The Int'l Man's Hot Links Archive 2026: July 1 - Dec 31

Hot Links Archive 2017 - 2018 (1): - June 30	Hot Links Archive 2018 (2): July 1 - December 31
Hot Links Archive 2019 (1): January 1 - June 30	Hot Links Archive 2019 (2): July 1 - December 31
Hot Links Archive 2020 (1): January 1 - June 30	Hot Links Archive 2020 (2): July 1 - September 30
Hot Links Archive 2020 (3): Oct 1 - December 31	Hot Links Archive 2021 (1): January 1 - June 30
Hot Links Archive 2021 (2): July 1 - December 31	Hot Links Archive 2022 (1): January 1 - June 30
Hot Links Archive 2022 (2): July 1 - December 31	Hot Links Archive 2023 (1): January 1 - June 30
Hot Links Archive 2023 (2): July 1 - December 31	Hot Links Archive 2024 (1): January 1 - June 30
Hot Links Archive 2024 (2): July 1 - December 31	Hot Links Archive 2025 (1): January 1 - June 30
Hot Links Archive 2025 (2): July 1 - December 31	Hot Links Archive 2026 (1): January 1 - June 30
Hot Links Archive 2026 (2): July 1 - December 31

Hot Links Archive 2026 (2): July 1 -

• 
• Climate Clock - "The science is clear: we are in a Climate Emergency. Decades of increasing carbon emissions are harming the natural and societal systems upon which humanity depends, threatening untold ecological and human devastation if we do not #ActInTime. The good news: there is still time."
• Climate Change - "Check out all about climate change and crisis: best 1800+ science, evidence, facts, information, news, reviews and resources."
• Doomsday Clock 2026: moves closest ever to destruction - "'Every second counts'. At the dawn of the nuclear age, scientists created the Doomsday Clock as a symbolic representation of how close humanity is to destroying the world. On Tuesday, nearly eight decades later, the clock was set at 85 seconds to midnight - the closest the timepiece has ever been to midnight, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which established the clock in 1947."
• U.S. National Debt Clock - Real Time.
• Our world in data - "Research & data to make progress against the world's largest problems."
• Artificial Intellignce: Apps, Books, Chatbots, News, Resources & Tutorials - "Everything you need to know about AI and Chatbots! 1300+ resources."
• Pneumonic plague, Covid, Ebola, Hantavirus, mpox & Bird Flu - "4000+ Up-To-Date Advice, Facts, News & Recources."
• War in Ukraine - "Live coverage of the all the latest developments in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine."

October 10, 2026

• Tracking hurricanes & tropical storms in 2026 - "The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season is underway, and many forecasters anticipate it won't behave like recent frenetic seasons by the time it ends in November."
• Climate crisis is coming to crush many of world’s best surf breaks, study warns - "Changing tide levels, shifting sands and hardened shorelines put waves at risk, affecting more than just surfers."
• Trump announces deal for Russian diesel as Zelensky calls it a gift to Putin - "Ukraine's president sharply criticised the move, calling it an 'investment in war that must be ended, not prolonged'."
• Flydubai co-pilot planned suicide attack on Israeli airport, UAE prosecutors say - "Hammam al-Hammami is believed to have been targeting the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv."
• The ‘world’s best bar’ for 2026 has been revealed - "When Lorenzo Antinori opened Bar Leone in Hong Kong’s fashionable Sheung Wan neighborhood in 2023, he wanted the Italian bar to feel 'like my grandmother’s living room.'"
• Trump selects Katie Zacharia as next White House press secretary - "In announcing her selection earlier Friday, Trump highlighted her work for Truth Social, the Trump Media & Technology Group and her frequent appearances on Fox and Newsmax."
• Climbing Everest is hard. Recovering a body from near its summit will be even harder - "Mystery of Everest’s ‘Green Boots’ solved, setting stage for perilous effort to bring the dead climber home."
• Starlink confirms plans to become ‘the world’s most advanced mobile network’ & a ‘major’ US carrier - "SpaceX has announced that it's acquired some low-band 800MHz spectrum for Starlink Mobile. This is ideal for providing coverage indoors, and along with the launch of new satellites, it could pave the way for Starlink Mobile to become a 'major' carrier."
• Who Controls the Critical Minerals Powering AI? - "AI's rapid growth depends on critical minerals. Here's which countries dominate production of gallium, rare earths, and tantalum. China accounts for 99% of estimated global processed gallium production and 69.2% of rare earth mine production. The Democratic Republic of the Congo produces 52% of the world’s tantalum, followed by Rwanda and Nigeria. These lesser-known materials are used in high-performance semiconductors, magnets, and power-management components found across AI hardware."
• Ranked: The World’s Biggest Military Drone Exporters - "The U.S. and Iran supplied 86% of the 16,822 military drones exported globally from 2022 to 2025. Türkiye exported just 381 drones but supplied 28 countries, nearly three times more buyers than any other exporter. In 2025, Iran delivered 2,002 military drones, five times as many as the U.S."
• It Can Keep Cancer in Remission. Why Is No One Talking About It? - "Despite mounting evidence that exercise programs can improve cancer outcomes, access to them remains limited."
• She Was Offered $40 Million for Silence on Elon Musk. She Spoke Out Instead - "In the documentary 'Musk,' Ashley St. Clair, a former right-wing influencer and mother of one of Musk’s children, speaks about her relationship with him."
• Judi Dench at 91: ‘I loathe being called a national treasure’ - "In a memoir written with her friend Brendan O’Hea, Judi Dench reveals the highs and lows of her brilliant career, including being fired from James Bond, a sex scene with Jeremy Irons and getting locked out of the Oscars."
• The Londongrad oligarchs: ‘It is an act of suicide to cross Putin’ - "The superyacht is stuck in dock, the mansions are empty. What happened to the Russians who made London rich? Sean O’Neill finds out how sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine have left the billionaires in limbo."

October 9, 2026

• Nobel Peace Prize goes to human rights pioneer Navi Pillay - "The South African was integral to the anti-apartheid movement and helped prosecute perpetrators of the Rwanda genocide."
• Firing squad execution to be livestreamed, Pentagon says - "The public will be able to watch the execution of a former US Army major by firing squad, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said. A Defence Department official told the BBC the execution of Nidal Hasan, who shot dead 13 unarmed US soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009, would be livestreamed."
• Suspect linked to Monaco bomb attack on millionaire speaks to BBC - "Vitalii Zhykovych gives his own account of the attempted assassination of Ukrainian-born businessman Vadym Yermolayev."
• Apple Product Launch Announced for October 13: 'Welcome Home' - "We are expecting Apple's announcement to focus on new smart home products, including the long-rumored smart home hub, a new Apple TV 4K, and a refreshed HomePod mini."
• Tracking this season’s historic El NiÑo - "A potentially record-shattering El Niño is underway, and we’re already seeing its effects. From wildfires in Indonesia to an unusually active tropical cyclone season in the Pacific, the phenomenon has a cascading effect on global weather patterns that will peak during the upcoming winter."
• The week in 30 photos - "Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye."
• Warrants used to search Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's homes were unlawful, court says - "Thames Valley Police has accepted warrants it used to search Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's homes at the time of his arrest in February were unlawful, the High Court has been told."
• Prince Harry says he 'slipped into depression' after leaving UK - "The Duke of Sussex says he had an 'adrenaline crash' while visiting Vancouver Island to 'get some space'."
• What Meghan’s tea with Malala tells us about the duchess’s new life - "If you must be spotted out and about in London for the first time since relocating to Britain, it may as well be with a leading humanitarian and Nobel prizewinner - and at Claridge’s."
• Mark Zuckerberg has an image problem - so why is Meta's business booming? - "A new film paints the Meta founder as a villain. But the tech firm seems immune to bad publicity, writes our North America tech correspondent."
• AI fears are growing & unsettling new film Artificial puts them centre stage - "Luca Guadagnino's new film about Open AI and its co-founders Sam Altman and Ilya Sutskever offers a stark warning. Given recent news, its release couldn't be more provocatively timed."
• The Dirty Secret Behind the Farmed Fish You Eat - "Dangerous chemicals, including antimicrobials, fire retardants and anesthetics, are often added to fish ponds and make their way into the seafood. Some of the most popular types of seafood consumed in the United States - salmon and shrimp - are predominantly imported from farms that use fishmeal. They end up in supermarkets throughout the country"
• Ancestral Diet - What is it & What Are the Benefits? - "An ancestral diet is a way of eating based on the whole, natural foods that human ancestors consumed before the rise of industrial food production and modern processing."
• Kathleen Turner Responds to Michael Douglas’ Confession About Their Long-Ago Love Affair - "Douglas shares in his upcoming memoir ‘One Helluva Ride’ that he and Turner were once secret ‘lovers’ while making the 1984 movie ‘Romancing the Stone’."
• Jacqueline Kennedy by Michelle Obama - "In the latest from In Pursuit USA, First Lady Michelle Obama writes about Jacqueline Kennedy’s double responsibility to her children and the country during her time in the White House."

October 8, 2026

• World leaders pay tribute to victims as Israel marks three years since 7 October attack by Hamas - as it happened - "1,200 died in attack that led to launch of devastating war in Gaza."
• Captured & killed in captivity: October 7 hostages who never made it home alive & why - "Netanyahu says he brought all the October 7 hostages home. These are the stories of those who didn’t come back alive"
• Christa Pike’s attorneys believed she was brain-dead before she woke up ‘to the shock of everyone’ - "A judge sided with the Tennessee inmate and ruled that evidence from her botched execution should be preserved. She woke up and started talking. She is 'angry and confused about everything right now,' but is 'very aware that the state tried to execute her,' attorney Randy Spivey told reporters. Pike has a 'long road to recovery,' he added."
• Why a global outbreak of Pneumonic plague is unlikely - "A Russian lab technician has died at a plague research centre in Siberia, but there are many reasons pneumonic plague is usually easily contained."
• Pneumonic plague, by the numbers - "The World Health Organization said Wednesday that it had few clear answers about the recent death of a worker at a Russian institute that researched plague. Here’s what we know about Pneumonic plague by the numbers."
• Russia denies a plague outbreak. Its history of coverups is less reassuring - "From the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl to a deadly outbreak of anthrax in Yekaterinburg and coronavirus, there is a well-oiled tactic of obfuscation and deflection."
• Warren Buffett invests his time in YouTube - "The semi-retired ‘Sage of Omaha’ is partial to documentaries, the music of Paul Anka and Uzbek talent shows."
• Trump’s cheap suit is out of character & awkward for a few reasons - "The fact that President Donald Trump was photographed flashing a suit tag from a bargain brand of imported suits should not really be news. But the fact that Trump, a billionaire, was photographed wearing a suit jacket with tags from Jos. A. Bank, the relatively inexpensive brand, is interesting for a number of reasons. That means Trump’s suit was likely made in China or Bangladesh - perhaps not the right message for a president who has promised the return of American manufacturing."
• Spanish pensioner whose eviction sparked nationwide protests dies - "Maricarmen Abascal, 87, was forcibly removed on a stretcher from her apartment of more than 70 years in September."
• Ancient Egyptians sacrificed servants when kings died, forensic tests show - "Forensic examination of human remains found around the funerary complexes of Ancient Egyptian kings has uncovered evidence that they belonged to servants who were sacrificed when the monarchs died, according to a new study."
• Inside the £1-an-hour official football shirt factories - "A BBC Sport investigation traces official football shirt production to factories in Cambodia where workers are paid less than £1 an hour. Workers are being paid a basic wage of less than £1 an hour to make official football shirts for some of the world's biggest clubs."
• The 2000s Called - Skinny Jeans Are Back - "The Y2K-era denim favorite is back in the game, but these aren't the same skinnies you've seen before. If you thought skinny jeans were destined to remain buried beneath a pile of wide-leg and barrel-leg denim, fashion has other plans. The once beloved, now controversial silhouette is working its way back into the style conversation."
• I’ve been reviewing phones for almost 18 years - here’s my advice on when to upgrade your phone - "You really shouldn't be upgrading yearly."
• iPhone 20 leak reveals 7 ‘jaw-dropping’ features for the 20th anniversary model - "This could be the template for the next decade of iPhones: Curved all-glass display - Solid-state buttons with haptic feedback - Under-display Face ID and selfie camera - Under-display speakers - Reverse wireless charging - 'Ceramic Shield Ultra' scratch-resistant display - A 6,000 mAh battery."
• The Social Reckoning review: Aaron Sorkin's drama puts Facebook on trial, but it won't change anyone's minds - "This sequel to The Social Network dramatises how a Facebook whistleblower exposed the company's secrets. But with a 'dead-eyed' Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg, it lacks thrills."
• Jim & Tammy - "In Jim and Tammy Bakker’s rise and fall, a fraud trial collides with Pentecostal dreams, prosperity theology, and eighties-style excess."
• Temperature may trump light for shaping sleep - "The radical idea that temperature sets when we sleep. Some scientists think that temperature could be just as important as light at training the body's circadian clocks."
• Some researchers don’t believe Amelia Earhart died in a crash. Are they close to a new clue? - "Finding Amelia. A trailblazing aviator went missing while attempting to fly around the world. Could an unusual object in a satellite image finally unlock the mystery?"
• Jaguar’s new electric car is a high-stakes bet on a whole new aesthetic - "‘Showpiece for the elite.’ Big and broad, with no sign of Jaguar’s traditional curves, the Type 01 is a fully electric four-door grand tourer that may unsettle fans of the manufacturer’s previously heritage-heavy image."
• Inheritances Can Shatter Families. Could a Therapist Help? - "As the United States faces the greatest wealth transfer in history, some people are turning to therapists to help them pass on their assets in a way that preserves harmony."
• The Greatest Wealth Transfer in History Is Here, With Familiar (Rich) Winners - "In an era of surging home and stock values, U.S. family wealth has soared. The trillions of dollars going to heirs will largely reinforce inequality."
• The ‘real inspiration’ behind the Oscar statuette & it’s not a knight - "London antiquities dealer presents ‘compelling’ new theory about origin of the Hollywood accolade. More than 3,000 Academy Awards have been handed out, yet the inspiration for the statuette remained a mystery until a London dealer did some digging. Detective work by a London antiquities dealer has unearthed evidence that the statuette was probably inspired by a bronze sculpture bought by William Randolph Hearst, the media tycoon, from a British politician. The bronze of the Egyptian god Ptah has been traced back through archives and placed in Heart’s Californian castle San Simeon."

October 7, 2026

• US issues formal request for information from Russia over potential plague fallout - "Facing Russian stonewalling, Trump admin ramps up pressure for info as it struggles to plan for potential plague fallout."
• Checklists, masks & mystery: What we know about the plague scare in Russia - "Russian authorities have sought to allay global worries over the death of a young woman who worked at a Siberian anti-plague laboratory."
• What is pneumonic plague & how dangerous is it? - "Pneumonic plague is a rare, deadly lung infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Scientists consider pneumonic plague the most dangerous form of the infection."
• US death row inmate Christa Pike awake & speaking after failed execution, lawyers say - "Experts and lawyers called the apparent recovery unprecedented, noting she is believed to be the only known person to survive a lethal injection."
• Who Owns the Moon? - "A treaty from the 1960s declared that nobody can own outer space. Half a century later, billionaires and superpowers see fortunes to be made nonetheless."
• Memoir by Nicole Brown Simpson’s sister spotlights warning signs of abusive relationships - "We need to remember the signs of abuse early on! It often begins with being jealous, possessive and controlling. Mood swings and insults."
• New book unlocks the secrets of the Casino de Monte-Carlo, from the Atrium to the Salle Europe - "A new coffee table book is telling the story of how the Casino de Monte-Carlo grew from a 19th-century gaming house into the birthplace of modern Monte-Carlo."
• 21 great films playing at BFI London Film Festival 2026 - "Can’t decide what to make time for at the 70th BFI London Film Festival 2026? Discover some of the most intriguing films on the programme, reviewed and recommended by Sight and Sound contributors."
• Former German spy chief arrested for espionage & treason - "Former German spy chief August Hanning has been arrested on suspicion of espionage, treason and obtaining classified information for a foreign power, the German Federal Prosecutor's Office says."
• Ex-US spy who stashed gold bars in his home admits to $200m scam - "David Rush, who also confessed to providing secrets to a foreign government, had revealed the existence of a 'clandestine human source', prosecutors said."
• Paramount takes over Warner Bros in $110bn Hollywood merger - "The merger of two of Hollywood's biggest movie studios comes after months of legal disputes and concern over competition."
• Jaguar unveils new electric car after 'woke' ridicule - "The unveiling of the all-electric Type 01 is a gamble for parent company JLR, which has invested billions reinventing Jaguar and is facing mixed reactions over the new car's design and the brand's all-electric strategy."
• Amazon wins global rights to stream Emmys in six-year deal - "The gala is leaving traditional US broadcast networks for live worldwide streaming."
• 'That nagging feeling of dread': Is 'hang-xiety' a real thing? - "For some, a hangover can start an anxious spiral. We spoke to experts about the reasons why."
• Did a Scottish film 'beat Hollywood to the punch' as the first ever talkie? - "In 1927, The Jazz Singer made movie history with the first recorded dialogue on film - but new evidence suggests the first feature talking film was Scottish."
• Eva Marie Saint, Oscar-winning film star of ‘On the Waterfront,’ dead at 102 - "Eva Marie Saint, the Academy Award-winning actress who excelled in roles opposite such stars as Cary Grant and Marlon Brando, has died, according to her publicist Jeff Sanderson. She was 102."
• Eva Marie Saint - a life in pictures - "The actor, who has died at the age of 102, was best known for her Oscar-winning performance in On The Waterfront as well as for starring in Hitchcock’s North By Northwest. Her career spanned eight decades – here we look back at her life and work."
• Fake fur, feathers & bling - it’s the end of stealth wealth - "Here’s what to buy if you want to embrace high glam this autumn."

October 6, 2026

• Cornell faculty prepare no-confidence vote against administration over handling of alleged sexual assault case - "Meanwhile, protests grow over the handling of the 2024 alleged gang rape of a student on campus."
• How Cornell Punished Each of the 7 Men Accused of Sexual Assault - "Summaries obtained by The New York Times offer a detailed look at the discipline meted out to the men accused of sexually assaulting a fellow student at Cornell University."
• Almost 2,000 schools blockaded or closed, says union, as protests take place across France - "Protesters started fires in Lyon and Lille - two of 30 towns and cities where demonstrations are taking place, according to L'Union Étudiante."
• Nobel Prize in physics awarded to Francis Halzen for his work detecting ‘ghostly’ cosmic particles - "Belgian physicist Prof Francis Halzen has won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his pioneering work on an observatory that detects particles from space, shedding light on the distant universe."
• Jeffrey Archer, bestselling UK novelist & scandal-plagued politician, dies aged 86 - "He was, at one time or other, a senior Conservative politician, a best-selling author, a peer of the realm, and a convicted perjurer."
• Jeffrey Archer - a life in pictures - "Former British politician and bestselling novelist Jeffrey Archer has died aged 86. We look back at a varied and tumultuous career."
• Jim Bakker, who built a faith-based empire before resigning amid scandal, dies at 86 - "Televangelist Jim Bakker, who rose to national prominence in the 1970s and ‘80s before stepping down from his ministry amid scandal, has died. He was 86."
• Ex-Covid czar: Potential plague case raises ‘red flags’ - "The White House is monitoring a suspected Russian pneumonic plague incident that has forced close to 200 people under medical observation."
• My sister Nicole married OJ Simpson. This is what I wish I had known - "Since Nicole Brown Simpson’s murder in 1994, Denise Brown has devoted herself to ending domestic violence. She talks about her beloved sister, the trauma she witnessed in the couple’s marriage and how lives can be saved."
• Ranked: U.S. Wealth by Generation in 2026 - "American households are worth a combined $185.7 trillion, and more than half of that belongs to a single generation. Baby Boomers hold $97.4 trillion, or 52% of U.S. household net worth, despite making up just 30% of households. Millennials and Gen Z account for 37% of U.S. households, more than any other generation, but hold only 11% of household wealth."
• Tuiga triumphs at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez - "Tuiga, the flagship of the Yacht Club de Monaco, has crowned a remarkable comeback by winning its category at the 28th Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez."
• Blood sugar spikes are not necessarily bad for you - "It's trendy to be concerned about blood sugar spikes, but these can be a normal response to eating. Here's when you don't need to worry."
• I've rewired my brain using the Brick by weaponizing laziness - "Bricking my phone is the best thing I’ve done in years. Here’s why I think it’s an essential gadget for every home."
• Google goes beyond Earth as it seeks data centres in space - "Silicon Valley is one small step closer to building vast data centres in space after Google placed a first prototype satellite into orbit. A prototype is testing whether solar-powered computing in orbit could ease pressure on AI resources - but costs and cooling could keep the idea grounded."

October 5, 2026

• Global James Bond Day - "Global James Bond Day is celebrated every 5th October, marking the anniversary of the London premiere of Dr No in 1962."
• JAMES BOND RESOURCES - "Top 800+ best James Bond 007 & Ian Fleming news, reviews & resources."
• Flydubai co-pilot planned to crash plane into Tel Aviv airport or building, reports say - "The Omani national was a 'lone wolf' extremist, according to the reports."
• Flydubai hijacking attempt exposes worrying gaps in aviation security - "The quick-thinking actions of the captain of last week’s Flydubai flight bound for Israel prevented what could have been an unmitigated hijacking disaster. But aviation safety experts say the incident raises serious concerns about the security failures before the flight and how it happened in the first place."
• Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor takes legal action against UK police over Epstein arrest - "King Charles’ younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has launched legal action against police in England over his arrest earlier this year on suspicion of misconduct in public office following revelations from the Epstein files in the United States."
• If A.I. Can Diagnose Patients, What Are Doctors For? - "Large language models are transforming medicine - but the technology comes with side effects."
• Why you should never post a picture of your boarding pass on social media, according to privacy experts - "The document contains sensitive information about you and should be handled with care."
• Dietitians Explain Why Everyone Is ‘Sardinemaxxing’ Right Now - "Sardinemaxxing is a viral social media trend where individuals dramatically increase their tinned sardine consumption in pursuit of health and longevity benefits."
• Strength Tests From Around the World - "Stone lifting, arm wrestling and other ways people test their limits beyond the gym."
• Superpowers Race to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon - "The United States wants a reactor on the moon by 2030. A Russian-Chinese alliance is working on one for 2036. Some leading scientists say the danger is great."
• British Billionaire David Reuben leaves London for Monaco - "He and his younger brother Simon, 85, ranked second on this year’s Sunday Times Rich List, with a combined fortune of almost £28bn. Simon has lived in Monaco for about forty years, so both brothers are now based in the Principality. Even before Reuben’s move, UK citizens living in Monaco controlled about £77bn. That is more than 10 per cent of all the wealth identified on this year’s Sunday Times Rich List."
• how John Cena conquered Hollywood & why he refuses to abandon Vince McMahon - "By embracing the role of amiable lunk, the wrestler turned actor has become an unlikely, and very modern, leading man. But does his relationship with the WWE, and its controversial former owner, risk tarnishing his brand?"
• How Mai Atafo’s tailored vision is reshaping African fashion - "From his razor-sharp bespoke tailoring and luxury bridal wear to creating red-carpet looks for some of Africa’s biggest stars, Nigerian fashion designer Mai Atafo has built a brand around exclusivity."
• Gillian Anderson confronts ‘distracting’ superfans outside theater - "Anderson is the latest in a succession of high-profile performers to complain about the behavior of theater audiences. Just last month, double Oscar winner Cate Blanchett took a moment to ask a London audience not to film during the National Theatre production 'Electra/Persona.'"
• Nobel Prize awarded for revealing inner workings of the brain - "US psychiatrist and neurologist Karl Deisseroth and his German colleagues Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel have been awarded for their work."
• How to future-proof your neck - "'The spine just wants to move': How to strengthen your neck. The modern world is a challenging place for necks. These five exercises will help you cope."
• Yoga bears to resting owl face: 10 of the funniest animal photos of 2026 - "From a fitness-obsessed bear to a rather rude orangutan, here are 10 of the most amusing photos of the animal kingdom this year."

October 4, 2026

• Flydubai co-pilot attacked colleague with ax in ‘terrorist act,’ UAE says - "Terrorist images found on Flydubai suspect’s social media."
• Flydubai hero pilot tells Netanyahu new details about cockpit attack - "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar Saturday, calling him a hero and learning new details about the terrifying moments in the cockpit attack."
• Russian drone slams into bridge in Kyiv as Germany’s chancellor visits - "A Russian drone struck a major bridge in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Sunday as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited the city in a display of support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky."
• Tennessee prison chief to resign after Christa Pike's failed execution - "The head of prisons in the US state of Tennessee is resigning after the failed execution of death row inmate Christa Pike on Wednesday."
• Cornell president says university 'must do better' after frat house rape allegations - "In an eight-minute video statement released on Saturday night, Michael Kotlikoff described the allegations raised by the woman, identified as Jane Doe, as 'deeply disturbing'."
• How the “Cornell Seven” Rape Case Became a National Scandal - "The dismal responses from both the D.A. and the university reveal a larger pattern of institutional carelessness."
• Here's how AI could kill us all - "The AI Tipping Point."
• Why doesn’t high speed rail work in America? - "American railroads were once the envy of the world and the engine of its industrial age. But that hasn’t been the case for more than half a century."
• Could El NiÑo mean there are no Atlantic hurricanes this year? - "For the first time in three decades there has not been a single Atlantic hurricane in September, normally the most active month."
• How to spot a psychopath at work - from a man who worried he could be one - "Geraint Anderson, a former London banker-turned author, said he was assessed by a clinical psychologist who told him he may have had 'situational psychopathy' in order to succeed in the cut-throat corporate world."
• Why Adults Are Playing with Toys - "After decades of depending on customers who had to beg their parents for pocket money - and who would eventually grow up - the toy industry has found a savior in 'kid-ults.'"
• First Nonstop New York-to-Sydney Flights to Take Off in 2028 - "Qantas Airways said the 18-hour flights, part of its Project Sunrise program, would come months after its 22-hour direct flights from Sydney to London begin."
• Michael Douglas: ‘I don’t think I slept with that many women’ - "The actor on his volatile father, rehab, refusing therapy with his son, courting Catherine Zeta-Jones - and his affair with Kathleen Turner."
• Kim Kardashian: ‘I was single for five years. I needed to heal’ - "She’s one of the most famous women in the world - worth £1.9bn and with 344m Instagram followers. Gavanndra Hodge is granted a rare audience."
• How Claridge’s became the fashion world’s favourite place to stay - "From catwalk shows to all-night parties - ahead of a new book on the famous London hotel, the historian Martin Williams looks at how it became a fashion hot spot."

October 3, 2026

• Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with axe, UAE official says - "The man accused of trying to take over the Israel-bound jet is named as Hamam al-Hammami by several media outlets."
• Terrorist images found on Flydubai suspect’s social media - "The pilot is an Omani citizen named Hamam al-Hammami, according to the two sources and an Israeli official. Saudi state media also identified al-Hammami. He was born in the United Arab Emirates to an Omani father and Syrian mother and has spent several years of his life in the UAE, one of the sources added."
• US murderer Christa Pike unconscious & on ventilator after failed execution, lawyers say - "As of Thursday night, Pike remained critically ill and is being treated at a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee."
• Women given shorts at Oktoberfest to prevent upskirting - "The operator of a popular amusement ride at the Munich Oktoberfest has been handing out free cycling shorts to women, after thousands of voyeuristic videos emerged on social media."
• A timeline of the Cornell gang rape allegations - "A lawsuit filed last month by a former Cornell University student alleging a gang rape at a fraternity house in 2024 has prompted the reopening of an investigation and reignited a firestorm around the scourge of sexual assaults at universities in the US and how schools, police and prosecutors respond. Here’s a timeline of key events described in the lawsuit and investigation."
• The largest yachts competing in the Les Voile de Saint-Tropez 2026 - "Running from 28 September to 4 October, the 28th edition of the Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez is now underway. Spanning 26 to almost 44 metres in length, the 2026 fleet comprises an impressive range of yachts built by some of the world's leading shipyards. Wally Yachts leads the line-up this year, with an impressive 14 yachts taking part. The fleet also includes yachts built by renowned shipyards, including Nautor Swan, Royal Huisman and Vitters."
• Why a new TV version of horror classic Carrie is already annoying people - "Releasing next week, the latest take on Stephen King's novel has been criticised for its casting. The heroine is a softer, more conventional-looking character than in the book."
• Hawaii’s famed Hōlei Sea Arch has collapsed - "Hōlei Sea Arch stood at a height of roughly 90 feet (27 meters) in Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park on the southern coast of the Big Island - the largest and youngest island of the Hawaiian chain."
• Dream home or inauthentic: The faux-historic mansions dividing opinion - "From faux Regency to mock Georgian, brand-new but period-style English country houses are increasingly in demand in the UK, US and elsewhere. But they divide opinion. To some they are inauthentic and lack character - to others they are ideal homes. What is their appeal?"
• King Charles will not apologise for slavery during Caribbean tour - "The King is expected to face renewed calls to say sorry for the UK’s role in the transatlantic trade in enslaved people."
• Here’s what’s happening at Paris Fashion Week - "Paris Fashion Week, the biggest arena for the industry’s battle of ideas, is in full swing."
• In the Private Jet Age, the Quiet Allure of Private Rail - "Private train cars may seem like a relic of the past, but for some rail fans, nothing beats having - or renting - your own sleeper car."
• iOS 27 has a hidden anti-scam setting - here’s why every iPhone user should turn it on - "Thanks to iOS 27, your iPhone can now tell if you're being scammed. Here's where to find the setting Apple leaves off by default."
• How Drinking Affects Your Dementia Risk - "Heavy drinkers have an increased risk of high blood pressure and stroke, and blood vessel damage is a key contributor to vascular dementia. Researchers are still investigating what alcohol does to the brain, and what (if any) amount is safe."
• Squats are the secret to longevity. Here’s how to master yours - "It’s not just your bottom that benefits, a new study shows that squats can help regulate blood pressure — and that’s not all. Dodgy knees? - Add weights to burn fat quickly - Squats can help to prevent back problems - You'll have a stronger core and flatter stomach."

October 2, 2026

• ‘I couldn’t let everybody else die,’ says hero Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar - "In first public remarks, the airline captain who fought off attack by copilot explains why he refused to give up."
• What’s next for Christa Pike after surviving lethal injection - "Pike is in critical condition and receiving life-saving medical care after being injected with two ostensibly fatal doses of pentobarbital, her attorneys said Thursday. They declined to offer further details on her health."
• Putin warns Russia is prepared to use ‘all weapons,’ including nuclear, to protect Kaliningrad - "Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the West against escalating the war in Ukraine, saying Moscow is prepared to use 'all weapons' in its arsenal - including nuclear - if its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad comes under attack."
• Kanye West's Russia shows officially cancelled after weeks of uncertainty - "Chaos has surrounded the St Petersburg shows since the stadium said it had not agreed to host the rapper."
• What's gone wrong at Nike? How the world's sportswear giant lost its mojo - "The largest sportswear brand on the planet, named after the ancient Greek goddess of victory, has been losing of late. Losing sales, losing customers and losing ground to its rivals."
• Amazon introduces a completely redesigned Kindle family - "The all-new Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, and Kindle Colorsoft are thinner and lighter with a new display stack and seamless edge-to-edge color across the lineup. Amazon redesigned the Kindle, offering six new devices, flush-front displays, edge-to-edge color, and the first Bluetooth page-turn remote."
• The Next Generation of Weight-Loss Drugs Is Almost Here - "Scientists are exploring a new group of hormones - beyond GLP-1s - to target for weight loss."
• Monaco welcomes its 10,000th citizen, a baby girl named Anna - "Monaco’s national community has crossed a line few expected to see broken, ten thousand Monégasque citizens, after an infant named Anna, born in June, became the Principality’s 10,000th citizen. Even at ten thousand, Monégasque nationals remain a small minority inside their own country. Monaco’s population runs to around 38,000 residents, meaning citizens make up roughly a quarter of the people living within its two square kilometres"
• Inside a Billionaire’s Paradise With Crypto’s Most Powerful Ex-Convict - "Changpeng Zhao, jailed in the United States for a financial crime and pardoned by President Trump, is now living a gilded life in the United Arab Emirates."
• The World’s Richest Person Every Year Since 1987 - "Bill Gates held the title of world's richest person in 18 of the 40 Forbes lists since 1987, including 13 consecutive years. Yoshiaki Tsutsumi ranked first in six of the first eight annual lists, reflecting the scale of Japan’s real estate fortunes in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Elon Musk’s 2026 fortune reached levels far beyond earlier inflation-adjusted records, with Forbes estimating his wealth at $923 billion in September."
• Manchester City has been found ‘cheating on an industrial scale.’ The future of stars like Erling Haaland is suddenly uncertain - "Manchester City, one of the most successful teams in the world in recent years, has been found guilty of systematically cheating - financially doping its way to dominance for the best part of a decade."
• Cat food investigation finds heavy metals, pesticides & plastic chemicals - "Nearly all tested cat foods contain toxic plastic contaminants, the herbicide glyphosate and heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic, according to a new investigation provided exclusively to CNN."
• The week in 35 photos - "Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye."
• Hidden habits that make your social anxiety worse & how to break them - "Social anxiety is more common than many think. Here's what you need to know about the condition."
• What's really going on with the lymphatic drainage beauty trend videos? - "Fans of these massages claim they 'depuff' and 'define' their stomach - but what's actually happening to their bodies?"
• Ranked: Where Eating Out Costs the Most & Least - "From $31.20 in Switzerland to $1.63 in Bangladesh: see how 98 countries rank on the price of eating out, from the U.S. to Japan. A meal at an inexpensive restaurant costs $31.20 in Switzerland and $1.63 in Bangladesh, a 19-fold gap across the 98 countries and territories ranked. Japan is the cheapest G7 country to eat out and the only one where a restaurant meal costs less than the global median. Nine of the 10 most expensive countries are in Europe, with the U.S., at ninth, the only exception."
• The 100 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century - "More than 500 influential stars, showrunners and other notable names in the world of TV voted on the best series released since Jan. 1, 2000. See what they chose."

October 1, 2026

• International Coffee Day - "Celebrated annually on October 1 to promote coffee as a beverage and raise awareness for fair trade and coffee growers."
• Inside the Flydubai flight where passengers & crew fought back - "Stabbed pilot and passengers hailed as heroes after they averted a mid-air catastrophe and regained control of the aircraft."
• Captain Smit Machchhar: The ‘jovial’ pilot & father who thwarted the Flydubai attacker - "The Indian pilot who fought off a savage attack by his copilot and helped prevent an apparent hijack of a Flydubai plane heading to Israel with more than 170 people on board is being hailed as a hero."
• Flight simulator shows how close Flydubai jet came to breaking apart - "Flight tracking data shows the Flydubai flight experienced a rapid nearly 20,000-foot drop in 35 seconds as a co-pilot stabbed his co-pilot in what Israeli officials are calling an attempted terrorist attack. Appearing on Erin Burnett OutFront, Aaron Murphy, a commercial pilot and a flight instructor, simulated the flight path during the chaos."
• US death row inmate survives execution attempt after two lethal injections - "Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike has been taken to hospital after an attempt to execute her by two lethal injections failed, her lawyer says."
• Swiss glaciers suffer 'disastrous' year of ice loss, threatening water supplies - "Scientists say such rapid melting is no longer surprising given the pace of climate change."
• Trump's AI rebrand causes 'unprecedented' demand for Slovenian website names - "The president wants AI to be called super intelligence - or SI - the same initials used by Slovenian domains."
• The world’s busiest island holds some of the planet’s greatest ancient treasures - "More than 150 million people live on Java, Indonesia’s economic and political core and the world’s most populous island. It’s crammed with treasures too. Within a 25-mile radius, there are three UNESCO World Heritage sites."
• His novel had a shot at a top book prize. Then someone ran an A.I. test - "Novelist accused of using AI to write book removed from French prize list. Thélyson Orélien had been in the running to win a top literary prize before the AI claim emerged on social media."
• From Elizabeth Holmes to Elon Musk, here are 12 buzzy documentaries coming this fall - "Welcome to ‘Doctober’: 12 documentaries that have the world buzzing"
• How Ukraine's Naval Drones Are Remaking War at Sea - "They began as modified motorboats. Now, Ukrainian sea drones act as miniature aircraft carriers, and other countries want in."
• Why Mark Zuckerberg is raising Wagyu & Angus cattle on his Hawaii ranch & giving his cows macadamia nuts & beer - "When tech billionaire Mark Zuckerberg is not busy running Meta, the CEO has found an unusual way to keep himself busy. He is raising Wagyu and Angus cattle, feeding them macadamia nuts and beer with an ambitious goal to create what he calls the 'highest-quality beef in the world.'"
• 'Things may get ugly': Meta's new AI Muse is about to make the internet more annoying - "Someday we'll redesign the internet for tools like this. Until then, you're in for a wild ride."
• How to find your perfect pillow - according to an expert - "Dr Chris McCarthy talks through the four considerations you need to make before buying your pillow."
• Museum heists are rising & it's affecting visitors - "A spate of brazen thefts has rocked European museums. Now, some institutions are rethinking what's worth displaying."
• Interactive: The F1 grid: counting down the final hour to lights out - "Hass chief guides Times Sport through frenzied build-up to lights out, where military precision meets glitz and glamour of an increasingly hectic grid."
• How to read a British castle - from moats to machicolations - "Can’t tell a motte from a bailey, or a merlon from an oubliette? Let the historian Dan Jones fortify your knowledge on a medieval tour."

September 30, 2026

• Israel-bound plane drops 17,000 feet after pilot reportedly stabbed - "Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv diverts to Saudi Arabia after ‘violent incident’ between pilots. Israeli officials say it could be a terror attack attempt."
• Trump’s made his big call on AI. Humanity’s fate may ride on him being right - "The US president’s blasé attitude toward artificial intelligence risks backfiring politically."
• 3 takeaways from Trump's 'Super Intelligence' summit - "US President Donald Trump hosted a meeting of top technology bosses on Tuesday for what he called 'an extraordinary gathering' of the minds that are 'building America's Golden Age'. The guest list included leaders from OpenAI, Anthropic, Nvidia, SpaceX, Meta and Google - all key figures in the US AI industry."
• Trump launched a ‘damn good’ AI chatbot. It debunks many of his false claims - "President Donald Trump launched a new artificial intelligence chatbot on Tuesday, calling it 'damn good.' Turns out that one of the things it’s reasonably good at is debunking Trump’s own lies."
• America.gov - "'America.gov uses AI to get simple answers only from official government sources. It’s free to use, never includes ads, and keeps your privacy protected.'"
• Chinese AI tool told researchers how to make bioweapons - "Chinese AI developer Moonshot is conducting an internal review after researchers were able to persuade two of its popular Kimi models to tell them how to make biological weapons and carry out assassinations."
• With 'Dots,' OpenAI's Answer To Muse & Instinct Is Here - "Dots is an 'always on' agent that can proactively do work in the background. These agents can also connect to more than 4,000 different apps."
• Inside McDonald’s push to have AI price your Big Mac - "McDonald's pricingengine uses machine-learning algorithms to continually analyze data from millions of daily transactions across McDonald's nearly 14,000 restaurants and generate what the company calls 'the optimal price' at each location for each menu item, from Big Macs to discounted coffee for seniors."
• Beyond the Sparkle: A Guide to Buying & Collecting Luxury Jewelry & Watches - "Goldman Sachs: 'Discover what factors could impact the value of luxury jewelry and watches, and wealth planning practices to consider for your pieces.'"
• Manchester City guilty over Premier League charges after £900m of ‘sham’ contracts - "In a bombshell announcement the Premier League revealed an independent commission had found City guilty of arranging “sham contracts” with commercial partners to artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs, and of filing inaccurate accounts to hide the true state of their finances, which if accurately reported would have led to significant breaches of Premier League and Uefa spending limits."
• Where Does Cristiano Ronaldo Live With His Wife, Georgina Rodríguez? Inside the Newlyweds’ Global Property Portfolio - "Fresh from their intimate wedding in Portugal, the newlyweds remain based in Riyadh and have added ultra-private Red Sea villas to their real estate portfolio."
• Where the Richest 0.1% Hold More Wealth Than the Bottom 80% - "In 27 countries, the wealthiest 0.1% own more than the bottom 80% combined. This group includes some of the world’s largest countries, including Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, and the United States. Sweden stands out as the only EU country where the top 0.1% crosses this threshold."
• Here’s what’s happening at Paris Fashion Week - "Paris Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2027 highlights."
• A legendary $450M private art collection that auctioneers dream of - "A $450M art collection is poised to break Van Gogh and Cézanne’s auction records."
• Scientists deliver ‘starkest warning yet’ of profound changes sweeping the planet’s oceans - "The tenth Copernicus Ocean State Report, published Wednesday, draws on more than four decades of data from satellites, buoys and sensors to take the pulse of the world’s oceans - delivering its 'starkest warning yet' about the profound changes they are enduring."
• This waterslide is like being dropped out of a 16-story building - "‘I felt like I almost blacked out’: Riding down a 170-foot waterslide five times."

September 29, 2026

• Trump asked China's president if he wanted to buy US weapons, says ambassador - "China is widely seen as the main military rival to the US, while there has been concern among American politicians over delays to weapons orders to Taiwan."
• OpenAI scraps rollout of new model over safety concerns - "The firm also issued an update on incidents in which its models accessed Australian government systems."
• Five suspects in alleged UK airbase terror plot released on bail - "Rubio says ‘foreign actor’ involved, while Trump criticizes UK’s response to suspected plot targeting British base used by US."
• Journalist to be crowned king in Uganda after bitter succession dispute - "Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma Nyabongo I, who is set to be crowned king of Uganda's Tooro kingdom later, has long been a familiar face in the country. For many Ugandans, he was known not as the heir to the throne, but as a storyteller, as a long-serving anchor and editor at the state broadcaster."
• The best looks from the Paris Fashion Week front row - "Anya Taylor-Joy, Rihanna and Cynthia Erivo arrive at Paris Fashion Week. While New York, London and Milan’s fashion weeks have come and gone. Paris’ is only just beginning."
• 'Powerful & beautiful': Here's why we all need body fat - "From releasing hormones to regulating our temperature, fat has myriad roles in the body. Here's why chasing extreme fat-loss goals is so unhealthy."
• Apple ordered to pay $5.7bn after losing vibration tech patent suit - "Audio firm Taction Technology claimed in 2021 that Apple had infringed two of its patents for haptics systems, which enable vibrations for actions such as receiving a message or pressing a button."
• How much should you actually tip on a 'free' walking tour? - "They're advertised as free – but guides often pay a fee for every guest. Here's what travellers should know before joining one."
• Matthew Macfadyen Is Iconic Le CarrÉ Spy George Smiley In First Glimpse At The BBC & MGM+’s ‘Legacy Of Spies’ - "We’ve got first glimpse at Matthew Macfadyen descending into the John le Carré universe to play iconic spymaster George Smiley."
• Leo Dell'Orco, the Past & Future of Giorgio Armani - "The Past and Future of Giorgio Armani The fate of the late designer’s multibillion-dollar empire is in the hands of his longtime partner Leo Dell’Orco."
• 6 Things Experts Wish Every Runner Did to Avoid Injury - "These habits can help keep you healthy and strong: 1. Build mileage gradually. 2. Keep your easy runs easy. 3. Prioritize rest. 4. Strength train. 5. Don't ignore pain. 6. Use your fitness tracker as a tool - not a coach."
• Airline Credit Cards Are Messing Up the Whole Industry - "Airline loyalty programs are anticompetitive and hurting consumers."
• Why I never get tired of telling people I went to Oxford University - "As a study shows the soft power of former university, how did it help me? 'Because within five minutes,' comes the punchline, 'they tell you.' Oxford grads are rarely shy about revealing their dark blue credentials."
• 2026 Soft Power Index - "The US and UK lead the world in soft power: ‘The HEPI Soft-Power Index - 10th edition’ shows far more world leaders were educated in America and Britain than in other countries."

September 28, 2026

• Unprecedented test flight of massive SpaceX Starship reaches orbit - "Liftoff successful: SpaceX’s Starship rocket, the most powerful rocket ever made, has launched from Starbase, Texas. The mission will seek to reach orbit for the first time during a 10-hour flight, deploying 26 operational Starlink satellites."
• Unprecedented test flight of SpaceX’s Starship will aim for orbit - "Launch time: The rocket is slated to launch from SpaceX’s facilities in Starbase, Texas, during a 75-minute launch window that will open at 8:15 a.m. ET (7:15 a.m. CT). The flight is expected to last 10 hours, completing six orbits around Earth, while Starship deploys 26 satellites."
• Trump-Xi summit: What wasn't said might matter the most - "The most revealing thing about the summit in Washington may be what the two leaders did not say - and what we still don't know."
• The newest pandas in the US have arrived in Atlanta. What we know about Ping Ping & Fu Shuang - "Two giant pandas landed in Atlanta, tasked with pairing up to help ensure their species’ survival on Earth. During their time at Atlanta’s zoo, the pair is meant to breed to boost panda populations, which are considered vulnerable by conservationists."
• The Viking king who gave Bluetooth its name - "'The PR guys hated the name': The 1,000-year-old story behind Bluetooth. A pair of ancient runestones in Jelling tell the story of the Viking king who shaped Denmark - and inspired the name Bluetooth."
• Taylor Swift breaks record for most MTV VMAs as Madonna also wins - "Taylor Swift took home the video of the year award as she became the most successful artist in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday."
• The massive megastructure built for eternity and still standing 1,700 years later - "The 1,700-year-old Jetavanaramaya Stupa in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, is the massive megastructure featured in CNN Travel's spotlight. Completed around 301 CE, it was the third-largest man-made structure on Earth, trailing only the Great Pyramids of Giza. Built using roughly 93.3 million baked mud bricks, it remains the largest brick structure by volume ever made."
• Does GLP-1 use result in significant hair loss? | Well actually - "Experts share what you need to know about GLP-1-related hair loss as the side-effect gets more attention from researchers."
• AI agents promise to do everything for you. There may be a big wrinkle in that plan - "Agents go a step beyond how most people have used AI up to this point. Instead of simply answering questions, organizing emails and creating images, they can take multistep actions on the internet. They can compare prices, shop, book reservations and fill out forms, if the companies that sell things and take reservations allow them."
• Nine dishes putting Nigerian cuisine on the global map - "Author, food educator and culinary curator Ozoz Sokoh selects dishes that showcase how Nigeria’s food heritage and culture connects to the wider world: Imoyo - Ewedu - Small chops - Chicken Curry - Jollof Rice - Suya · Chapman - Zobo."
• Who Are The World’s Highest-Paid CEOs? - "Elon Musk out-earned the other 19 CEOs in the visualization by approximately $128 billion. The gap between Musk and the second-highest earner, Dylan Field of Figma, is even more striking. Field received $864 million, leaving a $131.4 billion difference between the two. At the other end of the ranking, then-Apple CEO Tim Cook was the lowest-paid CEO at $74.3 million, equivalent to just 0.056% of Musk’s total compensation. Jane Nind Fraser of Citigroup, who earned $95.8 million, was the only woman among the 20 executives."
• Ranked: The World’s Largest Companies Outside the U.S. - "Exactly half of the 30 companies with the highest revenues outside of the United States are based in China. State Grid has the highest annual revenue ($555 billion) of any non-U.S. company worldwide. China’s highest-revenue companies are overwhelmingly state-owned enterprises."

September 27, 2026

• Iranian minister says only negotiation can end conflict after Trump rejects Hormuz deal - "The foreign minister says Tehran is waiting for an official rejection of a deal, despite the US President's comments."
• The treasured 'eternal snow' on this tropical island is about to disappear forever - "Climate change is transforming Papua's snowy peaks, which hold scientific value and spiritual significance."
• 2 giant pandas arrive at Atlanta airport bound for Zoo Atlanta in a rare loan from China - "The pandas arrived on a FedEx flight Sunday after flying from Chengdu, in southwestern China. A spokesperson for FedEx earlier told CNN the company 'has a long history of safely transporting giant pandas.'"
• The most powerful rocket ever built is on the verge of its biggest - & riskiest - test yet - "On Monday, SpaceX will attempt to launch Starship to orbit for the first time, allowing it to deploy the inaugural batch of a new generation of Starlink internet satellites. Liftoff is expected during a 75-minute launch window that will open at 8:15 a.m. ET."
• revealed: putin is preparing a base for doomsday nuclear strikes - "Exclusive investigation: Operation Dead Hand has been revived to guarantee retaliation if Russia comes under nuclear attack."
• How to make - & keep - friends as a grownup, according to science - "Engineer Proximity: Join recurring activities—such as a running club, class, or volunteering—because the mere exposure effect shows people like you more the more familiar you become. Prioritize Responsiveness: Research identifies perceived responsiveness - making a friend feel understood and validated - as the single strongest predictor of friendship quality."
• Nap or quick workout? A doctor explains the cognitive benefits after sleep deprivation - "Can anything help us focus besides sleep? A recent study published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences compared two strategies for protecting memory after sleep deprivation: aerobic exercise and a nap."
• 4 Strategies to Battle ‘Techflation’ - "With phone and computer prices soaring, it helps to know the true cost of owning electronics so you can bring those numbers down."
• This Screw Is Needed for Missiles & Planes. Buying One Can Take Years - "This humble component, called a precision ball screw, is essential to producing Patriot missiles, airplanes and humanoid robots. As the Trump administration scrambles to increase the production of munitions, these special screws are expensive and hard to source."
• Mark Zuckerberg Is Trying Something On - "Meta’s C.E.O. talks for the first time about his style evolution."
• Beige? No. We’re Bedazzling & Whimsymaxxing - "Gen Z has embraced crystals, gems and sparkles in an attempt to inject more joy in the everyday. Few items have been spared."
• The Spencer-Windsor saga started centuries before Diana - "Money, marriage and loyalty kept these dynasties intertwined for an age, so how did they descend into enmity? A biographer explains."
• How many MRI scanners does your yacht have? - "It used to be all about size, but the new breed of billionaires want their superyachts to help them live for ever. The most talked about project of the four-day show was the 70-metre Clear Waves, a superyacht conceived by Benetti, complete with infrared therapy on board can widen the blood vessels; a hyperbaric oxygen chamber can generate cellular growth."

September 26, 2026

• Iran offers US deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz in seven days - "Asked about the Iranian proposal, a US official told the BBC 'constructive discussions' were taking place through mediators."
• Russia targeting 'ordinary life' with attacks on Ukraine's data centres, Zelensky says - "Such strikes aim to disrupt 'people's ability to stay connected, study, work', says Ukraine's president."
• Why Russia is sending dead princes & saints into battle - "The Kremlin is leveraging religion and national pride as it looks to boost morale 5 years into its war in Ukraine."
• Netanyahu Is Said to Have Been Warned About Hamas Attack Before October 7 - "The warning from the leader of the United Arab Emirates, which lacked specific details about the nature of an attack, never reached the chiefs of Israel’s security establishment, Israeli officials said."
• Elizabeth Holmes scheduled to move to halfway house in August 2027 - "Holmes is scheduled to be placed in the Austin Transitional Center in Del Valle, Texas, on Aug. 23, 2027, according to the notification."
• Did Hitler kill his niece? Newly found records raise fresh questions over 95-year-old mystery - "Newly uncovered archival documents have raised questions over whether Adolf Hitler could have murdered his half-niece, whose death in his Munich apartment in 1931 was officially ruled a suicide."
• Letterboxd Is the Last Best Corner of the Internet - "Focused Community: Unlike chaotic legacy platforms, Letterboxd unites users over a single shared passion - movies - free from algorithmic rage-bait or irrelevant life updates. Nostalgic Vibe: It blends early-internet film blog aesthetics with a clean interface built for the modern social media era."
• Monaco Yacht Show to expand to Saudi Arabia with new Red Sea Yacht Show - "The Monaco Yacht Show is expanding its international presence to Saudi Arabia, with the first Red Sea Yacht Show scheduled to take place in Jeddah from October 14 to 17, 2027."
• Luxury watch theft in Europe: What owners need to know - "Luxury-watch theft across Europe has risen lately. Two distinct forms are covert theft and violent snatch-theft, sometimes involving motorbike gangs. This article examines the available data on European watch theft and considers what can be learned about prevention from theatrical pickpockets Ricki Dunn and David Alexander, both of whom incorporated watch theft removals in their stage performances for many years."
• How one of the most bombed places on the planet survived - "Before 1965, V?nh Moc was a tranquil fishing village in central Vietnam, with a lush landscape of rice paddies, bamboo thickets and golden beaches. Then, due to its strategic location on the border of North and South Vietnam, it became one of the most bombed places on the planet during the Vietnam War. Over eight years, American forces would drop an estimated 9,000 tons of explosives over the village."
• The week in 30 photos - "Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye."
• How the bare nails trend became a class issue - "Bare nails - or nails that appear that way - are a growing trend. But is it as innocent as it seems?"
• Nefertiti’s long-lost tomb may be hidden behind Tutankhamun’s - "Researchers to drill into Valley of the Kings to uncover Ancient Egyptian queen’s resting place."
• The world's five best economy airlines for 2026 & what makes them so much better - "From wider seats and extra legroom to better food and service, these are the perks that set Skytrax's top five economy airlines apart."
• A mysterious organ in the sperm whale's head gives it the power to sink ships - "A survivor of the shipwreck that inspired the novel Moby Dick had a theory about how a sperm whale could destroy a vessel many times its size - 200 years later, he's been proved right."

September 25, 2026

• Trump & Xi exchange warm words at state dinner but little progress on key issues - "Trump lavished praise on Xi during his first visit to the US in over a decade, telling those attending the dinner that while the two countries had 'different systems', they had 'never gotten along better'. Xi meanwhile welcomed the 'historic juncture' in US-China relations - and said both leaders' ambitions could 'surely be mutually reinforcing'."
• Billionaires Musk & Jensen Huang Among Those Seated With Trump & Xi At State Dinner (Photos) - "Several top tech and AI billionaires featured on the guest list for the state dinner at the White House hosted by President Donald Trump for Chinese President Xi Jinping, with some of them seated at the head table with the two leaders."
• Xi got Trump's red carpet welcome - but not everything he wanted - "China wanted progress on trade, technology and Taiwan - but hasn't got as much as it would have hoped for."
• Why Trump gave Xi an ornate bald eagle statue at the state dinner - "The gift, which was unveiled before VIP guests at the Thursday dinner, embodies 'the free and soaring spirit of America', said Trump."
• Melania Trump’s Busy Schedule: A New Show, a Foster-Care Bill & Reading Executive Orders - "In a burst of activity this week, the enigmatic first lady told Americans what she has been up to after a quiet summer. Her activities have included filming a new documentary series about her life."
• The intricacies of press credentials, at the White House & beyond - "What makes a journalist a journalist? In the United States, by foundational principle, anyone who wants to report and publish the news can do it without official permission. On the White House beat, however, a reporter needs to show an ID badge, linked to a security code, for consistent, streamlined access to the grounds."
• €2 Billion Ulyssia: World’s largest residential yacht confirmed in Monaco - "At 323 metres, Ulyssia is set to become the largest yacht ever built, and this week’s Monaco Yacht Show brought the project a major step closer to reality, with its Monaco-based developers confirming the official construction contract, worth more than €2 billion."
• Monaco Yacht Show opens with 43 world premieres across a 120-strong superyacht fleet - "The 35th Monaco Yacht Show opened on Wednesday, September 23, with a full day of press conferences and world premieres, bringing around 120 superyachts to Port Hercule. Among them are 43 vessels newly delivered this year, as the show runs through Saturday, September 26."
• Apple Will Soon Announce an All-New Operating System - "Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman."
• Apple Has Announced 12 New Products in the Past Month - "Apple kicked off its recent wave of product announcements on August 25, when it introduced a new Mac mini with M6 and M5 Pro chips, a new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, and an updated version of the Apple Polishing Cloth."
• It's officially Dolly Parton Day, with parades, pink lights & book drives - "Today is Dolly Parton day. Here's how people arond the world are honoring her for September 25, a winkt at her hit song '9 to 5'. Communities worldwide are dedicating Friday to honoring Dolly Parton.
• Zuckerberg softens his look with some geeky tweaks & a message - "Clothes can often tell a story. In Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s case, he’s really spelling it out for us. It was yet another reminder that Zuckerberg’s days of traditional tech-bro hoodies and tight, heather-grey T-shirts are long behind him."
• How a ‘Novelty Audit’ Could Simplify Your Life - "Before buying that new gadget, take stock of what you have and need. A novelty audit simplifies life by introducing friction and pausing mindless consumer acquisition before purchasing new items. Implementing commitment devices, such as removing saved credit card information or deleting shopping apps, helps curb the natural desire for new experiences."
• Pope warns against 'losing humanity' to AI machines - "The pontiff delivered the warning on the first day of his trip to France on Friday."
• Elephants use medicinal plants to treat themselves, researchers find - "African elephants use dozens of different medicinal plants to treat themselves and their families when they are sick."
• X-planes: Are they needed in the new era of drones? - "The X-59's owes its eccentric design to the problem of sonic booms. The shockwave created by a jet breaking the sound barrier restricted Concorde to flights over the sea and barred it from lucrative routes across the US."
• The 7 New Rules for Air Travel - "Flight delays and cancellations brought on by weather, technology glitches and other issues offer a lesson: Be prepared and be flexible: 1. Leave a Day Early - 2. Take the First Flight of the Day - 3. Fly Nonstop - 4. Book With the Airline - 5. Avoid Tight Connections - 6. Stay Informed - 7. Get Travel Insurance."
• Fly rights - "As part of a continuing effort to ensure that guidance issued by the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) is up to date, this webpage has been placed in archived status. Some or all of the information may have been superseded by statute or rulemaking. Continued reliance on this page is not advised."
• Which websites gained the most web visits & which lost in 2026 - "YouTube added 25.6B web visits, the largest increase among the websites we tracked. ChatGPT added another 22.2B, followed by Gemini at +7.3B. Four AI tools made the Top 10 gainers: ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Grok. Together, they added 35.6B web visits."
• What food do americans hate the most? - "Data shows America's most hated foods are mostly seafood. Anchovies: 56% (with liver earning the highest percentage of explicit 'loathe/hate' responses at 40%). Liver: 54%. Sardines: 52%. Tofu: 46%. Squid: 44%.Caviar: 43%."
• Survey Reveals What Cities Are Most Walkable In 2026 - "1. Seoul - 93%. 2. Edinburgh - 93%. 3. New York City - 91%. 4. Copenhagen - 90% (approx.). 5. Oslo - 89%. 6. Stockholm - 88%. 7..."

September 24, 2026

• Trump offers warm welcome as China's Xi arrives for US visit - "US President Donald Trump has greeted his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping with a military flyover and 100ft (30m) red carpet to kick off their three-day summit in Washington."
• Trump & Xi come face-to-face as US and China battle to win the AI race - "The US and China are vying for AI supremacy while seeking to keep it under human control."
• Judge orders Trump administration to immediately reinstate White House access to CNN, MS NOW & Politico - "Federal Judge Timothy Kelly has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily reinstate CNN, MS NOW and Politico’s access to the White House after they were banned from the premises by President Donald Trump."
• Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 15 years after sexual assault conviction - "Sentencing comes after years of appeals and retrials in case involving former TV production assistant Miriam Haley."
• Rogue OpenAI agent 'infiltrated' Australian government website in world first - "Australia criticised OpenAI for taking 'too long' to tell them about the breach which happened in June."
• Not everyone thinks AI will kill us all - "When AI company Hugging Face was hacked by a swarm of rogue OpenAI agents who had escaped their testing environment, the company’s CEO had many things to say."
• Trump reveals millions of dollars' worth of share deals in big tech & AI - "US President Donald Trump has disclosed millions of dollars' worth of stock market trades made during July, including in firms from Elon Musk's SpaceX to tech and AI giants such as Microsoft."
• Tesla to unveil long-delayed Roadster on Oct. 1, Musk says - "Elon Musk said on Saturday the electric-vehicle maker would unveil its long-delayed Roadster on October 1, nearly a decade after first revealing a next-generation version of its original sports car. Here are some of the details."
• Bentley unveils its first fully electric car - "The Torcal SUV will be built on a brand-new production line at the site, which has been the luxury carmaker's headquarters since 1946. Bentley said the Torcal's 113kWh battery gave it a range of up to 375 miles (600km), adding that it could charge from 10% to 80% in less than 20 minutes using a 400kW charger."
• Indians are discovering the thrill of shopping without paying - "Dopamine sites mimic shopping's thrill without the spending, turning the ritual of consumption into a digital game."
• Consuming extra vitamin D is less good than it sounds - "What works well in theory seems not to in practice. When human trials for Vitamin D began, hopes were high. But despite what the theory said, practice had other ideas."
• Apple Wallet can split the bill for you in iOS 27 - plus 4 more cool upgrades - "With iOS 27, Apple has spruced the Wallet app so that it’s even more helpful. Here are five new things you should try: 1. Create a pass by scanning a physical card - 2. Add a pass manually - 3. Scan a restaurant receipt to split the bill - 4. View recurring payments."
• Meta is betting big on its Muse AI agent with a blitz of new gadgets - "As concerns over AI’s rapid advancement continue to mount, Meta is pushing forward with new AI devices and agents that it believes will one day be essential to everyday life. That includes lightweight virtual reality glasses, Ray-Ban glasses without cameras and a tiny puck the size of a keychain for communicating with Meta’s AI helper."
• They were labelled 'pervert glasses'. Will a camera-free version transform their image? - "On Thursday, Meta is unveiling a new version which does not contain a camera at all, called Ray-Ban Meta Audio. They will have the audio functions of the original glasses - including the ability to make phone calls or play music, with the sound funnelled directly into your ear - but with fewer implications for privacy."
• McDonald’s is spending billions to make major changes - "The chain announced Wednesday that it will invest $8.5 billion by 2036 on a series of initiatives, including remodeling restaurants, retraining its 2 million employees and adding new menu items to target high-protein eaters."
• Warming up is crucial - not optional - to help avoid injury during activity. Here’s how to do it right - "A warm-up isn’t about simply making you feel looser. Consider it a part of the activity - a crucial first step to prepare your muscles, joints, nervous system and breathing for the movements, ranges and intensity you’re about to ask of your body."
• How the oil capital of the US welcomed a solar power boom - "Texas is now the country's biggest producer of solar-farmed electricity."
• What general anaesthetic reveals about our brains - "How general anaesthetics work is still not fully understood, but they are revealing clues about the nature of consciousness."
• The world's top 10 cities for 2026 & why they stand out - "From cultural investment to cutting-edge technology, the 2026 Global Cities Index reveals what makes the world's leading cities such compelling places to live and visit."
• Temperature & social time: How hunter-gatherers ensure they get a good night's sleep - "Hunter-gatherer communities are a window on how the human species learned to get a good night's rest. Here's what you can learn from them."
• Verity to Digger: 12 of the best films to watch this October - "From a dark thriller adapted from a Colleen Hoover novel to a satirical farce about an eccentric oil billionaire, here are the films to watch and stream at home this month."
• Has London overtaken New York as the world’s cocktail capital? - "These days, London is a drinking destination to rival New York, even though we have none of the difficult American backstory to overcome. Nina Caplan thinks so. Here she recommends her favourite cocktail spots, new and old, comfortingly traditional and wildly inventive."

September 23, 2026

• Fact check: Trump’s false claims to the United Nations - "President Donald Trump made multiple false claims in his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, though he largely stuck to a prepared text. Here is a fact check of some of his assertions."
• Watch: Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Iran if no deal reached - "Donald Trump presented Iran with a stark choice at the UN General Assembly: reach an agreement with Washington and rebuild the country, or face the rapid 'annihilate' of the Islamic Republic. He then predicted that a deal would probably follow the US elections. The remarks illustrate Trump’s familiar strategy of coercive diplomacy - keeping negotiations open while threatening overwhelming force."
• 7 Big Mistakes in Trump's Iran War, Ranked - "They made a 'big mistake,' President Donald Trump told the United Nations General Assembly. Trump could have been firing that accusation in any number of directions, given his ever-growing list of enemies."
• Trump wants AI to be rebranded as super intelligence. Will it work? - "Some people close to the president have started to use the term but experts say it is unlikely to catch on."
• US to build two military bases in Greenland under new deal with Denmark - "The defence deal signed at the UN General Assembly also re-affirms Denmark's sovereignty over its semi-autonomous Arctic territory."
• AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA & THE GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF DENMARK TOGETHER WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF GREENLAND - "The White House, September 22, 2026."
• What is the White House pool & why is it in a row with Trump? - "When Donald Trump unveiled a helipad at the White House on Monday, his remarks were barely audible in live footage of the event. This was due to a row over an institution that rarely makes the news – the White House Press pool."
• 'Looksmaxxing' influencer Clavicular charged with rape in Massachusetts - "The online influencer Clavicular, whose real name is Braden Peters, has been charged with rape, providing liquor to a person under the legal US drinking age, and drugging someone for sexual intercourse, court records show. The alleged offences occurred in May 2025, according to the charges filed in the state of Massachusetts."
• 50 travel destinations to inspire you for 2027, chosen by Lonely Planet - "The 53-year-old guidebook company launched the Lonely Planet app earlier this year, so explorers can for the first time adopt a triple-threat approach to their trip planning, using the app, the Lonely Planet booking platform Journeys, and the best-selling books. The Best in Travel 2027 list, available online and as a commemorative book, was selected by Lonely Planet’s global community of travel experts."
• Eight ingenious homes for wildlife around the world - "From a bat home in the UK countryside to a multi-species refuge in the Catskills, here are eight cleverly designed wildlife havens."
• The tiny Arctic island where travellers have found refuge since 1897 - "For centuries, this tiny Norwegian island sheltered fishermen from violent seas. Now one woman is using tourism to revive it - and offer travellers refuge from modern life. For generations, Støtt was a refuge. Fishing boats blown off course in the Norwegian Sea could shelter here."
• Fat bear week 2026 - "Vote for the fattest bear of the year! Some of the largest brown bears on Earth make their home at Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Brown bears get fat to survive. Fat Bear Week is an annual tournament celebrating their success in preparation for winter hibernation. Matchups are open for voting September 22 - 29 between 12 - 9 p.m. Eastern / 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Pacific / 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Alaska."
• 'Constant bombardment' - fans shown 65,000 junk food ads at World Cup - "New data shows fans were shown more than 28 hours of adverts for unhealthy food and drinks during World Cup matches this summer."
• A simple blood draw can check for cancer. But who should get one? - "The blood test is called Galleri, made by a company called Grail, and it belongs to a new class of blood tests known as multicancer early detection tests. Some people refer to them as liquid biopsies."
• What we know & don’t - about Paramount’s Hollywood plans - "Paramount has cleared the final hurdle in its year-long race to take over Warner Bros. Discovery. Now comes the really hard part. In the coming weeks, Paramount will take control of CNN and scores of other Warner assets like HBO, DC Comics, and the Discovery Channel."
• Dolly Parton's manager accuses her nephew of threats & intimidation - "Bryan Seaver, who announced Parton's death to the world, is accused of trying to extort her estate. Seaver, the son of Parton's sister Cassie, owns a company that provided the singer's security detail for the last 20 years of her life. In his statement to TMZ, Seaver said: 'I am a career soldier and military contractor and do conduct arms deals for foreign governments. I am a security professional and I am a killer.'"
• In the Land of Billionaire Barbarians - "The center of the tech industry is culturally barren because wealthy executives have no interest in communities outside their fiefs. Silicon Valley is one of the richest places on the planet, and it still has potholes in its streets."
• Harry’s in a bind - so of course he’s planning a Diana documentary - "The 30th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death is approaching. Spare me the talk about honouring her legacy. The only thing Harry has left to sell is his mother."

September 22, 2026

• Trump strikes Greenland deal with Denmark after threatening annexation - "President Donald Trump said the United States reached an agreement with Denmark and Greenland that gives the US 'permanent control' over Greenland’s security - months after Trump threatened to forcibly seize the self-governing territory."
• What to expect at the UN General Assembly, the biggest event in world diplomacy - "Here’s what to expect as the UNGA’s 'general debate' - where leaders and officials take turns speaking from the organization’s signature stone podium - begins Tuesday."
• A world in chaos as Trump addresses the UN - "It’s Trump’s world, and he’s accelerating its chaos. The president will make a UN address at a time when some US allies are losing faith in Washington."
• Major US outlets boycott shared Trump coverage in protest at media ban - "Regular coverage of the president has been disrupted after he banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House."
• US to open two Cold War-era military bases in Greenland after historic deal - "President Donald Trump is due to meet with leaders of Greenland and Denmark on Tuesday to sign a deal that will allow a larger US military presence on Greenland and could end a standoff over the strategically located and mineral-rich island."
• Trump’s press ban backfires at White House event with president ‘yelling into the void’ - "Trump's remarks were not amplified at Monday's ribbon cutting on a White House construction project because television press pool coverage of the president was suspended in response to him banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House press pool."
• Read the lawsuit: CNN, MS NOW & Politico sue Trump admin over White House access - "The three outlets President Donald Trump banned from the White House — CNN, MS NOW and Politico — have sued the administration in an attempt to restore their access. The emergency request is set to go before federal Judge Timothy J. Kelly, who is a Trump-appointee in the DC District Court."
• It’s Raining Boxes: Amazon Drones Overwhelm a Texas Suburb - "In Richardson, a fleet of drones has started to deliver goods quickly. But the noise is drowning out life for some residents: ‘We can’t live like this.’"
• Presley Gerber's 'inevitable' death: Life-long secret struggle - "Family insiders reveal life-long secret struggle that sparked 'self-destruct' spiral... and mother Cindy Crawford's desperate bid to save him before shock death at 27."
• Brigitte Bardot’s possessions rake in over $1M at auction - "Items owned by French cultural icon Brigitte Bardot, including her copy of the Kama Sutra and pairs of her famous ballet flats, went under the hammer in Paris at the Hotel Drouot on Monday."
• Paris Hilton: ‘People want me to run for US president’ - "The Hilton hotel heiress and original reality star on her traumatic younger life, political campaigns and why she’s always been underestimated."
• Swan Song by Charles Spencer review - "A furious exercise in score-settling by Diana’s brother. Amid genuinely touching passages about his sister, the earl can’t help but put himself and his grievances centre stage."
• What we found in Earl Spencer's controversial Diana memoir - "What further revelations are going to appear now the full details of his Diana book are published?"
• The rise of Big Toothbrush: how did our mouths become such a lucrative market? - "People in the UK are more interested in oral health than ever - and you can now buy prebiotic toothpastes and brushes that cost up to £600. Yet we remain in the midst of a serious dental crisis."
• ‘When I see someone put a screen protector on their iPhone, it makes my skin crawl’ - "Its Ceramic Shield 2 display glass is earning plaudits for delivering on the promise of 3x better scratch resistance 12 months on from its release, while the iPhone Duo is set to arrive next month with a host of impressive durability credentials (including, notably, a Galaxy Z Fold 8-beating IP68 resistance rating)."
• How to Force Quit Apple Watch Apps in watchOS 27 - "From the app you want to quit, press and hold the Side button until the sliders appear. Then simply press and hold the Digital Crown until the watch face appears. You've now quit the app. Quitting an app doesn't save battery power, but it's useful if the app is misbehaving."
• September 29 Traffic Alert: Monte-Carlo Casino Square Closed for Television Filming from 05:00 to 18:00 - "Monte-Carlo’s famous Casino Square appears set for a starring role in the fourth season of The White Lotus, with filming scheduled to bring significant restrictions to the heart of the Principality later this month."
• The Notswolds are the new Cotswolds - just ask Earl Spencer - "Move over, Cotswolds, right next door is the low-key, more-bang-for-your-buck region with vast mansions, rich locals - and Claudia Schiffer and Charles Spencer at Althorp for neighbours."
• JRR Tolkien to have memorial in Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey - "An ornate wooden artwork depicting The Hobbit author’s ‘tree of tales’ will be placed next to the memorial to his friend CS Lewis."
• Where time leaves footprints: The national park rewriting human history - "White Sands National Park in New Mexico may not be as famous as the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone, but perhaps it should be. The uncovering of 61 human prints pressed into the mud some 21,000 to 23,000 years ago, according to radiocarbon dating of adjacent layers of plant seeds, had earth-shattering consequences for long-debated theories about when prehistoric people first arrived in the Americas."
• Peloton is releasing its cheapest treadmill yet as it bets on running for a turnaround - "Peloton is launching its cheapest treadmill yet, in the hope that running’s surging popularity will spur sales. The fitness equipment maker announced Tuesday it will soon release a $2,195 treadmill called the Tread Flex. Running and walking have grown since the pandemic because they’re inexpensive and are bringing people together with clubs."
• ‘Turn the cameras off:’ London’s growing privacy pushback against smart glasses - "As smart glasses become more widespread, so too does the backlash. The glasses allow users to listen to music, take calls and snap photos hands-free, and some tech companies believe they could one day be the preferred way to communicate with AI assistants. 7 million pairs of AI glasses were sold in 2025."

September 21, 2026

• CNN, MS NOW & Politico to file lawsuit against Trump's White House ban - "President Donald Trump announced the ban on Friday, accusing the three organisations of writing 'fiction or lies' about his government."
• France’s wine production nears a 70-year low, leaving winemakers with tough choices - "As the French winemaking industry reaches a crisis point, key players are considering new markets, products and generations. France’s agriculture ministry has warned that wine production could hit a 70-year low in 2026, marking the third year of reduced output."
• How to minimise the amount of polluted air you inhale while exercising - "In general, the benefits of exercise outweigh the risks from air pollution. But there are steps we can take to minimise our exposure."
• How President Trump Broke the Kennedy Center - "Internal emails and documents demonstrate the political capture of the institution, including how officials once pursued a plan to unload much of the art collection."
• JFK’s Grandson Jack Schlossberg Responds to Kennedy Center Closure Vote - "'JFK's legacy is unbreakable - the moon, the Civil Rights Act, Cuban Missile Crisis and the arts. Trump is a broken band in nose dive decline,' Schlossberg wrote on social media."
• ‘It’s unrecognisable’: How being a tax haven has changed Jersey - "While global billionaires and multinational companies have been lured to its shores, many islanders feel left behind and priced out, with food bank use increasing. Meanwhile, an army of high-earning bankers, lawyers and accountants face a maximum of 20% income tax on the island, compared with 45% in London."
• 36 Hours on Lake Como, Italy: Things to Do & See - "This glitzy getaway north of Milan has glassy waters ringed by sugarloaf mountains, with jagged Alpine foothills rising in the north. It charms with storybook villages and grande dame villas. Once a haven for poetic spirits like Stendhal and Shelley, Lake Como continues to inspire, though the tone today is more lively than literary. From Como up to Cadenabbia, new restaurants and luxury hotels ..."
• Full list - Corporate Tax Haven Index - Tax Justice Network - "The world’s Biggest enablers of corporate tax abuse."
• I spent 30 minutes with the iPhone Duo - 3 things you just don’t get from the pictures - "These were things you just don’t appreciate when you look at pictures or watch videos of the device; you need to hold it in your hand to really appreciate them. And I’m not talking about the crease."
• 'Good often does evil': JRR Tolkien on 'the most tragic moment' in The Lord of the Rings - "In 1968, the BBC broadcast extracts from JRR Tolkien's last ever recorded interview, 31 years after The Hobbit was published. In 2019, the full video was unearthed from the archive."
• Brigitte Bardot's ballet flats & diamond rings to be sold at auction - "Personal possessions of late actress Brigitte Bardot - from Repetto ballet flats and diamond rings to her copy of the Kama Sutra - are being sold at auction on Monday with proceeds going to her animal charity."
• Millon - "Brigitte Bardot: la vente. Maison de ventes aux enchères depuis 1928 - Paris, Nice, Milan & Brussels."
• For centuries, cargo ships allowed regular travelers to join their voyages. What happened? - "Cargo ships have carried passengers for centuries, but the golden age of freighter travel was the first half of the 20th century, before long-distance air services became commonplace. Boasting one of the world’s largest container ship fleets, Denmark’s famed Maersk Line, with its giant Triple E Class vessels, is among the cargo companies that have stopped taking passengers since the pandemic."
• Watch: Emotional Earl Spencer says he misses sister Diana every day - "Earl Spencer, brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, said he misses his sister every day during an interview with the BBC. His book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, is due to be published on Tuesday and is expected to be highly critical of the Royal Family. He said one of the reasons the book is called Swan Song is because it is his 'sign off' as Diana's brother and 'final take on the situation'."
• Could AI wipe out humans & how might it do it? - "Recent AI (artificial intelligence) safety concerns have been fuelled by stark warnings from AI scientists about the growing risks of the technology going rogue. Some of the most pessimistic predictions warn that there is a greater than 10% chance that AI could wipe out all humans in the next 10 years. Many of the apocalyptic messages come from observers of the AI world known as 'AI Doomers' - but the big question many are asking, is how these Doomers think AI could actually bring an end to mankind."
• Is kombucha really good for your health? - "A university study trying to create a better kombucha analyses whether the drink affects health."
• Japan is famous for its spotless streets. So why are public rubbish bins so hard to find? - "From a deadly 1995 attack to deeply ingrained social norms, the story of Japan's scarce rubbish bins is more complicated than it first appears."

September 20, 2026

• Nato welcomes Greenland deal as Trump says it will give US 'permanent security control' - "Denmark and the US have reached an agreement after months of threats from Donald Trump to annex the territory."
• Trump’s behavior over the past 12 days has been particularly strange - even for him - "Trump is only amping up his antics ahead of the midterm election."
• Ed Sheeran admits 'mistakes' at first show since Macklemore controversy - "The singer spoke about Israel and Gaza after Macklemore was dropped from his tour for making pro-Palestinian remarks on stage."
• Trump says US will form 'AI Force' & appoint an artificial intelligence tsar - "The president said his administration 'will not in any way hinder or stifle the growth' amid amid warnings about the emergent technology."
• Trump says proposed triumphal arch will double as military complex - "'I have agreed to convert the magnificent Triumphal Arch, planned since the Civil War Era many years ago, at the Receptive Circle adjoining the Arlington Memorial Bridge, into a top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch, to house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas, and additionally have and hold large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage.'"
• Trump says son has paid back Putin ally for partly funding wedding festivities - "President Donald Trump has said his son paid back Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin for hosting post-wedding festivities in the Bahamas."
• ‘It will never be the same’: How Trump turned on the Kennedy Center & brought it to its knees - "When President Donald Trump’s name was ordered removed from the Kennedy Center this spring, it seemed that an opening to move on from his reign over the performing arts center might have emerged."
• Harry & Meghan's media treatment carries echoes of what happened to Princess Diana, her brother tells the BBC - "Earl Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana, said that media treatment experienced by his sister carried similarities to what Harry and Meghan are experiencing."
• ‘Concerned’ Prince William has ‘washed his hands’ of estranged brother Prince Harry after latest ‘distraction’ - "Prince William has 'washed his hands' of his estranged brother, Prince Harry, as the royal family grows 'concerned' over the latest wave of Sussex drama, according to a royal insider. William doesn’t seem interested in being drawn back into the cycle of responding to every one of Harry and Markle’s 'grievances or controversies.'"
• Why Buckingham Palace’s bearskin caps might soon be a relic of the past - "But the distinctive caps - among the most recognizable symbols of the British monarchy - have become increasingly contentious for their use of real bear fur. Now, a group of British lawmakers has called on the government to end the use of real bearskins in the ceremonial headpieces worn by the King’s Guard."
• iOS 27 - Apple Just Gave iPhone Users 120 Reasons To Update Now - "Apple's iOS 27 also contains more than 120 patches for security bugs in the iPhone software. Here's what you need to know."
• Can laughing make you healthier? What to know - "Sometimes all you can do is laugh. That might actually be good for you."
• ‘My fear was too great’: the Pussy Riot member recruited by Russian spies to inform on fellow activists - "In her first media interview since fleeing Russia, Rita Flores describes her three years of being run by the FSB."
• ‘The rules have changed’: has Russia begun to order assassinations on US soil? - "Exiled dissidents and an unsealed indictment suggest Kremlin may have abandoned longstanding taboo on attacks on its rival’s territory."
• How Much It Costs to Buy a New Car Across 30 Global Cities - "A new car costs about $156,000 in Singapore, more than four times as much as in New York City. Across most of the 30 cities shown, new car prices fall within a much narrower range of roughly $35,000 to $50,000. Singapore stands apart largely because of policies designed to limit car ownership, including an ownership certificate that can cost close to $100,000."
• Car ownership costs an average of $5,851 a year on top of auto loan payments, analysis finds - "The cost of insurance, gas, and maintenance or repairs can add thousands of dollars a year to the price of owning a car."
• Sylvester Stallone: My hellish childhood & why I said no to Trump - "The action hero on 50 years of Rocky, sharing his millions with the parents who abandoned him - and the president’s unusual job offer."
• Piers Morgan: I’m probably the best-known journalist in the world - "After taking his combative talk show off the air and on to YouTube, the broadcaster is racking up viewers by the million. But whatever you do, don’t call him a TV presenter."
• The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027 revealed - "St Andrews is ranked No 1 while Imperial College London beats Oxford and Cambridge to earn our University of the Year award."

September 19, 2026

• US & Denmark reach deal over Greenland after Trump annexation threats - "Trump says the agreement will give the US 'permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland', though specifics have not been confirmed by Danish officials."
• Trump says he’s ‘banning’ CNN, MS NOW & Politico from the White House - "The US president has had a tense and fiery relationship with the US media throughout his political career."
• Iran war has cost $45.1 billion, Pentagon tells Congress - "The US war with Iran has cost $45.1 billion, the Pentagon informed Congress on Friday, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The estimate is not a full accounting of the war’s cost, however. It does not include an assessment of the cost to repair damaged bases or buildings."
• Revealed: how Russia uses mobile ‘super-app’ Max to spy on its citizens - "Research shows tens of millions of people are being forced to use platform that amounts to 'backdoor' on their device. It is a container for a number of 'mini-apps' that now facilitate everyday life in Russia - banking apps, a messaging service that aims to replace Telegram, and apps for essential government services."
• 5 explosive claims in new book by Princess Diana’s brother - "1. Charles ‘giddily elated’ after Diana’s death - 2. ‘We’ll forget her soon enough’ - 3. Charles and Diana’s unhappy marriage - 4. ‘Oh, a bit chubby here, aren’t we?’ - 5. Queen Elizabeth II offered to restore Diana’s HRH title."
• 'I'm telling the truth': Earl Spencer defends Diana book claims about Charles in BBC interview - "Princess Diana's brother tells the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg that 'we'll forget her soon enough' were 'exactly' the words used by the then-Prince of Wales."
• Warren Buffett found the most boring way to bet on AI - "Berkshire owns major utility companies that provide electricity across the country and companies that make the components that go inside power stations. It’s power that powers much of Berkshire’s AI fortunes."
• Microsoft & OpenAI Workers Worry About ‘Largest Theft of Labor’ in History - "Newly unsealed court documents showed concern within Microsoft and OpenAI over the use of millions of news articles to develop A.I. systems."
• Gates Foundation Pledges $1 Billion to Combat A.I. Inequality - "Bill Gates, the foundation’s chairman, has been vocal about the dangers of artificial intelligence. The donation will be invested in A.I. projects to bridge social inequalities."
• My favorite 7 features in iOS 27 - "I’ve Used iOS 27 for Months. Here Are 7 Things I Like and 3 I’m Still Confused About. The new OS consistently nudges things in a good direction, even if it doesn't feel like a total overhaul."
• Google's Gemini AI hacked three companies in security test - "Google's AI model Gemini autonomously hacked into three companies during a test of its cyber-security capabilities, the company has said, in what is thought to be the first known case of it carrying out such an act."
• ‘World’s best airline’ for 2026 is named - "Wars. Climate chaos. Soaring fuel prices. Disruptive passengers duct-taped to their seats. It’s not getting any easier to run an airline in these turbulent times, but some are clearly doing it better than others. In recognition of that, the annual Skytrax Awards - known as the aviation industry’s Oscars for their glitzy celebration of the global and regional airlines that mostly get us to where we want to go - has once again convened to crown one as the world’s best: For 2026 the winner is Singapore Airlines."
• New York has a food waste problem. South Korea has already solved it - "South Korea has cut household food waste going to landfill from 97% to almost nothing. New York City has started sending its scraps the same way."
• Mahjong mania: What’s behind the rise of a centuries-old Chinese game in the US - "Mahjong, a four-person game similar to rummy, skyrocketed in popularity in the past year following a spike in interest at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Yelp searches for mahjong clubs rose 4,467% in 2025, and searches for 'mahjong store' and 'mahjong club' reached an all-time high in August 2026."
• This nuclear plant was meant to free Cuba from dependence on oil - "Fidel Castro embarked on plans to build a nuclear power plant in Juraguá, Cienfuegos province, to be built and financed with the help of the Soviet Union. Now, it’s a symbol of its shattered dreams."

September 18, 2026

• Trump’s transactional presidency takes a more brazen turn - "Few things have defined President Donald Trump’s second term as much as his transactionalism. He’s gone to great lengths to wield potential official actions for political and even personal gain in ways simply not seen since at least Watergate."
• Warren Buffett steps down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway - "Warren Buffett, who ended his decades-long tenure as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of last year, is giving up the chairman post he has held since 1970. Buffett, 96, will remain on the board to serve as Chairman Emeritus. His son Howard, a board member since 1993, will take over the role as chairman."
• US acknowledges for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space - "The United States has confirmed for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space, a remarkable revelation after previous warnings about countries such as Russia possibly weaponizing a global frontier long agreed in treaties to be used for only peaceful purposes."
• US troops must prepare to fight around the moon, Trump’s top military adviser says - "American troops need to prepare for combat not only in Earth’s orbit but around the moon, President Donald Trump’s top military adviser said Wednesday, looking ahead to a new frontier in warfare after the U.S. revealed for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space."
• Britain’s royal family wracked by fresh turmoil after brief summer respite - "King Charles wanted all eyes on AI, as he prepared to host a major summit to discuss the controversial technology. But those hopes were shattered after a fresh royal scandal hit the front pages hours before Thursday’s meeting started, threatening to overshadow the tech gathering and throwing the clan into turmoil."
• Charles 'sounded giddily elated' after Diana died, Earl Spencer claims - "Buckingham Palace has strongly pushed back against claims in a new book by the late Princess of Wales's brother."
• 10 key claims in Earl Spencer’s Princess Diana book - "Allegations by the princess’s brother provoked an unprecedented response from Buckingham Palace. These further revelations are likely to add fuel to the fire."
• Will AI really kill everyone? How, exactly? - "Artificial intelligence could kill the entire human species, according to people in the artificial intelligence industry. Specifically, they say, it could exterminate humanity within the decade. Not everyone in the AI community subscribes to the doomsday story, in part because the details of the prediction are so sparse."
• Trump admin approves sale of stealth F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. Here’s why it’s controversial - "During the first Trump administration, the US advanced plans to sell F-35s to the United Arab Emirates. But the deal ultimately fell apart during the Biden administration over concerns about military cooperation between the UAE and China. Analysts say the same concerns exist with Saudia Arabia and China."
• New wild cat species discovered - with only one known living member - "A spotted cat from the forests of Bolivia has been confirmed as a new species. The small feline, about the size of a domestic moggy, went under the radar because it was confused with other wild cats that share similar spots and stripes. But DNA studies show the cat is actually in a class of its own, highlighting how much remains unknown about some of the world's most elusive mammals."
• Fiji declares national crisis after one of world’s sharpest recorded HIV surges - "Fiji has declared a national crisis after recording more than 2000 new HIV cases last year, 16 times the number reported in 2019."
• East of Eden to Carrie: 10 of the best TV shows to watch this October - "From new adaptations of the beloved John Steinbeck and Stephen King novels to a Newfoundland-set monster horror with Josh Hartnett - these are the best series to watch and stream."
• Why Monty Python star Eric Idle escaped to France - "The Monty Python star bought a shack in Provence in 1972. Here's how he spent the next 55 years making it his refuge from fame - and how it somehow became a celebrity retreat."
• New lawsuit alleges Epstein possessed ‘child sexual abuse material of countless children’ - "Two women who filed suit against Epstein estate ask court to order program to notify potential victims."
• Forever Twiggy - "The face of London in the 1960s is living her best life at the age of 77."
• The moment the world realised whales sing - "In 1970, the release of the best-selling nature album of all time introduced the world to whale song and transformed how we view whales forever."
• Is the tie dead? The House of Lords’ new dress code is the death knell for the tie - "In a world where billionaires wear shorts and gilets, the humble neck tie is more likely to be worn by the intern, says Joseph Bullmore (editor of Gentleman’s Journal)."
• Are you showering all wrong? The new rules - "From shower-head filters to cold-water blasts and body brushing, the experts reveal what’s really worth adding to your morning routine."

September 17, 2026

• Democracy indicators in US at lowest levels for 50 years, data shows - "Trump administration undermining rule of law at home and worldwide, according to intergovernmental report."
• Princess Diana’s brother claims Charles said she would be forgotten ‘soon enough’ just days after her death - "The brother of the late Princess Diana, Charles Spencer, has claimed in his forthcoming memoir that King Charles told him days after her death that 'we’ll forget her soon enough,' according to an extract published on Wednesday by the Daily Mail."
• 'Grief can colour memory': Palace responds after Earl Spencer's claim in Diana book - "Diana's brother claimed the then-Prince of Wales said she would be forgotten 'soon enough' days after her death."
• Trump says Canada becoming ‘associate member’ of EU could be a ‘hostile act’ - "European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed Wednesday that Canada become the bloc’s first 'associate member,' provoking a fresh tariff threat from US President Donald Trump."
• Trump Blames Ukraine for Global Diesel Shortage - "President Trump said Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries were 'hurting the world,' amid a global energy shock driven primarily by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran."
• How rich is Donald Trump now? - "Everyone has an opinion, but Forbes has the answer: $7 billion, according to our most recent tally, updated in September."
• Ed Sheeran stadium drama turns to donations & humanitarian cooperation - "On Wednesday, the rapper Macklemore said he would donate $1 million, his full net earnings from his now-truncated role on the Ed Sheeran tour, to six organizations that supported Palestinian people. He invited New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to do the same."
• Macklemore has an even bigger platform after being dropped from tour as Ed Sheeran suffers the fallout - "What’s known as the Streisand effect has elevated the rapper after he was forced off Sheeran’s tour following pro-Palestinian comments, and Sheeran is the one getting the blame."
• iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone Duo Buyer's Guide - "Apple's new iPhone lineup asks buyers a new and challenging question: Is a foldable display worth feature compromises?"
• OpenAI says it found more instances of AI models acting deceptively - "OpenAI found additional incidents of AI models acting deceptively and taking unsanctioned actions during training, the company announced Wednesday. It’s also introducing a new process for the company to publicly report such instances."
• Uncontrolled AI could lead to 'silicon species' rivalling humans, warns Microsoft - "Speaking to the BBC about an upcoming AI summit, Suleyman called for 'alignment' to create technology that must be 'subordinate' to humanity."
• Bill Gates: My plan to keep the world safe in the age of AI - "Artificial intelligence can be a force for good, the philanthropist and founder of Microsoft insists, but its development cannot be left to the market."
• Secondhand book sales are booming. Is it because of AI? - "Something mysterious has been happening in the world of secondhand books. Over the last few months independent booksellers have been observing a strange pattern of purchases which have seen scores of their novels being shipped to far-off warehouses."
• Inside Singapore's 'Fort Knox' for city's $2bn dirty money auction - "Singapore has begun auctioning off luxury goods that were seized by police in a sensational $2.2 billion money laundering case that gripped the city state in 2023. The items are being held inside Le Freeport, a fortified storage facility, where the BBC's Vandhna Bhan was allowed inside for a look."
• US House votes to hold billionaire Epstein associate Leon Black in contempt - "Black, who had business ties to Epstein, did not comply with a subpoena ordering him to appear before the House Oversight Committee earlier this month and share documents related to Epstein."
• Money, Women & Taxes: Jeffrey Epstein’s Fiery Friendship with a Wall Street Titan - "New emails show how Mr. Epstein pressured Leon Black, his longtime friend and patron, to fork over millions for financial services."
• The brain can unlock true multitasking after intensive training - "The findings challenge a long-held understanding of how humans master complex skills, suggesting that true multitasking is really possible."
• Lost on Mount Fuji off-season? You'll have to pay for your rescue - "From next year, people who attempt to climb Mount Fuji during off-peak seasons and then require rescue by helicopter will have to pay for the service, authorities governing the northern part of the peak say."
• Would you buy branded clothing from your favourite tech firm? - "Nvidia certainly plays in the top league of global tech firms. While it sells tens of millions of its chips per year, its clothing is far more exclusive. The lines, which also include t-shirts, hoodies and hats, are typically only available to buy from pop-up stalls at its conferences. OpenAI, the operator of ChatGPT, usually only offers its branded fashion to employees, but occasionally it goes on general sale for a few days via its website. Meanwhile, Anthropic, the maker of the Claude chatbot, last year opened a temporary, pop-up coffee shop in Manhattan's West Village. For just one week it gave away free baseball hats with the word 'thinking' embroidered on the front."
• Why caffeine makes some people buzz & others barely notice - "Scientists say it all depend on caffeine habits, lifestyle and one factor we have no control over: our genes."
• US dictionary adds 1,400 words, including neckbeard, trash panda & cuffing season - "Merriam-Webster, America's oldest dictionary publisher, has added 1,400 new words, including glow-up, looksmaxxing, meme coin and trash panda - the affectionate nickname for raccoons."
• The secret life & incredible talents of outrageous US showman Liberace - "The glitzy pianist, who famously hid his sexuality, was dismissed as a 'vulgar joke' in his lifetime. But a new play gets to the truth of who he was, in private as well as in public."

September 16, 2026

• How Russian spy satellites likely helped Iran target US assets - "Fourteen Russian spacecraft passed over a US base in Saudi Arabia days before an attack, likely giving Tehran access to vital data, according to sources and analysis."
• Saudi Arabia says it shot down a Houthi drone near Mecca, Islam’s holiest city - "Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of the Islamic holy city of Mecca on Tuesday evening, according to the spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen."
• Iran war has led to US munitions shortfalls, Pentagon inspector confirms - "The inspector also found a bottleneck in resupply, despite President Donald Trump's claims that US supplies are 'virtually limitless'."
• OpenAI boss says world 'right to be afraid' but should trust AI firms - "Sam Altman and other tech CEOs say there are incentives to limit advancements in AI, as fears grow over the threats it poses to humanity."
• AI 'kill switch' may need to be mandatory, Anthropic co-founder tells BBC - "Jack Clark, one of seven founders of Anthropic, said a way of shutting off AI software completely if it gets too dangerous was something society 'might want to eventually pass rules around'."
• Donald Trump Jr & Bettina Trump say Putin ally paid for some wedding festivities as a 'gift' - "An Instagram post from the couple said two nights of their wedding festivities in the Bahamas were partially funded by Umar Kremlev."
• The truth behind viral photos of Donald Trump 'kissing' his 'nappy nurse' aide Natalie Harp - "As viral photos appearing to show Donald Trump kissing aide Natalie Harp on a golf course spark intense speculation, here is what we know about the images."
• Sydney Sweeney's real crime is that she's hot - "Sydney Sweeney's recent advertisement for the sports trading platform Novig has reignited an ongoing debate within feminism regarding whether a woman's bodily display represents empowerment or exploitation."
• Paris court awards Kim Kardashian 1 euro after her 2016 robbery - "A Paris court on Tuesday awarded 1 euro ($1.15) to Kim Kardashian for having been the victim of an armed robbery in the French capital in 2016, the amount of compensation she had asked for, according to a lawyer involved in the case."
• PokÉmon fans prepare for 'biggest day in a decade' - "Wednesday marks the release of Pokémon's 30th anniversary range - a day one collector described as the brand's biggest day 'in the last decade, if not more'."
• Rolex’s Surprise New Watch Boasts Arguably Its Most Advanced Movement Yet - "A classic complication returns, with a technological twist. Rolex has surprise-dropped the new Perpetual Padellone, featuring an all-new annual calendar movement designated as the Calibre 7190."
• Global Fashion Market Set to Hit Two Trillion by 2026 with a 3.7% Growth Surge - "Forecasts from data analysis firm Euromonitor indicate a two-tenths increase in growth this fiscal year compared to the last. The market is being driven by footwear and, predominantly, sportswear."
• Chile’s desert dumping ground for fast fashion leftovers - "Chile's Atacama, the driest desert in the world, is increasingly suffering from pollution caused by fast fashion."
• Henry Zankov is no longer fashion’s best kept secret - "Every few seasons, New York Fashion Week is in need of a savior. Someone who shakes up what can often be a monotonous cycle of all that goes into the jampacked show calendar. This season, Russian American designer Henry Zankov - the creative auteur behind his namesake label Zankov, and the newly appointed first-ever artistic director of Diane von Furstenberg - feels like that person."
• The woman who dresses Helen Mirren, the Princess of Wales & now America too - "Me+Em's twist on English classics has proved a hit in the US, its founder Clare Hornby says."
• The extreme engineering of aircraft windows - "Few companies in the world have the technology to produce aircraft windows. Here's a look at how they're made."
• What weapon could the US have put into space? - "The announcement by the United States that it has deployed a space weapon in Earth's orbit has raised questions about what weaponry is actually in space, and what role it could play in efforts by great powers to dominate that arena."
• 30-second habits to improve your mood - "If you're feeling overwhelmed, consider taking part in short simple 'micropractices' to improve your wellbeing."
• The private plane interior that cost a million pounds - "Shalini Misra was given the task of transforming a 'boring' Bombardier into a five-bedded luxury home in the skies. She didn't disappoint."

September 15, 2026

• Welsh actor Matthew Rhys makes Emmy Awards history with double win - "Welsh actor Matthew Rhys has made history at the Emmy Awards, becoming the first person to win two lead acting prizes in one night."
• See who won at the Emmy Awards - "Full list of winners."
• What celebrities wore to the 2026 Emmys red carpet - "See what Zendaya, Selena Gomez, Nicole Kidman and more wore to the ‘red’ carpet."
• I've been using iOS 27 for 3 months already - these are the 5 best features arriving on your iPhone today - "It's an impressive upgrade: 1. Reframe your photos - 2. Create Shortcuts with natural language - 3. Choose a separate alarm volume - 4. Adjust the Liquid Glass effect - 5. Siri AI."
• China pushes on in AI race as global industry faces tipping point - "US and China are locked in an arms race that mirrors the Cold War’s nuclear standoff. If AI really could kill us all, why give any ground to China?"
• Yemen’s Gate of Tears: How another critical waterway became Iran’s wild card - "The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is a narrow passage of water separating the Arabian Peninsula from Africa. From the north, it connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. From the south, it provides access through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean."
• US confirms for first time it has deployed space weapons - "The US has confirmed it deployed a space weapon in Earth's orbit, the first time it has acknowledged such offensive capabilities."
• Legendary costume designer Bob Mackie dies aged 87 - "Bob Mackie, who designed dazzling costumes for stars including Cher, Tina Turner, Dolly Parton and Elton John has died, aged 87."
• From Marilyn Monroe to Sabrina Carpenter - Bob Mackie's designs in pictures - "Iconic fashion designer Bob Mackie, who has died aged 87, spent his career styling the biggest stars in his signature bedazzled, feathered and beaded couture."
• The New Moscow: A Digital Utopia Doubling as a Surveillance Trap - "Cutting-edge technologies have reshaped the Russian capital, making it safer, more convenient - and more closely watched."
• Why Scandals Don’t Bring Down Politicians Anymore - "It’s about more than just shamelessness. Typically, the expectation is that news of scandalous wrongdoing will create outrage among voters. That, in turn, incentivizes political elites."
• This country is paying its people to read. Can it stop brain rot? - "Singapore this month launched a novel five-year national campaign to nurture reading habits, with incentives including small payments to citizens who log their reading minutes on a government website."
• Galapagos island sees return of ‘alien tortoises’ absent since the 19th century - "The story of the giant tortoises of the Galapagos is a story of pirates. Starting in the 16th century, these sailors began arriving at the islands, followed later by whalers, together sealing the destiny of the hundreds of thousands of specimens that inhabited the archipelago. They could survive for up to a year without food or water, they were captured by sailors, knowing they would endure in the holds of their ships."
• Harry & Meghan change children's school over security concerns due to traffic - "It is understood that the couple's private security team had cited concerns about difficulties in making the school run route secure."
• Apocalypse now? Where to hide when the end of the world comes - "A new study asks where you would have the best chance of riding out a global catastrophe. Australia - and particularly the island of Tasmania - is considered the best place to survive a global catastrophe, according to a recent scientific study."
• How Healthy Are Sardines? - "The little fish are swimming in nutrients: They help build and maintain healthy bones. - They're heart healthy. - They have good amounts of iron and protein. - What’s the best way to eat them?"
• Why Is Everything So Oversize? - "A reader wants help navigating the bigger-is-better clothing trend."
• £21,000 bottle of cognac that comes with its own fridge - "The latest special release from Louis XIII, the Black Pearl, is inspired by the brand’s historic cellar, Le Grollet, in Cognac. The idea of the Black Pearl release is to capture the tastes and aromas of the cellar, a place that only the house’s cellar masters know well. That cellar, all dark wood and mystery, is kept at around 13C - which is where the fridge comes in, keeping the crystal decanter at just that temperature."

September 14, 2026

• Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone - "Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones."
• iOS 27: Here are Apple’s full release notes - "Today Apple will launch iOS 27. Here are the full release notes for the major new iPhone update."
• They created Siri before Apple bought it. They’re still waiting for their original vision to come true - "Dag Kittlaus and Adam Cheyer, known for creating an assistant that’s now found in billions of Apple devices, have been thinking about what comes after the search engine for a long time."
• Emmy Awards: How to watch, who is nominated & why Heated Rivalry is missing - "Beef, Hacks, Pluribus and The Pitt are a few of the TV shows nominated at this year's Emmy Awards, which take place on Monday in Los Angeles. Widow's Bay, DTF St Louis, Slow Horses, The Bear and Abbott Elementary are also competing for prizes at the ceremony, which is seen as the US television industry's most prestigious event."
• Trump won’t put the brakes on AI because he wants to beat China. How big a threat is Beijing? - "Last weekend, as the world worried about the possibility of unconstrained artificial intelligence wiping out humanity, the leaders of the United States and China articulated their visions for the era-defining technology."
• Tech stocks fall after calls for AI development to slow down - "Industry bosses warn safeguards are needed to protect humanity - our AI experts answer your questions on the technology and its future."
• Questions mount over what an AI 'slowdown' would look like - "While pacing AI development might sound like a quick fix, it is far from an easy solution."
• Russia hits Ukrainian train shortly after Boris Johnson & top European officials leave station - "A Russian drone has hit a train near the Ukraine-Poland border shortly after former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and top European security officials had passed through."
• After a $2.4 billion money laundering bust, Singapore now has hundreds of luxury handbags to shift - "One of history’s largest ever money laundering busts left officials in Singapore with a multibillion-dollar question: What to do with the cars, properties and thousands of luxury goods seized in the investigation?"
• Critics celebrate CÉline Dion's 'high-stakes' comeback show in Paris - "The iconic Canadian singer kicked off her long-awaited comeback show in Paris on Saturday, after a six-year hiatus due to health issues."
• Here's how to catch up on sleep, the right way - "Just two hours of extra sleep can help reverse the damage from a bad night. But early nights and lie-ins should be wielded with caution."
• The best Brazilian beaches you’ve probably never heard of - "The roughly 370 miles of São Paulo state’s pristine, mountainous coastline is nestled beneath the canopy of the Atlantic Forest, or Mata Atlântica in Portuguese - the second most biodiverse region in the Americas, after the Amazon."
• 'Aloha is more than a word we say': Six tinings locals wish visitors knew about Hawaii - "From the true significance of a lū'au to what 'aloha' actually asks of you, a native Hawaiian tells you what locals wish every visitor understood before arriving."
• Charted: How Europe Generates Its Electricity - "Iceland is the only European country that does not use fossil fuels to produce electricity. A record 67% of France’s electricity comes from nuclear power, the highest share worldwide. Cyprus, Malta, and Poland all generate more than 65% of their electricity from fossil fuels."

September 13, 2026

• ‘Do you earnestly believe that AI could kill all humans?’: Anthropic CEO responds - "Anderson Cooper asks Anthropic CEO: ‘Do you earnestly believe that AI could kill all humans?’"
• Anthropic CEO says race to develop AI is in need of a slowdown - "Anthropic CEO calls for ‘pacing the frontier’ of AI race amid safety concerns. The race to develop artificial intelligence is in dire need of a slowdown, Anthropic’s chief executive said in an essay posted early Saturday."
• AI’s confusing terms, explained - "People in the AI industry often use terms like 'AGI,' 'superintelligence,' 'alignment,' and 'recursive self-improvement.' Those words may sound like they were taken from a science fiction novel, but they are very real concepts. Here’s what they mean."
• ‘Woman Unknown’ Wins Golden Lion in Venice: Full Winners List - "All eyes were on the Lido as John Malkovich ('Wild Horse Nine') and Mathilde Arcel ('Woman Unknown') won best actor and best actress, and Venice sensation 'NAZA' claimed the Special Jury Prize."
• Five minutes to steal a Renoir: Why museum thefts are becoming bolder across Europe - "Art crime investigators and security experts say burglaries from galleries across Europe are becoming more brazen."
• They lost their jobs after posting about Charlie Kirk, but some have no regrets - "Some people fired in the wake of Kirk's assassination have won big settlements from employers, others have had to start over from scratch."
• Ukraine is fighting Russia anywhere it can - even in the deserts of Africa - "An elite group of Ukrainian drone operators has spent years hunting Russians from dugouts in Ukraine. They are now doing so in remote deserts."
• A380 superjumbo: The world’s largest passenger plane is moving closer to extinction - "Qantas is retiring its A380s. Is it time to say goodbye to the superjumbo?"
• The US Open did what Grand Slams should: Showed us who’s best - "In truth, what sports are actually about - all of them, always, when stripped down to the essence - is figuring out who is better than whom. And, ultimately, who is the best."
• CÉline Dion performs first live show in more than six years - "The singer’s triumphant return to the stage comes after health problems forced her to take a lengthy break."
• At This French Marathon, Runners Make Pit Stops for Wine & Oysters - "The Marathon du Médoc in Bordeaux is technically a race, but it’s meant to be savored."
• She sold 750 million books - but you'll struggle to find one today - "Barbara Cartland was outsold only by Shakespeare and Agatha Christie. So why has the UK's master of romantic fiction disappeared from memory? The extraordinary story of Barbara Cartland, the forgotten millions-selling romance author."

September 12, 2026

• 'Never, ever forget' - America marks 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks - "Twenty-five years after 9/11, US presidents past and present have commemorated the lives lost when hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field."
• The Twin Towers came down in a cloud of toxic dust. Its health impact has lasted decades - "Nearly 25 years later, the release of over 170,000 pages of documents from New York City has left the public reckoning with what exactly was contained in that dust, how much officials knew at the time and the lasting health consequences now faced by thousands of people."
• Brief interaction between NYC Mayor Mamdani & AOC captured on video at 9/11 ceremony stirs up debate - "Their exchange has prompted debate around the moment, with some Republicans criticizing the two New York Democrats for what they called inappropriate laughter and others saying that characterization is false."
• Declassified CIA documents show clear warnings to presidents before 9/11 - "CIA Director John Ratcliffe called the documents, drawn from daily intelligence briefings to Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, 'the single largest release of CIA analysis related to 9/11 ever.'"
• Saudi Arabia shuts key oil pipeline after drone attack launched from Iraq - "Iraq removes a military commander and opens investigations into the attack that came from an area bordering Iran."
• This small island off Yemen is now a strategic prize in the widening Iran war - "Perim Island sits in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a pinch-point that's taken on outsized importance since the war with Iran effectively shuttered."
• One of the most popular mind-altering stimulants has prehistoric roots - "Earliest known drug use may have trapped prehistoric foragers in a ‘vicious cycle’. The betel nut, a fruit seed from the areca palm, is considered the fourth most widely used psychoactive substance in the world after caffeine, alcohol and nicotine."
• Anthropic Says It Blocked Possible Efforts to Build Biological Weapons - "In a new report, the A.I. start-up added that it could not determine whether the research was legitimate or nefarious, leading the company to shut down the work."
• Why iPhone users need to install iOS 26.6.2 immediately! - "The unplanned update exterminates a bug that could stop you from installing iOS 27."
• Two iOS 27 Features Won't Be Ready for Monday's Launch -"Suggestions in Messages conversations and the option to automatically fix compromised passwords with a tap will not be in the initial version of iOS 27, and will instead launch in a later version of iOS 27."
• Dating apps are ditching ‘the swipe’ for meet-ups IRL - "About 15 years ago, Tinder revolutionized the way we seek romance in the digital age. But as 78% of app users report burnout across the board and in-person dating events surge, the role of tech in our love lives is changing once again."
• Nashville Airport Moves to Rename Itself After Dolly Parton in Unanimous Vote - "The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority board voted 6-0 to begin renaming Nashville International in honor of the late country icon."
• The loneliness economy is worth $1 trillion in China. The rest of the world is catching up - "Instead of buying diapers or bulk groceries, individuals are splurging on pets, collectible toys and new experiences. Businesses have noticed, and are cashing in by helping them build a world for one."
• Pamela Anderson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ben Affleck & more stars at the 2026 Venice Film Festival - "The Venice Film Festival, which typically sees Hollywood A-listers travel by boat to the little island of Lido every September, will draw to a close tomorrow. So far, much of the fashion at the 10-day event has been muted, elegant and pared-back."
• How much will it cost to rebuild Nepal? More than you think - "Rich nations are handing Nepal a climate crisis bill it can’t afford. Nepal’s leaders have made it clear they’re assigning some of the blame for the disaster - and the responsibility to pay for it - on larger countries that generate far more than Nepal’s 0.1% share of global emissions."
• Record heatwaves in France set to make champagne stronger - "Winemakers can temporarily produce champagne with an alcohol content of up to 15% - above the 13% cap, industry officials have said. The extreme heat and drought produced grapes with exceptionally higher sugar levels. Yeast converts sugar into alcohol during fermentation."
• The Meta glasses revolution - is it okay to film people in public? - "The technology allows users to make calls, interact with AI hands-free and also take photos and videos simply by touching the frames, provoking concerns about privacy."

September 11, 2026

• The 9/11 photos we will never forget - "These are some of the photos that have come to define that tragic day in 2001, when nearly 3,000 people were killed in terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia."
• How 9/11 changed the world - "The attacks came out of a blue sky, but the long shadows they cast have reshaped global politics and continue to darken the lives of millions."
• Watch Live: 9/11 victims remembered 25 years on from September 11 attacks - "Memorial services will be held today to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the United States."
• Americans on how 9/11 changed their lives: ‘It completely unraveled the US’ - "Twenty-five years later, the Guardian asks US readers how the attacks affected their lives, and their country."
• 9/11 footage is reaching new audiences & fueling old conspiracy theories - "Even 25 years later, the planes keep crashing, and the towers keep falling. All across the web, people who are old enough to remember September 11, 2001, are rewatching the attacks and rereading about the aftermath, often via devices and platforms that didn’t exist 25 years ago."
• The 9/11 firefighter whose death went uncounted - "Keith Roma died saving lives on 9/11, but his name can't be found among the infamous 343 count of firefighters lost that day."
• Spies, strategies & missed opportunities: How the lessons of 9/11 are still being learnt - "The first duty of a government, countless leaders over the decades have said, is to safeguard its population. On 11 September 2001 the US manifestly failed to do that. The intelligence was there, yet tragically, nobody joined up the dots in time."
• 25 Years After 9/11, Al Qaeda Still Has a Home in Afghanistan - "The Taliban claim that Afghanistan is no longer a sanctuary for terrorist groups, but Al Qaeda and others are still present, reviving old fears."
• Can the 9/11 Museum Tell Its Story for Another 25 Years? - "As the anniversary of the terrorist attacks approaches, the museum is gradually adding new displays and confronting its financial future."
• Princess Diana's 'revenge dress' goes up for auction - "A dress worn by Princess Diana to a party in London hours after a documentary was televised in which the then-Prince Charles admitted to committing adultery during their marriage is going up for auction. Auction house Sotheby's expects the dress to sell for up to $300,000 when it goes under the hammer on 9 December."
• Can Trump really pay $5,000 to every American adult? - "US President Donald Trump has offered every adult American $5,000 if Republicans win November's midterm elections, but it is unclear how such a plan would be funded and whether it is legal."
• Five things you need to know about the new four-hour Elon Musk documentary - "The Venice Film Festival has hosted the premiere of major documentary-maker Alex Gibney's epic and provocative new profile of the richest man on Earth, which has been years in the making. Here are five key takeaways from the film."
• The week in 35 photos - "Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye."
• Everyone hates data centers. Lawyers love them - "Data centers are facing a backlash. Lawyers are cashing in."
• Europe’s high-altitude year-round ski season has turned to slush - "A handful of high-altitude resorts such as Zermatt and Saas-Fee in Switzerland, Tignes and Les 2 Alpes in France and Passo Stelvio on the Swiss-Italian border still champion skiing on their high-altitude slopes for at least part of each summer."
• Tunisia is one of the world’s largest olive oil producers - but you’ll rarely see it mentioned on a label - "Tunisia has been making olive oil for nearly three millennia. This year, it’s projected to be the world’s second-largest producer. Yet you’d struggle to find anything labelled Tunisian oil in supermarkets outside the country."

September 10, 2026

• Trump says every adult American would get $5,000 if Republicans win midterms - "Speaking at a party convention, the US president gave no details on how the plan would work or where the money would come from."
• In pictures: The first-ever Republican midterm convention - "The event comes after Trump pressed for a convention-style gathering in 2026, prompting Republican leaders to amend rules that traditionally called for conventions only during presidential election years."
• everything apple announced at the september 2026 event - "In addition to the new the foldable iPhone Duo and the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple also introduced the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, as well as AirPods 5 earphones."
• Apple's Siri Recap will remember your conversations for you - "Is the new Apple Intelligence feature an innovative audio tool or privacy nightmare?"
• Thousands have suffered and died from 9/11 health effects. A new moment of silence will honor them - "Until this year, the annual September 11 commemoration ceremony at Ground Zero has included six moments of silence - one for each of the key fatal moments of that day. A new seventh moment of silence is intended to honor those among that growing count, and their families, whose anguish over their health battles can be traced to that day."
• Pilots applied full power seconds before Amazon cargo plane overran Miami runway, killing 5 in cleaning van - "Thirty seconds before the end of the recording, two of the plane's landing gear touched down and the pilots applied the brakes on the wheels."
• Anthropic researcher believes more than 10% chance AI 'could kill all humans' - "It is the latest in a series of increasing warnings about the safety threat posed by artificial intelligence."
• Why some experts increasingly fear AI will take over - "AI agents went on an uncontrolled hacking spree, leaving some in the industry worried."
• Here’s your Emmys ballot - "Whether you’re a vibes voter or a deep researcher, we’ve got the ballot for you."
• A hungry chambermaid bit into an apple & helped solve a high-wire diamond heist - "A century ago, an illicit snack uncovered a missing 9.01-carat diamond. Now, the rare gem is going on display again."
• The wildest sport you’ve never heard of has some unlikely stars: American cowboys - "A group of nine ranchers and rodeo men, most from Utah, have made the 6,600-mile journey to Kyrgyzstan’s largest resort town, Cholpon-ata. UNESCO has recognized the sport on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity."
• What it's like to sleep at 4,554m in Europe's highest mountain refuge - "Rifugio Capanna Regina Margherita: An icy 4,554m hike to Europe's highest overnight stay. You can sleep over at this historic mountain refuge straddling the Italy-Switzerland border - but only if you're willing to undertake a days-long, high-altitude icy mountain trek."
• Lake Ontario/Lake America: What happens when a place has two different names? - "Open the same map in the US and Canada and you may see two different names for the same lake. So, who decides what a place is really called?"
• He Gave Millions to Jeffrey Epstein. What Did He Get in Return? - "In 'Money to Burn,' William D. Cohan charts the rise and fall of the Wall Street billionaire Leon Black."
• Death of Richard Branson’s wife could have been prevented, coroner finds - "The Virgin founder’s wife was admitted to hospital but did not receive anti-clotting medication soon enough, an inquest was told."
• Spend All Your Disposable Income on Events That Make You Feel Alive - "This summer, I discovered how experiencing joy as a group makes life so much better."
• The Truth About Brain Rot: It’s a Cry for Help - "Maybe consuming meaningless content is the only way to be free online."
• George Clooney on the future of Hollywood: ‘We have a problem’ - "It’s so common now, you’ve probably watched an AI film without knowing it - but what does it mean for the future of movies? The star led the debate at the Venice Film Festival."

September 9, 2026

• How to Watch the Apple September 9 Event Surprise and shine - "Apple’s annual hardware launch event may feel different as the company welcomes a new CEO alongside a folding iPhone: Watch a special Apple Event today at 10 a.m. PT. Tune in at apple.com or on the Apple TV app."
• Live: Prince William joins royals & diplomats in Oslo to pay final tribute to late King Harald V - "The king, a popular modernising figure who had been on the Norwegian throne for 35 years, died last month at the age of 89."
• The iPhone Ultra is about to launch, it might be almost impossible to buy - "The wait for a foldable iPhone might not be over yet after all."
• Global oil prices hit $100 per barrel as Middle East conflict roils markets - "Brent hit $100 per barrel after a day of conflict and war developments that included the US striking Iranian oil tankers and earlier saw the Iran-backed Houthis attack Saudi Arabia."
• Looking back at 9/11: How the attacks shaped the last 25 years - "The deadly attacks on U.S. soil changed the country in many ways, and the impacts are still reverberating through our society."
• NYC Mayor Mamdani releases 9/11 records showing officials misled New Yorkers about air quality around Ground Zero - "'Now, close to 25 years later, more people have died from 9/11-related illnesses than were killed on the day itself.' New York City has released more than 170,000 pages of previously undisclosed records about air quality following the September 11, 2001, attacks, showing city officials at the time knew conditions around Ground Zero were unsafe to breathe despite repeated assurances to the public. "
• LG smart TVs can listen to you even when they’re off, report says - "Consumer advocacy organizations recommend turning off ACR and any other unnecessary data collection features on smart TVs."
• Hit TV show ‘South Park’ becomes ‘South America’ in apparent reference to Trump’s geographic name changes - "Show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone said in an apparently sarcastic post that they were 'inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google.'"
• The 25 Photos That Changed Fashion Forever - "Two photographers, a fashion designer, a stylist, a creative director, an editor and a supermodel debate the images that have had an indelible impact on how we dress."
• Saudi Arabia’s Pursuit of Michelin Stardom - "The kingdom, seeking to rebrand as a culinary juggernaut, has bankrolled new restaurants and conscripted big-name chefs. Will it succeed?"
• The ‘Real Housewives’ Theory of Trump’s GOP - "As RHONY returns, Bravo's rules of loyalty, receipts, feuds and comebacks offer a revealing guide to Trump's GOP."
• A Hacking Tool Built With A.I. Can Breach Phones Without a Click - "An attack discovered by A.I. researchers could have compromised hundreds of millions of devices within hours, experts said."
• The Cotton House on Mustique is better than paradise - "The super-rich’s favourite island just got a new spa - a place of palm fronds and sea vistas where all your worries will be rubbed away."

September 8, 2026

• Three ways the Iran war changed the global economy - "The effects of the Iran war are obvious to most Americans: Gas prices have been hovering above $4 for weeks, mortgage rates are rising toward 7% and companies are adding shipping surcharges to make up for record diesel costs. But other economic changes won’t be so easily reversed. The war has altered the global economy in lasting ways that have reshaped the way the world does business."
• Harry & Meghan ‘surprised’ by King’s letter reiterating they’re not working royals - "In a letter sent on behalf of the King on Monday, the UK’s Lord Chamberlain - the most senior officer of the British royal household - said it is 'well known that in January 2020 the Duke and Duchess stepped down from undertaking representative duties on behalf of The Sovereign, and are no longer working Members of The Royal Family.'"
• Prince George arrives for first day at Eton College - "The 13-year-old is following in the footsteps of his father Prince William and his uncle, Prince Harry - both of whom attended the prestigious school outside of London."
• North Korea & Russia open first road bridge linking both countries - "Relations between the neighbours have strengthened since the start of the Ukraine war."
• French winemakers forecast 30-year low harvest after severe drought & heat - "Estimates suggest drop in production with vineyards also concerned ‘smoke taint’ from wildfires may affect quality."
• Why getting your hands dirty is good for you - "Putting our hands in soil and touching grass, trees or moss provides a wide range of health benefits, for our skin and wider immune system."
• How ‘Ted Lasso’ turned a charming London suburb into a tourist hotspot - "Fans from around the world are flocking to leafy Richmond-upon-Thames, to experience the real-life locations behind the uplifting soccer-related sitcom 'Ted Lasso.'"
• Elizabeth Holmes Documentary Upends Telluride Film Festival - "The comic Nathan Fielder and the filmmaker Lance Oppenheim teamed up to interview the convicted executive for 'You Can See Everything.'"
• Why Trump’s dream of an arch is his most revealing legacy play - "The Roman Emperor Titus has one. Napoleon Bonaparte ordered up the world’s most famous example. And the Duke of Wellington’s iconic version is the gateway to London’s Hyde Park. Now, Donald Trump wants his own ceremonial arch."
• Thieves who stole four Renoir paintings abandoned two in garden as they fled, says mayor - "Two thieves broke into the museum on Tuesday morning - authorities initially said only one painting had been abandoned."
• A Mexican forest haven to a Florida dream home: 10 stunning buildings 'blended' with nature - "Here are some of the world's best new buildings that are immersed in their wild surroundings."
• Trump posts US Space Force uniforms based on movie’s Nazi-inspired outfits - "‘Next generation’ gear inspired by Starship Troopers, whose director explicitly aimed to mimic Nazi propaganda."

September 7, 2026

• Germany’s far-right AfD victorious in key state election but short of majority - "It’s the closest a far-right party has come to holding power in a German state since World War II."
• Kyiv air raid alerts at record high as Russia launches round-the-clock strikes - "Kyiv is suffering more daily air raid alerts than at any time since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, according to BBC Verify analysis of government figures."
• US military strikes three Iranian tankers in retaliation for missile attacks - "The United States military said Saturday its forces struck three Iranian crude oil carriers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles toward two US Navy warships."
• Kimi Antonelli 'walks over water' for win that will go down in F1 folklore - "Kimi Antonelli's stunning victory in the Italian Grand Prix from 19th on the grid will go down in Formula 1 folklore - and, remarkably, his team boss Toto Wolff said that he had seen it coming on Saturday."
• The world is about to meet Apple’s new CEO. Here are his biggest challenges - "When Apple holds its annual iPhone event on September 9, it’ll be the first time in more than a decade that Tim Cook won’t introduce the company’s latest products. Instead, John Ternus will debut as Apple’s new chief executive during the company’s most important event of the year."
• ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude & Perplexity rank the 10 jobs most likely to be replaced by AI - here's what they all agreed on - "One job stood out in particular."
• FIFA confirms Gianni Infantino to stand for re-election as president - "A FIFA spokesperson tells Sky News: 'The FIFA President announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027. Of course, nothing has changed. Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election.'"
• Phoebe Bridgers, the Gallagher brothers & more stars arrive at the 2026 Venice Film Festival - "The event has come to be seen as an early finger in the wind ahead of the Oscars. This year, the movies in the running for the Golden Lion prize are deep, dark and, politically charged."
• OpenAI chief scientist warns no one is prepared for consequences of AI - "The post comes only a few days after the ChatGPT-maker released its latest model GPT-6 Astra, which it called its most powerful product ever."
• Andrew Scott feels the Pressure as 'unsung hero' in WW2 thriller - "Andrew Scott says he loved the challenge of his latest acting role in the film Pressure, as the meteorologist key to the success of World War Two's D-Day - the largest seaborne invasion in history."
• Get to Know Your Phone’s Built-In Emergency Kit - "In times of natural disasters and other dangers, special features tucked away on your iPhone or Android device could help make a difference."
• Nepal bet nearly everything on hydropower - the floods show why that's a problem - "Almost 100% of Nepal's electricity comes from hydropower, and it produces so much it earns nearly $200m each year exporting hydroelectricity to India and Bangladesh."
• 'Eliminate him without trace': The poison-tipped umbrella that pointed to a KGB murder - on British soil - "In 1978, Georgi Markov was killed with a poison-tipped umbrella. The following year, his widow and elder brother told the BBC how they were warned about the murder plot months before."
• 6 Greatest Jewelry Auctions of All Time - "From royal romances and Hollywood legends to record-shattering diamonds and legendary design, these six landmark sales reshaped the jewelry market and defined what greatness looks like at auction: 1. The Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor (1987) - 2. Elizabeth Taylor: The Collection (2011) - 3. The Collection of Rachel “Bunny” Mellon (2014) - 4. The CTF Pink Star Diamond (2017) - 5. Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence (2019) - 6. The World of Heidi Horten (2023)."

September 6, 2026

• Witkoff & Kushner arrive in Kyiv for second leg of US diplomacy push - "It is the first trip by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's top negotiators, to Kyiv."
• Lindsay Clancy murder trial has divided US on whether she's victim or criminal - "For nearly seven weeks, the trial transfixed and divided the nation on whether Clancy was a victim or a criminal who deserved to be behind bars."
• George Lucas has built himself a $1 billion dollar museum - "Three cities, 16 years and $1 billion later, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opens."
• Survivors say Epstein gave celebrity stylist FrÉdÉric Fekkai’s salon ‘instructions’ to make them look younger - "'Fekkai groomed the victims to look as young as possible under Epstein’s direction,' the lawsuit claims. 'Epstein would direct Fekkai to bleach victims blond and groom them like dolls into Epstein’s and others’ liking.'"
• Nicolas Cage Plays A Real-Life James Bond In Trailer For New Spy Thriller Fortitude - "In the upcoming film, Cage plays Dusko Popov, a real-life spy who served as one of the major inspirations for Ian Fleming's James Bond novels."
• How London’s oldest restaurant has survived for 228 years - "Oysters, pies and pudding exemplify the traditional British fare on offer at Rules. During its 228 years of existence, the London restaurant Rules - established by Thomas Rule in 1798 - has welcomed everyone from literary giant Charles Dickens to pop queen Madonna."
• The Latest Wealth Flex: Big Trees - "More than ever, rich property owners are spending huge sums on full-grown oaks, palms and baobabs. They don’t have the time or patience to watch them grow."
• After 18,000 animal portraits, a photographer captures his weirdest species yet - "18,000 portraits in 20 years: The man racing to photograph life on Earth."
• Why Swedes hate standing out - "Swedes prize equality, dislike boasting and are famously reluctant to stand out - yet they're also fiercely individualistic and know how to celebrate. The century-old idea of Jantelagen helps explain these contradictions, and offers visitors a fascinating key to decoding Swedish culture."
• Is Vine back? Short-form video-sharing app Divine opens to public - "The app lets users create six-second looping videos and hosts more than two million classic videos."

September 5, 2026

• UN votes to adopt new map that makes our world look very different - "The Mercator map, which has been in common use since 1569, has come in for criticism as it shows Africa as being of similar in size to Greenland, even though it is actually 14 times larger. The United Nations General Assembly voted on Friday to adopt a new world map that reflects countries’ true relative sizes."
• Why Iran won’t back down in conflict with the US - "The US wants to manage the stalemate in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran wants to break it."
• US envoys arrive in Moscow ahead of Ukraine talks - "Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Moscow with plan to end war ahead of visit to Kyiv."
• Trump’s ‘Catch-Me-If-You-Can’ presidency keeps finding ways around the law - "A plain reading of the law about presidents on coins says the face of a living president should not be on currency. And yet President Donald Trump’s is, after his Treasury Department exploited a different law related to commemorative coins. The law says a president must not commit the US military into hostilities for longer than 60 days without congressional approval. The US has been in a conflict with Iran for more than six months."
• Apple Event: Six New Products to Expect on September 9 - "iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Ultra, A20 Pro chip, a smaller Dynamic Island, a simplified Camera Control button, a Dark Cherry color option, and more."
• IFA 2026 'Best in Show' awards: our 25 favorite reveals at the Berlin tech expo - "From somersaulting robots to modular solar batteries for renters. Projectors, exoskeletons, an e-reader and phone combo, and much more."
• Romanian prosecutors indict Andrew Tate for trafficking minors, money laundering - "Romanian prosecutors officially indicted social media influencer Andrew Tate on Friday for trafficking minors, money laundering, sex with a minor and witness tampering and his brother Tristan for complicity, years after they began investigating them."
• Kendall Jenner, John Malkovich & Parker Posey arrive at the 2026 Venice Film Festival - "The event has come to be seen as an early finger in the wind ahead of the Oscars."
• The week in 33 photos - "Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye."
• Why are European countries moving their gold out of North America? - "The Netherlands has relocated 86 tonnes of the shiny stuff - what's going on?"
• Flock says its cameras make US safer - so why are they being sabotaged? - "Founded in 2017, Flock Safety has become one of the country's biggest makers of Automatic Licence Plate Readers (ALPRs). These AI-powered cameras take a picture of the rear of every car that drives past. Footage is retained for a specified amount of time."
• Why you never really get over high school - "Popularity, one of the defining fixations of adolescence, seems to be seared into our consciousness for decades after we leave school."
• 'Everything about her was East Tennessee': The places that shaped Dolly Parton - "From her Appalachian childhood to Nashville and Dollywood, a journey through the Tennessee she loved - and transformed in return."
• Why is a can of fish being sold at a Gen Z concert? Behind the popularity boom of tinned fish - "The appeal of tinned fish does not only stem from its social media hype; the shelf-friendly protein has also gained popularity for being chock-full of nutrients."
• Darn it: Bayeux Tapestry threads found torn on arrival in Britain - "Two broken threads were discovered in the Bayeux Tapestry upon its arrival in London this summer, though officials and conservators have stressed that the 11th-century masterpiece suffered no significant damage. The revelation that the 11th-century relic was slightly damaged won’t stretch Anglo-French relations, despite some opposition to the removal. Britain's diplomatic relationship with France is not set to unravel over two broken threads in the Bayeux Tapestry, it has been confirmed."
• How America lost its way after 9/11 - "In the 25 years since the terror attacks, the US has squandered its global dominance. Today’s populist politics flow directly from the war on terror’s failings."

September 4, 2026

• Trump Suggests Renaming Strait of Hormuz After Himself - "Donald Trump suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz to the Trump Strait following his claim of U.S. control over the waterway."
• The best red carpet looks from the 2026 Venice Film Festival - "The Venice Film Festival, which typically sees Hollywood A-listers travel by boat to the little island of Lido every September, has arrived. This year, the 10-day red carpet event will host the likes of George and Amal Clooney, Penélope Cruz, Robert Pattinson and Patrick Schwarzenegger and more in their formal finest. Some films will be watched too."
• Steve Irwin's family celebrates 'superhero' dad, 20 years after shock death - "The Australian icon was killed in 2006, after a stingray's barb pierced his chest during filming."
• Official White House website launches arcade games where users arrest immigrants & build a border wall - "The Trump administration launched a series of arcade-style games on the official White House website Thursday to tout its priorities. The White House’s online arcade includes games where players capture people at the southern border and build a border wall."
• Can AI Analysis Fix Your Face? - "It will make recommendations for plastic surgery, injections, and skin routines. But will it make you more beautiful? The intelligence does dovetail with the current trend for facial balancing, or harmonizing, rather than fixating on a single wrinkle or spot."
• Your interactive guide to the Bayeux Tapestry - "Explore the 11th-century masterpiece and its dramatic story of the conquest of England by Duke William of Normandy with our unique dynamic guide. The Times writers Richard Morrison, Laura Freeman and the expert Dr Millie Horton-Insch unlock the tapestry’s secrets."
• Reflecting Pool saga continues with another contractor hired to clean the algae - "In a months-long summer saga that does not appear to want to end, the Trump administration has hired yet another new company to help clean and maintain the Lincoln Reflecting Pool."
• What the bond rout means for your finances (Hint: It’s a mixed bag) - "Higher bond yields make it more expensive for governments, companies and in some cases consumers to borrow. And they’ve been rising amid growing concerns over inflation and other economic and geopolitical issues. So, yeah. It’s not great. But also ... not necessarily terrible for your money in all instances."
• How Gloria Steinem changed the lives of generations of women - "The trailblazing feminist spoke out for the legalisation of abortion, same-sex marriage and equal pay for women - but her activism was not without backlash."
• Victoria Beckham's company makes its first profit after 18 years - "Victoria Beckham's fashion and beauty business has made an operating profit for the first time since she founded it in 2008, the company has said. Victoria Beckham Holdings Ltd, which is led by the former Spice Girl as creative director, made an operating profit of £7.3m in 2025, accounts show, after years of losses."
• The race to decode animal language with AI - "Tech Now's Nick Kwek meets a US entrepreneur using AI to decode animal language. The project explores what scientists already understand about animal communication, how new technology could translate it, and the ethical questions raised as humans move closer to interpreting other species."
• Could robots be the future of theme parks? - "This is Galaxy Robot Park, a 16,500-square-meter venue that’s opened near Seoul in South Korea. The company behind the park says their aim is to bring artificial intelligence and robotics into the world of entertainment. The question is, can robots keep people coming back?"
• How to watch the cameras that watch you - "I went looking for surveillance cameras in my neighbourhood: I found so many more than I thought. In the trade-off between privacy and security, it helps to know the extent of your local surveillance infrastructure. There are now easy ways to find out."
• ‘Why not try to be the best in the world, just for the fun of it?’ Art Garfunkel on a rich, restless life & reconciling with Paul Simon - "He taught maths and walked across Europe, trying to leave his demons behind. As he goes back on tour aged 83, the folk-pop legend explains how he came back to singing."
• Dolly Parton gets new star on Hollywood Walk of Fame after vandalism - "Dolly Parton's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been replaced after the original one was vandalised following the late country legend's death last week. Fans had laid flowers and left candles around her star in the heart of Hollywood, Los Angeles, which was awarded in 1984."
• 'The tactics of a master mischief-maker': The hidden history of a controversial $6m banana - "By sticking a banana to a wall with silver duct tape and calling it art, Maurizio Cattelan created one of the greatest cultural controversies of recent times. But the story behind Comedian reveals centuries of notoriety and shock tactics in art."
• Elliott Gould: ‘I still love Barbra Streisand’ - "The MASH and Friends actor on his three marriages, Jewishness under attack and why he’s disappointed with the United Nations."
• Ranked: The 25 Best Countries to Retire in 2025 - "Norway ranks #1 globally in 2025, followed by Ireland and Switzerland. Europe dominates the list, claiming 8 of the top 10 spots. The U.S. falls to 21st, while Canada drops to 20th amid rising fiscal and housing pressures."
• Visualized: Approval Rating of Global Leaders in 2026 - "India’s Narendra Modi has the highest global approval rating of 70%, indicating that bold policies and nationalism can elevate leaders above 60%, leaving others below 40% during tough economic times. Western G7 countries such as the U.S., the UK, and France rank low. Disapproval reached a new high of 77% due to inflation and housing problems, eroding public trust."
• Where are Real Wages Rising the Fastest? - "Real wage growth in the OECD ranges from +77% in Latvia to -21% in Greece since 2010. Eastern European countries dominate the fastest growth rates, many posting gains above 30%. Several advanced economies - including Italy, Ireland, and the Netherlands - saw real wages decline despite high income levels."

September 3, 2026

• UN warns of 'supersized' El NiÑo as countries prepare for impact - "The WMO has warned that the natural weather phenomenon could bring disruption to global economies."
• Rusty state of USS Abraham Lincoln after marathon deployment shocks observers - "As the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln pulled into port in Thailand on Wednesday, observers were shocked by its appearance. The almost 1,100-foot-long warship was covered in rust from bow to stern."
• Trump coins already out of stock at US Mint - "US Mint’s Trump $1 Commemorative Coin Comes With a Premium Price Tag. While the coin is legal tender with a denomination of $1, collectors purchasing it directly from the Mint will pay more. Rolls of 25 coins are priced at $61, or about $2.44 per coin, while bags of 100 cost $154.50, or roughly $1.55 each."
• Gloria Steinem, feminist icon & founder of Ms. Magazine, dies at 92 - "Gloria Steinem, the American journalist and political activist who became the face of second-wave feminism in the late 1960s and early 1970s, has died at age 92, according to her verified Instagram account."
• Trump: I’m happy Harry & Meghan have left - "Trump accused the couple of treating the royal family 'with great disrespect' and singled out Meghan as being 'terribly disrespectful' to the late Queen Elizabeth and to King Charles. Trump has long been critical of Meghan, calling her 'nasty' in 2019."
• Why bond market wildfire is keeping world leaders up at night - "It is not just the wildfire burning in the bond markets, with many countries facing interest rates at multi-decade highs. The markets lending money to governments appear to be changing more fundamentally too. Over summer, the message has been made clear: countries will have to pay more to borrow cash."
• Just one drink a day may increase the risk of dying from numerous cancers - "Alcohol may play a greater role in death from numerous types of cancers in the United States than previously known, according to a new study."
• Rome declares security ‘red zone’ around the Colosseum to protect tourists amid violent crime incidents - "In July, a group of about 50 young people left police officers injured in an attack that involved shooting fireworks. Authorities say the incident was part of a pattern of increased crime around the historic area."
• Netherlands moves billions in gold to London in 'crisis preparedness' move - "The Dutch central bank removes some of its gold reserves from the US and Canada, saying it is because of 'increasing geopolitical unrest'."
• Average IQ by Country 2026 (Map & Global Ranking) - "1,212,714 people who took the same IQ Test on this site in 2025 (mean IQ: 100; standard deviation: 15)."
• Ranked: Spotify’s Most Streamed Albums Ever - "Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti is Spotify’s most-streamed album ever with nearly 23 billion plays. Only two albums in Spotify history have surpassed 20 billion streams. The Weeknd leads all artists with three albums among Spotify’s top 20 most-streamed records."
• The World's Record Heatwaves - "A heat wave is sweeping across South Asia, with temperatures having reached 44ÄC in India’s Jaipur and 50ÄC in Pakistan’s Shaheed Benazirabad in April. Experts warn that these conditions are becoming the 'new normal' for the region. Where temperatures used to heat up from May and throughout June, such levels are now creeping earlier."
• How Much Value $100 Loses in the World’s Highest-Inflation Countries in 2026 - "Venezuela continues to face the world’s highest inflation rate. If you had $100 at the start of 2026, it’s projected to be worth only $31 by the end of the year. Iran has also faced high inflation for years, but the recent conflict has pushed prices even higher. As fears of further disruption spread, many households rushed to stock up on essentials, triggering panic buying across parts of the country."

September 2, 2026

• Inside the arduous search for Nepal flood victims - "Hope dwindles for Nepali families still looking for missing loved ones as search for flood victims continues."
• US sailors arrive in Thailand's Pattaya after record 250 days at sea - "After a record 250 days at sea without a port stop, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has docked in Thailand, giving its nearly 5,000 crew members a much-needed break."
• Zelensky says airlines should avoid Russian airspace as Ukraine escalates drone operations - "Chinese and Gulf state airlines are among those still using Russian airspace. Meanwhile, Russia says it will intensify its own attacks on Ukraine."
• Germany blames Russia for drone attack on Leipzig airport - "Germany has accused Russia of being responsible for the drone attack targeting Leipzig airport last month, and announced a slew of new measures against Moscow."
• Ariana Grande makes emotional tour exit & steps back from public life - "Ariana Grande made an emotional exit on Tuesday night, as she wrapped up her Eternal Sunshine tour, and prepared to step back from public life."
• Here's what to eat to protect your mouth's good bacteria - "Your oral microbiome is the key to a healthy mouth and body. Here's how to make sure it's well-nourished."
• Americans hate both ‘Lake America’ & Trump’s trade war with Canada - "His new trade war with Canada and his related move to change the name of Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America’ are the latest in a series of unpopular actions. In fact, new polling suggests they’re even more unpopular than Trump’s previous tariffs and efforts to rename things."
• Meet the travelers who vacation in the world’s most treacherous places - "A modern industry known as 'dark tourism.' A distinct breed of thrill-seeking travelers actively seek out war zones, radiation sites and volatile borderlands for their vacations. There are two entirely different forms of dark tourism. One entails visiting nations that are simply dangerous - North Korea, Afghanistan and Haiti. The other centers on places where notorious things have happened - like Jonestown in Guyana, the scene of a mass murder-suicide, or the execution sites of Cambodia’s Killing Fields."
• SpaceX investors may be overlooking a major risk: There’s no replacing Elon Musk - "The disclosure, known as a 'key person risk,' nods to a dilemma at the heart of Elon Musk’s empire, a rockets-and-robots-and-satellites-and-AI behemoth with aspirations to 'make life multi-planetary': Musk may be a once-in-a-generation talent, but he is not immortal."
• DÉjÀ vu? Brigitte Macron’s daughter also finds love with a younger man - "Tiphaine Auzière, 42, has gone public with Antoine Lecomte, 22, a watersports instructor, drawing comparisons to her mother’s marriage to the president."
• Fake 10 Downing Street listing exposes 'unfit' Booking.com, says consumer group - "Consumer group Which? says it was able to create a fake listing for 10 Downing Street on travel giant Booking.com. The UK watchdog said its researchers were able to book a bogus stay at the prime minister's address - as well as leave a fake review noting 'hanging out' with resident mouser Larry the cat as a highlight."
• Range Rover launches first fully electric model - "Range Rover Electric, to be built in Solihull, marks a major shift in its electrification programme, backed by large-scale upgrades across its West Midlands sites."
• 'A literary assassination': How Life of M sparked a Hollywood scandal - "Controversy is swirling around Rachel Cusk's new novel and its movie-star protagonist named 'M'. Why the fuss – and could the character be based on Natalie Portman?"
• A history of the pen, from Austen’s quill to Trump’s Sharpie - "What was Queen Elizabeth’s favourite brand? Is the Montblanc Meisterstück beautiful or tasteless? The answers can be found in Simon Garfield’s paean, The Pen: A Human History."
• The super-rich are going back to school - to learn about their art collections - "There’s not much point hanging wonderful works of art on your walls if you have no idea how to understand them. Fortunately there are a host of new high-end art courses designed to train our gaze."
• Sotheby's Institute of Art - since 1969. "In-Person Short Courses." Strengthen the essential skills and knowledge needed to thrive—both individually and within your organization. Our in-person courses are designed for art enthusiasts and professionals alike, offering the opportunity to deepen expertise, explore industry insights, and stay ahead of emerging trends in the creative economy through instruction with industry leaders and experiential site visits.
• Ranked: The World’s Largest Armies in 2026 - "Bangladesh ranks #1 globally with over 7 million personnel, driven almost entirely by reserves and paramilitary forces. China has the largest active-duty military, with roughly 2 million troops. Countries like South Korea and Taiwan rely heavily on reserves due to regional security pressures."
• The State of Press Freedom in G20 Nations - "For example, Germany leads with a score of 82, and South Korea moved up 14 places this year. As expected, the top half of the chart includes familiar countries. India scores 32. Türkiye has 28. Russia is at 23. Saudi Arabia gets 19. China has 14."
• The $126T Global Economy in One Giant Chart - "The global economy has reached $126 trillion in size. Four countries are responsible for half of this output. Just four countries generate half of global GDP. The U.S. alone makes up over a quarter of global output."

September 1, 2026

• UN says areas of Nepal still out of reach as death toll exceeds 1,000 - "UN says areas of Nepal still out of reach as rescuers try to save some 900 workers thought to be trapped in hydropower tunnels."
• The final minutes before floodwater crashed through Nepal-China border - "More than 100 Indians are missing at a vital Nepal-China trade crossing after devastating Himalayan floods."
• Barbara Walters Insulted Dolly Parton in 1978. Dolly’s Response Was Perfect - "Confronted on national TV about her image, the country star responded with grace, wit, and an unforgettable lesson in owning your worth."
• Loving Dolly Was Easy. Understanding Her Was Hard - "She didn't see herself as a saint; she identified as something we needed even more: a writer."
• How Should You Prepare For A Super El NiÑo? - "Forecasts are anticipating it might be the strongest in living memory—but the impact will likely vary depending on where you’re located. Here’s what to expect, and how you can prepare."
• Don’t Harry & Meghan Know Better? - "You have to bring something substantive to the table and when you don’t, the opportunities disappear."
• The John Galliano 2027 Met Gala has been canceled - "John Galliano, the controversial British designer, will no longer be the subject of an exhibit linked to the Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the museum said in a statement Monday."
• Exclusive: Vanderbilt Family Secrets Revealed - "What does a new trove of documents reveal about the most famous Gilded Age stars? They're just like us."
• Ranked: U.S. Import Reliance for 37 Critical Minerals - "The U.S. is 100% import-reliant for 11 critical minerals, including graphite, gallium, and rare elements like scandium and yttrium. China remains the dominant supplier for several key materials, including rare earths, graphite, tantalum, and antimony."
• World's Top 15 Countries in 2026 with the Best Cuisines - "The 2026 Taste Atlas report highlights a significant milestone for Latin America, Peru secures the 3rd spot globally, standing as the undisputed culinary powerhouse of the Americas. The Global Podium: Italy (4.64) and Greece (4.60) maintain their lead, but Peru (4.54) remains close, driven by its vibrant diversity and world-renowned dishes."
• Ranked: The Most Productive Countries in the World - "Not all hours worked generate the same economic value. This chart ranks OECD countries by GDP per hour worked, a common measure of productivity. Ireland ranks #1 in GDP per hour at $151, far ahead of its peers—but the figure is heavily influenced by multinational corporations. European economies dominate the top of the ranking, with Norway and Luxembourg also exceeding $120 per hour. The U.S. generates $97 per hour - above average, but behind many smaller, high-income economies."

August 31, 2026

• Landslides & floods have wreaked havoc in Nepal & China. Follow the river down the path of destruction - "Massive landslides and catastrophic flash floods have wreaked havoc at the Nepal-China border, destroying houses, wiping out bridges and killing more than 900 people. Additionally, almost 4,800 people are still unaccounted for on both sides of the border."
• US & Iran trade strikes for first time in weeks - "The attack on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz - the first known US strike since late July - has killed two people and injured two others."
• Dolly Parton laid to rest alongside husband in Nashville - "She has been placed next to her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in the Tennessee city. The singer had a private family funeral in Nashville on Friday, following her death earlier in the week at the age of 80."
• In Parton’s 60-Year Marriage, Love Fueled by Distance & Difference - "Dolly Parton met Carl Dean outside a Nashville laundromat in 1964. For decades, she was as protective of her marriage as he was fiercely private."
• How Tim Cook made Apple one of the world’s most valuable companies - "When Tim Cook became Apple’s CEO in August 2011, he had big shoes to fill. His predecessor, Steve Jobs, was widely considered one of the world’s greatest innovators. Now, 15 years later, Cook has catapulted the company to stratospheric heights by forging his own path. Apple’s stock has soared by more than 2,000% during his time at the helm."
• 'A giant leap forward': Nasa launches powerful new space telescope - "Nasa's powerful next-generation telescope has blasted off into space from its launchpad in Florida, with a mission to explore dark energy, black holes and other mysteries of the Universe. The Nancy Grace Roman telescope will capture vast panoramic views of space, with a field of vision 100 times larger than both the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes, Nasa says."
• Thieves steal $4 million diamond necklace in brazen smash & grab heist - "Austrian police say a manhunt is now underway for the two men, who posed as visitors to a jewelry exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) where the platinum necklace - featuring 673 diamonds and once owned by Egyptian royalty - was on display."
• ‘We like to mingle with people’: The Italian princess who wants tourists to stay in her palace - "A night in one of the property’s four suites - each measuring more than 1,000 square feet including several halls, ceiling-high stone fireplaces and marble decorations - starts at about $470, including butler service and breakfast. Private meals, with en-suite chefs, tailored Italian menus can be booked as extras, as can beauty services."
• Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater: A House at One With Nature - "The iconic example of ‘organic architecture,’ constructed as a lodge for weekend getaways, embedded a modern building in the landscape in a radical vision of the way each could enhance the other."
• When the R.S.V.P. Comes With a Hefty Price Tag - "How to Save Money as a Wedding Guest. Weddings can cost guests more than $1,000 a pop, but savvy attendees are finding clever hacks to save on lodging, travel, attire and more."
• Why it's not always a good idea to laugh at yourself - "The history of self-deprecating humour is riddled with contradictions. Now, researchers are finally beginning to understand the nuance of the real impacts of poking fun at ourselves."
• Celebrities Are Raving About Full-Body Scans. Doctors Urge Caution - "The scans are touted as a way to control your health. But researchers say healthy people don’t need them and they can lead to more harm than benefit. False positives: Scans frequently find harmless abnormalities, leading to anxiety and unnecessary invasive follow-ups, biopsies, or surgeries."
• 'Locked to the Sun & Moon': The startling 1960s theory that Stonehenge was a prehistoric computer - "In August 1966, a US astronomy professor shared his astonishing findings with the BBC. He believed that the Neolithic stone circle was built to predict eclipses."
• 'The forgotten empire': When Russia colonised California - "For nearly 30 years, part of Sonoma was ruled by Tsarist Russia, and it played a pivotal - if little-known - role in shaping the US. While some Americans may recall that the US's largest state, Alaska, was part of Russia for nearly 70 years, the Russian Empire's only permanent overseas colony, known as Russian America, also extended into California from 1812-1842. In fact, Russians settled in California decades before newly independent Americans did."

August 30, 2026

• How to help Nepal flood victims - "With thousands displaced, aid groups have relief teams on the ground distributing essential emergency supplies, including hygiene kits, food, safe drinking water, and health support for those in Nepal’s hardest-hit areas. You can make a difference by donating via the form below or clicking HERE."
• A power struggle in Iran could decide when Trump’s war ends - "After six months of war, the deadlock has left the Islamic Republic bitterly divided, while its ultimate arbiter, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, remains in hiding."
• Secret Service aware of Iranian state media video threatening life of Barron Trump - "Toward the end of the video, the narrator suggests people were 'eagerly waiting to receive our $10 million reward.'"
• Norway's new king remembers 'my dear father' in first speech - "Haakon VIII pays emotional tribute to his late father, Harald V, before outlining how he wishes to reign."
• Wonder why sports tickets are getting more expensive? Look at the US Open - "The US Open is getting more luxe. True fans are paying the price. $30 tennis-themed Champagne cocktails. $100 caviar-coated chicken nuggets. $150 ball crew shirts designed by Ralph Lauren. The US Open has never been a bargain."
• What college students really need in their first aid kits - "You don’t need to cram an entire pharmacy into it, but you do need helpful tools, common medications and emergency supplies, stored somewhere easily accessible."
• The week in 30 photos - "Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye."
• They bought a house in LA. The neighbours are bears & they won't stay out of the pool - "Black bears love lounging in Brian Gordon and Ricardo Martinez's pool in Los Angeles. As bear encounters increase across Southern California, the couple share videos of their furry visitors and reveal how they are co-existing with these wild animals."
• The museum charting how humans understand the world - "Beautiful, surreal and eerily empty, Vienna's Globe Museum the only public museum on Earth dedicated to globes, and it – quite literally – tells the story of our world."
• Is Mouthwash Bad for Your Oral Health? - "Routine antiseptic mouthwash use is not inherently harmful, though dental experts note that it remains largely optional and unnecessary for lifelong everyday use. While strong rinses may theoretically disrupt the oral microbiome, existing studies suggesting links to systemic conditions feature significant limitations and do not establish direct cause and effect."
• The Good List: 6 Things to Add Some Delight to Your Day - "1. Parent-child duets - 2. Find a beach - 3. Same-height party - 4. Never landing - 5. Lego for adults - 6. No italics, no fonts ..."
• Are You Fluent in the Latest Dating Lingo? - "Ghosting isn't even the worst of it."
• Dolly Parton Presents Her Top Ten Pet Peeves | Letterman - "Find out what really gets under Dolly's skin when she presents a special Top Ten from Dollywood. (Air date: 4/21/95)."
• Jackie O’s Private Beach Is Open to All. But It’s a Hike - "Caroline Kennedy and her family sold more than 330 acres of coastal land on Martha’s Vineyard to conservation groups. It comes with some caveats."
• From underdog to bogeyman: the Mark Zuckerberg reckoning - "The Meta boss has used customers as ‘fuel for his machine’ for years. An $18bn payout to settle a landmark child safety trial may mark the end of that era."

August 29, 2026

• Missing toll from devastating floods in Nepal & China passes 3,000 - "Rescue efforts are in their fourth day but Nepali authorities are warning they are struggling to cope with the number of decomposing bodies recovered."
• The world’s mountains are entering a new era of danger. Here’s why - "Why living downstream from a glacier has become a deadly liability."
• Trump hails 'historic' deal for US to control 65bn barrels of Venezuela's oil - "Venezuelan interim president says the unusual agreement will help revive her country's economy."
• The problems with Trump’s ranking of the presidents - "President Donald Trump appears preoccupied with slapping his name on things these days. And on Thursday, that involved slapping it atop a ranking of presidents. Trump shared an image on social media that declared himself 'the greatest' president - better than even George Washington and Abraham Lincoln."
• Trump Still a Convicted Criminal as Judge Rejects Request - What Happens Next - "A judge has again rejected Trump's bid to erase his hush-money conviction, calling his renewed arguments legally insufficient."
• For better or worse, Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Rooms reshaped the world - "Yayoi Kusama was an artist of many mediums — sculpture, painting, performance art and film — but many people will remember her for one body of work in particular: her 'Infinity Mirror Rooms.'"
• The Most Important Longevity Term You’ve Probably Never Heard Of - "Intrinsic capacity is quickly becoming a preferred way to measure and assess human aging."
• Nashville’s airport would be renamed for Dolly Parton under Tennessee governor’s proposal - "Gov. Bill Lee proposed the name change just days after the country music icon died Tuesday of cancer at age 80. It echoes the wishes of more than 150,000 Parton fans who have signed an online petition to rename the airport."
• Salt Lake City’s signature LDS temple is undergoing a historic transformation. Here’s a peek inside - "For more than a century, a six-spired, Gothic Revival temple in downtown Salt Lake City has been the spiritual epicenter of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - and a mysterious sanctum that’s closed to outsiders. That is about to change. After years of extensive renovation and structural upgrades, the LDS Church will open its signature temple April 5 to the public - Mormons and non-Mormons alike - for six months of unprecedented tours."
• The cheapest accommodation in Paris is disappearing: Here’s why - "Secluded under the rooftops of Paris’s renowned Haussmannian buildings - home to some of the city’s wealthiest residents - are also hidden the most affordable apartments available: the notorious chambres de bonnes, or maids’ rooms. Close to 55,000 people live in chambres de bonne in the Paris region according to INSEE, France’s national statistics bureau."
• Time is running out for cyber security, warn top tech firms - "A group of 100 firms, including Google, Microsoft, Anthropic and OpenAI, have signed an open letter calling on countries and organisations around the world to beef up their cyber defences before AI grows powerful enough to override them."
• How one of the 'most powerful hacks' to control stress actually works - "We spoke to experts about how the breathing technique used by soldiers and influencers works."
• The Best Places to Visit in Europe, From Dramatic Coastlines to Historic Castles - "World Heritage Canals in Amsterdam - Wine Tasting in Western Slovenia - Wilderness Glamping in Greenland - Coastal Excursions in Croatia."
• 'Paella is just for lunch' & other unwritten rules for visiting Spain - "Spain is famous for its laid-back lifestyle, but beneath the long lunches and late nights are social codes that shape everyday life. Our expert explains how to read them."
• Pizza-making robots promised the future. The results are half-baked - "A string of failures has sapped confidence that robots will take over production at pizza restaurants."
• Italy expert’s 30 favourite places to visit - "Wild coves, spectacular hotels, a volcanic crater you can swim in, a church to rival the Sistine Chapel - Julia Buckley on how to make your next Italian escapade an unforgettable one: 1. Villa Athena, Agrigento, Sicily - 2. Villa d'Este, Lake Como - 3. Terme di Saturnia, Maremma - 4. Il Monastero, Ischia."

August 28, 2026

• In pictures: Deadly flooding wipes out villages on the China-Nepal border - "More than 1,300 people are missing — including at least 700 foreigners from two dozen countries — after catastrophic flash flooding hit China and Nepal on Wednesday."
• china suspends rescue efforts at nepal-tibet border due to risk of second flood - "China has warned there is a 'high risk' that a lake which formed after the recent landslide may breach its banks, causing a second flood downstream."
• Harald V, the sailing king who epitomized a modern Norwegian royalty, dies - "King Harald V of Norway, Europe’s oldest monarch, has died at the age of 89, after 35 years on the throne. He died on Friday just after 6:35 a.m., the Royal House of Norway announced on its website. Harald is succeeded as monarch by his son King Haakon VIII."
• World's youngest reigning traditional monarch dies aged 34 - "A traditional Ugandan ruler named as the world's youngest monarch has died aged 34, his prime minster announced. Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV became king of Tooro in western Uganda at just three years old in 1995 after the death of his father."
• In pictures: August’s full moon & partial lunar eclipse - "A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth aligns between the sun and the moon, causing the Earth’s shadow, or umbra, to darken the moon. While the event was only a partial lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow covered 96% of the moon’s bright, visible surface."
• Wiped out: US faces surging toilet paper prices amid trade war with Canada - "Paper products among hardest-hit sectors after trade negotiations broke down, with 25-50% tariffs estimated."
• Trump administration says it might demolish the Kennedy Center if court blocks renovations - "The DOJ attorneys called the Kennedy Center 'structurally unsound, fundamentally unsafe, and embarrassing to the Nation’s Capital.'"
• Trump signs order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America - "Canada has rejected the new name of the lake, which straddles both countries, as their row deepens."
• Tate brothers blast US jail conditions as they seek bail in UK extradition fight - "Andrew and Tristan Tate have told a Florida court they should be released from jail so they can fight extradition to the UK on charges of rape and trafficking. Andrew and Tristan Tate's legal team argued in a Miami court that the two were not a flight risk."
• IKEA Complexity Index - "The IKEA complexity index by Greg Technology is a catalog of 20,000 products ranked by how long they take to build. When you get a PAX corner wardrobe, prepare for a manual in 16 parts and a 10 and a half hour build time. In contrast, a desk lamp will set you back only a few minutes."
• Ratko MladiĆ, Bosnian-Serb general dubbed the ‘Butcher of Bosnia,’ dies aged 84 - "A general during the Balkan wars of the 1990s, he was convicted in the killing of some 8,000 Muslims at Srebrenica, Europe’s deadliest massacre since World War II."

August 27, 2026

• ‘We will retaliate like an earthquake:’ How Iran could respond to Trump’s economic ‘D-Day’ - "As Washington launches its latest plan to cripple Iran’s economy, the Islamic Republic has threatened a regional and global response designed to raise the stakes for the United States and the world."
• Collapsed glacier likely caused devastating Nepal-Tibet floods, scientists say - "The impact of the collapsed glacier hitting the bottom of a valley was so powerful that it registered a magnitude of 5.2, according to USGS data and scientists who have analysed the event."
• Norway's royal family gathers at King Harald's bedside as his condition worsens - "The 89-year-old has been in hospital for over a week receiving treatment for a rare blood condition."
• Apple Event Announced for September 9: 'Surprise and Shine' - "Apple plans to hold its annual iPhone-centric event on Wednesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, with select members of the media invited to attend."
• Bill Gates Warns A.I. Is More Dangerous Than Big Tech Will Admit - "In an hourlong interview, he said his industry was downplaying the risks, which he believes include mass unemployment and bioterrorism."
• Dolly Parton, Honky-Tonk Angel - "Dolly Parton belonged to a beloved category: the outlaw Christian, who loved Jesus and refused to hate anyone else."
• Doctors say Trump's weight poses a significant health risk - "President Donald Trump has faced scrutiny for bruising on his hands, swelling in his ankles and apparent drowsiness, among other questions about his health. Some doctors say they’re worried about another risk: the 23 pounds that Trump appears to have gained since his last campaign for president."
• From private jets & diamond-encrusted jewelry to solitary confinement: Inside the Tate brothers’ new reality - "Now the siblings splurge on Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos and Snickers bars from a federal prison in Miami where they’re being held pending an extradition request from the United Kingdom. The men have not yet entered formal pleas to the sex crime charges they’re facing but have previously denied the allegations."
• How to see a partial lunar eclipse & full sturgeon moon this week - "August’s full sturgeon moon will align with a partial lunar eclipse this week, producing a stunning cosmic sight for sky-gazers. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth’s shadow, or umbra, falls upon the moon. When the umbra darkens the entire lunar orb, it creates a total lunar eclipse."
• Trump’s ambassador to Italy is cruising the Med on a $450M yacht - "Tilman Fertitta, a 69-year-old Texan billionaire, has been cruising around Italy all summer on his floating mansion, his $450 million yacht, the Boardwalk. Fertitta, who ranks 109 on Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans, made his fortune in the hospitality and entertainment industry."
• Excess belly fat may reveal more about longevity in older adults than BMI. A doctor explains - "Among adults 65 and older, having a larger waist circumference was linked to a higher risk of early death, according to a new study. But being classified as overweight by body mass index, or BMI, was associated with a lower risk of early death."
• They braved a world-famous Six Flags roller coaster. Then they were rushed to the hospital for emergency brain surgery - "In the span of less than a week this July, surgeons at a Southern California hospital raced to save the lives of two women suffering from alarmingly similar brain hemorrhages. They had ridden an extreme roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain, known as X2, which draws thrill-seekers from around the world with its rotating seats, near-vertical drops and unpredictable movements."
• World's first patient to undergo live AI-assisted brain surgery has tumour removed - "Without brain surgery guided by live AI assistance, Rhys Hibbert could have lost his sight to a tumour."
• Nvidia revenue doubles on continued AI demand - "Chipmaker's $96bn quarter beat forecasts as demand for AI hardware continues to accelerate."
• The scientist’s guide to sleeping well & not getting ill - "Good sleep protects your immune system, stabilizes your mood, and prevents illness by keeping your biological recovery processes active. Keep a strict schedule: Wake up and go to bed at the exact same time every day, even on weekends, to reinforce your circadian rhythm. Optimize your environment: Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool (around 65–68°F) to signal your body that it is time to rest."
• Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who filled the world with polka dots, dead at 97 - "Yayoi Kusama, one of the world’s most celebrated and best-selling artists, has died age 97, according to a statement on the artist’s official website."
• In pictures: The dotty world of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama - ""Kusama was known for creating extraordinary immersive worlds that delighted millions of visitors.

August 26, 2026

• Meta settles landmark child harm case for $18 billion & promises changes to its platforms - "Meta said Wednesday it has agreed to an about $18 billion settlement to resolve claims brought by 29 state attorneys general that it intentionally designed addictive platforms that harmed young people’s mental health."
• Dolly Parton, country music queen & humanitarian hero, dead at 80 - "Remembering Dolly Parton: Country music icon and humanitarian hero."
• Dolly Parton Spoke About ‘Hard Times with My Health’ 4 Days Before Her Death (Exclusive) - "'I’m gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life,' Parton told PEOPLE on Aug. 21"
• How Dolly Parton told her life story through six iconic songs - "A legendary singer-songwriter, her music covered themes around love, loss, female empowerment and spirituality: 1. Coat of Many Colors. 2. Jolene. 3. I Will Always Love You. 4. Light of a Clear Blue Morning. 5. 9 To 5. 6. Islands in the Stream."
• Dolly Parton: A life in pictures - "Known for her larger-than-life image, Dolly Parton combined rhinestones, wit and charm to sustain a career that crossed from country to mainstream pop."
• Fact check: Trump keeps making stuff up about Canada - "President Donald Trump keeps attacking Canada with fiction instead of fact."
• ‘I’m Fine With My Body’: Danish Leader Responds to Unsolicited Beauty Advice - "Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had just returned from Ukraine when she received a message from a plastic surgeon asking if she wanted to fix her nose."
• People are deadlifting away their grief. What does the science say? - "Do these classes actually help people process grief, rage and heartbreak?"
• 24 of the world’s most unusual landscapes - "While there are plenty of awe-inspiring man-made destinations around the globe, nothing is as creative as nature. From trees that resemble monsters, to colorful sinkholes, towering rock formations and waterfalls of molten lava, these are some of the most unusual and fascinating landscapes in the world."
• AI gold rush draws crypto firms away from Bitcoin - "Companies that once filled warehouses with computers to earn Bitcoin - a process known as mining - are now using that computing power for AI."
• US judge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell's 'frivolous' appeal against conviction - "A federal judge in New York on Tuesday rejected Ghislaine Maxwell's challenge to her conviction, finding her claims 'meritless' or 'frivolous.' Maxwell was trying to vacate her conviction and 20-year prison sentence."
• Andrew Tate rented supercars to appear 'uberwealthy', lawyers say - "Social media influencer Andrew Tate rented supercars to appear 'uberwealthy' in order to generate more online engagement, his lawyers have said."
• A.I. Is Becoming So Powerful, It’s Stumping Those Trying to Contain It - "Irregular, an Israeli start-up, worked with OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta to assess the security of their A.I. models. It made a mistake. Then the tests went off the rails."
• A simple eating habit can revolutionise your wellbeing - "Commensality - the act of sharing meals - can reduce your risk of depression and dementia."
• World's oceans hit highest temperature on record as El NiÑo grows - "The world's oceans are hotter than ever recorded, new data suggests, as they suffer from human-caused climate change and the growing El Niño weather phenomenon."

August 25, 2026

• Trump’s theory of global power faces a reckoning in Iran & Canada - "Donald Trump’s presidency rests on the premise that he and the United States are so powerful that allies and enemies alike must submit to his will."
• The US national debt just passed the grim milestone of a record $40 trillion. But how do you visualize $40 trillion? - "The US population is roughly 343 million people, according to Census Bureau data. That means the total national debt of $40 trillion comes out to about $117,000 per American. The current debt is roughly double its value just 10 years ago. The national debt keeps rising, adding nearly $7 billion each day."
• Secret Service aware of Iranian state media video threatening life of Barron Trump - "The US Secret Service says it’s aware of a video aired by Iran’s state broadcaster appearing to threaten the life of Barron Trump, the youngest son of President Donald Trump."
• Iran Is Using Foreign Criminals to Attack Its Critics Overseas - "Pouria Zeraati, a dissident who was living in London, was stabbed by a group of Romanian thugs. His case is part of a widening campaign by the Iranian regime to silence its detractors."
• Beyond China's humanoid robots, a quieter machine revolution is unfolding - "There are more than two million robots working in China's factories - and they are scaling up fast."
• 'What you see is what you pay' - why some US restaurants are banning tips - "Tips are central to US dining culture but some eateries think that they are unfair."
• The AI-related reason every billionaire suddenly wants to own a sports team - "But experts also offered a surprising reason: artificial intelligence. Sports is believed to be a relatively AI-proof investment. Teams are not likely to be upended by the game-changing technology the way other investments might be."
• 28 cars that saved their companies from financial ruin - "Sometimes, a car company’s fortunes can be reversed by one car, as these 28 prove: Lotus Elise - Porsche Boxster - Maserati Biturbo - Bentley Continental GT - Aston Martin DB7..."
• The 5 Best Rolex Watches Released in 2026 - "From the 100th anniversary Oyster to the returning Yacht-Master, it’s been a very big year for the Crown. Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 '100 Years' - Rolex Yacht-Master II - Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Rolesium - Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 Jubilee Dial - Rolex Datejust 41 Green Ombré."
• 10 Greatest Detective Thriller Books Of All Time, Ranked - "The best detective thriller books feature memorable detectives, either working with the police, as private investigators, or as amateur sleuths. These stories also feature complex plots, intriguing cases, and crimes that are almost impossible to solve until the very end. And some of the best detective thriller books of all time influenced and redefined the genre forever."
• The 10 European castles you must visit in your lifetime - "The Continent is littered with burgs, castillos, linnat, slott and schlosses – and these are the best: 1. Alhambra, Spain - 2. Predjama Castle, Slovenia - 3. Olavinlinna, Finland - 4. Orava ..."
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 19, 2026 - "Russian President Vladimir Putin is attempting to present Russia’s poor economic performance in a positive light as he is unable to conceal the damage that over four years of war and Ukrainian long-range strikes have done to the Russian economy."
• why is it so hard to build the thing our entire power supply depends on? - "The power grid relies on thousands of aging, hand-built transformers. If enough fail, the blackout could last years. Transformers are the linchpin of modern civilization. A single one can take five years to build."
• Mapped: The Cost to Retire Comfortably Around the World - "Singapore is the most expensive country for Americans to retire comfortably, requiring an estimated $1.1 million, while Pakistan is the cheapest at $187,000. Retiring comfortably in the U.S. requires an estimated $738,000, more than in Canada ($598,000), Mexico ($356,000), and most countries worldwide. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Egypt are the only countries where the estimated retirement cost falls below $200,000."
• Consider the Oyster Bar - "Contemplating life’s mysteries over a seafood tower at Zig Zag Oyster Bar."
• The Gentlemen to Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story: Nine of the best TV shows to watch this September - "From the return of hit Netflix crime drama The Gentlemen to a miniseries about the infamous Lizzie Borden murder case - these are the best series to watch and stream."
• The way patients write messages to doctors might affect the response - "Using a sample of 1 million messages, Tang and his colleagues found that differences in writing style - such as whether a message started with a greeting or how it used puncutation - accounted for about half of the disparities in response rates for the historically marginalized groups. It’s also important for patients to know that messages sent through an online patient portal may not go straight to your doctor. 'Portal messages shouldn’t be used for urgent needs.' 'The patient should be comfortable with the idea of getting a response within 2 business days (though many will get responded to sooner). If the need is more urgent than that, then they should probably call.'"

August 24, 2026

• Iran faces 'greatest financial offensive ever', says US treasury secretary - "Scott Bessent says the US will sever all economic ties with the country and that any nation partnering with Iran financially will also be isolated."
• Britain’s giving Ukraine access to secret missile technology. Will it make a difference? - "Britain will allow the release of classified technology so that a British/French-designed cruise missile can be manufactured in Ukraine, a boost for Kyiv in its efforts to bring more firepower to bear hundreds of kilometers into Russia."
• Freedom 250 Grand Prix - "kyle Kirkwood wins freedom 250 grand prix. The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., took place August 22-23, 2026, marking the first-ever NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on the National Mall. The free, two-day motorsports event will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with world-class racing set against the backdrop of some of America’s most historic landmarks, including the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol."
• 'New season, new trim' - Erling Haaland reveals buzzcut - "Whether it be Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gareth Bale or Erling Haaland, football has witnessed some iconic man buns over the years."
• Apple TV just added a bunch of classic movies to stream for free - "Marketed as a streaming service of originals, the Apple TV streaming service has been slowly growing its catalog of exclusive TV shows and movies. But Apple has just complemented its offering with a bunch of classic movies to stream with your subscription at no extra charge."
• Deleted tweets show Natalie Harp’s zealous support of Trump on January 6 - "House aide to President Donald Trump, she posted more than 150 tweets demonstrating extraordinary devotion to him on January 6, 2021."
• Trump aide Natalie Harp worked at the White House without security clearance for a year - "The close aide to the president, known to filter much of the information reaching the commander-in-chief, ultimately relented in recent months after pressure from White House staff."
• Inside Meghan & Harry’s £6.3m Portuguese paradise - "Costa Terra Golf and Ocean Club development in Melides, south of Lisbon bills itself as ‘simple luxury’ and promotes a breezy, barefoot lifestyle, but prices start at £4.2m - and that’s just for a plot."
• 'You're fully accepted': Being nude in public can make us feel better about our bodies - "Research suggests that naturism, the practice of non-sexual social nudity, can help people improve their body image. Naturists and experts tell the BBC how it works."
• ‘A sucker born every minute’: The man who duped tourists with a fake Greek amphitheater - "Tourists thought they were paying to see a real ancient Greek ruin. Then someone spotted the concrete and polystyrene. Ticket-holders were told that the site had been visited by Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and Juliet Capulet, the fictional character invented by William Shakespeare."
• 2,074 Years Later, Julius Caesar’s 3 Words at the Rubicon Are Still the Most Famous Decision in Military History - "He said it in Greek, quoting a comedy; the Latin everyone knows is a mistranslation written 170 years later; his own memoir skips the river. The full story of history’s most famous decision - the trap, the crossing, Pharsalus, the Ides - and why the gambler’s four words still name every point of no return. 'Alea iacta est,' the die is cast, has introduced more decisions than any phrase in any language."
• Wellness habits you can start now - at no (or little) cost - "Living a healthy life doesn't have to just be about pricey studio classes and luxury retreats."
• Power, posturing, penis size: What the Bayeux tapestry reveals about the Middle Ages - "'Chest-thumping machismo': The Bayeux Tapestry reveals the bloody, bawdy truth about the Middle Ages. In the 11th-Century masterpiece's tale of a contested throne, about to be exhibited in the UK, virility is equated to power - and the largest and proudest appendage. It tells a story that feels familiar today."
• Tennis gamesmanship & dark arts: MTOs, bathroom breaks & the serve clock - "Control is at the center of gamesmanship in tennis. Players innocently require bathroom breaks, clothing changes, equipment fixes and other stoppages all the time, and all of those things are baked into the rules. But those rules are implemented by humans, and players are able to stretch them as far as they can."
• Snap is finally about to ship AR glasses & they cost a fortune - "The new Specs are priced at $2,195, and you can preorder them starting today."
• Ranked: Car Brands With the Most Loyal Customers - "On average, 52% of U.S. car buyers in 2026 bought the same make as their current car. Tesla has the highest customer loyalty rate of any car brand, at 64%. Ford has the highest loyalty rate among Detroit’s traditional automakers, at 58%."
• Ranked: The Highest Mountain on Every Continent - "See the highest mountain peak per continent, led by Mount Everest in Asia and Mount Aconcagua in South America. Mount Everest stands 6,204 feet above South America’s Aconcagua, the largest gap between consecutive peaks in the ranking. Four of the seven continental high points sit below 20,000 feet above sea level. Antarctica’s Vinson Massif and Oceania’s Puncak Jaya are separated by just 26 feet."
• Ranked: Water Supply vs. Use Per Person by Country - "See which countries have and use the most water. Iceland has the world’s highest renewable freshwater supply per person, at 15.7 million cubic feet annually, roughly 50 times the U.S. level. The U.S. ranks 54th for freshwater supply per person but sixth for freshwater withdrawals. Guyana is one of the few countries near the top of both rankings, placing second for freshwater supply and third for withdrawals per person."

August 23, 2026

• Watch: Moment humanoid robot beats Usain Bolt's 100m record - "A robot has outperformed humans by running faster than Usain Bolt's 100m sprint world record at the World Humanoid Robot Games in China. The humanoid robot, developed by the Beijing Innovation Centre of Humanoid Robotics, ran the distance in 9.39 seconds at the event."
• Zelensky has 'questions to answer' about corruption in his government, sacked minister tells BBC - "Fedorov, a popular minister who modernised the armed forces and pioneered drone warfare, was fired last month after reportedly falling out with the head of Ukraine's armed forces. The sacked former defence minister has also called for elections to be held in Ukraine."
• Is Russia facing another 'Black August'? - "Problems are mounting in a month superstitious Russians fear - yet Putin is projecting confidence. It’s ‘Black August’ in Russia, but Putin is sweeping this summer’s crisis under the rug."
• Trump Mobile promoted a 'Made in the USA' phone - but the details kept changing - "When Trump Mobile was launched by US President Donald Trump's eldest sons in the summer of 2025, the company advertised that a 'T1' smartphone would be built in the US and shipped to customers within months. Over the last year, key details about the phone's manufacture, design and delivery date have changed, and some customers are still waiting for their phones."
• Gianni Infantino likes a baldy joke, but fans will see it as bare-faced cheek - "Sky News put questions to FIFA's president in the Dominican Republic after his World Cup sell-off plan was abandoned following a backlash from number of confederations, including UEFA."
• A bridge too far? Why link to Sicily is still a dream despite 2,000 years of plans - "Roman dream of building structure over strait of Messina has been revived by officials, despite claims it is unworkable and protests from locals."
• What Natalie Harp Carries - "Natalie Harp Is Even Weirder Than We Thought. Trump’s devoted aide, who is said to follow the President around with a printer, does not seem to be driven by the conventional desires for wealth and power."
• Inside DC’s historic heart, an IndyCar race backed by Trump kicks into gear - "Spectators began pouring into the center of Washington, DC, on Saturday to catch the first day of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, a two-day street racing event whose revving engines will echo amid the nearby US Capitol and the city’s neoclassic national museums."
• Harry & Meghan See Their California Dreams & Riches, Fade Away - "Like so many others before them, Prince Harry and Meghan arrived in Hollywood with big plans. They are leaving with their star power fading."
• Harry & Meghan are back to shower us with more victimhood - "Prepare yourself for the next instalment in a soap opera of which none of us ever wanted to be part. The Waleses, by the way: what did they do to deserve this? For years now they have laboured in the salt mines of absolute boringness and it is finally paying off. They are the perfect royals - so inscrutable as to not really be people, just symbols. Kate in particular has the titanium sheen of someone who has been through everything."
• Inside Hayden Panettiere’s troubling final months after a life in the spotlight - "The untimely death of Hayden Panettiere, a onetime child star who soared to fame while navigating addiction and postpartum depression in her adult life, came just months after the beloved actor described feeling ready to start over."
• A new app is bringing Vine back, with a very 2026 twist - "Divine, which similarly features a scrolling feed of six-second videos, officially launched last week after nine months of development and beta testing. Users can create content on the app and view its archive of more than 2 million original Vine posts."
• 5 (More) Surprising Signs You’re Getting Older - "Hint: You may need to buy new shoes. Your skin might be itchier - Your heart can beat more slowly during exercise - Your sense of taste may diminish."
• Ranked: The 20 Highest-Grossing Concert Tours Ever - "Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is the only concert tour in history to surpass $2 billion in inflation-adjusted revenue. Five tours in the ranking have grossed more than $1 billion, and all began in 2009 or later. Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, The Rolling Stones, and Metallica each have two tours among the top 20."
• Nancy Kissinger, Wife of Former Secretary of State, Dies at 92 - "A foreign policy specialist, she was politically savvy and well versed in global issues, and traveled widely with her husband, Henry A. Kissinger, on his diplomatic missions."

August 22, 2026

• How the US & Middle East allies flipped the oil script on Iran - "‘Dark’ tanker transits through Strait of Hormuz avoid Iranian drones."
• Prince Harry & six others face privacy case legal bill of up to £34.5m - "The seven claimants, who include Sir Elton John and Liz Hurley, have to pay the Daily Mail publisher an initial £9.54m in the next seven days after losing a privacy case."
• As they return to the UK, Harry & Meghan search for a brand that sticks - "They will not be working royals when they come back. So what could they be doing instead? The couple's aim, according to the mission statement of their Archewell Productions company, is to highlight 'our common humanity and celebrate community'."
• The man who would change Russia - "Russian billionaire industrialist Andrey Melnichenko issued his warning over nearly 60 hours of interviews with The Economist and more guardedly in an essay we are publishing online. A leading oligarch speaks out, warning that the war in Ukraine is placing severe structural strain on Russia's long-term economic stability and future."
• ‘My Guardian & Protector’: Natalie Harp letters express her devotion to Trump - "'I never want to bring you anything but joy. I’m sorry I lost my focus. You are all that matters to me. I don’t want to ever let you down. Thank you for being my Guardian and Protector in this Life.'"
• Drugs at their fingertips, intense pressure: Why child stars fall into addiction - "Experts told the BBC the pressures of childhood stardom can put actors at an unusually higher risk of substance abuse issues."
• The week in 31 photos - "Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye."
• GTA 6 leaks - a nightmare or a blip for the biggest video game of the year? - "Clips appearing to show the highly anticipated game have appeared online, but will they really hurt it?"
• Make the U.N. Great Again - "The Uphill Struggle Facing the Next Secretary General."
• Bali jails Swiss tourist for insulting sacred Day of Silence - "A Swiss tourist has been sentenced to one year in prison for insulting a sacred religious event on Indonesia's holiday island of Bali."
• He Said He Was the World’s Healthiest Man. Then Came a Stunning Diagnosis - "Bryan Johnson, the longevity guru, wants to live forever. But the big question is why."
• What to Know About Trump’s 250 Grand Prix - "A slice of the nation’s capital will be transformed into a race track over the weekend for President Donald Trump’s final event commemorating the U.S.’s 250th birthday."
• Heart of the Beast to Practical Magic 2: 10 of the best films to watch this September - "From a Brad Pitt survival adventure with a canine co-star, to witchy sequel Practical Magic 2, starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, here are the films to watch at the cinema this month."
• How I trained myself to wake up without an alarm clock - "I taught myself to wake up without an alarm in a week. Here's how it fixed my sleep. Ally Hirschlag discovers that waking up naturally can be surprisingly easy, if you take care of other sleep essentials."
• The European castle with a dark Nazi secret & buried gold mystery - "Książ Castle’s history stretches back to the Middle Ages, when Silesian duke Bolko I the Strict built a fortress on this hilltop. Over time it expanded into a grander residence. Deep in Poland’s Owl Mountains, lies a vast underground Nazi complex tied to one of the Third Reich’s most mysterious construction projects and, legend has it, a lost train filled with stolen gold."
• The trains that allow you to fall asleep in one world & wake up in another - "Few transport options capture romantic imaginations as completely as sleeper trains, those legendary locomotives that allow us to bed down in one world and wake up in another."
• Sitting comfortably on the train? Here’s the machine to thank - "Engineers use a motion simulator to test for seat designs that won’t be a pain in the backside. Just don’t expect a smooth ride on a Thameslink Class 700."

August 21, 2026

• How much could Trump's 'economic D-Day' hurt Iran? - "Nearly six months after US President Donald Trump vowed a swift victory over Iran, the conflict appears to be at a standstill, with prospects of a military victory or negotiated settlement growing dimmer. To break the deadlock, Trump has vowed an 'economic D-Day' under which any country that does business with Iran would face 'tremendous' economic consequences."
• After Iran, Trump & His Republicans Face Their Own Economic D-Day - "As prices bite and debt hits $40T, Trump's plan to inflict economic pain on Iran could leave the GOP with a nasty bill of its own."
• Why the US economy is ringing alarm bells - "It took almost 200 years for US national debt to reach $1tn for the first time, says Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. That milestone back in 1981 was treated as a wake-up call. Hitting the $40tn milestone was expected - driven by public spending surges under both the Donald Trump and Joe Biden administrations - but it marks another line in the sand."
• What happened to Harry & Meghan's American dream? - "Harry and Meghan enjoyed some showbusiness success, but their Hollywood reign proved short-lived."
• El NiÑo-caused drought in Panama is likely to raise prices on everything from medicine to fuel - "The Panama Canal, a critical chokepoint that moves about 5% of the world’s shipping. The narrow, 50-mile artificial waterway cuts through the Central American country, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and saving time and fuel along the shorter transit route."
• Princess Diana could have survived fatal Paris crash if she made one simple choice, investigator says - "FOX's 'Celebrity Crime Scene' uses recreation technology to reconstruct the fatal Paris tunnel crash."
• Mark Zuckerberg's Waterford castle - "Why international buyers are seeking out Ireland's great estates. As the Meta chief reportedly buys Strancally Castle in Waterford, Savills’ Josh Pim explores the growing appeal of Ireland’s castles, estates and country lifestyle to wealthy international buyers."
• An iconic eagle is electrocuted by the thousands every year. Help may finally be on the way - "Walk beneath old pylons on Kazakhstan’s steppe and dead birds are an all-too-common sight. Bodies still, feet scorched, they litter the ground as powerlines hum overhead. It’s an unhappy fate for tens of thousands of birds every year, experts estimate. But for one bird, this problem has come into sharp focus."
• How landscape gardening is being electrified - "Noise is one of the main reasons that cities around the US are banning petrol landscaping tools or encouraging electric alternatives. These alternatives have the additional benefits of reducing carbon emissions, vibrations and the exposure of landscapers to pollution."
• Ranked: Countries That Hold the Most Reserves in Gold - "The U.S. and Germany have the highest gold shares among the selected economies, at 82% of central bank reserves. China holds 2,306 tonnes of gold, the fourth-largest amount in this dataset, but gold represents less than 9% of reserves. Canada is one of the world’s largest gold producers, yet its central bank holds no gold reserves."
• Best Month to Visit Every Country & US State - "United Kingdom, London, July ; United States, New York City, September ; Uruguay, Montevideo, January ; Uzbekistan, Tashkent, September."
• Ranked: The Countries With the Most Freshwater - "Brazil has the world’s largest share of renewable internal freshwater resources, accounting for 13.2% of the global total. The top five countries account for 43.2% of the world’s renewable internal freshwater resources. Latin America and the Caribbean hold nearly one-third of global renewable internal freshwater resources, the largest share of any region."
• Which Countries Are the Biggest Threats to World Peace? - "Russia ranks as the biggest threat to world peace across all four European countries surveyed, with concern highest in Poland. The United States ranks first in both Canada and Australia, two of America’s closest allies. Americans are more divided, with Iran ranking first and the U.S. itself nearly tied with Russia."
• Ranked: World Currencies vs. the U.S. Dollar in 2026 - "Colombia leads currency gains against the U.S. dollar in 2026, while Argentina and several major Asian currencies rank among the weakest."
• Ranked: The 25 Biggest Movie Opening Weekends, Adjusted for Inflation - "The April 2019 debut of Avengers: Endgame is worth $466.7 million in June 2026 dollars, still the biggest inflation-adjusted opening weekend on record. Films featuring Marvel characters account for 11 of the top 25 openings. No film released before 2006 makes the adjusted top 25, reflecting how recently the modern wide-release strategy took hold."

August 20, 2026

• US debt crosses $40 trillion threshold after doubling under Trump & Biden - "National debt reaches grim $40 trillion milestone. Here’s why that matters. The United States is digging itself into an ever-deeper debt hole."
• Prince Harry & Meghan moving back to UK later this month - "The couple's children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are enrolled to start at a school in September."
• Harry & Meghan are experts in surprise - but why are they returning to UK now? - "The sudden decision to return leaves lots of questions for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Royal Family."
• The woman who tried to assassinate a millionaire in Monaco - "She tried to blow up a millionaire in Monaco. Days later, she was dead. Exclusive: CNN speaks to target of Monaco bombing."
• Melania Trump prioritizes policy over public presence this term - "Melania Trump grew up attending Formula 1 races with her father in her native Slovenia. On Thursday, America’s first lady will merge that longtime personal interest in cars and racing with a new one: foster youth."
• ‘Very special stone’: Trump unveils another White House construction project - "President Donald Trump issued an impromptu invitation for reporters to tour the replacement of the White House driveway and his new helipad."
• Who is Natalie Harp? Ossoff ignites personal feud over Trump’s aide - "'While the sailors on the Lincoln fight his war, while he fruitlessly drains our munitions and oil reserves, the president sleeps through his meetings, he golfs, and trades stocks,' Ossoff said at a campaign rally. He continued: 'He doesn’t want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the Emir of Qatar,' referring to Natalie Harp, the president’s executive assistant."
• Belgian car salesman becomes prince after royal parentage confirmed - "Belgium's Prince Laurent has legally recognised 26-year-old former car salesman Clément Vandenkerckhove as his son and heir."
• New data show more than 7,300 excess deaths in France's historically hot summer so far - "Health agency Santé Publique France released data on Wednesday showing more than 7,300 excess deaths have occurred to date in a summer marked by three heatwaves in quick succession."
• What Happened at Epstein’s Zorro Ranch? 5 Questions Still Unanswered - " New Mexico has sued the Department of Justice, accusing it of stonewalling an investigation into crimes at Epstein's former ranch."
• chatgpt secret unlocked - 'meta-prompting' is a game changer - "I started using 'meta-prompting' in ChatGPT and now I'm getting much better answers - here's how to do it. Turning simple prompts into more focused requests."
• 4 Dresses to Have in Your Wardrobe - "These classic styles will simplify getting dressed for nearly any event, from a picnic to a cocktail party: The Sundress - The Little Black Dress - The Day Dress - The Cocktail Dress."
• The New Science of Dreaming - "Researchers have figured out how to induce lucid dreaming - and are using it to help answer to ancient questions about our minds."
• What does it mean to put a ‘watermark’ on AI text? - "If physical and digital watermarks were meant to verify authenticity, AI watermarks serve more to signal inauthenticity."
• Tourists on pastry quest overrun scenic spot in Italian mountains - "The huge queues in northern Italy’s Val di Fassa valley is all because of a $4 pastry, which has been promoted by food bloggers and influencers on social media. The pastry is known locally as a krapfen or bombolone, which is a donut-like delicacy usually filled with vanilla cream or apricot preserves."
• Which supplements do athletes take & why? - "There is a long list of supplements taken by elite athletes in the pursuit of marginal gains - what do they take and why?"
• Vaccine breakthrough stops cancer returning in trial - "A new personalised vaccine given in combination with a drug has stopped skin cancer returning in patients during a trial, representing a potentially watershed moment in cancer treatment. The vaccine, developed by drug companies Merck & Co or MSD, and Moderna, was given to patients with high-risk melanoma, a type of skin cancer, after they had surgery."
• Moby Dick: The 19th-Century novel that challenged our fear of the 'monstrous' whale - "Now 175 years old, US author Herman Melville's classic is the ultimate tale of man v whale - but in fact, it questions why humans have been so terrified of these great sea creatures."

August 19, 2026

• Trump’s Broken Promises, in 11 Charts - "11 promises Trump made an broke."
• Trump tries a new approach in Iran war: Disengage - "Instead of his usual claims that talks were going well, the US president announced there was no diplomacy underway."
• ‘Our task is to laugh at these enemies’: the Ukrainian unit posting drone videos of Russian soldiers’ last moments - "Creators of chase compilations reject any moral qualms and say they show ‘death is waiting’ for those who join war."
• Meta hooked children on Facebook & Instagram, US court hears - "Meta argued social media addiction does not exist, as a trial stemming from a major lawsuit brought by US states started."
• Queen Camilla says it was ‘difficult’ to keep King’s cancer diagnosis secret - "Britain’s Queen Camilla has spoken about how she struggled to keep King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis a secret during a visit to a cancer support center, which took place days before the news was officially disclosed."
• Putin Knows More Than We Realize - "A top Russian economist spent months warning the Kremlin its policies were failing. Nothing happened - until the public found out."
• Bill Clinton’s Milestone Birthday Leaves Barack Obama the Only Living President Under 80 - "Clinton is celebrating his 80th birthday on Wednesday, Aug. 19, capping off a big octogenarian summer for U.S. presidents."
• Meet Natalie Harp, the aide so close to Trump she once rode in an SUV trunk to accompany him - "A former right-wing television host, who began working for Trump after crediting him with saving her life, Harp has become a main conduit between the president and the outside world, passing along messages from allies and setting up meetings, tapping out Truth Social posts and toting printouts of laudatory articles, all while staying in close physical proximity at all hours of the day."
• Red lights are flashing in energy markets - "Oil prices are once again uncomfortably high, but the bigger problem is lurking just beneath the surface. What initially began as an oil supply shock caused by the Strait of Hormuz blockage is morphing into a fuel supply crisis."
• New images reveal the impact site of SpaceX rocket’s moon collision - "New images from a NASA satellite orbiting the moon reveal a fresh, 60-foot-wide crater formed by a wayward SpaceX rocket that slammed into the lunar surface earlier this month."
• Apple’s camera-equipped AirPods appear in leaked video - "A short clip found in the latest macOS beta demos the AirPods using visual intelligence."
• Democracy v the machine: the birth of the digital age & the warnings that were ignored - "Many hoped that the march of technology would usher in an egalitarian utopia - but some foresaw the threat it would pose to liberal society. Why did nobody listen?"
• Claude to start watermarking AI-generated text - but will it make quality worse? - "Anthropic says it will change way chatbot makes small, random choices, to comply with EU regulation."
• World’s top humanoid robot maker surges in blockbuster market debut in China - "Shares of the world’s largest humanoid robot maker by sales Unitree jumped more than 600% in its trading debut in Shanghai on Wednesday, in a testament to its status as the poster child of China’s robotic advancement."
• Robots are asking for tips. But who actually gets the money? - "Machines are sticking out their digital palms. Your reaction could help shape the future of the service industry."
• Humans Love Having Pets. Seems Like Some Other Primates Do, Too - "We aren’t the only animals that like to take care of other species. A new study finds that the roots of keeping a pet may stretch deep into our primate past."
• AI to help planes avoid climate-warming 'sky graffiti' - "We've all looked up and seen the white lines trailing behind aircraft in the sky. Known as contrails, these icy clouds contribute to climate change, and scientists have been trying to work out how to stop them."
• Never ever order the oysters. Old money stopped eating them generations ago - "Old money learned long ago to ask what a thing is before asking what it costs. The rest of the room notices who never learned that."
• Ranked: The World’s Largest Cities (1950-2100) - "In 1950, Tokyo and New York were the two most populous cities on Earth. By 2050, the 15 most populous cities worldwide will all be in either Africa or Asia. Dhaka, Bangladesh is projected to peak in population around 2075 with nearly 60 million inhabitants."

August 18, 2026

• Fact check: Every single part of this Trump story about South Korea is wrong - "The president delivered Monday’s version the day after he announced the US would reduce military exercises with South Korea - citing his 'very good relationship' with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and also mentioning that South Korea declined to participate in the US war with Iran."
• Russia warns UK will pay for supplying drones to Ukraine - "Russia accuses the UK of escalating the Ukraine war after British-made drones were used, but the MoD says it stands against Russian aggression."
• Exclusive: Ukraine reveals its Achilles’ heel to CNN as Patriot missile launchers run dry - "It is the most sought-after weapon in the world, but sits idle, in a cornfield, its cannisters empty, last fired 10 weeks ago."
• How Satellite Advances Are Changing the Game for Ukraine - "Ukrainian drone teams have a powerful new tool: near real-time information on troop movements and locations."
• Gianni Infantino sacks Fifa executive Kevin Lamour after 'deception' comments - "Fifa's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour has been sacked by the governing body, less than three weeks after he strongly criticised its president Gianni Infantino's aborted plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors, BBC Sport has been told."
• Tupac Shakur murder trial begins: What to know ahead of opening statements - "It was 30 years ago, almost to the day. Sept. 7, 1996. Twenty-five at the time, Shakur was at that moment in his youth, in his heyday, at the height of a career that helped define the generation of rap he reigned over. For more than 25 years, Shakur was, in fact, not forgotten. Still, the investigation into his murder had seemed to grow so cold that even many close to the events of that night believed the case would never be solved, much less prosecuted."
• Photos: People we’ve lost in 2026 - "Here are some notable people who have died in 2026."
• How the humble barcode could help prevent the next cyclospora outbreak - "On June 26, 1974, a cashier at a Marsh supermarket in Troy, Ohio, scanned a pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum and changed the way we buy things forever. That first-ever barcode transaction brought stores into the computing age."
• 'We couldn't believe our eyes': The 'real Indiana Jones' who found an ancient, lost city of the Incas - "In 1911, a US professor claimed he had discovered the ancient mountain stronghold of the last Incan king deep in the Peruvian Andes. Yet 53 years later, another explorer proved he was mistaken - and shortly afterwards, a BBC crew followed his trail."
• What Do Students Lose When They Stop Writing? - "Educators are worried that many students can no longer write essays without A.I. And it’s costing more than just grammar skills."
• How Much Does It Cost To Fly A Private Jet From New York To California? - "Private jets are chartered by the hour and can range from $3,500 up to $18,000 per hour. The price varies depending on the type of private jet and its size, as well as many other factors."
• Hayden Panettiere's ex Wladimir Klitschko says family in 'profound shock & grief' - "The former world heavyweight boxing champion, who shares an 11-year-old daughter with Panettiere, said the family is going through "profound shock and grief" following her death at the age of 36."
• India built the world's biggest digital payments miracle. Now comes the bill - "For most Indians, paying by Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has become almost absurdly routine. Scan a QR code, tap a few buttons and the money moves instantly. There is no card machine, no cash, and - most importantly - for the user, no visible fee. That may be about to change."
• Long after Steve Jobs’ turtleneck, there’s a new tech uniform - "From Palantir to OpenAI, big tech companies have been producing fashion merch in an attempt to soften their image with cotton and canvas."
• Could a drug designed for weight loss help athletes perform better? - "GLP-1 weight-loss drugs can reduce weight and improve health, but could they also boost athletic performance? Scientists say the evidence is unclear, but there is a growing debate around whether they could be considered performance enhancing."
• Eight of the world's most colourful buildings - "Imaginative architects have long used colour to elevate their work. From a dazzling ancient temple to a vibrant library, here are eight buildings where colour is integral."
• Can a Tiny Tourist mindset rethink big travel? A new report from Insights - "Badly behaved visitors, high-volume rental practices and algorithm-induced overtourism - in a landscape under strain, we make the case for downsizing how we travel and how it is marketed. We call it the Tiny Tourist approach."

August 17, 2026

• Trump says US will reduce joint military exercises with key ally South Korea - "The US president cites his positive relationship with North Korean leader and Seoul’s lack of assistance with Iran."
• Trump has handed a gift to Kim Jong Un & deepened concerns over US reliability - "President Donald Trump’s sudden announcement the US is scaling back major military drills with South Korea risks renewing concerns US forces are too stretched to support crucial Western allies or maintain deterrence against autocracies that threaten them."
• Ebola outbreak in DR Congo becomes deadliest in its history - "A total of 2,325 people have been killed by the virus since it was declared on 15 May, surpassing the death toll of the country's 2018-2020 outbreak."
• Ferrari's first ever electric car sold for record $40m - "Ferrari's first ever electric car has fetched $40m in a charity sale, setting a record for a new vehicle sold at auction. The sale of the Ferrari Luce - brainchild of the British iPhone designer Sir Jony Ive - raised more than 35 times the usual price of the car at the event at RM Sotheby's in California."
• Many Canadians are boycotting the US, so this is where they're travelling instead - "From exploring their own backyard to travelling abroad, many Canadians are spending their money elsewhere to send a message to the US president."
• Your Guide to Copenhagen - "This guide will help plan a first visit - as well as future trips - to Copenhagen, a forward-thinking Scandinavian city with classic amusements, world-class museums, inspiring designs and cutting-edge architecture."
• World’s most beautiful castles - "What is it about castles that fascinates so many people around the globe? Read on to find out more about 21 of the world’s most beautiful castles, fortified homes that are both a feast for the eyes and a time trip back to the bygone age during which they were created."
• Protein or pickled garlic? What's new in ice cream - "There's a constant battle in ice cream to come up with new flavours and to keep costs down."
• Aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, where hardship & resilience share quarters - "Three days onboard the Lincoln, and dozens of conversations with sailors - both officers and enlisted - showed me something messier than a single narrative: genuine hardship alongside genuine resilience, sometimes in the same person, sometimes in the same sentence."
• Tens of thousands without power & more than 100 homes damaged as Tropical Storm Lala moves away from Hawaii - "More than 150,000 customers are still without power across the islands Sunday night after hurricane-force wind gusts were reported in Hawaii, Honolulu and Maui counties. At least 100 homes were damaged and lost in the storm, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said during a Sunday news conference."
• The debate over Jason Arday’s life continues - just as viciously - despite his death at 41 - "Jason Arday, the youngest Black professor in the University of Cambridge’s 817-year history, is dead. But the intense public debate over his life and work, and what it means for a society grappling with multiculturalism, is continuing - perhaps even more furiously."
• France vs Mexico: 43 dishes you should try - "Tacos or tarte tatin? Burritos or boeuf Bourguignon? Choose your fighter as we’re going all in on a battle of national fare. France has the haute cuisine, the Michelin pedigree and the UNESCO-recognized bread. Mexico has the confluence of Indigenous and European influences, the slow-cooked meat, and the pre-Hispanic corn processes."
• MAGA Diet - Trump Officials Swear by the ‘Sauerkraut Diet’ - Does It Actually Work? - "The eating plan has become a favorite among several high-profile government officials, but it’s about much more than fermented cabbage."
• How OJ Simpson’s infamous Bronco chase captured a changing era of US sports coverage in the 1990s - "OJ Simpson's slow speed chase in 1994 became a flash point for a rapidly transforming sports media landscape."
• Chatbots Are Pushing Us Toward a Post-Human Internet - "In matters of work, school and even romance, we turn to A.I. chatbots. But what happens when the bots begin talking to one another?"
• How ‘Stacks’ Went From Bodybuilding & Computing to Describing Everything - "A lot of people talk about stacks now. It’s the jargon of choice whenever someone is selecting and combining things, strategizing about how each choice can amplify the others."

August 16, 2026

• JD Vance & the Trump team keep moving the goalposts on Iran - "If a return to pre-war status quo is ‘goal number one,’ that speaks to how little the Iran war has accomplished."
• Russia launches wave of strikes on Ukraine as Kyiv hits Wildberries warehouse near Moscow - "Moscow's mayor says about 600 Ukrainian drones were launched towards the city overnight - the governor calls it 'one of the most massive drone attacks of recent times' to hit the city."
• Greenland forces Trump-linked US oil firm to delay drilling - "US envoy had claimed Americans could be extracting crude by as early as next year."
• Life in the world's best countries for expats in 2026 - "The world's best countries for expats in 2026. New global rankings reveal the best places to build a life abroad – and the people who have made the move explain why."
• The controversial story of the North American raccoons wreaking havoc in Germany - "Raccoons are not native to Europe, but now number in the millions. Germany's raccoons are loved by some, despised by others. Once alleged to have been introduced by a Nazi commander, many elements of the raccoons' story have been wildly misunderstood."
• The cost of joining China’s biggest & most powerful club - "The perils of falling in love as a Communist Party member in China."
• How to gauge when to make eye contact - "Eye contact: What to do when there are no clear-cut rules. Making eye contact isn't just about being polite, experts say, but a key way of gathering information from others. There are, however, some subtleties to consider."
• Time slipping between your fingers? Try this simple hack to make the clock work for you - "Time can feel fluid. It leaks, spills and evaporates unless we’re able to contain it. Then there is the collective, or self-induced, pressure to be productive, to make the most of the extra time we have. Whether it’s home improvement, work projects, something creative or just reading a book, we’re hungry for concrete accomplishment. What I came up with was a time cup, a way to capture handfuls of time before they evaporate."
• The best architect-designed homes for sale this summer - "From the works of Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright to the homes of David Bowie and Umberto Mastroianni, and through to the Italian architectures of Gae Aulenti and Alessandro Mendini: Domus has selected ten masterpieces that have returned to the real estate market just in time for the summer season."
• ‘The spirit of resistance’: De Gaulle biopic turns into surprise hit for France’s younger viewers - "Historians argue box office enthusiasm shows desire for unifying figure as country faces political division."
• Secondhand book sales are booming. Is it because of AI? - "The suspicion is that they are not being bought for avid overseas readers but instead something else with a voracious appetite for new information: AI. The idea that the secondhand sales boom is being driven by the explosive growth of AI can be traced back to a court ruling in the US. In 2025, a judge ruled using books purchased in this way to train AI software was not a violation of US copyright law."
• 6 Exercises Physical Therapists Wish Everyone Did to Age Well - "Try these simple movements to stay strong and limber: 1. Standing on one leg - 2. Hip hinges - 3. Sit-to-stands - 4. Dead bugs with diaphragmatic breathing - 5. Wall push-ups - 6. Cat-cows."

August 15, 2026

• Inside the USS Lincoln’s grueling extended deployment - "Extended missions are becoming the norm as carriers exceed recommended limits. Sailors on carriers like the USS Abraham Lincoln feel the strain as Navy deployments stretch longer."
• Mapped: The Cost to Retire Comfortably Around the World - "Singapore is the most expensive country for Americans to retire comfortably, requiring an estimated $1.1 million, while Pakistan is the cheapest at $187,000. Retiring comfortably in the U.S. requires an estimated $738,000, more than in Canada ($598,000), Mexico ($356,000), and most countries worldwide. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Egypt are the only countries where the estimated retirement cost falls below $200,000."
• New premium airplane seats have a big problem & it could be getting worse - "Imagine booking a ticket on one of Europe’s premier airlines, stepping onto a brand-new, ultra-modern Airbus A350, and walking past 34 of the grandest business-class suites in the sky - only to be told no one is allowed to sit in them."
• No tickets for the real thing? Britain’s Bayeux Tapestry is almost as good - "If you can’t get to the British Museum, check out the replica tapestry at the Reading Museum. Stitched by the women of Leek in the 1880s, it’s a wonderful work of art too. This faithful replica is 70-metres long. It was made by 35 skilled Victorian women embroiderers in 1885 and depicts the events leading up and includes to the Battle of Hastings in 1066."
• After Notre-Dame Fire, France Restored the Cathedral - but Not These Windows - "France has faithfully renovated most of what burned at Notre-Dame in 2019. Contentiously, six towering windows will soon be replaced by a new design."
• Low water in Rome’s drought-hit Tiber river exposes ancient ruins of Nero’s Bridge - "Scorching temperatures and a long, dry summer have given locals and tourists alike a rare opportunity to see the remains of a 2,000-year-old bridge that once spanned the Tiber river that weaves through the center of Rome."
• ‘Super movers’ reduce the risk of developing cognitive impairment - "Faster-than-normal walkers were substantially less likely to develop cognitive impairment, according to a new study published on July 14 in the journal Neurology."
• Builders unearth €9m gold stash sealed in walls of Belgian property - "Builders renovating a house in Belgium have discovered a stash of gold reportedly worth €9m sealed into the walls of its cellar. The construction workers stumbled across the hidden trove of gold bars and coins while drilling to lay new sewage pipes in the property in east Flanders earlier this week, local media report."
• Jason Arday death 'tragedy on so many levels' says PM - "Arday, 41, resigned as a Cambridge professor of sociology of education last week after allegations of plagiarism and questions about some of his achievements. He had denied the claims."
• Why tech bosses keep sharing their manifestos about AI - "Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg is the latest Big Tech name to pen a letter thousands of words long about AI."
• Europe's scorched landscapes seen from space after summer heatwaves - "From glaciers shrinking to an exposed shipwreck, satellites capture the impact of extreme heat and drought."
• The 10 most walkable cities in the world in 2026, ranked - "From Copenhagen's car-free zones to a city where elevated walkways replaced an entire highway, the world's most walkable cities."
• Brad Pitt’s Return to Drinking Is Not Unsafe, Experts Say, but It’s Not for Everyone - "His disclosure in an interview revived a key question about sobriety: whether someone who once drank dangerously can ever drink moderately."

August 14, 2026

• How traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is adapting to war - "How are ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz now? The Strait of Hormuz is no longer simply open or closed, and ships have several options to cross this critical waterway."
• Trump keeps saying the US controls the Strait of Hormuz. Does it? - "Nearly half a year into the US-Iran war, global oil stockpiles are rapidly diminishing as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively stalled and the two powers at the center of the hostilities argue about who controls the critical waterway."
• Why officials decided to smuggle Trump out of Turkey with a catering truck & a secret plane - "By the time President Donald Trump walked onstage at the end of last month’s NATO summit in Turkey, the plan to spirit him out of the country was already in motion. An intercepted message is thought to have tipped the US Secret Service off to an alleged assassination plan during the Nato summit in Ankara."
• What Living Through the Hottest July Ever Looked Like Across the U.S. - "This July was the hottest month ever recorded in United States history. Last month’s average temperature was 3.3°F (1.8°C) higher than the 20th century average for the contiguous United States, according to new data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This was the warmest July - and warmest month - in the 132-year record."
• Europe’s economy faces a one-two punch from extreme weather & war - "Nuclear power plants idled. Crops harvested at 3 a.m. Iconic tourist attractions shuttered early."
• Conditions on US aircraft carrier at sea for more than 250 days raise alarms - "Thousands of US military members who have lived aboard an aircraft carrier for more than 250 days are reportedly contending with food shortages, broken plumbing and exhaustion. Military news outlets reported that some USS Abraham Lincoln sailors had attempted to jump overboard, while families have raised concerns about mental health aboard the ship."
• Selena Gomez sued for alleged fraud over mental health company - "Investors say the actor and singer did not take an 'active role' in the company as promised."
• How Robert Pattinson became the internet’s favorite weirdo - "There are a few stars who have been all over our movie screens in 2026 but just one seems to be dominating our computer screens, too: Robert Pattinson."
• What Are ‘Ghost Fleet’ Ships? - "'Ghost fleet' ships - also called 'dark' or 'shadow' fleets—are aging oil tankers that secretly transport petroleum for heavily sanctioned countries like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. These vessels use deceptive tactics to bypass international blockades and trade restrictions."
• How American WW2 freezers helped create Italian gelato - "How US tech helped create modern Italian gelato. Gelato is synonymous with Italy, but its modern origins go back to a humble dairy shop in Tuscany and a couple of abandoned American World War Two freezers."
• Nicole Kidman Is Keeping Her Heart Open - "How Nicole Kidman reinvented herself at 59. Incognito in Ibiza, partying in Portofino, new man, new film, new look... Welcome to the star’s third act. If at any point this summer you have been in Ibiza and noticed a tall woman with short hair dancing next to you, chances are it was her."
• The Invite to The Odyssey: 12 of the best films of 2026 so far - "BBC film critics Caryn James and Nicholas Barber pick their cinema highlights of the year - from Christopher Nolan's epic blockbuster to a farcical sex comedy."
• Have the benefits of intermittent fasting been overhyped? - "Proving that intermittent fasting works, like any lifestyle intervention, is notoriously difficult. But new technologies will better help us to understand what works and what doesn't."
• The lift can wait: why taking the stairs is the ultimate medicine - "A big study confirming the life-saving potential of everyday exertion suggests you do not need a gym membership to protect your heart."
• Missed the eclipse? The next one in 2027 is ‘the one to be at’ - "A total solar eclipse occurring on August 2, 2027, is 'the one to be at because it will actually be the longest eclipse in the remainder of our lifetimes,' said Dr. Ryan French, solar astrophysicist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder, Colorado."
• This Little Basket Is Having a Very Good Summer - "Long waits, eye-popping prices and master craftsmanship. It’s never been a better time to be a Nantucket friendship basket. The friendship basket has become a woven collectible sometimes compared to an Hermès Birkin bag. Nantucket lightship baskets, as they are known when they are open-topped - friendship baskets have a lid - can take six to 18 months to make, and have a starting cost of about $2,250, depending on weaver and size."
• Everything You Need for the Perfect Beach Day - "A roundup of the gear and accessories that five seasoned regulars never regret having toted onto the sand."
• Ranked: Countries With the Highest Working Age Populations - "Qatar has the highest share of working-age people at 83.3%, followed by the UAE at 82.0%. Six Gulf Cooperation Council countries appear among the top 15, including four of the top five. The Maldives is the highest-ranked country outside the Gulf, with 75.6% of its population between ages 15 and 64."
• Which Countries Think They’re on the Right Track? - "Across more than 25,000 respondents, only 41% believe their country is on the right track in 2026. Singapore (86%), Malaysia (74%), and India (69%) have the highest right-track ratings among the countries surveyed. France ranks last at 10%, followed by Peru at 15% and Great Britain at 21%."

August 13, 2026

• The best photos from Wednesday’s solar eclipse - "People in Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, Spain and a small portion of Portugal witnessed the skies go dark for about two minutes. Those in Spain enjoyed a rare sunset eclipse and watched a crescent sunset afterward. Meanwhile, a partial eclipse, in which the moon appears to take a 'bite' out of the sun, occurred over the northern United States, Canada, much of Europe and northwestern Africa."
• Once-in-a-generation solar eclipse wows millions in UK & Europe - "More than 95% of the Sun was covered by the Moon in Cornwall, while parts of Spain experienced the magic of a total eclipse."
• Putin can no longer claim victory in Ukraine, Nobel Peace Prize winner tells BBC - "In an exclusive interview with the BBC’s Steve Rosenberg, Dmitry Muratov says the Kremlin leader can only 'destroy Ukraine, not conquer it,' with the war now in its fifth year."
• Zelensky pleads for more US Patriot missiles to stop Russian attacks - "Sell Ukraine 10% of the US stockpile and ‘we will destroy all the Russians’ ballistic missiles,’ Zelensky tells CNN."
• Six times the speed of sound: Russia’s terrifying ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine - "How Russian ballistic missiles are exploiting holes in Ukraine’s air defenses."
• Why Karoline Leavitt might be impossible for Trump to replace - "She is far more than a spokesperson. Leavitt understands the Trump id. She’s been a leader in his second-term assault on Washington institutions of accountability - in this case, the Beltway press. Just like the boss, she broke the mold of her position. And with relentless trolling of reporters, she’s exposed the fractures of traditional journalism in the social media age."
• I Was Dick Cheney’s Cardiologist. Trump Has Not Looked Well & We Should Know Why - "Some people would argue that these personal medical details are more than the public deserves to know: After all, Buckingham Palace has not revealed many details about King Charles’s cancer or his treatment. But the United States does not have a king. In a representative democracy, the people must have confidence in the health of their leader, and in the leader’s capacity to guide the nation. We have been kept in the dark too long."
• Who is Josh Kushner, the billionaire who just bought the Lakers? - "Kushner, the brother of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared, announced that he was teaming up with former Disney CEO Bob Iger to buy the Los Angeles Lakers for a record-breaking $12.5 billion."
• Singer has partnered up with Louis Vuitton for two very special one-off cars - "Take a deep breath as we welcome a Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer Classic, twinned here with a Classic Turbo Cabriolet."
• The Color of IKEA Sofas Over Time (1960–2021) - "IKEA catalogs show a shift from colorful sofas in the 1960s toward gray, beige, and white by the 2020s. The 1990s stand out for bold patterned upholstery before neutral colors became increasingly common. In 2011, IKEA’s catalog featured the most neutral sofa palette in the entire dataset."
• This ‘perfect invader’ is spreading across the world. It’s costing economies billions - "The polyphagous shot-hole borer, an invasive species of beetle laying siege to tree populations across South Africa and beyond. It’s a bug no bigger than a sesame seed but its ecological and economic impact is titanic and growing ever larger globally, measured in many millions of trees and billions of dollars."
• Dogs know if we’re happy, sad or scared just from our expressions, study suggests - "It’s something every dog owner knows - but now we have the science to prove it: Dogs really can tell when we’re happy or sad."
• Powerball player in Illinois wins $1 billion jackpot - "A winning ticket was sold in Illinois for Wednesday night’s $1.04 billion Powerball, according to the lottery, marking the largest grand prize since last year. The winning numbers were 4, 26, 66, 67, 69, and red Powerball 9, with a Power Play multiplier of 2."
• Ebola outbreak on track to be deadliest ever, WHO chief says - "The outbreak, declared on 15 May, has caused more than 2,000 deaths, with thousands more reported cases."
• Four ways to extend the benefits of a holiday - "Shorter trips, awe, nostalgia and 'satisficing' - these tricks will leave you feeling extra rested after a holiday."
• Why travellers are obsessed with foreign supermarkets - "From Tokyo egg sandwiches to Greek dairy aisles, supermarket aisles are becoming one of travel's most revealing and beloved experiences."
• Anthony Bourdain biopic Tony fails to honour the chef's work - "'I don't think he would've been happy': Why Anthony Bourdain biopic Tony fails to honour the chef's work. The new film about the US culinary titan is entertaining. But it undersells his legacy and sidelines the workers, many immigrants or people of colour, that to him were the real stars of the restaurant industry."
• What I saw when I went undercover with Scientology - "It started with an unblinking stare and a £35 course. Soon I was told a teenage girl could make a drunk person sober. I had heard about the 'Scientology stare', but it wasn’t until I spent a week undercover at the church that I experienced for myself the unnerving power of that intense and impassive gaze worn by many members of the movement."

August 12, 2026

• Trump confirms he switched planes after Nato summit because of possible threat - "Journalists and White House staff who were on board the jet were unaware the president had left."
• Trump's dramatic plane swap hints at personal stakes of Iran war - "'I got him before he got me. They tried twice. Well, I got him first.' It marks another striking episode in the turbulent history of his relationship with Iran, writes the BBC's Anthony Zurcher."
• How Trump’s secret plane switch unfolded - "A CNN review of videos and photos sheds light on how an elaborate ruse to fly Trump out of Turkey by secretly switching planes unfolded. CNN’s Kevin Liptak reports."
• Total solar eclipse will be visible for millions of people today - "This event will mark the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe in more than two decades."
• A rare sunset total solar eclipse will occur for millions of people on Wednesday - "Moon is due to pass directly between Earth and sun on Wednesday 12 August. Here’s all you need to know."
• A stunning solar eclipse will soon unfold. Here’s how scientists map the path of totality - "Because the moon - about 2,159 miles (3,475 kilometers) in diameter - is much smaller than Earth, its darkest central shadow, known as the umbra, is only a few hundred kilometers wide. As the moon moves in its orbit, that narrow shadow sweeps across Earth’s surface, creating what’s known as the path of totality."
• Hotel prices in Europe jump before total solar eclipse - "Rooms in Icelandic capital Reykjavík cost double usual rate and Spain also enjoying strong bookings."
• Cristiano Ronaldo marries long-time partner Georgina RodrÍguez - "The couple have tied the knot after the Portuguese captain played his last ever World Cup this summer."
• 2 million people travel to see this cabbage each year. What’s so special? - "How a humble cabbage became one of the Forbidden City’s most memorable treasures. The Louvre’s 'Mona Lisa,' the British Museum’s Rosetta Stone, MoMA’s 'Starry Night' - major museums often have one must-see item that singlehandedly draws visitors from around the world. For the National Palace Museum, in Taiwan’s capital Taipei, the star attraction is somewhat humbler: a cabbage."
• Forbes Unveils 2026 “50 Over 50” List, Celebrating Women Who Are Redefining What’s Possible At Every Age - "Earlier this year, an unsettling survey finding bounced around the internet: 70% of women say they feel increasingly invisible as they age. However, the sixth annual Forbes 50 Over 50 tells a very different story. Women across the country are doing some of their most ambitious, influential and powerful work after age 50."
• Powerball hits $1 billion for tonight’s drawing, the biggest US lottery jackpot of the year - "The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $1 billion after no ticket won the grand prize Monday night, marking the first billion-dollar Powerball jackpot since a player in Arkansas took home $1.8 billion on Christmas Eve last year."
• Spotify to add label for AI-generated artists & remove them from recommendations - "The new feature, starting from mid-September, will tell listeners if an artist is AI-generated."
• Tokenomics: Why making AI pay is tricky - "Buyers of AI services are struggling to control costs and sellers are not sure how much to charge."
• Danube river's low water levels reveal remains of WWII soldiers & motorcycle - "A remarkably well-preserved motorcycle and identification tags were found alongside the bodies."
• Mapped: Monthly Salaries Across 69 Major Cities - "Average monthly salaries across 69 major cities range from $8363 in Zurich to $220 in Cairo, a more than 38-fold difference. Five U.S. cities rank among the global top 10, including San Francisco at #2. Tokyo ranks 39th at $2,394 per month, below cities including Dubai, Toronto, Berlin, Seoul, and Auckland."
• Ranked: The World’s Top Billionaire Cities in 2026 - "New York leads the world with 146 billionaires, the highest concentration of billionaire wealth in any city. Chinese cities account for 34% of billionaires across the top 32 cities, with Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing all ranking in the global top four. Asia is home to 58% of the billionaires represented in the ranking, highlighting the region’s growing role in wealth creation."
• She Makes the Impossible Happen for Her Ultrarich Clients - "Olivia Ferney grew up a child of schoolteachers in Ontario. Now she's an expert in private jets, luxury cabanas and champagne-soaked revels."
• My face-to-face meeting with an AI clone - "AI clones are becoming more common, but the early-stage technology is not without risks. From rogue clones to workplace doppelgangers, here's what you need to know."
• A.I. Will Affect Your Social Life. Yes, Yours - "A.I. has become a kind of social sealant, filling the gaps in young people's relationships. Most social offloading is cognitive offloading - the study group that doesn't happen, the question that never gets asked of a classmate/friend."
• Gen Z-ers Dress Like They’ve Never Worn Clothes Before - "It seems no one has even worn clothes before. JNCO jeans with a blazer, a cardigan sweater tucked into camo pants with no belt, a T-shirt over a ... Time was, if you wanted to know what people’s deal was, you read their clothes. The piece highlights how young people mix mismatched proportions, clashing cuts, and untucked layers that ignore traditional rules of dressing."
• The 4 Bits of Jargon That Will Help Determine Whether the Market Will Crash - "Well, you're in luck, because deciphering four concepts will go a long way toward answering that crucial question about your personal finances."
• The English stately home where Nazis were tricked into spilling their secrets - "At north London's Trent Park during World War Two, high-ranking Nazi prisoners of war relaxed and chatted in the elegant upstairs - while downstairs, 'secret listeners' were eavesdropping. What they heard changed the course of World War Two."

August 11, 2026

• Russia using North Korean missiles to strike Ukraine, Zelensky says - "Ukraine and Russia have continued striking each other overnight, with Volodymyr Zelensky accusing Moscow of using North Korean missiles."
• Trump hid in catering truck in secret plane swap over Iran threat, reports say - "The US president was moved from the old Air Force One to a military plane as he left a Nato summit in Turkey last month, US media say."
• Visualizing the Colombia earthquake in maps & charts - "A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday killing scores and severely damaging thousands of buildings across the country. The quake was the strongest originating in the country since at least 1990, according to the US Geological Survey. CNN is tracking developments, in maps and charts."
• Former Syrian President Assad sentenced to death in absentia - "A Syrian court sentenced ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad along with his younger brother to death in absentia on Tuesday for crimes against humanity and war crimes during Syria’s 14-year conflict that left about half a million people dead."
• How & when to see the solar eclipse - "What you need to know about the UK and Europe's best eclipse in 27 years."
• After three decades, a murder trial brings focus back to the legacy of Tupac Shakur - "Jury selection began Monday in the trial for Duane Keith Davis - known as Keffe D - who was indicted in 2023 on one count of murder with a deadly weapon in Tupac Shakur’s death. Davis, 63, has entered a not guilty plea."
• Meta just picked a side in a big debate over the future of AI - "Meta is taking a stance on one of the biggest debates shaping the future of artificial intelligence: Should AI models be open for anyone to tinker with and modify, or should they be tightly controlled by the companies making them?"
• Wall Street giants hand Nvidia $500bn to fund boom in AI projects - "The chipmaker said it had struck deals with Apollo, BlackRock, Blackstone, Brookfield, Goldman Sachs and KKR, and that the investors were for the first time treating AI hardware and infrastructure, often referred to as 'compute', as an asset class. 'In AI, compute is revenue,' Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang said."
• More than 10 firms pay up to $100,000 a month for fast access to Truth Social posts - "Trump Media expects the controversial service, which launched this month, to provide a new revenue stream, as it posts a quarterly loss."
• Jamie Dimon says the dollar could lose reserve-currency status if the US loses its economic & military edge - "'If we're not the strongest military in 25 years and the strongest economy, we won't be the reserve currency either,' Dimon said on PBS' 'Firing Line with Margaret Hoover,' which aired over the weekend."
• A Monday with Brad Pitt - "The 62-year-old has lived a singular life. He resides in the top 1 percent of the top 1 percent of all movie stars, not only today but ever, as measured by any metric you like, including intrigue. What does he have to say about all of it?"
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art Is Making a Very Bad Mistake - "The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced that Mr. Galliano would be the subject of the Costume Institute’s next exhibition, scheduled to open May 9. It is an exceptional honor. Only two other living designers have been so celebrated by the Met: Yves Saint Laurent in 1983 and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons in 2017. Public discussions continue to rage over how to define antisemitism, but there is no definition narrow enough to exclude Mr. Galliano’s infamous outburst, in which he praised Hitler and told fellow cafe patrons their ancestors would have been gassed."
• The lonely Chinese men being conned by fake brides - "'Flash marriage' scams are an extreme symptom of a demographic crisis long in the making in China."
• What really happens inside a Turkish bath - "Using a small bowl, your attendant cascades water over your hair, face and body, washing away the sweat. Despite the name, there are no actual baths in Turkish hamam."
• The invisible price of travelling safely as a woman - "Women-only rooms are in high demand - and sometimes cost more. What does that tell us about the price of feeling safe?"
• Flock Cameras Can Track Every Car in America. Police Love Them. Citizens Don’t - "In Texas, there’s one thing liberals and conservatives agree on: They don’t want cameras trained on their cars."
• Ranked: The World’s Top Manufacturing Powers (2005-2025) - "In 2005, the U.S. and European Union accounted for nearly half of global manufacturing value added. By 2025, China had become the world’s largest manufacturing power by a sizable margin. Japan’s share of global manufacturing fell from 13% in 2005 to 5% in 2025."

August 10, 2026

• Trump has a Carter-style Iran problem as the economy drags before the midterms - "President Donald Trump is staring down two stark liabilities that threaten to damage his Republican Party in the midterms and to ruin his second term-legacy."
• Netanyahu calculates upsetting Trump is his least-bad option - "On tricky issues, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s preference is to kick the can down the road. If he must take a position, he likes to include a twist of ambiguity, some wiggle room, just in case things get hairy later."
• FIFA accused of ‘deception’ in open letter from confederation presidents - "The latest development comes from an open letter signed by the presidents and general secretaries of European soccer governing body UEFA, North & Central American and Caribbean governing body CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)."
• Ocean heat records broken as hottest July temperature recorded - "The world's oceans hit their hottest ever recorded temperatures in July, partly fuelled by developing El Niño conditions in the Pacific, according to the EU's climate monitoring service. The average sea surface temperature (SST) outside the world's polar regions - between 60 degrees north and 60 degrees south - was 20.96C in July, beating the previous July high of 20.89C, set in 2023."
• We're getting mealtimes wrong - here's the best time to have dinner - "It's not only what you eat that matters - your body clock plays an important role in how you metabolise food."
• The Egyptian trumpets that lay silent for over 3,000 years - "Today, the trumpets have a new home in the billion-dollar Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened in November. Inside the state-of-art facility, located within view of the Pyramids of Giza, the trumpets and their original wooden cores are housed in climate-controlled displays."
• Monte Carlo Casino: where legends challenged the wheel - "Few places in the world evoke the same sense of history, elegance and intrigue as Monte Carlo. For more than a century, the Casino de Monte-Carlo has represented sophistication, entertainment and the highest traditions of European gaming."
• Powerball jackpot climbs to $905 million ahead of tonight’s drawing, the largest of the year - "Tonight’s drawing will be the 43rd in a row in search of a winner, and its prize ranks as the eighth-largest jackpot in Powerball history, according to the Multi State Lottery Association, which administers the game."
• The Most Powerful Men in America Are Eating Only Steak & Sauerkraut. Could I? - "I ate like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for a week. The results were fascinating."
• Roadkill or a sunken soufflÉ: What is going on with Trump’s hair? - "The US president stepped out in Las Vegas looking like he had grown a fresh and suddenly luscious head of hair overnight."
• The Gospel According to Anthony Bourdain - "Fans of the late writer and chef are cultlike in their devotion. But have they misunderstood his message?"
• The AI drone swarms coming soon to Europe’s battlefields - "Flocks of autonomous attack drones are being tested by Nato and China, and seeing action in Ukraine. New defences are needed to stop them."

August 9, 2026

• Iran insists on US concessions before opening Strait of Hormuz - "Tehran's national security chief issued a list of demands for the US to fulfill before Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz."
• Fifa criticises campaign to oust president Infantino - "Fifa strongly criticises what it calls a 'concerted and ongoing effort' to 'undermine' the organisation and its president Gianni Infantino."
• UEFA confirms payout to ex-employee under Infantino, amid denials of an affair - "FIFA chief Gianni Infantino is denying a report that inappropriate conduct was behind a six-figure 'departure payment' made to a woman during his years as general secretary at the Union of European Football Associations."
• AI isn’t the biggest cybersecurity problem. People are - "Cases of AI escaping the lab, infiltrating other companies and trying to deceive people have all made headlines in recent weeks. And in one case, AI models even worked together to break free from their test environments. Does this mean the machines are taking over? Not quite."
• Celebrity diamond jeweler reaches end of the legal line in $2 billion fraud case - "The rapid unraveling of a billionaire diamond dealer to the stars."
• 'Tony review - knives out in tasty reheat of Anthony Bourdain’s memoir - "Dominic Sessa stars as a conceited yet vulnerable young chef alongside Antonio Banderas - but the feelgood factor is compromised by what we know of the author."
• Plug-in solar panels explained - "Plug-in solar (also called balcony solar or plug-and-play solar) consists of small, portable solar kits with one or two panels and a micro-inverter. You mount them in a sunny spot like a balcony or patio and plug the cord into a standard wall outlet to offset your daytime electricity use."
• How much sunshine do we really need? - "Some people just need a few minutes per day in the summer - while others require much longer."
• The 25 Objects That Explain America - "Want to understand this country? Look at our stuff. Welcome to My Museum of America."
• What to Know About Wildberries, the Company in Ukraine’s Cross Hairs - "Ukrainian drones have increasingly targeted warehouses belonging to Wildberries, which many Russians rely on as the country’s largest e-commerce business. Several of the company's warehouses have completely ceased operations."
• Widow's Bay to DTF St Louis: 19 of the best TV shows of 2026 so far - "From a surprise horror-comedy hit to a suburban whodunnit with a difference and the latest runs of Rivals and Ted Lasso, we pick the year's greatest programmes to stream right now."
• Hand heart - "The gesture allows a burst of positivity, 'which is harmless and non-threatening and gives a positive image of yourself, while also making other people feel positive'. Athletes, actors, a criminal defendant... All sorts of people are showing the love and linguists are having a field day explaining it."
• Europe Was Once Bigger Than the U.S. Economy. What Happened? - "In 2026, the European Union’s $23 trillion economy is only 71% the size of the $32.4 trillion U.S. economy. In 2008, the EU’s gross domestic product was 131% the size of the U.S. economy. The eurozone debt crisis, Brexit, the pandemic, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine all contributed to the EU’s changing economic trajectory."
• Mapped: The Global Peace Index in 2026 - "This map ranks 163 countries in the 2026 edition of the Global Peace Index, highlighting where peace is strongest. Europe has the world’s largest concentration of highly peaceful countries in the 2026 Global Peace Index. Highly peaceful countries also appear across Asia-Pacific, the Americas, and Africa, showing that strong scores are not confined to one region. The lowest levels of peacefulness are concentrated in countries experiencing prolonged conflict and political instability."

August 8, 2026

• US intel assesses Putin could launch attack aimed at testing NATO unity - "Recent US intelligence assessments indicate Russian President Vladimir Putin could try to test NATO’s resolve by launching a limited attack on an allied country within the next few years, according to three sources familiar with those reports."
• Politicians, private jets & power - the life of a Fifa president - "Gianni Infantino stepped off a plane in Cali and was greeted on the runway by the president of the Colombian Football Federation."
• Infantino denies claims Uefa paid off alleged 'lover' - "Gianni Infantino's alleged lover was given a severance payment over the affair by Uefa while he was its general secretary, according to a Daily Telegraph investigation, external."
• Hunter Biden tells BBC his pardon was 'not good' for America or his father's legacy - "In a wide-ranging BBC interview, the former president's son denied having any interest in running for office and said his father's cancer has spread."
• International Cat Day - since 2002. Celebration which takes place on 8 August of every year. It was created in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. It is a day to raise awareness for cats and learn about ways to help and protect them.
• Trump dismisses climate change. But he can’t deny that wildfires are going to get worse - "Destructive wildfires are part of life in much of the US now, as Americans adapt to the warming planet and its more intense weather starts to feel common. In recent years, Texas, Tennessee, Florida, California and Hawaii, among other states, have seen homes destroyed and lives uprooted. Fires rage each year in forestland across the West."
• The surprising reason airlines invest so much in airplane interiors - "Airplanes up to 45 years old are safely flying commercial routes around the world, but airlines invest a lot to make sure travelers aren’t aware they’re taking to the skies in a decades-old aircraft. This starts with maintenance and includes brand-new interiors - everything from seats to sidewalls and inflight entertainment - to keep fliers happy."
• Is watching too much TV bad for your brain? Possibly - "Do you suspect that spending hours every day in front of the television isn’t doing your brain any favors? A new study suggests you may be onto something."
• Should you stop cracking your knuckles? - "Like a firework exploding in the joint – here's everything you need to know about cracking your knuckles."
• I went for a full body MOT & the results came as a shock - "I don't mind having my photo taken - triple checked and filtered for Instagram - but 70 cameras pointing at me while I'm down to my knickers is a bit daunting. With a flash of light, 2,000 photographs are taken of my body, in the hope of capturing every mark, freckle and mole to analyse for different skin cancers."
• The week in 30 photos - "Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye."
• How Americans Spend Every Hour of the Day - "How does America spend a typical day? This visualization tracks sleep, work, eating, shopping, and leisure every hour. Even at the busiest point of the workday, fewer than one in three Americans are working. By 8 p.m., leisure becomes the country’s most common waking activity, with more than half of Americans taking part. Data from the latest American Time Use Survey shows how daily activities shift across every hour of a typical day."
• Most Commonly Broken Bones - "Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, this chart ranks the 12 anatomical sites with the highest number of new fractures worldwide. In 2019 there were 178 million new fractures across 204 countries and territories, covering all ages from newborns to 95+."
• How the World Views China vs. the U.S. in 2026 - "China has a higher favorability rating than the United States in 27 of the 36 countries surveyed. China records its highest approval in Pakistan (90%), while the U.S. receives its highest rating in Israel (81%). Canada and Mexico view China more favorably, while several U.S. allies near China favor the United States."
• AI's Nine Hyperscalers Plan a $4.1 Trillion Capital Cycle - "This historic investment, driven by mega-caps and specialized clouds, heavily relies on external debt to finance massive data center, chip, and energy projects."

August 7, 2026

• Trump denies US weapons shortage & says information 'leakers' being 'hunted down' - "President Donald Trump has denied reports that the US is suffering a munitions shortage and vowed in a social media post to seek 'long term jail sentences' for those suspected of leaking information."
• Trump again tries to limit US birthright citizenship with new executive orders - "Donald Trump is trying again to scale back birthright citizenship in the US, weeks after the Supreme Court shot down his previous attempt to eliminate the right."
• Scientists warn about long-term effects of space debris as huge rocket part thought to have hit Moon - "The Falcon 9 rocket was launched last year. Its 4,000kg upper section was shed in space, as planned, but deviated onto an accidental collision course with the lunar surface."
• Supersonic flight is making a comeback decades after the Concorde. But one big hurdle remains - "For supersonic flight to become economically attractive for large airlines, the solution to the boom problem needs to allow aircraft to fly at unrestricted speeds over land, not just over water. NASA’s Quesst mission is working toward that objective with the the X-59."
• This year could mark a space-race tipping point. Here’s what to know about China’s secretive program - "A gravity-defying competition that brewed in the background of geopolitics for decades is now roaring to the forefront - with China demonstrating rapid advances in space technology and the United States ratcheting up rhetoric about a looming battle for control of the cosmos."
• Tom Selleck reflects on acting career, President Reagan & a famous White House dance - "Actor Tom Selleck sat down with CNN's Elex Michaelson for a one-on-one interview at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum, where he premiered a new documentary celebrating America's 250th birthday. Selleck reflected on his legendary career, close friendship with President Reagan, and what he thinks of President Trump. Plus, he shared details about a famous dance at the White House and which iconic role he turned down."
• How AI-powered drones are transforming warfare - "On today's battlefields, tanks and fighter jets are no longer dominating. Increasingly, it's drones. For BBC Tech Now, Suranjana Tewari finds out how AI is fully controlling the latest drones instead of remote human operators."
• The 4 Best Language Learning Apps of 2026 - "The best language learning app won't be the same for everyone. After testing 15 apps, we've found four picks based on how you learn best."
• Google Maps is eating up your phone’s storage - here’s how to reclaim it - "Stop Google Maps hogging your storage: On Android, go to your phone's Settings app, find Google Maps, tap Storage, then tap 'Clear Cache.' A 'Clear Data' button is also available."
• 19 of the best TV shows of 2026 so far - "From a surprise horror-comedy hit to a suburban whodunnit with a difference and the latest runs of Rivals and Ted Lasso, we pick the year's greatest programmes to stream right now."
• Seagulls are the thieves of the skies. Here's how to stop them stealing your food - "When you're visiting the seaside, a simple trick could stop seagulls from robbing you of your lunch."
• Why Are These Retro Sweatpants All Over the Hamptons? - "In quiet luxury Long Island, $168 Y2K logo sweats are having an unexpected renaissance."
• let's do a 'couch to 5k' for reading - "We're going to work ourselves back to good 'reading fitness' over the next eight weeks. come and join us. A 'couch to 5k' for reading is an eight-week gradual training program created by novelist Naomi Alderman on her Substack. It helps rebuild attention spans fractured by smartphones and social media by treating deep reading as an endurance skill you practice in small daily increments."
• Ranked: Countries With the Biggest Government Spending - "Kiribati ranks first by a wide margin, with government expenditure equal to 98.1% of GDP - more than 26 percentage points above the second-place Marshall Islands (71.6%). Many of the world’s highest-spending governments are either small island economies or European welfare states, reflecting two very different drivers of public expenditure. Among major economies, France spends the most relative to GDP at 57.2%, while South Korea (22.5%), India (28.4%), and Mexico (30.3%) rank far lower."
• Mapped: Every Country in the World by Income Group - "This map shows the income level by country, based on the World Bank's 2025 GNI per capita classifications."
• Ranked: Countries With the Most Government Debt in 2026 - "The U.S. is projected to hold $40.7 trillion in government debt in 2026, the highest total worldwide. Japan has the world’s highest government debt relative to the size of its economy, at 204% of GDP. Several European economies rank among the world’s most indebted by GDP despite carrying much smaller total debt than the U.S. or China."
• 2025 Commodity Forecasts vs. Reality - "The comparison covers all 46 individual commodity prices in the October 2024 forecast table. The largest 2025 commodity-price forecast error from the World Bank's outlook occurred with Arabica coffee, which averaged $8.47/kg against a $5.00/kg forecast (a 69.4% miss)."

August 6, 2026

• Iran & Oman close in on Strait of Hormuz agreement - "Iran says Hormuz deal is close but US must meet commitments before strait reopens."
• Senate committee votes to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress - "Senator Rand Paul, a longtime Fauci foe, announced the vote after the retired scientist invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times during a committee hearing last week."
• Infantino controversy latest: UEFA says FIFA chief's apology 'changes nothing' & steps up World Cup boycott threat - "UEFA tells Sky News 'conditions have not been met' to lift its World Cup boycott and it still lacks confidence in Gianni Infantino. It comes after the FIFA chief apologised in a letter shared yesterday evening. Follow the latest here."
• Infantino apologizes for ‘mistakes’ but retains FIFA’s backing at crisis meeting - "The declaration of support for the embattled leader followed a crisis meeting held with senior officials from the world soccer governing body in Morocco."
• Cost of Trump’s Namesake Warships Likely to Rise by 50 Percent or More - "President Trump’s goal of building a 'golden fleet' of 15 battleships could cost $275 billion, according to a government estimate."
• How Roy Cohn taught Donald Trump everything - "Roy Cohn - an American scoundrel and the lawyer who helped send Julius and Ethel Rosenberg to the electric chair, aided Senator Joseph McCarthy in implementing the Red Scare, and showed Trump the ropes in the real-estate business - was long gone."
• Copenhagen's Noma reopens with micro-season menus as chef Redzepi steps back - "Denmark's Noma restaurant reopens August 5 with new managers. Long rated 'world's best', Noma Copenhagen closed in January. Founder Rene Redzepi has acknowledged harmful treatment of staff. New executive head chef says Redzepi stays out of daily decisions. Set menu costs about $1,000 with wine pairing."
• See the Sun like never before with most detailed images yet - "Scientists using the world's most powerful solar telescope have captured the surface of our Sun in new, unprecedented detail."
• Private pools, celeb-spotting and intimidating luxury: Secrets of a ‘White Lotus’ resort - "If the idea of a hotel gift store selling a $1,000 designer pool throwover feels surreal - let alone an actor casually filming a poolside scene as guests watch on - you’re obviously not familiar with the world of HBO’s 'The White Lotus.'"
• Want to be first to escape a hurricane? This new company is selling seats on private planes - "When the next hurricane heads toward Florida, some people won’t have to join the lines of traffic slowly snaking out of town. They won’t need to worry about gas, or where they should head. Instead, they will be swiftly flown out of state on a privately hired airplane."
• MIT unveils a robot that flies & swims. Now it wants to put it into action - "A lab at MIT has engineered a $300 flapping robot that can fly and swim underwater. Its creator believes the lightweight robot could one day be used to monitor and ultimately help protect the ocean."
• Beyond the building: How architects are designing experiences, not just spaces - "Why architects are designing more than buildings. Many of the world’s leading firms are increasingly working across interiors, furniture and exhibition design as part of a single creative vision."
• How Emily Wilson’s Takedown of ‘The Odyssey’ Ignited a Debate - "Her 4,000-plus-word takedown of this year's most-talked-about movie appeared to temporarily crash The LRB's website and fueled a debate over balancing commercial success with literary authenticity."
• From flip flops to fisherman's sandals: How to look after your feet this summer - "Expert tips for happy feet. They may keep your feet cool but some styles could be doing more harm than good."
• How 1980s comic The Dark Knight Returns turned Batman into a brutal vigilante - "First published 40 years ago in 1986, Frank Miller's graphic novel transformed the Caped Crusader from a camp, comical figure into a brutal new kind of superhero. He tells the BBC how it became a sensation."
• Mapped: Every Country’s Biggest Import Partner - "China is the largest supplier of goods imports for 100 countries and territories. Germany is the biggest import partner for many European economies. The U.S. is the leading supplier to Canada, China, and much of Latin America and the Caribbean."

August 5, 2026

• Trump says Hormuz deal could be imminent but Iranian media dampens hopes of breakthrough - "However, Iranian state media today reported that any potential agreement between Iran and Oman on the future of the critical waterway has 'no connection' to its reopening."
• Nearly 80% of interceptors for a key missile defense system depleted, sources say - "The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates the United States had around 2,200 Patriots (of the platform’s two most-modernized variants) and 452 THAAD missiles in its stockpile before the Iran war started."
• Scientists warn about long-term effects of space debris as huge rocket part thought to have hit Moon - "The stray upper stage (section) of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is about the size of a five-storey building, with a mass of at least 4,000kg."
• China hits US with sanctions, drone export curbs ahead of Xi visit - "Beijing announced a swath of measures against the United States and its firms on Wednesday, in what it described as retaliation against recent moves by Washington targeting Chinese companies."
• China built full-size models of US warships & aircraft to hone its missiles - "At remote sites, China has built an array of replicas that allow its troops and engineers to train to attack Taiwan and the US military. China is not just building replicas of US warships. Satellite images analyzed by The Telegraph reveal it is also building models of fighter jets, naval bases and Taiwanese presidential buildings."
• Palantir’s Karp renews attacks on frontier AI labs that are ‘trying to drug addict us’ - "Palantir CEO Alex Karp is deepening his attack on the leading AI labs. In an exclusive interview with CNBC, Karp said enterprises need to protect their data or risk losing their business to model makers. Karp said Chinese models can’t be blamed for distilling U.S. models when the frontier labs 'distilled all the value of IP, everywhere.'"
• The secret codewords that scammers hate - "Deepfake scams might use your voice, but they don't know what's in your head. Five minutes of preparation could save your loved ones from falling for fraud."
• Nirmal Purja: How a generation of record-setting guides died in an avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak last week - "The avalanche that killed a climbing legend - and a generation of record-setting guides. Among those killed was the decorated British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja, best known for climbing the world's 14 highest peaks, rising above 8,000m (26,246 ft), in just over six months."
• Trump’s White House helipad being partially disassembled, images show - "President Donald Trump’s helipad project on the White House South Lawn appears to be undergoing changes that have resulted in some of the work being reversed."
• Trump’s ‘alternative facts’ again crash into reality - "When Trump hits a brick wall now, as president, he just fashions an alternative reality. He can talk up tough financial data or a foreign policy hiccup as though he’s bigging up a tatty property in a real estate prospectus."
• Our Fauci Diaries, Ourselves - "Molly Fischer writes about the COVID-19 diaries of Anthony Fauci, and his friendships with celebrities during his newfound fame. Anthony Fauci became a symbol of truth and integrity during the pandemic. In his diaries, he’s mostly talking about how he 'butt called' Barbra Streisand."
• Scientists unravel the mysteries of Proust’s madeleine moment - "Neuroscientists have identified specific postnatal neurons in the olfactory bulb and a shift towards the limbic system that create the neural basis for 'Proust's madeleine' effect, explaining how smells trigger vivid childhood memories. Research shows these unique brain cells, which survive throughout life, explain why scent-evoked memories carry intense emotional, nostalgic weight."
• You’ve watched The Odyssey, now here’s what to read - "Gained a new interest in Homer’s world? Harry Sidebottom recommends some further reading - history books that explain the Trojan wars and novels that reimagine the ancient past."
• Ranked: Countries With the Biggest Declines in Academic Freedom - "Nicaragua, Myanmar, and Afghanistan recorded the world’s steepest declines in academic freedom between 2015 and 2025. Academic freedom declined in 67% of countries over the past decade, according to the V-Dem Academic Freedom Index. The U.S. dropped from 27th to 116th globally, making it one of the most notable declines among advanced economies."
• Mapped: Which Countries Have the Most Academic Freedom? - "Czechia ranks first globally for academic freedom, while Myanmar and Nicaragua rank last. The U.S. scores 0.40, placing it at a level similar to Bhutan and Thailand. India has recorded one of the world’s sharpest declines in academic freedom since 2010."
• Mapped: Countries With the Most Freshwater Per Person - "Iceland has the world’s highest renewable freshwater availability, with 15.7 million cubic feet per person each year. Small, sparsely populated countries dominate the rankings, while populous nations generally have far less freshwater available per resident. The U.S. ranks 54th globally, showing that abundant total water resources do not necessarily translate into high freshwater availability per resident."
• Charted: How Economic Power Shifted Over 200 Years - "How the world's economic superpowers rose and fell from 1820 to 2025, measured by share of world GDP at purchasing power parity. China accounted for the largest share of global GDP in 2025 when adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP). The U.S. share of global output peaked at 29.7% during World War II. At its 19th-century peak, the British Empire contributed nearly one-quarter of global GDP."

August 4, 2026

• One mistake Trump hasn’t made on Iran - "The president is stuck in a war he can’t afford to win and can’t afford to lose."
• Analysis: Trump challenged by cold reality from top allies - "In a series of setbacks, Trump has faced adversity in matters both large and small; two of which he cares about dearly and one that could determine his and his party's political fate for the remaining two years of his presidential term."
• Trump accused of ‘abusing power’ by selling VIP access to Truth Social posts - "President charging banks and trading firms $100,000 for early access to social media feed."
• Gianni Infantino: Opponents plan to ‘paralyse Fifa’ to force resignation - "Gianni Infantino's opponents are preparing a 'governance boycott' of FIFA and weighing legal action in an effort to force the governing body's president to resign following the collapse of his proposed FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE) venture."
• Ranked: The Most Valuable Squads at the 2026 FIFA World Cup - "Which World Cup Squads Were Worth the Most? The table below ranks all 48 teams by their estimated squad values at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 48 squads at the 2026 FIFA World Cup were worth a combined €17.2 billion, with the top four accounting for more than €5.1 billion in player value. France, England, and Spain were the only national squads valued above €1.2 billion. Europe accounted for 15 of the 16 most valuable squads, while Brazil and Argentina ranked highest outside the region."
• What will happen when a SpaceX rocket collides with the Moon? - "Our satellite has endured countless blows over millions of years - and astronomers think this one could be a useful accident."
• ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ beats ‘Avengers: Endgame’ box office record - "Spider-Man: Brand New Day broke the Avengers: Endgame record for the biggest North American opening weekend with $360 million in ticket sales from theaters in the U.S. and Canada, Sony Pictures said Monday."
• Everyone is using ChatGPT Memory wrong - 5 tweaks to make it a true assistant - "Making these simple changes can boost productivity in seconds: 1. I cleaned out old memories - 2. I stopped saving facts and started saving preferences - 3. I let ChatGPT remember long-term projects - 4..."
• Tokenomics: Why making AI pay is tricky - "Buyers of AI services are struggling to control costs and sellers are not sure how much to charge."
• AI is giving hackers an edge. Here’s how to protect yourself from online scams - "Cybercriminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence to target people: Americans lost more than $893 million from AI-related crimes last year, according to the FBI. Here’s what experts suggest to protect against cyber scams."
• The ultimate guide to travel etiquette: how to handle 36 tricky situations, from manspreaders to smelly armpits - "It’s easy to lose your cool when you’re crammed into a train, bus or plane with a bunch of strangers and one of them is playing music without headphones or fighting you for the armrest. Here are the rules everyone should be following."
• What we’ve learned about Covid-19 since the pandemic - "The World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic more than six years ago, and the public health emergency ended in the US more than three years ago. But Covid-19 is still a politically charged topic, with long-lasting implications. Here’s what we’ve learned - and how our understanding has evolved - since the earliest cases of the novel coronavirus were first reported."

August 3, 2026

• Iran denies Trump's claim that new talks will begin on Monday - "While Iran denies that talks with the US are taking place, it is currently in negotiations with Oman over Strait of Hormuz access."
• Uefa threatens Gianni Infantino & Joshua Kushner with legal action - "European football’s governing body warns Fifa president not to destroy material relating to botched World Cup plot."
• AI data centers have become sitting ducks in the Iran war - "The Iran war has exposed a dangerous weakness in the AI economy."
• Trump Predicts US Will Control Greenland by 2029: ‘Make That Bet’ - "Trump has framed the push for Greenland through the lens of national security, citing strategic competition with Russia and China."
• China’s top leaders unwind at this mysterious coastal resort town - Russians, too - "Saint-Tropez? No thanks. China’s top leaders will be vacationing in this humble seaside town. Every summer, they secretly retreat to Beidaihe, a humble seaside town frequented by crowds of ordinary Chinese families, around 186 miles (300 kilometers) east of Beijing, that’s long been a haven for Communist Party leaders."
• The US has stepped in to buy Japanese yen. Why? - "The United States bought the Japanese yen for the first time in more than a decade as 'a signal of friendship,' President Donald Trump said Sunday. The rare bilateral intervention in Japan’s currency market was designed to prop up the yen from its 40-year low against the dollar."
• Six easy swaps to help you avoid ultra-processed foods - "Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are in more foods you might realise. These tasty recipes will help you avoid them."
• The Best Places To Retire Abroad In 2026 - "Economics and politics are driving more Americans to retire abroad. Here are the top 24 countries, with 96 recommended spots, based on amenities, costs, health care, climate risk and whether U.S. retirees are welcome."
• Ranked: IMDb’s 25 Highest-Rated Movies Ever - "With a 9.3 rating from 3.2 million users, The Shawshank Redemption (1994) is the highest-rated film in IMDb history. The 1990s account for nearly half of IMDb’s 25 highest-rated films as of 2026. Every post-2000 film in the top 25 is either a Lord of the Rings installment or directed by Christopher Nolan."
• The 10 Most Perfect Miniseries of the Last 30 Years, Ranked - "You can't hide a weak middle act behind the promise of a better season to come, and you can't pad a four-hour idea into ten without people noticing. The shows on this list understood the assignment, whether that meant condensing a Russian tome into six hours, turning a game of chess into appointment television, or making you deeply afraid of a nuclear reactor you already know exploded. They picked a story, told it, and left before anyone could demand they stay."
• Best Robot Vacuums of 2026 | Reviews by Wirecutter - "Robot vacuums are feats of engineering. Even a basic bot can keep your floors tidy with little effort on your part, handling pet hair and dust adeptly. Top-tier models can map your home, schedule cleanings, take voice commands, and empty themselves."
• The mysterious eye that inspired a peculiar & romantic collection - "The couple has collected 158 of these mysterious eye miniatures housed in jewelry and other small objects, called 'lover’s eyes.' They were first popularized in Georgian England as small tokens of affection, infatuation or mourning."
• The tiny Spanish village where darkness will fall twice in one night - "With almost no residents, no restaurants and barely any visitors, Avellanosa de Muñó is preparing for one extraordinary night."
• What Else Do We Lose When People Give Up Booze? - "Yes, there are many benefits of cutting back. But bars are closing. Jobs are going away. And a way of being together can feel harder to find."
• 'One of the Third Reich's most fearsome weapons': The daring mission to smuggle a V2 rocket out of Nazi-occupied Poland - "In 1977, the BBC looked back at the summer of 1944, when Allied agents spirited away pieces of Hitler's 'wonder weapon' - by hiding them in the apartment of a German officer."
• Jeffrey Epstein victim: He trafficked me to Mohamed Al Fayed - "A survivor of Jeffrey Epstein revealed in an exclusive The Sunday Times report that Epstein trafficked her to former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed in 1997. This marks the first publicly reported connection between the two abuse networks. A woman identified by the pseudonym "Natalie" stated she was a 17-year-old model when Epstein’s assistant directed her to meet Al Fayed. Natalie stated she was sent to Saint-Tropez, where Al Fayed sexually assaulted her on his yacht. Investigations and files indicate both men used identical tactics, including confiscating passports, isolating young women, and utilizing the same private VIP airport terminals at Stansted and Luton."

August 2, 2026

• Trump calls off Iran strikes subject to deal being 'rapidly' reached - "Iran hasn’t shown signs of changing its stance on Strait of Hormuz and has yet to acknowledge talks."
• Russia pounds Ukraine hours after Trump backs away from missile defense pledge - "Zelensky warns air defenses are being overwhelmed as Russia pounds Ukraine, killing 9."
• How Spain's migrant crisis created a political storm - whipped up by social media - "The Ceuta crossings have shaken Europe politically, exposing divisions over the sensitive issue of migration, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford writes."
• A bruising 24 hours - what next for Fifa & under-pressure Infantino? - "A week is a long time in politics. Football politics. On Tuesday morning, Gianni Infantino was in an impregnable position as Fifa president, the most powerful job in football. Now, after trying to sell stakes in Fifa competitions to private investments firms - apparently without the knowledge of anyone else - Infantino's position appears to be under threat."
• Trump’s Fixation on Arctic Ships Led to Billions in No-Bid Contracts - "The president decided to buy 11 polar icebreakers after a game of golf with Finland’s president. Experts say it’s far from clear the United States needs so many."
• Netflix Sued For $105 Million After Hard Drive of Unreleased Nicolas Cage Movie Was Stolen From Its Office - "The lawsuit faults Netflix for losing a drive that contained a copy of World War II thriller 'Fortitude.' The company maintains it's not responsible for the loss of the movie, which it says was delivered 'without proper industry-standard safeguards.'"
• How to Change Your Image as a Heartless Luxury Titan Overnight - "Bernard Arnault, the chairman of LVMH, makes an unexpected social media move. LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault shifted his public image after a major investigative series in Le Monde by releasing a viral, self-deprecating three-page open letter titled 'thank you' on X, transforming heavy media criticism into a savvy PR win."
• Ranked: Where the iPhone Costs the Most in 2026 - "Türkiye is the world’s most expensive place to buy an iPhone 17 Pro (256GB), with a retail price of $2,592. The same model costs more than twice as much in Türkiye as it does in Japan, the cheapest market in the comparison. Taxes, import duties, currency movements, and local regulations can add hundreds of dollars to an iPhone’s retail price."
• Jesus vs. Odysseus: The debate about ‘The Odyssey’ that’s been overlooked - "A remake of Homer’s epic poem has already been written. Open a Bible and you can see how Homer, the blind poet and author of the ancient epic poem, has also shaped some of the most popular stories about Jesus in major sections of the New Testament, he says."
• What happens after your pet, a social media sensation, dies? - "For several days, millions of people watched Simon - a 7-year-old Jindo-skewing mix - journey toward taking his final breath."
• The health effects of jet lag & how to cope - "Jet lag is an often-unavoidable effect of long-haul travel, and it has several effects on the human body. Here's how to limit the worst effects."
• Lord Of The Rings Officially Returns September 2026 - "The Lord of the Rings fans will want to mark their calendars for September 2026, as the franchise is poised to get a trove of new content."
• Oscar Wilde suite rediscovered at fire-hit hotel - "An archaeologist has rediscovered part of a hotel room where Oscar Wilde stayed in 1894 - a night that later formed part of his trial."
• Bentley Continental review: ‘As a place to sit, it’s unbeatable’ - "‘If it had a kitchen and a lavatory, I’d be happy to live in there.’ It looks fantastic, it comes in a range of colours that are magnificent and as a place to sit, I have to say, it's pretty much unbeatable. It's just so sumptuous and grown-up, and you really do have to admire the fact that there is styling and attention to detail and craftsmanship in even the tiniest details."

August 1, 2026

• FIFA scraps controversial World Cup investment plan - "Fifa president Gianni Infantino says he has scrapped the controversial plan to sell off stakes in the governing body's competitions to private investors following widespread opposition."
• Uefa has 'lost confidence' in Infantino's Fifa leadership - "Uefa says it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's Fifa leadership as the fallout from the scrapped controversial investment plan intensifies."
• Trump administration drops Reflecting Pool vandalism charge & admits 'botched' repairs - "President Donald Trump had previously blamed the damage on 'sick, deranged' vandals. But a document filed by prosecutors in Washington DC on Friday says new information 'strongly suggests that a rushed and botched installation' job overseen by the US Department of Interior led to the damage."
• 'We just want to win': A frustrated Trump searches for an Iran war exit - "Trump gets conflicting messages as he seeks an exit ramp from the Iran war. His allies worry the conflict threatens to engulf his presidency and the GOP’s chances in 2026"
• The World’s Most Powerful Passports (2016 vs. 2026) - "Singapore holds the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations in 2026. The UAE has added 153 visa-free destinations over the past 20 years, one of the largest gains in global mobility. Asian passports occupy the top four positions in 2026, led by Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and the UAE."
• A Ton of Space Junk Tumbles Unpredictably to Earth Every Week - "Flaming chunks of metal crash into homes, farms and parking lots. Who’s to blame? And who pays for the damage?"
• Charted: Europe Is Nearing Last Year’s Burned Area Already - "Europe’s burned area in 2026 is already approaching the total recorded in 2025. Germany, Cyprus, Romania, and France are among the countries furthest above their historical averages. Ukraine’s recent totals also reflect fires linked to Russia’s war."
• No species left behind: how Spain saved its animals from wildfire - "The Spanish Civil Guard swept into action. 'We leave no one behind, whatever the species,' it posted on Instagram, alongside social media videos showing its members at farms across the region, evacuating horses and goats, comforting cows and chickens, and checking in on ostriches, camels and crocodiles."
• Google withdraws new Earth AI tool after warnings over misinformation risks - "Google has rolled back its new AI tool that allowed people to create fake images on top of its satellite imagery, following a BBC Verify report in which experts raised concerns about misuse and the potential to spread misinformation."
• The Next Met Fashion Blockbuster & Gala Will Honor the Controversial Designer John Galliano - "As famous for his antisemitic rant in 2011 as he is for his fashion, Galliano would be one of only three living designers ever to receive the honor."
• How to watch August’s total solar eclipse safely while protecting your vision - "The scintillating cosmic phenomenon of a total solar eclipse will be visible to millions of people across parts of Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, Spain and Portugal on August 12. Directly staring at the sun can result in blindness or disrupted vision. To view the eclipse, wear certified ISO 12312-2 compliant eclipse glasses or use a handheld solar viewer. Separately, you can observe the sun with a telescope, binoculars or camera that has a special solar filter on the front, which acts the same way eclipse glasses would."
• Uganda’s mountain gorillas were once critically endangered. Then a wildlife vet began helping their human neighbors - "To protect endangered mountain gorillas, this wildlife vet empowers their human neighbors. In 2003, Kalema-Zikusoka founded her nonprofit, Conservation Through Public Health. The group has since engaged more than 50,000 local people in health and economic initiatives - and the country’s mountain gorilla population has grown by more than 50 percent."

July 31, 2026

• Hamas says it has agreed to disarm after Trump announces Board of Peace plan - "A senior Hamas official has told the BBC they have agreed to the Board of Peace's plan. Israel has not commented."
• About 60,000 migrants arrive in Ceuta in 24 hours, Spanish territory's leader says - "The estimated number of arrivals is more than 70% of the population of the city, which is about 83,600."
• Uefa to boycott World Cups if Fifa plans approved - "European football's 55 member associations have voted to boycott World Cups if the sport's governing body proceeds with a plan to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors."
• Inside Fauci’s intensely planned hearing strategy: ‘There was no other option’ - "Dr. Anthony Fauci arrived at a high-stakes Senate hearing on Wednesday with a single, modest goal: Survive. The former top government scientist felt he accomplished that mission, people close to Fauci told CNN."
• How MAHA Became a Lifestyle Brand - "MAHA transformed health anxiety into a lifestyle brand, making food, family wellness and trust the latest fronts in America's culture war."
• 9 Things Experts Wish You’d Do in Midlife to Increase Longevity - "How you care for yourself at this life stage matters a lot for your later years: 1. Do interval training. 2. Run errands with a friend. 3. Eat fermented foods. 4. Lift weights. 5. Include a little protein in every meal. 6. ake the stairs. 7. Get the shingles vaccine. 8. Make a list of your parents' chronic health conditions. 9. Go to bed at the same time every night."
• Why reaction-time training should be part of your exercise routine as you get older - "Throwing a tennis ball against a wall and catching it on the rebound can help develop your reaction-time skills. Reaction time is the interval between perceiving a stimulus - a curb, a misstep, an oncoming car - and initiating a physical response. It’s the speed of your nervous system’s decision loop, and as with muscle mass, it declines with age."
• ‘Not the flex you think’: Why some travelers say airport lounges just aren’t worth it anymore - "These days, there’s no shortage of disappointed travelers sharing their underwhelming lounge experiences on social media. Instead of martinis, a traveler may discover the only food on offer is a cold, picked-over buffet. Or maybe the coffee machine is broken, and every single charging port has been claimed."
• The week in 33 photos - "Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye."
• Apple warns of future 'supply constraints' for Mac, iPhone, iPad - "Outgoing chief executive Tim Cook said while the impact of supply constraints had already shown up with the availability of Mac computers, it was expected to worsen and spread to affect iPhone and iPad products."
• Satellite killers: What a war in space might look like - "The satellites that orbit Earth have remained largely untouched in modern conflict. But in the 21st Century, space may no longer be a safe haven."
• Zendaya & Tom Holland's decade-long Spider-Man romance in pictures - "Newlyweds Tom Holland and Zendaya stepped out together on Wednesday to promote their fourth Spider-Man film together. Over the course of a decade we have seen them grow up together on the big screen. Let's spin a web back to the past and compare how they were when their spider-senses first started tingling together, to now."
• The 'Holy Maid of Kent' who prophesied the death of King Henry VIII - "In the 16th Century, household servant Elizabeth Barton became a celebrated visionary - but when she defied the monarch, she paid the ultimate price with a gruesome end. Was she a charlatan or a brave heroine of the Tudor world?"
• The World's Most Educated Countries - "Ireland ranks highest by education rate, with 52.4% of its working-age population holding a bachelor's degree or higher. Switzerland, Singapore, and Belgium follow closely, all exceeding 44% in education rates. ndia has the highest absolute number of educated individuals at 139.4 million, despite a low share of 14.2%. The U.S. is one of the most educated countries in both percentage and absolute number terms."
• Ranked: The World’s Most Livable Regions in 2026 - "Western Europe remains the world’s most livable region, narrowly ahead of North America. Asia recorded the biggest improvement in 2026, while the Middle East and North Africa saw the steepest regional decline. Regional scores range from 92 in Western Europe to 55 in Sub-Saharan Africa."
• Inside the AI Tools Market 2026: A 24-Month Study of 9,531 AI Tools & 144.5 Billion Web Visits - "Between May 2025 and April 2026, the 9,531 AI tools included in our study generated 144.5 billion web visits, an increase of 40.12% year over year. Together, the Top 100 generated 129.6 billion web visits, representing 89.69% of all AI tool visits recorded during the latest 12-month period. They also grew 49.94% year over year, significantly faster than the 40.12% growth recorded across the wider AI tools market. In other words, nearly nine out of every ten AI tool visits went to just 100 AI tools, while the remaining 9,431 tools competed for only a small fraction of the market."

July 30, 2026

• US launches 'heavy' strikes on Iran after attempted attack on American troops - "The US military launched a ‘heavy wave of strikes’ in response to an intercepted attack on its military positions."
• Saudi Arabia's dilemma as it tries to stay out of US-Iran war - "The kingdom faces a choice of whether to keep hitting back as a deterrent or to try to de-escalate the situation."
• Missile that left crater deep inside Poland was probably Russian - Polish PM - "The missile left a 10m-wide (33ft) crater a short distance from the village of Tarnawa Kolonia, about 100km from the border with Ukraine."
• In record heat, a warming world has come to rely on China to stay cool - "With wildfires blazing and temperatures hitting record highs in Europe, one China-made product has never been hotter: air-conditioners."
• CNN Poll: Americans doubt Trump is paying enough attention to the country’s most important problems - "A record-high 73% of US adults say that President Donald Trump hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems, a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS finds, with just 27% saying he’s had the right priorities."
• World Cup meets Wall Street? What to know about FIFA’s proposed World Cup rights selloff - "The world soccer governing body announced plans Tuesday to set up a separate entity - which would include private investors - that would have control of the commercial and operational rights of one of the globe’s biggest sporting events."
• Ranked: Which Brands Gained the Most From the FIFA World Cup? - "See which FIFA 2026 World Cup sponsors gained the most brand value, with Aramco, Verizon, and Hyundai leading an estimated $7.2B surge. Aramco recorded the largest estimated brand value gain from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, at roughly $1.1 billion. The 21 sponsors analyzed added an estimated $7.2 billion to their combined brand value. Lenovo’s $295 million gain was smaller than those of many larger companies, but represented an estimated 4.2% increase from its January brand value, the highest percentage uplift in the analysis."
• Fauci takes the Fifth more than 100 times & Republicans look to contempt charge - "The retired government scientist, who guided the US Covid-19 pandemic response across two administrations, invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination more than 100 times throughout a high-profile and often-contentious hearing that Republicans had hoped would open him up to claims of perjury."
• Apple's 2026 & 2027 Mac Roadmap: Every Model & When It Ships - "A shortage of memory chips has impacted the entire computer market, affecting Macs and PCs alike. Apple and other companies have raised prices, but Apple is better positioned than its competitors. Machines like the Mac mini and the Mac Studio are in demand for on-device AI agent use, and Apple plans to take advantage by refreshing its Mac lineup across 2026 and 2027."
• Limiting sugar before age two linked to better brain health - "Scientists have suggested eating very little sugar up to the age of two may help protect the brain decades later."
• Should you upload your medical records to AI? Here's what to know - "Here’s what to know before you upload your medical data to an AI program."
• I gave Gemini 3.6 Flash & GPT-5.6 access to my entire digital life - here’s which one actually helped me more - "I compared Google's new default AI to OpenAI's default reasoning model."
• Why too much time online makes us unhappy - "Are you feeling crabby or stressed? Or are you not keeping up with your responsibilities at work, school or in your relationships? The reason could be that you’re spending too much time online, according to research published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One."
• One Million Dollars for a Car & No Test Drive? Really? - "Many collectors buy their classics online and never touch them until they arrive in their garage. And the practice is growing."
• duPont REGISTRY Live Sets All-Time Online Auction Record with $13M Ferrari Enzo - "Historic result establishes a new benchmark for digital collector car transactions and validates the future of high-value automotive auctions."
• In Pompeii, Tom Hiddleston, ‘Amateur Classicist,’ Sees Lessons for Today - "A new docuseries sent the star of 'Loki,' who holds a classics degree, back to the site of an ancient tragedy, in search of relatable human stories."
• Tom Holland's Spider-Man needs to evolve - or hang up his suit - "Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the latest instalment, is going to be a mega-hit. But Holland's incarnation is running out of web and needs to grow up - or hand over to a younger actor."
• Anders Breivik appalled even neo-nazis. Now some children see a hero - "How Europe’s worst mass murderer inspires new generation of extremists. Fifteen years after Anders Breivik killed 77 people in Norway, the former Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg and a massacre survivor warn that it could happen again."
• I teach children of the super-rich how to discover their purpose - "She runs a £120,000-a-year course helping wealthy offspring find their place - just don’t call them nepo babies."

July 29, 2026

• US & Saudi Arabia strike Iran-backed militias as fighting reignites - "Brief lull pierced as Iran fires missiles at US forces and joint US-Saudi strikes target Iranian proxies in Iraq."
• Saudi Arabia is getting dragged into a war it has tried desperately to avoid - "Saudi Arabia has spent five months trying not to get dragged into a regional conflict, keeping open channels of communication with Tehran even as Iranian drones targeted its oil industry. Now it appears hemmed in, facing enemies in three directions: Iran as well as its proxies in Iraq and Yemen."
• As the US pauses the war with Iran, is Trump really running out of weapons? - "When US President Donald Trump took the stage earlier this month at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, flanked by the CEOs of some of America's largest defence firms, he had one message in mind: build more weapons, and build them faster."
• Blazes burning with the intensity of ‘atomic bombs’: Europe enters a new era of mega fires - "The vast blazes ripping through southwestern France burned so intensely they created a powerful, fire-generated thunderstorm. This rare phenomenon is sometimes seen in the kinds of megafires that afflict the US and Canada, but was unprecedented in France, until now - and it’s just one sign that Europe is entering a new fire era, experts say."
• Anthony Fauci invokes 5th Amendment right not to testify at Covid hearing, calls Sen. Rand Paul ‘unhinged’ - "The former top health official said he would invoke his 5th Amendment right not to testify to avoid the possibility that Republicans might try to prosecute him for perjury."
• Fauci, in Private Diary, Reflected on Covid’s Origins & His Own Fame - "Diary entries, released by a Republican senator, have reignited a furious debate over whether Covid-19 leaked from a lab."
• Uefa reacts with fury to Infantino World Cup plan - "European football's governing body Uefa has reacted furiously to proposals from Fifa to seek private investment in its competitions, including the World Cup. Fifa - the sport's global governing body - said it intends to expand football development funding to more than $10bn, which it claims is to grow the game - subject to approval by its member associations."
• World's Richest 10% Are Costing Earth Trillions, Study Finds - "A study covered by ScienceAlert reveals that the top 10% of global consumers cause between $1.7 trillion and $5.7 trillion in environmental damage each year. This high-consuming group creates financial costs that surpass international funding targets for climate change and biodiversity protection."
• Trump administration bans new Chinese humanoid robots - "The move applies to advanced robots - including humanoid and four-legged machines. Many of them are made in China, which is competing with the US to develop robotics and artificial intelligence (AI)."
• Why Wang Wang Should Worry Xi Jinping - "The killing of a stray dog has taught millions of Chinese something no censor can delete: how to organize."
• Apple Upgrade: Love it. Lease it. Upgrade it - "Introducing Apple Upgrade, a new way to always have the Apple products you love. Lease a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch with pocket-friendly payments and terms that work for you. Then easily upgrade to something new at the end of your lease, and return your current device. It’s that simple."
• Mapped: Where People Think Quality of Life Is Best - "From Sweden to the U.S., see how 85 countries rank in the 2026 Best Countries Index based on global perceptions of quality of life. Sweden ranks first for perceived quality of life in the 2026 Best Countries Index, ahead of Denmark and Canada. Canada is the highest-ranked country in the Americas, while the U.S. ranks below every other G7 nation. Eight of the world’s top 10 countries are in Europe, reflecting the region’s strong global reputation for quality of life."
• Dancing dots: The motion-sickness cure hidden in iPhone settings - "A hidden iPhone setting is turning heads and saving stomachs. But does relief just mean more time staring at your screen?"
• Caviar on the Ground, Coach on the Plane: My $1,300 Detour Around Airport Chaos - "Well-heeled travelers are splurging to avoid hordes and hassles inside the terminal. The article explores the luxury private terminal service PS (formerly Private Suites) at its Miami outpost, where travelers pay a $1,300 day pass regardless of flying economy."
• If You’re Over 40, You’re Ready to Use A.I. - "There is a stern warning to anyone who wants to study kabbalah, a mystical tradition within Judaism that seeks to uncover the hidden nature of God and the universe: Just wait. In traditional practices, prospective students are urged to delay their studies until they reach the age of 40, at which point it is assumed they will have developed the inner ballast to withstand what they might encounter. We should consider doing something similar for artificial intelligence."
• Rich People Didn’t Look Like This Before - "Ultra-wealthy people now use expensive cosmetic procedures to buy a uniform, hyper-processed 'rich face' as a form of physical status signaling. Stretched and taut skin from high-end face-lifts and micro-optimizations. Heavy use of fillers, implants, or grafted fat that alters natural bone structure. Reduced facial movement and limited expressions due to extreme cosmetic volume. Costly custom treatments ranging from $150,000 to $300,000 that treat the face as a receipt of class."
• Here's what to eat to keep your bones strong - "Our bone density begins declining earlier than you might think. But ensuring our diet is rich in certain nutrients can help to keep our skeletons strong. We all need to start thinking about our bone health. Here's what to eat."
• 155m LÜrssen superyacht Al Said seen in Monaco for the first time - "Al Said left Muscat, Oman on Sunday 5 July and arrived in Monaco on Monday 20 July around 08:17h."

July 28, 2026

• France issues heat warnings in wildfire-hit areas, as at least 63,000 evacuated near Madrid - "Extreme conditions: Temperatures will soar in France and Spain this week with no rain forecast to relieve the conditions fuelling wildfires in the hardest hit regions of both countries."
• Devastating European wildfires in maps & how they're being tackled - "France has seen its worst fires in two decades, while officials in the Spanish capital Madrid say they are the worst the region has ever experienced. It follows a sweltering summer of heatwaves across Europe that have seen temperatures soar above 40C (104F) in many places."
• What is a ‘fire cloud’ & how have they worsened wildfires in Europe? - "Severe wildfires can generate their own unique weather systems. One of the most striking examples of this are dangerous pyrocumulonimbus, or pyroCB, clouds."
• Russia & North Korea finalising first road crossing amid concerns it serves as Ukraine war supply route - "New bridge makes it easier to dodge satellite surveillance, investigation argues, as Ukrainian president warns Russia is to receive 30,000 more North Korean soldiers."
• Iran releases video on ‘how to kill Melania Trump’ - "The clip claims that ‘advanced signs’ of the first lady’s whereabouts include public bins missing from street corners and manholes being welded shut. Iranian media has released a video claiming to show how best to target Melania Trump in an assassination."
• The Iran & Ukraine wars are colliding on the world’s biggest lake. Here’s what to know - "The Caspian Sea has become the latest region to be sucked into the growing conflict between Iran and its adversaries – not least because it’s a vital artery in the growing relationship between Iran and Russia."
• Odyssey translator writes scathing review of Nolan film adaptation - "Sir Christopher Nolan's latest film, The Odyssey, may have won rave reviews from critics and done storming business at the box office - but one person is definitely not happy. Emily Wilson, the academic whose 2017 translation of Homer's Odyssey was cited by the director as an influence on his adaptation of the poem, has written a scathing review of the movie."
• Ted Lasso to The Shards: 10 of the best TV shows to watch this August - "From the comeback of Apple TV's hit football comedy to a dark teen thriller from Ryan Murphy, and new DC superhero series Lanterns - these are the best series to watch and stream."
• Why Gen Z is going bonkers for birding - "Almost 750,000 people aged between 16 and 29 now regularly enjoy birdwatching across Great Britain, according to data shared in May by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), marking a 1,088% increase since 2018."
• The GOP’s 2026 Trump problem, in 2 charts - "When it comes to what’s most significant for the upcoming midterm elections - and most problematic for Republicans trying to defend their congressional majorities - two charts tell the tale as well as anything."
• Dubai launches $800 incentive scheme to lure back tourists after Iran strikes - "Visitor numbers have dropped precipitously as a result of the recent US and Israeli war on Iran, with hotel occupancy rates decreasing from 80% to a projected 10% in the months after the emirate was the target of missile attacks in March. A new program is offering UAE residents and citizens reward packages worth up to AED 3,000 (around $816) in exchange for nominating relatives or friends to come and visit Dubai."
• AI is making your life more expensive. Here’s how - "AI is raising prices for Americans – and not just electricity bills. Recent data shows that the gargantuan interest and investment in AI adoption (estimated to be around $750 billion for this year alone) have pushed a variety of prices higher, lifting overall inflation in the process."
• Is it time to stop using glue & labels on paper? - "Labels and adhesives can prevent paper from being recycled but there's new tech aimed at changing that."
• Ranked: The Countries That Consume the Most Coal - "China accounted for 55.6% of global coal consumption in 2025, using more than the rest of the world combined. China and India together consumed roughly 70% of the world’s coal. Global coal consumption reached a record high for the sixth consecutive year."

July 27, 2026

• At every fork in the road on Iran, Trump’s choices get worse - "The consequences of the Iran war are tightening around Trump even as he pushes for an exit."
• Trump Seems Trapped by Iran War, Even as He Wields the World’s Biggest Hammer - "A president who thought there were no limits to his power has discovered several, leaving him more frustrated and erratic."
• 'Like we're in a warzone': Fear in Bordeaux with wildfire 9 miles from city outskirts - "Firefighters are tackling major wildfires in France and Spain, with one blaze around nine miles (15 km) from the south of Bordeaux."
• Record breaker Pogacar wins fifth Tour as Van der Poel takes thrilling Paris stage - "Slovenian Tadej Pogacar won the Tour de France for a record-equalling fifth time."
• Netanyahu accuses NYC Mayor Mamdani of 'fomenting hate' after arrest threat - "Mamdani walked back his threat last week, acknowledging he lacked the legal power to arrest Netanyahu on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court."
• Millions see leaked copy of The Odyssey movie on X - "Director Christopher Nolan wants people to watch The Odyssey on the biggest screen possible - but two million people reportedly viewed a social media post containing a leaked copy of his film this weekend. 'The full odyssey movie in a tweet, as nolan intended,' one user joked."
• Sam Altman says we are in the singularity: 'This is the moment' - "OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says the world has reached the technological singularity. That is often considered the point where AI surpasses human intelligence and goes rogue."
• AI devices that see, listen & record: Are we ready for the post-smartphone world? - "Picture this: On a normal workday, you and your coworkers walk around the office with tiny recorders clipped to your clothes. The glasses on your face nearly instantly identify what you see. Your bracelet records and analyzes all your conversations. This is the future tech companies envision in the age of AI, whether consumers want it or not."
• How to Prevent Meta From Using Your Instagram Images in A.I. - "The company’s new A.I. image generator has a surprising twist: It allows people to use images from public Instagram accounts. Users can prevent Meta from utilizing Instagram images for AI features by navigating to Settings and activity, selecting 'Sharing and reuse,' and toggling off content options."
• Dare to bare: 25 of the world’s best nude beaches - "One of the spin-offs of the socially and sexually liberal 1960s was a 'free beach' movement that saw a proliferation of nude beaches around the world. And their popularity continues today, with more and more popping up each year. Here are 25 of the best nude beaches you can visit around the world."
• Saying ‘Google It’ Makes You Sound Old. Search It Up instead! - "They may still be using Google, but they’re not 'Googling it.' Instead they’re saying 'search it up,' as in: Who is that Norwegian soccer player with the long blond hair?"
• 45th Annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest - "At the heart of the festivities is the Hemingway Look-Alike Contest, where participants worldwide don their best Hemingway-esque attire and compete to be named 'Papa.' This isn’t just a contest of physical resemblance; it’s a celebration of Hemingway’s larger-than-life persona."
• Here's what to eat to keep your bones strong - "Our bone density begins declining earlier than you might think. But ensuring our diet is rich in certain nutrients can help to keep our skeletons strong."
• Joy in Greece as Mount Olympus joins Unesco list of world heritage sites - "Mythical home of the ancient Greek gods designated alongside the D-day landing beaches in Normandy."
• Would you choose £50,000 over the chance of £1m? - "The vast majority of people - particularly women - answer a survey saying they'd take the certainty over chance."
• Why budding birders are flocking to Shazam-like apps to identify avians - "In recent years, her birding toolbelt has expanded to include something far more modern - an app. Chief among them is Merlin Bird ID, which was developed by Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology."
• ‘The plane movie I’ll watch anytime’: why Up in the Air is my feelgood movie - "The latest in our series of writers' most pleasurable comfort films is a journey through US airports with George Clooney."
• Which World Regions Have the Most High-Income Countries? - "Europe and Central Asia has the highest share of high-income countries after the World Bank’s North America region, at 69%. Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region where low-income countries make up the largest share, at 44%. Latin America and the Caribbean is heavily concentrated in the upper-middle and high-income groups, which together account for 88% of countries."
• Mapped: Home Prices vs. Incomes Around the World - "Where is buying a home actually affordable? This global ranking compares home prices with incomes across more than 180 countries. Home price-to-income ratios range from 3.0 in the most affordable markets to 86.7 in the least affordable. The U.S. ranks seventh-lowest globally, placing it ahead of many other advanced economies by this measure. Affordability depends on how closely home prices track local incomes, not simply on a country’s overall wealth."
• 'A masterclass in betrayal': The British double agent who defected to Russia & taught enemy spies - "On 30 July 1963, Kim Philby's defection from MI6 to the Soviet Union was made public. In 2016, the BBC broadcast previously unseen footage of his lecture to Stasi operatives in which he revealed the secrets behind his treachery."

July 26, 2026

• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 21 - Thoiry > Paris Champs-Élysées."
• Vance, Caine raised concerns about escalating war in Iran, sources say as US pauses consecutive nights of strikes - "Concerns about the US munitions stockpile and other potential negative implications were raised in a meeting on Friday."
• After being ‘bamboozled by Russian propaganda,’ Laura Loomer says she’s all in for Ukraine - "The far-right figure has accused Ukrainian soldiers of committing war crimes and President Volodymyr Zelensky of faking his Jewish faith. She once encouraged Russian President Vladimir Putin to seize the entire country."
• France battles fire 'whirlwinds' as another 55,000 evacuated - "The most recent evacuations took place in towns to the south of Bordeaux, in the Gironde region. Wildfires have raged across Europe over the past week, primarily France and Spain, where more than 330,000 people have been evacuated. France has been worst-affected, with an area of 42,000 hectares burnt, making it one of the largest forest fires since World War Two."
• In pictures: Wildfires rage across France & Spain - "Europe deals with wildfires every summer. But this year the continent has seen far more land burnt than the annual average for the same period, according to data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS)."
• Would you pay $58.5m to live in this iconic New York building? - "With its renovation nearly complete, the Flatiron is ready for its next - and most extravagant - phase of life."
• If another advanced civilization lived on Earth before us, would we know? - "If an advanced civilization had lived on Earth millions of years ago, powered themselves with energy and wiped themselves out, would we know? Would they have left traces of their presence etched into the record of our planet?"
• Inside the Rushed Effort to Get Trump His New Air Force One - "A New York Times investigation found that President Trump’s push to speed delivery of the aircraft led to ballooning costs and trade-offs in safety features."
• Upstairs, Downstairs, in a House Full of Spies - "A new museum reveals how Britain’s intelligence secretly wiretapped Nazi commanders in a stately London mansion - and how a team of German Jewish refugees helped turn the tide of World War II."
• Sewage, rat pee & toxic algae: Open water swimming is booming, but is it bad for your health? - "Swimming in rivers and lakes is booming, but heavy rain, sewage overflows and farm runoff can lead to disease outbreaks. Here's how to spot when the risks to health are highest."
• How IndyCar’s most ambitious street race became a test of politics, security & spectacle in Trump’s DC - "'The hardest problem in designing an urban race is, where do you put a pit lane?', referring to the roughly quarter-mile long strip with team garages where racecars pull over for quick repairs and to refuel."
• iOS 27: All the New iCloud Features - "iOS 27 includes new iCloud capabilities across several apps like Apple Home, Siri, Photos, and more. There are some direct iCloud improvements like upgrades to photo uploads and sharing, along with some indirect new features."
• Ranked: The Countries Gaining & Losing the Most Tourists - "Saudi Arabia recorded the largest increase in international tourist arrivals, up 67% from 2019. Israel saw the steepest decline, with arrivals falling 71% following the outbreak of war in October 2023. Tourism growth was strongest in the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of South America."
• The world’s longest flight is put to the test - "Having a nice relaxing weekend? Spare a thought for the weary new Airbus A350-1000ULR, which is cooling its jets in Melbourne after completing its first-ever nonstop test flight from France. And it has to do it all over again on Monday. Clocking in at more than 19 hours for the Toulouse to Melbourne test, the scheduled routes could stretch up to 22 hours and more than 10,000 miles."
• Scientists say they are close to resurrecting a lost species. Is the age of de-extinction upon us? - "The age of de-extinction may soon be a reality. Advances in genetic engineering and synthetic biology are making resurrecting animals once lost to this world a tangible prospect. The organizations and companies at the forefront of de-extinction efforts are promising success - and surprisingly soon."
• World's tallest timber tower tops out in Sydney - "The Atlassian Central skyscraper, by SHoP and BVN, in Sydney, Australia, has become the world's tallest hybrid timber tower."
• Does Lymphatic Drainage Massage Make Your Skin Healthier? - "The technique has been used to increase circulation and in some cases reduce fluid buildup. Whether it tightens and brightens your skin is less clear."
• blackbird spyplane - since 2020. "Blackbird Spyplane is your no. 1 source for 'unbeatable recon' into style, travel & culture, by journalist Jonah Weiner and design scout Erin Wylie. Jonah is a contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine and has written for Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, WSJ., WIRED and New York, among other places. Erin has worked as a design scout for Apple’s Industrial Design Team and as a magazine editor for titles at Martha Stewart and Condé Nast, among other publishers."

July 25, 2026

• Trump bombed at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner & proved its point - "The US president’s jokes fell flat, and he was widely ridiculed for the routine afterward."
• Fact check: Trump’s false claims at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner - "President Donald Trump’s rambling address at the White House Correspondents’ Association annual dinner on Friday was filled with far more insults than assertions of fact."
• Spanish PM warns of 'complex hours' ahead as wildfires displace 270,000 in Spain & France - "Nearly 200,000 people have been evacuated in south-western France, while Spanish officials say a blaze near Madrid is 'beyond the capacity' of firefighters."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 20 - Le Bourg d'Oisans > Alpe d'Huez."
• Trump Orders Warnings Placed at ‘Inaccurate’ Smithsonian History Museum - "President Trump said the signage at the National Museum of American History would correct what a disputed White House report described as 'extreme political activism.'"
• Tracking oil prices & US gas prices amid Iran conflict - "Global oil and gas prices have been rising again after an escalation in hostilities between the United States and Iran."
• SpaceX Starship megarocket hits key milestones in ‘Lucky 13’ test flight as big hurdles loom - "The test flight, called Flight 13, hit several key milestones before concluding with a controlled splashdown of the upper Starship spacecraft in the Indian Ocean. The Super Heavy rocket booster, which detached from Starship two minutes into the flight, made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf."
• Zelensky: I didn't take cocaine with Macron - "Zelensky denies bizarre claim he took cocaine with Macron in interview with far-right MAGA influencer. The rumour was amplified by Tucker Carlson during an interview with Russian president Vladimir Putin."
• Warning shot or publicity stunt - how worried should we be about the OpenAI hack? - "Hugging Face said the hack was done at superhuman speed by an AI with little or no human guidance."
• 'It eats away at my body': The human cost of S Korea's ultra-convenient overnight deliveries - "Night-time deliveries have become ubiquitous in hyper-connected South Korea, where shoppers are guaranteed delivery by 07:00 for orders placed before midnight. This convenience is thanks to a huge overnight workforce, from warehouse workers like Jang to delivery drivers."
• What Octogenarian Pop Divas Show Us About a Life Well-Lived - "They have not aged into neutrality. Pop divas in their 80s show us that conviction outlasts fashion. They made new work, took risks, changed ..."
• First person gets new experimental vaccine for Ebola - "Ed Hunt, 37 and from the UK, voluteered after seeing news reports of the deadly Ebola outbreak in DR Congo."
• How King Charles saved Scotland's forgotten treasure - "As the Royal Family's summer holiday home, Balmoral Castle is one of Britain's most famous royal attractions. But few people know King Charles III has another remarkable estate in southern Scotland. Several hours south of Balmoral, near the former mining town of Cumnock in an overlooked corner of East Ayrshire, Dumfries House hides in plain sight."
• The 10 Most Intense Books of All Time, Ranked - "Here are some of the most intense books ever written. A few of these are horror books, more are probably classifiable as thrillers, and then you’ve got some science fiction and more straightforward works of drama thrown in there, too, for good measure."
• How to build your own wine cellar & what it costs - "Companies are offering bespoke modern wine rooms - for dizzying sums. Homeowners are building secure glass-fronted, temperature and humidity-controlled wine rooms and erecting wine feature walls in lieu of bookshelves."
• Ranked: Countries With the Most Government Debt in 2026 - "The U.S. is projected to hold $40.7 trillion in government debt in 2026, the highest total worldwide. Japan has the world’s highest government debt relative to the size of its economy, at 204% of GDP. Several European economies rank among the world’s most indebted by GDP despite carrying much smaller total debt than the U.S. or China."
• Ranked: The Most Powerful Countries, According to Global Opinion - "The U.S., China, and Russia form a distinct top tier in global perceptions of power. Russia ranks third despite having a significantly smaller economy than several countries below it. South Korea and Saudi Arabia place ahead of traditional powers including France and Japan."
• Wealth per adult rankings: How does Europe compare with the world’s richest countries? - "The average wealth per adult in Western Europe is less than half that of the US. European countries perform better in median wealth, while the US drops significantly."
• Ranked: The World’s 50 Largest Banks by Assets - "The world’s 50 largest banks hold $101.6 trillion in assets combined. Chinese banks dominate the ranking, led by the four largest banks in the world. JPMorgan Chase ranks fifth by assets, but remains the world’s most valuable bank by market capitalization."

July 24, 2026

• Live updates: US strikes Iran for 13th consecutive night - "Four people were killed in the strikes on Iran, and an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facility was partly damaged, according to state media. US has hit Iran with nearly 2 weeks of daily strikes as Trump signals he’s not yet ready to negotiate. Oil settled above $100 a barrel after Houthi rebels targeted Saudi ships in the Red Sea."
• Houthi attacks raise fears of wider Middle East conflict & more global economic damage - "The Iran-backed group in Yemen has threatened to target Saudi vessels in a vital shipping route."
• A dangerous new phase of war is breaking all the oil market’s constraints - "Iran’s attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz have frozen most crude traffic through the crucial waterway."
• US hits dozens of countries with new wave of tariffs - "Imposed citing forced labour concerns, the levies replace a temporary global duty brought in after the US Supreme Court struck down tariffs in February."
• Tens of thousands evacuated from French tourist spot as wildfires spread - "The fire has raged in the region for several days with officials now ordering the evacuation of the entire Cap Ferret peninsula."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 19 - Gap > Alpe d'Huez."
• Secret Service has probed 10,000 threats to Trump, other US officials so far this year, director says - "The Secret Service has investigated approximately 10,000 threats to its protectees - including President Trump - in the first half of this year, the head of the agency revealed Wednesday. Officials said most of the threats the Secret Service investigates originate online and all reports are treated as potentially credible until agents can determine whether the subject has the intent, means and ability to actually carry out an attack."
• 4 Prompts That Can Tell You What Chatbots Really Know About You - "It can be unsettling what Gemini and ChatGPT have figured out about you and how easily your privacy can be punctured. Here’s how to find out."
• Lawmakers push for AI 'kill switch' after OpenAI models go rogue - "A new bill would let the US government order the shutdown of AI models that pose a public threat."
• What makes a journey an ‘odyssey’ anyway? - "That it takes him a decade to travel the roughly 560 nautical miles from Troy to Ithaca is not because of primitive seafaring technology (voyage records in ancient literature indicate that such a trip would have taken about a week, possibly up to two weeks under unfavorable winds). Throughout Homer’s tale, Odysseus is repeatedly thwarted by divine wrath, nature and human fallibility."
• The week in 33 photos - "Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye."
• How a royal scandal created one of the world’s greatest sacred masterpieces - "The Blue Mosque, Istanbul: The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, popularly known as the Blue Mosque, is one of Istanbul's most popular tourist attractions. "
• Okhtein’s handbags are loved by A-listers. Meet the sisters behind them - "Old Cairo inspired these sisters to create handbags worn by Beyoncé and Gigi Hadid. The historic quarter has inspired countless artists and writers over the years, including Egyptian sisters Aya and Mounaz Abdelraouf. It was the inspiration behind their luxury brand Okhtein - Arabic for two sisters - which blends Egypt’s craftsmanship and heritage into distinctive handbag design."
• The Dog Stars to One Night Only: 10 of the best films to watch this August - "From Jacob Elordi in Ridley Scott's post-apocalyptic thriller, to a wacky NYC romcom starring Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro, here are the films to watch at the cinema and stream at home this month."
• Scientists find the secret of birdsong's 'spectacular diversity' - "Scientists in France say they have discovered the building blocks of the incredible diversity of birdsong. A team analysed more than100,000 songs from 3,000 bird species and revealed that they are all composed of eight fundamental types of sound that the researchers call 'motifs'. Each song, they say, is made up of combinations of these motifs - three types of trill, three types of whistle, chaotic notes and harmonies."
• Inside the 77th Gala of the Monaco Red Cross - "Siddharth Deshmukh searches for the legacy of Grace Kelly among the couture gowns, Michelin-starred food and all-night dancing at the most glamorous charitable event of the year."
• Multi-millionaire master tailor sues over claim leaky fridge let his £1m wine collection go ‘mouldy’ - "Tom Reimer is famed for once kitting out opera legend Luciano Pavarotti."

July 23, 2026

• US military completes 12th straight night of strikes on Iran - "Iran conflict expands as Houthis claim attacks on ships in Red Sea. Oil nears $100 as Red Sea attacks threaten new chokepoint in Iran conflict. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Trump’s Iran policy as 'a head for an eye,' as Washington and Tehran trade threats."
• Houthis claim attack on oil tankers as US launches more strikes on Iran - "The Houthi attacks would be the first in the Red Sea since the Iran-backed group announced a 'maritime embargo' against Saudi Arabia."
• US signs landmark nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia - "The US Department of Energy says the 'peaceful' co-operation agreement will give US firms 'great access' to the Saudi nuclear energy programme."
• OpenAI says its AI went rogue & launched 'unprecedented' cyber-attack - "It is one of the first publicly disclosed cyber-attacks carried out by AI without direct human involvement."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 18 - Voiron > Orcières-Merlette."
• Google burning through cash with spiralling AI costs - "The company said earlier this year it expected to spend as much as $190bn on AI investments."
• AI has ruined cute animal videos - "AI-generated animal videos are sweet, until you realise the joy, like the animal, was never really there."
• Even camels can't cope: Africa's ships of the desert hit by rising temperatures - "Herders and experts tell the BBC how Africa's camels are suffering because of extreme heat."
• Louvre's Apollo Gallery reopens, 9 months after heist - "The 17th-century Apollo Gallery reopened to the public without precious jewels or other objects previously on display."
• How French Crown Jewels Ended Up in New Jersey - "When the French state scandalously sold off most of its crown jewels, Tiffany bought a third of them."
• Our ‘52 Places’ Countdown: Where We’ve Been So Far in 2026 - "Now halfway through the year, we’ve made it to 11 of our picks, uncovering lesser-known spots where the American Revolution was fought, all-night parties in Poland and more."
• The World Capital of Plastic Surgery - "Why is South Korea the world's plastic-surgery capital? A visit to the world capital of plastic surgery."
• The Kennedy Women’s Most Memorable Summer Looks, From Jackie to Caroline - "No other American family has seized and sustained public fascination quite like the Kennedys. Many argue they’re the closest thing our country has had to a royal family, both in terms of political dominance and cultural influence. The Kennedy women, specifically, continue to be the subjects of bestselling biographies, gripping film and television depictions."
• Ranked: Countries With the Most Government Debt in 2026 - "The U.S. is projected to hold $40.7 trillion in government debt in 2026, the highest total worldwide. Japan has the world’s highest government debt relative to the size of its economy, at 204% of GDP. Several European economies rank among the world’s most indebted by GDP despite carrying much smaller total debt than the U.S. or China."
• Ranked: Countries Creating the Most New Millionaires - "Japan and India each added more than 31,000 new millionaires, followed by South Korea with more than 20,000 and China with more than 14,000. Nearly one million people became new millionaires in 2025, averaging more than 2,680 every day. The United States accounted for nearly half of all new millionaires worldwide, adding more than 441,000 people. The UK ranked a distant second with just over 43,000 new millionaires, highlighting the scale of the U.S. lead."
• How America’s Energy Sources Changed Over 250 Years - "America has had three dominant energy eras: wood in the 1700s, coal by the late 1800s, and petroleum since 1950. Petroleum and natural gas together supplied more than 73% of U.S. primary energy consumption in 2025. While renewables continue to grow, fossil fuels still provided over four-fifths of total U.S. energy use in 2025."
• Ranked: Unemployment Rates Around the World in 2026 - "Finland recorded the highest unemployment rate in the OECD in May 2026 at 10.8%, with youth unemployment reaching 23%. Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and Czechia remained among the countries with the lowest unemployment rates."
• Ranked: College Degrees by 10-Year Earnings & ROI - "Electrical engineering leads all 37 majors with $652,644 in 10-year added earnings and a 100% return on the degree’s full cost. Business information systems & statistics posts the highest ROI in the dataset at 135%, despite ranking third in added earnings. Only 15 of the 37 majors recoup their full cost within a decade. Family & consumer sciences (-$181) and psychology (-$6,866) are the only two majors with negative added earnings over the first decade."

July 22, 2026

• US renews strikes on Iran as Trump threatens to attack underground nuclear site - "The US launched strikes on Iran for the 11th consecutive night late on Tuesday, as Tehran warned the US against targeting its nuclear facilities."
• Iran war has cost US $37.5bn so far, Hegseth says, as Pentagon seeks billions more - "The hearing was disrupted by protests and a shouting match as Hegseth testified at a pivotal time in the war."
• Modelling scout linked to Epstein found dead in Paris suburbs - "Daniel Siad, whose name appears in the Epstein files thousands of times, had previously denied knowledge of the threat Jeffrey Epstein posed."
• Police station opens at Hitler's birthplace in bid to rid site of Nazi link - "The opening follows years of controversy about what to do with the 17th-Century former inn, where the Nazi dictator was born."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 17 - Chambery > Voiron."
• France passes law banning under-15s from social media - "France's parliament has approved a law to ban social media for under-15s from January 2027, making it the first European country to block young people from the platforms."
• Michelin-starred restaurateur faces jail for using ants as dessert garnish - "Officials say the restaurant in South Korea used some 49,000 ants in various dishes over four years."
• Will SpaceX buy Tesla? Musk may soon offer clues on his plans - "Elon Musk is now a trillionaire. Is his next big move a merger between Tesla and SpaceX into a $3 trillion behemoth?"
• Titanic passenger’s letter gives ‘absolutely fascinating’ account of life on board before disaster - "A letter containing 'absolutely fascinating' details of life on the ill-fated Titanic cruise liner is expected to fetch around £35,000 ($47,000) at auction. Written by a passenger named Henry Hodges, the letter is dated April 10, 1912 - the day RMS Titanic set sail."
• ‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist - "Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch."
• 10 of Japan's most cleverly designed homes - "From an ingenious home with guest annexe attached, to a micro house in Tokyo that opens like a shell, and a home for both cats and humans - here are 10 innovative Japanese dwellings."
• The Riviera of Ulysses: Italy's stunning coast connected to The Odyssey - "Tucked between Rome and Naples, this beautiful, under-the-radar coastline has deep ties to The Odyssey and is a quieter, more authentic alternative to Italy's overtouristed seasides."
• 7 iPhone security settings you should enable right now to lock down your smartphone - "Easily upgrade your iPhone's security with these tips and tricks: Tom's Guide recommends enhancing iPhone privacy by disabling app tracking, hiding notification previews, and turning off precise location, alongside enabling Stolen Device Protection and Mail Privacy Protection. Further security measures include monitoring app activity via the App Privacy Report and limiting ad tracking."
• Ranked: The World’s Top Destinations for Wealth Migration - "Singapore ranks first globally for attracting internationally mobile wealth, ahead of New Zealand and the Cayman Islands. Smaller economies dominate the rankings, with 11 of the top 16 countries having fewer than 10 million residents. Tax policy, political stability, and investor residency programs help explain why some countries outperform much larger economies."
• Who Supplies Every FIFA World Cup 2026 Kit? - "Adidas outfits the most teams at the 2026 FIFA World Cup (14), followed by Nike (12) and Puma (11). The three sportswear giants supply kits for 37 of the tournament’s 48 nations, accounting for more than three-quarters of the field. Ten other manufacturers split the remaining 11 teams, with Kelme the only smaller brand supplying more than one nation."
• Ranked: Countries With More Tourists Than Locals - "Portugal, Austria, and Croatia each have populations in the millions yet still receive more international tourists than residents each year. Andorra receives an astonishing 51 international tourists for every resident, the highest ratio in the world. Many of the highest-ranked countries rely heavily on international tourism as a key economic driver."

July 21, 2026

• US launches for 10th consecutive night of attacks fresh strikes on Iran, as Trump warns of retaliation for deaths of soldiers - "Iran says it has hit two ships in the Strait of Hormuz as well as targets in Bahrain and Jordan."
• How the Iran war’s unpopularity compares to Iraq, Afghanistan & Vietnam - "Iraq and Vietnam are often thought of as the prototypical modern examples of unpopular US wars. But an increasing volume of data suggests the Iran war has become about as unpopular as those wars ever were - and it became so much more quickly. Here’s what the numbers show."
• ‘Everyone's afraid to die’: Struggle to recruit soldiers in Ukraine turns violent - "Aggression against recruitment officers has become increasingly threatening, police say."
• Hungary’s chess queen declines PÉter Magyar’s offer of role as president - "Judit Polgár says she does not ‘feel enough strength within me’ to take on the responsibility of uniting a divided nation."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 16 - Évian-Les-Baines >Thonon-Les-Bains."
• Five ways to save our ocean, according to leading conservationists - "1. Turn setbacks into opportunities. 2. Support local efforts. 3. Create opportunities for participation. 4. Leverage technology. 5. Protect entire ecosystems - not just coral."
• How Presidential Travel Is the Ultimate Expression of Political Power - "From horse-drawn presidential coaches to Air Force One, presidents have used various modes of transportation to project an image of America for nearly 250 years."
• What is Google Zero & why your favorite websites are panicking about AI - "Google AI Overviews are transforming the whole internet into a TL;DR. Google Zero is the publishing industry's nickname for a zero-click future: a search landscape where AI summaries answer queries directly, eliminating the need for users to click through to external websites."
• Google Is Building an A.I. Fence Around the Internet It Once Championed - "As Google incorporates more artificial intelligence into search, people are spending more time on Google. Some website operators are crying foul."
• Marking the Web’s 35th Birthday: An Open Letter - "5 years on as we arrive at the Web's 35th Birthday, the rapid advancement of AI has exacerbated these concerns, proving that issues on the web are not isolated." Tim Berners-Lee, March 12, 2024.
• Museum of Endangered Sounds preserves obsolete tech noises - "What can you hear inside. The museum is essentially a soundboard for obsolete tech. Click an image and the corresponding relic wakes up again."
• The surprising benefits of a five-minute dance break - "From improved concentration to higher creativity, dancing offers a range of brain-boosting benefits. And you don't need to spend hours on the dance floor to feel the effects."
• The shark that lives for 400 years & what it can teach us about longevity - "Greenland sharks are thought to live for around 400 years. What can they teach us about the secret to longevity?"
• Ranked: Countries With the Most Government Debt in 2026 - "The U.S. is projected to hold $40.7 trillion in government debt in 2026, the highest total worldwide. Japan has the world’s highest government debt relative to the size of its economy, at 204% of GDP. Several European economies rank among the world’s most indebted by GDP despite carrying much smaller total debt than the U.S. or China."
• Mapped: Where Food Inflation Will Hit Hardest in 2026 - "Iran tops the list with a projected 55.9% surge, far above the global average of 3.2%. Currency pressures and prior inflation spikes continue to ripple through food prices. Argentina (33.2%) and Türkiye (25.1%) rank second and third, continuing multi-year inflation trends in both economies. Countries like Malawi, Nigeria, Angola, Zambia, and Ethiopia all rank among the highest projected increases, underscoring ongoing food vulnerability in the region."

July 20, 2026

• Why Spain’s homage to 2010 & 2024 was the right ending for one of the best World Cups ever - "As the final seconds ticked down on Spain’s 1-0 extra-time win over a valiant Argentina and the referee blew his whistle, one could be forgiven for their mind once again slipping to memories of La Roja’s maiden World Cup victory."
• Trump presents medals to Spain - "US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented Spain's players with their winners' medals and handed over the World Cup trophy following their victory over Argentina."
• See celebrations in Madrid - "Spain fans filled the streets to celebrate the country’s second World Cup title after the team beat Argentina in the final."
• Shakira, Madonna, Justin Bieber & BTS perform at colourful World Cup half-time show - "Robbie Williams and Jennifer Hudson also performed, with Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet among the celebrities in the crowds."
• Incredible images from World Cup 2026 - "Moments that stunned, shocked and melted hearts."
• Was the World Cup worth it? - "It was beautiful. It was fun. It was unifying. But was the World Cup worth it for the United States? That question is typically answered in financial terms: Add up the economic benefit the games generated and subtract the amount spent to put the games on; if the number is positive, then the games were worthwhile. If it’s negative, they weren’t. By that measure, the World Cup was almost certainly a bust."
• US completes ninth night of strikes on Iran as troop deaths raise fear of wider war - "Trump says Iran was hit ‘very hard’ after third US service member killed. Tehran claims it fired new wave of missiles. Explosions were reported across Iran."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Second Rest - Haute-Savoie. 4,805m, Europe’s highest point. In the heart of the massif of the same name, Mont Blanc is the highest point in the Alps and the highest peak in Western Europe. On the northern slopes of the massif lies the Mer de Glace, a 7km-long glacier that attracts several hundred thousand visitors each year. Millions also come to enjoy the thrill of skiing on the slopes of the 42 resorts that make Haute-Savoie the world’s second most popular ski destination."
• Trump says Qatari-gifted Air Force One will be ‘maxed out’ amid security concerns - "Stepping off the plane on his return from the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday, Trump was asked about the newly renovated plane’s missile-defense capabilities."
• Tate brothers expected in court in Miami after UK rape & sex trafficking charges. Here’s what we know - "Social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate are expected in federal court this week, following an extradition request from the United Kingdom on charges of sexual offenses, including rape and sex trafficking."
• The Proper Way to Dump Someone - "Basically, just please don’t do what was done to me."
• Ranked: The Top Crude Oil Producers in 2025 - "The U.S. was the world’s largest crude oil producer in 2025, pumping 13.58 million barrels per day. Five of the world’s top 10 crude oil producers are in the Middle East. Russia and Saudi Arabia ranked second and third globally, each producing more than 9.5 million barrels per day."
• Ranked: The World’s Top 25 Countries by Oil Consumption - "In 2024, U.S. oil consumption stood at 19 million barrels per day, a change of -0.1% from the previous year. China follows next, with 16.4 million barrels per day, changing -1.2% over the year. Over the past decade, India’s oil consumption has grown at one of the fastest rates globally, increasing 3.8% on average, per year."
• Ranked: The World’s Top Universities Outside of the U.S. - "Oxford and Cambridge lead the top-ranked universities outside America. In fact, the UK has 12 universities in this ranking, the most for any one country. Outside of the U.S., the UK has the next most top-100 universities (12) in the world, led by Oxford and Cambridge. Germany is second at eight and China third with seven. As a region, Europe accounts for 36 of the top-100 non-American universities."
• Ranked: The World’s Most Valuable Restaurant Chains - "McDonald’s is the world’s most valuable restaurant chain, with a market capitalization of $195.1 billion - more than the next eight companies combined. Chipotle and Yum! Brands round out the top three, each valued at roughly $45 billion. U.S.-based companies account for 11 of the world’s 20 most valuable public restaurant chains."
• Mapping the World's Prices 2026 - "Mapping the World's Prices is the definitive guide to quality of life, rental costs and prices for phones, coffee, taxis and more in 69 cities from Abu Dhabi to Zurich." Deutsche Bank.
• Monaco Red Cross Gala celebrates generosity & glamour - "The 77th Monaco Red Cross Gala brought together royalty, international guests and leading figures from the worlds of culture, business and philanthropy on Saturday July 18, as the Principality’s flagship charitable event returned to the Salle des Étoiles at Sporting Monte-Carlo."
• The macabre kidnapping of Eva PerÓn's corpse - "Argentina's iconic first lady died in July 1952. Sixty years on, the BBC looked back at her cadaver's bizarre disappearance - and its 16-year journey around the globe."
• The lonely road to Europe's Arctic edge - "Most visitors come to Norway for its dramatic western fjords. But the country's most extraordinary drive heads in the opposite direction - into a treeless Arctic wilderness where Europe finally runs out."

July 19, 2026

• US & Iran exchange strikes after two US soldiers killed in Jordan - "US forces target Iranian sites for the eighth night in a row, while Iran says it fired drones at the US military in Kuwait."
• Russia unleashes one of biggest ballistic missile attacks of the Ukraine war, Kyiv says - "'The enemy launched more than 40 missiles of various types - most of them against the capital - and 120 attack drones,' President Volodymyr Zelensky said."
• Heavy metal vs. an orchestra: What to expect from the World Cup final - "After 103 matches and 38 days of action, we’re down to the final game on the last day of the 2026 World Cup. A total of 46 teams have fallen and only two nations remain - world No. 1 Argentina and world No. 2 Spain."
• One of World Cup's all-time classics - England stun France in thriller - "Bukayo Saka scores a hat-trick as England beat France 6-4 in a thriller to record their best men's World Cup finish since 1966."
• Trump is edging towards another American ‘forever war’ in Iran - "It is the ultimate sanction. But somehow for President Donald Trump - who once sought a Nobel Peace Prize for ending wars - military force has become a casual measure, a kind of background effect used to cajole Iran into diplomacy."
• Russians turn to cash, putting more strain on slowing wartime economy - "Russians are returning to cash, as mobile internet shutdowns disrupt card payments, and more businesses seek to dodge tax under mounting financial pressure more than four years into the war with Ukraine."
• Box Office: ‘The Odyssey’ Has Epic Opening Day With $51 Million - "‘The Odyssey’ didn’t need a Trojan Horse to break into the top of Friday’s box office charts. Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ earned $51 million on Friday from 3,919 North American screens."
• What to Know Before Seeing ‘The Odyssey’ - "Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic poem has monster battles, a sorceress and dozens of thirsty suitors. Here’s a primer: When does 'The Odyssey' take place? - What was the Trojan War about? - What was the Trojan horse? - What happens after the war? - What’s going on back in Ithaca? - What is Zeus’ Law? - Who are some of the other major players? - How is ‘The Odyssey’ related to ‘The Iliad’?"
• Private jets flock to Montana - but locals can't afford the trailer park - "One factor fuelling outsider interest in Bozeman, according to many, was the 'Yellowstone Effect' - transplants drawn to the state by the fictitious runaway hit drama Yellowstone, starring Kevin Costner. Any given day out at our airport, there will be 80 to 100 private jets on the tarmac, primarily Yellowstone Club guests."
• Scientists are regrowing human teeth - "While teeth play a greater role in health than many realise, current dental solutions for tooth loss are temporary and subpar. What if we could regrow our teeth instead?"
• What’s the Deal With Those Upside-Down Hats? - "The capsized cap has particular purchase among pro athletes and those who track them. In the forest that is contemporary fashion, these hats occupy a branch with performance polos, Lululemon chinos and On sneakers. Their target demo is a Barstool Sports reader, not a Balenciaga client."
• 3-color rule of styling - "Since three colors often means three pieces, layering to build more-detailed looks is practically a prerequisite. I Wanted a More Colorful Wardrobe. With Help From a Few Pros, Here’s How I Got One."
• Everything you need to know about the World Cup final - "Now, after 102 matches, we know which two teams will battle it out in Sunday’s final. It’s Spain vs. Argentina; Lamine Yamal vs. Lionel Messi. The Main Thing: Polarizing styles set to clash in the World Cup final"
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 15 - Champagnole > Plateau de Solaison."

July 18, 2026

• US strikes hit Iran for seventh consecutive night - "Iran said it responded by targeting US allies in the region including Kuwait, which said another of its power and water plants had been hit following a similar attack the previous day."
• Iran’s hardliners warn of a ‘coup’ as US truce comes under pressure - "New supreme leader remains hidden as radicals demand renewed war with Washington."
• How much shooting does it take to end a ‘ceasefire’? - "Last week, President Donald Trump declared that the 'ceasefire' with Iran was 'OVER.' But even during the ceasefire, the firing didn't stop."
• Eight warehouse workers killed in deadliest Ukrainian attacks inside Russia for two years - "Both the facilities struck belonged to a Russian company, Wildberries, a major online retailer. Ukraine says the facilities were used in drone manufacture."
• Russian troops survive just 20-30 minutes on Ukraine’s front lines, CIA director says - "The assessment comes as Ukraine’s battlefield technology has stalled Russia’s advance along the front and drawn foreign partners ready to spend billions of dollars in deals with its defense industry."
• Trump threatens new Canada tariffs over fires sending 'filthy' air into US cities - "US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose new tariffs on Canada after hundreds of wildfires have left much of the northern US covered by a blanket of smoke."
• Timelapse shows World Cup final stadium nearly vanish in smoky haze - "MetLife stadium in New Jersey, where the World Cup final will be held, was shrouded in haze caused by hundreds of wildfires in Canada. More than 800 wildfires are burning across Canada, with air quality alerts now extending south into multiple US states."
• What makes the Trojan Horse sequence in ‘The Odyssey’ so incredible - "This new Matt Damon-led film opens with a short scene involving the Trojans discovering the horse statue, ostensibly abandoned in the waves on the seashore, just as Nolan imagined it."
• For 1,000 years, a cult worshipped the hero of The Odyssey - "The Odyssey was far more than entertainment to ancient Greeks. Archaeologists have unearthed evidence of a cult that revered the Homeric hero on his legendary home island of Ithaca."
• How you can still explore the ancient city of Troy - "Travel back in time to Homer's Iliad and Odyssey through an ongoing excavation of the site believed to be the legendary city."
• This is the world’s No. 1 busiest airport. Here’s why - "The busiest airport of all in 2025, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, has held the title of the world’s No. 1 for passenger traffic for 27 of the last 28 years. It slipped just once in 2020, due to air travel being largely halted by the start of the Covid-19 pandemic."
• Ditch the niceties in AI prompts to save energy use, say researchers - "A UN report warns of the rapid growth in AI energy consumption, but suggests users can improve efficiency by making prompts more concise."
• 21 of the best things to do in Ibiza - "Mix health and hedonism, peace and pulsating beats, on a visit to the Med’s most unforgettable isle: 1. Paddleboard at sunset - 2. Walk with a local - 3. Take to the skies at sunrise - 4. Taste the island's food - 5. Hop over to Formentera - 6. Sip ..."
• Since the camera is always watching, why not snap a surveillance selfie? - "The surveillance selfie has started emerging everywhere: people take photos of themselves being watched by the self-checkout line cameras at Target, and others take self-portraits with their car’s backup cameras. "
• Control, threats, disfiguring surgery: My life inside Jeffrey Epstein's 'cult' - "In the week after the sex-criminal financier Jeffrey Epstein died, Anya (not her real name) opened the door of her New York apartment. Outside was Epstein's brother, Mark, telling her she had to leave, she says. Anya had lived for years in one of several flats on East 66th Street in Manhattan used by Jeffrey Epstein to house women he abused."
• China's Moonshot AI claims Kimi K3 can rival OpenAI and Anthropic - "Chinese AI start-up Moonshot has unveiled a massive new artificial intelligence model it says can rival top American firms. The company launched Kimi K3, containing 2.8 trillion parameters, which serves as a measure of an AI's scale and processing power. Kimi K3's full capabilities - coding, knowledge work, and reasoning - will be known when it is released as an open-source model on 27 July."
• Mick Jagger Knows He May Have Played His Last Rolling Stones Show - "The legendary frontman, now 82, isn't sure he ever lets the world see his true self. Watch The Interview."
• Anya Taylor-Joy Is a Consummate Action Hero in Heist Thriller Lucky - "Apple TV's taut heist thriller capitalizes on the best elements of her 'Furiosa,' 'The Queen's Gambit,' and 'The Witch' performances."
• White House defends Argentina team over Falklands banner - "The White House has defended the Argentinian football team's right to free speech after they controversially waved a banner in support of their country's territorial claim to the Falkland Islands while celebrating their World Cup win against England."
• Everything you need to know about the World Cup final - "Now, after 102 matches, we know which two teams will battle it out in Sunday’s final. It’s Spain vs. Argentina; Lamine Yamal vs. Lionel Messi. The Main Thing: Polarizing styles set to clash in the World Cup final"
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 14 - Mulhouse > Le Markstein Fellering."

July 17, 2026

• Iran & US widen attacks as renewed conflict shows no sign of de-escalating - "The US hit multiple bridges in Iran while Tehran responded with what appeared to be the largest retaliatory strikes since their truce collapsed."
• In Iran, Trump Risks Another American ‘Forever War’ - "President Trump, who promised to 'end wars,' not start them, may have fallen into a familiar presidential trap."
• 5 takeaways from Trump’s primetime speech on elections - "The speech about potential vulnerabilities in the American election system could be one we look back on as a significant moment - particularly as a preview of how Trump might try to undermine the 2026 election. Here are some takeaways from the speech."
• Trump alleges China meddled in 2020 election & questions voting security ahead of midterms - "US President Donald Trump has delivered a primetime address in which he accused China of interfering in the 2020 election and alleged 'shocking vulnerabilities' in American voting systems."
• Trump Media to sell instant access to 'market-moving' social posts - "Trump Media & Technology Group, which owns Truth Social, is launching a paid service to give Wall Street firms high-speed access to its most influential posts."
• Japan relaxes royal succession rules - but ban on female emperors remains - "The Japanese parliament has approved a bill to relax imperial succession rules, amid concerns over the dwindling size of the imperial family. The bill, passed by the upper house on Friday, allows the imperial family to adopt distant male relatives over the age of 15 and lets women keep their royal status after marrying outside the family."
• The financial winners & losers from the World Cup - "The amount of money world football's governing body Fifa makes from the World Cup is astronomical. It generated a record $7.6bn from Qatar 2022 and is expected to top that in US, Canada and Mexico 2026, especially with the expanded 48-team tournament. Fifa's income comes from the sale of broadcasting, licensing and hospitality rights, sponsorship deals and ticket sales."
• As heatwaves strike, Europeans turn to Chinese air-conditioners - "Chinese brands are meeting surging air-conditioner demand in Europe, a region with typically low ownership rates."
• Box Office Hits & Flops of 2026 So Far - "From 'The Bride' to 'Michael,' here's a look at what sizzled and fizzled during the first six months of the year."
• How the French Riviera transformed into a glitzy getaway for the elite - "Once touted as a place for the sick to restore their health, the sun-kissed coast is now a playground for the rich and famous."
• Target of Monaco bomb blames attack on Ukrainian spy agency - "Vadym Iermolaiev says military intelligence officers were behind assassination attempt that seriously wounded partner and child."
• There are six types of motivation. Take this interactive quiz to learn yours and boost your success at work - "Are you driven by autonomy, recognition, wealth, comfort, security or friendship? Knowing your motivational style could help you realise your goals."
• How hot dogs & a royal picnic helped forge the US-UK 'special relationship' - "The 1939 president's picnic that led to the US-UK 'special relationship'. As the Nazis were advancing in Europe, President Roosevelt invited King George VI and his consort for a visit to his country home. It was the first time that a British monarch had set foot on US soil. Over hot dogs and beers, the conversations that took place helped shape the course of history - as a new play explores."
• A history of posh paint & where to buy the best ones - "Walls of vivid crushed lapis lazuli were once all the rage. Now a status paint is likely to be a muted hue - but gold is still the oligarchs’ favourite. Understated opulence is a fairly recent phenomenon. The Parthenon, although its marbles are now a snowy white, was originally coloured in a riot of red, blue and green."
• Warri Kingdom - "Warri Kingdom, nestled in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, is home to the Itsekiri people, a vibrant and resilient ethnic group with a rich cultural heritage. This website serves as a central hub for Itsekiris worldwide and those interested in learning more about our unique tribe. Our land, a tapestry of mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands, is blessed with abundant natural resources, including crude oil, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s economy."
• The week in 36 photos - "Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye."
• America’s Richest Immigrants 2026 - "Led by Elon Musk, Sergey Brin and Jensen Huang, tech pioneers dominate Forbes' 2026 ranking of the wealthiest foreign-born U.S. citizens. A record 144 foreign-born U.S. citizens from 45 countries now hold a quarter of the country’s billionaire wealth."
• Mapped: Where People Think Quality of Life Is Best - "From Sweden to the U.S., see how 85 countries rank in the 2026 Best Countries Index based on global perceptions of quality of life. Sweden ranks first for perceived quality of life in the 2026 Best Countries Index, ahead of Denmark and Canada. Canada is the highest-ranked country in the Americas, while the U.S. ranks below every other G7 nation. Eight of the world’s top 10 countries are in Europe, reflecting the region’s strong global reputation for quality of life."
• Ranked: The Most Powerful Countries, According to Global Opinion - "The U.S., China, and Russia form a distinct top tier in global perceptions of power. Russia ranks third despite having a significantly smaller economy than several countries below it. South Korea and Saudi Arabia place ahead of traditional powers including France and Japan."
• Everything you need to know about the World Cup final - "Now, after 102 matches, we know which two teams will battle it out in Sunday’s final. It’s Spain vs. Argentina; Lamine Yamal vs. Lionel Messi. The Main Thing: Polarizing styles set to clash in the World Cup final"
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• 10 of the World Cup's most striking images - as historic artworks - "As the 2026 World Cup draws to a close, the BBC rounds up some of the most stunning photos captured from the tournament - and reveals their similarities to classic works of art."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 13 - Dole > CBelfort."

July 16, 2026

• US pounds Iranian targets for fifth day - "Iran warns Strait of Hormuz is an ‘unbreakable red line’ as US expands strikes. US strikes deep into Iran while Tehran carries out attacks on Persian Gulf neighbors as the latest round of violence shows no sign of letup."
• Strait of Hormuz 'faultline' exposes weakness of the US-Iran deal - "The memorandum's 60-day window for intensive negotiations, which was never realistic, is yet another weakness."
• Strait of Hormuz-style crisis looms for Russia as Ukraine forces shutdown of a key waterway - "Russia’s grip on its gateway to the Black Sea is slipping after a series of Ukrainian attacks forced Moscow to suspend traffic through the key waterway this week, limiting the Kremlin’s ability to trade with the rest of the world."
• The Odyssey is a 'colossal piece of cinema', critics say in rave reviews - "The Odyssey, the latest film from Oscar-winning director Sir Christopher Nolan, has received rapturous reviews from critics."
• Blanche apologises on Capitol Hill for Epstein files 'mistakes' - "Epstein mistakes and Trump ties. Here are five key takeaways from Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing."
• Why England's loss to Argentina felt like most painful in 60 years of hurt - "England's years of hurt will now stretch beyond 60, but the late collapse to a World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina may just be the most painful wound of all."
• Argentina face action over Falklands banner - "Argentina face the prospect of disciplinary action from Fifa after their players celebrated the World Cup semi-final win against England with a banner in support of their country's claims to the Falkland Islands."
• Elon Musk Could Get Charged With Breaking Election Law - "Elon Musk could face charges for violating Wisconsin election law when he gave some voters $1 million checks during the state Supreme Court election last year."
• The socialite who wants her super-rich friends to pay more tax - "Julie Macklowe is a Trump voter with a property fortune and a luxury lifestyle. Now the 48-year-old has been shunned by her wealthy New Yorker neighbours for condemning publicly their tax-dodging tricks."
• Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years - "Since the mysterious deaths of a husband and wife in the Medici family, a powerful Italian dynasty that ruled Florence and Tuscany almost uninterruptedly from 1434 to 1737, rumors have swirled about what led to the couple’s untimely demise. Now, scientists believe they have an answer - it wasn’t murder, but malaria."
• What the Definitive Book on Empires Says About America Today - "In the same year as America's founding, Edward Gibbon wrote 'Decline and Fall.' 250 years later, it still holds lessons for us."
• Does Closing Your Eyes Help You Hear? A Surprising Study Has The Answer - "Contrary to popular belief, closing your eyes actually impairs your ability to hear in noisy environments. By shutting your eyes, your brain enters a state of 'neural criticality,' causing it to aggressively over-filter incoming sounds and muffle the specific noises you are trying to focus on."
• Should You Recline Your Airplane Seat? - "Investigating the central dilemma of our time."
• Mapped: Europe’s Military Spending by GDP - "Ukraine spent nearly 40% of GDP on defense in 2025, by far the highest share in Europe. Excluding Ukraine, European countries spent an average of roughly 2% of GDP, with eastern NATO members generally spending the most. NATO members have pledged to raise defense spending toward 5% of GDP by 2035, reflecting Europe’s accelerating rearmament."
• Ranked: Countries With the Biggest Declines in Academic Freedom - "Nicaragua, Myanmar, and Afghanistan recorded the world’s steepest declines in academic freedom between 2015 and 2025. Academic freedom declined in 67% of countries over the past decade, according to the V-Dem Academic Freedom Index. The U.S. dropped from 27th to 116th globally, making it one of the most notable declines among advanced economies."
• Mapped: Every Country That Gained Independence Since WWII - "More than half (54%) of today’s sovereign states gained independence between 1945 and 1994. Britain and France together account for 62 of the 81 countries shown, reflecting the scale of postwar decolonization. Two years stand out on the timeline: Africa’s 'Year of Independence' in 1960 and the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991."
• Ranked: Homeownership Rates Around the World - "Eight of the top 10 countries in the ranking are current or former communist states, led by Slovakia (93.5%) and Romania (92.8%). China ranks fourth after 1990s housing reforms transferred millions of state-owned homes into private ownership. Germany (41.0%) and Switzerland (38.2%) have some of the lowest homeownership rates shown despite being among Europe’s wealthiest economies."
• Visualizing 75 Years of U.S. Energy Production - "Coal and natural gas have swapped places since 1950. Coal fell from 41% of U.S. energy production to 10%, while natural gas rose from 20% to 47%. Crude oil ranked second in both 1950 and 2025, despite falling from nearly 40% of production in the early 1970s to just 15% in 2008. Total U.S. primary energy production more than tripled over the period, rising from 34.5 to 107.1 quadrillion BTU."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• Louis Vuitton unveils a bespoke trophy trunk for the FIFA World Cup 2026 - "The Louis Vuitton World Cup trunk features two front panels hand-painted with a golden 'V' representing both 'Victory' and 'Vuitton.'"
• Could you have saved the shots that shaped soccer penalty history? - "CNN has selected five landmark penalties from soccer history, which made a significant impact on the Beautiful Game and shaped how players take spot-kicks today."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 12 - Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours > Chalon-Sur-Saône."

July 15, 2026

• US launches fourth night of strikes on Iran & restarts naval blockade - "Trump renews threat to Iran’s infrastructure, as naval blockade reimposed. A total of 17 commercial vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, data shows. Meanwhile, Iran claims to have hit US military infrastructure in the Gulf."
• Trump scraps threat of 20% fee on Hormuz cargo - "Trump retreat over Hormuz tolls suggests he is struggling to end Iran war. Donald Trump's latest Iran War demand lasted all of 24 hours and suggests a president searching for unorthodox ways out of a difficult position."
• E. Jean Carroll collects more than $5 million from Trump in sexual abuse & defamation case - "Attorneys from the president had tried to block the money from being turned over to the writer. The money, which was being held in a court escrow account, has been 'disbursed' to Carroll’s attorneys, the court filing shows. The amount totalled $5,625,005.48 with interest."
• Buffett omits gift to Bill Gates’ foundation after Microsoft cofounder’s Epstein ties disclosed - "Billionaire Warren Buffett omitted Bill Gates ? foundation from his annual donations this year after disclosures of the Microsoft co-founder’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He will donate about $6 billion to four foundations connected to his own family, but did not mention Gates in his announcement Tuesday."
• Devastating Russian attacks make June deadliest month for Ukraine’s civilians since 2022 - "The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said at least 293 Ukrainian civilians were killed in June, taking the number of civilian deaths for the year to date to nearly 1,400. That’s 37% more than the same period last year, and more than double the figure for the same period in 2024."
• How US commerce secretary's Epstein links were uncovered by British whistleblower - "Simon Andriesz, previously a managing director at a Wall Street firm, discovered an email chain from 2018 in which Lutnick and Epstein had discussed the prospects of a start-up business they were both involved in."
• Nine extraordinary things you probably didn't know about sharks - "Humans have more in common with these elite ocean predators than often thought."
• The epic scale of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, by the numbers - "Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is an epic film, hitting theaters Friday"
• Director of new ‘Lord of the Rings’ rejects ‘politically correct’ casting after suggestions film is too White - "Andy Serkis acknowledged past casting criticisms but maintained the upcoming film will not tick boxes."
• Sugar found in raspberries detected in interstellar space - "Astronomers have detected a natural sugar found in raspberries in clouds of interstellar dust and gas near the center of the Milky Way galaxy."
• A new blood test may predict Alzheimer’s risk. It isn’t ready for prime time - "Cognitively healthy older adults with high levels of a biomarker called p-tau217 in their blood had an estimated 38% greater chance of developing early signs of dementia over five years, a new study found. Over 10 years, the risk was 78% higher, although the data was not as robust."
• Rare T. rex fossil sells for record $50.1 million at auction - "The skeleton, which is about 67 million years old, is nicknamed Gus after the late Gary ‘Gus’ Licking, a cattle rancher from Harding County, South Dakota, who owned the land where the specimen was found. He died in 2022, one year into the excavation of the fossil. Gus the T. rex is 38 feet long and 12.5 feet tall, with a skull measuring 54 inches, which makes it one of the largest T. rexes ever found, according to Sotheby’s. It includes 183 fossil bone elements, making it about 61% complete by bone count, or 75% to 80% complete by mass."
• Japan is running out of royals. So why won’t it let women become emperor? - "With just three eligible heirs to the Chrysanthemum throne - and two of them 60 or over - the imperial family is facing a succession crisis. Japan’s monarchy has for centuries maintained male-only succession. To solve the dearth of heirs, government ministers have proposed reinstating former branches of the royal family, thereby expanding the pool of male successors. The changes are awaiting parliamentary approval."
• How to download the iOS 27 public beta & 3 new things to try first - "Grab the beta to get Siri's AI overhaul: Once you're registered, you can simply head to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates on your phone, and tap 'iOS 27 Public Beta'."
• Ranked: The Most Expensive Weddings in History - "The most expensive wedding on record took place in Moscow in 2016 and is estimated to have cost $1.4 billion after adjusting for inflation. India’s wealthiest families account for three of the ten most expensive weddings ever held, including the 2024 Ambani wedding. Royal weddings remain among history’s costliest ceremonies, but several billionaire and celebrity weddings now rival them."
• Ranked: The Most Polite Countries in the World - "Japan is considered the most polite country in the world, receiving over 35% of votes cast globally. Canada secured more votes (13.4%) than any other country in the Western Hemisphere. European countries dominate the ranking of the 25 most polite countries worldwide."
• The World’s Biggest Gold, Silver & Platinum Reserves - "Australia and Russia together hold nearly 40% of the world’s known gold reserves. Peru holds the largest share of global silver reserves, ahead of Russia and Australia. South Africa accounts for roughly 83% of global platinum group metal reserves."
• A special team beats brilliant individuals - how silky Spain flattened France - "Spain produced an absolute masterclass in control to secure their place in just their second World Cup final - leaving the rest of the world stunned at how France were blown away."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 11 - Vichy > Nevers."

July 14, 2026

• trump says us will reinstate strait of hormuz blockade & impose 20% charge on cargo - "Trump's 20% tolls are another curve ball in negotiations over Strait of Hormuz."
• US launches third night of strikes on Iran & reimposes naval blockade - "Trump tells Congress ‘military action’ has resumed as Iran targets shipping and US allies."
• Iran plays by Trump’s rules to deepen his war dilemma - "Iran seems to be playing Donald Trump at his own game. The president complained Monday that the Islamic Republic can’t be trusted to honor an agreement, rebuking its rulers for one of his own signature moves."
• Trump offers US protection in the Strait of Hormuz for a 20% fee. How would that work? - "'The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,’ but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World,' Trump said in a Truth Social post on Monday."
• Watch live: France's Bastille Day parade showcases European support for Ukraine - "France's annual July 14 military parade this year features aircraft from 11 European countries and around 500 troops from Coalition of the Willing allies that have pledged to help with Ukraine’s post-war security in a showcase of support for Kyiv. The event marks President Emmanuel Macron’s last Bastille Day in his role. Watch the parade on FRANCE 24 from 10am Paris time by clicking on our liveplayer."
• Europe recorded 10,000 excess deaths during late-June heatwave, data show - "The data, pooled from national mortality statistics in 27 European countries, included excess deaths from all causes, not just heat-related ones. People aged 65 and above accounted for over 9,000 of those deaths, according to EuroMOMO."
• GLP-1s are shrinking bodies. Cadaver fat is plugging the gap - "Nicknamed the lunchtime boob-job, it often takes less than an hour to inject and doesn’t need general anaesthesia or a hospital setting."
• What the Middle Ages can teach us about preventing burnout - "Stress and mental exhaustion aren't new – in medieval times, they were prevalent. And the wisdom of the Middle Ages about how to deal with burnout still rings surprisingly true today."
• Ephesus: The ancient Roman city 10 times the size of Disneyland - "Ephesus: The ancient city of Ephesus is a UNESCO World Heritage site in western Turkey’s Ízmir Province: Libraries, brothels and marble streets: Inside one of the world’s best-preserved Roman cities."
• The $50bn lawsuit that could bring down Putin - "Following the destruction of the Yukos oil company by Vladimir Putin's regime, former majority shareholders utilized the 1991 Energy Charter Treaty to seek compensation for the expropriation of their assets. In 2014, an arbitration panel at The Hague awarded the shareholders a massive $50bn against the Russian state. The article is a review of Martin Sixsmith's book Suing the Kremlin, detailing the historic legal battle between former shareholders of the Yukos oil company and the Russian state."
• Inside Israel’s Secret Operation to Cultivate Ahmadinejad - "The yearslong effort to groom the former Iranian president as an intelligence asset culminated in a dramatic effort to take him to a Mossad safe house in Iran in the early days of the war. But the plan fell apart."
• How the Superwealthy Sidestep the Masses to Get to the World Cup - "The skies above the Hamptons are packed with choppers headed to games, as 'inequality is taking it right in the face.'"
• Mapped: Which Countries Have Been Banned from the World Cup? - "See every country banned from the FIFA World Cup, why they were suspended, and which nations are currently barred from the 2026 tournament. At least 13 countries have been suspended or banned from FIFA competitions in ways that prevented them from participating in a World Cup tournament or qualification campaign. Most World Cup bans have resulted from three causes: armed conflict and international sanctions, government interference in national football associations, or serious sporting violations. Russia is the only country currently barred from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, extending its suspension to a second consecutive World Cup cycle."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 10 - Aurillac > Le Lioran."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."

July 13, 2026

• Ships stop crossing Strait of Hormuz as US & Iran exchange overnight strikes - "No commercial vessels have crossed the vital waterway since yesterday evening, according to ship-tracking data - eight crossed on Sunday, down from 21 on Saturday."
• Iran war heats up while US weapon stocks remain depleted, risking military’s ability to fight future wars - "Key US weapons stockpiles remain significantly depleted and will come under even more intense pressure if strikes against Iran continue at the current rate, as President Donald Trump reiterated Friday that the ceasefire in the conflict is 'over.'"
• From shock loss to Wimbledon title - resilient Sinner rises back to top - "It was a point that encapsulated Jannik Sinner's journey to a second Wimbledon title."
• Sam Neill, Jurassic Park & Peaky Blinders actor, dies aged 78 - "The New Zealand actor, who was born in Northern Ireland, died in Sydney. He had recovered from cancer and 'the loss was sudden and unexpected', his family says."
• Sam Neill’s 20 best roles - "The New Zealand actor, who has died at the age of 78, delivered stellar performances for more than 40 years. Here’s our pick of his best roles: 1. In the Mouth of Madness (1994) - 2. Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) - 3. Dead Calm (1989) - 4. Jurassic Park ( ..."
• Sam Neill - a life in pictures - "The New Zealand actor who appeared in more than 150 roles including memorable turns in Jurassic Park films, Peaky Blinders and The Piano, has died aged 78."
• How Putin Turned Japan Into a Den of Spies - "Operating out of a Tokyo high-rise, a military intelligence unit finds the high-tech equipment that Russia needs to wage war."
• How to future-proof your hearing - "It's not just rocket launches and death metal concerts that lead to hearing loss. Many everyday activities can cause damage. Here's what you can do to protect your ears for decades to come."
• World Cup Tourists Are Giving Americans Exactly What We Crave - "TikTok de Tocqueville have descended on our Walmarts, Buc-ees and Bass Pro Shops. The videos also help flip a well-known script. Rather than the American going to Rome for high culture and ancient wonders, here we see the Europeans come to our turf, admiring things we take for granted as banal. In 'Travels in Hyperreality,' Umberto Eco wrote his own travelogue of the American uncanny: 'In America you don’t say, ‘Give me another coffee’; you ask for ‘More coffee’; you don’t say that Cigarette A is longer than Cigarette B, but that there’s ‘more’ of it, more than you’re used to having, more than you might want, leaving a surplus to throw away - that’s prosperity.' We are in the land of more."
• This US family moved to Italy sight unseen nine years ago & never looked back - "Jason Salesberry had never set foot on Italian soil before moving there in October 2017. Today, he owns a house in a hilltop town and is planning the harvest from his two-acre grove of olive trees. In the nine years since his family arrived in Naples sight unseen, their life has transformed into a whirlwind of European adventure - from paragliding in Switzerland and scuba diving in Greece to days enjoying the local beach and Neapolitan gelato."
• Is a celebrity ‘sex pass’ ever a good idea? - "Is discussing celebrity crushes with your partner - and granting them a 'hall pass' to sleep with said superstar should they ever meet - a bit of harmless fun or a recipe for potential disaster? According to David Wain, the roles for his film’s two celebrity hall passes were written specifically in the hope each actor would be game to make fun of themselves."
• Jodie Foster Says Brad Pitt’s ‘F1’ Seemed Like It Was Made by AI & Written by a Computer: ‘Wasn’t It?’ - "Jodie Foster laughingly said that Apple's 'F1' could have been made by AI at a talk at the Aspen Festival of Ideas."
• The SpaceX IPO made history. One month on has it lost momentum? - "As the reality of how SpaceX currently makes money has seemed to come into clearer focus, the company's shares have started to sink."
• New era for Gibraltar with removal of 118-year-old border controls with Spain - "It is hoped that free movement between the UK territory and Spain will provide an economic boost."
• Sex & Surrealism on the French Riviera - "A group of artists gathered at a hotel on the Côte d’Azur in 1937. A new book by Anna Thomasson captures the art and escapades the holiday inspired. Ady loves Man Ray who loved Lee who is married to Aziz but is now with Roland who loves Picasso who loves both Dora and Marie-Thérèse..."
• How climate change is putting traditional parmesan cheese at risk - "Heat waves are taking a toll on Italy's parmesan cheese industry, reducing milk production and increasing energy costs. Farmers have installed expensive cooling equipment, while producers work to maintain tradition alongside modern solutions."
• The Soviet nuclear submarine wreck that is a 'ticking time bomb' - "In 1989, the Komsomolets sank off the Norwegian coast. Four years later, the BBC reported on plans to seal in its torpedoes' toxic plutonium. 'At risk of horrific contamination': The Soviet nuclear submarine wreck that is a 'ticking time bomb'."
• On the Tactile Delights of Being an AFOL (Adult Fan of Lego) - "Some 12 hours into constructing Notre-Dame from more than 4,300 Lego pieces, I finally arrived at the pinnacle: the soaring spire, or flèche, that became a defining feature of the cathedral in the 1860s, 700 years after the first stones were laid."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Rest 1 Cantal (Department (15) in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region): Set in the heart of the Massif Central, the Cantal captivates visitors with the authenticity of its landscapes, its quality of life and the richness of its heritage. Shaped by one of the largest volcanoes in Europe, the department is blessed with breath-taking panoramas: Plomb du Cantal, Puy Mary, verdant valleys and high plateaus create a unique setting, ideal for walking and cycling, outdoor sports and exploring the great outdoors.."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 31 recap - "Day 31 of the 2026 World Cup finals with France and Spain through, now England v Norway..."

July 12, 2026

• US launches fresh strikes as Iran closes Strait of Hormuz - "In response to the American strikes, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the waterway was closed until further notice and launched attacks on US bases and allies in the region."
• Iran supreme leader calls for revenge for father's killing - "Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei call for revenge for death of his father and predecessor Ali Khamenei."
• Trump administration subpoenas New York Times journalists over Air Force One reporting - "The paper had published stories alleging that the Qatari-gifted plane was not secure enough, and the Secret Service urged Trump to switch planes on his way home from a Nato summit in Turkey."
• Trump Justifies Money Made as President With Inaccurate Claims - "President Trump has wrongly attributed the $2 billion windfall he gained during his second term to a hot stock market and claimed that he was the only president to donate his salary."
• T. rex could become most expensive fossil ever - but it's a problem for scientists - "A 67 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex will go on sale in New York with a pre-sale value of $30m."
• Hundreds of Peruvian newborns named after Norway striker Haaland - "Peru's national identity registry reported 468 babies with the surname 'Haaland' and 91 registered with the full name 'Erling Haaland.' The surge followed Norway's historic run to its first-ever World Cup quarter-final, with Haaland scoring seven goals in four matches, including a brace against Brazil."
• Why everyone loves Erling Haaland, Norway’s giant blonde striker - "After Spain edged past Belgium in dramatic fashion yesterday, we have not one but two quarterfinal matches today."
• ‘The Iliad & The Odyssey’ Deluxe Edition Soars to Top of Bestseller Lists Ahead of Christopher Nolan Adaptation - "The 'Homer: The Iliad & The Odyssey' deluxe edition, now a No. 1 bestseller on Amazon, features the two foundational Greek epics in a single 768-page English-language hardbound volume. The omnibus includes 'The Iliad,' Homer's account of the Trojan War, alongside 'The Odyssey,' which follows Odysseus on his long, perilous journey home to Ithaca after the war."
• Highlights from Paris Fashion Week - "Avant-garde gardens, singular debuts and vampire brides: A dispatch from Paris Haute Couture Week."
• The 39-ish Most Stylish People of 2026, So Far - "On red carpets, on set, onstage and even up in space, they captured our attention with their looks."
• How Aldi is taking on US supermarkets with its $4 almond butter - "The German supermarket's $9bn US push targets urban hubs like Manhattan. Can its discount model match Walmart?"
• Ranked: The Best Countries for Quality of Life in 2026 - "Sweden ranks first in the 2026 Best Countries quality of life rankings, ahead of Denmark and Canada. Europe accounts for 20 of the world’s top 30 countries, led by a strong Nordic showing. The U.S. ranks 27th overall, placing last among G7 economies."
• Mapped: Which Countries Spend the Most on Education? - "Among the world's 40 largest economies, Sweden leads with 7.3% of GDP dedicated to education, followed by Denmark (6.4%) and Belgium (6.3%). Kiribati allocates 16.4% of GDP to education, the highest share in the world, while several countries spend less than 2%. Among the world’s 40 largest economies, Sweden (7.3%) devotes the largest share of GDP to education, while Indonesia (1.3%) spends the least. Most countries invest between 4% and 6% of GDP in education, despite wide differences in income levels."
• The World's Largest Cities in 2026 by Population - "Every year on July 11, World Population Day draws attention to the demographic trends reshaping societies around the globe. Discover below the world's 20 most populated cities in 2026, measured according to the latest available estimates from WPR, together with each city's annual population growth compared to the previous year."
• Our Plastic-Surgery Nightmare - "As cosmetic procedures become both more invisible and more extreme, our connection to reality is fraying."
• 139th THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON - "All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19, England, U.K. Live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 29 - July 12."
• Wimbledon Day 13 (12 July) - "Wimbledon Order of Play Day 13."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 9 - Malemort > Usselp."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 30 recap - "Day 31 Report: Bellingham Carries England Through Extra Time, Argentina Breaks Swiss Resistance, and the World Cup Semifinal Field Is Complete."

July 11, 2026

• Satellite images show Iran may be trying to rebuild nuclear facilities - "Exclusive satellite imagery obtained and analyzed by CNN in collaboration with the Institute for Science and International Security shows signs Iran may be attempting to rebuild its nuclear facilities."
• US wants Iran to pledge to stop shooting at ships in Strait of Hormuz - "Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and two people who have been heavily involved in Middle East talks - special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner - are expected to lead Saturday's negotiations."
• New Air Force One Lacks Defensive Countermeasures of Previous Model, Officials Say - "Experts said the lack of such capabilities poses a potential risk when the president travels overseas. The White House defended the aircraft’s safety."
• Meet the crypto billionaires building a world where money buys you a vote - "The Free Republic of Liberland doesn't look like much from the boat. You would never guess that this flat, muddy stretch of floodplain on the Danube River, dotted with alder trees, tents and treehouses, is connected to some of the world's wealthiest men - including the biggest initial investor in the Trump family's crypto business."
• King Charles hosted Harry & Meghan for a private family gathering in Gloucestershire - "King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet on Friday afternoon at Highgrove House, the king’s private country residence in Gloucestershire, England. The meeting marks the first time King Charles has seen the whole family in four years."
• Elon Musk hopes to move Earth higher on the Kardashev scale. Here’s what that means - "Elon Musk’s plans refer to an idea conceived in the 1960s. What is the Kardashev scale? The Kardashev scale has three levels, moving from planet to star to galaxy."
• The Leading Producers of Space Race Materials - "China is the largest producer of four of the eight materials shown. It accounts for the production of 99% of gallium, 78% of graphite, 70% of titanium, and 69% of global rare earth elements."
• What happens to your brain in space? - "Space messes with astronauts' brains - and that might be a big challenge for missions beyond the Moon."
• The Only Five Countries to Land on the Moon & When They Did It - "Only five countries have achieved a successful soft landing on the Moon since 1966. The U.S. remains the only nation to land astronauts on the lunar surface. Several countries have reached lunar orbit or attempted landings, but only a handful have completed controlled touchdowns."
• Five key scenes from the Bayeux Tapestry & the story they tell - "Power struggles, betrayal and bloody battles - these are the events shown in great detail in the Bayeux Tapestry, covering one of the most momentous periods in English history. The artefact, almost 1,000 years old, is a 70m-long storyboard of embroidered pictures showing an epic account of the Norman conquest and the Battle of Hastings of 1066."
• Apple sues OpenAI, its employees claiming theft of trade secrets - "Apple has accused OpenAI of gaining access to valuable inside information through the hiring of its former employees."
• Can we map The Odyssey? How ancient geographers & modern researchers have traced Odysseus’s travels - "Attempts to transpose the locations of The Odyssey accurately to modern maps have proved difficult."
• Can you spot an AI deepfake? Take the test - "Researchers in Scotland have been finding out if you can train people to identify computer-generated facial images."
• Women’s faces rated more attractive even by other women, study finds - "‘Gender attractiveness gap’ appears across cultures and over centuries but difference fades away with age."
• 'I was so brainwashed': The 1980s doomsday cult that ensnared the young and beautiful - "Led by an enigmatic New York socialite who claimed to be an alien in human form, Eternal Values boasted an elite membership. Now one of its most high-profile ex-followers, former male supermodel Hoyt Richards, is telling his story."
• 7 things you shouldn't do when eating in Italy - "From ordering a cappuccino after breakfast to sprinkling cheese on your fish, avoid these common traveller mistakes on your next Italian holiday."
• Why Norwegians eat tacos every Friday - "How tacos became Norway's national comfort food. An oil boom, a supermarket opportunity and decades of adaptation transformed the taco from a Tex-Mex import into one of Norway's most beloved traditions."
• Ranked: The Countries that Trust News Most & Least in 2026 - "Kenya and Nigeria top the global ranking, with 68% of people saying they trust most news most of the time. Finland leads Europe, while the U.S. ranks near the bottom at just 25%, alongside Taiwan and Colombia. Among G7 countries, the UK has recorded the largest decline in trust since 2016, falling from 50% to 30%."
• Something Is Very Wrong with Modern Longevity Science - "A new book argues that many of the world’s oldest people aren’t so old after all."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 8 - Périgueux > Bergerach."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 30 recap - "Is Yamal right to be confident about knocking France out of the World Cup? Day 30 recap. Day 30 of the World Cup saw Spain set up an appealing semi-final clash with France, a meeting of arguably the two outstanding teams of the tournament so far."
• 139th THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON - "All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19, England, U.K. Live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 29 - July 12."
• Wimbledon Day 12 (11 July) - "Wimbledon Order of Play Day 12."

July 10, 2026

• US pauses Iran strikes after tit-for-tat attacks threaten truce - "US officials say they are currently letting diplomacy take the lead, as Iran’s slain supreme leader was buried in city where he was born."
• Quills & conflict: How protection in the Strait of Hormuz is bought & sold - "In the immediate aftermath of the US-Israeli strikes, rates for ships passing through the strait soared to as high as 10% of a vessel’s value from roughly 0.25%-0.5% before the war, according to Marcus Baker, the global head of marine and cargo for insurance broker Marsh."
• Israel shared intelligence with US of Iranian plot to assassinate Trump, sources say - "One of the sources said the warning came this week. Another source said the US had picked up a steady drumbeat of intelligence in recent weeks about possible plans to assassinate Trump, but the warning from Israel was new and concerned a specific plot."
• Ukrainian agent accused of murdering Monaco bomb suspect changes story - "Two men with links to Ukraine's security services are accused of killing Anastasiia Berezovska and dumping her body in woods."
• South Florida's Palm Beach airport renamed President Donald J. Trump International - "Signs for the Palm Beach International Airport have been removed, while new signage goes up. Changing the airport's name is expected to cost as much as $5.5 million for new signs, branding and other updates."
• Putin’s Last Roll of the Dice - "A bloody stalemate on the front lines that barely moves no matter how many Russian bodies pile up; the jewel of Russian-occupied Crimea increasingly isolated by Ukrainian attacks; an economy choked by high inflation, punishing interest rates, and a fuel crisis; and long-range strikes penetrating to the heart of Russian power and upending its vital oil industry."
• France cruise into semi-finals - could this be the best Les Bleus ever? - "World Cup winners in 1998 and 2018, France have created another special team and are favourites to win the 2026 competition."
• Got ChatGPT’s new voice mode? Here's how to check & 5 things you should try first - "ChatGPT has a shiny new AI voice model called GPT-Live, which has a number of helpful tricks — including being able to listen and talk at the same time. It's rolling out to all ChatGPT users now, though OpenAI has acknowledged a number of early bugs."
• Are Omega-3 Supplements Actually Good for Your Brain? - "Researchers have been surprised by the study findings."
• The Bayeux Tapestry is at the British Museum after a secret journey from France - "After almost 1,000 years, the Bayeux Tapestry is back on English soil. In scenes like a heist movie in reverse, the priceless medieval artwork was spirited into the British Museum on Friday in the dead of night, after a high-tech, tight-security operation where any slip-up could have spelled disaster."
• top 25 quiet luxury brands - "News, reviews and resources."
• Earth Black Box - "Earth's Black Box will record every step we take towards this catastrophe. Hundreds of data sets, measurements and interactions relating to the health of our planet will be continously collected and safely stored for future generations."
• The weirdest things that mess up wi-fi & how to improve your signal - "The world runs on wi-fi, but strange things can stand in its way - including your lunch."
• Is this the electric car of the future? - "I am driving around in a one-of-a-kind electric car that can charge its battery from 10% to 80% in 10 minutes. In jargonese, this is the Shell Triple 10 Challenge Concept Car - which means this is a car built from scratch, in 18 months, to pack in as much of the latest electric vehicle (EV) technology as possible."
• Can money buy football success? - "Do countries that have a well-oiled, competitive and high-value domestic league have better national teams? The data visualises market value on the left, compared to a country's FIFA points. Highlighted countries show some interesting stories that prove that having good football investment in top leagues doesn't necessarily mean a strong national team."
• Visualizing Every FIFA World Cup Champion (1930–2022) - "Only eight countries have won the FIFA Men’s World Cup since the tournament began in 1930. Brazil leads all nations with five titles, followed by Germany and Italy with four each. Europe and South America have exclusively produced every World Cup champion, a trend that remains intact heading into 2026."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 7 - Hagetmau > Bordeaux."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 29 recap - "Day 29 of the 2026 World Cup finals as FIFA ban Quansah for 2 more games than Balogun as quarters begin. "
• 139th THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON - "All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19, England, U.K. Live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 29 - July 12."
• Wimbledon Day 11 (10 July) - "Wimbledon Order of Play Day 11."

July 9, 2026

• US conducting new strikes in Iran after Trump said ceasefire is ‘over’ - "Trump warned Iran that the attacks will ‘get much worse’ if it continues striking ships in the Strait of Hormuz."
• Ukraine to get licence to produce Patriot missiles, Trump says - "US President Donald Trump has offered to give Ukraine the right to produce Patriot interceptor missiles, which could help Kyiv defend against Russia's ballistic missile attacks."
• Trump Appears to Mistakenly Call Zelensky ‘Putin,’ Iran ‘Islamic Republic of Japan’ - "The comments came while Trump was attending this week's NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey."
• Trump switches back to flying on older Air Force One for England trip instead of new Qatari jet - "US president unexpectedly changed plans for flight to England after using Qatari-gifted aircraft to travel to Turkey."
• Trump's Latest White House Renovation Project? A Multimillion-Dollar Helipad - "President Donald Trump said a new granite helicopter landing pad is being built on the White House South lawn to accommodate a fleet of more powerful presidential helicopters. The project is estimated to cost between $5 million to $6 million and will be funded by Sikorsky that has a history of manufacturing the Marine One helicopters used by Presidents."
• Judge orders Trump's $5m damages be released to E Jean Carroll - "Judge Lewis Kaplan on Wednesday ordered a clerk to release the money - with interest - from an account where Trump deposited it after the ruling."
• Are Argentina being treated favourably at World Cup? - "Egypt have alleged bias in favour of Argentina and favouritism towards their star player, Lionel Messi. Is this fair?"
• Primetime Emmy Awards 2026: See the full list of nominees - "The nominees for the 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were unveiled Wednesday, with Hollywood honoring a slew of new shows and setting up what’s expected to be a battle among two legends in the race for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series."
• The Best Healthy Eating Advice of 2026 (So Far) - "We mined the year’s top nutrition stories for 10 helpful lessons: 1. Frozen yogurt is not exactly a health food. - 2. Your diet influences your cancer risk. - 3. Be wary of 'low-carb' diets. - 4. The science of intermittent fasting isn’t as sound as you may think. - 5. Oats are powerhouses of nutrition. - 6. There is such a thing as too much protein. - 7..."
• What are the best seats on a plane? We asked the experts - "Some economy seats have perks that could make your flight more enjoyable - here's how to choose the best one for you."
• Erling Haaland Plays Like a Viking - "Norway’s hulking striker brought his country back to the World Cup for the first time in almost thirty years. How far can they go?"
• 'I wear it on my middle finger': The rise of the defiant divorce ring - "Around the world women are marking their split with new - or repurposed engagement - rings."
• Another ‘Super El NiÑo’ is brewing. Scientists are looking at a controversial solution to squash them - "A Super El Niño is brewing and it could be the most intense in decades, threatening a dramatic increase in deadly extreme weather. But what if there was a way humans could dial down the ferocious impacts of the most severe El Niños by temporarily dimming the sun?"
• Visualizing Every El NiÑo & La NiÑa Since 1979 - "Explore the El Niño cycle from 1979–2026, its strongest events, global climate impacts, and what NOAA forecasts for the latest El Niño. The ENSO record since 1979 includes 17 El Niño, 19 La Niña, and 12 neutral winter seasons. NOAA says a new El Niño developed in June 2026 and is expected to strengthen through the 2026-27 winter. The strongest El Niño events have coincided with major droughts, floods, marine heat stress, and record global temperatures."
• 'A story of sex, strategy & power': How women shape the plot of Homer's Odyssey - "The epic 2,800-year-old poem - now adapted for the big screen - is so much more than a straightforward tale of heroism. The protagonist Odysseus is a heroic male - but the story is shaped by the stratagems, subterfuge and seductions of the women, nymphs, sorceresses and goddesses he meets along the way. It's what makes him seem so human."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 6 - Pau > Gavarnie-Gédre."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 28 recap - "Day 28 of the 2026 World Cup finals is a stand out one, now all quarter-finalists known but no games. Today is the first one without a single match since the tournament kicked off on Thursday 11 June. It is now 280 goals in 96 matches and this 2026 World Cup not far short of averaging three goals per game for the first time since the 1958 World Cup but the chances of it happening are now reducing in the knockout stages."
• 139th THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON - "All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19, England, U.K. Live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 29 - July 12."
• Wimbledon Day 10 (9 July) - "Wimbledon Order of Play Day 10."

July 8, 2026

• Oil prices spike, stock markets slide after Trump says Iran ceasefire "over" - "The president said peace talks can continue but are a 'waste of time' as the flareup threatens to overshadow the NATO summit."
• Russian fuel shortages bite - but will Putin change tack in Ukraine war? - "Even in Moscow, authorities are unable to guarantee fuel supplies, but will economic pressure lead to talks or escalation?"
• Trump renews call for US to take over Greenland as he arrives for Nato summit - "President also threatens to pull all American troops from Europe and rails against Nato stance on Iran war."
• Danish leader vows to defend "every inch" of NATO, including its own territory, after Trump Greenland threat - "Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Greenland is 'not for sale' and Denmark was ready to defend the territory."
• Why does Trump keep talking about ‘communism’? - "Calling his opponents 'communists' is shaping up to be Trump’s go-to rhetorical counterattack in the midterm election campaign. "
• Manhattan high-rise at risk of partial collapse - "The building, located on East 42nd Street, is the former headquarters for Pfizer and is being converted into apartments."
• How to exercise safely in hot weather - "Soaring temperatures could put people's long-term health at risk by stopping them from exercising, scientists warn. Here's how you can keep going when things hot up."
• Chinese AI models are gaining ground with U.S. companies as OpenAI, Anthropic costs surge - "U.S. companies are increasingly using Chinese-built models as they build out tools and products using AI. Recent model releases from Chinese companies, including DeepSeek and Z.ai, are seen by many as highly competitive compared to leading frontier systems from the likes of Anthropic and OpenAI."
• Ranked: Countries With the Fastest Immigration Growth (2019–2024) - "Poland recorded the fastest growth in permanent immigration across the OECD, up 129% since 2019. Mexico, Spain, Costa Rica, and Ireland also saw immigration rise sharply, showing growth is extending beyond traditional destinations. Several OECD countries moved in the opposite direction, led by Colombia (-73%), Latvia (-59%), and Czechia (-36%)."
• UBS Global Real Estate Bubble Index 2025: Dubai & Madrid with strongest bubble risk increase - "According to this year’s edition of the UBS Global Real Estate Bubble Index, Miami shows the highest bubble risk among the cities in this study, followed by Tokyo and Zurich. Over the last four quarters, global home prices remained virtually unchanged in inflation-adjusted terms, as housing affordability weighed on demand. For the study, UBS analyzed residential property prices in 21 major cities around the world."
• It’s Inevitable - You’re Going to Get Hacked. But Here’s One Solution - "'So what?' needs to be our response to the salacious, titillating and terrifying hacks that could come our way."
• Why is Ferrari reviving manual gearbox when most drivers go automatic? - "Only one in 12 car buyers now choose a manual gearbox and other manufacturers are phasing out the option in favour of automatic transmissions."
• 25 Vintage Photos of Jackie Kennedy Summering in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts - "Jackie Kennedy wore flowy tops, linen dresses, and Bermuda shorts as she played tennis and went sailing."
• Prehistoric cave discoveries hint at shared culture between Neanderthals & humans - "Unlikely cave finds suggest Neanderthals and humans were once even closer than we thought."
• The dark side of the Brazilian butt lift boom - "Cosmetic injectables were once associated with wealthy, middle-aged clients seeking subtle anti-ageing treatments, but the industry has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past decade."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 5 - Lannemezan > Pau."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 27 recap - "Day 27: Highlights. Day 27 of the World Cup witnessed a tearful Lionel Messi, a jubilant Switzerland and confirmation of the final teams to reach the World Cup quarterfinals. Messi’s emotions came at the end of an extraordinary comeback win for Argentina over Egypt before the Swiss won on penalties against Colombia to take the final place in the last eight."
• How Lionel Messi & Argentina sent the World Cup into a state of sporting nirvana - "Often in life, moments pass us by without even the tiniest handhold to latch onto. Before we know it, they’re gone, and we’re left wishing we’d savored them just a little bit more. For the overwhelming majority of the more than 68,000 fans at Mercedez-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Tuesday, that moment came when Lautaro Martínez slowed down on the right wing of Argentina’s attack, sized up the scene in front of him and hit a cross."
• 139th THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON - "All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19, England, U.K. Live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 29 - July 12."
• Wimbledon Day 9 (8 July) - "Wimbledon Order of Play Day 9."
• 'It is not normal' - but extraordinary Djokovic defies odds once again - "It is worth remembering that what you are watching is not normal. It is not normal that a 39-year-old should beat an opponent 14 years his junior in five sets in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam. It is not normal that after five hours and 15 minutes, he is still chasing down every single shot that is pounded towards his racquet."

July 7, 2026

• Trump confirms he asked Fifa to review Balogun ban - "President Donald Trump has confirmed he asked Fifa to review United States striker Folarin Balogun's one-match suspension at the World Cup."
• A shambolic end for the American dream - did Balogun saga play a part? - "It all started with the usual razzmatazz that has come to be seen at United States' World Cup games - a boisterous and patriotic fanbase, fireworks, smoke flares and a military flyover."
• Trump heads to NATO summit in sour mood - "Trump mused about cutting troops in Europe by a third to send a message to NATO."
• With $8 Billion in Venezuelan Oil Money, U.S. Gives $300 Million in Quake Aid - "In 2010, there was a huge U.S. aid effort after a quake in Haiti. Today, U.S. officials say they oversee billions in Venezuelan oil revenue, but aid is less."
• OPEC is in a struggle for its survival. It could mean $40 oil - "The Iran war exposed a long-simmering feud within the world’s most powerful oil cartel, boiling over this spring when it contended with the biggest oil supply shock in history. Now OPEC, the largest consortium of oil-producing nations, faces a fight for its existence."
• Woman suspected of Monaco bomb attack found dead in Ukraine - "Police had been hunting Anastasiia Berezovska after a Ukrainian millionaire was injured in the blast."
• Prince Harry loses High Court case against Mail publisher - "The written judgment handed down by the High Court today is lengthy - at over 400 pages. Harry in the UK, but not expected to give a response on camera about ruling. That follows a chaotic start to the week, when he was very publicly not allowed to stay in Buckingham Palace."
• The world’s most livable city for 2026 has been revealed - "Copenhagen has taken the No. 1 spot on the annual list from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) for the second year running. The Danish capital beat out Austria’s Vienna, which previously had a three-year run at the top, for the second year in a row on the annual list, released on Tuesday."
• The Global Liveability Index 2026 - "EIU’s Global Liveability Index evaluates living conditions across 173 cities, providing a globally recognised benchmark for urban liveability and resilience. By measuring indicators across stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure, the index quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle in any given location."
• The World’s Most Profitable Companies, by Country - "Over half of the 30 most profitable companies worldwide are based in the United States, with $1 trillion in annual profits. Alphabet is the world’s most profitable company as of 2026, with $160 billion in annual profit. Saudi Aramco’s $99 billion of profits is more than any other non-American firm worldwide."
• Ranked: The 40 Most Fun Countries in the World, According to People - "This 2024 ranking reveals the 40 most fun countries based on nightlife, festivals, and culture. Spain is the most fun country, according to a global survey conducted in 2024. It also ranks #4th for adventure and cultural influence."
• Ranked: The 50 Highest-Paid Creators in 2026 - "Forbes estimates the world’s 50 highest-earning creators made a combined $1.02 billion between March 2025 and March 2026. MrBeast led the ranking with an estimated $300 million, earning roughly 4.6 times more than second-place Dhar Mann. The list spans entertainers, educators, gamers, podcasters, and business creators, reflecting the growing diversity of the creator economy."
• The best tech of 2026 so far - the 21 finest gadgets we've tested this year - "Our tech highlights from the first half of 2026."
• Too ugly, too noisy, too... American? France’s great air con debate - "Only around 24% of French households have air conditioning according to France’s energy transition agency - up from 18% just two years ago, but still far below the roughly 50% seen in neighboring Italy."
• Apple releases iOS 26.5.2 for iPhone, here’s what’s new - "The latest iPhone update is a surprise, featuring security fixes which were due to be released with iOS 26.6 but brought forward."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 4 - Carcassonne > Foix."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 26 recap - "Day 26: Highlights. Belgium booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals with a 4-1 victory over USA at Seattle Stadium."
• 139th THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON - "All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19, England, U.K. Live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 29 - July 12."
• Wimbledon Day 8 (7 July) - "Wimbledon Order of Play Day 8."

July 6, 2026

• the fractured Fourth is the perfect symbol of the divisive trump era - "America has been deeply divided before. Here’s why today’s divisions are different."
• Trump’s red card call stirs political storm around World Cup - "The subsequent drama raises concerns about political interference and the integrity of the tournament"
• Trump asked FIFA chief to review US star Balogun’s red card, source says - "FIFA stunned the soccer world by allowing the USA’s Folarin Balogun to play on Monday. Trump’s role is under the microscope."
• How Iran's new regime is very different to what came before - "When US President Donald Trump signed a ceasefire agreement with Iran during dinner at the Palace of Versailles last month, many saw an irony."
• From 'a beautiful night' to 'world's greatest hangover', guests react to Taylor & Travis's wedding - "About 1,000 names were reportedly on the guest list, including some of the biggest celebrities from music, Hollywood and sport. Details of the wedding had been a closely guarded secret, with guests assumed to be under instructions not to give away details or photos. The couple are also yet to release any photos from the event."
• America’s $31 Trillion Economy by State - "California remains America’s largest state economy with $4.3 trillion in GDP, accounting for nearly 14% of national output. Only six states now generate more than $1 trillion in annual economic activity. Together, those six states produce nearly half of the entire U.S. economy. "
• Want to leverage wearable tech like a World Cup athlete? Here are the metrics to track - "Millions of people around the world wear smart rings and fitness trackers to keep tabs on their sleep, workouts, heart rate and even body temperature, all in the name of better understanding their health. But at the World Cup, that same technology is being pushed to an elite level."
• Ranked: The World’s Top Destinations for Wealth Migration - "Singapore ranks first globally for attracting internationally mobile wealth, ahead of New Zealand and the Cayman Islands. Smaller economies dominate the rankings, with 11 of the top 16 countries having fewer than 10 million residents. Tax policy, political stability, and investor residency programs help explain why some countries outperform much larger economies."
• How J Paul Getty became the world's richest man - "The US oil billionaire's 16th-Century English mansion was home to a stunning art collection and a lion named Nero. In 1963, the BBC visited him there to discuss his 'great success'."
• The travellers who go on holiday to hunt cult sun cream - "Gone are the days of bringing home destination-themed fridge magnets. For a growing number of beauty enthusiasts, sun cream has become the must-have holiday souvenir."
• The Cost of Helium-3: Earth Sources vs. the Moon - "Earth-based sources of Helium-3 are currently far easier and cheaper to access than surface of the moon and its lunar regolith. Lunar He-3 may offer larger theoretical scale, but mining, extraction, and return logistics remain major barriers."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 3 - Granollers > Les Angles."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 25 recap - "Day 25 of the tournament saw success for Norway and England, with the heavily-backed stars from both in the FIFA World Cup Fantasy, powered by Aramco game securing impressive returns. That began with Norwegian goal-plunderer Erling Haaland ($10.5m) scoring twice on his way to a 13-point return, although top score for the day belonged to England's Jude Bellingham ($8.3m) after his heroics for England in the Mexican captial."
• When Erling Haaland’s youth coaches realized he was something special - "His record simply speaks for itself. In his four seasons at Manchester City, Haaland has been the Premier League’s top scorer on three occasions. It also took him just 111 league matches to score 100 goals in the division, the fastest player ever to reach the milestone. The 25-year-old has also fired Norway to this summer’s World Cup - the first time his nation has qualified for the tournament since 1998 - and has already shone on the biggest stage of all."
• 139th THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON - "All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19, England, U.K. Live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 29 - July 12."
• Wimbledon Day 7 (6 July) - "Wimbledon Order of Play Day 7."
• A roll call of the best Wimbledon fits of the past decade - "From Pierce Brosnan to NCT's Mark Lee, these are the guys who've served the best looks at SW19."

July 5, 2026

• US caps off 250th birthday with celebrations despite storms - "America celebrates its 250th birthday. A massive firework display and Trump's late-night address in DC were among nationwide celebrations, some of which faced hiccups due to storms and severe heat."
• July Fourth fireworks light up skies across the US - "July Fourth firework displays lit up cities across the US, from Washington, DC, to New York, Los Angeles, and many others."
• NYC Mayor Mamdani lights up the Empire State Building for July Fourth - "See the moment New York's Mayor Zohran Mamdani lit up the Empire State Building in red, white and blue for the Fourth of July."
• Three of Khamenei’s sons join mass mourning in Tehran, but not his successor - "Mourners call for defiance on second day of public funeral for slain Iranian supreme leader."
• Ukraine hits major oil terminal in Russia's St Petersburg - "A major oil terminal in Russia's north-western city of St Petersburg was struck overnight by Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has said."
• Nearly a Million Investors Lost a Total of $3.8 Billion on Trump Crypto Coin - "A report from a cryptocurrency analytics firm details how those who bought the Trump memecoin have fared, with most retail investors having lost money while sophisticated traders did better."
• Ranked: The Best & Worst Countries for Taxes - "According to the Tax Foundation, Estonia has the best tax code in the OECD for the 11th consecutive year. Tax competitiveness as measured by the Tax Foundation prioritizes business mobility and investment flows over welfare or addressing inequality."
• Mapped: Do Countries Trade More With the U.S. or China? - "China is now the largest trading partner for 151 countries, or roughly 73% of the world. Those countries account for $4.6 trillion in bilateral trade with China, versus $3.0 trillion for the 57 countries that trade more with the U.S. The U.S. remains strongest across North America and parts of Europe, while China dominates across Asia, Africa, and much of South America."
• The Seine used to be a toxic mess. Now it’s the hottest new swim spot in Paris - "If you’re visiting Paris this summer, you may want to add swimming in the Seine to your itinerary. And after the heat this city has seen in the past few weeks, you may absolutely need to."
• Jensen Huang's iconic leather jacket is going up for auction - "Starting July 7, Sotheby's will begin accepting bids on one of Huang's black leather jackets, a Tom Ford piece autographed by the CEO himself."
• The secrets of the world's coldest-living mammal - "This super-cooled squirrel could revolutionise emergency care. No other mammal can survive colder body temperatures than the Arctic ground squirrel. Its chilly hibernation is inspiring new treatments for heart attacks, stroke, and brain injury."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July. Today: Stage 2 - Tarragone > Barcelone."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 24 recap - "Kylian Mbappe topped up his goal-a-game World Cup ratio, while a couple of Moroccan midfielders went big as they sent Canada home."
• Farewell Cape Verde - the underdogs the World Cup will never forget - "Cape Verde may have been the World Cup's second-smallest nation, but they certainly made a big impact on the 2026 tournament."
• Eight of the 10 most populous countries are not in the World Cup - "Of the world's 10 most populous countries, only two have made it to the current tournament (the United States and Brazil). Two others (Russia and Nigeria) have appeared at several previous tournaments. China and Indonesia have only once taken part in the most popular sporting event on the planet."
• 139th THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON - "All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19, England, U.K. Live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 29 - July 12."
• Wimbledon Live Day 7 - "Wimbledon Order of Play: Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner both play qualifiers in the fourth round as they remain on a collision course at Wimbledon. Serena Williams has pulled out of her planned Wimbledon doubles appearance with older sister Venus because of a knee injury."
• How Wimbledon is supplied with iconic strawberries - "Strawberries and cream is a treat synonymous with Wimbledon, but how does the championship keep tennis fans in supply? The BBC followed the berries from farm to fork to find out."

July 4, 2026

• America’s 250th: Trump kicks off July Fourth festivities at Mount Rushmore - "Trump touted America as a unique and strong nation whose best days are ahead of it in a speech at Mount Rushmore ahead of tomorrow’s celebration in Washington, D.C."
• Celebrating 250 Years of American History - "On July 4, 2026, America will celebrate 250 years of independence. “With a single sheet of parchment and 56 signatures, America began the greatest political journey in human history,” said President Trump of this momentous anniversary."
• Brutal heat cancels Fourth of July events, from DC to Philadelphia - "More than 165 million people are enduring dangerous heat and humidity, with temperatures expected to stay at 38C (100F) for several days."
• Fireworks, flyovers & a 'really long' Trump speech ahead as US celebrates 250th - "The celebrations in the US capital will feature 850,000 fireworks, a 'really long' speech from the president and scorching temperatures."
• 14 unique ways to celebrate America’s 250th birthday - "From coast to coast, the long July 4th weekend will still offer spectacular fireworks shows, against stunning backdrops including Niagara Falls and Mount Rushmore, and parties like Nashville’s Let Freedom Sing event. Yet the nation’s birthday can also be marked in more unusual and one-off ways that highlight American history, ingenuity and diversity. Here are some of the cool things happening this year."
• Crypto Don Is the President MAGA Always Wanted - "Perspective: Donald Trump's crypto fortune shows his house always wins, just as he promised."
• The view that inspired America's most beautiful song - "In 1893, a teacher scaled Pikes Peak in Colorado and penned one of the US's most cherished songs, 'America the Beautiful'. Today, travellers can retrace her historic ascent."
• The 25 greatest American works of art, chosen by the critics - "On the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, our critics round up their favourite American films, books, TV shows and more, from Star Wars to Campbell’s soup."
• Taylor Swift marries Travis Kelce in NYC ceremony officiated by Adam Sandler - "The pair wore Christian Dior, Swift's longtime publicist said, and did not have bridesmaids and groomsmen. Swift's brother, Austin Swift, served as her man of honour, and Jason Kelce, Travis's brother, was his best man."
• Ukrainian suspect hunted by police after Monaco bomb attack was 'disguised as a man' - "Anastasiia Berezovska, 39, is suspected of leaving a package in the entrance hall of an apartment building, before fleeing the scene on foot and then driving to Germany."
• Mapped: Where the World’s Highest Temperatures Were Recorded - "The U.S. still holds the world’s highest officially recognized air temperature at 56.7°C (134.1°F), recorded in Death Valley in 1913. Nine of the world’s 20 hottest national records were set in the Middle East, with all nine exceeding 50°C. Several countries have established new national heat records in recent years, including China (2023), Morocco (2023), and Türkiye (2025)."
• Trump posts new image of $100 bill with his signature - "President Donald Trump posted a new image Friday of a $100 bill bearing his signature, months after the Treasury Department announced that, for the first time, a sitting president’s signature would be featured on US paper currency."
• How the Supreme Court expanded Trump’s power - "In all, the Supreme Court issued opinions in 58 merits cases, touching on a wide spectrum of American life and deciding who can play on high school soccer fields, who would win the national battle over redistricting and who gets to be a US citizen. Here are some of the major themes from the Supreme Court’s momentous term."
• Hobbit-like humans may have scavenged Komodo dragons’ leftovers to survive - "Prehistoric human relatives, nicknamed “hobbits” due to their short stature, may have been scavengers, rather than skilled hunters capable of taking down big game or building cooking fires, according to new research. The study adds to growing evidence that Homo floresiensis, which had a brain only slightly bigger than that of a chimpanzee, wasn’t as advanced as scientists previously believed."
• Madonna's Confessions II is finally here - but is it worth the 21-year wait? - "The pop star's 15th album starts on the dancefloor, but ends with deep personal revelations."
• 'Hotter & hotter & hotter' - Europe's new climate in seven charts - "We might only be a few days into July, but two record-breaking summer heatwaves have already provided the UK and Europe with a snapshot of their new climate."
• 113th TOUR DE FRANCE - "July 4-26: Starting in Barcelona on 4 July, and will finish with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 26 July."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 23 recap - "Cristiano Ronaldo made World Cup history as Portugal, Spain and Switzerland booked their places in the Round of 16 on Matchday 23."
• 139th THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON - "All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19, England, U.K. Live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 29 - July 12."
• Wimbledon Live Day 6 - "Wimbledon Order of Play: Serena Williams' hopes of playing alongside older sister Venus in the Wimbledon doubles look to have improved after the pair's match was added to Saturday's order of play."
• What to wear to Wimbledon - "Although there is no specific dress code for Wimbledon goers, smart dress is encouraged. It is also advised that you consider all weather conditions when going to Wimbledon - after all, this is Great Britain!"
• Rufus the hawk patrolling Wimbledon tennis club - "As day breaks over Wimbledon tennis club, Rufus the hawk is poised, ready to protect the world-famous immaculate grass courts from flocks of greedy pigeons foraging for seeds."

July 3, 2026

• Iran sends Trump defiant message with huge funeral for Khamenei - "The slain supreme leader is being memorialized in a weeklong spectacle across five cities in two countries. Khamenei’s body to lie in state on July 4 - same day US celebrates independence."
• After 250 years the American Dream is surviving, but only just - "The American Dream has persisted since the days of the Founding Fathers, but faith in the ideal is fading."
• The bloody 1770 image that fuelled the American Revolution - "How a gory depiction of the 1770 Boston Massacre by Paul Revere ignited fury against British rule, becoming arguably the most effective example of propaganda in US history."
• Taylor Swift's rumoured wedding celebrations begin with star-studded New York event - "Taylor Swift and her American football-player fiancé Travis Kelce have kicked off rumoured wedding celebrations at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Actress Lena Dunham, model Gigi Hadid and longtime music collaborator Jack Antonoff were spotted in formal attire near Madison Square Garden."
• What to Know About the Heat Wave Headed to the U.S. Ahead of Fourth of July - "Experts have long warned that the climate crisis is poised to make periods of dangerous, deadly high temperatures more frequent and intense."
• How to cool down without AC - "No air conditioning? Here are 14 methods for cooling your body and buffering your house from the outside heat."
• 25 of America’s most beautiful places - "While beauty is often subjective, there are certain places in the United States that leave even the most jaded travelers at a loss for words. So from sea to shining sea, here are 25 of the nation’s most beautiful places."
• Why Istanbul is a city of wellness - "CNN explores how Istanbul's geography, history and culture are shaping a more dynamic and integrated approach to wellness."
• Stock market gains minted nearly 1 million new millionaires in 2025, new UBS report says - "Stock market gains propelled the world’s millionaire population to 58 million individuals in 2025, according to a new report by UBS. The United States accounted for most of the increase, adding more than 440,000 millionaires last year, translating to an average of more than 1,200 new millionaires a day."
• Amazon has enough satellites to launch its Starlink competitor - "Early adopters of Amazon Leo should temper expectations. Amazon Leo has just 396 satellites in orbit, compared to Starlink's bumpy 'better than nothing' beta which launched with about 900."
• A Brazilian Private Island Long Owned by a Celebrity Plastic Surgeon Lists for $100 Million - "Long owned by the late Ivo Pitanguy, the 75-acre hideaway includes a private airstrip and a storied guest list that ranges from Tom Cruise to Jackie Kennedy Onassis."
• OpenAI in talks to give Trump administration a 5% stake in the company - "CEO Sam Altman argued move would share benefits of AI and it would involve other firms doing similar, report says."
• AI is 'not smart' so what's next in artificial intelligence? - "'We don't have robots that are nearly as good at understanding the physical world as a rat,' says Yann LeCun, one of the leading figures in the world of artificial intelligence. His goal is to move AI beyond current systems like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. They have their uses, he says, but will never be able to tackle complicated situations in the real world, like getting a robot to do household chores."
• The Billionaires’ Vagina Club - "With her motto, 'Sexual health is health,' Dr. Sally Greenwald aims to optimize orgasms for the women of Silicon Valley."
• Inside the Deadly Serious Plan To Take Over Greenland - "'We want Greenland,' Trump said. Four men sprang into action to make fantasy a reality."
• World’s largest digital camera begins unprecedented survey of the universe - "‘The greatest cosmic movie ever made’: Historic telescope kicks off an unprecedented survey. Every 40 seconds of nighttime for the next 10 years, a camera the size of a small car will capture strikingly detailed images of the southern sky, stitching together a time-lapse panorama of intergalactic evolution that could help unlock some of the universe’s lingering mysteries."
• The week that was in 37 photos - "It has now been a week since a devastating pair of earthquakes struck Venezuela’s northern coast, and rescue operations are still taking place. Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye."
• Ebola treatments trial begins in DR Congo - "A trial of potential treatments for the species of virus behind the current deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has begun, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced. More than 1,400 cases and 438 deaths have been confirmed in the country, according to the WHO."
• jagodianzki - "A sweet bun so good it inspired a national holiday. Each summer, Poland awaits bilberry season in order to eat jagodianzki, traditional berry-filled buns. But this humble comfort food has had a glow up, and is more desired than ever."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 22 recap: Portugal pull off dramatic win against Croatia; Spain, Switzerland ease past Austria, Algeria - "Another dramatic FIFA World Cup matchday saw two European giants advance in contrasting manners. Here's how the round of 32 knockout ties unfolded (with one game left to go)."
• What it takes to be chosen as a World Cup referee & how to ref the final - "This year, 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video assistant referees (VARs) have been selected. The 170-strong contingent is the largest in World Cup history, with the expanded format now featuring a record 48 teams and 104 matches."
• 139th THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON - "All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19, England, U.K. Live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 29 - July 12."
• Wimbledon Live Day 5 - "Wimbledon Order of Play: Naomi Osaka, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic are all in action on Day 5 of Wimbledon 2026, with the All England Club having now released its order of play."

July 2, 2026

• As Venezuelan morgues fill & the death toll slowly rises, questions remain about how many are truly gone - "Venezuelan authorities said Wednesday at least 2,295 people were killed in the earthquakes, an increase of around 300 from the previous day’s update. One forensic pathologist, who asked to remain anonymous due to her fear of retaliation, told CNN she believes the government death toll to be a vast undercount, amounting to 'not even a third of what is actually there.'"
• Will Trump pay a political price for his rising wealth? - "The president’s getting richer - but many midterm voters aren’t."
• From Truman's pension to Trump's billions - a White House windfall unmatched by any president - "Harry Truman left the White House without any income other than his Army pension of $113 per month. The 33rd US president later wrote that it was wrong to "commercialize on the prestige and dignity of the office of the presidency"."
• Bibles, home alone & perfume: six things about how trump made money in 2025 - "Trump's annual financial disclosure report for 2025, released by the US Office of Government Ethics, runs to 927 pages. That's less than Tolstoy's War and Peace: 1. It's long. Very long. - 2. Merch pays - 3. Melania's millions - 4. Share trading - 5. Home Alone deal - 6. Damages paid by media firms."
• Fact-Checking Trump's Inaccurate Accounts of U.S. History - "Trump’s Historical Yarns Often Stretch (or Disregard) the Truth. We fact-checked the president’s colorful - and inaccurate - accounts of American history from the Battle of Gettysburg to the Unabomber."
• Watch: Couple scale Empire State Building, get engaged & are arrested - "A couple has been taken into custody after climbing the very top of New York City's Empire State Building, before getting engaged. Russian nationals Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus, 32, unfurled a large banner at the tip of the skyscraper's needle that read: 'When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.'"
• Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce to host their wedding Friday at Madison Square Garden - "Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce will have their wedding at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the security plans. The festivities will kick off with a smaller rehearsal dinner planned for Thursday night, the official said."
• Weak hands & blurry vision: Is your tech giving you 'phone body'? - "Your devices are changing your body in ways you might not realise. It's not too late to do something about it."
• 15 Great History Museums Every History Lover Must Visit at Least Once - "From Cairo to London, these 15 world-class history museums house humanity's most breathtaking treasures, ancient artifacts, and cultural milestones: 1. British Museum (London, UK) - 2. Pergamon Museum (Berlin, Germany) - 3. Grand Egyptian Museum (Giza, Egypt) - 4..."
• Ranked: The World’s Safest Countries for Investors in 2026 - "Switzerland ranks as the world’s safest country for investors in 2026, ahead of Denmark and Norway. Europe claims nine of the top 10 spots, with Singapore the only non-European country in the top tier. The U.S. ranks 24th as political instability and other risk factors weigh on its overall score."
• How Global Central Bank Reserves Have Shifted Since 2000 - "The U.S. dollar’s share of global central bank reserves has fallen from nearly 59% in 2000 to just under 40% in 2025. Gold has become the biggest beneficiary of reserve diversification, rising from 11% to nearly one-quarter of global reserves. The recent jump in gold’s share reflects both record central bank buying and rising gold prices, which increased the value of existing holdings."
• Which Countries Trust Self-Driving Cars the Most? - "Trust in self-driving cars is highest in emerging markets like India, Pakistan, Brazil, and China, where larger shares express 'a lot' or 'a great deal' of trust. Advanced economies like the U.S. show higher skepticism, with 51% of respondents saying they would not trust self-driving cars at all."
• Executive Branch - "Membership at Executive Branch is available by invitation only." A private members club that opened in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. in 2025. It has been described as a 'private club for the MAGA elite'. The club opened as part of a trend of exclusive clubs in cities across the United States in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic. The owners of the club are Donald Trump Jr. (son of Donald Trump), Omeed Malik and Chris Buskirk of 1789 Capital, and businessmen Alex Witkoff and Zach Witkoff. Founding members include crypto czar David O. Sacks, investor Chamath Palihapitiya, the Winklevoss twins, and superlobbyist Jeff Miller. 1070 Wisconsin Ave NW, Georgetown, Washington, DC 20007.
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 21 recap: Kane rescues England vs Congo DR; Belgium stun Senegal with late comeback; USA ease past Bosnia-Herz - "Another thrilling FIFA World Cup matchday saw two European giants come from behind to win their matches. Here's how the round of 32 knockout ties unfolded."
• Defying logic - how Haaland could end up with 260 international goals - "Erling Haaland stood on the pitch in Dallas, a goofy grin across his face and a Viking helmet atop his head at a jaunty angle. He was drinking it all in. Erling Haaland delivers on the biggest stage yet for Norway - but just how many goals could he end up with in international football?"
• Ranked: The Highest-Earning Football Clubs in 2025 - "Real Madrid became the first football club to generate more than €1 billion in annual revenue, reaching €1.16 billion in 2024/25. England dominates the rankings with eight Premier League clubs in the top 20, including six of the top 10. The top five clubs generated nearly €4.7 billion combined, highlighting how revenue is concentrated among football’s global elite."
• 139th THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON - "All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19, England, U.K. Live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 29 - July 12."
• Wimbledon Live Day 4 - "Wimbledon Order of Play: Day 4 latest with Swiatek, Fritz and Rybakina in action today."

July 1, 2026

• Venezuelans scour collapsed buildings by hand while government machinery stands unused - "As Venezuelans in La Guaira continued to pick through the rubble of downed buildings yesterday, a government excavator stood immobile next to a pile of concrete and bent rebar."
• A visual guide to the Venezuela earthquakes - "Two major back-to-back earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday, June 24. More than 1,900 people have died and over 10,000 were injured, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said Tuesday. Nearly 59,000 buildings were likely damaged or destroyed across the country,"
• US Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship in blow to Trump - "The Supreme Court has ruled that babies born in the US have a constitutional right to citizenship, rejecting Donald Trump's bid to end the 150-year-old policy."
• Trump made more than $1bn from crypto in first year back in office - "In a 927-page disclosure, he reported $635m in royalties from a Trump meme coin that has plunged in value since he launched it days before taking office. He also reported over $500m in income from World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency firm founded by his own sons and the children of his special envoy, Steve Witkoff."
• Matches today | FIFA World Cup 2026 - "Visit FIFA.com to follow FIFA World Cup 2026 with live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 11 - July 19."
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 20 recap: Mbappe, France hammer Sweden, Norway edges Ivory Coast, Mexico ease past Ecuador - "After a thrilling matchday involving two penalty shootouts in matchday 19, matchday 20 was more straightforward - but no less exciting. Here's how the round of 32 knockout ties unfolded (two done, one to come)."
• Ranking 10 stars who could be at their last World Cup - "With the knockout stages under way, here's my top 10 players who could be appearing at their last World Cup: 1) Lionel Messi, Argentina - Best finish: Winner (2022) - 2) Luka Modric, Croatia - Best finish: Runners-up (2018) - 3) Cristiano Ronaldo, ..."
• 139th THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON - "All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19, England, U.K. Live scores, results and upcoming fixtures: June 29 - July 12."
• Wimbledon Live Day 3 - "Wimbledon Order of Play: Day 3 schedule including Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic. Former champions and title hopefuls continue their campaigns."
• Monaco bomb investigation intensifies as victims fight for recovery - "Ukrainian businessman Vadim Ermolaev, who suffered burns and shrapnel wounds when the explosive device detonated outside his home, was photographed conscious on a stretcher as he was evacuated to hospital in Nice. The condition of a woman who was with him was far more serious. She suffered catastrophic injuries, including the partial loss of both lower limbs in the blast, and subsequently underwent an amputation after being transferred to hospital."
• Ukraine oligarch’s ‘UK-based mistress loses both legs in bombing & their son, 13, hurt’ after wife revealed she was safe - "A woman reported to be a Ukrainian oligarch’s mistress lost both her legs in the horror bomb blast that left the tycoon fighting for his life."
• Global oceans break June temperature record with fears they’re headed into ‘uncharted territory’ - "The planet’s oceans are at unprecedented temperatures for this time of year, breaking the all-time June record, according to new data, with alarming implications for global weather and marine life. On June 21, average global sea surface temperatures reached 69.5 degrees Fahrenheit (20.86 Celsius), edging above the June record last set in 2024."
• How to prevent heatstroke & other heat-related emergencies - "As summer temperatures rise and emergency department visits related to extreme heat top 100,000 Americans a year, what should people know about the dangers of heatstroke? What are the symptoms, and how can others recognize if someone needs help? What are other types of illnesses associated with extreme heat? And who is most susceptible to the ill effects of high temperatures?"
• The price tag behind Taylor Swift’s rumored wedding bash at Madison Square Garden - "Here’s what we know so far: Sources told CNN on Tuesday that the Garden is set to host two events related to their union this week: a rehearsal on Thursday evening and a larger celebration for 1,000 people the next day. Reporters confirmed a street permit in the area. And Stevie Nicks is rumored to perform?"
• Mag 7 value shrinks by $2.3 trillion amid AI spending jitters - but investors are still backing chipmakers - "This month, around $2.3 trillion has been wiped off the value of the Magnificent 7 which comprises Microsoft, Nvidia, Alphabet, Apple, Meta, Tesla and Amazon. Investors are growing jittery about massive spending on AI and when these companies will produce a return on that investment. Other areas of tech such as semiconductors have continued to rally as shortages and high memory pricing support the sector."
• How a secret Swedish colony played a pivotal role in the US's founding - "New Sweden: The US's long-lost 'secret' colony. It was the smallest, least-populated and shortest-lived colony in the US. But despite being virtually unheard of today, it helped shape the nation's birth 250 years ago."
• How did the Romans build such straight roads? - "The Romans have a reputation for building straight roads - but how did they do."
• Ranked: America’s Best-Selling Albums Ever - "The Eagles, not Michael Jackson, have America’s top-selling album, including the only one certified at 40 million units. Thriller remains the country’s best-selling non-compilation album with 34 million certified units sold. Only one album released since 2000, Adele’s 21, has sold at least 15 million certified units in the U.S."
• Ranked: The Countries Gaining & Losing Millionaires in 2025 - "Countries that offer low taxes, a high quality of life, and political stability can attract high net worth individuals (HNWIs) and reap the benefits of increased investment and job creation. This graphic breaks down millionaire migration in 2025, shedding light on the movement of wealth. The UK is the biggest mover, losing 16,500 millionaires worth an estimated combined total of $91.8 billion."
• Country Wealth Flows | Wealth Migration 2025 - "Provisional net inflows and outflows of millionaires for 2025 are shown below, along with the estimated total investable wealth held by those that are migrating. Also included is each country’s millionaire growth over the past decade. Notably, most of the fast-growing markets are either popular destinations for migrating millionaires such as Montenegro, the UAE, Malta, the USA, and Costa Rica, or emerging market tech hubs such as China, India, and Taiwan."
• Why Millionaire Migration Matters? - "Approximately 142,000 of the world’s millionaires are projected to migrate to a new country in 2025, with the UAE, the USA, Italy, Switzerland, and Saudi Arabia topping the list of destinations. The benefits of this migration of wealth and talent to these countries are wide ranging."