A record of what was published, when, and how it changed.

BBC chief proposes ‘public service algorithm’ with YouTube-style user-generated content

By Michael Savage Media editor

Speaking at Edinburgh TV festival, Matt Brittin says BBC platform would be free from interests of US tech giants The BBC director general has suggested opening up the BBC to YouTube-style user-generated content as he backed the idea of a “public service algorithm” free from the interests of US tech companies. Matt Brittin, who arrived at the BBC after 10 years leading Google in Europe, said the corporation and public

‘Tsunami from the sky:’ floods leave trail of devastation in Nepal and Tibet - The Latest

By Presented by Lucy Hough with Devika Bhat; produced by Annie La Vespa and Rosie Peters-McDonald; senior producer Ryan Ramgobin; executive producer Zoe Hitch

Hundreds of people are missing or have been killed after a catastrophic flash flood hit Nepal and Tibet on Wednesday. Entire villages have been destroyed, many of which are popular pilgrimage and trekking destinations for tourists. Lucy Hough talks to global editor Devika Bhat about how the devastating event unfolded Continue reading...

• Machine signalDeath or self-harm

Teesside MPs call for more police help after Middlesbrough and A66 deaths

By Mark Brown North of England correspondent

Labour’s Andy McDonald says gangs ‘clearly featuring’ in a series of incidents and police are underfunded Five MPs on Teesside have called on the government to provide more help to local police and fire services after a week in which nine people have died in two incidents. The MPs said the communities they represented should get the “strongest possible backing from the government”. Continue reading...

• Machine signalDeath or self-harm

Students are being set up to fail by compulsory GCSE resits | Letters

By Guardian Staff

Readers respond to Polly Toynbee’s article calling for mandatory exam resits to be scrapped in a first step towards education reform I was delighted to read Polly Toynbee’s demolition of compulsory GCSE resits (How can we stop destroying the prospects of a generation? Scrapping compulsory GCSE resits will be a start, 24 August). Of course, level 2 qualifications in maths and English should be accessible to all school

We need new reservoirs – and it’s a job for the state, not private companies | Letters

By Guardian Staff

David Griffiths says mayors could be empowered to build water infrastructure, while Kevin Whately suggests incorporating communal storage into new housing estates Pete Ford (Letters, 20 August) rightly reminds us that “The Victorians … built reservoirs, aqueducts and local water-storage infrastructure.” But who were these “Victorians”? Generally speaking, they were local councillors and their professional engineers.

Government must prioritise heat pump installation to tackle climate chaos | Letter

By Guardian Staff

Colin Hines says Andy Burnham’s focus should be on drastically cutting fossil fuel use in a way that reduces bills and generates secure jobs It is hardly surprising that many who were optimistic and supportive of Andy Burnham becoming prime minister, but who also prioritised tackling climate chaos, are becoming increasingly unsure about him, given his tardiness in emphasising this threat as an overriding policy objec

Surprising AI breakthroughs raise soul-searching questions for mathematicians | Letter

By Guardian Staff

Whether mathematics thrives or perishes in the age of AI depends on what it is that society values in the human intellect, writes Dr Henry Bradford I share Kasra Rafi and Bruce Schneier’s impression that recent mathematical breakthroughs by AI consist in clever recombination of existing ideas, not development of truly novel theory (No, AI doesn’t mean the end of mathematics – at least not yet, 25 August). The questio

Tadej Pogacar battles back from scare on descent to win stage six of Vuelta a España

By Agence France-Presse

Slovenian leader recovers after misjudging corner Britain’s Josh Tarling pulls out of event mid-stage Tadej Pogacar outsprinted Enric Mas to claim victory in stage six of the Vuelta a España on Thursday, his third stage win of the race. The Slovenian and Mas outshone their rivals on the gravel in the stage’s final climb, and Pogacar held off the Spaniard when arriving in Castellón de la Plana to extend his general ­c

• Machine signalAllegation language

Nepal flash flood: more than 350 killed amid warning of fresh danger from rising lake water – latest updates

By Tom Ambrose (now); Mabel Banfield-Nwachi, Martin Belam and Adam Fulton (earlier)

Authorities say water rising at lake at site of disaster and it could burst Nearly 1,400 missing, mostly tourists, and hundreds killed Visual guide: how the deadly flooding unfolded Tell us: have you been affected by the flash floods? Eyewitness accounts have been emerging from the Tibetan side of the border, with a woman saying she was travelling from Gyirong town towards Nepal on Wednesday morning when her group en

• Machine signalDeath or self-harm

Ratko Mladić, the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’, dies in The Hague

By Peter Beaumont Senior international correspondent

Bosnian Serb commander responsible for Srebrenica massacre dies in prison while serving life sentence for genocide From the archive: Fourteen years a fugitive: the hunt for the Butcher of Bosnia Ratko Mladić will die in jail. But go to Bosnia: you’ll see that he won Ratko Mladić, the infamous Serbian general who was serving a life sentence for genocide committed during the Bosnian war, has died in prison in The Hague

• Machine signalDeath or self-harm

Tate brothers urge release on bail in Miami as they fight extradition to UK

By Reuters

Andrew and Tristan Tate’s lawyer tells court that pair, who are wanted on rape charges, are not a flight risk A lawyer for the social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate urged a US judge on Thursday to release the brothers on bail from a Miami jail ⁠as they contest extradition to Britain, ⁠where they are wanted ​on rape charges. Howard Srebnick, a lawyer for the Tate brothers, told the Miami-based US magistrate

Bronze age treasure stolen in four-minute Spanish museum heist

By Philip Oltermann and agencies

Gold collection known as Treasure of Villena, worth at least €1.7m, is target of ‘very well planned’ raid Thieves in Spain have raided the Treasure of Villena – a stunning collection of bronze age gold artefacts that has been described as the most important prehistoric trove in Europe – in the latest high-profile smash-and-grab heist on the continent. The raid on Thursday morning of the 66 mostly gold objects in the

Homes damaged as storms follow heatwaves in England and Wales

By Neha Gohil Midlands correspondent

Environment Agency issues 40 flood alerts across Midlands, Yorkshire and south-east of England Dozens of homes have been damaged by flooding and the Met Office had issued warnings for thunderstorms and heavy rain at the end of a summer in which most of England and the whole of Wales was declared in drought. The Met Office said thundery showers in England and Wales could cause 75mm of rain to fall in just 12 hours in

Rebecca Hendin on Mark Zuckerberg and the Meta court settlement – cartoon

By Rebecca Hendin

Continue reading...

Number of asylum seekers living in hotels across UK halves in a year

By Jessica Elgot, Diane Taylor and Chris Osuh

Home Office was housing 16,021 asylum seekers across 160 hotels at end of June, while small boat crossings down 23% UK politics live – latest updates The number of asylum seekers living in hotels has halved in a year, Home Office figures show. Sweeping changes to the asylum system have also led to a significant drop in legal arrivals and asylum claims, but the numbers of asylum seekers housed in private accommodation

• Machine signalAllegation language

Spurs paying price for World Cup and pre-season trip to Australia

By David Hytner

Too many players are off the pace and Roberto De Zerbi has had no hesitation in naming names Jan Paul van Hecke was among those given an unwanted name-check by Roberto De Zerbi after Tottenham’s 3-0 defeat at Brentford on Saturday. Not at the right level physically, was the gist of the manager’s comments. De Zerbi also mentioned Marcos Senesi and Sandro Tonali, two more of the club’s new signings. Their condition had

Officials urge calm after malaria outbreak kills two staff at Frankfurt airport

By Kate Connolly in Berlin

Mosquito traps are set up at Germany’s biggest airport and doctors are asked to look out for symptoms of disease German health officials are seeking to reassure the public after two workers at the country’s biggest airport died of malaria. Mosquito traps have been set up at Frankfurt airport and a mosquito monitoring process is under way. A detailed investigation is being conducted to clarify how the workers contract

• Machine signalDeath or self-harm
• Machine signalInvestigation language

Twickenham £660m makeover plan hit as locals push back against concert scheme

By Gerard Meagher

Councillors say plan does not tackle effect on residents RFU want to increase number of non-sporting events The Rugby Football Union’s bid to stage more concerts at ­Twickenham has been delivered a blow after local councillors insisted planning ­permission should not be awarded until the proposal further commits to limiting the impact. The RFU has ­ submitted its ­planning application to Richmond council to use the ­

USS Abraham Lincoln to visit port in Thailand after more than 250 days at sea

By Anna Betts

Thai navy says ‘routine’ visit’ will allow personnel to rest and recuperate amid reports of poor conditions onboard The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is set to make a temporary stop in Thailand next week as it heads back to the United States, Thai navy officials said, after spending more than 250 consecutive days at sea supporting US operations against Iran amid recent reports of poor living conditions and low

I don’t get along with my sister-in-law. Should I try to address the dynamic?

By Eleanor Gordon-Smith

There are two things to consider, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith. Are you hurt by the way she treats you or the way she sees you? Read more Leading questions I’m struggling with a dynamic with my sister-in-law. We’re not a natural fit personality-wise, and I’ve tried to be mindful of that. At times I wonder whether she might be jealous of the life I have with her brother and our children. I often encour

Food allergies when flying are no joke. That's why nuts should be banned on planes | Lucy Pasha-Robinson

By Lucy Pasha-Robinson

People with allergies must be able to travel without fear, and a compassionate society should respect that What are you most scared of? Perhaps snakes send a chill down your spine. Or heights leave your knees weak. Peanuts may sound like an odd source of phobia, but they have taken on an absurd bogeyman quality for me since my daughter was taken to hospital by ambulance after eating peanut butter when she was six mon

‘We’re going to have to groove!’ The cello, horn and sax prodigies jazzing up the Proms

By Erica Jeal

The finalists from the BBC young musician of 2016 have teamed up with a Mercury-nominated composer to craft a Proms premiere that’s uplifting, lyrical and goes out with an almighty bang A cellist, a horn player and a soprano saxophonist walk into the Royal Albert Hall … it could be the setup for an exceptionally nerdy joke, but instead it’s a new triple concerto, with three soloists rather than the usual one, to be p

What caused the catastrophic flood in Nepal and Tibet – and how does a glacier collapse?

By Donna Lu

A glacial collapse registering as a magnitude 5.2 seismic event occurred near the border on Wednesday morning Hundreds of people have died in catastrophic flash floods in Nepal. Here’s what we know so far about what caused the disaster. With Reuters and Associated Press Continue reading...

• Machine signalDeath or self-harm

Three UK airports hit by cyber-attack with data of 8.7m customers accessed

By Lauren Almeida

Company that runs Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands hubs says passenger safety is unaffected Business live – latest updates Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports have been hit by a cyber-attack in which hackers accessed the data of about 8.7 million customers. The incident involved data related to “car park, lounge and fast-track bookings and in-airport wifi sign-ups”, and the hackers obtained e

Owl at Home review – this Edinburgh fringe hoot is a wise choice for children

By Chris Wiegand

Gilded Balloon Teviot, Edinburgh Songs, physical comedy and clever design come together in Theatr Iolo’s adaptation of Arnold Lobel’s offbeat story, aimed at over-fives Arnold Lobel was a writer with a keen sense of the seasons. Frog and Toad Are Friends, one of my favourite books since childhood, has a wonderful story where the excitable Frog wakes up his grumpy friend Toad and tricks him into enjoying the dawn of s

• Machine signalInvestigation language