Costumed carnival-goers in Notting Hill – in pictures

31 August 2026 at 17:10

People hit the streets of west London as Europe’s largest street carnival marks its 60th year, celebrating Caribbean history and culture

Uber driver takes TfL to court over ‘pain‘ caused by licence renewal delay

World news | The Guardian

By: Diane Taylor

31 August 2026 at 12:01

Julius Mugabo launches landmark case as union says thousands in capital lost incomes due to ‘broken system’

An Uber driver who got into thousands of pounds of debt and feared losing his home due to delays in Transport for London renewing his licence to pick up passengers is taking on the organisation in the high court in the first challenge of its kind.

Julius Mugabo, 55, has been an Uber driver licensed by TfL since 2016. Under the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998, all minicab drivers cannot work lawfully unless TfL has carried out checks on them and issued or renewed their licences. These licences must be renewed every three years.

‘Sometimes you just need a good cry’: why Little Women is my feelgood movie

The Guardian

By: Vivian Ho

31 August 2026 at 12:00

The latest in our series of writers highlighting their go-to comfort films is an ode to the teary 1994 adaptation of the classic novel

I have an ongoing argument with some friends about how I refuse to watch Interstellar again, despite considering it a beautiful and well-crafted film. It’s just so sad, I tell them, even with its hopeful ending. A desperate, choking lump forms in my chest as soon as I hear the futuristic swells of Hans Zimmer’s score and I have to remove myself before I am overtaken by emotion.

But at the same time, the movie I choose as my feelgood film is one that has reduced me to a sobbing, snotty mess time and time again, whether I’m watching it curled up with my cat on the couch, swaddled in blankets while sick in bed or jostling with my seatmate for the armrest on an airplane. And just like with the score from Interstellar, the moment I hear Thomas Newman’s wistful little oboe intro of the 1994 version of Little Women, I can feel my eyes well up with tears.

British Museum hosted Palantir founder Peter Thiel in private viewing of Bayeux tapestry

The Guardian

By: Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent

31 August 2026 at 11:50

Concern among staff that fragile artwork’s scarce ‘light hours’ given to someone with no known interest in museum

The British Museum privately hosted the Donald Trump-supporting tech billionaire Peter Thiel in the exhibition space of the Bayeux tapestry earlier this month, the Guardian understands.

The museum’s director of development, Charlotte Appleyard, hosted the PayPal founder at a VIP viewing of the tapestry, which is yet to open to the public, on 18 August.

British Museum hosted Palantir founder Peter Thiel in private viewing of Bayeux tapestry

World news | The Guardian

By: Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent

31 August 2026 at 11:50

Concern among staff that fragile artwork’s scarce ‘light hours’ given to someone with no known interest in museum

The British Museum privately hosted the Donald Trump-supporting tech billionaire Peter Thiel in the exhibition space of the Bayeux tapestry earlier this month, the Guardian understands.

The museum’s director of development, Charlotte Appleyard, hosted the PayPal founder at a VIP viewing of the tapestry, which is yet to open to the public, on 18 August.

Cleverly avoids culture war issues in pitch to be next London mayor

The Guardian

By: Alexandra Topping Political correspondent

30 August 2026 at 19:25

Conservative hopeful says Sadiq Khan has ‘lost passion for the job’ and Andy Burnham is ‘very anti-London’

James Cleverly has pledged to run a “classically Conservative” campaign to become the mayor of London, insisting that his victory in the capital would be a stepping stone for Kemi Badenoch to become prime minister.

The former home and foreign secretary denied he had resigned from the shadow cabinet to run for mayor following a shift to the right under Badenoch’s leadership.

Cleverly avoids culture war issues in pitch to be next London mayor

World news | The Guardian

By: Alexandra Topping Political correspondent

30 August 2026 at 19:25

Conservative hopeful says Sadiq Khan has ‘lost passion for the job’ and Andy Burnham is ‘very anti-London’

James Cleverly has pledged to run a “classically Conservative” campaign to become the mayor of London, insisting that his victory in the capital would be a stepping stone for Kemi Badenoch to become prime minister.

The former home and foreign secretary denied he had resigned from the shadow cabinet to run for mayor following a shift to the right under Badenoch’s leadership.

James Cleverly resigns from shadow cabinet to run for mayor of London

The Guardian

By: Sammy Gecsoyler

29 August 2026 at 19:24

Shadow minister for housing, communities and local government to resign with immediate effect

James Cleverly has resigned from the shadow cabinet to run for mayor of London.

The Tory heavyweight, who was once home and foreign secretary and is shadow minister for housing, communities and local government, told the Sunday Times he will resign with immediate effect.

James Cleverly resigns from shadow cabinet to run for mayor of London

World news | The Guardian

By: Sammy Gecsoyler

29 August 2026 at 19:24

Shadow minister for housing, communities and local government to resign with immediate effect

James Cleverly has resigned from the shadow cabinet to run for mayor of London.

The Tory heavyweight, who was once home and foreign secretary and is shadow minister for housing, communities and local government, told the Sunday Times he will resign with immediate effect.

Trump Administration Looks to Give a Swath of Yosemite Park to Developer

NYT > Top Stories

By: Shawn Hubler and Maxine Joselow

29 August 2026 at 00:50

The proposed land swap would allow easy access to the crown jewel of the national park system. Democrats and former Park Service officials are incensed.

Visitors walk through Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park.

London Science Museum cuts links with BP after decades of partnership

The Guardian

By: Pippa Neill Environment reporter

28 August 2026 at 19:57

Campaigners say ‘seismic shift’ follows years of pressure to sever ties with oil and gas firm

The London Science Museum has ended its decades-long partnership with the oil and gas company BP in what has been described as a “seismic shift” for the museum.

The Science Museum Group academy, which was established in 2018 to provide training and resources, announced on Friday that it would be ending its partnership with BP. In a statement, the director and chief executive of the Science Museum Group, Sir Ian Blatchford, said the partnership had “drawn to a close at the end of the current contract term”.

Wyoming Governor Objects to ‘Very Odd’ D.O.J. Election Monitoring

NYT > Top Stories

By: Tim Balk

28 August 2026 at 12:04

Governor Mark Gordon, a Republican, said he was concerned by the behavior of election observers who visited a polling station in Cheyenne.

Governor Mark Gordon of Wyoming leads one of the most conservative states.

Canada Hires U.S. Scholars From Harvard and Other Top Universities

NYT > Top Stories

By: Vjosa Isai

27 August 2026 at 21:39

A crackdown on American academia by the Trump administration has handed Canadian universities a rare opportunity to lure some top researchers north.

McGill University in Montreal is one of the schools that has benefited from the Canada-bound brain drain from U.S. institutions.

Inherent, founded by DeepMind alumni, says its AI ‘teammate’ just outperformed Anthropic and OpenAI at replicating research

TechCrunch

By: Anna Heim

22 August 2026 at 22:00

Built by DeepMind alumni, British AI lab Inherent released Faraday, an AI agent whose ability to replicate scientific papers could be a stepping stone for innovation.

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