Supreme Court declines to let Alabama move forward with nitrogen gas execution

The Supreme Court declined a request from Alabama to move forward with a scheduled execution using nitrogen hypoxia, with Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch dissenting.

1 killed in Iowa as severe storms, suspected tornadoes slam Midwest

Severe storms that swept through the Midwest late Thursday knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of customers, damaged buildings and canceled flights.

Supreme Court prohibits Alabama from using nitrogen gas for execution

Because of the ruling, Jeffrey Lee's execution will be delayed. He still faces the death penalty.

South Korea v Czechia: World Cup 2026 – live

⚽️ Kick-off time: 8pm local/12pm AEST/3am BST/10pm EDT
⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail Jonathan

Czechia will also line up in a 3-4-3 with Alexandr Sojka handed a competitive debut alongside star man Tomáš Souček in midfield. The 23 year old was only called up for the first time for the pre-tournament friendlies.

1 Matěj Kovář; 6 Štěpán Chaloupek, 4 Robin Hranáč, 7 Ladislav Krejčí; 5 Vladimir Coufal, 22 Tomáš Souček, 24 Alexandr Sojka 20 Jaroslav Zelený; 17 Lukáš Provod, 15 Pavel Šulc, 10 Patrik Schick.

Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha dies aged 47 after years in a coma

Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol’s health had worsened since she was hospitalised in December 2022 with heart problems that left her gravely ill

The eldest child of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn has died aged 47, the palace has said, after nearly four years in a coma.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, known in Thailand as Princess Bha, had been in hospital since December 2022 when she became gravely ill after having heart problems while out training her dogs.

Ukraine war briefing: France, Germany and UK make push in Moscow for peace talks

Ambassadors from ‘E3’ group of Ukraine’s allies meet with Russian minister and urge direct negotiations; Crimea’s fuel supplies dry up. What we know on day 1,570

British, French and German ambassadors to Russia urged direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in a rare meeting at Russia’s foreign ministry on Thursday. The leaders of the UK France and Germany – known as the E3 – this week met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s president, in London. In a joint statement after Thursday’s Moscow meeting, the three countries said they conveyed to the Russians the key conclusions of the UK summit, including “the support for president Zelensky’s urge to hold direct talks between Russia and Ukraine”.

European ambassadors have rarely held talks with Russian officials during the war, but have been frequently summoned by the foreign ministry. The E3 grouping have been some of Ukraine’s most staunch allies. Moscow said the ambassadors had been told of their countries’ “destructive” policy on Ukraine, accusing them of wanting to “continue the war against Russia on behalf of and at the expense of” European countries.

Several western European countries – including France – have floated the idea of restarting a dialogue with Moscow to end the war. US-led talks to end it have led nowhere and have been sidelined by the Iran war, but Russia has in the past preferred to talk to Donald Trump’s administration, with the Kremlin not wanting European countries involved.

Peter Beaumont has documented how Ukrainian forces are crippling Russian supply lines along what has been dubbed the “highway of death”. The R-280 constitutes a crucial route for Moscow’s military convoys as it snakes through Ukrainian territories under Moscow’s occupation, linking Rostov-on-Don in Russia to Melitopol, Mariupol and Crimea via the Sea of Azov coastline. Ukrainian drone operators say dozens of trucks and tankers have been destroyed as part of an intensified effort known as the “middle strike campaign”. Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine’s drone forces, said military cargo traffic along the highway had fallen by 71% over the past two weeks. Traffic was suspended this week on the Chonhar Bridge – a key section of the road connecting Russia-occupied Kherson province to Crimea – after a series of Ukrainian drone strikes.

Trump claims US and Iran on verge of signing peace agreement, but Tehran says no final decision made

Iranian leadership has not confirmed claim, after the US president announced that planned strikes on Iran had been cancelled

• Middle East crisis – live updates

Donald Trump claimed on Thursday that Washington and Tehran were on the verge of signing a peace agreement, and announced that he was cancelling fresh missile strikes, after two days of escalating attacks on Iran that threatened to collapse the fragile ceasefire.

His comments followed a new bout of public diplomacy by social media, but were dismissed by Iran’s foreign ministry, which said a final decision on an agreement had not been reached.

Midwest battered by dangerous storms, 1 killed in Des Moines

Severe weather broke out in the Midwest on Thursday, day three of a multi-day threat. More than 120 million people are in the path of potentially dangerous storms. In Des Moines, a man was killed after a tree broke apart and fell on him as storms passed through. Rob Marciano reports and has the forecast.

SpaceX's first employee remains on mission: "Space is super important"

Tom Mueller, Elon Musk's first hire at SpaceX, expects the company's IPO to help power a new era in space exploration.

Proposed data center near Nashville Zoo sparks heavy pushback

Residents packed a public hearing in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday, looking to stop a nearly 70,000-square-foot data center from being built near the Nashville Zoo.

Pirro's losses in Fed investigation should stay on the books, judge rules

In a scathing ruling, Judge James Boasberg denied U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro's request to vacate his earlier orders.

6/11: The Takeout with Major Garrett

U.S. and Iran expected to have 60 days to reach deal upon letter of intent signing; Thune under pressure from Trump to fire Senate parliamentarian.

SpaceX set to go public, could make Elon Musk a trillionaire

SpaceX is set to go public on Friday in what's expected to be the largest IPO in history, a move that could make Elon Musk a trillionaire and create thousands of new millionaires inside the company. Jo Ling Kent reports.

SpaceX raising $75 billion in record-setting IPO as Nasdaq debut awaits

SpaceX is selling 555.6 shares at $135 a piece, raising $75 billion in the largest IPO on record.

Nashville residents fighting proposed data center next to zoo

In Tennessee, angry residents are looking to stop a proposed data center from being built right next to the Nashville Zoo, potentially exposing the animals to noise, fumes and bright lights. Skyler Henry reports.

Details on Trump's potential deal with Iran

President Trump has promised a deal with Iran several times over the past two months. Margaret Brennan reports on what's included this time.

Potential agreement with Iran would include opening of Strait of Hormuz, Trump says

Hours after saying the U.S. would attack civilian infrastructure and even take over Iran's energy facilities, President Trump announced that a deal could be signed over the weekend and that the documents are in "pretty final shape." Caitlin Huey Burns reports on the potential deal to strike a deal.

Auckland sits near an active faultline, new research suggests, so what next for New Zealand’s biggest city?

The city is exempted from earthquake building rules due to its northerly location, but a study of the Mangatangi Fault has thrown that into question

A fault line south of New Zealand’s most populated city, Auckland, is active and could trigger a devastating earthquake new research shows, dispelling the region’s long-held belief it was largely immune from intense seismic activity.

The research has also raised questions over the recent decision to exempt Auckland from earthquake building regulation.

China has long sought to control women’s bodies. Increasingly, they’re making their own choices

More women are rejecting state pressure over their reproductive choices, amid the devastating legacy of the one-child policy

Ever since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, women’s bodies have been the business of the state. In the 1950s, labour for state-controlled work units was organised according to women’s menstrual cycles. Then for decades, there was the one-child policy.

Across vast swathes of the country the policy was enforced with a brutal severity. As well as fines for additional children, women were forced to have abortions and subjected to forced sterilisations.

She confided in ChatGPT the night of her suicide. Now, her mother is suing OpenAI.

A mother has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging the chatbot's design led to her daughter's suicide.

U.S.-Iran memo of understanding likely to be signed next week, sources say

The signing of the memorandum or letter of intent would kick off 60 days of talks to negotiate details of an enduring U.S.-Iran agreement.

Former Super Bowl champion Darron Lee indicted on murder charge in death of girlfriend

• Prosecutors cite ChatGPT messages as key evidence

• Gabriella Perpetuo died of blunt force injuries

Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee has been indicted on a murder charge in the death of his partner.

A grand jury in Hamilton County returned an indictment on Tuesday. Prosecutors dismissed a tampering with evidence charge to focus solely on the more serious allegation, Hamilton County district attorney Coty Wamp said.

Petrol bombs and bricks hurled at Mexican police during pre-match unrest at Azteca

• ‘Nearly 200 hooded individuals’ caused havoc

• Dozens of arrests made and several officers injured

Mexico’s opening World Cup victory party was somewhat tarnished by violent clashes outside the Azteca Stadium just before kick-off as ticketless fans and protesters attempted to gain access.

Rocks and bottles were thrown at police outside gate eight, with local media reporting that dozens of arrests were made as a result. While Mexico City police have been grappling with protests from teachers, retired judges and families of the country’s 130,000 disappeared all week in the buildup to the tournament, the disorder at the stadium did not appear to be politically motivated.

6/11: CBS Evening News

President Trump cancels the third day of strikes against Iran; Trump says a peace deal with Iran will be "finalized" soon.

Trump taps prosecutor Jay Clayton as next director of national intelligence

Jay Clayton is currently the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Trump picks former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton as national intelligence director

Trump's announcement came after House Democrats' objections to his pick of Bill Pulte as acting chief ensured that a key national security tool expires Friday.

Infantino’s rebrand and long haul games: five takeaways from World Cup opener

Mexico City played host to this year’s first game as an emotionally charged Azteca witnessed Shakira’s big return

Mexicans have waited 40 years to witness a World Cup in their own country and the pride felt from becoming the first nation to stage three tournaments has been easy to sense in the city all week. Those fortunate enough to have secured tickets were not going to miss out. Despite road closures and multiple protests from striking teachers and families of the country’s 130,000 disappeared making travel challenging, all 83,000 seats at the Azteca were filled 90 minutes before kick-off, with Fifa’s fears of being forced to delay proceedings proving unfounded.

This week on "Sunday Morning" (June 14)

A look at the features for this week's broadcast of the Emmy-winning program, hosted by Jane Pauley.

2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off with 3 opening ceremonies

With matches being played in 11 cities across the U.S., Mexico and Canada​, fans are getting three World Cup opening ceremonies.

When will the Iran war end? Here's what Trump has said.

President Trump has offered timelines of days and weeks for the Iran war, but a solution remains elusive.

Trump nominates Jay Clayton as top US intelligence official after pushback on Bill Pulte

US president had faced widespread criticism of his decision to install a controversial ally, Bill Pulte

Donald Trump has nominated Jay Clayton, former head of the top US markets watchdog, to be the country’s leading intelligence official.

The US president faced widespread criticism of his decision to install a controversial ally, Bill Pulte, as acting director of national intelligence while searching for a permanent candidate.

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.

Raúl Jiménez seals Mexico’s win against nine-man South Africa in World Cup opener

Was that it, then? Was Sphephelo Sithole being caught in possession nine minutes into the opening game, Julián Quiñones running on to lash the ball through Ronwen Williams’s legs, was that when the football took over, the moment when concerns over the aggression of the major co-host faded away and the world got on with celebrating the great festival of humanity the World Cup ought to be?

It seems unlikely. Donald Trump’s war with Iran goes on, as do the outrages of his immigration forces. But it’s not just that. Gianni Infantino has opted to run this tournament, uniquely in the modern age, without a local organising committee. That may not explain the shambolic organisation at the Azteca – the chaotic traffic, the non-existent signage, the absence of wifi, the general lack of order – but it does make it harder to fix. Not that Mexican fans cared much.

SpaceX is way ahead of competitors with Starlink, but growth is harder heading into IPO

Heading into its IPO, SpaceX's only profitable business is Starlink. But there are red flags for investors.

Markings that appear to show "86 47" seen on National Mall

A photographer from the Reuters news outlet saw the apparent "86 47" markings from atop the Washington Monument.

Relative of suspect in Anna Kepner's killing calls for her parents to face charges

Timothy Hudson, 16, is accused of sexually assaulting and killing Anna Kepner, his 18-year-old stepsister, while the family was on a cruise.

Iran’s World Cup camp in Tijuana unfolds under armed guard and political shadow

An improvised base in Mexico has become Team Melli’s unlikely World Cup home as security fears, visa disputes and political divisions shape their tournament

Open-top trucks patrolled the surrounding roads outside the Estadio Caliente today, mounted by men in helmets and masks and wielding machine guns. They pass by the main entrance every few hours, guarding the massive city block, otherwise chocked with cars and smog, that the Iran national team has made its temporary, and largely improvised, home for this World Cup.

This has become business as usual here in northwest Mexico, at an arena that most teams in the domestic league hate to visit thanks to its distance from the country’s other footballing hubs and its brutal artificial turf playing surface.

Oracle shares tumble 11% on increased capital raise, cash concerns

Oracle beat on earnings and revenue, but negative free cash flow and the company's plan to raise more capital is weighing on the stock.

Trump now says a peace deal will be announced 'soon,' cancels further strikes

President Trump had previously been amping up his rhetoric against Iran.

Trump names Jay Clayton to serve as director of national intelligence

The announcement follows Trump's decision to nominate an ally and political attack dog to serve as acting director. The pick sparked a backlash that doomed efforts to renew a key intelligence tool.

Knicks fans target Victor Wembanyama with jeers, thrown egg after Game 4

• Video shows egg tossed toward star as he entered hotel

• Players had condemned apparent attacks on Spurs fans

A brutal night for Victor Wembanyama continued even after he returned to his New York hotel on Wednesday, as he was pelted with boos from jeering Knicks fans and nearly struck by a flying egg.

A video shared online showed at least one egg tossed in the direction of the San Antonio Spurs superstar as he entered his hotel, flanked by security, after the team’s Game 4 loss to the Knicks.

Foreign surveillance program to expire Friday after House blocks extension

The U.S. House rejected a short-term extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The surveillance authority expires Friday.

Canadian mother sues OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT led her daughter to kill herself

Suit filed in US alleges chatbot told Alice Carrier, 24, ‘maybe this is just the end’ as she struggled with suicidal thoughts

A Canadian mother sued OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, in US court on Thursday, alleging that ChatGPT encouraged her daughter to kill herself. The lawsuit is the latest in a slew accusing the company of failing to address dangerous conversations between users and the company’s chatbot.

Kristie Carrier said in a lawsuit filed in San Francisco state court that her daughter, Alice, told ChatGPT about her suicidal ideations more than a dozen times leading up to her death but that OpenAI’s safety systems never flagged the conversations for human review or terminated them.

'A shameless cash grab': can the World Cup be saved?

For the next 39 days, 104 matches will be played throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada until a World Cup winner is crowned on 19 July.

Amid the excitement around the world’s biggest sporting event, there has also been intense controversy and scrutiny. Ticket prices, transport costs, climate threats and security concerns have left fans with mixed emotions.

“The US of Donald Trump is tonally different to any host of a major sporting event that has preceded it: a country that actively wants you to see the darkness in its heart, the inhumanity at its core, that gets off on your revulsion,” writes Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew.

But ultimately who takes the blame? Fifa, argues Jonathan.

• Opinion: how the Omar Artan scandal reveals Gianni Infantino for what he is: one of sport’s greatest cowards

Healey’s shock resignation over defence plan pushes Starmer to brink

Former defence secretary accuses PM of putting UK’s security at risk at a time of growing international threats

Keir Starmer’s premiership has been pushed to the brink of collapse after the shock resignation of John Healey as defence secretary undermined his security credentials and risked shredding his remaining political authority.

In a blistering resignation letter, Healey accused Starmer and his chancellor, Rachel Reeves, of putting the country’s security at risk, saying the long-awaited defence investment plan (Dip) fell well short of what was required.

Republicans split on following Trump’s demands for restrictive voting bill

US president urges congressional Republicans to use budget reconciliation procedure to enact his priorities

Donald Trump has demanded that congressional Republicans get to work on a party-line measure that would ensure defense spending reaches its highest level in decades and also make a likely fruitless attempt to impose a host of new restrictions on voters nationwide.

In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, the president said he was “calling on Republicans in Congress to IMMEDIATELY advance and pass the forthcoming $350 Billion Reconciliation Bill”, which would also include the Save America Act, a rightwing makeover of elections that his allies in Congress have sought to pass for months, without success.

Before-and-after photos: Trump’s $14.2m makeover delivers … a blue pool

President steered no-bid contract for project that he said would cost $1.8m to company that worked on his golf resort

The final drops of water have been added, and the nanobubbler switched on. Donald Trump’s “beautiful” makeover of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, one of Washington DC’s most historically symbolic attractions, is officially complete, and the public is getting its first glimpse of how the project’s $14.2m was spent.

Contrary to the president’s predictable assertion that it was receiving “rave reviews”, however, early impressions are decidedly mixed. Some of the first visitors declared themselves underwhelmed by the 2,000ft pool’s somewhat dull color – American flag blue, according to the specifications.

‘Out of reach’: George Russell refuses to think about F1 title after Antonelli surge

• British driver says pressure is off following bad run

• Antonelli 68 points ahead of Mercedes teammate

George Russell insists the pressure is off in the battle for the Formula One drivers’ championship. A succession of mishaps – combined with the exemplary form of his Mercedes teammate, Kimi Antonelli – has left him 68 points off the pace.

Sunday’s round seven is the newly styled Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, with the Spanish Grand Prix shifting to a new venue in Madrid in September. Mercedes are expected to excel again this weekend, but it is the 19-year-old Antonelli who has established a firm grip on the drivers’ championship after five consecutive victories.

SpaceX IPO will test how Wall Street prices ‘strategic tech’

Elon Musk's SpaceX defies typical market buckets, and the IPO will give Wall Street another chance to value "strategic tech" like Palantir.

Real Madrid confirm José Mourinho’s return as manager after 13 years away

• 63-year-old leaves Benfica to move back to the Bernabéu

• Marco Silva agrees deal to replace him at Portuguese club

José Mourinho’s blockbuster return as Real Madrid manager has been confirmed. The 63-year-old, who was in the dugout at the Bernabéu from 2010 until 2013, joins the 15-times European champions from Benfica on a three-year contract.

Mourinho’s appointment comes after a torrid season at Real Madrid, with Xabi Alonso sacked in January amid player unrest. Álvaro Arbeloa came in as interim head coach, but failed to turn around the campaign as Real exited the Champions League to Bayern Munich at the quarter-final stage and Barcelona cantered to the La Liga title. Disharmony within the squad also continued, with Fede Valverde taken to hospital to have stitches after a confrontation with his teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni.

U.S. charges 3 for alleged smuggling conspiracy involving unaccompanied minors

The Justice Department announced it has charged three people in Ohio for conspiring to smuggle unaccompanied minors across the U.S. border.

SpaceX IPO won’t ‘break’ the bull market. But investors are worried about what comes next

As far as Wall Street is concerned, the stock market has what it takes to absorb the new supply.

The World Cup will draw millions of fans, but economic payoff is modest

Although the five-week soccer tournament starting on Thursday is the largest sporting event ever, the U.S. economic gains are likely to be muted.

False alarm apparently triggered hazmat response at Pentagon, sources say

Multiple floors of the Pentagon were locked down for several hours Thursday morning and hazmat crews were deployed for what authorities had described as a "hazardous materials incident."

Ebola testing has improved in DRC, but still isn't nearly enough

The DRC has improved testing capacity for Ebola, with two facilities operating in or near the epicenter. But this still may not be enough to keep up with a rapidly expanding disease.

Subterranean fungi networks more than 100 quadrillion km in length, study finds

First ever global mapping of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi shows scale of hyphal systems that sustain plant life

Our planet’s soils contain enough of the subterranean fungi that sustain plant life and help regulate the climate to stretch from the Earth to the sun almost three-quarters of a billion times, a groundbreaking new study has found.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are networks of tubular cells called hyphae that sustain life on Earth by forming critical partnerships with more than 70% of plants. The networks, which have been forming for about 475 million years, provide nutrients and water in exchange for the carbon produced by the plants, and help to regulate the climate by drawing carbon into soils.

Elliot Anderson on the rise as face of England amid Manchester City transfer talk

Midfielder’s meteoric climb could enter different stratosphere if he inspires World Cup glory and seals record move

The numbers around Elliot Anderson are rising fast – to extraordinary levels. A little like the player himself. At the beginning of last week, when he flew to Florida with the England squad for their pre-World Cup camp, he was the Nottingham Forest midfielder who had finished a gruelling club season, which featured four managers, on the right side of the relegation line.

The 23-year-old had established himself as a first choice in Thomas Tuchel’s England team over the course of the campaign, albeit he remained in single digits for caps. There was a lot of noise about Anderson on the transfer market. The richness of the promise was there for all to see.

Socioeconomic factors are becoming 'biologically embedded' in children's brains

A study of more than 2,300 9- to 10-year-olds found that socioeconomic factors explained most differences in the preteens' brain development.

U.S. monitoring Chinese activity in South China Sea around disputed shoal

Analysts are scrutinizing recent Chinese maritime operations near Scarborough Shoal, an uninhabited but strategically located atoll near the Philippine island of Luzon, U.S. officials said.

White House response to hantavirus and Ebola contrasts with COVID criticisms

The administration imposed mandatory quarantine orders on two passengers from the cruise ship hit by hantavirus and is blocking Americans who catch Ebola from returning home for treatment.

Ben Jennings on the World Cup and the US war on Iran – cartoon

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The UK defence minister's shock resignation is a warning for all of Europe | Paul Taylor

John Healey is right about the risk of wars. But it has become politically treacherous for Nato leaders to borrow for defence

Since the historic Nato summit in The Hague one year ago this month, European leaders have pledged massive increases in defence spending in the face of increasingly acute threats of Russian aggression. Yet the reality is that key west European governments – especially the UK, France and Italy – are not putting their money where their mouth is for fear of undermining lenders’ confidence in their national debt.

Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia Meloni are behaving as if they were more scared of the bond markets than they are of the Russians. The dramatic resignation of the UK defence secretary John Healey in protest over Starmer’s reluctance to ramp up investment highlights how politically treacherous it has become to find these much-needed resources.

Paul Taylor is a senior visiting fellow at the European Policy Centre

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.

Karmelo Anthony's family says "nobody wins" after murder verdict

Karmelo Anthony's mother Kala Hayes told CBS News that her son "didn't mean to hurt anyone" and "was defending himself" when he stabbed another student, Austin Metcalf.

Power games in a pub garden as MPs seek Burnham’s favour in Makerfield

Hundreds of Labour activists and MPs have ‘made the pilgrimage’ to the seat, where they are pounding the streets

For a few short weeks, the centre of political gravity in Britain has shifted from the Palace of Westminster to the bar of a former Labour club in Wigan.

In London, even as Keir Starmer insists he will fight to stay in No 10, the walls seem to be crumbling around him, especially with Thursday’s resignation of the defence secretary, John Healey.

Global wars, a depleted military and stubborn Labour MPs: Healey exposes Starmer’s perfect storm

There is no narrative to convince the British public that difficult economic decisions on defence will be worth it

As Labour MPs set out the case for change in the tea rooms and bars of Westminster, there is usually one caveat. They believed the prime minister was an asset when it came to national security and had performed beyond expectations on the world stage.

Now that reputation too lies in tatters, after the resignation of John Healey with one of the most quietly damning letters that many can remember. Not a departure over ambition – though Healey certainly has it – but on principle. It is a rare thing to see a loyalist cabinet minister accuse the prime minister and a chancellor of making the country “less safe”.

John Healey quitting defence puts a time bomb under No 10. He is a loyalist: this is no ordinary departure

He served through the eras of Blair, Brown, Miliband and Corbyn in a party that knows and respects him. It will matter that even his patience has run out

John Healey is not a rash man. Slow to anger, calm in a crisis, loyal and yet beneath it all, formidably determined. He stuck at it through the Jeremy Corbyn years, much as he privately despaired of where the party was heading, keeping his thoughts to himself because all he wanted was for Labour to win again. When it did, under Keir Starmer, he became the understated anchor to a frequently gale-tossed ship of government; the solid citizen everybody liked and nobody distrusted, a natural choice for caretaker leader had Starmer ever fallen under a bus.

Or, perhaps, been pushed under a tank.

Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnist

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.

The future starts with us: Gordon Brown in conversation. On Thursday 10 September, join Hugh Muir and Gordon Brown to discuss the intricate connections between global instability and civic decline, as explored in Brown’s new book, The Future Starts With Us. Book tickets here or at guardian.live

Baldwin, Khanna propose new direct foreign investment review board to probe Trump's deals

Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Ro Khanna, both Democrats, raised concerns with President Donald Trump's courting of foreign investment.

Helen Mirren speaks out about being called ‘evil Zionist’ on the street in London

Responding to an incident in which she was verbally abused, the actor said that ‘evil forces are rising everywhere’, as well as expressing support for MobLand co-star Tom Hardy

Helen Mirren has commented on being called an “evil Zionist bitch” while being harassed in the street in London, saying she was “attacked by mistake by a man who was maybe a little over passionate or maybe mentally not quite stable”.

Footage circulated last month of an incident, believed to have taken place last year, while Mirren was walking with her husband, film-maker Taylor Hackford. They were approached and filmed by an unidentified person, who commented on Mirren’s support of Israel and then launched a volley of abuse at her.

Taiwan opposition leader says Xi meeting avoided 'reunification' talk

Cheng's comments come as Taiwan awaits approval on a $14 billion arms package from the U.S., and as uncertainty lingers over Washington's long-term commitment to the island's defense.

Pope Leo rails against migrant deaths on visit to Spain’s ‘dock of shame’

Pontiff calls on leaders to treat migrants more humanely as he concludes week-long Spanish tour in Gran Canaria

The constant flow of people embarking in small, rickety boats to migrate abroad should force a reckoning as to why we have built a world where so many “must risk death to seek life”, Pope Leo has said as he warned: “We cannot grow accustomed to counting the dead.”

Thursday’s speech in the Canary Islands, on the final leg of the pontiff’s week-long tour of Spain, contained Leo’s most pointed comments to date on migration.

‘My mayor Muslim, my bagel’s Jewish’: who’s behind the Knicks chant uniting New York?

As the Knicks edge closer to winning the NBA finals for the first time in decades, a viral chant – posted by Kalshi – has become New York City’s anthem

The New York Knicks are 3-1 up in the NBA finals, one game away from winning the championship for the first time since the 1970s. The mood in New York is electric, the city is strewn with blue and orange, crowds roar outside Madison Square Garden, and – at least last week – a viral chant has become a new unofficial New York City anthem:

My mayor Muslim

My bagel’s Jewish

My mayor still Muslim

My bagel’s still Jewish

See when the U.S. men's soccer team is playing in 2026 World Cup

The U.S. men's national soccer team, which last appeared at the 2022 World Cup, will face Paraguay to kick off its 2026 World Cup.

Wegovy weight-loss pills to be available for patients in UK to buy

Regulator approval means patients who meet criteria will be able to purchase tablets with private prescription

Patients in the UK will soon be able to buy the Wegovy weight-loss pill, the medicines regulator announced on Thursday.

It is the first GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet for weight-loss to be approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), making the UK the third country to authorise the pills, behind the US and the United Arab Emirates.

Wholesale prices rose 1.1% in May, more than expected, on surge in energy

The producer price index was expected to increase 0.7% in May, according to the Dow Jones consensus forecast.

Polite but deadly: John Healey skewers Keir Starmer as he heads for the door | John Crace

The defence secretary’s departure was the wrong resignation at the worst possible time for the prime minister

During Wednesday’s prime minister’s questions, the defence secretary was standing at the other end of the Commons, away from other cabinet members on the government frontbench. His expression gave nothing away as Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch blamed one another for spending too much on welfare and not enough on defence. In hindsight, he was possibly thinking “to hell with both of them”. Most defence secretaries go native sooner or later, imagining themselves to be embedded officers serving on the frontline. Tory Ben Wallace appeared to hate most of his cabinet colleagues by the time he resigned in 2023.

Less than 24 hours after PMQs, Healey had also resigned, his departure being all the more powerful for being so unexpected. This exit seemed to come out of a clear blue sky. There had been no briefings to the media in the preceding days. No threats to stand down if his demands were not met. All the arguments had taken place behind closed doors. A determination to do the right thing throughout.

Unfortunately, I’m allergic to my adorable kitten – here’s what doctors advised

Cat allergies affect millions of people. Experts explain how to manage symptoms without necessarily giving up a pet

When I got a kitten in February, I thought I had done everything right.

I’d considered getting a cat for years and carefully thought through the decision. I am allergic to them, but I had lived with a cat before and managed symptoms like sneezing and itchiness with antihistamines. I rationalized that I’d probably be OK, especially if I found a “hypoallergenic breed” (more on that later).

Some Pentagon workers ordered to shelter in place as air quality issue is investigated

The Pentagon is the world's second-largest office building and is the workplace for thousands of military and civilian employees of the Defense Department.

Kieran McKenna leaves emotional legacy at Ipswich to last generations

Manager caught lightning in a bottle with three promotions in four seasons but his need for a break to prioritise a young family is refreshing

When the tears have dried, the adage will ring true for Ipswich and Kieran McKenna. They will smile because it happened and reflect that, despite the hurt, sometimes it is best to part while the love still burns.

Perhaps they will also marvel at the unlikely magic football occasionally sprinkles. It is an industry in which people and places are thrown together, coming and going, sticking or not. When McKenna arrived in Suffolk four and a half years ago he could have been another hired gun; instead he transformed a community’s relationship with its club and left a legacy that should span generations.

Rise of the fraysexuals: how sexual interest fades in some long-term relationships

Those with this orientation find strangers more alluring than people they know well – and their sexuality is often misunderstood as an attachment disorder

Name: Fraysexuality.

Age: Twelve years, but only just picking up steam.

SpaceX heads for record $1.78tn float amid fears it is overvalued

Analysts say IPO that could make Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire has a ‘major disconnect’ on price

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is set to launch the biggest stock market float in history amid warnings that it may be overvalued.

The space exploration, satellite broadband and AI company will join the US stock market on Friday at a valuation of $1.78tn, after offering at least $75bn of shares to investors through an initial public offering.

London council seizes social housing flat rented by Sierra Leone first lady

Fatima Jabbe-Bio kept tenancy in Southwark despite living for much of year at presidential lodge in Freetown

A social housing flat rented by Sierra Leone’s first lady has been seized by a London council.

Southwark council confirmed it had repossessed the two-bedroom home in Walworth previously occupied by Fatima Jabbe-Bio, whose tenancy was reported by the Times last year.

Playing with payphones: how the ubiquitous orange booths have been gamified by fans

Quaint and often overlooked, payphones continue to provide an essential public service, with millions of free calls being placed each year

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A man I’ve never met stands at a payphone in Sydney’s central business district.

“A serene small park directly to the right of the payphone,” he says poetically into the receiver. “There’s a man with an interesting cap sitting down there, and an ibis. I guess they’ll be immortalised in this phone voicemail forever.”

I’m 17 and very sensitive to graphic content. Does this mean I’m immature? | Leading questions

Maturity has little to do with watching things you don’t want to, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith. But it might help to be curious about why you feel differently from your peers

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I’m 17, and feel like a sore thumb among my peers due to my aversion to almost everything stereotypically adult. I don’t want to consume drugs or alcohol, I’ve never been in a relationship and, in particular, I’m very sensitive to graphic content.

Earlier this year, I tried to warm myself up to several films featuring either explicit violence or sex, but a part of me felt uncomfortable beyond what was probably intended by the film-makers. The entire time, it felt as if I was pushing down my real self. After consuming various media, I quit the process of numbing myself, retreating back to only films and television with “moderate” or “mild” classification ratings.

Can we separate the art from the person who made it? Not in the case of a monster like Rolf Harris | Paul Daley

I met Harris before his crimes came to light. Even then I sensed his public image was a facade

I’m not convinced by the old adage that we should never meet our idols because they are bound to disappoint us. I’ve never wanted to approach human exceptionalism quite so cynically.

Yes, I’m acutely, painfully conscious that the world is replete with terrible events and bad people. But I’m counting myself fortunate that purely by dint of birth I live somewhere (and I don’t just mean my neighbourhood) where human capacity for kindness, generosity and, yes, civility, are not the exception.

Paul Daley is a Guardian Australia columnist

Trump arch construction could take 20 hours a day for 2-3 years, documents say

The Interior Department is planning an aggressive work schedule to complete President Trump's arch near Arlington National Cemetery.

‘I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way’: Kathleen Turner’s best films – ranked!

As she nears her 72nd birthday, we honour the actor whose ‘smoked honey’ vocals added to her vampy persona on screen, whether bringing Jessica Rabbit to life or crushing Michael Douglas between her thighs

Turner goes full-on drill sergeant for one scene as a dog-trainer, her forearms covered with scratches. Marley the irrepressible yellow labrador retriever knocks her to the ground and gives her a more vigorous humping than any co-star since William Hurt in Body Heat.

Seth Meyers on Republicans claiming rigged elections: ‘You’re the ones undermining voter integrity’

Late-night hosts discussed Trump getting booed at a Knicks game and Republican attempts to undermine US elections

Late-night hosts spoke about Donald Trump’s delusions over his reception this week at a Knicks game and how Republicans are continuing to spread false claims about elections.

Sasquatch ‘sightings’ reignite fervour and scepticism about ape-like beast

Latest reports from rural Ontario add to tales going back decades about bipedal creature also known as Bigfoot

On a recent evening, residents in a corner of rural Ontario reported a series of strange encounters.

“The birds stopped, the wind seemed to die down, and it got oddly quiet. That’s when I noticed movement ahead of me,” one witness wrote. A “strong, earthy smell” hung in the air. Then, “a massive figure slowly stepped out from behind the trees, and my heart instantly started racing”. Moments later, it vanished back into the forest and “everything slowly went back to normal”.

Nearly 3,000 NHS patients a day receiving corridor care in England, figures show

Data published for the first time recorded 2,241 daily cases of A&E corridor care, with 699 patients also treated in other inappropriate settings

Almost 3,000 patients a day in England are receiving care in hospital corridors due to an unavailability of beds in A&E units across the country, according to official figures.

Corridor care occurs when a patient receives treatment in a setting that is clinically inappropriate and is deemed to be undignified and unsafe.

The Artist by Lucy Steeds audiobook review – a sensory feast in Provence

A reclusive artist is the reluctant subject of a journalist’s attention in a rich world of scents, scenery and secrets

When a British journalist named Joseph Adelaide tracks down a reclusive artist to his remote farmhouse in the south of France, his plan is to interview him for a magazine profile. Edouard Tartuffe is a revered painter who was taught by Cézanne and is known on the Parisian art scene as the “Master of Light”. But then he retreated from the limelight amid rumours of a feud with his former mentor.

Tartuffe – known as Tata – now lives with his 27-year-old niece, Ettie, and is blind in one eye. Joseph quickly learns that Tata also has an explosive temper and rules the household with an iron fist. On meeting Joseph, he barks that he will not be giving an interview but that his guest can stay on one condition: that he model for him for a new portrait.

Katia and Marielle Labèque: 55 album review

(Deutsche Grammophon)
The pianist sisters’ celebration of their 55 years of recording is a thoughtfully curated compilation that reveals the extent of their omnivorous musical appetites

In 1969, two teenage students at the Paris Conservatoire recorded Olivier Messiaen’s formidable Visions de l’Amen under the composer’s doubtless nerve-racking supervision. It was released in 1970. Fifty-five years later, Katia and Marielle Labèque’s musical curiosity is undimmed as this handsome three-disc tribute set demonstrates. A mix of new recordings and classics, it reveals the extent of their omnivorous appetites, from 20th-century modernism to minimalism and jazz.

Although best known as a two-piano duo, there’s plenty of four-hands repertoire here, including an iridescent new recording of Le Jardin Féerique from Ravel’s Ma Mère l’Oye alongside music by Bizet, Fauré (two movements from his Dolly Suite) and a finger-shredding Dance of the Earth from Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Works by Gershwin, Bernstein and De Falla are among other highlights.

El Niño forms in Pacific as experts say it will likely turbocharge extreme weather

Meteorologists in US predict it will be the strongest of century, while UN secretary-general calls it ‘urgent climate warning’

El Niño, the climate phenomenon that supercharges weather around the world, has officially arrived and could intensify to historic levels in the fall, US officials said on Thursday.

US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) forecasters confirmed the formation of El Niño in the warmer than usual Pacific Ocean near the equator, which affects global weather patterns.

West Ham women’s team not told of David Sullivan’s restricted access to them

Sources say it would have breached regulations to tell WSL or team details of safeguarding investigation into Sullivan

Neither the Women’s Super League nor West Ham United women’s team were aware of the restrictions placed on David Sullivan’s interaction with the team, the Guardian has learned.

Sullivan, who is West Ham’s largest shareholder, has faced restrictions on his contact with the women’s team and their youth teams since 2023 because of a safeguarding investigation.

The Football Association opened an inquiry in the same year after receiving a complaint, which the Guardian understands was an allegation of sexual misconduct unrelated to football.

In a joint investigation by the BBC and the Times, seven women accused the 77-year-old of predatory behaviour, with alleged incidents dating back to the 1980s. Through his lawyers, Sullivan has said he denies the allegations.

Sources close to the playing squad at West Ham’s women’s side have said the team are appalled by the allegations, which they were not aware of before the story broke this week.

England ready to rock Women’s T20 World Cup, but far from home and dry

In theory the hosts have an easy route to the last four, but even a weakened Australia team are still, well, Australia

Just after midday on Sunday the England captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, smashed the India captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, for six off Waterloo Bridge, straight into the Thames. The scratch-match, which involved all 12 competing captains, was part of a chaotic, eye-catching event to launch the Women’s T20 World Cup. Also involved were a red London bus, the International Cricket Council chairman, Jay Shah, and a day-long takeover of one of London’s busiest thoroughfares. A Women’s World Cup has never been this big, this important or this annoying for black cab drivers.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has poured a lot of resources into trying to achieve its stated goal of making this tournament “a movement, not a moment”. Last week Sciver-Brunt, Lauren Bell and Sophia Dunkley became the first cricketers to appear on a Piccadilly Circus billboard. The entire West End cast of Wicked are being transplanted to Birmingham on Friday evening, to perform the musical’s biggest hits as part of the tournament’s opening ceremony.

Trump keeps saying an Iran deal is close. Markets keep believing it

Analysts still assume that, despite the continued conflict, a deal will eventually be reached that ends the war and reopens the Strait of Hormuz.

‘Once, Mandela was seen as the devil incarnate’: the TV show laying bare the true struggle against apartheid

From the activist who knew him as ‘Uncle Nelson’ to the campaigner who would go on to become a cabinet member, we talk to those involved in the struggle – and who feature in an eye-opening new documentary

We tend to look back at the campaign to end apartheid in South Africa, says Peter Hain – the activist who would go on to become a senior Labour minister – “as one of the great success stories of protests and Nelson Mandela as a global icon, and rightly so. But Mandela was considered the devil incarnate. He was denounced as a terrorist by Margaret Thatcher only a few years before his release. We were vilified.” It was nothing compared to what Black people in South Africa faced, he stresses, but still he was targeted – a letter bomb was sent to him, and he was framed for a bank theft. It was, he says, “a hard struggle, a bitter struggle.”

A new documentary series, Free Nelson Mandela, covers the three decades of campaigning until Mandela’s release in 1990 and his election as South Africa’s president four years later. What emerges is an inspiring reminder of the power of resistance and resilience – and the sacrifices so many had to make.

Japan reactor restart sparks fresh fears over nuclear waste storage

The reboot highlights a dire problem for the country's nuclear program. Japan is running out of space to store spent nuclear fuel and lacks plans for radioactive waste disposal.

Lola Young review – buoyant, brilliant return from British pop’s great oversharer

O2 Apollo Manchester
The Messy hitmaker is back after taking time away from live performance, and this charming, relatable set shows why she is such a gen Z icon

The rollercoaster ride towards international pop stardom seldom runs smooth, but few rising stars have been flung through its loops and freefalls as publicly as south London singer-songwriter Lola Young. In 2024, gen Z anthem Messy became her breakthrough moment, but social media scrutiny surrounding her open struggles with addiction and a stage collapse in New York last year brought live performances to a halt.

When the 25-year-old musician strolls on stage in a baggy black hoodie, she seems relieved to be here. Casual though the look may be, she is worshipped as a Y2K style guru, as evidenced by the young crowd: a blur of bleached mullets and denim jorts cry every word of her single Sad Sob Story!.

Welcome to Trump’s World Cup, a depressingly angry version of football uniting the planet | Barney Ronay

Ted Lasso will deliver a message of hope before the USA’s first game, in an America that is not a fit or desirable host right now

Shortly before 6pm local time on Friday night at the Los Angeles Stadium, the actor who plays Ted Lasso – the fictional manager of a fake team in a falsely heartwarming version of football – will tell hundreds of millions of TV viewers tuning in to watch the start of the American leg of the Fifa World Cup that football unites the world.

In an interesting twist, the actor Jason Sudeikis will do this at a time when the World Cup host is simultaneously bombing the second-ranked country in Group G, having recently murdered its head of state. The message of unity is one likely to be heard by the US president, Donald Trump, who has initiated six military conflicts in his second term, and whose brutally divisive immigration policies have now led to the barring of Omar Artan, the reigning African referee of the year.

Human remains found in sleeping bag in national park identified 26 years later

Forensic tests helped identify a man whose remains were found inside a sleeping bag in Washington state in 2000.