One of the last stars of the bebop generation, Rollins was an genius of melodic invention and improvisation, working with Davis, Monk, Coltrane and others Sonny Rollins, one of the greatest jazz saxophonists of all time, has died aged 95. His death was announced on his website on Monday, “with deep sorrow and profound love”. His publicist Terri Hinte also confirmed the news. Continue reading...

Lifesize avatar of former Black Sabbath frontman will be created by tech companies Hyperreal and Proto Hologram A year after his death, Ozzy Osbourne is set to be recreated as a lifesized AI-powered avatar, his family have announced – but fans aren’t entirely happy. The late rocker’s son Jack and his wife, Sharon, announced on 20 May at Licensing Expo, an event for brands in Las Vegas, that the family had partnered with tech companies Hyperreal and Proto Hologram to create an Ozzy Osbourne avatar. Continue reading...

Sergei Lavrov tells Marco Rubio that Washington should evacuate its embassy because Moscow is planning ‘systematic strikes’. What we know on day 1,553 Sergei Lavrov pressured the US to evacuate staff from its embassy in Kyiv during a phone call with the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, on Monday. Russia has threatened “systematic strikes” on the capital and demanded that foreigners leave. The Ukrainian foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, urged Kyiv’s allies not to give in to “Russian blackmail”. Katarina Mathernova, the head of the EU mission in Kyiv, said the 27-nation bloc was “not going anywhere”. Mathernova said: “Russia wants fear, panic, isolation of Ukraine. It will not work. The EU is not going anywhere. We are staying in Kyiv. We are staying with Ukraine.” In Kyiv, rescuers tackled the aftermath of Sunday’s strikes, which authorities said killed at least four people and injured 91. More than 70 foreign diplomats paid their respects to the victims of the strikes, visiting the heavily damaged neighbourhood of Lukyanivka. Agence France-Presse reported that Kyiv residents returned to their normal routines on Monday – sunbathing on terraces, playing in the streets, sitting at cafes – with some saying they had become desensitised after more than four years of war. “We’re used to it,” said Roman, a 36-year-old firefighter who helped clear the ruins from one of many destroyed buildings. “Emotions take a back seat,” he said as behind him a young man stepped over a heap of charred debris, taking care not to spill his latte macchiato. On one street, children played metres from the site of a Russian strike. “Watch out for glass!” one woman shouted at them. After one coffee shop was damage by a strike, dozens of Kyiv residents flocked to support the business, queueing up to make orders despite the damage. The owner, Yevgen Prusak, became a minor social media celebrity after serving hot drinks to rescuers through the blown-out windows of his shop. “Yesterday I thought I was going to close for good,” said Prusak, the 35-year-old owner of Hogo cafe. But seeing customers come back, “I understood who I’m working for”. Among the buildings damaged was the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, a small college that specialises in liberal arts. Mykola, 17, and Maksym, 18, came to class despite the attack. “We don’t give this so much meaning. Life is not stopping,” said Mykola. “It affects sleep the most,” said Mykola. “I’ve gotten used to it, but before, at the beginning, it was downright stressful.” Continue reading...

Cities across south and south-east Asia are becoming places where informal workers can no longer recover from the heat By the time Jalaj Jha begins getting ready for work each morning, he already feels drained. Awakening in a cramped room in Delhi, with no ventilation except a rattling fan pushing hot air around, the 24-year-old gig worker has ahead of him a 12-hour shift delivering groceries. “I barely sleep three or four hours in this heat,” Jha said, wiping dust off his motorbike, which he uses for deliveries. “I wake up exhausted. It feels like my body is pulling me down.” Continue reading...

Hezbollah and Israel launch attacks amid increasingly imperilled ceasefire and stalling talks between US and Iran Middle East crisis: live updates The Israeli army has intensified strikes in southern Lebanon, as prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to escalate its offensive in an effort to “crush” Hezbollah in a further erosion of an already fragmented ceasefire. In turn, Hezbollah said it staged several attacks on Monday on three barracks and a military post in northern Israel “in response to the violation of the ceasefire” by Israel. Continue reading...

Campaigners, teenagers, legislators and experts give their opinions on the government’s social media consultation Change is coming for social media platforms. The UK government’s consultation on improving online safety for children will result in some form of action being taken against big tech. Even before the deadline for submissions has passed, ministers have pledged to introduce an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s or restrictions on “addictive” features such as infinite scrolling. There is overwhelming pressure from safety campaigners and MPs for a further crackdown on social media platforms, despite the introduction of the Online Safety Act, which requires tech firms to shield children from harmful content. The deadline for contributions is Tuesday night and the government has promised to act swiftly. Continue reading...

Head of Early Years Alliance says additional charges paid by parents represent ‘cross-subsidy’ Parents of nursery children in England are being charged extra fees to cover for government underfunding of free childcare hours, with some paying thousands of pounds a year for consumables such as food, wipes and nappies, campaigners have said. The comments came as the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, asked the competition watchdog to investigate hidden extra charges that parents have encountered when trying to access government-funded childcare. Continue reading...

Former players and Noel Gallagher saluted the departing manager while Khadija Shaw revealed she is staying with Manchester City How to top Pep Guardiola’s tearful farewell after Sunday’s final match leading Manchester City against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium? Simple: 24 hours later sell out the Co-op Live next door, that can hold up to 23,500, and move the dial to jubilation and put on a ticker-tape showered show for the departing Catalan that followed the men’s, women’s and youth team’s bus parade in blazing sunshine from the Northern Quarter. Continue reading...

Gkolomeev’s time in men’s 50m freestyle disputed Organisers launch defence of timing apparatus The Enhanced Games has dismissed suggestions by online sleuths that a world record set in Sunday’s event was mistakenly timed, calling them “completely unfounded internet drivel”. Some accounts on Instagram had noted that the Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev appeared to touch the wall after his time of 20.81 seconds in the men’s 50m freestyle flashed up on screen. Continue reading...

Speaking at Hay festival as UK breaks May heat record, author says optimism is a ‘moral duty’ Pessimism is probably “a bigger problem than climate change”, said the novelist Ian McEwan on Monday afternoon, as temperatures broke May records in the UK. McEwan “constantly” hears people say that they don’t “expect their children to have as good a life as they did”, but suggested that optimism is a “moral duty”. Continue reading...

Swiss beaten 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 by Jesper de Jong ‘It will be difficult to leave Roland Garros’ “It’s tough, it’s tough,” said Stan Wawrinka, tears welling in his eyes. “I don’t want to say goodbye to you here.” He was addressing a full crowd on Court Simonne-Mathieu moments after losing his first-round match at the French Open 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Jesper de Jong, a lucky loser from the Netherlands. This will be the final match and moment for Wawrinka in Paris. The three-time grand slam champion, a winner here in 2015, will retire at the end of the season after a ­distinguished 25-year career. The 41-year-old announced his decision at the end of last year, allowing him to spend 2026 competing at the biggest tournaments for a final time. Continue reading...

Senior lawyers call on prime minister to request Indian prosecutors drop charges that would breach double jeopardy rule Four senior lawyers, including the former attorney general Dominic Grieve, have written to Keir Starmer urging him to request that Indian prosecutors drop charges against the British national Jagtar Singh Johal on the basis that continued prosecution would be in manifest breach of the double jeopardy rule which prevents someone being tried twice for the same offence. Johal has been held in an Indian jail for eight years, and in March last year was acquitted of the terrorist charges laid against him in a court in Punjab. The court found the prosecutors had ‘miserably failed’ to present any reliable evidence, despite having had seven years to do so. Continue reading...

Former health secretary’s intervention comes as government closes consultation on age limits for social media platforms Social media companies should be treated like the tobacco industry, Wes Streeting has argued, as he called for a ban on under-16s accessing certain platforms. Speaking publicly about the prospect of a ban for the first time since he left government, the former health secretary said one was needed because large technology companies were trying to dodge regulations. Continue reading...

A century of our favourite images from the season including wild celebrations, protesting fans and goal-mouth scrambles Reigning champions Liverpool left it late to beat Bournemouth 4-2 on the opening day of the season in their first league game back at Anfield following the death of Diogo Jota. The Reds also squeaked past Newcastle thanks to Rio Ngumoha and then Arsenal, after Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick, which won goal of the month. Meanwhile, Manchester City lost 2-0 at home to Tottenham and 2-1 away to Brighton, Everton christened their new home, Hill Dickinson Stadium, with a win, and Sunderland made a strong start on their return to the top flight with two wins from three. Continue reading...

Police launch murder investigation after incident in early hours of bank holiday Monday outside One Four One bar A 30-year-old woman has died after being shot outside a bar in a busy area in Sheffield city centre. South Yorkshire police have launched a murder investigation after the incident in the early hours of this morning outside the One Four One bar on West Street. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Chancellor pushes for procurement of ships, steel, energy and AI to prioritise Britishness as well as cost Rachel Reeves has instructed cabinet colleagues to award government contracts in four critical industries directly to British companies, making clear her irritation that ministers have been sending too much government business abroad. In a letter seen by the Guardian, the chancellor tells every cabinet minister in charge of a spending department to “buy British” wherever possible, adding that she is disappointed they are not already doing so. Continue reading...

Temperatures soar to 33C on Monday at Roland Garros Kasatkina: ‘I don’t remember the last time it was so hot’ Competitors at the French Open are tackling unusually blistering heat at the start of this year’s event along with navigating the red clay and the pressure of performing at one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world. Temperatures scaled 33C in Boulogne-Billancourt on Monday, with players forced to adjust their games while trying to find their best level through obvious discomfort. This hot weather is expected to endure throughout the first week. “I don’t remember the last time it was so hot at Roland Garros,” said Daria Kasatkina. “Maybe one day, but we’re going to have it for the whole week or something.” Continue reading...

At the end of a ‘crazy, crazy day’, Elche were safe. But opponents, Girona, were down with Mallorca and Oviedo Eder Sarabia wasn’t out there to see the tightest, tensest battle there has ever been end with liberation at last, but his mum and dad were and he wasn’t far away. Suspended for the final night of a season like no other, Elche’s coach was hidden down in the dressing room instead, watching the game that he knew was “us or them” on a TV set perched precariously upon a metal crate. There, as staff ran in and out delivering messages until it was his turn to set off on a sprint, he saw the match that defined five teams’ fate finish 1-1. Mobile in hand, alerts beeping, most of all he saw suffering. “Terrible, terrible, terrible,” he called it later, but by then at least it was done. Elche were safe. Their opponents, Girona, were down. Real Mallorca, like Real Oviedo, were going with them. “Crazy, crazy day, crazy match, a lot of emotions: this league was really crazy,” Sarabia said. He had spent much of it surrounded by clothes on hooks and flags taped to walls; like everyone else, he had also spent it, he said, “on the edge of the precipice”. From the visitors’ dressing room at Montilivi, he had seen Álvaro Rodríguez score the kind of goal that wins cups in cartoons, tearfully dedicating it to his late dad, and Arnau Martínez equalise. He had seen cameras zoom in on his parents in the stands and wondered how Manu, a former footballer who doesn’t so much watch games as broadcast them, looked so calm when they were a goal from losing it all. He had seen Thomas Lemar hit Elche’s bar, “+7” appear on the screen, and his goalkeeper catch a cross on 95.55, Matías Dituro triumphantly holding the ball like Rafiki on Pride Rock, but it still wasn’t over. Continue reading...

Rehabilitation of young offenders is vital. But victims should not leave court wondering why they bothered The decision to review the sentences of two teenage boys convicted of raping two girls, aged 15 and 14, in separate incidents in November 2024 and January 2025, and a third boy who took part in the second rape, is correct. A knife was used to threaten the second victim, and the attacks were filmed with footage later uploaded to social media. Given the severity of the crimes, and the fact that having raped one girl, two of the boys went on to rape another two months later, the non-custodial sentences handed down last week by a judge in Southampton look like a serious mistake. Fortunately, the law in England and Wales allows for overly lenient sentences to be revised by the court of appeal. In this case, a dramatic request came from one of the victims herself. In a BBC television interview on Sunday, she said that the youth rehabilitation orders issued by the judge felt like “a rock straight in my face”. She said the outcome had made her question the point of reporting the crimes in the first place, and going through a distressing trial. Such comments should alarm everyone concerned with prosecuting rape. Her mother made a public plea to the prime minister: “Please help.” Continue reading...

In calling for regulation of the digital revolution, and foregrounding human dignity, the pontiff has contributed to a crucial ethical debate When the present pope adopted his regnal name, he explained the choice by reference to a 19th-century predecessor who used the papacy to address the great social question of his time. In the 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum (Of New Things), Pope Leo XIII analysed the social forces unleashed by the Industrial Revolution, and outlined principles for a just settlement between the forces of capital and labour. Leo XIV hopes to do something similar in relation to the accelerating digital upheaval of our own age. As anxiety grows over big tech’s impact on how we work and live, such ambition should be applauded. The early fruits of the pope’s work were presented in the Vatican on Monday after the publication of his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity). In 42,000 or so words the document itemises the daunting challenges posed by developments in artificial intelligence, and urges political leaders to safeguard human dignity as new technologies emerge at a pace which is outstripping ethical regulation and control. Continue reading...

Protesters say agents used pepper spray and batons in clash outside Delaney Hall where a hunger strike is under way Protesters outside a New Jersey migrant detention center where a hunger strike is under way alleged that US immigration agents deployed pepper spray and batons against them during a demonstration on Monday. The protesters tried to stop ICE from transferring Martin Soto – who announced the strike – but officials said that they were able to move him to the Elizabeth contract detention facility. Continue reading...

Director general of World Health Organization urges neighbouring countries to take immediate action The World Health Organization has warned that the Ebola outbreak is outpacing response efforts and countries neighbouring the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are at high risk from the disease. “We are urgently scaling up operations, but at the moment the epidemic is outpacing us,” said the WHO’s director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, as he urged neighbouring countries to take immediate action. Continue reading...

British driver had a thrilling duel with Kimi Antonelli in Canada before engine failure handed win to teenager George Russell was left wondering quite which deity he had offended as he despairingly contemplated his retirement from the Canadian Grand Prix with a mechanical failure. Fortune, for good or ill, will always play a part but what also became clear in Montreal is that Russell’s teammate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli is going to be fearsomely hard to beat this season, whatever the circumstances. Russell ground to a halt on the circuit Gilles Villeneuve on lap 30 after a thrilling battle with his Mercedes teammate Antonelli that had ebbed and flowed. The British driver deserved better, the two had been exchanging the lead and going side by side repeatedly, inches apart and trading paint on one occasion, only for Russell’s efforts to count for naught as he went out not with a whimper when the systems on his car shut down due to battery failure. Continue reading...

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NZ 80; Eng 81-3. Eng win by seven wickets England complete chase with 37 balls to spare England achieved a straightforward win against New Zealand, bowling the visitors out for 80 before chasing down the runs with 37 balls to spare to secure the series 2-1. The win was set up by a catastrophic batting collapse from New Zealand, who sunk to 33 for six in the first nine overs. A Thomas Becket-esque miracle had saved them at Canterbury, but a second one was unlikely to materialise, especially as the in-form Sophie Devine was dismissed for a duck. Continue reading...