The latest medals table for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Source link
July 28 (UPI) — The U.S. Senate voted 51-47 along party lines Tuesday evening to confirm Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence, succeeding Bill Pulte.
The vote comes one day after lawmakers voted to advance Clayton’s nomination with no Democrats voting to approve.
After the vote Tuesday, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that he is skeptical of Clayton in the role.
“I came away from his confirmation process with serious reservations about whether he would be willing to stand up to political pressure when it matters most,” Warner said. “Now that he has been confirmed, I sincerely hope he proves those concerned unfounded, because the intelligence community deserves steadier leadership than it has received in recent months.”
Bill Pulte, the acting director, announced Tuesday on social media that he had executed “a fifth and near-final round of TERMINATIONS” that mark a 30% staff reduction during his time in the office.
On July 15, Democrats in the Senate questioned Clayton, a U.S. attorney, on Trump’s allegations that he won the 2020 election. Clayton wouldn’t say that former President Joe Biden won the election, but would say that he was “certified” as president. Clayton said he is not an election denier.
“You refuse to answer a basic question about who won a presidential election, but you ask to lead America’s intelligence community,” Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., said the confirmation hearing. “Isn’t it humiliating to be unable to answer this question, to have to indulge the president’s delusions?
President Donald Trump announced Clayton as his nominee in June as senators on both sides of the aisle protested the placement of Pulte. Pulte runs the Federal Housing Finance Agency and has referred four of Trump’s perceived enemies for prosecution on allegations of mortgage fraud.
Democrats in the House wouldn’t renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a bill that would have extended warrantless spy powers rules, in retaliation for Pulte being named for the position. It’s unclear if the Senate will vote to extend FISA once Clayton is approved.
The House will not be back in session until September.
Tulsi Gabbard resigned from the ODNI in May.
The US military says it has successfully intercepted a barrage of missiles fired by Iran at its troops in Jordan. The sudden attack coincides with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House and comes after a five-day pause in the war. Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar reports from Tehran.
Published On 29 Jul 202629 Jul 2026
Share
EDDIE MARSAN is to play Harry Redknapp in a film about one of football’s most incredible stories, I can reveal.
The actor, a Spurs fan, will put his allegenices to one side when he takes on the role of the West Ham favourite when he was their assistant boss in 1994.
The film by Sir Ridley Scott re-tells the moment Harry actually invited a loudmouth Hammers fan to play up front for the Premier League outfit after hurling abuse at players from the stands — and he went on to score.
Eddie plays gaffer Harry in Halftime Hero, alongside Anson Boon as angry fan Steve Davies.
West Ham were struggling against non-league Oxford City in the pre-season friendly when Steve was told to put on a kit and prove he could do better . . . and did.
A source said: “Eddie has been cast as Harry in Halftime Hero and will be filming his scenes in the coming weeks.
“As a huge football fan, Eddie knows this tale well and to take on such a prominent part in a film about such a huge moment in the game is hugely exciting for him.”
Like me, Sherlock Holmes actor Eddie is a Tottenham fanatic, so it will be a dream role to play Harry, who went on to manage Spurs years later.
It’s just a shame he’s going to have to wear a West Ham coaching kit to do it.
I revealed last month that Ridley’s production company was working on the film about Harry’s famous game, which has become part of football folklore.
Steve could be heard heckling striker Lee Chapman and repeatedly branded him a “donkey” for his poor performance.
Harry went into the stands and got him to play, with Steve going on to score and helping West Ham to a 4-0 win.
The historic moment was never caught on camera, so now Anson, Eddie and Ellie Bamber — who plays Steve’s girlfriend — are bringing it to life.
Harry has spoken fondly about the wild episode over the years, admitting he told the stadium announcer that he was bringing on a “great Bulgarian” called “Tittyshev”.
Steve previously said: “It was the greatest moment of my life.
“After that, I was exhausted.
“I was on 30 cigarettes a day back then.
“I had a couple of cigs and a couple of beers in the first half.”
Good on you, Steve.
TAKE THAT have just finished their hit Circus Tour, but there’s been no clowning around for former member Jason Orange.
The ex-boybander, who quit the group in 2014 to lead a quieter life, was seen enjoying a peaceful afternoon in a park in Cheshire on Monday.
He now has a successful property portfolio and has declined offers to rejoin the group.
And judging by how zen he looks here, I can’t say I blame him.
LEIGH-ANNE PINNOCK is feathering her nest with a few quid from her fans by becoming a mumfluencer as she prepares to give birth to her third child.
The Little Mix star has started a page where fans can subscribe for £5 a month for “behind the scenes content” and a “private community” to find out what’s going on with her pregnancy.
Announcing the move, Leigh-Anne said: “I’m excited to announce I’ve started a Patreon to share more of my pregnancy, bump updates, everyday life and all of the things in between as I prepare to be a mum of three.
“This is going to be a complete safe space to be open and honest, share advice and give you a little more insight into life right now.”
Leigh-Anne, who will perform at Brighton Pride on Saturday, already has twin daughters with her footballer husband Andre Gray.
KAIA GERBER and Homer Gere looked like proper Hollywood stars at the premiere of new Disney+ thriller series The Shards – maybe because of their A-lister parents.
Kaia’s supermodel mum Cindy Crawford wed Homer’s old man, Richard Gere in 1991, although the golden couple divorced four years later and went on to have kids with new partners.
Now, their actor offspring are appearing opposite each other in the Shards, which launches next week.
Speaking on the red carpet, Kaia said of Homer: “I’d never met him but I was really, really excited to meet Homer and he’s such a wonderful actor, my god.
“This is his second thing he ever did and he has this confidence and charisma – he’s so magnetic to watch.
“He made my job much easier because of how talented he is.”
Looking forward to tuning in.
IT’S tee time for golf nut Niall Horan ahead of his Dinner Party Live Tour.
The ex-One Direction singer hit the greens at Royal Lytham & St Annes in Lancashire before the AIG Women’s Open this weekend.
He will soon be heading out on the road, kicking off his tour at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on September 22.
But the long spells playing shows across the UK, Europe, Australia and North America until next May won’t stop him hitting the greens.
He said earlier this year: “It’s Niall’s golf tour with music, especially in the States.
“Florida is great.
“There’s so much good golf in Florida, and we’ll hit random places in Ohio.
“If we do 30-something shows, I’ll try to get in ten rounds.”
TULISA’s romance with medicinal cannabis kingpin and influencer Maximillian White has gone up in smoke, it seems.
One of my pals has spotted the N Dubz singer back on celebrity dating app Raya.
I told you last autumn that the pair had started dating.
But on Raya, the former X Factor judge has listed her occupation as “singer/investor/author” while her bio simply says, “Lara Croft”.
As for her interests, she’s into, “Music, fitness, deep belly laughs, cheeky bottle of red, all things weird and wonderful.”
Sounds like a fun time to me.
Harry Potter actor Tom Felton and Kingsman star Taron Egerton have both been spotted on the exclusive app, so she has her pick of handsome fellas.
Mel C met her husband Chris Dingwall on Raya, and Lily Allen found her now-ex David Harbour on there too, although the less said about that, the better.
Tulisa was also on there before meeting billionaire Maximillian but insisted she was a “spectator” and said: “I never like or message anyone first . . . just letting you know.
“I’ve only gone on one date from there, and that was because of a recent rebound.”
Live a little, Tulisa.
IT has been dubbed her “divorce album” but Ellie Goulding’s new record will feature at least one song about falling head over heels for her new beau, called, err, Beau.
I first revealed their romance last July when I told how she had jetted off to Italy with actor Beau Minniear, when they stayed at the Four Seasons in Florence together.
Now Ellie, who gave birth to their daughter Iris in March, has written a song about how she was swept off her feet by him during the trip to that very hotel.
On the track, titled 4 Seasons, she sings: “Daydreaming, faint feelings, f**k around at the Four Seasons. I think that I might be falling in love with you.
“I need it, wanna keep it. We mess around, put the damn key in. I think that I might be falling in love.”
The song will be on her sixth album, I Know Too Much, which will be released on September 4.
And from what I’ve heard so far, it’s going to be another brilliant record.
PRINCE’s cult movie Purple Rain is being adapted for the stage and will debut on Broadway next March.
The hit film was accompanied by Prince’s album and song of the same name, with the projects being released in 1984.
The news of the stage musical was announced on the 42nd anniversary of its release and will launch next spring.
ARIANA GRANDE has understandably seen red and filed a lawsuit against hackers who leaked unreleased tunes.
The Thank U, Next singer has alleged that two unidentified hackers broke into devices from people she had worked with to get songs and footage of her which was sold for “significant sums of money” on the dark web.
Legal papers have been lodged in Los Angeles to try and unmask those responsible.
The documents claim: “In 2023 alone, 45 unreleased songs belonging to Ms Grande were hacked, stolen, and leaked.
“Since her music debut in 2011, hundreds of similar leaks have taken place.”
And it sounds like Ariana, whose new album Petal will be out on Friday, won’t stop pursuing them until they’re in prison.
First Test, Tarouba (day four of five)
West Indies 311 (Hope 92; Ali 4-50) & 181 (Joseph 38; Abbas 5-22)
Pakistan 282 (Masood 109; Greaves 5-27) & 120 (Azam 58*; Seales 5-20)
West Indies won by 90 runs; lead series 1-0
Jayden Seales claimed 5-20 as the West Indies pace attack ruthlessly crushed Pakistan to clinch a 90-run victory just after tea on day four of the first Test.
Set 211 for victory, Pakistan were reduced to 71-9 in their second innings on a deteriorating pitch and had looked on course to be bowled out for their lowest total in Tests against the hosts.
However, a battling 10th-wicket partnership between Babar Azam and Muhammad Abbas worth 49 runs took the match into the evening session.
The Pakistan skipper made an unbeaten 58, before Seales secured the success at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad when he had Abbas trapped lbw for 23.
West Indies skipper Roston Chase dedicated the victory to the late Sir Garfield Sobers, who died recently and would have turned 90 on the day they wrapped up victory.
“We wanted to make him proud and had a chat about it before the match. I hope he is smiling down on us,” said Chase.
“I also want to thank the Trinidad crowd for coming out and supporting us. It was not a big crowd but it gave us enough energy and support to go out there and perform.”
Having resumed on 126-7, West Indies managed to add 55 runs for their last three wickets in the morning session.
Shamar Joseph top-scored for the hosts with 38 off 27 balls, including four sixes, while Kemar Roach made a dogged 18 off 63 balls.
Abbas was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers as he claimed 5-22.
Their chase started to unravel before lunch when Seales removed Imam-ul-Haq, Azan Awais and Salman Agha.
Justin Greaves, who had taken five wickets for no runs on day three during an incredible spell of five wicket maidens, bowled Mohammad Rizwan before he trapped Aamer Jamal lbw as West Indies tightened their grip.
Shan Masood batted with a fractured finger and briefly delayed the inevitable before he spooned a catch to backward point as Pakistan’s resistance faded.
Babar was defiant in his knock, but ultimately ran out of partners as his side slumped to their eighth consecutive defeat in Tests away from home.
He said: “We played good cricket in the last few days but today we were not up to the mark as a batting unit.
“There was uneven bounce in the pitch but we should have looked to build partnerships. The basics stay the same, you have to survive the new ball and look to score when it gets a bit old.”
Pakistan will attempt to level the two-match series in the second Test in Port of Spain, which begins on 2 August.
New York’s Haitian community is living in limbo and fear after Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was terminated on Monday. Around 300,000 Haitian nationals rely on the special designation to live legally in the US.
Published On 29 Jul 202629 Jul 2026
Share
Rodríguez has hosted several US officials in recent months. (Presidential Press)
Caracas, July 28, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez hosted a US Congress delegation in Caracas on Friday.
The team of US politicians was led by Florida Republican Representative Brian Mast, a military veteran who also served voluntarily in the Israeli armed forces. It also included Florida Republican representatives Randy Fine and Kat Cammack alongside Illinois Democratic representative Jonathan Jackson.
According to Venezuelan state media, the high-level meeting saw the two sides “assess progress in bilateral relations and the joint agenda in strategic areas.”
“Both sides reviewed bilateral cooperation schemes geared toward fighting transnational organized crime and border security,” the official report said.
For his part, Fine wrote on social media that he was “honored” to take part in the first congressional delegation to Venezuela in a decade. He added that the US’ January 3 kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro “set Venezuela on a trajectory to be a key ally” of the US.
Fine, like Mast, is a major advocate of Israeli interests in the US legislature and has the backing of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). He has publicly called for starving and dropping nuclear bombs on the Gaza Strip.
Also participating in the summit were US Chargé d’Affaires in Venezuela John Barrett, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia, and Vice Minister for Europe and North America Oliver Blanco.
Blanco, who comes from the ranks of the opposition Democratic Action (AD) party, has been the main government liaison with US officials in the country. He was recently appointed First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to “strengthen Venezuela’s foreign policy and peace diplomacy around the world.”
In addition, the US Congress members held talks with National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, who described the meeting as “fruitful” and said discussions focused on “the legislative agenda and international investment.” Rodríguez added that Venezuela took the opportunity to “thank the United States for its support” following the June 24 twin earthquakes.
The US lawmakers held subsequent meetings with officials from Venezuela’s Ministry of Defense and the National Anti-Drug Superintendency (Sunad), according to reports.
Following the January 3 US military strikes and Maduro kidnapping, the Rodríguez-led acting government fast-tracked a diplomatic rapprochement with Washington following seven years of severed ties. Both administrations have opened their respective embassies.
Venezuela’s acting president has hosted a number of US officials in Caracas in recent months, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
Last March, Rodríguez had already received a delegation from the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee as part of the ongoing “peace dialogue” between Washington and Caracas.
At that time, the presidential press office said the Senate delegation had traveled to Caracas for a “technical and political” visit intended to continue the bilateral “roadmap” focused on “direct communication to manage historical differences and strengthen energy cooperation in light of global challenges.”
Caracas’ foreign policy shift has likewise seen authorities mend ties with regional US allies that had sought to isolate the Caribbean nation.
On Friday, the governments of Venezuela and Peru announced the start of a gradual process to fully restore diplomatic relations, which were severed in 2024 after the Peruvian government refused to recognize Venezuela’s official electoral results that saw Maduro secure a third term in office.
“In a first stage, both countries have agreed to reactivate consular relations as an initial step toward the full restoration of bilateral ties,” the foreign ministries of Venezuela and Peru said in a joint statement.
The immediate objective is to guarantee protection and consular services for Venezuelan and Peruvian citizens residing in each country. The diplomatic rapprochement comes days before a change of government in Peru, where conservative leader Keiko Fujimori is set to replace interim President José María Balcázar after a narrow and disputed electoral triumph.
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
AMANDA Holden sizzled in a tiny green bikini as she posed up a storm on poolside in sunny Corfu.
The Britian’s Got Talent judge, 55, showed off her amazing figure as she wowed in the skimpy swimwear on holiday.
Amanda looked incredible as she was snapped getting out of the pool.
She completed her look with a straw sun hat, oversized sunglasses and gold jewellery.
The telly favourite posted the pictures on her Instagram and tagged fashion designer Melissa Odabash in the caption.
Many rushed to the comments section to share how stunning she looks.
One said: “Perfect.”
Another wrote: “Just beautiful.”
A third chimed in: “Swimwear queen.”
“Sensational,” a fourth chimed in.
A fifth commented: “So gorgeous xx.”
Last month Amanda flashed her toned figure in a bright red bikini as she relaxed on a swing.
The star was all smiles as she swayed in the summer sunshine, accessorising her matching two-piece with a pair of sunglasses.
She kept her blonde hair in loose natural waves and was clearly relishing her tanning time.
Amanda uploaded a series of snaps to Instagram showcasing her Melissa Odabash swim gear as well as a video showing her on the wooden playground equipment.
In her caption, she revealed how she had teamed up with her BGT co-star Alesha Dixon for her sun-soaked day.
She later captured a snap showing fashion brand founder Melissa and Alesha, who had chosen a nude swim top paired with a chunky gold necklace.
Amanda then wrote: “The best day in this beautiful weather! Wearing @melissaodabash of course.
“Swipe to see the bikini queen herself along with my lovely @aleshaofficial – what a fab lunch all together – with our girls too”.
Brand founder Melissa was then quick to reply: “OK officially red is my fav colour on you looking insane and so great catching up with the girls”.
The Hundred men’s competition, Headingley
Manchester Super Giants 181-3 (100 balls): Buttler 63* (33), Klaasen 53 (27); Ellis 2-32
Sunrisers Leeds 186-2 (88 balls): Marsh 63 (26), Crawley 56* (34), Brook 42* (17)
Sunrisers Leeds won by eight wickets
Mitch Marsh was at his destructive best as he bludgeoned 63 to help Sunrisers Leeds end Manchester Super Giants’ unbeaten start to The Hundred with an eight-wicket win at Headingley.
The experienced Australia opener crashed six fours and five sixes during a fearless 26-ball knock which provided the impetus for the Sunrisers to chase down 182 for victory.
Marsh was bowled by a yorker from Sonny Baker with the score on 118 but the momentum from his tone-setting innings was continued by England duo Zak Crawley and Harry Brook.
Sunrisers skipper Crawley blitzed an unbeaten 56 off 34 balls to notch only his second half-century of the summer, having lost his Test place earlier this year.
Crawley’s average in The Hundred (34.50) so far this summer has been superior to what he has managed in the T20 Blast (23.54) and in first-class cricket (20.54).
The 28-year-old felt “in the zone” and was able to play with “a lot of freedom” as he helped his side pull off the highest successful run chase at Headingley in The Hundred.
“I’ve spent too much of my career trying to prove to people how I can play. I’m buzzing that I’ve scored some runs, that’s what I get joy out of,” Crawley told BBC Test Match Special.
“I’m just thankful I can do that, I’m not too worried about who liked it and who didn’t – I know I did and that’s what I want to do.”
Brook chipped in with 42 not out from 17 balls as he also kickstarted his tournament with an innings bristling with clean ball striking.
The England limited-overs skipper had only managed scores of three and eight in his first two innings but mainly dealt in sixes against the Super Giants.
Brook’s six boundaries all cleared the ropes, including the winning runs off Noor Ahmad with 12 balls to spare.
Earlier, England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler continued his impressive start to this year’s tournament with an unbeaten 63 off 33 balls which provided the bedrock of the Super Giants’ 181-3.
Buttler had made a masterful 90 in the Super Giants’ emphatic win over Birmingham Phoenix last weekend and followed it up with his second half-century.
Heinrich Klaasen had chipped with 53 off 27 balls while Aussie seamer Nathan Ellis bagged 2-30 to finish the pick of the Sunrisers’ bowlers.
The Sunrisers have won two of their opening matches in The Hundred and join the Super Giants, who stay top on net run-rate, Welsh Fire and MI London on eight points.
The militaries of the United States and Saudi Arabia attacked Iran proxies in Iraq on Wednesday. File Photo by U.S. Central Command/Department of Defense
July 28 (UPI) — The United States and Saudi Arabia attacked Iran-backed proxies in Iraq on Wednesday after Saudi air defense systems intercepted days of attacks launched from Iraq against the kingdom’s petroleum facilities.
U.S. Central Command said in a statement that it struck logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq, describing the joint attack as a “strong response” to the more than 30 drone strikes directed at Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure over the last 72 hours.
The joint attack was the first U.S. military operation during a five-day pause in direct strikes on Iran intended to allow diplomacy to resume. The pause followed 13 consecutive nights of CENTCOM strikes on Iran.
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the joint strikes, describing them as “precise and targeted strikes.”
It was unclear if any of the Iraq-launched drones hit their intended targets, though Saudi Arabia said several drones targeting its petroleum facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh region had been intercepted and destroyed.
According to CENTCOM, more than 600 “attempted attacks” targeting U.S. assets in the region were launched by Iranian proxies in Iraq between the start of the war in late February and the announcement of the now-collapsed cease-fire in April.
“The unwarranted attacks against U.S. forces were not successful,” it said.
The United States and Iran have been at war since late February, though fighting halted under a fragile cease-fire reached in April. The cease-fire collapsed earlier this month, leading to nearly a fortnight of nightly U.S. attacks against Iran.
The Trump administration on Tuesday announced a ban on new foreign-made humanoid robot imports to the US over “unacceptable risks” to the country’s national security.
The move applies to advanced robots – including humanoid and four-legged machines. Many of them are made in China, which is competing with the US to develop robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also banned imports of power inverters – a device used in data centres and solar panels – which it said could also pose a risk to the US economy.
The Chinese embassy in Washington said China has long opposed the US’ “politicising” of trade issues and sanctions based on “groundless pretexts”.
FCC chairman Brendan Carr said the agency was doing its part “to secure America’s critical supply chains”.
The FCC has added the items to its Covered List – a register of goods and services that are deemed a risk to US national security.
The ban applies to new foreign-produced advanced robotic devices and power inverters and does not prevent the sale or import of any existing models that had been previously authorised by the FCC.
The FCC cited concerns that the use of foreign-made inverters could allow overseas firms to turn them off, steal data, facilitate remote access and surveillance by “foreign government actors, or be otherwise exploited through a cyberattack.”
It added that the use of robots made outside the US could allow “malign actors to surveil Americans, enhance the capabilities of foreign intelligence services, or to remotely commandeer the robots.”
The Chinese embassy in Washington also said Beijing will “take all necessary measures” in response to any moves that harm its interests, urging all countries to work together to develop AI “for the positive and for good”.
It called on the US to “abandon its hegemonic mindset, and stop smearing Chinese companies and threatening them with sanctions.”
The BBC has contacted major Chinese robot manufacturers Unitree, UBTech and AgiBot for comment.
POP superstar George Michael’s estate is suing his former best pal over footage from the recording of a lost album.
Andros Georgiou, 63, faces court for charging fans to watch scenes which he recorded of the ex-Wham! star.
George’s former best friend said he would be “turning in his grave” after the pop singer’s estate sued him over video footage of a secret unreleased album.
The Wham! star’s lawyers are taking Andros to court after he released almost 90 minutes of unseen footage shot in 1992 and 1993.
Andros launched a website last month charging fans to watch the film Trojan Souls — The Greatest Album That Was Never Made.
The record was to feature Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Janet Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Bryan Ferry, Seal and Sade.
But the legal team from George’s estate has now lodged a case against him at London’s Intellectual Property and Enterprise Court, claiming its rights have been breached.
Furious Andros, 63, said the legal claim was “a case of sheer greed”.
On George, he said: “Yes, we fell out, but we loved and cared for each other deeply, and I find the baseless claims and the constant attempts to erase me from history both disrespectful and, frankly, a bit desperate.
“The film belongs to me.
“Trojan Souls belongs to me.
“They’ve opened Pandora’s Box.
“They won’t want me on the stand.
“I know way too much.
“Bring it on.”
Andros’s film shows the making of tracks for Trojan Souls: The Voice of Reason, a collaboration album with global superstars.
Pop fans are being asked to pay £4.99 for 48 hours of access to the 90-minute video online.
Tribe Media is also selling £19.99 VIP tiers, promising access to never-before-heard recordings of George’s unreleased songs from the record.
Andros shot the video using a camcorder given to him by Sony while they were in Japan on George’s Faith tour.
Andros said: “First and foremost — my brother in arms, my best friend, George Michael to you, Yog to me — would turn in his grave knowing what Russells (the estate’s lawyers) are attempting — and spending his money to do it.”
He went on: “It is well known Yog and I were working on Trojan Souls through my record label, Hardback Records.
“The film I have released was shot by me, with Yog’s full approval.
“This was a home video leaked over 30 years ago.
“It kept resurfacing on YouTube.
“So I decided, if you can’t beat them, put the film out myself, since others were already profiting from my home video.”
The legal case lists Andros and Tribe Media, the production house distributing the film.
The claimants are Robobuild Limited and Big Geoff Overseas Limited, the holding companies George used to manage royalties and world tours.
Andros and George were estranged before the star’s death on Christmas Day, 2016, but had been planning to reconcile.
They fell out after George’s arrest in an LA public toilet in 1998.
But Andros had spoken to his pal on the phone in the final weeks of his life.
The pair had a close friendship for decades after their fathers moved to the UK from Cyprus together in 1953.
Most of the one-hour 24-minute film shows George playing the piano, performing vocals with backing singers, grabbing a bass and talking to producers about his track list in an LA studio.
George lost interest in the album when his then-partner Anselmo Feleppa’s health declined.
Anselmo, who suffered from Aids, died in March 1993.
George never completed the album.
It can take up to two years for a case at the court to reach trial.
Lawyers for George Michael’s estate were asked to comment.
To become a financial hub, the sultanate needs the infrastructure that a major custodian can provide.
U.S. custody giant State Street is expanding into Oman, a vote of confidence in the Gulf’s smallest aspiring financial center.
At the Oman Capital Market Conference in Muscat in early June, the bank signed an agreement with Riyadh-based Jadwa Investment, which manages about $30 billion in client assets, to jointly pursue institutional clients in the sultanate, with a focus on global custody and asset servicing. The agreement formalizes State Street’s deeper push into the Omani market. State Street, one of the big three global custodians alongside BNY and Northern Trust, has served Omani clients from a Muscat office for more than two decades.
The Gulf Cooperation Council, of which Oman is a member, is a declared strategic priority for State Street. But for both sides, the logic of the deal centers on infrastructure.
Custody and asset servicing are what Oman, as a financial center, has lacked at scale as it pursues its central ambition: to elevate the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) from frontier to emerging market status, attracting index-tracking capital, credibility, and prestige.
The sultanate has spent five years working toward that goal. The Oman Investment Authority, its sovereign wealth fund, took ownership of the MSX in 2021 and began injecting liquidity and floating state assets, including units of the energy group OQ. Market capitalization has nearly doubled to about $98 billion in an economy of roughly $117 billion.
Even so, the bourse is a sliver of the region’s dominant exchange, Saudi Arabia’s $2.7 trillion Tadawul. A unified regulator, the Financial Services Authority, created in 2024, has since introduced listing incentives, a junior market for smaller companies, and cross-border arrangements to give foreign investors a way in. Oman plans to privatize as many as 35 state firms by next year, further increasing the total float.
As its Gulf rivals absorb the fallout from the Iran war, Oman’s long-cultivated neutrality, its port of Duqm, and its free-trade agreement with the U.S. have positioned it as a relative haven. Whether it will harden into a genuine regional financial hub is less certain; Oman is a latecomer to a field led by Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and liquidity on the MSX remains thin, with heavy state ownership and slim free floats.
The agreement between State Street and Jadwa is, for now, only a memorandum of understanding, with no concrete mandate and no assets yet committed. But the signal is clear. When a custodian of State Street’s heft attaches its name to Oman, it redraws the Gulf’s financial map at the edges. Muscat has decided it would rather build the back office than keep renting someone else’s.
Kim Iskyan is a contributing writer based in the U.S.
This source provides a brief historical overview of Peru’s journey toward independence from Spanish colonial rule. Although the nation initially remained a royalist stronghold during the early 19th-century Latin American revolutions, the article explains how external forces from Argentina and Chile intervened to help liberate the country. A major focus is placed on July 28th, 1821, the date when commander José de San Martín officially proclaimed Peru’s freedom in Lima. The text also clarifies that total victory was not finalized until 1824 after the successful Battle of Ayacucholed by Simón Bolívar. Additionally, the excerpt includes modern news headlines from July 2026, ranging from aviation safety warnings to g …
However Shanahan’s decision paid off in the pool, and she was seen fighting back tears after securing silver on Friday night.
Having been inspired by seeing Hannah Miley in action at the 2014 Games, Shanahan told BBC Scotland News she hoped future generations might have be likewise inspired by watching her in the pool this time around.
“I’ve always said that if I can inspire the next generation of athletes coming through, then my job has been done,” she explained.
“I know after 2014 watching Hannah I felt inspired, and it would be nice to think that maybe there’s some younger girls watching the 200m backstroke this time, and maybe they’ll get into swimming from it.”
She joked that the main problem since last Friday was finding the time to get back to various friends and well-wishers sending her messages to congratulate her.
“I’m so grateful for the support, and with it being a home Games it feels like that support has been ramped up a bit, which is so nice to experience.”
Football’s world governing body announces plans to sell stakes of up to 20 percent in the World Cup and other events.
Published On 29 Jul 202629 Jul 2026
FIFA has proposed a plan to sell stakes in the World Cup and other events to private investors, provoking a furious response from the European football governing body, UEFA.
Under the plans announced by FIFA on Tuesday, a $20bn subsidiary would be created to run the World Cup and other events.
list of 4 itemsend of list
World football’s governing body said it would retain a majority share in the new FIFA Forward Enterprise, offering minority stakes to external investment to raise up to $4.2bn.
The plan still needs to be voted on by FIFA’s 211 member nations.
If successful, the proposed investor group is expected to be led by a vehicle founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, FIFA said.
UEFA said the proposal “crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross”.
FIFA has just held a 48-team World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico – the biggest in the tournament’s history.
It is one of the world’s wealthiest sporting organisations, generating billions of dollars, largely from broadcasting rights, sponsorship and other commercial deals linked to the World Cup.
But it says this proposal can increase funds to widen access to the sport and strengthen global participation, with all net benefits to be reinvested in football.
“Football is the world’s most popular sport,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
“Parts of the game have turned that popularity into remarkable commercial value – and we celebrate that success and want it to continue, because it lifts the whole game.
“Our job is to make sure the rest of football grows with it: FIFA exists to support sustainable, inclusive development in every corner of the world.”
FIFA said that in addition to retaining sole control of the subsidiary, it would retain authority over football governance, competitions, match calendars and regulatory and sporting decisions.
The proposal deepens the divide between FIFA and UEFA, with Europe positioning itself as football’s custodian, while FIFA, a not-for-profit organisation, says it is focused on broadening access with financial largesse.
In a statement, UEFA said it takes the new proposals “extremely seriously”.
“So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game.
“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”
The United Kingdom’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, joined critics, saying on social media that the sport does not belong to investors.
“The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone’s to sell,” Burnham wrote on X.
“Dress the deal up however you like. Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out.”
The TWZ Newsletter
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
After more than 42 years of service as one of America’s most potent power-projection platforms, the nuclear-powered submarine USS Georgia has returned home from operations for the final time ahead of its retirement. The boat is one of four Ohio class nuclear-powered guided missile submarines, or SSGNs. The SSGNs are some of the most capable and in-demand submarines in the U.S. Navy’s inventory today, but all are set to leave service before the end of the decade.
The USS Georgia returned to its homeport of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia, on Monday. The boat is scheduled to be officially inactivated on July 31, the first step on a long road through retirement that is set to end with it being recycled.
Georgia was first commissioned as an Ohio class nuclear ballistic missile submarine, or SSBN, in 1984. It was the last of the four Ohio class boats to be converted into a conventionally armed SSGN, returning to the fleet in its new form in 2008. However, it was used as the main testbed for proving out the concept initially, as you can read about in much more detail in this past TWZ feature.
The Ohio class SSGNs are most widely known for their ability to carry up to 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles. However, they typically only carry around 100 of these weapons – a still impressive amount – and are actually highly capable multi-mission platforms. These boats can be fitted with up to two dry deck shelters, for deploying special operators underwater, including in mini-submarines, as well as uncrewed platforms. They are also equipped to act as discreet underwater intelligence fusion nodes and command centers.
This unique mix of capabilities has led the four converted Ohios to become among the most heavily tasked submarines in the Navy. The public presence of one of these SSGNs, as well as their SSBN cousins, in any region of the world sends powerful signals to opponents, as well as allies and partners. Over the years, they have made somewhat regular appearances during spikes in geopolitical friction globally.
Guided-missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN 729) transits on the surface of the Arabian Gulf.#AmericasAwayTeam is always on watch – ensuring maritime stability & security in the critical waters of the Central Region. pic.twitter.com/fOGeBIXvsg
— U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) December 22, 2020
USS Georgia, specifically, has been used for this purpose on several occasions in the past, especially in the Middle East. In late 2020 and early 2021, Georgia made rare publicized trips on the surface through the Strait of Hormuz during periods of particular tension with Iran. In May 2021, Iranian boats harassed the submarine and its escorts during one of these transits, prompting a U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat to fire warning shots.
Iranian fast boats around USS Georgia in the Strait of Hormuz
The USS Georgia is also very likely to have been the submarine that fired more than two dozen Tomahawks at the Iranian nuclear facility at Isfahan as part of Operation Midnight Hammer in 2025. Whether or not it took part in subsequent strikes on Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury this year is unclear.
Despite what the Ohio class SSGNs continue to bring to the table, the Navy currently plans to inactivate all of them over the next three years. The plan had previously been to have all of these boats out of active service by 2028. This timeline has now been just slightly extended, with the USS Ohio, USS Florida, and USS Michigan set to follow Georgia into retirement in Fiscal Years 2027, 2028, and 2029, respectively. USS Ohio is also notably the lead boat in the class and, by extension, the oldest, having entered service in 1981.
As it stands now, there is no direct replacement for the Ohio SSGNs in the Navy’s shipbuilding pipeline. The service does have a number of Virginia class attack submarines capable of supporting special operations missions in service now and is planning to acquire enlarged Block V subvariants. Each Block V will feature what is known as the Virginia Payload Module (VPM), which gives the boat four additional larger vertical launch tubes, and will really make it more of an SSGN. Between the VPM and the existing launch tubes carried over from the Block IV design, these submarines will be able to carry up to 40 Tomahawk missiles at a time. The VPM tubes will also be able to accommodate the forthcoming Intermediate-Range Conventional Prompt Strike (IRCPS) hypersonic missile. However, no version of the Virginia class is expected to provide the same level of capability, at least in some regards, as is found on the Ohio SSGNs, based on what is publicly known. The first Block V Virginia class submarine with the VPM is not expected to enter service until 2028.
The Navy is also in the process of replacing its Ohio SSBNs with new Columbia class types. There has been talk in the past of acquiring new “Large Payload Submarines,” possibly based on the Columbia design, as a more direct replacement for the Ohio SSGNs. However, the Columbia class program has suffered delays and cost growth, and the priority remains on getting the new SSBNs into service. It is critical for those boats to be delivered on a tight schedule to ensure there is no gap in the ability of the maritime leg of America’s nuclear triad to meet operational requirements.
In the meantime, the USS Georgia is already heading toward retirement and, unless the Navy changes course, the last of these highly capable submarines will be out of active service by 2029.
Contact the author: howard@twz.com
SINGER-songwriter Linda Perhacs has gone missing – with the artist’s loved ones issuing a plea for information on her whereabouts.
The musician, 82, who struggles with dementia, was discharged from a care facility eight months ago – but has not been heard from since.
The cult songwriter’s friends and collaborators posted a plea for help on social media on Monday.
Her manager Laura Stearns said Linda had not been seen or heard from in eight months.
In December, she was released from an assisted living facility in Northridge, California, by her legal guardian.
Stearns said: “Linda Perhacs our dear friend and legendary singer-songwriter was discharged from a residential care facility approximately eight months ago under the supervision of her legal guardian.
“Since then, friends and longtime collaborators have been unable to reach her and repeated attempts to contact her guardian have reportedly gone unanswered. Please help us locate Linda to ensure her wellbeing.
“The intention is not to intrude upon her privacy, but simply to ensure that she is safe and to re-establish communication with someone whose artistic contributions continue to resonate across generations.”
A missing persons report for Linda was filed with the Los Angeles Police Department on June 6.
The singer’s friends and collaborators, including writer Jessica Hundley, singer Julia Holter and DubLab co-founder Mark “Frosty” McNeill, have shared pleas for information.
Her co-producer, Fernando Perdomo, said on Monday that he had been unable to reach her next of kin.
He said: “We’ve all been in touch with her since she’s been in a home for memory care, and we even performed with her two years ago for her 80th birthday party.”
Perdomo added that he wanted to speak to Linda about six weeks ago.
He explained: “So I gave her a call and found out that she had been moved out by her next of kin, and because of California law they can’t tell us where she is.
“I think he might have blocked us, which is really, really weird.”
Perhacs shot to fame decades after the 1970 release of her debut album, Parallelograms.
The record initially bombed and sold poorly, prompting Perhacs to quit the music industry and go back to her job as a dental hygienist.
However, the internet helped new fans rediscover the album in the late 1990s.
It was soon hailed as a lost folk classic and re-released several times.
Following her revived career, Perhacs returned to the studio to release her second album, The Soul of All Natural Things, in 2014, followed by her third, I’m a Harmony, in 2017.
Earnings Call Insights: Seagate Technology Holdings plc (STX) Q4 fiscal 2026
Seeking Alpha’s Disclaimer: This article was automatically generated by an AI tool based on content available on the Seeking Alpha website, and has not been curated or reviewed by humans. Due to inherent limitations in using AI-based tools, the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of such articles cannot be guaranteed. This article is intended for informational purposes only. Seeking Alpha does not take account of your objectives or your financial situation and does not offer any personalized investment advice. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank.
This day, the first full moon of the fourth month in the Burmese calendar, commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon to five monks in the Deer Park in Benares, India and the founding of the Buddhist sangha (monkhood) about 2,500 years ago.
In the sermon, which is known as ‘Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion’, the Buddha first spelled out the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.
Waso Full Moon Day marks the beginning of Buddhist lent (Wasso), which generally coincides with the height of Myanmar’s rainy season. Buddhist Lent last for three months from the full moon of Waso until the full moon of Thadingyut. It is normally a time of heightened religious activity around the country. Pilgrims throughout the country gather wild flowers to offer at pagodas, and offer new robes to monks. Almost all monks will not leave the grounds of their monastery during this time.
During the period of Buddhist Lent, many Buddhists will abstain from eating meat, drinking alcohol or smoking. It is also traditionally a time when Myanmar people are not allowed to move house.
Despite conceding six goals across two legs, Hearts impressed going forward in spells but lacked a clinical touch in front of goal, failing to score from a combined expected goals value of 2.6.
With only a couple of competitive games under their belt, there was a sense of unease around Tynecastle, where many fans left well before the final whistle.
The defeat was Hearts’ first at home in 15 months and supporters can be forgiven for expecting more from a side assembled with the aid of lauded recruitment tool Jamestown Analytics.
Regardless, it is still just two games into the season for a new-look team who will be expecting to compete for domestic honours and still have a chance at Europa League or Conference League football.
“It’s early days, but if you look at that squad, you have to be a big character to go out when things aren’t going well to demand the ball and drag the team forward,” Stevenson added.
“How long does the manager get if they come under pressure? What do Jamestown do? Do they stick their heels in? And then it becomes ugly.
“It’s like an absolute freefall, it’s totally a new team. There isn’t a connection between the team and the fans. Again, it’s the first game, so I’m being totally critical, but the signs for me just now are worrying.”
With no competitive warm-ups before their Champions League journey began, Vrancken insists his players weren’t ready.
However, in the first leg, nine of the starters were at the club last season. And in Tuesday night’s second leg, eight starting players remained from last season.
They looked like strangers at times, particularly in the final third and when high balls were launched into their box.
“Physically, yes,” Vrancken said when asked if these games came too soon.
“When you see both games again, what we did with the ball was really good until the moment that you physically cannot bring it any more and that made it difficult.
“I hope everybody starts scoring. It doesn’t matter who, as long as the goals come.
“It comes together with physical preparation too, then you make the better decisions, and in the final moments you’re there to finish it. I cannot blame the players in intentions and how they did it at all.
“It’s not about quality. When you play against Sturm Graz who are experienced in Europe, and you play like that in the first half in both games, then it’s not about lacking quality, it’s more about we have to make some steps physically.”
1 of 2 | Student Jose Ortiz, right, accepts an embrace from chaplain Ronald Clark, left at a makeshift memorial one day after a deadly school shooting in 2024 at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga. Colt Gray, 16, was sentenced to life in prison without parole Tuesday for the shootings. Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA-EFE
July 28 (UPI) — A 16-year-old who used an assault-style rifle to kill two other students and two teachers at his Georgia high school will spend the rest of his life in prison.
On Tuesday, a judge sentenced Colt Gray to life without parole for the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Another teacher and eight other students were injured in the shooting.
Gray pleaded guilty to all 55 counts, including those of murder, on Friday.
“You do not seem to be tormented by what you did, you seemto relish following in the footsteps of the murderers you idolize,” Judge Nicholas Primm of Barrow County Superior Court told Gray on Tuesday. “You aren’t rackedwith guilt. You’re proud of yourself.”
“There’s no joy here,” Primm said. “It’s only a measure of closure. The slain will not return to life. The injured will not forget their wounds. And a 16-year-old, 16-year-old boy, will live and die in prison.”
Gray was 14 at the time of the shooting and was charged as an adult. The two students who died — Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo — were also 14. Gray also killed teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.
Prosecutor said in the sentencing hearing that Gray became obsessed with school shooters through an online community and that his jail phone calls with his mother showed he was “thrilled” to be compared to them.
Gray’s father, Colin Gray, was convicted in March on charges of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter for giving his son the weapon he used to commit the shootings.
Family members of those killed had urged the judge to give Gray the maximum sentence for his crimes.
“It is a life sentence of grief and trauma for those left behind,” said Aspinwall’s wife, Shayna. Their daughters were 2 and 5 when Gray killed their father.
