The Guardian

Justice department asks court to unseal Epstein grand jury transcripts after Trump files libel suit against Murdoch – live Officials ask judge to release documents shortly after president files libel suit against Dow Jones, News Corp, Murdoch and two Wall Street journal reporters * Trump sues Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch for libel * Tulsi Gabbard calls for Obama to be prosecuted over 2016 election claims It was a friendship that spanned three different decades. To Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein was a “terrific guy”. Epstein believed himself to be Trump’s “closest friend”, and praised the future president as “charming”. The relationship would eventually break down, the men falling out over a bidding war on a property in Florida. And after Epstein was convicted of child sex offences in 2008, Trump distanced himself from the financier, claiming he was “not a fan” and wondering, in recent days, why his supporters would “waste time and energy” on demanding that FBI and Department of Justice files on Epstein be released. Continue reading...

Justice department asks court to unseal Epstein grand jury transcripts after Trump files libel suit against Murdoch – live

Company says investigation under way into footage of couple at Coldplay gig Video at the concert showed Astronomer’s married CEO with his arms around its head of human resources Astronomer, the company at the center of the Coldplay scandal in which its CEO was caught canoodling with its chief human resources officer, has finally issued a statement on the matter. More than 24 hours after a Jumbotron camera at a Coldplay concert in Boston, Massachusetts, caught the software company’s married CEO, Andy Byron, with his arms around the company’s HR head, Kristin Cabot, Astronomer has responded to the incident which has taken the internet by storm. Continue reading...

Company says investigation under way into footage of couple at Coldplay gig

Writers’ union urges investigation into Paramount move to cancel Colbert show Writers Guild of America requests New York attorney general investigate ‘potential wrongdoing’ after shock cancellation The Writers Guild of America has called on New York state officials to launch an investigation into Paramount following its sudden decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In a strongly worded statement issued on Friday, the Writers Guild of America East and the Writers Guild of America West asked New York state attorney general Letitia James to investigate Paramount over “potential wrongdoing” after the company announced the cancellation of the ‘Late Show’ on Thursday. Continue reading...

Writers’ union urges investigation into Paramount move to cancel Colbert show

Trump sues Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch for libel Lawsuit filed in Miami federal court comes after president threatened to sue over Jeffrey Epstein letter report Donald Trump filed a lawsuit on Friday against Dow Jones, News Corp, Rupert Murdoch and two Wall Street Journal reporters, raising claims under federal libel law, court records show. A copy of the complaint was not immediately available. The case was filed in Miami federal court. Continue reading...

Trump sues Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch for libel

Faced with a choice between saving his own skin and the lives of others, Netanyahu always chooses himself | Jonathan Freedland If Israel’s prime minister accepts a ceasefire deal soon, it will only be because the timing suits him. He, like his country, will face a reckoning, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland

Faced with a choice between saving his own skin and the lives of others, Netanyahu always chooses himself | Jonathan Freedland

More violence erupts in Syria’s Druze heartland as tribal groups reinforce local Bedouin UN calls for end to ‘bloodshed’ which has claimed at least 638 lives since Sunday, according to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Armed tribes supported by Syria’s Islamist-led government clashed with Druze fighters in the community’s Sweida heartland on Friday, a day after the army withdrew under Israeli bombardment and diplomatic pressure. The United Nations called for an end to the “bloodshed” and demanded an “independent” investigation of the violence, which has claimed at least 638 lives since Sunday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Continue reading...

More violence erupts in Syria’s Druze heartland as tribal groups reinforce local Bedouin

Trump worked to kill a story about his friendship with Epstein. Now we know why | Margaret Sullivan The president is reportedly ‘on a warpath’ over a story in the Wall Street Journal – controlled by Trump’s top media ally

Trump worked to kill a story about his friendship with Epstein. Now we know why | Margaret Sullivan

Martin Rowson on ructions in the Labour party – cartoon Diane Abbott is the latest Labour MP to be suspended as Keir Starmer attempts to reassert his grip on backbenchers

Martin Rowson on ructions in the Labour party – cartoon

‘Gangster granny’ leader of family crime gang jailed for dealing drugs worth £80m Deborah Mason, 65, who had moniker ‘Queen Bee’, and seven members of her network sentenced to total of 106.5 years A family-run organised crime group, orchestrated by a 65-year-old described by police as a “gangster granny”, has been sentenced for dealing drugs with a street value of £80m across the UK. Deborah Mason, who had the moniker “Queen Bee”, and seven other members of the gang, were sentenced to a total of 106.5 years at Woolwich crown court in London on Friday for their involvement in supplying nearly a tonne of cocaine over seven months. Continue reading...

‘Gangster granny’ leader of family crime gang jailed for dealing drugs worth £80m

The Diane Abbott row shows how impoverished Britain’s conversations about race have become | Jason Okundaye We should be able to discuss the different ways in which minorities are racialised in a thoughtful – and sometimes confronting – way, says Guardian writer Jason Okundaye

The Diane Abbott row shows how impoverished Britain’s conversations about race have become | Jason Okundaye

Spain v Switzerland: Women’s Euro 2025 quarter-final – live * Euro 2025 quarter-final news from the 8pm BST kick-off * Jonathan Liew on England | And you can email Sarah Montse Tomé, Spain’s coach, has said: We know it’s an important quarter-final, and we’re focused on what we need to do. The team is ready, we have a clear plan to attack Switzerland and defend against their fast transitions. We’re eager for the match to begin. We know we’ll be playing away with a crowd supporting Switzerland, but we’re focused on our work and preparation. The players will have their minds on the game plan, and that will help us compete. Continue reading...

Spain v Switzerland: Women’s Euro 2025 quarter-final – live

UK health officials issue warning over cosmetic jabs after 38 botulism cases UKHSA says dozens of poisonings linked to unlicensed Botox-like jabs have been reported across England People seeking cosmetic procedures have been warned to be on their guard by public health experts as they revealed there have been 38 recent cases of botulism poisoning in England linked to unlicensed Botox-like jabs. The UK Health Security Agency said on Friday that cases were first reported in the north-east, with others subsequently reported in the east of England and East Midlands. All were reported between 4 June and 14 July 2025. Continue reading...

UK health officials issue warning over cosmetic jabs after 38 botulism cases

I’m an expert on ageing. Here’s what I know about thriving in later life | Kerry Burnight I scoured longevity research on wellbeing – and the deeper I dug, the more I recognized a profound underlying pattern

I’m an expert on ageing. Here’s what I know about thriving in later life | Kerry Burnight

The best gins for G&Ts, martinis and negronis, from our taste test of 50 From sustainable and low-alcohol tipples to Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre’s surprisingly sippable bottle, these are the gins worth your time – and tonic

The best gins for G&Ts, martinis and negronis, from our taste test of 50

Trump’s endless toying with conspiracy theories has finally come back to bite him | Moira Donegan The president has long exploited useful fictions embraced by his supporters. Now he’s trying to change the narrative

Trump’s endless toying with conspiracy theories has finally come back to bite him | Moira Donegan

Angela Rayner tells Labour to ‘step up’ and make case for being in power Exclusive: Deputy PM defends action against party rebels and says Send system for children is priority, in Guardian interview * From NHS to Send: the key areas Labour wants to improve before next election Angela Rayner has urged Labour colleagues to “step up” and make the case for why the party should be in power as the government attempts to draw a line under a tumultuous first year in office and shift towards a more upbeat approach. The deputy prime minister urged Labour MPs to focus on the party’s achievements over the last 12 months rather than always thinking about failures, adding they should all be “message carriers” for what had been done well. Continue reading...

Angela Rayner tells Labour to ‘step up’ and make case for being in power

The Estate review – Adeel Akhtar is unmissable as ferociously ambitious MP Shaan Sahota’s play sets a British-Sikh politician’s schemes against his family betrayal – a tremendous debut from a writer of huge promise

The Estate review – Adeel Akhtar is unmissable as ferociously ambitious MP

‘I’ve not got a problem with making myself look disgusting’: the wild rise of Diane Morgan From Avon lady to TikTok superstar, Diane Morgan has become a global comedy darling. As her ‘disgusting’ show Mandy returns, she talks about why she almost asked the BBC to pull it – and why she pretends to be a robot for an hour a day

‘I’ve not got a problem with making myself look disgusting’: the wild rise of Diane Morgan

Lammy announces exposure of 18 Russian spies after UK cyber-attacks Foreign secretary says two agents were involved in planting spyware on a device used by poisoning victim Yulia Skripal The UK has exposed 18 Russian spies and their units responsible for cyber-attacks in Britain and hacking one of the victims of the Salisbury poisonings, David Lammy, the foreign secretary, has said. Announcing individual sanctions, Lammy said Russia had targeted media, telecoms providers, political and democratic institutions and energy infrastructure in the UK in recent years. Continue reading...

Lammy announces exposure of 18 Russian spies after UK cyber-attacks

Mutant seabirds, sewer secrets and a lick of art ice-cream: Folkestone Triennial review Various venues The salty nooks of this harbour town are the setting for a bleakly brilliant coastal festival taking in migrants’ plight, water pollution, burial urns – and some sweet relief

Mutant seabirds, sewer secrets and a lick of art ice-cream: Folkestone Triennial review

Explosion at LA law enforcement training facility kills three people Pam Bondi says federal agents at scene of explosion as reports say three killed were sheriff’s deputies An explosion at a law enforcement training facility in Los Angeles has killed at least three people. The US attorney general, Pam Bondi, told reporters that federal agents were at the scene of Friday’s explosion and were working to learn more. She said her information came from US attorney Bill Essayli’s office, whose jurisdiction includes Los Angeles. Continue reading...

Explosion at LA law enforcement training facility kills three people

‘We painted, sang songs’: the Russian woman found living in Indian cave with daughters Nina Kutina told police she moved to forest with girls, aged four and six, to get away from modern urban life

‘We painted, sang songs’: the Russian woman found living in Indian cave with daughters

Sam Allardyce mystery mural gains former England manager’s approval Portrait of ex-West Ham boss eating orange chips in the centre of his home town of Dudley puzzles locals Why a 10ft mural of the former football manager Sam Allardyce eating orange, battered chips has appeared in his home town of Dudley is something of a mystery. The man himself however is chuffed. “Just seen the mural,” he said in a video message to ITV News. “Absolutely privileged to be honest with you, I thought it was a very good likeness. Continue reading...

Sam Allardyce mystery mural gains former England manager’s approval

Catalogue of failures led to woman’s murder in Bristol care home, coroner finds Managers described as ‘reckless’ over supervision of Melissa Mathieson’s killer, who had history of sexual violence A “catalogue of failures” resulted in the murder of a vulnerable young woman who was strangled to death in a care home by a fellow resident with a history of sexual violence, a coroner has concluded. Senior managers at the care home in Bristol where Melissa Mathieson, 18, died were described as “reckless” by the coroner for not effectively supervising her killer, Jason Conroy. Continue reading...

Catalogue of failures led to woman’s murder in Bristol care home, coroner finds

Are collagen shots and supplements really the secret to youthful skin? Treatments to boost the protein are all the rage, but the evidence is uncertain and any results could be short-lived

Are collagen shots and supplements really the secret to youthful skin?

Trump launches fresh defense of inaction in Epstein case following report he sent birthday letter Trump has been under scrutiny from his base after his administration said it would not be releasing any further Epstein documents * US politics live – latest updates Donald Trump on Friday morning launched a fresh defense of his conduct in the Jeffrey Epstein case after the scandal deepened on Thursday following a Wall Street Journal report that he’d written the sex offender a bawdy note with a sketch of a naked woman. “If there was a ‘smoking gun’ on Epstein, why didn’t the Dems, who controlled the ‘files’ for four years, and had Garland and Comey in charge, use it? BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING!!!” Trump said in a Truth Social post early on Friday. Continue reading...

Trump launches fresh defense of inaction in Epstein case following report he sent birthday letter

What’s causing chaos at the Maga conspiracy club? | Fiona Katauskas It’s unbelievable!

What’s causing chaos at the Maga conspiracy club? | Fiona Katauskas

The end of Stephen Colbert’s Late Show is a concerning nail in the coffin for comedy | Jesse Hassenger The long-running US television staple is coming to an end, signalling the slow death of late-night comedy and the worrying cultural power of Trump

The end of Stephen Colbert’s Late Show is a concerning nail in the coffin for comedy | Jesse Hassenger

The long road to tragedy at the Texas girls camp where floods claimed 27 lives A 2018 county meeting foretold the Texas flood that overwhelmed the summer camp for girls

The long road to tragedy at the Texas girls camp where floods claimed 27 lives

Man arrested in Glasgow for holding sign allegedly supportive of Palestine Action Arrest under the Terrorism Act happened after the man refused to stop displaying the sign when asked by police A man has been arrested in Glasgow for holding a paper sign allegedly supportive of the proscribed direct action group Palestine Action, the third arrest of its kind across the city in the past week. Police Scotland confirmed that the 64-year-old man, who had been speaking to small group of protesters gathered at Nelson Mandela Place in the city centre on Friday afternoon, had been arrested in connection with an offence under the Terrorism Act “for displaying a sign expressing support for a proscribed organisation”. Continue reading...

Man arrested in Glasgow for holding sign allegedly supportive of Palestine Action