Mood-boosting benefits of birdsong drowned out by traffic noise, study finds
The Guardianby Natalie Wint26 Aug 2026
Hearing the trill or whistle of a bird while going about daily life is well known to boost people’s mood.
The Guardian
theguardian.comadded August 2026
top 67%Jess Fuchs: Feral review – a debut with tremendous oomph from a future comedy star
The Guardianby Brian Logan26 Aug 2026
‘No hugging, no learning” was the writers’ rule on Seinfeld. Jess Fuchs decrees a similar stricture for Feral, in which she will learn nothing about herself whatsoever.
Iran faces strait of Hormuz paradox as strategic value of chokehold erodes
The Guardianby Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor26 Aug 2026
Is the strait of Hormuz, recently cited by the office of the Iranian supreme leader as “the pillar of Iran’s new security order”, and as transformative as possessing a nuclear weapon, in reality...
It shouldn’t be a secret who the prime minister has dinner with, and what was discussed. Australians deserve to know | Geoffrey Watson
The Guardianby Geoffrey Watson26 Aug 2026
Our prime minister was quite right when he recently pointed out that diminishing public trust in our politicians and political system is a matter of pressing public importance.
Ukraine war briefing: Small batch of Patriots arrives as Zelenskyy pleads for more
The Guardianby Warren Murray with Guardian writers and agencies26 Aug 2026
- Ukraine has recently received a small number of US-made Patriot interceptors capable of shooting down Russian ballistic missiles, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
In China, talking to AI is normal. Now the government fears it might replace human intimacy
The Guardianby Amy Hawkins in Shanghai and Yu-chen Li26 Aug 2026
When law student Zhao Wei heard that her AI boyfriend was going to be switched off, she was “heartbroken”. She had been talking to Wang Ye every day since she created him in January.
Instagram CEO denies company hid low use of teen safety feature in Meta trial
The Guardianby Dara Kerr26 Aug 2026
Instagram’s CEO disputed allegations by US prosecutors that his company hid negative information from the public while testifying during a blockbuster social media trial.
The Dog Stars review – Ridley Scott’s lethargic postapocalyptic drama is a misfire
The Guardianby Benjamin Lee26 Aug 2026
Looking towards the end of an August movie dumping ground littered with more unwanted trash than usual, there seemed to be a faint glimmer of hope, a shiny treasure poking out through the dusty...
‘So hacked off’: as election nears, New Zealanders despair at the main parties – and Opportunity knocks
The Guardianby Michelle Duff in Wellington25 Aug 2026
For decades, Mattie Wall mainly voted for Labour, one of New Zealand’s two major political parties.
Serena Williams thrills New York crowd on US Open return with Alcaraz
The Guardianby Bryan Armen Graham at Flushing Meadows25 Aug 2026
Serena Williams’ US Open return lasted two matches and one afternoon Tuesday as she and Carlos Alcaraz followed a first-round win with a quarter-final defeat by Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli in...
Dogs blink more often when they see owners blinking, study finds
The Guardianby Nicola Davis Science correspondent25 Aug 2026
Stare into a dog’s eyes and you may encounter a bemused expression. But researchers have found that dogs blink more often when they see their owners doing so, suggesting there may be more to the...
Trump threatens to demolish Kennedy Center if $250m renovation not done
The Guardianby David Smith in Washington25 Aug 2026
The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts could be demolished if repairs are not carried out, Donald Trump’s administration warned in a court filing on Monday.
FBI raided Spanish vacation rental of wealthy leftwing funder James ‘Fergie’ Cox after his arrest
The Guardianby Timothy Pratt25 Aug 2026
FBI agents raided the Ibiza, Spain, vacation rental of 41-year-old James “Fergie” Chambers, a US citizen and wealthy donor to leftwing and humanitarian projects worldwide, in the days following his...
Wife of US soldier deported after Trump rollback on military family protections
The Guardianby Associated Press25 Aug 2026
The wife of an active-duty US soldier was deported on Monday to her native Honduras, according to her family and the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Xavi hopes time at the ‘university of football’ will end with Dutch success
The Guardianby Arthur Renard in Zeist25 Aug 2026
“My feeling today is that I’m going to the university of football.” Those were Xavi Hernández’s opening words at his presentation as the Netherlands coach on Tuesday.
Delap heads to Forest for £50m as Chelsea open talks to sell Jackson to Aston Villa
The Guardianby Jacob Steinberg25 Aug 2026
Nottingham Forest have agreed a deal worth £50m to sign Liam Delap from Chelsea, who have also opened talks over selling Nicolas Jackson to Aston Villa.
Hakeem Jeffries defends his meeting with Trump envoy Jared Kushner
The Guardianby Edward Helmore25 Aug 2026
Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic minority leader in the US House of Representatives, has defended his meeting with Jared Kushner and claimed it was arranged at the request of Donald Trump’s...
‘Starting to wind me up’: Itauma rebuffs Hrgovic before world heavyweight title fight
The Guardianby Donald McRae25 Aug 2026
Moses Itauma has hit back at Filip Hrgovic’s taunt that he is a “delusional kid” and admitted that his Croatian rival is starting to annoy him as the two men prepare to fight for the IBF world...
Dolly Parton’s peerless career turned country music cliches inside out | Alexis Petridis
The Guardianby Alexis Petridis25 Aug 2026
In December 1977, Dolly Parton submitted to an interview with ABC Television’s Barbara Walters, much against her friends’ advice.
Dolly Parton, country star, actor and philanthropist, dies aged 80
The Guardianby Ben Beaumont-Thomas25 Aug 2026
Dolly Parton, one of the greatest singer-songwriters in country music who was also much cherished for her philanthropy, has died aged 80.