Andy Burnham appoints James Purnell as chief of staff

Former Blair minister James Purnell is named Andy Burnham’s chief of staff as he rebuilds his Westminster team.

Reflecting Pool turns green despite 'American flag blue' pledge

Reflecting Pool quickly turned green after refill, undermining Trump's promise it would be 'American flag blue'.

Economists reject Unite leader Sharon Graham's claim about Ed Miliband

40+ economists urge Sharon Graham to withdraw her assertion that Ed Miliband's policies would cost jobs.

Deltarune Chapter 5 releases

Chapter 5 of Deltarune launched today; players and streamers are posting live playthroughs across Twitch and YouTube.

Star Fox (Switch 2) reviews: dazzling remake with some nitpicks

Early reviews praise the Switch 2 Star Fox remake's visuals and faithful gameplay while noting a few design and pacing issues.

GTA 6 physical edition will include only a download code

Rockstar confirms physical copies of Grand Theft Auto 6 will not include a disc, buyers receive a download code in the box.

Trump cancels housing bill signing, calls voter‑ID bill a 'national emergency'

Trump abruptly canceled the planned signing of a housing bill and said his SAVE Act is a 'national emergency', pressing for voter‑ID passage first.

Trump and Sen. Bill Cassidy clash during closed-door GOP meeting

Back‑to‑back 7+ magnitude quakes hit Venezuela, Caracas damaged

Two powerful quakes (reported ~7.1 and 7.5) struck Venezuela within minutes, collapsing buildings in Caracas and prompting tsunami alerts.

Elon Musk loses 'trillionaire' status as SpaceX, Tesla shares fall

Market declines erased Musk's brief trillionaire valuation after drops in SpaceX and Tesla stock following the IPO.

Slate Auto reveals $24,950 electric pickup, preorder page live

Jeff Bezos‑backed Slate Auto lists a $24,950 base pickup (about 205 miles range); $300 preorder deposit and SUV variant announced.

HBO Max orders Adventure Time: Bubblegum & Marceline

HBO Max gave Adam Muto's Adventure Time spinoff a 10-episode straight-to-series order focused on Bubblegum and Marceline.

Sen. Chris Murphy outlines '500 Days' of Trump's corruption on Senate floor

Frank Carone, former Eric Adams chief of staff, arrested

Frank Carone was arrested in a federal bribery probe tied to a city contract, sources say.

Report says Stephen Miller pushed DOJ memo easing institutionalization of people with disabilities

Bloomberg Law reports White House adviser Stephen Miller drove a Justice Dept. memo allowing states to institutionalize some people with disabilities.

Darren Jones rules out Labour leadership challenge

Senior cabinet minister Darren Jones says he will not stand against Andy Burnham in the looming Labour leadership contest.

Euclid telescope captures 60 million‑star mosaic of the Milky Way center

Europe's Euclid releases a mosaic image showing about 60 million stars in the crowded heart of our galaxy

YouGov: Magnum is Britain’s favourite ice lolly

A YouGov poll finds more than one in four Brits name the Magnum as their favourite ice lolly.

Mick Fleetwood celebrates 79th birthday

Fleetwood Mac co‑founder and drummer Mick Fleetwood marks his 79th birthday today

Milly Alcock praised in Supergirl reviews

Early reviews single out Milly Alcock's Kara Zor-El as the film's highlight while criticizing pacing and a thin villain.

M5.6 earthquake hits 11 km north of Redwood Valley, California

Postmaster General tells Senate USPS won't mail ballots without voter lists

Postmaster General David Steiner told senators USPS may refuse to deliver mail ballots if states don't provide unredacted voter rolls.

Genndy Tartakovsky to make Conan the Barbarian animated series

Tartakovsky is developing a Conan the Barbarian adult animated series for Cartoon Network Studios and Prime Video, announced at Annecy.

Permits suggest possible Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding near MSG

Event permit and street‑closure requests around Madison Square Garden fuel reports the couple may marry July 2, 4.

Pete Hegseth pushes top general out of the Pentagon

Reports say Pete Hegseth forced four‑star General Chris Donahue to resign amid Pentagon turmoil

Vini Jr scores twice in Brazil vs Scotland, World Cup

Vinícius Júnior nets a first-half brace to put Brazil 2-0 up; second goal came at 45+3' with a header

Trump kicks off Great American State Fair on the National Mall

Wedge Cat Tour draws big crowds in Minneapolis

The 9th annual Wedge Cat Tour hit eight official stops; attendees and photographers posted highlights from the event

TCM Party screens The Andromeda Strain in disaster movie spotlight

Turner Classic Movies is running THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN tonight as part of its 'Disaster Movies' series; watch‑along tags #TCMParty.

BlazBlue: Central Fiction gets a new DLC character

Arc System Works announces a brand‑new playable character for Central Fiction, update details expected at EVO 2026.

The Noir Collective hosts a watch party for The Big Combo

Film‑noir viewers are gathering for a The Big Combo (1955) watch party, highlighting John Alton's cinematography.

Valve posts official Steam Machine setup guide video

Valve published an unboxing and quick‑start setup video for its Steam Machine ahead of shipping and reservations.

Report: ICE spending on AI surveillance tools soars to track immigrants

A Guardian‑linked report says ICE contracts for AI data brokers, analytics and facial recognition jumped sharply, from about $310M to $513M.

Study: deaths linked to London air pollution fell 40%

Imperial College analysis estimates deaths attributable to London air pollution have fallen by about 40% since earlier measures.

Phoebe Bridgers announces new album 'Lost Weekend'

Bridgers will release her third solo album Lost Weekend on August 14; pre-orders and special vinyl editions available.

Tartan Army fans arrive in Miami ahead of Scotland vs Brazil World Cup match

Scottish supporters known as the Tartan Army have swarmed Miami fan zones and bars ahead of the Scotland‑Brazil fixture.

Harley Cameron upsets Marina Shafir to qualify for TBS Survival match

Harley Cameron beat Marina Shafir on AEW Dynamite to earn a spot in next week's six‑way Survival of the Fittest for the TBS title.

Batman: Caped Crusader Season 2 trailer, premieres July 31 on Prime Video

Prime Video released the Season 2 trailer; new episodes debut July 31 with the Joker, the Riddler and deep-cut villains.

Marc Elias warns of election deniers and threats to mail‑in voting

Elias appears in a video/essay outlining legal risks from election deniers and efforts to undermine mail‑in voting.

Nearly a quarter of European voters now back far-right parties

Analysis of surveys by 150+ political scientists finds support for far-right parties across Europe has risen to roughly 25%.

Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day celebrated across Canada

June 24 marks Quebec’s Fête nationale with parades, concerts and events honoring Francophone culture and heritage.

Zack Sabre Jr submits Jungle Jack Perry on AEW Dynamite

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Jack Perry by submission on AEW Dynamite, a key result ahead of Forbidden Door

France confirms first Ebola case from doctor returning from DRC

France reports its first Ebola case of the current outbreak: a doctor who recently returned from a mission in the DRC and was isolated on arrival.

David Beckham filmed sipping an enormous wine glass at the match

A broadcast camera lingered on David Beckham in the executive box drinking from a notably oversized red‑wine glass.

Johan Manzambi nets to put Switzerland in control vs Canada

Johan Manzambi scores Switzerland’s second goal as SUI seize control of their World Cup Group B match in Vancouver.

Pistons trade Isaiah Stewart to Memphis

Detroit trades center/forward Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies for three future second-round picks

Report links COVID vaccination to a newly observed side effect in older adults

An article highlights a newly reported effect tied to COVID vaccination in older adults; much of the thread debates the wording 'side effect'.

Infantino defends World Cup hydration breaks and suggests permanence

FIFA president Gianni Infantino says hydration breaks are for player safety, not commercial, and says he may make them permanent.

Thunder select Aday Mara at No. 12 in 2026 NBA Draft

Oklahoma City uses the No. 12 pick on 7-foot forward/center Aday Mara from Michigan.

Practical Magic 2 trailer reunites Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman

Warner Bros released the Practical Magic 2 trailer; Bullock and Kidman return to the Owens sisters, film opens Sept. 11.

Ockenden report: 500+ mothers and babies harmed at Nottingham NHS Trust

Inquiry finds a 'toxic' bullying culture and dismissive care; more than 500 mothers or babies died or were harmed.

Mavericks acquire Sergio De Larrea via No. 25 draft pick trade

Knicks' No. 25 selection Sergio De Larrea was routed to Dallas in a multi-team draft-day trade, per draft coverage.

VRChat creators unveil new worlds and photography meetups

Builders and photographers share fresh VRChat worlds, photo spots and meetup plans ahead of virtual events like Furality Ultra.

Celtics pick Chris Cenac Jr. at No. 27

Boston selects 19-year-old Houston big Chris Cenac Jr. with the 27th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Spurs add Tarris Reed Jr., Nuggets get No. 35 and two future 2nds

Denver selected Tarris Reed Jr. at No. 26 then traded him to San Antonio for pick No.35 plus two future second-round picks.

Satellite imagery shows Canadian peacekeepers' cemetery in Gaza destroyed

CBC visual investigation finds a section of the cemetery for Canadian peacekeepers in Gaza was completely destroyed in recent imagery.

Steve Clarke signed new Scotland deal before World Cup, faces criticism

Scotland manager Steve Clarke had a contract signed ahead of the World Cup and is facing heavy criticism after his side's poor tournament results.

MasterChef Australia pressure test, Kirsten Tibballs sets tempered-chocolate challenge

Contestants face a multi-hour tempering and entremets pressure test led by pastry expert Kirsten Tibballs.

Investigation: apartment renters face rising tide of fees

Guardian probe finds Greystar tenants charged add‑on fees like 'boiler management', 'solar rebill' and 'lifestyle' fees across multiple states.