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A White House official has accused Chinese AI company Moonshotof accessing Nvidia's advanced chips, despite export controls banning them from doing so. Moonshot unveiled Kimi K3 on Friday. It closes the performance gap with frontier models including Anthropic's Fable 5 and OpenAI's GPT 5.6 Sol, even surpassing them on some benchmarks. It's the largest open source model so far, with 2.8 trillion parameters, referring to the size of its neural network. The Chinese company "acquired GB300-equipped servers and has accessed GB300s in Thailand, likely to train its AI models," Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology…

White House science advisor Michael Kratsios said that Moonshot, the Chinese company behind the Kimi K3, the largest available open-weight LLM, built its model by copying Anthropic’s Fable LLM while using chips that aren’t cleared for export to China. “Large-scale, covert industrial distillation aimed at stealing proprietary U.S. technology and undermining American research is unacceptable,” Kratsios wrote, amid reported discussions about banning Chinese open-weight models that have roiled the AI sector. Moonshot did not respond to questions about its training process, and Kratsios did not share more details about the sources of his allegations.…

For macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple appears to be working on an immersive new interface for choosing Siri AI's voice, based on findings in the latest beta. MacRumors forum member "mactracker" has shared what they call a hidden "voice pad" in the macOS 27 beta 4, which was released on Monday. When enabled, the interface replaces the System Settings menu for Siri's voice options with a nearly black canvas, with the currently selected voice marked by a colored dot. Pressing, holding, and moving around the pad with your pointer brings the interface to life, causing various colors to transition across the view as more dots appear and the voice modulates…

In the world of artificial intelligence, frontier models are displaying ever-more sophisticated autonomous behaviour. Industry giant OpenAI has revealed that one of its new agentic models managed to escape what should have been an isolated testing environment to access the internet where it then proceeded to hack a popular AI sharing and testing hub as it sought answers that would help it to pass its OpenAI test. The incident, once again underlining the growing threat advanced AIs pose to cybersecurity.

Framework has built a reputation for shipping things other PC makers won’t even attempt, and its latest teaser keeps that streak alive. At AMD’s Advancing AI event, the company previewed a new version of its Framework Desktop, and this one is clearly built with one goal in mind: running large AI models locally on your computer. If you have been eyeing a way to run local AI, this could be the machine to watch. So what’s actually new here? The PC packs a Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495 chip, which brings 16 full Zen 5 cores and a boost clock of 5.2 GHz. Paired with it is the Radeon 8065S, AMD’s fastest integrated graphics chip yet, with 40 RDNA 3.5 compute units…

Middleware has traditionally been treated as a background process. Enterprises could afford to have this layer connect systems and data with minimal oversight – but that autonomy is no longer compatible with the scale and complexity of modern data flows. Large enterprises, retailers, and financial institutions consist of transactions sprawled across a disconnected web of middleware. IBM MQ, Apache Kafka, Apache ActiveMQ, RabbitMQ, and TIBCO are only a few of these environments, and each creates a step that introduces failure points where data can back up or stall completely. Latest Videos From Greg DeaKyne Social Links Navigation Vice President of…

There would seem to be precious little water in the sun-baked Permian Basin of arid west Texas, where the tumbleweeds and oil pumps outnumber the people. For hundreds of miles, there are no lakes and just one river. Yet here in America’s biggest oil field, the center of world fracking production, there is water everywhere. That is, if you know where to look, explains David Capobianco, the 57-year-old cofounder of private equity outfit Five Point. Every day, the region produces 7 million barrels of oil and 25 million barrels of water—the equivalent of 1 billion gallons, as much water as all of New York City uses in a day. “Without water . . . they…

Remember when job security meant getting hired by a legacy brand and trusting that, with a steady performance, your role would still exist quarter after quarter— maybe even carry you into retirement? So, what is job security in 2026? It is your ability to continue earning because your skills remain necessary and valuable, regardless of who employs you or how the economy changes. These Careers Offer The Most Stability The most secure jobs tend to appear in healthcare, skilled trades, maintenance, finance and compliance, cybersecurity and essential local services. To determine which careers offered the most stability, I examined May 2025 BLS wage data,…

Elon Musk pictured in 2022 Elon Musk wants to push technology to its absolute limit, from space travel to self-driving cars — but he draws the line at artificial intelligence. The billionaire first shared his distaste for AI in 2014, calling it humanity's 'biggest existential threat' and comparing it to 'summoning the demon'. At the time, Musk also revealed he was investing in AI companies not to make money but to keep an eye on the technology in case it gets out of hand. His main fear is that in the wrong hands, if AI becomes advanced, it could overtake humans and spell the end of mankind, which is known as The Singularity. That concern is shared…

In the past few days Hugging Face announced a security incident, which transpired to be a "runaway" agent from OpenAI. This is likely the first known autonomous offensive agent working like this, and certainly the first known one where an agent has done this inadvertently. Just marketing? Reading the commentary on this, it seems the majority of people think this is a marketing stunt. While certainly the frontier labs have endless examples of claiming things are not safe, it's quite a dangerous position for technologists to take if it is not a marketing stunt. I really struggle to see how this could be a marketing stunt. Huggingface released the blog…

People walk by the Comcast building which houses NBC Studios in Manhattan on June 29, 2026 in New York City. Spencer Platt \| Getty Images Comcast's second-quarter results on Thursday showcased strength at NBCUniversal — particularly in its TV and film units — as the company prepares to split its media and broadband businesses apart. NBCUniversal's streaming service, Peacock, hit profitability during the quarter for the first time, Comcast said, giving the media business a lift. The streaming service also benefitted from live sports including the FIFA World Cup and NBA postseason and brought in new subscribers. Revenue in the company's content and…

Apple devices were long known for having some of the highest-quality LCD screens in the business, and that remains the case for today’s MacBooks. The company upped the ante first through retina displays and then mini-LED backlighting. This is the reason Apple has been in no great hurry to adopt OLED technology. It has, however, been making a phased transition to OLED. Apple first introduced the display tech with the Apple Watch, followed up with iPhone and iPad models, and the MacBook Pro is next in line for the upgrade … Further ahead, the MacBook Air and iMac are also expected to make the switch from IPS LCD to OLED. Almost every report we carry on…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Nurphoto \| Nurphoto \| Getty Images Jeff Bezos has identified a new, high-profile platform to help showcase the hundreds of billions of dollars Amazon has bet on artificial intelligence: Prime Video. The Amazon founder and executive chairman pushed Prime Video head Mike Hopkins to overhaul the streaming service so that AI is front and center, according to four people with direct knowledge of the matter. The resulting project, known internally as Lighthouse, would shine a light on Amazon's AI capabilities for the more than 200 million consumers who use Prime Video. Lighthouse is viewed as one critical piece in Amazon's companywide efforts to elevate…

Google hit with €890 million EU fine over app store, search breaches Foo Yun Chee July 23, 2026 — 9:04pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA Alphabet’s Google was fined a total of €890 million (A$1.45 billion) on Thursday for flouting European Union rules aimed at reining in the power of Big Tech, the European Commission said. However, the US tech giant is likely to avoid fresh fines as EU regulators lauded good progress in its ongoing efforts to comply with the landmark legislation. The fines underscored Europe’s determination to prevent Big Tech companies from thwarting rivals,…

Appliances with a high ceiling Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA Being ensconced in Midsomer, UK, and struggling to find meaning in a pressure cooker (C8) indicates that Jo Rainbow isn’t exactly home on the range, but the explainers have come thick and fast. Representing the positive is Jane Page of Cromer: “I loved my pressure cooker. It made the best pea and ham soup using the ham bone left over from Christmas as well as delicious porcupine meat balls. My mouth waters when I think of the golden syrup dumplings my mum used to make. Long live the pressure cooker!” Margaret…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Great news for 4K Blu-ray fans: the huge half-price sale on Criterion Collections discs is still running at Barnes \& Noble, and Amazon has some of the same discounts running too. Slightly more concerning news: the sale ends on July 26, so you only have a few days left to pick up some new discs! • View the full Criterion sale at Barnes \& Noble• View the Criterion sale at Amazon At Barnes \& Noble, absolutely everything is a flat half-price, which makes things easy (and a stone-cold bargain). At Amazon, quite a few discs are half-price, but some have smaller discounts than B\&N (or no discount at all). But I've included that sale too, because a lot of…

Brussels — The European Union on Thursday hit Google with a fine of 890 million euros ($1 billion) after it said the technology behemoth broke digital antitrust regulations by setting up Google Play and its ubiquitous search engine to corral consumers toward its own services and apps, to the detriment of competitors. It was the latest major crackdown on Big Tech by Brussels, which has led the world in reining in some of the world's largest companies from Silicon Valley to Beijing. Google had recently lost its appeal of a $4.5 billion antitrust fine imposed for throttling competition and reducing consumer choice through the dominance of its mobile…

Whether you know Gillian Anderson from The Crown, The Fall or her role in the crime series The X-Files, we’re all on the same page in thinking the actress has seemingly defied ageing. The 56-year-old had practically the entirety of Sex Education’s 2.75m viewers in a chokehold thanks to the allure of her character, Jean Milburn and, if you ask us, doesn’t look a day over 40. Naturally, we wanted to explore how the two-time Golden Globe winner achieves her effortless beauty – so we did some digging. As it happens, make-up artist Florrie White is behind a lot of Anderson’s red carpet looks, as well as catering to the faces of Meg Ryan, Sienna Miller, Uma…

Multiple Israeli municipalities announced the opening of the shelters, Israeli media reported. Ramat Gan's municipality was the first to open the city's shelters, followed by those of the Upper Galilee, Eilat, and Be'er Sheva, among others. Opening the shelters comes in preparation for potential Iranian escalations over the weekend, according to reports from Israeli media.

Ukraine has hit supply lines, military bases and power plants in Crimea, which Russia captured from Ukraine and annexed unilaterally in 2014 in a move not recognised by most countries. Ukraine, which is under constant attack from Russian missiles and drones, says it is trying to isolate Crimea and undermine Moscow’s war effort. On Wednesday, local authorities in Crimea said 17 civilians were injured in an overnight drone attack on the southern city of Yalta, where a high-rise apartment was hit. Both Russia and Ukraine deny they deliberately target civilians. The administration of Yevpatoriya on Crimea’s west coast says it has set up phones across…

Nigerian security forces have rescued 11 kidnapped individuals and apprehended 21 suspected terrorists, collaborators, logistics suppliers, and drug peddlers in a series of coordinated operations across Borno, Zamfara, and Kogi States, according to official reports released Thursday. The operations, conducted under the umbrellas of Operation HADIN KAI, Operation Fansan Yamma, and Operation MESA, took place between July 21 and July 22. Military reports highlight not only the rescues and arrests but also the neutralisation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) targeting both security personnel and civilians. Breakdown Borno: Troops under Operation…

Key events Outcry over the $1.15tn defense policy bill passed in the House Hello and welcome to our live coverage of US politics. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) typically passes in Congress each year with bipartisan margins. But the $1.15tn defense policy bill passed in a near-party-line vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday has lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in an uproar. That’s because the NDAA’s path to enactment this year has been complicated by the president’s decision to join Israel in attacking Iran without first seeking authorization from Congress – a war that has already cost $37.5bn, according to defense…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Repeated bandit attacks have forced residents to flee Tashar Mayanchi and more than 10 neighbouring communities in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, leaving many of the villages largely deserted. The development was contained in a post shared on X on Thursday by security analyst, Bakatsine. According to him, the attacks lasted for four consecutive days, forcing residents to abandon their homes in search of safety. He said more than 40 people are still being held captive by the bandits following the attacks. “Yesterday, repeated bandit attacks forced residents to flee Tashar Mayanchi and more than 10 surrounding communities in Maru LGA of…

(ATTN: ADDS East Asia Summit meeting in last 6 paras) By Oh Seok-min MANILA, July 23 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Thursday called on North Korea to respond to Seoul's offers for dialogue and join efforts to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula at a regional security forum in Manila, the foreign ministry said. Cho made the remarks during the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), a 27-member multilateral security forum attended by the 11 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states and major regional powers, including the United States, China, Japan and Russia. The ARF is the only regional multilateral security forum in…

Defense Key Facts —The cohort. Colombian men born in 2008 turn 18 in 2026 and must now settle their compulsory military service. —The rules. Service is mandatory for men aged 18 to 24; it lasts 12 months for high-school graduates and up to 18 for those without a diploma. —The pay. Conscripts receive a monthly stipend close to Colombia’s minimum wage, plus food, housing, uniforms and medical care. —The law. Recruitment is governed by Law 1861 of 2017, which modernised the system and set out exemptions. —The alternative. Since 2024, a “Social Service for Peace” offers a 12-month civilian alternative to carrying a rifle. A rite of passage returns for a…

LONDON, July 23. /TASS/. The United States would need weeks of between 150 to 200 strikes a night to sufficiently undermine Iran’s capabilities to launch drones and missiles, former US Navy rear admiral Mark Montgomery told The Financial Times (FT) in an interview. Much will depend on whether US forces can destroy mobile launchers, he argued. "It's a tactical challenge to do airborne intercepts at short range. But if you want to move them back 75 miles (120 km - TASS) into Iran, you just made the job a lot easier," Montgomery maintained. The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a…

With a photograph of himself on the wall as part of "The Presidential Hall of Fame," U.S. President Donald Trump (R) gives Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia a tour of the White House on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images *hide caption* *toggle caption* Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images TEL AVIV — An agreement for U.S. companies to build and run nuclear energy plants in Saudi Arabia was met with alarm in Israel on Thursday, as the U.S. and Iran continued to trade strikes in the latest escalation engulfing the Persian Gulf. The nuclear cooperation agreement, signed on Wednesday by the Trump…

Security personnel inspect a vehicle during intensified checking following the Anantnag terror attack, in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, July 23, 2026. \| Photo Credit: PTI Security forces on Thursday (July 23, 2026) allegedly blasted and demolished two residential houses of local terrorists in south Kashmir, a day after a policeman was shot dead in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag. Meanwhile, J\&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said mass arrests and demolitions “will not restore peace” and such demolitions go against the directions put in place by Supreme Court. Official sources said an operation was launched around 3…

At least 10 people have died in floods in India’s northeastern state of Assam over the last 24 hours, in what authorities said was “unprecedented devastation”, taking the total death toll during the week to 36. More than 650,000 people have been affected by heavy rainfall across 11 districts of Assam, the state’s disaster management authority said in a bulletin on Wednesday. The floods in Assam were primarily caused by very heavy rainfall in its neighbouring state of Nagaland between July 18 and 20, resulting in unusually high river flows, a state government report said. Assam, home to the Brahmaputra, one of the world’s largest rivers, sees…

Defunct street lights along the Chettuva bridge in Thrissur pose serious threat to motorists and pedestrians. Months after the street lights on the Chettuva bridge in Thrissur, Kerala, stopped functioning, motorists and pedestrians continue to negotiate the busy stretch in near-total darkness, raising serious concerns over road safety. The bridge, which carries hundreds of vehicles every day, including heavy trucks and container lorries, has remained unlit at night for several months, despite repeated complaints from local residents. Residents said they had repeatedly urged the authorities to make the street lights functional and carry out permanent…

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-7 will send inspectors to a construction site in Purok Tulay, Barangay Sta. Cruz, Liloan, after a worker was killed when he was crushed by six granite slabs on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. According to Roberto Cabardo, information officer of DOLE-7, the agency may issue a work stoppage order depending on the findings and recommendation of its inspectors. “Unsa’y angay nga buhaton, mag-issue ba og work stoppage order because of that event, or kanang dili lang, depende lang sa recommendation sa atong mga inspectors?” Cabardo said. (We will determine the […]...Keep on reading: DOLE-7 to…

The advisory said all shop owners, office establishments and restaurants in the area have been requested to cooperate and strictly comply with the directions. \| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar Shops, offices and restaurants in Connaught Place will close from 6.30 p.m. on Thursday (July 23, 2026) following an advisory issued by the New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA), citing the prevailing situation in and around the area. In an advisory circular issued on Thursday (July 23, 2026), the traders' body said the decision was taken following telephonic advice from the Chairperson and Vice-chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), who asked…

Open this photo in gallery: The Matthew Creek wildfire outside Kimberley, B.C., July 19.BC Wildfire Service/via The Canadian Press More communities across British Columbia are under threat from separate out-of-control wildfires. The latest overnight evacuation order was issued by the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, triggered by the risk of a wildfire in the South Chilcotin Mountains area in Electoral Area A. There was also an evacuation alert that was issued just after 1:00 a.m., local time, for the vicinity of Texas Creek, south of Lillooet in Electoral Area B. Earlier Wednesday evening, residents of the southern Interior village of Clinton and…

A fire outbreak on Thursday destroyed the electronics section on the second floor of Justrite Superstore along Akowonjo Road in the Egbeda-Akowonjo area of Lagos, with no casualties recorded. The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service disclosed this in a statement saying it received a distress call at about 8:15 a.m. and arrived at the scene at 8:28 a.m. According to the report, firefighters from the Abesan and Agege Fire Stations responded to the incident at No. 116, Akowonjo Road, Justrite Superstore, Jimoh Bus Stop, Egbeda-Akowonjo. The agency said the fire affected the second floor of the commercial building, where the electronics section of the…

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has introduced a discounted afternoon ticket and expanded its cooling facilities to help minimise operational disruptions arising from hot weather and heavy rain over the summer. The theme park on Lantau Island on Thursday unveiled a “Summer Chill” 4pm entry ticket for Hong Kong residents, priced at HK$480 (US$61), allowing guests to enter later in the day to avoid the hottest hours or periods of heavy rain. The park said it had also stepped up weather adaptation measures, including installing about 860 fans, portable air conditioning units, mist cooling systems and additional shading blinds. The resort also upgraded nearly…

Homeowners have claimed their flats are worthless after major building work by a coffee shop underneath caused their walls to crack and floors to sink. Families living in a former NatWest bank building in Westbourne, Dorset, say they first noticed damage in their apartments, communal corridors and stairwells after Coffee #1 started work below them in February 2024. They described hearing vibrations through the wall 'like a sledgehammer' and believe the contractors damaged the building's supports, with an estimated damage of £1million across seven flats. Coffee #1 offered vouchers to the shop as compensation - a move residents branded 'insulting'. Some…

Around 1,200 people have been rescued and hundreds more relocated to safer places as heavy showers battered south Gujarat districts, where Umbergaon taluka received over 1,100 mm rains in just 16 hours, an official said on Thursday (July 23, 2026). One rain-related death was reported in Tapi district, while teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the state’s SDRF as well as the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Coast Guard were put on alert for rescue efforts, he said. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reviewed the rain situation and also spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who assured the Gujarat government of all necessary assistance.…

The brain is a vast, densely interconnected network of neurons computing in parallel. Watching these computations unfold in real time could reveal how the brain processes sensation and guides behavior. But the electrical signals governing the network are fast, faint, and notoriously hard to capture in living tissue. Now, a new study published in Nature Methods describes a two-photon imaging platform that captures electrical activity from almost 200 neurons at once, across cortical layers and at unprecedented depths and speeds, opening a window onto how information moves through living brain circuits. By minimizing the amount energy needed to reliably…

Their Names Were Lost to History. But Now, You Can See What Their Faces May Have Looked Like When They Lived in a Roman-Era City Nearly 2,000 Years Ago A new exhibition in Budapest features 16 facial reconstructions based on skulls excavated from the ancient city of Aquincum. Curators don’t know the details of their lives, but they’ve invented backstories to fill in the gaps Ellen Wexler \| Writer and Special Projects Editor July 23, 2026 7:00 a.m. The facial reconstruction of a man the team named Respectus AP Photo / Bela Szandelszky He once had a name, though it was forgotten long ago. Perhaps he bore his lot in life with grace, or with clumsiness.…

ARKHANGELSK, July 23. /TASS/. The Arctic Floating University expedition returned to Murmansk after exploring the northeast of the Barents Sea, the north of Novaya Zemlya, and the Franz Josef Land's islands. Researchers managed for the first time to carry out work on the Prince George Land, the expedition's leader Alexander Saburov told TASS from aboard the Professor Molchanov scientific research vessel. "We have managed to complete all the planned work, although we repeatedly had to adjust and change plans and even had to interrupt missions ashore due to weather conditions. Overall, the expedition is very successful. During the voyage, we made…

Orcas filmed pulverizing sunfish in what could be either feeding strategy or fun, scientists say Orcas have been filmed pulverising one of the world’s heaviest fish, in what scientists say could either be a feeding strategy or simply a way of having fun. Underwater footage taken off the coast of Mexico in 2024 shows one orca holding the carcass of a sunfish in its mouth, before a male rams into it, causing the creature to explode into hundreds of pieces. The never-before-seen behaviour was repeated again just a year later, this time off the Gulf of California. The behaviour, reported in the Frontiers in Ethology journal, could be a means of breaking…

Adam Hartstone-Rose didn’t expect his first eclipse to be so interesting. It was 2017, and he was a biologist at the University of South Carolina. A total solar eclipse—when the moon temporarily blocks out the sun—was set to pass directly over him, and he’d been invited to observe how animals at the local zoo would respond to the event. Hartstone-Rose didn't have high hopes for the endeavor: the eclipse would last minutes—not long enough, he thought, for the animals to notice. He figured it couldn't be more disruptive than a passing storm cloud. “It turns out that I was wrong,” he says. The eclipse was “amazing,” Hartstone-Rose says. And he saw many…

Nigerian skit maker and content creator, Sydney Talker has opened up about his celibacy journey, revealing that he has been practising abstinence for almost four years. Speaking in a video message shared via his social media page, the skitmaker said the 27th of this month will make it four years since he hadn’t slept on the same bed with a woman. He, however, said the experience hasn’t been easy, crediting God for the ability to be disciplined. 27th of this month will make it four years of celibacy for me. What I am trying to say is I have not slept on the same bed with a woman for the past four years. It has not been easy but I thank God,” he said.…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Olivia Wilde slams Elon Musk as ‘creature’ she ‘deeply resents’ Olivia Wilde has slammed Elon Musk as a “creature” whom she has grown to resent since first meeting him years ago. Appearing on The Louis Theroux Podcast, the director brought up the billionaire during a broader discussion on misogyny and incel culture. “I met him many, many years ago. I think SpaceX had just built their headquarters in LA and I got to go on a tour because I wanted to see the rocket ships,” she recalled. Wilde added that whilst she has always been confused by him, she never expected him to “go the path that he’s gone now because he did seem really smart”. “I really deeply…

Brazilian butt lifts, Hollywood stars and even a former US president all feature in the history of a 75-acre private island that has been listed for sale. Pitanguy Island was once owned by world-renowned plastic surgeon Dr Ivo Pitanguy, the pioneer behind the iconic BBL. He died in 2016 aged 93 and left behind his exclusive abode which his family have been reportedly taking care of since. Located off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Pitanguy Island is now up for grabs and has a hefty price tag of $100 million (£75 million) – among the world's most expensive private islands. The cosmetic surgeon, beauty and skincare specialist used the retreat as a private…

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue. Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit. Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level. How to play Pips If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous…

Should the far side of the moon be reserved for science? Astronomers debated the issue at the Royal Astronomical Society’s National Astronomy Meeting (NAM 2026) at the University of Birmingham on July 21, 2026. Image via NASA/ Wikimedia Commons. Experts have been debating how we should use the moon’s far side. Should we protect it exclusively for science? Or should we open it to commercial activity? One side argued the far side of the moon has a unique radio-quiet, dark and stable environment. This makes it an ideal location for future radio astronomy, gravitational-wave research and other studies. The other side argued that commercial and scientific…

An exchange program for young people in Japan and Russia is expected to resume in August after a seven-year break, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said Thursday. Some 15 students from Japanese universities and graduate schools will be sent to St. Petersburg for about 10 days, the official said. They will attend Russian-language classes and interact with local students. The program began in 1999 based on an agreement reached at a Japan-Russia summit in the previous year. But it was suspended following the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The last event under the program took place in 2019. The Japanese ministry has been making…

Peru · Business Key Facts —Drilling expansion. The Red Silver program grew from an initial plan to 6,650 meters, a more than fivefold increase. —Channel samples. Underground sampling on the Silvia Vein returned 735 g/t silver over 65 meters and 649 g/t silver over 40 meters. —Location. Red Silver sits within the flagship Nueva Recuperada project in Huancavelica, Peru, a historic silver district. —Metal value. Silver accounts for over 90% of the in-situ metal value at Red Silver, making it a pure silver target. —Company focus. Silver X is a junior explorer advancing multiple satellite assets around its core Nueva Recuperada project. Silver X Mining…

Tokyo is like my heartbeat after 40 mins of cardio: Elevated, it makes you feel charged, alive, energetic. While the city has a frenetic energy, there are pockets where you can immerse yourself in moments of peace and laidback bliss. It is a city you devour sensorially. How much can you do in 48 hours if you are short on time, like me? Day 1 At Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi \| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement 9 am: I normally sleep with the blinds drawn. But at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, I fall asleep to the twinkling city lights and wake up to clouds making way for the prima donna — Mount Fuji. After marvelling at the snow-capped…

In a dark sky, you’ll see 2 famous star clusters – M6 and M7 – in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion. In this photo, Messier 7 – aka Ptolemy’s Cluster – is above the tree on the left. Messier 6, the Butterfly Cluster, is a bit smaller, positioned near the center top of the image. And Shaula and Lesath, the stinger stars in Scorpius, are prominent in the lower right. Image via Tom and Jane Wildoner/ Dark Side Observatory/ Flickr. Used with permission. The star clusters M6 (Butterfly Cluster) and M7 (Ptolemy’s Cluster) are near the tail of the Scorpion in the constellation Scorpius. Look for them on dark Northern Hemisphere summer nights! Both M6…

Paleontologists now know that many of the dinosaurs didn't disappear but instead evolved into modern birds, and new research suggests that "cosmic dinosaurs" observed by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) didn't go extinct either. Rather, they may have evolved into familiar sights in the modern universe: vast conglomerations of densely packed stars called "globular clusters." Little Red Dots became quite the puzzle for astronomers in 2022, when the JWST began to routinely spot them in abundance around 600 million years after the Big Bang. That is because these objects seemingly disappear before the cosmos gets to around 2 billion years old.…

At the media session on Thursday, Megat said the airline currently operates a fleet of two jet aircraft serving Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, with plans to expand the fleet to five by the end of the year. This as the state-owned carrier looks to support higher flight frequencies to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, with plans to also launch new international routes. Megat said AirBorneo plans to expand beyond the Borneo region into Peninsular Malaysia before entering other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) markets, and eventually southern China. “By the end of this year, in October, November and December, once the additional aircraft arrive, we…

Yeouido Hangang Park Swimming Pool / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government As summer temperatures peak across the Korean peninsula, the municipal government is taking a bold gamble on the economic potential of the midnight hour. City officials unveiled a major initiative, Thursday, to transform the banks of the Han River into a bustling, 24-hour cultural ecosystem, anchoring the capital’s broader bid to build a thriving nighttime economy. At the center of the initiative is "Han River Bamping" — a portmanteau of the Korean word for "night" and the English word "camping" — a monthlong pilot program launching in August that will place up to 200…

For nearly three decades, astronomers tracked a 1,250-foot-wide object relatively close to Earth that they thought was an asteroid. It looked like one. It followed the expected path. Telescopes saw no glowing cloud of gas or dust tail sweeping behind it. Then, the space rock, called 1998 SH2, drifted from its usual orbit that gravity alone predicted. Something was giving it a tiny push. Astronomers eventually realized that the culprit was likely gas escaping from its surface — a faint version of the same process that powers a comet. When NASA-led researchers pointed some of the world's most powerful telescopes at 1998 SH2, they finally found the…

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is expected to crash into the moon this August Astronomers will be able to observe it from our planet. SpaceX On August 5 at around 2:35 AM ET, the upper stage of a Falcon 9 rocket is expected to crash into the moon near the Einstein Crater. As Gizmodo reports, it will likely be observable from certain locations on our planet using ground-based telescopes. It was Bill Gray, the creator of Project Pluto desktop planetarium program, who first determined that the rocket will hit the moon next month after feeding data into his program to predict the rocket's orbit and future path The upper stage that will be crashing into the…

An international study involving LMU found regional differences in childhood lymphoid leukemia mortality across Brazil. Why do children with lymphoid leukemia face markedly different mortality rates depending on where they live in Brazil? In a collaboration between researchers at LMU and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), trends in childhood lymphoid leukemia mortality in Brazil over more than two decades were analyzed, along with the association of regional development and healthcare structures with the observed disparities. The findings have been published in The Lancet Regional Health - Americas. The study shows that mortality…

TriLink BioTechnologies, LLC (TriLink®), a Maravai LifeSciences company and global provider of life science reagents and services, has been granted a new patent from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Patent number ZL 2025 1 1246578.X, covering methods of synthesizing RNA molecules. The new patent covers TriLink's full suite of CleanCap® capping analogs, including its latest M6 analog. CleanCap technology is a critical component of the production of synthetic mRNA as drug developers and researchers strive to maximize the impact of mRNA-based therapeutics and vaccines. The allowed claims are directed to co-transcriptional…

It's a familiar scenario for most of us. You're lying on the sofa on a weekday evening, determined to enjoy an eagerly anticipated Netflix series, but exhaustion kicks in. Your eyes sting and struggle to stay open. You head to bed, but something curious happens: The minute your head hits the pillow, you're wide awake. It's a well-established phenomenon that experts have named 'tired but wired'. In simple terms, it means conflicting brain hormones are being released simultaneously - some that signal rest, and others that tell the body to wake up. It can present as racing thoughts, heart palpitations, restless legs and a sudden feeling of urgency,…

Popular nicotine mints used to help smokers quit may trigger a heart rhythm problem that can increase the risk of stroke, drug watchdogs have warned. The list of potential side effects of Nicotinell's Mint Compressed Lozenges has been updated to include atrial fibrillation, a condition that can cause a rapid and intense heartbeat and lead to life-threatening complications. It applies to the brand's 1mg and 2mg lozenges, which are sold at high-street staples including Boots, Tesco, Morrisons and ASDA, costing £24 for a pack of 204. Nicotinell's lozenges, which have the appearance of a small, white tablet, are widely used by those who want to quit…

Dr. Alex Tatem, a board-certified urologist in Indiana, discusses why upcoming federal hearings on seven peptides were mandated and argues that years of patient use show a promising safety profile. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The Food and Drug Administration is taking a closer look this week at seven unapproved peptide substances that have surged in popularity for their purported health benefits. At meetings scheduled for July 23 and 24 at the FDA’s White Oak Campus in Silver Spring, Maryland, the FDA’s Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee will consider whether to recommend adding seven peptide substances to the agency’s 503A Bulks…

The Eli Lilly logo appears on the company’s office in San Diego, California, Nov. 21, 2025. Mike Blake \| Reuters Eli Lilly on Thursday said it will file for approval of its next-generation obesity drug in the first quarter of 2027, as the treatment succeeds in two more late-stage trials. The pharmaceutical giant previously said it would submit an application as early as this year for the weekly injection, retatrutide, which works differently and appears to be more effective than existing shots and pills. In a statement to CNBC, Lilly said it needs more time to gather and verify the manufacturing and quality-control data required by regulators before…

Elaine’s stories explore the boom in new obesity treatments, new drug payment models, the ways companies are affected by FDA changes, and the emerging psychedelics drug sector. She co-writes The Readout newsletter, and co-hosts STAT’s weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Elaine on Signal at elaineywchen.70. Eli Lilly reported more results Thursday showing that its next-generation obesity drug is highly efficacious at weight loss, but the data from the study, focused on people with heart disease, aren’t enough to answer a critical question about the therapy — whether it reduces cardiovascular risk. The Phase 3 study enrolled nearly…

The national homicide rate in the U.S. continued its historic decline in the first half of 2026, although eight cities — including San Francisco, Dallas, and Norfolk, Virginia — saw spikes compared to the same period in 2025, a new study finds. The downward trend continues from last year, which saw the largest single year-over-year drop and likely the lowest murder rate in the U.S. since 1900, pending the final FBI crime statistics for the year. This year, the picture was slightly more nuanced: in 21 of the 30 cities surveyed in 2026, there was an average homicide rate drop of 18% from January to June, according to new data analysis released Thursday…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

PUBLIC SECTOR Stats watchdog prescribes stronger caveats for NHS Palantir claims Health service told to ensure ministers don't mistake before-and-after comparisons for cause and effect The UK's statistical regulator has told NHS England to ensure ministers are briefed accurately following a row over data used to promote the purported benefits of a Palantir-run platform. The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) said the health quango had accepted that it needed to communicate more clearly about data purporting to measure the benefits of the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP), which is based on the US spy-tech firm's technology under a £330 million…

A social media post over an unpaid phone bill has triggered a data-protection investigation in Malaysia, after one of the country’s most recognisable influencers questioned how a stranger obtained details from his telecoms account. The episode involving Khairul Amin Kamarulzaman, better known as Khairul Aming, has raised uncomfortable questions for telcos about how tightly they manage customer account information and how quickly private details can be exposed when those controls fail. Khairul posted screenshots on social media on Monday showing another user claiming that the influencer had an overdue Maxis bill of 498 ringgit (US$122), that his line…

Donald Trump and his allies quickly seized on an announcement from Mikie Sherrill, the New Jersey governor, on Tuesday that 6,600 noncitizens had registered to vote because of a software error, and fewer than 400 of them voted, using thedisclosure to escalate false claims that there are scores of noncitizens on the voter rolls. Trump seized on the news days after he said in a primetime speech that the Department of Homeland Security identified 278,000 noncitizens on the voter rolls in New Jersey and three other states. But a Guardian review of the letters DHS sent the states shows the agency expressed less certainty about the number and has offered no…

For nearly half a decade, Google has been trying to transition users away from the mess of unsafe (and easy-to-guess) passwords. First came hardware keys (like those made by YuBiCo) and then came the password-less login system called Passkeys that enabled biometric sign-ins, too. Now, Google wants you to verify your identity with a selfie video, somewhat like we use Face ID to sign in for services on an iPhone or iPad. “Selfie video is a new way to get into your account, giving you more options if you’re ever locked out or don’t have access to your usual phone or computer,” says the company. Google is pushing selfie videos as a secure backup login…

MOSCOW, July 23. /TASS/. The United States is refining psychological warfare planning, using artificial intelligence technologies based on experience accumulated since the start of the armed conflict in Ukraine, according to an article published in the Russian Defense Ministry’s magazine Military Thought and obtained by TASS. "Despite the overwhelming superiority of the United States and its allies in control of global information space, including social networks, traditional media and online platforms, they have failed to undermine significantly the will of the Russian people to continue the conflict or achieve re-orientation of the Russian elites…

Sarath Subramanian Shankar \| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The Tamil Nadu Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), on Wednesday (July 22, 2026), arrested a US-based software engineer at Chennai International Airport in connection with a series of hoax bomb threat emails sent between 2023 and 2025 to airports, educational institutions, public officials and other high-profile targets across India. Police identified the suspect as Sarath Subramanian Shankar, a native of Ambasamudram in Tirunelveli district, who had been residing in Austin, Texas, where he worked for a software company. He was intercepted by immigration authorities after arriving in Chennai on an…

On 17 July 2026, Public Protector (PP) Kholeka Gcaleka released preliminary findings from a systemic investigation into suspected Gauteng spaza shop food safety failures. The findings are damning. At least 23 children died from suspected food poisoning in 2024. Inspectors found rodent infestations, food stored directly on the ground, and the presence of Aldicarb – a highly toxic rat poison – on food premises. Ekurhuleni is operating at a 5% food safety compliance rate. Johannesburg at 14%. Tshwane at 30%. Across the province, for every licensed spaza shop, almost three unlicensed ones are operating. Gauteng’s municipalities are functioning at…

Image used for representation The Erode District Cyber Crime Police have arrested a lathe workshop owner from Namakkal district for allegedly posting defamatory remarks against Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on the social media platform X. The police said Thiagu was arrested after he allegedly shared defamatory content targeting the Chief Minister through his social media account. A case has been registered against him under four sections of the law. The arrest is part of the ongoing action by the Cyber Crime Police against individuals accused of posting defamatory content about the Chief Minister on social media platforms. Further investigation is…

Stuart Norval is pleased to welcome Yann Bisiou, Senior Lecturer in Private Law and Criminal Law at Paul-Valéry University. The threats against the mayor of Arles illustrate how criminal networks are becoming increasingly brazen, challenging authority head-on. Rather than focusing solely on the violence, public drug policy specialist Bissiot argues that the incident exposes an institutional failure. He asserts that DZ Mafia is not a policing problem but rather the predictable consequence of a prohibition model failing to reduce a lucrative illicit drug trade.

Civil servants will be investigated and punished if they 'misgender' trans colleagues under new guidance By SAM MERRIMAN, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 17:00 EDT, 22 July 2026 \| Updated: 06:26 EDT, 23 July 2026 Civil servants will be investigated and sanctioned if they do not call transgender colleagues by their preferred name or gender under new guidance. Trans public sector workers could be given paid time off for medical appointments related to their transition - even if they are otherwise fit to work. And the new Whitehall guidance would allow trans civil servants to change their name and gender in computer systems as soon as they…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Entertaining open world satire Future? No Thanks! has been abruptly delayed by Steam content reviewers, due to the presence of multiple seconds of "untextured polygons depicting ass and boobs". In a statement, developer Paulo "Molleindustria" Pedercini reveals that Valve's moderation teams have had the game under review for "more than three weeks", but have yet to make a call. Steamworks documentation suggests that content review should take no more than seven business days. While probably not a case of platform censorship on par with last year's Horses debacle, it adds to the long-standing impression that Valve's adult content policies are both…

New research from Counterpoint corroborates that the PC market has finally been impacted by the memory crisis to the extent that global shipments have gone down for the first time since the first quarter of 2025. In the second quarter this year there were 4% fewer global PC shipments than the same time last year. This backs up what the IDC reported earlier this month. Counterpoint explains: "While commercial refresh cycles tied to Windows migration and AI PC adoption continue to support demand, surging memory prices and higher component costs are increasingly constraining OEM production plans and suppressing consumer demand. The sharp increase in DRAM…

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu’s biggest provincial basketball tournament is making a long-awaited comeback. After a seven-year hiatus, the Governor’s Cup U18 Basketball Tournament was officially relaunched on Thursday, July 23, as the Cebu Provincial Government unveiled its plans for the 2026 edition, which tips off on Sept. 26. The launch at the Cebu Provincial Capitol was led by Governor Pamela Baricuatro, Cebu Provincial Sports Commission (CPSC) Chairman Dr. Rhoel Dejano, commissioners Mark Anthony Ynoc and consultant Dr. Janos Vizcayno, and CPSC Executive Director Engr. Rodrigo Tanza Jr. READ: Governor’s Cup excitement builds as LGUs hold tryouts…

Dataintelo reports that the used video game market is worth $7.2 billion The firm thinks that Sony's decision to end the production of discs will cause it to decline Analysts say the market will "keep shrinking and eventually disappear" The second-hand video game market could be in danger as a result of Sony's decision to end production of physical discs starting in January 2028. A new story from CNBC included analysis from market research firm Dataintelo, which reported that the used game market was worth $7.2 billion in 2025 and predicted it could grow to $13.8 billion by 2034. The figure represents all pre-owned games, console hardware,…

1,474,560 bytes may sound like a lot for those unfamiliar with the realities of modern data storage, but it amounts to a single 3.5-inch floppy disk. The hey-day of such a relic of physical media has long since passed, but floppy disks obviously still hold a certain allure for some judging by a certain Korean game dev contest. Anyone can participate in the contest from Korean indie game site 2P Game Arcade, and the rules are very simple: devs just need to build a game that totals no more than 1,474,560 bytes (or 1.44 MB) after decompression (via Techspot). Though there are no restrictions on which engine devs may use, the work itself must be an…

The pricing troubles of the Steam Machine make it easy to think that budget gaming PCs are dead, but this incredible ABS gaming desktop I've just found might convince you otherwise. Right now at Walmart, you can grab this ABS Flux II Aqua with Intel Core i5 14400F, Intel Arc B580, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD for just $849. That's a $150 saving on the $999 list price, for a PC with parts worth well over $1,200 in today's market. ● Check out this deal at Walmart This PC features a Raptor Lake Refresh CPU worth $178, 32GB of Patriot DDR5 priced at $400, a $150 SSD, and a $309 GPU from Intel for unparalleled budget value. Fire those parts into…

Warhammer Blood Bowl hits the end zone this fall, and we've got first-look screenshots and confirmed platforms for launch. The video game adaptation of Games Workshop’s Warhammer fantasy football tabletop game is now in the hands of Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector publisher Slitherine, which obtained the licence, publishing rights, and back catalog from the collapsing Nacon. Now, Slitherine has re-announced Warhammer Blood Bowl with a batch of screenshots, below. It’s due out this fall across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. Warhammer Blood Bowl Screenshots Slitherine said Warhammer Blood Bowl is “built upon the solid foundations of Blood Bowl 3,” with…

Vinicius Junior surprised fans this week as the Brazilian star revealed the cosmetic work he underwent to enhance his jawline. The Real Madrid winger underwent a popular new ‘chin harmonisation’ procedure in recent weeks and has revealed his transformation via Instagram. Since the announcement it is fair to say the reaction to Vinicius Jr’s transformation has been mixed with many fans left shocked. The star has also received support and admiration from non–football fans and supporters alike, partly because cosmetic augmentation for men has been a slightly taboo subject. Often being looked down upon by those propagating toxic masculinity and draconian…

Star Wars Zero Company developer Bit Reactor is made up of former XCOM veterans, a series which has a pretty lively modding scene, especially XCOM 2, which supports modding with official development tools. It's even had its fair share of Star Wars mods over the years that completely transport it to a galaxy far, far away. Mod support is one of the reasons XCOM is still holding ground on players' hard drives all these years later. Despite the success this has brought to Firaxis' series, Bit Reactor has confirmed in a new Discord Q\&A that Zero Company won't have official mod capabilities. "We have a lot of respect for the modding community," says lead…

Stalker 2 studio GSC Game World have refuted claims from their original founder Sergiy Grygorovych, who left GSC in 2023, that Xbox paid more than the game cost to make as part of an exclusivity deal for it. In an interview with YouTuber OLDboi which appears to have been machine translated from Ukranian, Grygorovych is reported to have claimed that GSC "took more than the cost of Stalker 2" from the Xbox exclusivity deal, which he alleged Microsoft made after being impressed by the game's first trailer. "It paid for itself before the first day," the founder added. GSC have responded to those claims via a statement issued to IGN, asserting that…

An unprecedented investment in social media propaganda by Israel is failing to shift the cratering support for the country in the western world amid its ongoing genocide in Gaza, particularly among the younger generation, analysts have told Middle East Eye. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in March found that a majority, 60 percent of the American public, including 57 percent of Republican voters under the age of 50 and 84 percent of Democrats under 50, view Israel unfavourably. Much of this is down to an increasing number of younger people using social media rather than mainstream outlets, which are overwhelmingly pro-Israel, for their news. To…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

POLL OF THE DAY: Are you worried about the potential of AI agents, after Hugging Face hack? Cast your vote on the biggest talking points of the day, every day Final results will be announced in tomorrow's poll See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source By DAILY MAIL REPORTER Published: 07:00 EDT, 23 July 2026 \| Updated: 07:09 EDT, 23 July 2026 The maker of ChatGPT has admitted that a powerful version of its artificial intelligence program went rogue and hacked another technology firm. OpenAI was testing some of its latest models in a supposedly secure environment – known as a sandbox – when it lost control of them in an…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

@MagaGodJ blocked my personal account after WIRED made a request for comment. In a video from July 10, OnlyFans creator Master Joe wears a red MAGA hat while kicking and taunting one of his submissives, who is white and dressed in a “Harris-Walz 24” T-shirt. “Dumb fucking liberal,” MasterJoe says in the video, which he promoted on X as “SLAVE BEATING VIDEO 8 MIN LONG 50% OFF TODAY ONLY. ($50).” Several of the accounts promoting MAGA porn also post about incest, fetishize misogyny, and attempt to normalize rape. The pages are often tagged with telltale signs such #ILBAB (I love being a boy) and #BWC (big white cock) in their bios, with some referring…

Transcript Jeremy Edberg: Imagine I come to you and I say, we want to process millions of documents. We want to do it in a way that an AI will be able to learn from them and query against them. Imagine what that architecture would look like to you. You probably all have built this before, or something like it. It probably looks something like this. You're going to set up a service that's going to download the documents. You're going to put in a queue item or something. Then you're going to process the document and put it in the AI. Maybe you're going to use something like RabbitMQ to keep track of the work that needs to be done. Or maybe you're going…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

PEP 752 was accepted at the end of June. It lets an organisation apply to PyPI to reserve a package name prefix, after which new uploads matching that prefix are rejected unless they come from the grant holder. Existing packages are grandfathered. The motivation is impersonation: someone publishing malware as google-cloud-something or apache-something gets the vendor’s name in front of it. The PEP names four example prefixes: google-cloud-, opentelemetry-, apache-airflow-providers-, and types-. I pulled every package name from PyPI (912,665 of them, via ecosyste.ms) and counted prefixes. Those four account for 264, 271, 154, and 1,295 packages…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR An Android Authority teardown has revealed that Google is working on a Redact tool in Google Photos. This would allow users to “redact sensitive areas of your photos,” according to a code snippet. Google would be joining Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, and others in offering this functionality. There are times when we want to share images with other people but need to redact sensitive info in them first. Unfortunately, Google Photos only lets you scribble over the desired area with the Markup option. Thankfully, we’ve discovered that Google is working on a solution. You’re reading an Authority Insights story.…

Europe has hit Google with €890 million ($1 billion) fine for illegally abusing its search engine "gatekeeper" dominance against competition, the EU Commission said in a press release. The move is bound to stoke trade tensions between Europe and the United States after the Trump administration threatened tit-for-tat retaliation against what it called the EU's "unfair" trade policies. The EU Commission (EC) said Google used its dominant search engine position to unfairly boost its own shopping, travel, games and other services. It did so by displaying its own services up top while pushing rivals farther down in search results, the regulators added.…

Planes wait at gates at LaGuardia Airport in New York City on May 1, 2026. Leslie Josephs \| CNBC American Airlines further cut its 2026 earnings outlook, citing higher fuel costs, and sending shares in the U.S. airline that flies the most tumbling in premarket trading on Thursday. American said it could post an adjusted loss per share of as much as 65 cents up to earnings per share of 65 cents this year, below the range it estimated in April between a loss of 40 cents per share up to earnings of $1.10 a share. Fuel prices have been volatile even in the few short weeks of the U.S. airline earnings season that kicked off in July, which has clouded the…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Zenith Bank Plc has been named “Africa’s Best Bank” and “Nigeria’s Best Bank”, the latter for the second consecutive year, at the prestigious Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026, clinching the biggest and most coveted national and continental awards in banking. The awards were presented to the Bank on Thursday, 16 July 2026, at The Peninsula London Hotel, London. This dual recognition is a testament to the Bank’s sustained excellence in financial performance, customer service, digital innovation, and its contribution to economic development across Nigeria and the wider African continent. The Euromoney Awards for Excellence are among the most…

Income investors are facing a new environment now that Kevin Warsh is at the helm of the Federal Reserve — which presents them with some compelling opportunities, BlackRock's Rick Rieder told CNBC. He anticipates a higher-interest rate environment, but with less volatility for a longer period of time. "I think we're going to see lower forward guidance from the Fed, which people define as more volatility. I actually don't think that's right at all," said Rieder, BlackRock's chief investment officer for global fixed income. He believes the central bank will use more policy tools and focus less on the volatility of interest rates, as evidenced by Warsh…

Partnership champions the journeys of India's para-athletes and reinforces SBI Life's commitment to enabling individuals to pursue their aspirations with confidence MUMBAI, India , July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SBI Life Insurance, one of India's most trusted private life insurers, today announced the strengthening of its partnership with the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), becoming the 'Principal Partner' of the Indian Contingent for the 2026 para sports season. The company will act as the ' Official Life Insurance Partner' for the Indian Paralympic Contingent that will be heading to the upcoming Commonwealth Para Games 2026 in Glasgow and the…

Hong Kong is reaping rewards from a charm offensive with Malaysia as it works to enhance its attractiveness to global fundraising activities, with deals reached on Thursday during a visit to the Southeast Asian country by the city’s financial services secretary. Bursa Malaysia will become the 21st stock exchange recognised by the city’s bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), clearing the way for Malaysia-listed companies to pursue secondary listings in Hong Kong, according to separate statements from the government and HKEX. Malaysia’s bourse will be the fourth recognised in Asia, after the stock exchanges of Indonesia, Singapore and…

Frank Bisignano, Commissioner of the Social Security Administration and former chairman and CEO of Fiserv, speaks during an interview with CNBC on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., August 12, 2025. Brendan McDermid \| Reuters Internal Revenue Service chief Frank Bisignano may have lied to Congress about staffing issues as the tax agency races to hire after making deep personnel cuts at the beginning of the Trump administration, a group of Senate Democrats led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren alleged in a letter sent late Wednesday and shared exclusively with CNBC. Bisignano, who is also the Social Security Administration…

Parents are expected to spend a record $43.3 billion on back-to-school supplies for K-12 students, and a record $103.5 billion for college students, according to the National Retail Federation. getty The back-to-school forecast for this year sounds a bit like a tricky math problem that doesn’t quite add up. More parents are saying they are worried about the economy and their finances this year, but U.S. parents also are expected to spend more than ever on clothing and supplies for their K-12 and college students. How does that happen? The answer is parents feel getting their kids ready for school may be the most important spending they do all year,…

Türkiye's central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 37% on Thursday, in line with market expectations, as policymakers maintained a cautious approach to tackling inflation. The bank said it would continue to monitor inflation trends and domestic demand while keeping monetary policy tight until price stability is achieved. The Daily Sabah Newsletter Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world. SIGN ME UP You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

But it is a demand that could prove a step too far for voters in an election in September, and potentially bring down Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The prime minister, who once told a Holocaust survivor he would never cooperate with the Sweden Democrats, now says he has lifted those “red lines”. Sweden, the stalwart of European socialism for generations, has undergone a startling rightward shift in policy and public opinion in recent years, especially over immigration in a country where one person in five was born abroad. The number of asylum seekers last year was down 97% from the peak a decade ago. One of Europe’s most welcoming immigration…

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka. \| Photo Credit: ANI As the ongoing protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar refuse to die down, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday (July 23, 2026) said the Central Government has reiterated its commitment to dialogue, stating that it has extended multiple formal invitations to student representatives for discussions. *Follow Jantar Mantar protest LIVE updates on July 23* Mr. Singh, speaking to ANI, said it’s not a ‘prestige issue for the government’ and emphasised he along with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda are ready for discussions with the CJP, either…

An overview of Hyundai Motor Group's HTWO ENERGY Cheongju, a waste-to-hydrogen production and refueling facility in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group Korean firms are reconsidering whether to proceed with the investments in Canada that they had pledged as part of Seoul's bid for Ottawa's multibillion-dollar submarine procurement project after the Korean consortium lost the competition. Hanwha Ocean lost to Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) in the roughly 60 trillion won ($39.3 billion) competition to replace the Royal Canadian Navy's aging fleet of four Victoria-class submarines with up to 12 new…

Kemi Badenoch today challenged Andy Burnham to rule out tax rises to pay for his spending spree. The Tory leader condemned the new Prime Minister for floating a 'new expensive idea' on a daily basis, as she warned of a looming bill for taxpayers. She suggested Mr Burnham was a people pleaser who 'just wants to make people happy' and compared him to ex-Tory PM Liz Truss, who lasted just 44 days in power. Mrs Badenoch said Mr Burnham risked making the same error as Ms Truss, who set out expensive spending commitments but without saying how they would be paid for. Since formally becoming PM on Monday, Mr Burnham has announced a slew of policy measures…

Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar, Social Welfare Minister Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy and MA\&UD Minister P. Narayana inspect infrastructure works in Amaravati on Thursday. \| Photo Credit: G.N. Rao Ministers of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday (July 23, 2026) expressed satisfaction over the pace of construction works in Amaravati after inspecting key infrastructure projects in the capital city, saying that the development reflected the government’s commitment to building a world-class administrative and residential hub. Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P. Narayana, Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar and Social Welfare Minister…

Gianno Caldwell discusses his advocacy for public safety on the anniversary of his brother Christian's murder in Chicago. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Four years ago, I got the call no family should ever receive. My innocent teenage brother, Christian had been shot and killed on the streets of Chicago. He was just a kid, full of promise, full of life. Gone. This Saturday, I am going back. Not to mourn. To march. Chicago is the shining example of how soft-on-crime policies devastate families across our nation. It is the epicenter of a political failure so profound and so deliberate that its consequences have spread to cities all across…

Tension is brewing between the White House and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, sources say. The Secret Service is seeing a drastic increase in threats to the people it protects. Plus, how “The Odyssey” is helping reshape the moviegoing experience. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. Here’s what to know today. Tension between Markwayne Mullin and White House appears to be growing, sources say Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin speaks in Washington on July 17. Jim Lo Scalzo / Bloomberg via Getty Images There appears to be a growing tension between Homeland Security…

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy spoke on demand for resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Intermediate exam paper evaluation in BRS regime, Special Intensive Revision and other subjects. File \| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL Questioning Bharat Rashtra Samiti’s (BRS) silence on the demand for resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy alleged a tacit understanding between the BRS and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Referring to the Intermediate examination paper evaluation controversy during the previous BRS regime, Mr. Reddy alleged that 27 students had died by…

In his first official visit to Iran, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Tehran to conduct talks with Iranian officials. "We will meet with senior officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran to discuss issues of mutual interest, bilateral cooperation, regional developments, and ongoing efforts to consolidate security and stability across the region," the prime minister's office announced in a post on X. Al-Zaidi's visit to the Islamic Republic is his second foreign visit, with the first being to the US last week.

Anbumani Ramadoss. File \| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday (July 23, 2026) criticised the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) for refusing to direct Karnataka to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, and demanded that it be replaced with an empowered Cauvery Management Board. In a statement, Dr. Anbumani said the CWMA had accepted Karnataka’s claim that the available water was only sufficient for Bengaluru’s drinking water needs and had declined Tamil Nadu’s request to release water to protect kuruvai crops. He said Karnataka had released only 3.44 tmc ft. of the 28.30 tmc ft. due…

Albornoz faces possible sanction for confronting the referee after the final whistle at the end of a tempestuous encounter which England narrowly won 31-24 at Santiago del Estero. Argentina made a furious bid at a comeback in the final minutes but Gardner disallowed a late try for the Pumas that could have earned them an unlikely draw, infuriating some Argentine players, who immediately confronted the referee. Albornoz, who has been one of Argentina’s star players in recent years, had to be physically restrained by a coaching staff member and then a teammate as he remonstrated with the referee and angrily threw the ball into the ground. “In line…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 03: A view of a New York Mets logo on a bag before the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 03, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) Getty Images The New York Mets are preparing to offload almost all of the valuable assets they can ahead of the trade deadline, but several former players have already begun making decisions about their futures away from Queens. While the Mets continue evaluating ways to salvage some value from the season by trading away veteran pieces, one familiar left-hander has opted to leave affiliated baseball altogether rather than languish in the minors in hopes…

NEW DELHI: India's fast-bowling production line has unearthed another exciting prospect, with Rajasthan pacer Ashok Sharma making his international debut in the opening T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare on Thursday. The 24-year-old received his maiden India cap after a remarkable rise through domestic cricket and the IPL, as captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to field first in the opening match of the three-game series. Speaking after the toss, Iyer explained the decision to bowl first, citing the expected bounce on the Harare surface. "We are going to bowl first. This is my first time here, so I don't know how the wicket is going to play.…

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu Province could soon have its own world-class sports complex, with Governor Pamela Baricuatro revealing plans to build a premier facility in northern Cebu as part of her administration’s push to transform the province into a major sports tourism destination. During her speech at the launch of the Governor’s Cup Basketball Tournament 2026 in the Cebu Provincial Capitol on Thursday, July 23, Baricuatro said that Bogo City and Danao City have emerged as the two potential locations for the proposed sports hub. The facility is envisioned to rival the New Clark City Athletics Stadium and host […]...Keep on reading: Cebu sports…

Norway’s football chief has told The Times daily they are set to make a formal complaint to FIFA over the suspension of Folarin Balogun’s World Cup ban because it has put “the whole game at risk”. Lise Klaveness, the president of the Norwegian football federation (NFF), says she will seek the backing of her board to lodge the complaint with FIFA’s Ethics Committee over an incident that “should not have happened”. The NFF has already lodged a complaint over FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize to United States President Donald Trump by its chief, Gianni Infantino, which was widely ridiculed. “I will bring it to a board meeting and discuss with my board, and…

Chelsea attacker, Nicolas Jackson, is interested in joining Premier League side Aston Villa. According to the Daily Mail, Jackson is keen to reunite with his former manager Unai Emery at Villa Park. The Senegalese’s name reportedly came up during discussions between the two clubs over Morgan Rogers’ £117million move to Stamford Bridge. Aston Villa have admired Jackson for some time, with Emery keen on a reunion after managing him during their time together at Villarreal. While no agreement has been reached between the clubs, Jackson is understood to be open to the switch as Aston Villa continues exploring attacking reinforcements before the new season…

Robinson Ewor, Former Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers State has revealed that the sudden move of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to remove the Rivers Secretary to the State Government, SSG and the Chief of Staff were parts of the agreement the governor had with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike. DAILY POST recalls that Governor Fubara on February 26, sacked the SSG Benibo Anabraba and Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie. Speaking when he appeared on Arise TV on Thursday, Robinson Ewor said the removal of the SSG and the CoS were outcome of the negotiations between Wike and Fubara when at the end of the…

St Helens head coach Paul Rowley has stepped down from his position with the Super League club with immediate effect less than a year into the role. The 51-year-old joined the club before the 2026 season, having previously taken charge at Salford Red Devils, ending his tenure there after their financially-challenged 2025 campaign. Since joining Saints, however, the club have struggled for form and, with an injury crisis, are currently sixth in the table and six points behind leaders Leeds Rhinos. They have also lost six of their past 10 games in all competitions with Rowley's departure announced prior to Friday's derby against Wigan Warriors. "The…

‘Is this the end?’: The contract call that changed plagued new Wallaby’s fate Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA “I always knew he’d be diligent enough to get himself back.” That was what former Wallabies star Sam Cordingley declared when asked about Isaac Henry – the Reds star who received a shock call-up to the Australian squad on Thursday having overcome a series of career-threatening injuries. It was the outcome that was always destined for Henry, Cordingley believed, as long as he refused to allow his worrying health to seal his fate. Isaac Henry contemplated whether his…

Ideas are bulletproof. Cinema is an idea charged with the power of a thousand dreams. And, if the recent past few months are proof of anything, one film star can change the lives of millions and alter reality as we see it. After months-long troubles in the release due to controversies surrounding the issuance of a censor certificate, a legal battle, and a piracy attack, Jana Nayaganhas finally arrived in theatres. The film bids adieu to one of Tamil cinema’s most beloved stars, actor-turned-politician ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay, as the star himself announced during his election campaign. Within a few minutes of his introduction, Vijay lifts a fallen elder…

Elon Musk suggested he was open to giving Mel Gibson $100 million to film a realistic adaptation of The Odyssey entirely in Homeric Greek. The unusual proposal began coming together on Monday after a user on X wrote that he wanted Musk to give Gibson that nine-figure sum to 'film an Odyssey adaptation with painstakingly historically accurate ships, armour, weapons, and casting.' He insisted that all the dialogue had to be 'taken straight from the original poem and delivered in Homeric Greek.' About eight hours later, Musk replied with a simple message: 'I'm down.' Musk, who became the world's first ever trillionaire last month, has repeatedly…

If you love pop culture, there are few experiences as overwhelming as walking onto the show floor of San Diego Comic-Con. From left to right, top to bottom, well beyond where your eyes can see, thousands of artists, vendors, exhibitors, authors, shops, and more have booths chock-full of the coolest things imaginable. Whatever you like. Whatever is your niche. You will find it there, if you can find it there. The very, very good problem is it’s everything, everywhere, all at once. If you don’t go in with a plan, you could never ever find all the coolest things hiding around each corner, hanging on each peg, or displayed on each shelf. This year, io9…

This summer has been absolutely stacked with incredible fantasy shonen and manga adaptations leaving fans speechless. From Daemons of the Shadow Realm and Black Torch to Smoking Behind the Supermarket with Youand The Ghost in the Shell, there’s no shortage of stellar shows to lose yourself in. Even Chainsmoker Cat, a series all about poverty and addiction, is getting tons of praise this season despite being called “disgusting” on social media. There might be plenty of anime to watch right now, and even more to get excited for on the near horizon, including films like Grotesqqque and To You and Beyond or marquee series like Fool Night and Star Wars…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

An old-timey Land Rover, wellies, wild flowers, raincoats and copious amounts of champagne set the scene for the Highlands wedding of Bryony Daniels, the events organiser who was once linked to Prince William. Bryony, now 44, happily played the role of the future King's 'decoy' girlfriend during his time at the University of St Andrews to help keep his then-burgeoning romance with Kate under wraps. But Bryony, who was frequently pictured walking to class with William, has now found her own happily ever after as she married boyfriend Adair Williams during an intimate ceremony on her family's countryside Straithvaich estate last week. Sharing a…

Afrobeats star Michael Adebayo Olayinka, popularly known as Ruger, has said financial stability is not one of the requirements he looks out for in women because he is already rich. Speaking during a recent livestream with steamer Shank, Ruger said he has dated ladies who were not only unemployed but lazy. “A woman’s financial status doesn’t matter to me. I am rich. I have dated girls who didn’t make money before. They just sleep and wake up,” he said. Ruger said his ideal woman is “someone who is funny.” He said he is looking forward to settling down soon. “I keep ordering takeouts because there is no one at home to cook for me. That’s one of the…

Kiran Abbavaram and Ravi Namburii on the sets of ‘Chennai Love Story’ \| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement For a little more than a decade, Ravi Namburii honed his skills as a screenplay writer and associate director for several Telugu films. He now makes his debut as director with the Telugu film Chennai Love Story, releasing on July 24. Taking time off for this interview amid post production work in Hyderabad, Ravi describes his film as “an experimental love story”. The promos of the film featuring Kiran Abbavaram and Sri Gouri Priya have stoked curiosity with the promise of a layered, complex story. The story idea, Ravi says, came from director Sai…

SIMON MILLS: I was blindsided by my divorce then realised all my middle-aged friends' marriages are on the rocks too. A divorce coach reveals all the telling signs so many miss, only in the Morning Mail newsletter Get the full story for free in the Morning Mail newsletter HERE Plus the latest headlines and best stories, delivered to your inbox Stay updated on news, analysis and brilliant features in one five-minute read See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source By DAILY MAIL REPORTER Published: 06:03 EDT, 23 July 2026 \| Updated: 06:17 EDT, 23 July 2026 Simon Mills is a middle-aged, divorced man with an important question. When…

Coronation Street's Sean Wilson, 61, marries: Actor who played Martin Platt ties the knot with partner Carol in idyllic countryside wedding By CIARA FARMER Published: 05:55 EDT, 23 July 2026 \| Updated: 06:17 EDT, 23 July 2026 Coronation Street's Sean Wilson is married. The 61-year-old actor - who played Martin Platt in the ITV soap from 1985 until 2005, and had a brief stint in 2018 - and Carol married in a countryside wedding over the weekend. In pictures from their nuptials, posted on Facebook, Sean sported a dark blue suit and orange waistcoat, while Carol wowed in her white wedding dress. Another shot showed the happy couple as they kissed…

Rising costs force Amsterdam’s Kwaku festival to change July 23, 2026 Lauren Comiteau The festival in Amsterdam. Photo: Ramon van Flymen/ANP See more DutchNews articles in your Google search results See more DutchNews articles in your Google search results Add as a favourite source on Google Add DutchNews as a favourite source on Google Due to rising costs and regulatory pressure, this year’s Amsterdam Kwaku Summer Festival will be the last in its current form, its organizers have said. “Kwaku is more than a festival – it is a unique social phenomenon that has traditionally meant a great deal to many people,” the organisation said in a press release,…

Davina McCall dazzled in a silver disco-ball themed outfit as she went wild at her Begin Again rave on Wednesday morning. The presenter, 58, who married her husband Michael Douglas for a second time in a secret ceremony at their home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, earlier this year, looked to be letting her hair down at the bash. The star wowed in a silver plunging unitard and disco ball helmet as she danced around with fans during the fun-filled event. The event, which was the first ever Begin Again Coffee Rave, was in collaboration with health and wellness website, Rant \& Ramble Wellbeing. Davina captioned the post: 'WHAT. A. MORNING. The first-ever…

Kizito Ahamsjoined the call from Geneva, Switzerland. He had just come off a full day of meetings at a conference exploring the intersection of AI and the creative economy, agriculture, education, music, all of it. He was tired. He was also, unmistakably, still thinking. That combination, exhaustion and intellectual restlessness, turned out to be exactly the right entry point for a conversation about what it actually takes to build something like Afrocroiser from the ground up. Kizito is Mavin’s Senior Manager, Licensing and Publishing – and the person who conceived the idea for the camp nearly two years before the documentary dropped. By his own…

WEST BANK — On a hillside overlooking the Palestinian village of al-Mughayyir, a crowd of Israelis and Jewish visitors from abroad gathered for an inside look at how settlement works. They listened intently as Netanel, an Israeli settler-soldier in olive fatigues with a rifle strapped to his back, advertised his group’s impact in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. “It started with this hilltop,” he said, referring to the current settlement push that has crept ever closer to al-Mughayyir. “We ended up putting the area in Jewish hands. There are no Arabs here.” Netanel was speaking on a tour aimed at English-speaking Jews, some of whom expressed interest…

Today, rising star Nessa Barrett shares “Too Fast To Live, Too Young To Die,” the darkly romantic first taste of her forthcoming third album, Tough Love, arriving September 25th on Warner Records. A cinematic swirl of moody rock and shadowy pop, the new single embodies the inherent danger of new love, and the thrill of throwing caution to the wind. Listen HERE, pre-save Tough Love HERE. The album announce follows hot on the heels of Nessa’s acclaimed spring EP Jesus loves a primadonna and ahead of her arena dates opening the EU/UK leg and select U.S. dates of The Neighbourhood’s […]...Keep on reading: Nessa Barrett Drops New Single 'Too Fast to Live,…

Today, Multi-platinum selling singer, songwriter, producer and DJ Tinashe announces her 8th studio album, Popstar set for release September 25th – pre-order HERE. With Popstar Tinashe immerses her fans into her current era: one filled with defiant and unapologetic anthems, paired with high-energy, choreography filled visuals to match that continue to show off her innate ability to flawlessly blend genres and pave her own path. To coincide with the announcement, she shares a new single and music video for “Crash Out” – listen HERE. Produced by Couros, the single fuses snapping beats with Tinashe’s relaxed vocals to create an irresistible listen…

Today, Australian one-to-watch Oliver Cronin unveils his brand new EP Lost On The Way To Paradise via Warner Music Australia. Listen HERE. The seven-track collection hears Oliver Cronin at the most honest and vulnerable version of himself. Sonically placed in a pop and RNB soundscape, he’s continually pushing himself while holding onto the musical roots that have shaped his artistry. Led by the recent singles ‘Closure’, ‘7500 Miles’, and ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, Lost On The Way To Paradise is joined today by the autobiographical opener ‘My Story (intro)’, the romantic feel-good “I Feel You”, the stripped back “Poor Mallory”, and […]...Keep on reading: Oliver…

Shakira, center, with BTS / Captured from Shakira's social media Global pop star Shakira delighted fans after sharing a backstage photo with K-pop supergroup BTS and surprised fans with a Korean greeting following their performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show. The photo posted by Shakira on social media showed her posing arm in arm with BTS members backstage, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere. Both artists performed during the halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on earlier this week. BTS energized the crowd with its global hit “Dynamite,” while Shakira closed the show with her…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

The event styling team behind Bea Alonzo and Vincent Co’s intimate wedding revealed they only learned they were decorating the couple’s ceremony after completing the venue setup. In an Instagram post, H.Lopez Event Styling shared that they received an inquiry on the morning of July 13 asking if they were available to style an intimate event scheduled for the same day. “The peg was sent and without hesitation, we said YES!” the team wrote. READ: Newlywed Bea Alonzo gets sweet surprise visit from Heart Evangelista The stylists said the person who contacted them was the same client who had previously […]...Keep on reading: Bea Alonzo, Vincent Co’s secret…

The Trump administration is quietly considering a rule change that could make it easier for polluters to build facilities—including certain gas plants and diesel generators that power data centers—with little to no notice to the public. On Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency held a public hearing on a proposed rule change that would hand the power to states to decide how the public participates in the permitting process for certain new sources of air pollution. The proposed rollback comes as data centers face greater pushback across the US, with many communities using the permitting process to try to slow down development. Any changes could…

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has inaugurated the first phase of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria’s (FAAN) Sustainable Waste Management Programme and inspected the upgraded Pilgrims’ Terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. Mr Keyamo disclosed this on Thursday in a post on his official X page following the activities, which he conducted alongside the Chairman of the FAAN Board, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and the authority’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Olubunmi Kuku. The minister stated that the waste management initiative introduces colour-coded recycling bins…

Wildfires in Spain have forced authorities to evacuate several districts around the city of Toledo, 75 miles from the Spanish capital Madrid. It's one of many wildfires ravaging across western Europe as parts of southern France and Italy are also ablaze. In 2025, more than 393,000 hectares had been consumed by flames in Spain, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. It is the worst toll in the country's recent history, fuelled by extreme temperatures cause by climate change.

Burnham's mentor Lord Blunkett warns his 'land value tax' hammering London and the South East would take years to implement and cause fury By JAMES TAPSFIELD, UK POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 06:45 EDT, 23 July 2026 \| Updated: 06:58 EDT, 23 July 2026 Andy Burnham's political mentor has warned that his mooted 'land tax' would take many years to implement and cause fury in London and the South East. Lord Blunkett said imposing annual charges based on a percentage of the value of land would be 'politically problematic' and 'dislocate the system because of the winners and losers'. The warning comes amid predictions that switching from council tax and stamp…

Farmers busy in a ‘Kutki’ field in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh \| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement In the higher reaches of the Himalayas, an agricultural initiative is helping bring one of the region’s most prized medicinal plants back from the brink of extinction. Decades of destructive wild harvesting pushed Picrorhiza kurroa, known locally as Kutki, a herb used in medicinal formulations, onto the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Now, a sustainable cultivation model adopted by farmers in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district is showing promising signs of conserving the species while boosting the rural mountain…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

The most oversubscribed school in Phase 2B this year was Nanyang Primary School in Bukit Timah, with 52 children applying for 20 vacancies. The next two most oversubscribed schools were Ai Tong School in Bishan and Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School in Bukit Timah, with 51 applicants for 20 spaces and 46 applicants for 21 vacancies respectively. All three schools were also among the top five most oversubscribed schools in Phase 2B of the 2025 exercise. The two next most oversubscribed schools in 2026 were Holy Innocents’ Primary School in Hougang and Kong Hwa School in Mountbatten. MOE cut the Primary 1 intake for most schools earlier this year in…

Wife of the governor of Anambra State, Mrs Nonye Soludo has cried out over a fraudulent plan to gather women in Owerre Ezukala community of Orumba South Local Government Area under the guise of her visit to the community. The wife of the governor in a press release by Senior Media Aide to the Governor of Anambra State, Mr Ezeigwe Daniel said she was not aware the reason for the deception, but warned women not to gather as the message which is being circulated on various Whatsapp group is fake. The release read: “Our attention has been drawn to a message currently being circulated on certain WhatsApp groups claiming that Her Excellency, Dr. Mrs. Nonye…

This photo, taken in 2019, shows how extreme heat has dried up a lake in the village of Gabawan in Daraga, Albay, during a dry spell. —File photo by Mark Alvin Esplana MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III urges government agencies to shift from a reactive disaster response to proactive planning before the El Niño dry spell worsens, according to a House statement issued on Wednesday. “It’s about time, as we have already experienced the intense effect of El Niño on crop production, food security, and our economy. From 2023 to 2024, palay production dropped by 12 percent to 15 percent, leading to higher rice prices and affecting…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

A drunk teacher who downed several glasses of prosecco before crashing her Land Rover Discovery outside a primary school has been banned from driving. Leoni King, 37, had been celebrating a birthday with friends when she decided to get behind the wheel of her SUV - despite being more than three times over the limit. She smashed into railings outside Loose Primary School in Maidstone, Kent, after becoming distracted by a phone call from her husband. King then fled the scene and headed home as she started to 'panic about what would happen'. However the 37-year-old was recognised by someone she knew, who reported the crash to police. Officers arrived at…

Gemma Pensahan Tilucan, 32, a suspected former combatant and logistics officer for the communist New People’s Army, was arrested inside a military intelligence compound in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, on July 22. Photo courtesy of the 1st Bukidnon Provincial Mobile Force Company. CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — An alleged former logistics officer of the Maoist New People’s Army (NPA) wanted for murder was arrested inside a military intelligence compound in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon on Wednesday afternoon, July 22. In a press statement, the Police Regional Office-10 (PRO-10) identified the suspect as Gemma Pensahan Tilucan, 32, who is wanted for murder and…

The three accused persons put on trial by the Department of State Services, DSS), over the Orire scholl abduction, have pleaded guilty to membership of proscribed terrorist group. At their arraignment on terrorism charges on Thursday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar, also admitted guilt to concealling information on the planning and execution of the School children and teachers at Orire local government area of Osun state. However, only the first accused person, Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid pleaded guilty to…

True crime. Real justice. "48 Hours" is the one to watch on Saturday nights. How to watch "48 Hours" airs Saturdays at 10/9c on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Can't watch us live? Don't forget to record us! Watch more full episodes of "48 Hours" on Pluto TV, YouTube and Netflix. You'll also find us on CBS News 24/7 Saturdays from 4-10 p.m. ET. Download the CBS News app on your cellphone or connected TV. Watch "48 Hours" full episodes24/7: The "48 Hours" FAST Channel (free, advertiser-supported streaming) is available on CBSNews.com, Pluto TV, Paramount +, and Paramount partner channels. Coming up SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2026 \| DOUBLE FEATURE ENCORE:…

The Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala. The Special Investigation Team probing the Sabarimala gold theft case informed the Kerala High Court on Monday that a final report on the alleged misappropriation at the temple would be submitted at the earliest. The investigating agency notified the court that the final report on the alleged pilfering of gold from the door frame to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple would be filed within 30 days. The sanction to prosecute the accused officials would be obtained thereafter. Sabarimala gold theft case: SIT detains former TDB president P.S. Prasanth for questioning The final report on the offences registered against…

The son of a former mainland Chinese official has been jailed for six years and nine months for using deceptive means to secure residency in Hong Kong and laundering more than HK$64 million, including a bribe his father allegedly sought a decade ago. The District Court on Thursday sentenced Xiao Rui, 37, on four counts of money laundering and one of using false instruments for offences he committed between 2013 and 2023. Deputy Judge Bernard Chung Wai-keung said Xiao had undermined the effectiveness of a cash-for-residency scheme by deceiving the Immigration Department into granting him a two-year visa using two bogus bank statements. While…

The Federal High Court in Ibadan has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from proceeding with its planned investigation into the finances of the Oyo State Government, ruling that the anti-graft agency’s request amounted to a speculative “fishing expedition” rather than a lawful investigation based on specific allegations. Delivering judgement on Wednesday in suit FHC/IB/CS/61/2025 filed by the Oyo State Government, Justice Nkeonye Maha held that although the EFCC possesses statutory powers to investigate financial crimes, such powers must be exercised within the limits of the Constitution and the rule of law. The court…

INQUIRER FILES COTABATO CITY — Some P5.5 million worth of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) and smuggled cigarettes were seized by the Police Regional Office–Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) in two separate law enforcement operations in Lanao del Sur on Wednesday, July 22. Two suspects were arrested. Article continues after this advertisement In a buy-bust operation conducted in Barangay Lalabuan, Balindong (Wato), authorities arrested a suspected drug pusher identified only by the alias “Khalid.” READ:Search continues for 4 persons missing in Lanao del Sur landslide Confiscated from him were approximately 500 grams of suspected…

Public prosecutors on Thursday arrested the former president of a yakiniku barbecue restaurant chain on suspicion of evading income tax through the alleged misuse of a tax break designed to promote investments in startups. The 55-year-old former president of New Look, who goes by the name Shigenori Kanemoto, is suspected of evading some ¥367 million in income tax by concealing about ¥2.276 billion in income in 2023. The suspect sold his stake in New Look to another yakiniku chain, Amiyaki Tei, in April 2023. He invested the proceeds in a company managed by an acquaintance, using the so-called angel tax system, which exempts a portion of capital gains…

Markets Key Facts —The plan. Argentina’s economy minister, Luis Caputo, unveiled “Fiscal Innocence II,” a bill to coax dollars held outside the banking system back into the economy. —The prize. Caputo estimates Argentines keep about US$170 billion in cash outside the system — more than four times the dollars held in banks. —The pitch. Savers could deposit and use those dollars without explaining where they came from or facing tax penalties. —The change. The relaunch scraps the income and wealth caps that limited the first version, widening who can take part. —Why redo it. An earlier version, passed in December 2025, drew weak take-up and complaints…

In brief CertiK verified 52 "wrench attacks"—physical coercion of crypto holders—worldwide in the first half of 2026, up from 39 a year earlier. Recorded financial exposure jumped nearly 12-fold to $124.1 million, from $10.5 million in H1 2025. Europe accounted for 75% of cases, with France alone responsible for 33 of the 52 incidents. Violent, real-world attacks on crypto holders are escalating fast, and the money at stake has ballooned, according to a new report from blockchain security firm CertiK. The firm verified 52 "wrench attacks"—incidents in which criminals use violence or threats to force victims to hand over crypto—in the first half of…

Other Good MagSafe Wallets Photograph: Jacob Roach ESR Geo Wallet Stand: Apple’s Find My app lets you track your devices if they’re lost, and ESR’s Geo wallet has it built right into the wallet itself. This is the wallet I’ve been using for the past few weeks, and outside of its Find My capabilities, I love that it strikes a great balance between size and usability. ESR says it can hold up to three cards, but I’ve been using mine with four—three cards plus my ID—and I can get them all out easily. Although having a wallet with magnetic charging pins is weird—the Find My feature requires a battery that lasts three months—you can turn it off if you don’t…

Why Smart People Fall for Scams \| Money Moves with Jill Schlesinger Jill and Mark discuss a $50 million Ponzi scheme that ensnared dozens of investors with promises of big, risk-free returns. Then, they break down the emotional manipulation tactics scammers use to gain your trust and how to protect yourself as AI makes fraud more sophisticated and harder to spot than ever. Plus, a burned-out caller is desperate for a career reset and wonders how long she can afford to coast on her savings before figuring out her next move.

The European Union’s new sanctions package against Russia strengthens restrictions on the Russian defense industry, financial and energy sectors and, for the first time, introduces an EU entry ban for Russian military personnel who took part in the war against Ukraine. This was stated by Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the Ukrainian President’s Commissioner for Sanctions Policy, in comments to Ukrinform. “The main conclusion from the adoption of the 21st sanctions package is that the European Union has once again demonstrated that it is capable of reaching compromises and continuing pressure. Of course, there were disputes: some partners again tried to politicize…

SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- The foreign ministry plans to change all diplomats' email addresses to prevent potential misuse following a data breach at an affiliated think tank, according to people close to the matter Thursday. The personal information of all diplomats was presumed to have been leaked due to the data breach at an online education system run by the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA), in a suspected hacking that went unnoticed for 10 months until February this year. The system had about 10,000 personal data records, most of which are believed to have been exposed in the hack. The ministry is concerned that compromised data could be…

Last year, thousands of customers at one of the UK's biggest banking groups were locked out of their accounts. This cut people off from their own money, leading to declined cards, missed payments. Gary Ellison Social Links Navigation VP Head of Data \& AI at Valtech. Across the UK, major banks and building societies racked up more than 800 hours of unplanned tech and systems outages last year. That's more than a month of disruption spread across the financial services millions of people rely on every day. I don't believe this is bad luck or just a one-off error. It's something deeply structural and predictable. And it won’t fix itself. Latest Videos…

Bitcoin (BTC) is “finally showing signs of a bottom,” but the next bull market will have a different source. Key points: TradFi integrations, particularly Hyperliquid and Robinhood, will drive the next crypto bull market, says Bitwise’s Matt Hougan. The resulting tide should “lift” the largest cryptocurrencies with it, including Bitcoin and Ether. Apparent demand for BTC is already showing signs of reversal, per Bitwise data. Hyperliquid, Robinhood catalyst to “lift most of” crypto sector In a blog post on Wednesday, Matt Hougan, chief investment officer at crypto asset manager Bitwise, revealed his picks for what will “lift” BTC price action going…

MANILA, Philippines — In recent weeks, the Pax Silica project has become among the most talked-about topics in the country, with the government describing it as a long-term investment that will spur economic expansion. However, civil society groups have been protesting the establishment of the 1,619-hectare (4,000-acre) economic security zone under the Luzon Economic Corridor. They […]...Keep on reading: Myths vs facts: BCDA defends controversial Pax Silica project

In brief AFX Trade, a perpetuals exchange on Arbitrum, was drained of about $24 million in an exploit that hit a USDC bridge the protocol itself operates. The exchange said the breach was isolated to that bridge and the exact attack vector is still under investigation; on-chain trackers say the funds were swapped for 12,468 ETH. AFX has halted the bridge and publicly offered the attacker a deal—return 70% of the funds and keep the rest as a "white hat bounty." AFX Trade, a decentralized perpetuals exchange on Arbitrum that settles in the stablecoin USDC, was drained of $24.15 million on Wednesday in an exploit that hit a bridge the protocol operates,…

Members of the European Union on Thursday agreed to impose a new round of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine after weeks of negotiations. The 21st round of the package was held up by lots of objections by member states to various proposed elements. The agreement was reached after weeks of debates, with some members expressing concern that certain restrictions could cause greater harm to the EU economy than to the Russian economy. The deadlock was overcome after Greece was granted an exemption allowing one of its shipping firms to carry on transporting Russian liquefied natural gas from the Arctic. What does the 21st ⁠sanctions package…

A Ford logo is seen at the New York International Auto Show Press Preview, in Manhattan, New York City, on March 27, 2024. David Dee Delgado \| Reuters China automaker Geely will build electric vehicles at a Ford Motor plant in Spain under a new manufacturing joint venture in Europe, the companies announced Thursday. Pending regulatory approvals, the companies said the joint venture will begin operations in the first half of 2027, with the first new vehicles scheduled to roll off the line in 2028. The Valencia, Spain, plant will continue to produce the Ford Kuga in the meantime, according to a news release. The companies said Ford will own 66% of the…

In Europe, the rise in gas prices due to the Iran war has car buyers thinking about electrics more than ever before. Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales were up more than 33 percent in the first half of 2026 compared to the same time last year, according to data published by European consultancies and nongovernmental organizations this month. The same has not happened in the US. Electric sales are up by nearly 15 percent in the second quarter of the year compared to the first. But the overall number of EVs sold is still small. They're lagging well behind the optimistic projections made before the Trump administration reversed federal support for the…

TELO's electric mini pickup is about the same size as BMW's MINI Cooper. TELO Twenty years ago this month, Tesla introduced itself to the world with the electric Roadster, the $100,000 sports car that kickstarted the modern EV era. Now the company’s two original founders are betting on TELO, an EV startup with an aesthetic rebuttal to Tesla’s brutalist Cybertruck swagger. Rather than start with another compact crossover chasing Tesla’s top-selling Model Y, San Carlos, California-based TELO – located in the same Silicon Valley office park where Tesla was headquartered when it launched the Roadster – is coming to market with a whimsical truck roughly…

The fastest-selling second-hand cars are all either electric or hybrid models, according to the latest market data. Autotrader says the ten vehicles with the fastest sale times on its platform do not include a single petrol or diesel car for the first time on record. Eight of the quickest-to-sell used motors are full EVs. This compares with just four in the same month last year, with the car sales website saying the trend 'reflects strengthening demand in the used EV market' in recent months. Without question, volatile fuel prices triggered by conflict in the Middle East have inflated appetite for EVs. But Autotrader says improved affordability and…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

If you're an American moving to Italy and want to continue driving here, you'll eventually have to retake your driver's test. These are a few of the main differences between the two countries you should be aware of. If you’re moving to Italy from the United States, you will need to resit your driving test in order to get a valid driving license here. You will only be allowed to drive in Italy on your valid, non-expired US license for 12 months. The one-year grace period begins when you apply for residency in Italy. During this time, you're allowed to drive in Italy on your US driver's license as long as it's accompanied by an international driver's…

LUCENA CITY — A motorcycle back-rider died while two others were injured when their vehicles collided on Wednesday, July 22, in Sariaya town, Quezon province. The Quezon Police Provincial Office, in a belated report on Thursday, said the mishap happened along a national road in Barangay Lutucan 1 at around 5:30 p.m. Article continues after this advertisement Motorcycle driver “Jerome,” a minor and Grade 11 student, and his pillion rider, “Michael,” 26, were about to turn left when their vehicle was accidentally sideswiped by another motorcycle ridden by “Jeffrey.” READ: 2 motorcyclists, 2 pedestrians dead in Quezon accidents The three riders were…

Mercedes-Benz India today finally launched the new Mercedes-AMG E 53 Performance sedan in the Indian market. It’s offered in two variants: Performance Edition priced at Rs 1.45 crore and Racing Edition priced at Rs 1.48 crore (both prices ex-showroom). The E 53 nameplate has made its way back to India, returning as a plug-in hybrid sedan after its previous stint in the market as a Cabriolet. In India, the new Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid doesn’t have a direct rival. In terms of pricing and positioning, the BMW M3 Competition and Audi RS5 Sportback are its closest alternatives. The Mercedes-AMG E 53 is powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline…

Paul Jones / Android Authority Last year’s Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 was a remarkably well-built phone, with the lack of S Pen support perhaps being the only blemish on a notably upgraded hardware package. Still, spec enthusiasts were perhaps left wondering whether the $2,000 asking price was too steep, given that the less expensive Galaxy S25 Ultra and now the Galaxy S26 Ultra offer faster charging, longer battery life, and superior camera specs. Samsung appears to have heard the call. For those clamoring for even more hardware, we now have two booklet Samsung foldables to pick from — the Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra. Perhaps the only drawback is that…

A few years ago, I experienced a nasty power outage that lasted over a week. Back then, I was one of the lucky ones. My power was restored earlier than others, as some had lost it for much longer. That's when I decided I needed an emergency preparedness plan for the next time I experienced an extended outage — or during a travel emergency. Thankfully, I spent time working through that, and it came in clutch during my recent two-day outage that happened two weeks ago. I also ensured my wonderful Android phone remained reliable throughout the duration of it — and here's what I did to make that happen. Related Now I don't need to charge it before going…

A reduction in VAT from 5% to 0% will be applied to domestic electricity bills on the Isle of Man from October, the government has confirmed. The move mirrors the measure outlined in the UK, which is expected to be in place until the end of the 2026-27 financial year. Manx Utilities said, while the amount saved will vary depending on electricity usage during the period, removing VAT would save a typical household about £50 per year. The Treasury said the overall reduction in VAT revenue collected as a result of the change would be between £1 million and £1.4 million, depending on consumption during the winter. The reduction was announced in the UK…

Topline Global oil prices soared above $98 per barrel on Thursday as Iran-backed Houthi militants targeted Saudi Arabian tankers in the Red Sea, marking the latest escalation in the U.S.-Iran war as Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tehran is not ready to make a deal. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed they attacked two Saudi tankers attempting to cross through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images Key Facts The global benchmark Brent Crude futures index soared to $98.45 per barrel on Thursday, up from around $90 at the start of the week. Oil prices are now approaching the highest level they have been in over two…

Crude oil is a key ingredient in petrol and diesel, which means that higher wholesale costs make filling up a car more expensive. Analysts say every $10 (£7.53) increase in the oil price pushes up pump prices by roughly 7p a litre. Since the war began, the price of a barrel of Brent crude – the global benchmark for wholesale oil prices – has been very volatile. Before the conflict, Brent was about $70 a barrel, but the conflict saw it peak at above $120. In early July, after the framework deal was signed, prices fell back to near the $70 a barrel mark, but have climbed back up again since to around $98 a barrel.

Iran vowed on Thursday to keep striking the region so long as it remains under attack, as the Middle East war spread to new fronts with Tehran's Houthi allies attacking Saudi shipping in the Red Sea. The war resumed following a ceasefire that lasted just a few weeks, throwing the region and global energy markets back into chaos as Iran and the United States battle for control of the vital Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis this week joined the conflict, claiming to have struck two Saudi oil tankers after declaring a blockade of Saudi ports. Meanwhile, Jordan and Kuwait both reported intercepting strikes as Iran's military and Revolutionary Guards claimed…

Energy Key Facts —The law. Chile’s Congress cleared a new electricity tariff-protection law on 22 July 2026, sending it to be enacted. —The key change. When the power fails, distributors — not customers — must pay the compensation owed for outages, reversing an earlier arrangement. —The scandal. Under a 2024 tariff calculation, 21 of Chile’s 26 distribution companies had passed the cost of those compensations on to users. —The backdrop. The law lands amid winter storms that have again cut power to homes, and a lingering saga over errors in electricity bills. —The aim. It also seeks to lower regulated tariffs, tidy up the tariff-setting process and…

For decades, the Strait of Hormuz has been the world's most critical oil gateway, with millions of barrels of crude passing through it every day. But repeated disruptions to oil supplies across the globe have exposed just how vulnerable that dependence is, prompting Gulf nations to resort to an ambitious network of pipelines designed to move oil without relying on the narrow waterway. From UAE to Iraq, governments and state-owned energy companies are accelerating projects worth billions of dollars to create alternative export routes linking oilfields to ports on the Gulf of Oman, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. According to government officials,…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Energy Key Facts —The deal. Fluxus, controlled by Brazil’s Batista brothers, bought A\&B Oil and Gas, giving it 49% of Petrolera Roraima, a joint venture with Venezuela’s PDVSA. —The asset. Roraima was once run by ConocoPhillips; in 2024 Venezuela granted it 25-year production rights. PDVSA holds the other 51%. —The wave. Reported by Bloomberg on 22 July 2026, it is the third such deal in a week, with more expected before a 28 July deadline. —The opening. The deals follow US sanctions relief: OFAC issued general licences in early 2026 allowing certain Venezuelan-oil activities. —The players. Joesley and Wesley Batista control meatpacker JBS and…

Track and intensity forecast of Tropical Depression Kiyapo as of 5 p.m. on July 23, 2026. Image from DOST / Pagasa MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 was raised over parts of Northern Luzon due to Tropical Depression Kiyapo on Thursday afternoon, the state weather bureau said. In the 5 p.m. bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the following areas are placed under TCWS No.1: READ: Pagasa: Wind Signal No. 1 raised over parts of N. Luzon due to Kiyapo Article continues after this advertisement Batanes Cagayan including Babuyan Islands Isabela Apayao Abra…