in his eyes. “I don’t want to say goodbye to you here.” He was addressing a full crowd on Court Simonne-Mathieu moments after losing his first-round match at the French Open 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Jesper de Jong, a lucky loser from the Netherlands.

This will be the final match and moment for Wawrinka in Paris. The three-time grand slam champion, a winner here in 2015, will retire at the end of the season after a distinguished 25-year career. The 41-year-old announced his decision at the end of last year, allowing him to spend 2026 competing at the biggest tournaments for a final time.

After Stephen Colbert's viral talk show parody, CBS backs down from copyright action

CBS and Paramount backed away from copyright challenges to limit distribution of Stephen Colbert's appearance on a Michigan cable access show. He ended his run as host of "The Late Show" on Friday.

Trump to get 'routine annual' medical exam 7 months after last visit to Walter Reed

White House boasts Trump's "excellent health" as questions loom over the medical reality of the oldest inaugurated president.

1,500 strangers attend WWII veteran's funeral

Veterans service officer Terrance O'Keefe put out a call from Massachusetts for a World War II veteran who needed a proper hero's send-off. When he arrived at the funeral, a line was already out the church door.

Mature cheese-roller beaten by young, YouTubing upstart

Tom Kopke from Germany out-tumbles local hero Chris Anderson on a meltingly hot day in Gloucestershire

It was billed as the great cheese-off: a helter-skelter, bone-jarring downhill race between the all-time champ and a young upstart.

After the hype and hyperbole, youth won out as the 24-year-old German YouTuber Tom Kopke beat the 38-year-old local hero Chris Anderson at the annual cheese-rolling event in the English West Country.

Iran denies deal with US is imminent despite some progress

Tehran says ‘contradictory statements’ from US and Israeli interference hindering negotiations

• Middle East crisis – live updates

Iran has poured cold water on suggestions that a deal with the US is imminent, pointing to the confusion in US positions and Israeli interference as key factors in why a complete agreement is proving difficult to secure.

Speaking at the weekly foreign ministry press briefing, Esmail Baghaei, the spokesperson for Iran’s negotiating team, also said future management of the strait of Hormuz was a matter for Oman and Iran to reach agreement on, and that it was not tolls that were being proposed but “fees for navigational services”.

The story of the Premier League 2025-26 season in 100 photos

A century of our favourite images from the season including wild celebrations, protesting fans and goalmouth scrambles

Reigning champions Liverpool left it late to beat Bournemouth 4-2 on the opening day of the season in their first league game back at Anfield following the death of Diogo Jota. The Reds also squeaked past Newcastle thanks to Rio Ngumoha and then Arsenal, after Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick, which won goal of the month. Meanwhile, Manchester City lost 2-0 at home to Tottenham and 2-1 away at Brighton, Everton christened their new home, Hill Dickinson Stadium, with a win, and Sunderland made a strong start on their return to the top flight with two wins from three.

Move over, seltzer. Non-carbonated drinks are taking the spotlight

Non-carbonated alcoholic drinks like Surfside and BeatBox are stealing "share of throat" from hard seltzers, particularly among Gen Z.

Agony and ecstasy in La Liga after a survival battle for the ages | Sid Lowe

At the end of a ‘crazy, crazy day’, Elche were safe. But opponents, Girona, were down with Mallorca and Oviedo

Eder Sarabia wasn’t out there to see the tightest, tensest battle there has ever been end with liberation at last, but his mum and dad were and he wasn’t far away. Suspended for the final night of a season like no other, Elche’s coach was hidden down in the dressing room instead, watching the game that he knew was “us or them” on a TV set perched precariously upon a metal crate. There, as staff ran in and out delivering messages until it was his turn to set off on a sprint, he saw the match that defined five teams’ fate finish 1-1. Mobile in hand, alerts beeping, most of all he saw suffering. “Terrible, terrible, terrible,” he called it later, but by then at least it was done. Elche were safe. Their opponents, Girona, were down. Real Mallorca, like Real Oviedo, were going with them.

“Crazy, crazy day, crazy match, a lot of emotions: this league was really crazy,” Sarabia said. He had spent much of it surrounded by clothes on hooks and flags taped to walls; like everyone else, he had also spent it, he said, “on the edge of the precipice”. From the visitors’ dressing room at Montilivi, he had seen Álvaro Rodríguez score the kind of goal that wins cups in cartoons, tearfully dedicating it to his late dad, and Arnau Martínez equalise. He had seen cameras zoom in on his parents in the stands and wondered how Manu, a former footballer who doesn’t so much watch games as broadcast them, looked so calm when they were a goal from losing it all. He had seen Thomas Lemar hit Elche’s bar, “+7” appear on the screen, and his goalkeeper catch a cross on 95.55, Matías Dituro triumphantly holding the ball like Rafiki on Pride Rock, but it still wasn’t over.

What to know about the chemical tank in California that forced evacuations

The tank at GKN Aerospace is estimated to contain 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a volatile chemical used to produce plastics.

Here's what the draft memo for a proposed deal with Iran includes

A draft memorandum includes a 60-day ceasefire extension and the halt of fighting on all fronts, sources say.

Spread of Ebola in DRC ‘outpacing’ response efforts, warns WHO

Director general of World Health Organization urges neighbouring countries to take immediate action

The World Health Organization has warned that the Ebola outbreak is outpacing response efforts and countries neighbouring the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are at high risk from the disease.

“We are urgently scaling up operations, but at the moment the epidemic is outpacing us,” said the WHO’s director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, as he urged neighbouring countries to take immediate action.

Residents near California chemical tank forced to flee: "You're freaking out"

Emergency crews raced overnight to prevent a tank holding a volatile industrial chemical from exploding at an aerospace facility in Southern California.

George Russell up for the fight as he sets sights on reeling in Mercedes teammate | Giles Richards

Engine failure in Canada is latest setback for British driver, who is 43 points behind teenager Kimi Antonelli after five races

George Russell was left wondering quite which deity he had offended as he despairingly contemplated his retirement from the Canadian Grand Prix with a mechanical failure. Fortune, for good or ill, will always play a part but what also became clear in Montreal is that Russell’s teammate and championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, is going to be fearsomely hard to beat this season, whatever the circumstances.

Russell ground to a halt on the circuit Gilles Villeneuve on lap 30 after a thrilling battle with his Mercedes teammate that had ebbed and flowed. The British driver deserved better, the two had been exchanging the lead and going side by side repeatedly, inches apart and trading paint on one occasion, only for Russell’s efforts to count for naught as he went out not with a whimper when the systems on his car shut down due to battery failure.

Rebecca Hendin on Farage and the £5m – cartoon

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Memorial near West Point for fallen U.S. soldiers is about "doing hard things together"

Here's how cadets at West Point remember fallen soldiers with a unique memorial. This segment originally aired on "CBS Saturday Morning" on May 23.

England saunter past New Zealand to take T20 series after Gibson sparks demolition

• NZ 80; Eng 81-3. England win by seven wickets

• England complete chase with 37 balls to spare

England achieved a straightforward win against New Zealand at Hove on Monday, bowling the visitors out for 80 before chasing down the runs with 37 balls to spare and taking the series 2-1.

Victory was set up by a catastrophic batting collapse from New Zealand, who sunk to 33 for six inside nine overs. A Thomas Becket-esque ­miracle had saved them at ­Canterbury, but a second one seemed unlikely, especially when the in-form Sophie Devine was dismissed for a duck.

Heatwave hell: are soaring temperatures the new normal? - The Latest

The UK is experiencing record-breaking temperatures in an unprecedented May heatwave, while large parts of Europe are also facing blistering conditions. As the climate crisis makes extreme heat more likely, are we prepared?

Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian reporter Helena Horton.

Buying a car? Here are some tips to save money.

Here are the financial considerations to make when shopping for a new vehicle amid high car prices.

President Sheinbaum allows Iran team to stay in Mexico during World Cup after US refusal

Fifa approached Mexico after US declined to host Iran squad despite it playing group games in the United States

Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, said on Monday her government agreed to allow the Iranian national football team to stay in Mexico during the World Cup, adding that the United States did not want to host the team.

Sheinbaum said football’s governing body Fifa approached her government after the US said it did not want Iran’s squad to stay in the country throughout the tournament, despite Iran playing all three of its group matches there.

Zero Real Madrid players in Spain World Cup squad as injured Lamine Yamal makes cut

• Luis de la Fuente names 26-man squad for tournament

• Real Madrid players miss Spain squad for first time

Spain will go to the World Cup without a single Real Madrid player for the first time in their history as Luis de la Fuente named his 26-man squad for this summer’s tournament.

While Real stars such as Dean Huijsen, Dani Carvajal and Gonzalo García miss out, De la Fuente included Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, who tore his left hamstring on 22 April and missed the rest of his club’s La Liga campaign.

Far-right Elam party inspired by Golden Dawn makes gains in Cyprus election

Strongly anti-Turkish party doubles its seats although mainstream parties did not see vote crumble as predicted

An anti-immigrant far-right party, inspired by Greece’s defunct neo-Nazi Golden Dawn, made the biggest gains in Sunday’s parliamentary election in Cyprus.

Elam, the Greek National People’s Front, which has pushed for the closure of checkpoints on the ethnically split island and is vociferously anti-Turkish, doubled its seats in the 56-member legislature after securing 10.9 % of the vote.

Plus-ones: Taylor Swift’s decision to limit her wedding guest list could be a lesson to us all

Deciding who can come along to your big day is always a sensitive issue. But Tay-Tay may have known what she was doing when she banned a singleton from bringing a friend

Name: Plus-ones.

Age: Bringing a partner along has been going on a while, possibly since Noah invited a pair of every animal on board the ark …

Oppressing women is how authoritarianism begins. So listen to what Reform is saying | Zoe Williams

We saw it when Russia jailed members of Pussy Riot, and again when the US overturned Roe v Wade: misogyny is a powerful political weapon. Let’s focus on fighting it, not ‘understanding’ it

In preparation for interviewing Pussy Riot’s Maria “Masha” Alyokhina at the Charleston festival, I was reading her new memoir, Political Girl. I thought I remembered the group’s origin story pretty well – in 2012, they performed their anthem, Punk Prayer (Virgin Mary Banish Putin), and two band members were imprisoned for two years in a penal colony, then released slightly early in order to sanitise the country’s reputation before the Sochi Olympics in 2014. Upon release, they immediately went on to protest at those Olympics, the courage of which is jaw-dropping.

That was missing a few key details: Alyokhina had never even been detained for an act of protest when she was arrested, strip-searched and jailed for this. We weren’t looking at a thin-skinned but otherwise democratic government, overreacting in the way that young democracies sometimes do. The detention of Pussy Riot signalled a significant shift towards the aggressive authoritarianism that is now self-evident, and, in those early days, was expressed and mobilised through misogynistic, patriarchal values-setting built on Christian nationalist foundations. At their trial, one lawyer argued that “feminism is a mortal sin”. Alyokhina was pilloried for being a bad mother (her son was four when she was imprisoned). If Pussy Riot weren’t on trial for being women per se, certainly their cultural act of defiance was immeasurably worsened by the fact that they weren’t men.

Nigel Farage’s Russian hack claim ‘without any merit’, former NCSC chief says

Ciaran Martin says Reform UK leader’s allegation over Guardian report on £5m gift ‘entirely unsubstantiated’

Nigel Farage’s claim that a Russian hack was behind a Guardian report on the £5m gift he received from a crypto billionaire has been described as “without any merit” by a former head of the National Cyber Security Centre.

Ciaran Martin, founding chief executive of the agency, which is part of GCHQ, said Farage’s allegation, if true, would have major implications for UK policy towards Russia but that the Reform UK leader had yet to provide “a shred of evidence”.

Shock of Iran war unites Middle East rivals in pushing Trump towards peace

Region adapting to diminished US power after Washington fails to land knockout blow on Tehran or safeguard allies

• Middle East crisis – live updates

The shock of the Iran war and its fallout has driven rivals in the Middle East to get behind a peace deal, pushing the Trump administration to accept a tentative agreement in the face of furious opposition from Israel and its supporters in Washington.

The diplomatic efforts come as the region is reshaping to adapt to diminished US power after Washington’s inability to land a knockout blow on Iran, force the opening of the strait of Hormuz or safeguard its Gulf allies. Tehran has few friends in the region, but the regime’s survival has meant that its neighbours have had to find an accommodation.

On the world’s longest golf course, the fairways are rough and the dog-legs might be dingoes’

Stretching 1,365km across the remote Australian outback, the unique challenge of the Nullarbor Links takes a week to complete and inspires devotion among the players

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About 15,600km from St Andrews in Scotland and about 17,000km from Mar-a-Lago in Florida sits Eucla, Western Australia, where on a fine sunny day the players from an extraordinary golf tournament pose for a photo.

They’re playing the Nullarbor Links, the world’s longest golf course, which runs for 1,365km (850 miles) across ancient, arid desert in outback Australia. Other than the game itself, it has nothing whatever in common with its famous counterparts – or any other golf course in the world.

Tui faces scrutiny over E coli-linked death of baby after holiday in Egypt

Two other small British children who stayed at same hotel fell critically ill from same condition months earlier

The travel company Tui is under scrutiny over its safety protocols after a British baby girl died from a gastric illness following a stay at an Egyptian hotel – the same resort where two other children were left critically ill from the same condition months earlier.

Ariella Mann, one, died in January from a kidney condition linked to E coli after falling ill at the five‑star Jaz Makadi Aquaviva hotel in Hurghada on an all‑inclusive two‑week package holiday booked through Tui.

How Americans are handling a gas price spike

Gas prices are the highest since 2022, shifting how some Americans are choosing to spend their money. Kris Van Cleave reports.

Tributes pour out for Kyle Busch after sudden death as family makes appearance at Coca-Cola 600

Tributes have poured out since Kyle Busch's sudden death last Thursday. His wife and children were honored on Sunday at the Coca-Cola 600, which Busch was planning to compete in. Michael George reports.

White House shooting suspect had history of run-ins with Secret Service, court documents show

The suspect who allegedly opened fire at a Secret Service checkpoint outside the White House on Saturday had previous run-ins with law enforcement in the same area, court records show. Nicole Sganga has more.

Thai rescuers join effort to free seven people trapped in Laos cave

Group have been stuck in flooded cave in central Laos for five days after heavy rain caused landslides

Divers who helped in the dramatic rescue of a young Thai football team in 2018 have joined efforts to free seven people who have been trapped for five days inside a remote, flooded cave in central Laos.

The group entered the cave in Xaysomboun province on Wednesday to hunt for wildlife and search for gold, reports suggest. Heavy rain led to landslides, which blocked the cave entrance.

‘Bowie compared us to T Rex. Couldn’t get any better’: the Mekons on how they made Where Were You?

‘It’s about loneliness, really. It was the total opposite of that “It’s Friday night, let’s have sex” macho mentality that was in most rock music at the time’

Most of the people who started the Mekons and Gang of Four were on the same fine art course at Leeds University. In December 1976 we went to see the Anarchy tour at the nearby polytechnic. I liked the Sex Pistols but the Clash, in their paint-spattered clothes, sounded particularly great. It was the first time I saw a band and thought: “That could be me up there.”

Memorial Day travel hits snags as gas prices reach highest level since 2022

Gas prices in the U.S. are at their highest levels since 2022, prompting some Americans to rethink their Memorial Day travel. Olivia Rinaldi has the latest.

Chemical leak in California's Orange County forces 50,000 people to evacuate

A leaking chemical tank in Cypress, California, is at risk of exploding, officials say, and at least 50,000 people have been forced to evacuate. Lana Zak has the latest.

Each side spins a different story about the US-Iran peace talks – but Tehran may have the last word | Rajan Menon

The twists and turns in this saga are bewildering, but Donald Trump appears to have the cards stacked against him

For those following the crisis between the US and Iran, the past few days have been bewildering. On Friday, the six-week-old ceasefire seemed doomed. Donald Trump skipped his son’s wedding to remain in the White House and was reportedly contemplating renewed military strikes on Iran. On Saturday, apprehension was replaced by optimism. Trump announced that an agreement with Iran would be concluded “shortly”. On Sunday, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, added to the hope by saying that there would soon be “good news”.

Iran’s leaders soon dampened the optimism. The country’s media dismissed Trump’s social media post as propaganda, and Iranian officials highlighted several remaining points of dispute. As Tehran began revealing – in very general terms – its conception of a deal, the gap between it and Washington became even more evident.

Bows, bounce and rule breakers: week two on the red carpet at the Cannes film festival – in pictures

As La Croisette closes for another year, here are the most memorable looks from its final week

Delivery robots are spreading across LA. Residents ‘both pity and hate them’

A region known for its lack of walkability now has more obstacles for pedestrians to contend with

Robots have taken over Los Angeles.

It’s not just the AI-generated videos that have caused angst in Hollywood. Our streets are full of driverless Waymo vehicles, covered in more sensors and gadgets than the Batmobile. And our walkways are home to fleets of boxes on wheels, hurrying past pedestrians and navigating outdoor bar-hoppers as the robots deliver smoothies and keto-friendly salads.

Organ grinders, cheese rollers and lotus lanterns: photos of the day – Monday

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

Trump says U.S. and Iran nearing a peace deal. And, Pope Leo weighs in on AI's rise

President Trump says that a deal with Iran to end the war is largely negotiated. And, Pope Leo XIV weighed in today on the rise of AI during his first encyclical.

Pope Leo denounces ‘culture of power’ driving rise of AI

Pontiff calls for ‘disarming’ of artificial intelligence and apologises for church’s delay in condemning slavery

Pope Leo has denounced the “culture of power” driving the rapid rise of artificial intelligence while warning that the technology must be subject to the “most rigorous” ethical constraints as it infiltrates everything from work to war.

In his encyclical – the first major text on safeguarding humankind of his papacy – he also apologised for the Catholic church’s long delay in condemning slavery, describing it as “a wound in Christian memory”, and spoke of the “new forms of slavery” due to the digital economy.

Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy recipe for kimchi tofu noodles with chilli peanuts | Quick and easy

Simple and spicy, this dish is adaptable enough to become a firm favourite with all the family – and it will fill lunchboxes the next day, too

This is one of those rare dishes that I can make both for us and for the children – reserving the kimchi topping and chilli peanuts for the adults, of course. I also like to add the kimchi just before serving for freshness (this helps to keep all the good stuff in it from deactivating, too). Leftovers are excellent in lunchboxes the next day, so it’s well worth making the full quantity and popping the excess in the fridge.

‘I begged for help’: the police failings that led to UK mother’s death at hands of her daughter’s stalker

Yolanda Saldana Feliz was stabbed 40 times by Miguel Angel Florentino, after Lauris Saldana’s emails to Met police went unanswered

Lauris Saldana has visible scars on her face, neck, arms, hand – and many, many more hidden beneath her clothing. They are a reminder of the horrific attack in 2022 at the hands of her ex-partner that she narrowly survived, an attack in which her mother, Yolanda Saldana Feliz, was killed.

It was an unlawful killing that would have been preventable, a coroner ruled, had the Metropolitan police taken Lauris’s domestic abuse case seriously. Had they come to her aid when she repeatedly begged them for help with evidence her estranged husband was a violent stalker, her “superhero” mother would probably still be alive today.

Tuner review – Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman in sweet harmony in safe-cracking thriller

Playing a piano tuner with super sensitive hearing, Woodall’s relationship with Hoffman is a tender highlight in this unforced crime drama

Leo Woodall’s breakout TV roles in The White Lotus and One Day offered a megawatt charisma, but for his biggest film role to date he dims it to a soft glow with gentle performance opposite Dustin Hoffman as one of a pair of New York piano tuners. And what a pair they are; they are a real pleasure to watch in an easy, unforced drama that mixes romcom moments with a relaxed crime thriller. It’s like the Safdie brothers in chill out mode.

Woodall plays Niki, a tuner with exceptionally sensitive hearing who constantly wears earplugs to block out the deafeningly loud world. Niki works for veteran tuner Harry Horowitz, played with irresistible warmth by Hoffman. It’s highly skilled work but a running joke in the film is that rich clients treat them like odd job men – would you mind just unblocking the loo while you’re here?

A Louisiana state senator helped secure Meta’s largest datacenter. Then he sold the land beside it

Jay Morris denies experts’ claims that he violated ethics rules over land deals near the site of Meta’s Hyperion datacenter

This story is from Floodlight, a non-profit newsroom that investigates the powers stalling climate action

For more than two years, John “Jay” Morris, a Louisiana state senator, helped pave the way for Meta to build one of the world’s largest datacenters, called Hyperion, in Richland Parish.

Vietnam vets say opposing Trump's arch is about being "loyal to the country"

"I think it's just disrespectful to those that I served with who didn't come back," a veteran suing to stop construction of the arch told CBS News.

Decision not to jail three UK boys for rape is ‘unusual’ and could be reviewed, says ex-attorney general

Dominic Grieve says people are ‘perfectly entitled’ to ask Richard Hermer for review of teenagers’ sentences

Appeal judges would be unlikely to criticise the attorney general, Richard Hermer, if he asked them to review “unusual” non-custodial sentences handed to three teenage boys convicted of raping two girls, one of his predecessors has suggested.

Dominic Grieve, who also served as home secretary, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the goal of rehabilitating offenders – particularly younger ones – needed to be balanced with providing deterrence.

The language of the American presidency doesn’t apply to Trump | Robert Reich

Trump and his allies have so undermined the US government that we need a new vocabulary to describe them

Words matter. When describing a government, they inevitably carry moral weight.

Over the past 16 months, Trump and his appointees have so profoundly undermined the United States government that different words should be used to describe them than have been used to describe all previous administrations.

Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is a professor of public policy emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a Guardian US columnist and his newsletter is at robertreich.substack.com. His new book, Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America, is out now in the US and in the UK

From racy riders to romantic rivals: Jilly Cooper’s best books – ranked!

The second series of Rivals has put the bestselling author’s brand of saucy jollity back on screen, but what is her bonkbuster nonpareil?

In the last of Jilly Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles – her epic, engrossing sagas of bucolic life among horse-riding poshos – Rupert Campbell-Black, template-handsome cad turned loving husband, is now (I did the maths) 67. Taggie has cancer, which is bracing, since the Chronicles as a whole rarely brush with mortality. I was astonished to learn that Cooper did 15 months of rewrites, following interventions from a sensitivity reader; it is not that sensitive, certainly not on class. Bianca, Rupert and Taggie’s daughter, has fallen in love with a footballer (“from the gu’er” – the Ts are silent) and her father buys a local club to keep them both in the postcode. Cue improbable league successes that make your heart soar.

Why Michigan is emerging as one of America’s worst-hit climate states

The state saw 33 tornadoes last year and severe flooding as researchers say links to climate change are undeniable

The tornado hit west Ann Arbor at 1.45am on 15 April, passing through Veterans Memorial park, where it knocked several mature oak trees and ripped up baseball field fences before setting its sights on a local ice rink.

“It came up through the parking lot and, in that time, the pressure differential between the tornado and the air inside the rink collapsed the wall,” said Scott Spooner, a manager at Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation.

Revealed: the internal BHP memo that slammed the brakes on world’s biggest miner’s climate push

Exclusive: BHP once dubbed climate change an ‘existential’ threat. But leaked documents show it has backtracked on decarbonisation at a vast network of mines

• Read more from the BHP files investigation here

In the middle of 2019, London was sweltering through a heatwave.

Temperature records tumbled. Frail, ill and elderly people died in their hundreds.

Trump says more countries should normalize ties with Israel in any Iran deal

President Trump's latest demand has tempered expectations for an imminent deal to end the war with Iran. Meanwhile, an Iranian delegation arrived in Doha on Monday for more talks.

No Winter Holidays review – haunting portrait of female companionship in Nepal’s frozen highlands

Two widows of the same man remain behind in an abandoned mountain village in Rajan Kathet and Sunir Pandey’s visually arresting documentary

In the valley of Dhorpatan in western Nepal, winter arrives with unforgiving intensity. Clouds of freezing mist gradually descend, making the rocky terrain look starkly barren, a lonesome void amid vertiginous mountain ranges. At this time of the year, most of the inhabitants migrate south to warmer regions – except for two. Unfolding at a languid pace, Rajan Kathet and Sunir Pandey’s feature-length documentary debut casts its gaze on Ratima and Kalima, elderly caretakers tasked with watching over the abandoned village. Widows to the same man, they make for an unusual yet beguiling pair whose dynamic wavers between warmth and discord.

The two women’s different temperaments make for an engaging contrast. The older, jaded Ratima spends her days in a haze of alcohol and regrets. Meanwhile, younger Kalima has a sunnier attitude, which she extends to creatures big and small; she even has pet names for the livestock. Once the second wife and hence a romantic rival, Kalima now takes care of the ailing Ratima with sisterly tenderness. Their daily routines – simple meals by the fire, reminiscences about their departed husband – are juxtaposed with expansive wide shots of the desolate landscape.

The pet I’ll never forget: Tilly, the rabbit who taught us how to raise a family

This fluffy menace was harder work than either of our babies. But she did show us how to nurture a creature you can’t reason with

Tilly wasn’t our first choice: my wife and I had fallen for a grey lop-eared charmer in a local shop who was unexpectedly pulled from sale. But we were now determined to acquire a rabbit, so we traipsed from store to store around south-west London, until we saw this tiny ball of brown and white fluff. Suddenly we could imagine no other bunny.

Tilly was many things. When our landlord was around, she was at a friend’s. To the kale producers of Britain, she was a lifeline. To us, she was affectionate, but with a strong sense of personal space – you could tell when she wanted to be touched and when she did not.

Could this Japanese human washing machine save me from the tedium of cleaning myself? | Emma Beddington

The capsule, which costs £280,000, is ideal for those who find daily grooming exhausting. Imagine if it brushed your teeth for you, too ...

Still trying and failing to plan a trip to Japan, I have at least found one absolute must: a pilgrimage to see the Future Human Washing Machine. Following its unveiling last year, this JPY 60m (£280,000) capsule, in which a person is washed, thanks to the magic of microbubbles, and returned to the world in 15 minutes without moving a muscle is now on show in electronics shops in Tokyo.

It’s essentially a hi-tech car wash, but for humans: the dream. As my best friend says, “I have never needed anything more.” The two of us bond, frequently, over how unnecessarily exhausting getting clean is. She has long Covid; I’m just lazy and find getting clean such a drag I need a few minutes scrolling on the bathroom floor to recover (if this worries anyone, no, I’m not deficient in anything except moral fibre).

American Music Awards air tonight with star-studded performances

The American Music Awards celebrate fan favorites in the music world and feature performances from multiple artists.

In Beirut, refugee girls and women learn more than self-defense in martial arts class

In the male-dominated world of Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, a martial arts teacher offers women a way to empowerment.

Pope Leo takes aim at big tech in sweeping encyclical on AI

"Magnifica Humanitas" tackles the social, economic and political challenges associated with artificial intelligence.

Parts of England expected to hit 35C in ‘unprecedented’ May heatwave

Monday predicted to be hottest May day on record by large margin, as climate crisis makes 30C days more common

Temperatures are expected to hit 35C in parts of England on Monday, in an “unprecedented” May heatwave.

The Met Office is already predicting that records will be broken. A spokesperson said: “Today will be the hottest day in May in the UK in our temperature records, with highs of 35C expected. The current May record is 32.8C. Records are usually only broken by tenths of a degree, making this heatwave unprecedented for the time of year.”

Misinformation about perimenopause on social media ‘putting women at risk’

Dangers include unintended pregnancies, taking unnecessary medication and missed diagnoses, say experts

Misinformation about perimenopause is putting women at risk of unintended pregnancies, unnecessary medication and missed diagnoses, experts have said.

Awareness of menopause and treatments such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been raised by efforts including a prominent documentary by Davina McCall.

The one change that worked: I struggled to get any work done – until I bought a kitchen timer

After years of procrastination, even the most trivial task felt like climbing a mountain. Then I discovered the pomodoro technique – and how much I could achieve in just 25 minutes

Long before I knew what a 9 to 5 was, I struggled to get things done. When I was a child, I avoided showers for as long as possible and put off brushing my waist-length hair. My mum ended up cutting it into a bob to help me manage it.

During my degree, this tendency to procrastinate meant I was regularly pulling all-nighters in the library, writing 3,000-word essays in single evenings, fuelled by energy drinks and snacks. I told myself that I worked better under pressure – and in a way I did, since it always got done. But the relief of submitting work was always overshadowed by the same question – why had I put myself through that again?

‘A masterclass in lesbian eroticism’: why Bound is my feelgood movie

The latest in our ongoing series of writers celebrating their most rewatched comfort films is a pick for 1996’s revealing and relatable romantic thriller

I’m not necessarily inclined towards what might typically be dubbed “feelgood”. No, you won’t find me seduced by a happy ending, nor am I partial to the oeuvre of Disney (in fact, I find all the talking animals and poreless princesses a bit grotesque). The raw edges and friction of feelbad have tended to be much better suited to my tastes: the porno chic slasher Knife+Heart, the sartorial murder of In Fabric and the snuff film-obsessed Thesis. Sex and gore, basically. For a long time, my favourite film was Crimes of the Future: a stomach-churning body horror about sexual-surgical experiments.

However, there is one movie that reveals a slightly soft(er)core side to my viewing habits, which I frequently return to in order to feel the gushy feelings and butterflies of a school crush. That film is Bound. The 1996 directorial debut from the Wachowski sisters, the plot revolves around an opposites-attract scenario which is both familiar and high stakes: plumber Corky, and mafia moll Violet. When their eyes meet across an elevator, the tiny vestibule becomes thick with sexual tension: it is so on.

What's open and closed for Memorial Day 2026?

Most retail stores will be open for business on Memorial Day, while post offices will be closed. Here's what to know.

'My body carried me,' Elizabeth Smart says. Now she's celebrating it

Her abduction at age 14 drew international attention. After her rescue, Smart says she struggled with feeling shame around her body. Bodybuilding has helped her see herself differently.

Spin to win: How this life insurance company turns healthy habits into a game

You've heard of lower car insurance rates for good drivers. Now, one life insurance company wants to incentivize longevity with lower rates and extra bonuses for people who adopt healthy habits.

Weather tracker: flash floods in New York and a heat dome in Europe

Rain overwhelms sewer system in parts of US city, while temperatures in France break May record

New York City saw flash flooding on Wednesday, as large parts of Brooklyn and Queens received about 2in (50mm) of rainfall in as little as 20 minutes. Officials said the deluge caused water to flow into the sewer system at a rate of up to 6in an hour, quickly overwhelming an aged network that was designed to accommodate just 1.75in an hour.

Residents and commuters found themselves wading knee-deep through flood water that flowed with dangerous speed in places. One video showed a woman alighting from a bus losing her footing and being dragged along by the torrent of water. Several major roads were blocked, including the Long Island Expressway, and subway services were disrupted as water spilled into stations. Large amounts of mud and other debris was left behind; videos showed bags of rubbish being swept down streets along with loose litter.

We’re Nothing at All review – bus explosion sets off Hong Kong drama of grief, prejudice and queer identity

A disaster on Valentine’s Day sets off a sprawling tale of hidden lives and social fault lines in director Herman Yau’s ambitious ensemble drama

Prolific Hong Kong film-maker Herman Yau is back with an ambitious, sprawling drama that is, at best, an awkward composite of his past works. We’re Nothing at All kicks off with a moment of rupture: on a seemingly ordinary Valentine’s Day in Hong Kong, a double-decker bus suddenly bursts into flames. The deadly explosion triggers a police inquiry led by Lung (Patrick Tam), a skilled forensics specialist whose investigation reveals a maze of intersecting lives. Much like the volatile opening, the rest of the film luxuriates in paradoxes, where the facade of normalcy is peeled back to reveal poverty, prejudice and despair.

From inspecting the charred bodies of the victims – rendered in lurid closeup – to retracing CCTV footage, Lung’s gathering of clues is crosscut with flashbacks concerning those involved in the explosion. Among the dead are lovers Fai and Ike (played by pop stars Anson Kong and Ansonbean), gay men who have endured economic hardship and family rejection. With its golden hues, the warmth of their intimacy starkly contrasts with Lung’s world of colourless offices and sterile meetings. The juxtaposition is visually fascinating, yet the twin narratives of a police procedural and queer romance are strained, resulting in tonal disorientation.

A Billion Years of Sex Differences by Steve Stewart-Williams review – what we get wrong about men and women

A psychologist wades into controversial territory in this counterintuitive study of nature, nurture and gender

According to the evolutionary psychologist Steve Stewart-Williams, almost everyone gets sex wrong. Traditionalists tend to exaggerate the natural differences between men and women. Progressives tend to minimise them, and to assume that nurture and socialisation play a decisive role. He wants to promote a more nuanced, scientifically rigorous public conversation about why and how men and women differ to guide better policymaking.

Some sex differences are relatively pronounced, he claims, such as whether you’re primarily attracted to men or women, upper body strength, height, the likelihood you’ll murder someone and occupational interests. Many, such as ability in maths, or conscientiousness, are much more modest. Such differences are best visualised as two overlapping bell curves. To illustrate this, consider height: the shortest humans are almost all women, the tallest are men, the average man is taller than the average woman, but there is considerable common ground. Knowing that someone is 5ft 8in won’t enable you to guess with any confidence whether they are a man or a woman, for instance.

‘A bridge, not an obstacle’: is Armenia a new crossroads between east and west?

As former Soviet Republic goes to the polls, it finds itself in a strategic tug of war between Russia, the US, Turkey, Europe and Azerbaijan

To describe Yerevan, a charming city of liberal values encased in imposing Soviet architecture, as the centre of the world is a stretch, but Armenia’s claim that it can become the strategic crossroads of the landmass of Eurasia is becoming less and less fanciful. As the former Soviet Republic goes to the polls on 7 June for national elections, it finds itself in a five-way tug of war between Russia, the US, Turkey, Europe and Azerbaijan.

The interest has in part been sparked by the possibility of an end to Armenia’s conflict with its neighbour Azerbaijan – and the chance this represents for Armenia to end its physical isolation and become part of the middle corridor, a vital trade route linking western China and Europe, bypassing both Russia’s northern corridor and the Suez canal.

Is it true that … we should all be taking creatine?

The supplement is a proven sports performance enhancer, but research is ongoing and for most people it’s an optional extra, not an essential

Once the preserve of bodybuilders and sprinters, creatine is now being touted as everything from a brain booster to a healthy-ageing essential. But should we all be taking it? Not quite.

“There’s really substantial evidence of creatine being effective,” says Bethan Crouse, a sports nutritionist at Loughborough University. “From a sport perspective, it’s probably one of the more well-researched supplements in terms of actually having a performance impact.”

Listen to the stories of Gaza's women to fully grasp the horrors Israel is inflicting on us | Olfat al-Kurd

I survived months of bombardment before escaping. The systematic dismantling of our home has harmed every aspect of women’s lives

• Olfat al-Kurd is a field researcher for B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the occupied territories

Since Israel’s assault on Gaza began in October 2023, I have lost my father, my brother, his wife and their daughter. They are still buried under the rubble. My house, where we lived with my husband’s family, was destroyed by Israeli bombing. In 2024, after months of bombardments, flight and displacement, I managed to escape with my family to Egypt. I’ve been living here ever since, but the memories of life in Gaza are always with me. What happened to me reflects the reality that Palestinian women in Gaza continue to face during the genocide.

Since the start of the war, many women in Gaza have become sole providers. Countless numbers have been left with no protection or home, and many have lost children or their entire families. A recent UN report showed that Israel has killed more than 38,000 women and girls in Gaza during this war. A further 11,000 have sustained injuries causing lifelong disabilities.

Olfat al-Kurd is a field researcher for B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the occupied territories

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.

Sea-hugging railways and magical views: five of Europe’s best coastal train lines

Dramatic coastal scenery and train rides make a winning combination. Our rail expert picks journeys over and along the sea

Route Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh
Which side should I sit? The right initially, then switch to left
Distance 83 miles (133km)
Time 2hrs 40mins
Frequency 4 trains a day (2 on Sundays)
Ticket £32 single
Operator ScotRail

About 20 people injured after man sprays unknown substance near ATM in Tokyo mall

A road in the shopping district of Ginza was blocked off and people were taken away in stretchers

About 20 people were injured at a luxury shopping complex in central Tokyo on Monday after a man sprayed a substance inside the building, officials in Japan said.

A Tokyo police spokesperson said a man sprayed a substance at an ATM on the ground floor, while a local fire department official said “around 20 people were injured” after a report of a “smell”.

Can you solve it? Are you on board with these quirky chess puzzles?

Check it out

UPDATE: Read the answers here

Today’s four puzzles are inspired by chess. (If you haven’t yet watched the recent documentaries on Judit Polgár and Hans Niemann, I recommend them.)

1. Oddities

Anita Rani celebrates awesome women: best podcasts of the week

The presenter meets remarkable public figures, starting with a lovely talk with writer-actor Meera Syal. Plus, a vital deep dive into US supreme court justice Neil Gorsuch

Whistler by Ann Patchett review – a saccharine story of reunion

A woman’s encounter with the stepfather she hasn’t seen for decades leads to a revived bond – but is it all too perfect?

I blame Meryl Streep. Once she’s in your head, it’s hard to kick her out. Streep narrated the audiobook of Tom Lake, Ann Patchett’s last novel, and I’ve played it so many times I listen for the rhythm now, not the story. Or perhaps the rhythm is the story. Nothing much happens in Tom Lake, which is to say that everything happens – life happens – but ever so gently. On a cherry farm in Michigan, a mother tells her restless, world-hungry daughters the tale of a long-ago summer romance, piece by piece, as they work the harvest together. It’s Scheherazade with pie.

Tom Lake is a lovely book, indulgently so. A pandemic novel that imagines the crisis as Edenic: a family thrown together with little to do but talk and remember and cherish one another. Sun-ripe fruit, rescue dogs, the future paused for one last impossible season. Some ingenue glitz; a whiff of tradwifery. A lesson – quite literally – in cherrypicking.

Kraken review – fjord-based rampage is monster movie with environmental message

Underwater beastie shows discerning moral judgment when picking off victims in this fun Norwegian action film

As Greta Thunberg demonstrates, an eco-chastising feels somehow cleansing when it comes out of Scandinavia. Maybe it’s because of the idea that people there live in greater harmony with nature. It is splendidly showcased in the shape of Norway’s Sognefjord, the country’s largest fjord, in this didactic but still-enjoyable action film. Kraken could almost serve as an extended tourist promo – other than the titular beastie that is, slewing off giant crab-like lice, and emerging from the depths to administer a stern 90-minute ticking-off about tampering with nature.

Marine researcher Johanne (Sara Khorami, cementing her Norwegian creature-feature credentials after Troll 2) is summoned to the Sognefjord after reports of mass salmon strandings. Her first port of call is the local fish farm run by Erik (Mikkel Bratt Silset), an old flame with whom she developed sonic delousing pods now used to keep the pens clean. But in a bid to impress Japanese investors, owner Avaldsnes (Øyvind Brandtzæg) has cranked the tech up to the max, harshing the vibe not just for the wild salmon but the fjord’s deep denizen too.

‘Massive’ child abuse scandal in France as school staff investigated for violence and sexual assault

Paris police looking into more than 100 allegations of mistreatment by ‘monitors’ after parents’ groups said they had fought for years to be taken seriously

France is facing a child abuse scandal as ‘monitors’ at dozens of state nursery and primary schools are investigated for violence, sexual assault and rape.

Paris police are examining more than 100 allegations of mistreatment, physical violence and rape of children as young as three by school monitors during lunch breaks, nap times and after-school activities, prosecutors have confirmed.

Origami dragons and a story arcade! The joy of museums aimed at children

The best of these reject any ‘don’t touch’ attitude in favour of an open invitation to curiosity that might just see your toddler tell you to sit down and read a book

Play cafes are not for me, but that doesn’t make me a monster. I don’t drag my toddler around museums and galleries demanding that we look at art every day of the week (what fresh hell that would be). Instead there is, I’ve discovered, a middle ground. Museums that are family oriented and fun and capable of sparking curiosity in arts and culture while they’re at it. Museums such as the Story Museum in Oxford.

The place is a gem. I love it from the moment we’re given colourful wristbands that will allow us to come and go throughout the day (no pressure to power through when whining turns to wailing). Tucked away from the tourists in a higgledy-piggledy former post office and telephone exchange building on Pembroke Street, it’s full of imaginative galleries that invite you to step inside the pages of great children’s books from across the ages.

‘The knickers that get thrown are bigger now!’: Barry Manilow on fans, love, coming out - and turning 82

The great showman has spent the last 50 years on stage, followed by his adoring “fanilows” - but he’s not slowing down yet. Here, he talks about cancer, ridicule and roaring success

His name is Barry, he is a showman – as we all know. But late last year, after more than 50 years of constant performing, it began to look like the Manilow show was coming to an end. In December, the 82-year-old singer announced he was about to undergo surgery for lung cancer, and postponed his planned live shows. Thankfully, the cancer had not spread and the treatment was successful. But around the same time he released a new single, ominously titled Once Before I Go. The accompanying video showed him saying goodbye to his palatial quarters at the Las Vegas Westgate resort, where he has had a residency for the past eight years, and wistfully reminiscing over old costumes, intercut with footage of him in his 80s prime. It sure looked as if he was shutting up shop.

But no: “That was just an accident,” says Manilow of the video. Really? “Yeah, we didn’t do that on purpose.” The song was actually written in the early 80s by veteran songwriter Peter Allen, he explains, but he felt he was too young to sing it when he first heard it. “It’s a beautiful song and it’s got nothing to do with me. It’s saying goodbye to a romance, you know. But it just so happened that it sounds like I’m talking about myself.” Far from going anywhere, Manilow’s got a new album out next week, and a string of new tour dates lined up.

‘My first drag turn? As Karen Carpenter in hotpants!’ La Voix on swinger cruises, Strictly – and blazing into musicals

From Drag Race to Eurovision to Strictly, La Voix is going stratospheric. And Chris Dennis, the man behind the crimson coiffure, is thrilled. He talks about his cruise ship highs, doing panto with Cilla – and starring in Annie

‘I’ve done more cruises than Jane McDonald,” says Chris Dennis with a hoot. About 130 in all, he reckons, which his agent said surpassed McDonald, the most famous cruise ship singer there is. You won’t find Dennis’s name on any billing, though, and most of the thousands of people who have seen him perform won’t know it either. But they will know his alter ego, La Voix, a “northern powerhouse” of show tunes, sharp quips and bright crimson coiffure. Perhaps you’ve seen her slaying the runway on RuPaul’s Drag Race, dancing a pasodoble to Beethoven’s Fifth on Strictly, or appearing as a “spokesqueen” on the recent Eurovision. And now she’s about to sashay into her first role in a musical – as Miss Hannigan in Annie.

La Voix is an amalgam of the women Dennis knew growing up in Stockton-on-Tees: quick wit, warm heart, belter of a voice, and always in possession of a sparkly top for a night out. After 17 years of Drag Race on TV, we’ve seen the vast range of what drag can be, from high fashion to political to performance art. But La Voix is classic old school light entertainment. Who, I ask Dennis, are your comic influences? “Ken Dodd,” he says without a beat. “The terrible jokes that just make you laugh. Bang, bang, bang, joke, joke, joke.” Barry Humphries’ Dame Edna and Paul O’Grady’s Lily Savage are big influences, too. And when TV’s Loose Women asked La Voix about dancing with Strictly partner Aljaž Škorjanec, her reply – “To be flung round the room by a muscular Slovenian, you’re not going to say no, are you?” – was pure Victoria Wood.

5/24/2026: Booms, Busts and Bubbles; Sculpting Evolution; The Payam Method

First, examining lessons from the Wall Street crash of 1929. Then, a report on mouse DNA and the fight against Lyme disease. And, inside the "Payam Method" for learning piano.

5/24: CBS Weekend News

Crack in California chemical tank a positive sign, but explosion fears remain; details emerging on potential U.S.-Iran peace deal.

Living with coyotes

Once found only in parts of the West and Southwest, coyotes have dramatically expanded their range, and are now found in every state except Hawaii. Conor Knighton looks at how these animals have become part of the urban landscape in places like Chicago, and what roles they play — in history, in Native American stories, in art and in today's urban and suburban ecosystems.

Alleged gunman outside White House had run-ins with Secret Service, sources say

Sources identified the 21-year-old suspect as Nasire Best of Dundalk, Maryland, and documents obtained by CBS News show Best previously blocked a White House entry lane in June 2025.

The Trail of the Fallen in New York's Hudson Valley

Charlie D'Agata reports on the trail just south of West Point Military Academy that honors America's fallen patriots.

Summer kicks off with gas and grocery prices both up

Americans are now paying 20% more for food than four years ago. Inflation rose nearly 1% this month, mainly due to higher gas prices. Shanelle Kaul reports.

New details on Saturday's White House shooting

The alleged gunman in Saturday's shooting at the White House had tried to gain access to the White House last year. Natalie Brand reports.

Details emerging on potential U.S.-Iran peace deal

Although U.S. and Iranian negotiators have agreed to broad principles of a deal, including on several of the thorniest of issues that divide the bitter rivals, President Trump cautions the White House will not be rushing into signing any agreement. Imtiaz Tyab reports.

Crack in California chemical tank a positive sign, but explosion fears remain

Officials say an industrial tank in Southern California containing about 7,000 gallons of highly flammable and toxic chemicals appears to have cracked. Experts say that could mean a rupture or catastrophic explosion may be averted. Thousands have been evacuated from several communities in Orange County. Lana Zak reports.

Films more likely to star an actor called Chris or a talking animal than a woman over 60, study finds

Emma Thompson among voices supporting anti-ageism campaign, which has uncovered striking findings in top-grossing UK films over past three years

Box office hit films are four times more likely to star a talking animal than a woman over 60, according to a new survey by Age Without Limits.

The anti-ageism campaign studied the 100 highest performing films released in the UK in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and found that while five starred an older woman, about 20 featured creatures who chat.

Space rockets, satellites, data centers and Grok: What's the right S&P sector index for SpaceX?

What S&P Sector is SpaceX likely to be in once it launches on the public markets.