Station

• NASA astronaut Chris Williams and his crewmates returned to Earth on Sunday after completing an eight-month science mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). • The crew participated in a long-duration expedition focused on conducting research and scientific breakthroughs that are impossible to achieve in Earth's gravity. • This mission contributes to over 25 years of continuous human habitation on the ISS, maintaining a permanent presence in low-Earth orbit.

• NASA astronaut Chris Williams and two Russian cosmonauts returned to Earth on Sunday, July 26, after spending 241 days aboard the International Space Station. • The crew departed the station via the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft, which undocked at 3:03 a.m. ET. • The return journey concluded with a successful landing approximately 3 hours and 24 minutes after undocking.

• Protesters from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) are conducting a sit-in at Jantar Mantar, leading to significant crowd swells in the area. • In response to the unrest, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) shut down 17 stations on July 23, 2026, including Jhandewalan, Lok Kalyan Marg, and Patel Chowk. • To maintain essential transit, interchange facilities remain operational at key hubs including Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, and Central Secretariat.

The Guardian goes on the ground with Brazilian forces fighting to eradicate mining that has destroyed protected areas of Indigenous landThe jerry-built bordello at the foot of Vila Cururu, an illegal gold-mining settlement at the heart of Brazil’s most desecrated Indigenous territory, was a hive of depravity until just a few weeks ago.Inebriated prospectors huddled around wooden tables, swigging beer and Scotch whisky, and ogling pole-dancing sex workers before going with them to shacks behind the brothel. Continue reading...

Josh Fawaz’s song, a cover of Like a Prayer, has raised questions over how generative AI is being used in music and whether it should be declaredAn Australian producer has gone from a little-known artist to a viral sensation in a matter of months, with his hit song catapulting onto global charts and receiving thousands of radio spins.There’s just one problem: music experts and other musicians are questioning whether he produced it. They claim Josh Fawaz’s most popular song, a cover of Madonna’s Like a Prayer which reached the #1 spot on the National Radio Airplay chart, could have been made using AI. Continue reading...

• Station F, the Paris-based startup hub founded by billionaire Xavier Niel, is launching a new edition of its F/ai accelerator program to support emerging AI startups in Europe. • The program is backed by a massive consortium of tech giants, including OpenAI, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Mistral AI, with new partners like Eleven Labs and GitHub joining the second cohort. • This initiative aims to centralize major industry players, providing startups with critical networking opportunities and streamlined access to the European market.

Prominent organizations accuse network of political, racial and sexual bias and supporting Chinese communist partyA group of prominent conservative organizations has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deny license renewal requests from the eight local television stations owned and operated by ABC, accusing the network of political, racial and sexual bias and supporting the Chinese communist party.The petitions come after the commission, led by Trump appointee Brendan Carr, took the nearly unprecedented step of requiring the network, a frequent recipient of attacks from Donald Trump, to apply several years early to maintain its ability to broadcast in markets around the country. Continue reading...

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi met during the Japanese leader's visit to India to condemn terrorism in all forms and manifestations. • The two nations signed a key Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing global cooperation. • Both leaders emphasized the need for sustainable peace in West Asia, specifically highlighting the importance of securing free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining stable energy supply chains.

• Belgium and Senegal are scheduled to face each other in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Seattle. • Senegal secured their spot as one of the best third-placed teams after a dominant 5-0 victory over Iraq, following earlier losses to France and Norway. • The match is expected to be a tense encounter as both teams enter the knockout stage following inconsistent group stage performances.

With the much-anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI only available as download, Sony is following suiteSony said on Wednesday that it would stop releasing new video games for the PlayStation console on disc in January 2028 following a shift in consumer preferences.“Following this date, new games will be available on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only,” the company said on its official PlayStation blog. Continue reading...

• The FIFA World Cup 2026 will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. • This expanded tournament will feature a record 48 participating national teams competing in a total of 104 matches. • The event marks a significant scale-up for the global competition, requiring comprehensive radio and streaming coverage to reach fans worldwide.

• China plans to double the size of its Tiangong space station by adding three new modules and a co-orbiting space telescope. • This expansion occurs as the International Space Station (ISS) nears the end of its operational life and prepares for a final splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. • The move signifies China's ambition to establish a more permanent and capable long-term presence in low Earth orbit.

Firms including BP and 7-Eleven accused of coordinating prices to ‘wring more money from pockets of consumers’Gas ⁠station ​operators including BP, Circle K, Marathon, 7-Eleven, Walmart and Albertsons were sued on Monday by California drivers ⁠who accused them of using artificial intelligence to boost prices at the pump.According to a proposed class action, the defendants ⁠violated California’s main antitrust law, the Cartwright Act, by using an AI-based tool that ​uses data from competing gas ‌stations to “coordinate high prices ‌and wring more money from the pockets of consumers”. Continue reading...

• Astronauts on the International Space Station have activated upgrades to NASA’s Cold Atom Lab (CAL), a specialized facility used to study quantum physics. • On May 8, 2026, astronaut Jessica Meir installed hardware updates, including optical fibers, to the minifridge-sized laboratory. • These upgrades are critical for improving the lab's ability to create ultra-cold atoms, allowing researchers to observe quantum phenomena that are impossible to study on Earth.

ARN Media settlement of dispute with sacked radio host includes $12.09m cash payment and $1.5m worth of advertisingFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKyle Sandilands has settled his dispute with ARN Media for a $12m cash payout and a promise it will help him launch a new media venture.The money is a fraction of the $85m the former radio host had been seeking after his abrupt sacking from the network in February, but avoids what threatened to be a costly and potentially damaging trial in the federal court. Continue reading...

• NASA's SpaceX CRS-34 Dragon spacecraft has returned to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean after completing its mission. • The spacecraft is transporting a significant volume of biological samples, materials samples, and tested hardware from the International Space Station. • This return is critical for research teams on Earth to analyze data that helps NASA prepare humans for exploration beyond low Earth orbit.

At least eight states have banned the plant-derived product as more people use it and some claim it’s addictiveIn 2024, Maizie Hepner, 24, started visiting a bar in Dubuque, Iowa that did not serve alcohol and instead offered beverages containing kava and kratom, psychoactive substances derived from plants.The drinks were marketed as “herbal tea mocktails”. Hepner, who works as a server and bartender, said. “I asked the guy who owns” Kava Kava “if it was addictive, and he said, ‘Absolutely not’”. Continue reading...

• NASA and international partners are preparing for the departure of the 34th SpaceX Dragon resupply spacecraft from the International Space Station. • The mission focuses on returning critical scientific research samples and hardware to Earth for further analysis. • This operation supports the ongoing effort of continuous human habitation aboard the station, which has lasted for over 25 years.

‘Lookback law’ allowed Pamela Lockridge to seek damages against late stepfather who abused her starting at age fourA north-west Louisiana jury recently awarded a staggering $1.1bn in damages to a woman who sued over childhood sexual molestation at the hands of her late stepfather in the 1960s and 1970s – a verdict that the plaintiff says “sends a message that children are precious” and “deserve protection”.The outcome in Pamela Elaine Lockridge’s lawsuit caused waves among Louisiana’s legal community, illustrating how much civil juries are willing to award to plaintiffs for cases tried under the state’s so-called “lookback law”. Continue reading...

• Five astronauts aboard the International Space Station were ordered to take shelter and prepare for evacuation for approximately two hours on Friday due to a worsening air leak. • The emergency was triggered by a crack located on the Russian segment of the orbital laboratory, which Russian crews attempted to repair. • NASA has since reversed the evacuation alert, allowing the crew to resume normal operations after the situation was stabilized.

Suspect in custody at busy rail hub adjacent to Madison Square Garden one day before game three of NBA finalsSix people were stabbed in a Sunday night attack at New York’s Penn Station, authorities said, with Amtrak police saying a person believed to be homeless was being held in custody as a result.The stabbings at the US’s busiest railroad hub came one day before thousands of basketball fans were expected at the third game of the NBA finals at the adjacent Madison Square Garden complex, although the events are not believed to be linked. Continue reading...

• Five people were injured in a stabbing incident at New York's Penn Station, one of the busiest transportation hubs in the United States. • The attack occurred in downtown Manhattan as the city prepares for high-profile sporting events, including the NBA Finals and the World Cup. • The timing is particularly sensitive as Madison Square Garden, located above the station, is set to host NBA Finals games on Monday and Wednesday.

• NASA instructed astronauts to return to their normal duties on the International Space Station after pausing "safe haven procedures." • The emergency measures were implemented for two hours while the Russian crew attempted to repair an air leak on the station. • This incident highlights the critical nature of pressure maintenance and the interdependence of the five partner agencies, including NASA and Roscosmos, in managing orbital safety.

Settlement over alleged child molestation by school janitors is latest in troubling string of allegations spanning decadesOne of the most prominent Catholic high schools in New Orleans has agreed to pay a seven-figure monetary sum to settle a lawsuit claiming child molestation by janitors at the institution decades earlier.The plaintiff struck the agreement with Jesuit high school ahead of a trial scheduled to start in the Louisiana city’s civil district courthouse on 15 June, roughly six years after he sued under a pseudonym. Continue reading...

Nasa says Russian crew trying to fix worsening air leak in its portion of orbital laboratoryAstronauts onboard the International Space Station have been ordered to shelter in their spacecraft and prepare for potential evacuation as a Russian crew attempts to fix a worsening leak of air in its portion of the orbital laboratory, Nasa has said.More details soon … Continue reading...

Amtrak car caught fire in Hudson River tunnel due to overhead wire damage, according to New Jersey transitA fire in a rail yard train car near New York’s Penn Station injured five people and disrupted service for many commuters early Friday, authorities said.The fire resulted in train delays on the New Jersey Transit and Amtrak rail services into New York and briefly suspended Long Island Rail Road service, more than a week after a strike had shut down that system. Continue reading...

• Amazon MGM Studios has greenlit the first three children's shows developed under a new initiative utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) for content creation. • The announcement, made on Wednesday, marks a strategic shift in how the studio approaches the development of programming for younger audiences. • This move is significant as it integrates AI into the creative pipeline, potentially altering traditional production workflows and storytelling methods.

British army is 80-90% short of drones as military exercise aims to build on European defence startegyDeep in Charing Cross underground station, in the disused terminus of the Jubilee line, a secret Nato command bunker has this week been discreetly at work. Dozens of mostly British soldiers were engaged in a war game defending Estonia from a Russian invasion in 2030, unbeknownst to commuters and tourists bustling above.The secret chambers are behind two sets of normally locked, metal double doors. A red glow at the bottom of the escalator beyond is the first sign of troops below; next are mocked up newspaper covers pasted over ageing adverts. A British Nato force has deployed to Estonia they blare, in response to a Russian massing of troops on the border. Continue reading...