Video game maker EA bought by Saudi-led group for $55bn 05. August 2026 (08:34) Company acquired in deal involving Affinity Partners, a firm run by Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared KushnerElectronic Arts, the maker of video games such as The Sims, Madden NFL and Battlefield, has been bought by Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund and a group of investors for $55bn (£41bn).The company announced the completion of the deal on Tuesday evening, only days after the EU gave its approval, the final regulatory green light needed. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Perez Hilton hospitalised after livestreaming self-harm on Tiktok 05. August 2026 (08:15) Emergency services were seen outside Hilton’s home in Miami on Tuesday night after members of the public reported seeing Hilton harm himselfThe celebrity blogger Perez Hilton has been hospitalised after livestreaming footage of himself self-harming on TikTok.Emergency services were seen outside Hilton’s home in Miami on Tuesday night after concerned members of the public reported seeing Hilton harm himself in a graphic video streamed live on TikTok. Hilton’s TikTok account was suspended minutes later. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Right turn on green: is the Telegraph changing its tune on the climate? 05. August 2026 (08:00) Flurry of articles has raised eyebrows and drawn response from Kemi Badenoch defending stance on net zero“Nobody can deny that the UK is getting warmer and high temperatures are becoming a clear threat to homes, nature and food security,” read the lengthy news report, which explored the devastating effect of British wildfires on families in recent years.The article’s conclusions, written after the wildfires in Suffolk last week, were no surprise given the UK’s changing climate. However, the fact that the piece appeared in the Telegraph, the rightwing title that has been a leading critic of green policies, did raise eyebrows among some readers. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
NSW Liberal leader defers decision on frontbencher Damien Tudehope after leak revelations at Icac 05. August 2026 (07:54) Kellie Sloane says ‘leaking a report is never good’ as Reformer Jean-Claude Perrottet tells inquiry group signed up members to ‘dodgy’ branchesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe younger brother of a former Liberal premier has told an anti-corruption watchdog that a group of young conservative power breakers, now under investigation for soliciting illegal donations, recruited members to “dodgy” branches controlled by rival factions.Jean-Claude Perrottet, the younger brother of ex-New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet, appeared before the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s (Icac) on Wednesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Russian attack on Kyiv region kills at least 14 people, say Ukrainian authorities 05. August 2026 (07:53) Air raid alerts last for more than an hour as Moscow inflicts another heavy bombardment on Ukraine’s capitalRussian strikes in and around Kyiv killed at least 14 people, injured 27 and damaged warehouses, emergency service officials said. Some reports put the death toll at 15.Air raid alerts lasted for more than an hour as Moscow’s forces continued a series of deadly heavy attacks on the Ukrainian capital. The military administration said seven sites were hit in an assault that began on Wednesday after midnight. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
El-Sayed holds narrow lead in Michigan Senate primary but race too close to call 05. August 2026 (07:06) Abdul El-Sayed and his opponent Haley Stevens were both optimistic late in the evening, and said the results of the state’s Democratic primary might take until Wednesday morning to arriveThe marquee race for the Democratic nomination for Senate in Michigan remained too close to call on Tuesday night, with Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive former public health official, holding a narrow lead over Congresswoman Haley Stevens.The battleground state is crucial to the party’s hopes of winning back control of the Senate in November’s midterm elections. The winner of Tuesday’s Democratic primary will face the Republican nominee, former representative Mike Rogers, in November, to succeed the retiring Democratic senator Gary Peters. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Women must not feel pressure to have ‘ideal birth’, says Yvette Cooper 05. August 2026 (07:00) Exclusive: New health secretary promises root-and-branch reform after damning maternity scandalsWomen should not feel pressurised into experiencing an “ideal birth”, the new health secretary, Yvette Cooper, has said, promising a root-and-branch reform of standards after several damning maternity scandals.Cooper, who returns to the department 27 years after she was the minister for public health under Tony Blair, said maternity and child health would be a major focus in the role, where she will also be expected to implement significant reforms to social care. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Palantir paid just £2m corporation tax in UK in 2024 despite lucrative public sector contracts 05. August 2026 (07:00) Software group benefits from global systems and accounting practices ‘that enable tax to be shirked’, says union bossThe software group Palantir paid just £2m in corporation tax in the UK in 2024, despite holding public sector contracts worth hundreds of millions, thanks to tax breaks that are likely to reduce its contributions to governments around the world for years to come.The US-headquartered company, which has harnessed AI to secure lucrative work for the NHS and the Ministry of Defence, is growing exponentially. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Calls to ban ‘toxic’ pet flea treatments that harm UK wildlife and environment 05. August 2026 (07:00) Over-the-counter treatments for cats and dogs contain chemicals that are banned in pesticides and pollute waterwaysOver-the-counter flea treatment for cats and dogs should be banned as millions of hazardous chemicals are unnecessarily applied to UK pets each year, a parliamentary report has concluded.Cats and dogs are widely treated with topical, or “spot on”, treatments that include insecticides to prevent fleas. Vets often recommend regular treatments as a preventive measure, even when the animals do not have fleas.It’s Invertebrate of the Year again! Every day from 3-12 August, we will be profiling one of the thousands of amazing invertebrates that our readers have nominated, and when you have heard about all of them, we will open the voting so you can choose your favourites. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with thoughts and ideas. Email us at environment.desk@theguardian.com with Invertebrate in the subject line. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Hundreds camp in Rome heatwave as Meloni government cracks down on squats 05. August 2026 (06:00) Spin Time provides homes, food banks and after-school clubs but the authorities have locked out residentsHundreds of people have spent a week sleeping in tents in the Rome heat amid a standoff between Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government and local politicians over the future of Italy’s most high-profile centre for housing and social assistance.A minor fire last week forced the evacuation of the building, occupied by grassroots groups since 2013, and it has remained closed as the Meloni government attempts to crack down on such squatted properties. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
