US supreme court allows Trump to keep building $400m White House ballroom 31. August 2026 (23:59) Justices’ 5-4 ruling permits Trump administration appeal to block lower court order halting above-ground workA divided US supreme court has permitted Donald Trump to continue building his controversial $400m White House ballroom despite legal challenges, raising the likelihood it will be completed.In a 5-4 ruling, the justices permitted the Trump administration’s request to block a lower court order which had halted above-ground construction of the project while a lawsuit by a historic preservation group seeks to block it. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
North Carolina teenager dies from rare infection caused by brain-eating amoeba 31. August 2026 (23:34) Naegleria fowleri is commonly found in warm freshwater, and if it enters through the nose, can cause brain damageA North Carolina teenager has died after contracting a rare and often fatal brain-eating amoeba.The state’s health department (NCDHHS) confirmed the boy’s death on Monday, saying: “NCDHHS has been informed that the teen who developed a rare illness, caused by Naegleria fowleri died on Aug. 31, 2026. We extend our condolences to the family, friends and community impacted by this loss.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Remote Grand Canyon lodge hit by deadly flash flood boasts fabled history 31. August 2026 (23:12) Phantom Ranch, set up by Teddy Roosevelt, has welcomed exhausted hikers to its famed cabins for over a centuryTwo dead and at least 15 missing in Grand Canyon flash floodPhantom Ranch has been a solitary refuge visited by some of the most famous names of history. More typically, it’s been a beacon for the half-collapsed, exhausted and overheated hikers trudging down the Grand Canyon for more than a century.The sole lodge at the very bottom of the Grand Canyon, the cabins long had a near mythical reputation. Located along the Bright Angel Creek, which tumbles into the mighty Colorado River at the base of the canyon, they served as a reminder of the long history of one of America’s most spectacular but savage environments. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Conservative reshuffle: who’s who in Kemi Badenoch’s top team? 31. August 2026 (20:45) From a darling of the Tory right to a moderate former army officer, we profile the key playersAndrew Griffith and Tom Tugendhat join Badenoch’s top team in Tory reshuffleKemi Badenoch has kicked off the return to parliament with a reshuffle of her top team in order to take on Andy Burnham and Reform UK. She has made sweeping changes to the shadow cabinet and ruthlessly axed her shadow chancellor. Here is a run-down of the new characters sitting across from Labour on the opposition frontbench. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Turkish deep-sea search vessel joins efforts to retrieve 20 still missing after Cyprus ferry disaster 31. August 2026 (20:37) TCG Isin expected to play vital role in locating Filo Jet’s voyage data recorder 514 metres below surfaceA deep-sea search and rescue vessel is on its way to Cyprus as Turkey joins efforts to retrieve the 20 people still missing after a passenger ferry capsized off the island’s northern coast.The TCG Isin will join the vast operation to find survivors after the high-speed ferry sank on Sunday barely four nautical miles outside the port town of Kyrenia. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Kalshi bans ex-congressman George Santos from prediction platform for life 31. August 2026 (20:26) Santos was accused of profiting from bets tied to his attendance at Trump’s State of the Union addressGeorge Santos, the former Republican congressman whose political career collapsed under a mountain of lies, has become the first person ever handed a lifetime ban by the prediction-market platform Kalshi.The company announced the permanent suspension on Monday, along with a $71,356 fine, after federal regulators accused Santos of profiting from bets tied to his own attendance at Donald Trump’s State of the Union address earlier this year. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
More public control is only way to grow UK economy, Burnham to tell MPs 31. August 2026 (20:13) Exclusive: Prime minister wants to ‘bring back hope’ by tackling cost of living as MPs call for electoral reformAndy Burnham will drive home his pledge to bring more essential services back into public control, telling MPs in the Commons on Tuesday that it will be the only way to improve growth across the country.Burnham will address the house for the first time in 16 years from the frontbench, and six weeks since he became prime minister, after spending the summer recess announcing a slew of policies that will now be put before MPs. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Congressional nominee Brad Lander heckled over Israel stance at New York protest 31. August 2026 (20:03) Lander screamed at and verbally abused as he protested against Hindu nationalist rally in Madison Square GardenThe New York Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander was screamed at and verbally abused by protesters over his stance on Israel as he protested against a Hindu nationalist politician speaking outside Madison Square Garden.As Lander attended a demonstration on Saturday against the event, organized by the Hindu nationalist RSS movement and where Mohan Bhagwat, leader of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was speaking, he was confronted by several protesters demanding that he leave the rally. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Police appeal after unidentified woman’s body found in Liverpool park 31. August 2026 (19:58) Body of victim thought to be in her 70s found in bin bag in walled garden area of Stanley Park on FridayPolice in Liverpool have urged members of the public to come forward with information after the body of an unknown woman believed to be in her 70s was found in a black bin bag in a popular park.Merseyside police were contacted by a passerby who had found the woman’s body in Stanley Park, in the Anfield area of Liverpool, at about 5.25pm on Friday 28 August. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump says datacenter opponents ‘want to end up being backwards and poor’ 31. August 2026 (19:32) Three-quarters of Americans said in a recent poll that they oppose datacenters being built next to their homesDonald Trump has criticized communities pushing back against datacenter projects across the US amid a growing backlash, warning those that reject them risk becoming “backwards and poor”.As controversy surrounding local datacenter plans continues to swirl around election campaigns nationwide ahead of November’s midterm elections, the US president declared Americans “will only have yourselves to blame” if they are canceled. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
