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MPs and mayors close to Andy Burnham have told the prime minister there is a “third way” to gain more control of failing companies, as the row over whether or not to nationalise Thames Water rumbles on.Burnham is said to be concerned about the increase in government debt that Treasury projections show could be a result of nationalising water companies.He has previously called for “public control” of the companies, which have pumped sewage into England’s waterways while hiking bills and failing to invest in infrastructure.But Labour MPs and regional mayors say a mutualised model, where water companies are transformed to…

Alfred Drummond-Herdman is possibly the only person in the UK who is sent animal faeces in the post out of goodwill. His bedroom in Edinburgh is full of the stuff: clothes have been removed from his wardrobe and cupboards, replaced with terrariums and plastic containers housing sections of cowpats, grouse droppings and rabbit pellets.“I have a very understanding housemate,” he says.But what emerges from the containers has made the 27-year-old trainee lawyer a natural history sensation on social media: brightly coloured contortions of fungi, photographed every 30 seconds as they develop, to create timelapses that are viewed by millions of…

Pierce O’Leary suffered his first professional defeat when he was stopped by Mark Chamberlain in a thrilling fight in Dublin.O’Leary battled back to drop Chamberlain after being floored twice in the early rounds, but the hometown hero was dramatically halted in the 10th round of their super-lightweight fight at 3Arena. Chamberlain had taken a firm grip on the fight from the second round when he floored O’Leary with a left hand. O’Leary was on the brink of a swift stoppage loss when he was dropped again in the third, sinking to the canvas after an uppercut from Chamberlain.Roared on by…

Richard E Grant’s Very Modern Odyssey8pm, Channel 4Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster was always going to trigger a slew of celebrity travelogues – but quite frankly, that can be forgiven when it’s Richard E Grant’s turn. The actor has been obsessed with The Odyssey since reading it as an 18-year-old, which is reason enough to visit the Mediterranean places that are said to have inspired Homer. Malta is the first stop, where Grant oozes his usual charisma and is “utterly bewitched” by pretty much everything. Hollie RichardsonForce of Nature7pm, ITV1Ever seen platypus on a first date? It’s brief and bizarre, as Andrew…

I didn’t think about Marlon Brando when I got dressed this morning. Or James Dean or Steve McQueen, for that matter. But every time you pull a white T-shirt over your head, they’re the ones you should have in the back of your mind.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.Before they came along, a white T-shirt was just underwear. They made the silhouette cultural shorthand for effortless style and, ever since, it’s been the simplest – and coolest – thing in every wardrobe. These days, Jacob Elordi’s off-duty…

President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States and Israel had agreed to hold off on new strikes on Iran — provided a deal to end the months-long conflict is “rapidly” reached. Fears had mounted that the fighting could escalate once again after Trump threatened to hit Iran “very hard” and was reportedly considering renewed heavy attacks, including against energy infrastructure. Trump said the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” but added that Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked him to hold off on fresh strikes. “Based on…

At least three people have been killed and 21 injured after a homemade explosive device was detonated at an Italian restaurant in Moscow, Russian state media reports, quoting security officials.The blast happened at about 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Kudrinskaya square near the city centre. The National Anti-Terrorist Committee said a woman carrying the explosives tried to enter the restaurant but was stopped by a security guard. The device detonated, killing the woman, the guard and a visitor to the Balzi Rossi restaurant, which had been holding a private function.Authorities have not said who they believe was the target,…

Despite a lawsuit from xAI, a Minnesota ban on apps that allow users to “nudify” images can move forward, according to NBC News. U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank’s ruling focused as much on the timing of xAI’s lawsuit as on the substance of the law itself. Frank wrote that xAI filed its request for a temporary restraining order “on July 29, 2026, nearly three months after the law was signed, and only three days before the law is set to take effect” on August 1. “Such a delay in bringing the action and the motion suggests that harm is not…

NewsFeedPolice said at least three people were killed several others were wounded in a shooting at an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho on Saturday afternoon. Footage captured the suspected gunman firing several shots into a vehicle before he was killed.Published On 2 Aug 20262 Aug 2026Click here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharegoogleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo

Millions of people take statins to lower cholesterol and reduce their chances of having a heart attack or stroke. For some patients, however, the medications can cause muscle pain, weakness, and difficulty exercising, making it harder to stay on treatment. Researchers at McMaster University have now identified a biological pathway that could help explain why these muscle symptoms develop. The finding may eventually lead to treatments that make statins easier to tolerate without reducing their important cardiovascular benefits. Published in Science Advances, the study points to a previously unrecognized interaction between the immune system and muscle cell metabolism. The mechanism…