Boot

• Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane enter the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico as the only current players to have previously won the Golden Boot. • Erling Haaland has entered the race for top scorer after netting two goals in Norway's 4-1 victory over Iraq, marking his first-ever World Cup goals. • The competition highlights a battle between established stars like Mbappe, who scored eight goals in the last tournament, and rising forces like the Manchester City striker.

Upgrade to Buchanan Galleries part of £50m spend this year and £800m by 2029 to revive appeal of department storesJohn Lewis is to spend £20m on a revamp of its Glasgow store in the city centre’s Buchanan Galleries in a vote of confidence in the shopping mall not long ago scheduled for demolition.It is the largest cash injection within a wider plan to spend £50m this financial year on refreshing its shops, with department stores in Reading, Cambridge, Leicester and Liverpool all earmarked for an upgrade. Continue reading...

End of discussions on takeover estimated at $10bn extends uncertainty for 177-year-old British chainBusiness live – latest updatesThe Australian pharmaceutical group Sigma Healthcare has dropped its pursuit of the UK retail chain Boots, abandoning a takeover estimated to be worth $10bn (£7bn).Sigma, a wholesaler and retailer, said on Monday that a deal ​to by the high street pharmacy business – which has 1,800 UK stores – would not meet its strategic ‌and capital investment objectives. Continue reading...

• Goldman Sachs highlights that while investors focus on AI winners like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon, investment banks are becoming the "hidden toll booth" of the boom. • As hyperscalers and infrastructure providers require billions or trillions of dollars in funding, banks are essential for structuring, syndicating, and distributing new debt and equity. • This shift matters because it moves the financial opportunity from the technology creators to the financial intermediaries managing the massive capital flows.

• NBC Sports has released the latest betting odds for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, identifying the top contenders for the title. • Spain enters as the current favorite with +475 odds, followed closely by France (+500), England (+650), and Brazil (+800). • The United States is listed as a long shot with +6000 odds, while other nations like Argentina (+900) and Portugal (+1000) remain strong contenders.

Speculative reports say Amazon is considering relaunching the reality show once hosted by the US president, with his eldest son floated as a possible hostGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailAmid speculative reports that Donald Trump Jr is being considered by Amazon to lead a reboot of The Apprentice, he’s already received a slightly muted endorsement from the reality show’s former host: his father.The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Amazon was considering rebooting The Apprentice, which was hosted by the now US president Donald Trump between 2004 and 2015, for its streaming service Prime Video.Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Continue reading...

A new reboot of the 1999 horror hit will feature two of the original stars and the directing team as executive producersThe reboot of The Blair Witch Project will now boast those involved with the original as producers after they voiced their frustration.The 1999 indie smash was made for $35,000 but made $248m, becoming one of the most profitable films ever made. Continue reading...

The US has deployed more forces since the truce and senior Iranians seem to be relishing the prospect of the fightIt is the doomsday scenario that Donald Trump repeatedly swore he would never countenance: putting boots on the ground in a deployment that could embroil the US in a Middle East “forever war”.Now, with a two-week ceasefire in the war with Iran coming to an end and prospects for renewed negotiations hanging by a thread, the chances of the president breaking that pledge and ordering some kind of ground incursion seem to be rising. Continue reading...

Beloved characters reinvented in graphic novel coming later this year – just as interest rockets in all things spaceSufferin’ satellites! The quintessential British space hero Dan Dare is back, 76 years after he first appeared in iconic comic magazine the Eagle.With all eyes on Nasa’s Artemis II moon mission, and with the big-screen adaptation of Andy Weir’s science fiction novel Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, going stratospheric at the box office, our love affair with space has been reignited. Continue reading...

As thousands of US soldiers and marines arrive in the Middle East, Iran is accusing Washington of privately plotting a ground assault while publicly touting ceasefire talks. Donald Trump threatened to ‘obliterate’ Iran’s energy infrastructure, said his ‘preference would be to take the oil’ in Iran and that US forces could seize the regime’s export hub on Kharg Island, while also claiming he was in talks with a new ‘reasonable regime’. Yemen’s Houthi forces have also entered the conflict, bringing the threat of further damage to the global economy. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian columnist and host of Politics Weekly America, Jonathan Freedland – watch on YouTube. And listen to Politics Weekly America here, or wherever you get your podcasts. Continue reading...

Secretary of state Marco Rubio repeats administration’s belief that US can achieve its aims without a ground warAmid tentative White House efforts at diplomacy to end the war in Iran, US troops have also been arriving in the region to deliver what Donald Trump has hoped could be a knockout blow if he can’t negotiate a ceasefire with Tehran.Thousands of US marines aboard navy amphibious ships from the 31st and 11th expeditionary units have been deployed to the Middle East from Asia. Another 2,000-odd paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne are also being sent to the theatre – they are tasked with deploying worldwide within 18 hours of notification and execute parachute assaults, including against a “defended airfield” to prepare for further ground operations. Continue reading...

Oscar winner will take on role of mystery author and wannabe detective Jessica Fletcher in 2027 film from Pitch Perfect director Jason MooreOscar-winning actor Jamie Lee Curtis has been confirmed to take on the role of Jessica Fletcher in a big screen reboot of Murder, She Wrote.The 67-year-old star of Halloween and Everything Everywhere All at Once will play the mystery author and amateur detective made famous by Angela Lansbury in the long-running television series. Continue reading...

• Variety's Emily Longeretta shared updates on the Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special airing soon. • Hulu has axed the planned Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot project amid ongoing entertainment shifts. • Coverage includes broader entertainment news highlights relevant to US audiences and streaming trends.

Time is running out to find agreement on areas such as tuition fees EU citizens would pay in Britain and rules for food safetyThe EU is hoping to urgently reboot talks on the “reset” of relations with the UK as negotiations are in danger of foundering before a planned July summit.At a public meeting of the EU-UK parliamentary partnership assembly in Brussels, the European Commission vice-president and trade commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, said both sides had to “change gears” now to ensure the deal got over the line. Continue reading...

Streaming platform Hulu decides ‘not to move forward’ with reboot of hit 90s series, according to actressBuffy The Vampire Slayer will not return, its star Sarah Michelle Gellar has announced, saying a reboot of the 90s supernatural fantasy series had been cancelled.Hulu, the Disney-owned streaming platform, has decided not to pick up the planned sequel, according to the actor. Continue reading...

Star Nathan Fillion is stoking rumours that cult western-in-space television series Firefly could be rebooted. Emily H. Wilson realises she is being toyed with – but is still praying for its return