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// 06:59 AMDallas Cowboys player who died by suicide diagnosed with brain disease// 06:32 AMTrains and emergency calls affected after major outage at Australia's largest telecoms company// 06:11 AMVirgin Media fined £28m for preventing customers from cancelling contracts// 06:06 AMAustralia dock workers call for 28-hour week in AI talks// 06:04 AMFarage's rivals rule out standing in Clacton by-election// 05:57 AMNato allies announce £37bn for new missile project// 05:47 AMWho am I? Guess World Cup star No 31// 05:41 AMHow GB's Fery can beat Cobolli to reach Wimbledon semi-finals// 05:03 AMAirbnb data identifies illegal social home sublets// 01:04 AMHundreds of jobs at risk as John Lewis plans to cut some services// 12:08 AMSwitzerland beat Colombia on penalties to reach quarter-finals// 11:47 PMVictims of 23andMe data breach to get $47m payout, judge rules// 11:47 PMDjokovic beats Auger-Aliassime in five-set thriller to reach semi-finals// 11:46 PM'It is not normal' - but extraordinary Djokovic defies odds once again// 11:37 PMReform asks NCA to investigate leaks of private financial information// 11:34 PMDubai and Egypt package holidays cheaper to lure customers back// 11:13 PMWhy replacing leasehold may be easier said than done// 11:11 PMFrom mouthwash to hair dye: How weight-loss jabs are changing shopping habits// 10:22 PMChris Mason: Farage attempts to seize back the agenda after finance row// 09:33 PMEgypt fume at 'injustice' and make Messi favouritism claims after exit// 06:59 AMDallas Cowboys player who died by suicide diagnosed with brain disease// 06:32 AMTrains and emergency calls affected after major outage at Australia's largest telecoms company// 06:11 AMVirgin Media fined £28m for preventing customers from cancelling contracts// 06:06 AMAustralia dock workers call for 28-hour week in AI talks// 06:04 AMFarage's rivals rule out standing in Clacton by-election// 05:57 AMNato allies announce £37bn for new missile project// 05:47 AMWho am I? Guess World Cup star No 31// 05:41 AMHow GB's Fery can beat Cobolli to reach Wimbledon semi-finals// 05:03 AMAirbnb data identifies illegal social home sublets// 01:04 AMHundreds of jobs at risk as John Lewis plans to cut some services// 12:08 AMSwitzerland beat Colombia on penalties to reach quarter-finals// 11:47 PMVictims of 23andMe data breach to get $47m payout, judge rules// 11:47 PMDjokovic beats Auger-Aliassime in five-set thriller to reach semi-finals// 11:46 PM'It is not normal' - but extraordinary Djokovic defies odds once again// 11:37 PMReform asks NCA to investigate leaks of private financial information// 11:34 PMDubai and Egypt package holidays cheaper to lure customers back// 11:13 PMWhy replacing leasehold may be easier said than done// 11:11 PMFrom mouthwash to hair dye: How weight-loss jabs are changing shopping habits// 10:22 PMChris Mason: Farage attempts to seize back the agenda after finance row// 09:33 PMEgypt fume at 'injustice' and make Messi favouritism claims after exit
Dallas Cowboys player who died by suicide diagnosed with brain disease
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Dallas Cowboys player who died by suicide diagnosed with brain disease

Dallas Cowboys football player Marshawn Kneeland was suffering from stage 1 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) when he died by suicide last year, scientists said. Researchers at Boston University's CTE Center made the diagnosis through a postmortem brain tissue analysis of the defensive lineman, who died aged 24. "Unfortunately, I was not surprised to find CTE in the brain of Mr Kneeland, because we have found this progressive brain disease in nearly half of the athletes we've studied who have died before the age of 30," said the centre's director, Dr Ann McKee. Stage 1 is the mildest of CTE's four stages, where headaches and loss of attention or concentration are common symptoms. In a statement, Kneeland's family said the diagnosis provided "important context" about some of the struggles he was facing. "We share this information to help people understand what NFL and other high-contact sport athletes might be struggling with," they said. "We continue to remember Marshawn with compassion for the person he was, rather than defining him by the final moments of his life." Kneeland died in November 2025, after a car chase with Texas State Troopers who said they tried to pull him over for a traffic violation. Police at the time said he crashed his car and then fled on foot. He was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the early morning hours. Kneeland was drafted by the Cowboys in the second round in 2024 and played 18 times for the team, including four starts. He started playing tackle football when he was 7 years old and was on Western Michigan University's team before joining the Cowboys as a defensive end. Research has shown that athletes such as footballers, rugby players and fighters like boxers have a significantly higher risk of developing CTE than the general population. CTE can only be diagnosed after death. The disease - which is caused by repeated blows to the head - has been found in the brains of dozens of former National Football League (NFL) players. In the first stage of the disease, some people also experience short-term memory problems, depression, aggressive tendencies, and executive function issues, according to the CTE Society, a nonprofit group. In later stages, those problems grow stronger, and others, such as mood swings and suicidal thoughts, emerge. In its final stage, a person can experience severe cognition issues and memory loss, as well as dementia, according to the CTE Society. Boston University's CTE Center said the cause of suicide is complex and a postmortem CTE diagnosis is not known to be a risk factor for suicide. But CTE researchers said the case showed not enough has been down to lower the risk of the disease for athletes. "Mr Kneeland played in the modern era of concussion protocols and better helmets, and yet he still developed CTE," said Dr Chris Nowinski, co-founder and CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation. "We have no reason to believe the current generation is at a lower risk of CTE than previous generations." What happens next after latest link between heading and brain disease? Court upholds $1bn ruling against NFL Brain disease 'hits 99% of NFL players'

Trains and emergency calls affected after major outage at Australia's largest telecoms company
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Trains and emergency calls affected after major outage at Australia's largest telecoms company

Telstra says Wednesday's outage was 'intermittent' but affected customers across Australia A major outage at Australia's largest telecommunications company has led to cancelled train services, left thousands of customers without mobile coverage, and sparked an investigation into emergency calls that were not connected. Telstra's chief financial officer Michael Ackland apologised for the issue which began at 04:30 local time on Wednesday and affected "some mobile calls and data services". About six hours later, 90% of the network had been restored, he said. Time-keeping servers at data centres in Sydney and Melbourne were to blame but the exact cause was unknown. It was not a suspected cyber attack. Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the outage was "deeply concerning". Telstra described the outage as "intermittent" but acknowledged the impact had been "national". Ackland said the telecoms company was conducting welfare checks on customers who had called emergency services during the outage. "We don't believe this issue has impacted triple zero in the same way as other calls," he said. "It uses different network settings, but we are continuing to investigate every angle on where it may have impacted triple zero if that has occurred." Asked if the country could still rely on its largest mobile network, Ackland said: "Australia can absolutely have faith in its biggest telco... we take these outages very very seriously. "Our investment in resilience and cyber security and redundancy in our network is significant but it is a big and complex network and from time to time, issues do occur." Communications Minister Anika Wells confirmed that welfare checks were being made for about three dozen calls to emergency services that did not go through but that the "core triple-zero system remains operational". She also said the country's telco regulator, the Australian Communication and Media Authority, will investigate the outage. In Victoria, all regional train services were cancelled due to the outage while some regional services in New South Wales were also disrupted. National freight services were also affected. Payment systems were also down with about 80,000 businesses using the Tyro app affected. Last September, a systems outage at Optus - the second largest telecoms company in Australia - led to three deaths after hundreds of people across more than half the country were unable to call emergency services for 13 hours. Optus was also fined after an outage in 2023 left thousands unable to call emergency services.

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POLITICS

Nato allies announce £37bn for new missile project

Yvette Cooper and Sir Keir Starmer arriving in Turkey on Tuesday Twelve countries, including the UK, are set to spend more than £37bn ($50bn) over the next 10 years on a new long-range missile to protect Europe. The Deep Precision Strike project has just been unveiled by No 10 and is due to be discussed later on Wednesday at the Nato summit in the Turkish capital, Ankara. Sir Keir Starmer is there for his final Nato summit as prime minister. He is likely to face some criticism from US President Donald Trump for failing to set out a plan for reaching 3.5% of GDP spent on defence by 2035, a target agreed by nearly all Nato members last year. But on Wednesday the prime minister will convene around a dozen leaders to discuss the new missile programme. Billed as one Nato's most advanced weapons, it is intended to strike targets nearly 200 miles (300km) away with pinpoint accuracy, possibly extending out to 1,250 miles. Sir Keir said the UK-led initiative would "help bring European allies together to keep Nato safe for years to come". Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the plan was "part of a recognition that we're in a more dangerous world". "This is about how we make sure we have a stronger Europe within a stronger Nato," she told BBC Breakfast from Ankara. But like many planned military projects in the pipeline, Deep Strike is not expected to be ready until the 2030s. In June, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a six-month review of the presence of US forces in Europe. Trump has repeatedly made clear he wants Nato members to contribute more to defence spending in Europe and at last year's Nato summit, members of the alliance agreed to spend 5% of GDP on defence and security by 2035. Sir Keir said he was "determined" to ensure the safety of the UK and its allies, adding: "We must step up to deliver a stronger, more European Nato." The UK government has already committed £300bn by 2030 in the Defence Investment Plan. Trump looms large as Nato grapples with challenge of rearming Europe Hegseth renews Nato criticism and says US will review presence in Europe Zelensky presses Nato for air defence systems after intense Russian strikes At the summit, Sir Keir is expected to underline the threat posed by Russia to the UK and Nato. The government said Nato had scrambled fighter jets to intercept Russian aircraft approaching allied airspace more than 700 times and that Russian military activity around UK waters had surged 30%. Sir Keir is expected to stress that whilst Nato did not seek confrontation with Russia, it must be ready to defend every ally. Cooper said: "With deep precision strike capability, the UK and our allies will be able to hit high value military targets and the logistical engines that drive armies, deterring any aggressor and strengthening our mutual security. "At Ankara we are sending a clear message to [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin; Nato is stronger, more European and ready to defend our citizens against the long-term threat posed by him and the Russian state." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used a speech at the summit on Tuesday to urge Ukraine's allies to deliver the air defence systems it urgently needs to protect it from escalating Russian attacks. Ukraine has been stepping up its own long-range drone and missile attacks against Russia, hitting oil refineries and military targets there and causing significant fuel shortages and power cuts. "Ukraine's Armed Forces have proved that the effective use of long-range systems can have game-changing impacts on the battlefield, giving the Armed Forces the ability to degrade enemy forces far behind the frontline," Number 10 said. "Ukrainian long-range strikes, such as those on key logistics hubs, have significantly impacted Russia's ability to sustain their offensives." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022, would closely monitor the summit in Ankara. He said that no new weapons Kyiv would get from Nato could prevent Russia from pressing on with its military operation in Ukraine until its objectives were achieved. "In the context of preparations for this summit we heard a great many statements concerning our country," Peskov told reporters. "To our regret, these were not statements about constructive engagement and dialogue but rather statements of a confrontational nature." "Settlement of this conflict through political and diplomatic means remains preferable" for Russia, Peskov added.

SPORTS

Who am I? Guess World Cup star No 31

Welcome to our Who am I? game. The rules are simple. Each day there's a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible. After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. Guess the answer after as few clues as possible to score more points. Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional. So take part and return for more tomorrow. Today's player and clues set by BBC Sport's Adam Millington. After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device. All our Who Am I? quizzes in one place Quiz: Name every nation at the Fifa World Cup 2026 Can you name the 10 Lionesses with most England caps? World Cup quiz: Name these top nations' leading scorers Football quiz: Name every club in the Premier League and EFL Check out our Sports Quizzes page

SPORTS

How GB's Fery can beat Cobolli to reach Wimbledon semi-finals

Arthur Fery is only the sixth Briton to reach the Wimbledon men's quarter-finals in the Open era Who predicted British wildcard Arthur Fery would be a Wimbledon quarter-finalist this year? Not even the man himself. Fery, ranked 114th in the world, illustrated that when he explicitly mouthed his surprise after beating Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov in the last 16. Now the 23-year-old will aim to reach the semi-finals when he plays Italian ninth seed Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday. Cobolli, 24, was the runner-up at last month's French Open and, after becoming a Wimbledon quarter-finalist last year, has showed again he can excel on grass. "Arthur still starts as the underdog given the difference in ranking and top-level experience," said BBC Sport analyst Jamie Murray. "But he has proven to be a great grass-court player and poses a lot of different questions to opponents." Before the Centre Court contest, BBC Sport examines how Fery could beat Cobolli and become only the fifth British man to reach the Wimbledon last four since 1968. Much has been made of 5ft 9in Fery's stature, given he is shorter than most of his peers on the ATP Tour. While the Wimbledon grass often suits 'servebots' - tall players who send down flurries of aces and unreturnable first serves - Fery has needed to use other weapons. Fery's athleticism is one of his greatest strengths, enabling him to keep points alive and come forward at opportune times. "Arthur is one of the best at retrieving balls and staying in the points," said Dimitrov's coach Jamie Delgado. "When you're that height, your timing has to be really good - which Arthur's is. He can hit the ball at different heights and mix the pace well." Fery has won 127 of the 201 volleys which he has hit at this year's Wimbledon Fery's nimbleness means he is able to spring forward to finish points with volleys at the net. Fery has won 78% of serve and volley points, and 63% of points overall at the net - the second highest percentage in the men's draw. "That's been one of his biggest strengths this tournament," said seven-time major doubles champion Murray. "He's played over 200 points which finished at the net and won a very high percentage." How to follow Fery's Wimbledon quarter-final on the BBC Fery is ranked as the best mover among the men's quarter-finalists, just ahead of Cobolli and top seed Jannik Sinner. Once a promising footballer on the books of Roma, Cobolli uses his athleticism to move into position and unleash his heavy forehand. Murray thinks Fery needs to "crush and rush" Cobolli's second serve - return aggressively then move quickly to the net - so the world number 10 does not have time to settle on his next shot. "Returning serve and coming forward forces an opponent to come up with a passing shot straight off the return of serve," said Murray. "By implementing this strategy, it will neutralise Cobolli's ability to move around the court and steal points." Cobolli has enjoyed a career-best season after winning a third ATP Tour title, reaching his first major final and cracking the top 10. Dropping sets in his opening three rounds showed some vulnerability before he upped his level to sweep aside Australian fifth seed Alex de Minaur. "Arthur needs to put Cobolli under a lot of pressure and stop him using his forehand," said Alex Ward, an LTA men's national coach who has been helping Fery. "He can use his backhand down the line because Cobolli likes to use his forehand from the backhand corner quite a lot." Those who know Fery best describe someone who possesses an abundance of self-belief. Fighting back from a set behind in all four wins has only enhanced his confidence, while he also looked at ease emotionally on his Centre Court debut. Fery used the patriotic crowd to help energise him in the latter stages against Dimitrov and may look to the 15,000 home fans again for inspiration. "Arthur does not look afraid of any situation," said former British number one Kyle Edmund, who reached the Australian Open semi-finals in 2018. "You see the way he conducts himself and the way he walks - it is like he belongs there." Fery beat Cobolli 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 6-1 at this year's Australian Open Fery can take further belief from the fact he has already beaten Cobolli at a major this year. At the Australian Open in January, Fery won in straight sets on his overseas Slam debut - helped by Cobolli struggling because of a stomach issue. "Beating a top player boosts self-esteem and it is also important in the sense he knows what he can expect from an opponent like Cobolli," Fery's coach Jeroen Benard told BBC Sport. "They have played each in juniors, they have played each other this year, so he knows who he is. "But Cobolli knows who we are - and wants to take revenge." Fery grew up a short walk away from the All England Club and is enjoying the home comforts of staying with his family during the Championships. Benard says everything else has stayed the same in Fery's camp, with the team enjoying talking about football and music before getting down to business. Fery comes across as cool, calm and serious on court - and in his post-match interviews - but fellow British player Felix Gill described how his friend can be "silly" and "hilarious". "Every morning when he gets treated we're watching World Cup highlights and we talk about day to day stuff - it's nothing different than if we are playing a Challenger in Croatia," said Benard. "He's really good fun to be around. We joke a lot. "He's just a normal 23-year-old who happens to be very good at sport." 'The moments I still play for' - Djokovic wins five-set epic to set up Sinner semi-final Why do we see empty seats at Wimbledon's show courts? 'Hogwarts stuff' - best shots from day nine at Wimbledon Live scores, results and order of play

OTHERS

Airbnb data identifies illegal social home sublets

Nearly 6,000 social homes in England are suspected of being illegally sublet on short-term rental platforms Local councils and Airbnb have begun sharing data to identify the illegal subletting of social homes on the short-term rental platform. The scheme, coordinated by the Cabinet Office's fraud team , external , allows councils to cross-check social housing records against Airbnb listings in an effort to tackle what the government calls "social housing fraud." It is suspected nearly 6,000 social homes in England are illegally sublet on short-term rental platforms, according to the Tenancy Fraud Forum, a not-for profit organisation. Early results suggest 470 cases of social housing fraud have been identified so far across participating local authorities, with offenders facing penalties including eviction, fines and up to two years in prison. However, some campaign groups say tackling illegal subletting will have "very little impact on the acute housing crisis." According to the Cabinet Office, whether a tenant can sublet a room depends on the terms of their individual tenancy agreement and may require the council's permission, but subletting an entire social housing property is an offence. Fraudsters could include people who have more than one home or are living abroad. The government estimates on average, each case costs taxpayers around £78,300 - a figure which could include paying for temporary accommodation for genuine applicants, the legal costs to recover property, and rent foregone during the void period between tenancies. Geraldine Geraldi said she has noticed lockboxes and a stream of people with suitcases The Tenancy Fraud forum estimates at least 1,000 social homes are illegally advertised for short term lets on Airbnb in London over a period of a year, but if other platforms are included, this number is likely to be far greater. BBC London has spoken to residents who are convinced illegal holiday lets are operating in their buildings. They describe lockboxes appearing outside flats, a constant stream of unfamiliar people arriving with suitcases, and in some cases antisocial behaviour. Geraldine Geraldi has lived in a mixed-tenure Notting Hill Genesis block in King's Cross for 26 years. A leaseholder and member of the Social Housing Action Campaign, she believes one social housing flat has been illegally sublet as short-term accommodation. "Recently there's been lots of people coming and going with suitcases. They're not residents of the building." She said residents had repeatedly found lockboxes attached to the building, which are removed and relocated somewhere else. "It's really obvious someone's trying to avoid detection." Geraldi said the constant turnover of visitors has led to damage of communal area carpets, doors and entrances. "Sometimes groups of six or eight people stay in a one-bedroom flat, and we're the ones paying through our service charges to repair the damage. "This is public money being abused. It's good that it's being tackled, but it's a huge piece of work." She stressed that when she contacted Airbnb about the listing, they were helpful. BBC London has seen an advert on Airbnb which appears to be for a social home - although we cannot independently verify it's the same property. BBC London has seen adverts on Booking.com and Airbnb which appear to be for a social home - although cannot independently verify it's the same property. The BBC, posing as a customer, sent a message to the person believed to be renting out the flat asking about its availability over this summer. They said it was no longer being rented out but appeared to confirm that it had been. They have not responded to a further request for comment. Booking.com said property owners must confirm they have the right to list their property, and would "take the necessary action if they are found not to be operating in compliance with local laws". Lisa Marçais from Airbnb said "social housing fraud" had "no place on Airbnb". She added: "We're proud to have driven the first ever data-sharing agreement of this kind in partnership with the Cabinet Office and local authorities across the country, but to truly tackle this problem we need the entire short term rental industry to follow suit and participate in this initiative." Notting Hill Genesis, the housing association that owns the block, said sub-letting without permission is against their tenancy agreements, and will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. A spokesperson said: "We take a zero-tolerance approach to tenancy fraud and the misuse of social housing, including where it is used for short-term lets. We will not allow vital social and affordable homes to be used for profit when so many thousands of households are desperate for a stable home. It added it cannot discuss individual cases or potential investigations - which they "take incredibly seriously" - and "take action if proven". BBC London was shown part of a wall where a lockbox for a suspected illegal sublet was situated Under the data-sharing programme, coordinated by the Public Sector Fraud Authority within the Cabinet Office, local authorities across London, as well as Edinburgh City Council, Birmingham City Council and Anglesey Council will work with Airbnb and listings confirmed as operating without permission will be removed. David Harvey from Westminster City Council, said the authority believes about 3,000 of the borough's 13,000 Airbnb listings are illegally sublet social homes. He said all council tenancy and lease agreements prohibit short-term letting, and added that Westminster had 7,500 households on its waiting list for social housing. "We want to free up those Airbnbs to be social homes again," he said. Harvey described the new data-sharing arrangement as "just the tip of the iceberg", and housing officers had to "play detectives" by searching for lock boxes and speaking to neighbours to uncover suspected fraud. More than 1.3 million households in England are currently on waiting lists for a social home, a rise of 10% in the past two years. Over 300,000 of those are in London. The social housing action campaign said these homes "should be exclusively held for those in urgent need of housing, but the Cabinet Office's focus on the tiny proportion that are rented out as short term lets is a calculated distraction. "Even though this happens on such a negligible scale, it really makes very little impact on the acute housing crisis." Cabinet Office Minister Satvir Kaur said "This isn't an either/or. "One in 20 social homes potentially are being used fraudulently. It's right and proper that we find those homes and use them for those who truly need them." She added: "£39 billion is also being invested into a new social and affordable homes programme, with an ambition to deliver around 300,000 new homes over the programme's lifetime". The Cabinet Office and the Public Sector Fraud authority said the data-sharing initiative was expected "to return hundreds of properties to genuine families in its first year" as councils could confiscate illegally-let flats and reallocate to someone on the social housing waiting list.

Politics

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Farage's rivals rule out standing in Clacton by-election

Farage's rivals rule out standing in Clacton by-election

Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Restore Britain have all ruled out contesting the Clacton by-election triggered by the resignation of Nigel Farage. The Reform UK leader said that, having announced his resignation, he would re-fight the Essex seat in what he billed as a "people versus the establishment" by-election. Facing increasing scrutiny over his finances and a parliamentary investigation, Farage said the "people of Clacton should be the judge of my actions". Labelling the election a "circus", Labour accused Farage of "desperately trying to change the subject". "It's pathetic, and the Labour Party is not going to indulge it," a spokesperson said. "Farage should let the parliamentary investigation into his finances run its course and face the consequences." Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told BBC Breakfast: "Nobody is going to get drawn into what is a political stunt by Nigel Farage because he wants to duck and dive around the rules that apply to everyone." Farage on Tuesday said he had "done nothing wrong" in regards to his finances. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said her party would not participate in "the fake election, which Nigel Farage is causing to distract people from what is happening". The Liberal Democrats urged the government to block Farage's resignation until the standards investigation had concluded, arguing that his constituents needed "all the facts before they cast their votes". Restore Britain - set up by the MP Rupert Lowe after he was suspended from Reform - said it would not stand in this election but would do so if a second by-election was ultimately triggered by the standards inquiry. The Green Party of England and Wales initially said it would be a decision for the local party. Later, Green MP Hannah Spencer told BBC Newsnight local members had decided not to field a candidate. Comedian Jon Harvey, who regularly runs in by-elections under the pseudonym Count Binface, has confirmed he will run. Chris Mason: Farage attempts to seize back the agenda after finance row Why has Farage resigned and what happens next? 'Posh George': Who is aristocrat and convicted criminal at heart of Farage controversy? Reform asks NCA to investigate leaks of private financial information In a 20-minute video statement, recorded at his party headquarters in London, Farage insisted he had "done nothing wrong" in regards to his finances and railed against the media, complaining about the treatment of his family. He said the "establishment" were using "foul means" to target his party. The by-election would, he said, be "a chance to stick two fingers up to the entire establishment to frankly tell them where to go". Reform sources have said they want the election to take place quickly and under parliamentary rules it could be scheduled as early as August. Asked as he left his party's offices if he was staging a stunt, Farage said: "Oh, it's a big gamble." Farage has said that his party has offered to cover the cost of the by-election, which is normally paid for from central government funds. A government estimate from 2016 put the cost of by-elections at £228,964 but that figure will have risen since then. Farage won the Clacton constituency in the 2024 general election, securing a healthy majority of more than 8,000 and beating the Conservatives into second place. Labour finished third followed by the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party. Farage has been under investigation from Parliament's standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg since May after not declaring a £5m gift he received from billionaire Reform donor Christopher Harborne before he became an MP. In his speech, Farage described the money as "the equivalent of a lottery win". He said he was "the most physically and verbally attacked public figure or politician of modern times" and that the "unconditional" gift would help cover his personal security costs. Over the weekend, the Sunday Times published a story in which it said George Cottrell, a longstanding Farage ally, had provided support, before the 2024 general election, which included paying for staff who provided Farage's security and working on his social media content. Parliament's rulebook says newly elected MPs have to declare gifts or benefits, including accommodation, received in the 12 months before their election that relate to their "parliamentary or political activities". There is an exemption for gift and benefits that are "purely personal". Farage has argued that the support he received would fall under this exemption. The standards commissioner's investigation has been paused following Farage's resignation but it could be resumed if he wins the by-election and returns to Parliament. One possible outcome of the investigation is a suspension, which triggers a recall petition. This process enables an MP to be removed and a further by-election would be triggered if 10% of eligible registered voters sign a petition. Separately, it has emerged that Cottrell and his mother both gave money to a company and a think tank owned by Reform's deputy leader, Richard Tice. As first reported by the Telegraph, Tice's company Tisun Investment received a loan of £80,000 from Cottrell in late 2024 while his think tank Britain Means Business received a £1m donation from Fiona Cottrell in June 2024. These payments were flagged to the National Crime Agency (NCA) as part of its Suspicious Activity Reports programme, something Tice says he only became aware of when he was contacted by the Guardian newspaper. Reform UK believe the information is likely to have come from the NCA. Tice has written to the boss of the NCA asking if he will investigate if the organisation is responsible for leaking his private financial information to the media. A spokesperson said: "The NCA does not confirm or deny the receipt of suspicious activity reports (SARs), nor comment on how any SAR is used. SARs are confidential and breaching that confidentiality risks committing a tipping off offence under the Proceeds of Crime Act." The SAR programme alerts law enforcement to potential instances of money laundering and flagged 866,616 reports in 2024/25. Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond.

Startups

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Robots available for rent: But what can they do?

Robots available for rent: But what can they do?

Moxi shuttles medical supplies around hospitals In hospitals across the US, patients and staff have become accustomed to seeing a one-armed, four-foot high, friendly-looking white robot going about its business. Nurses have been known to greet Moxi, as the robot is called by its maker Diligent Robotics, with a "good morning", a high five or even a hug. Moxi – which shuttles medical supplies around hospitals – might respond by displaying its heart-shaped LED eyes and a beep beep greeting of its own. "We get a lot of feedback that Moxi feels like a part of the team," says Todd Brugger, chief operating officer at the Texas-based robotics company, which has around 100 of the wheeled robots in operation. But bringing Moxi into a hospital doesn't mean buying one of the machines outright. Instead, it is among robots available to rent or on a subscription basis. Robotics companies use the term robotics-as-a-service. As well as the robot itself, service, maintenance and upgrades are bundled into the deal. A human engineer sitting in a remote control room may be on hand to take control of the robot if needed. In Moxi's case, Brugger says: "It lowers the expense and the outlay for the hospital because you're not paying for the full purchase up front. Secondly, and I think more importantly, this tech is evolving very quickly… we're routinely evolving the software and capabilities of the robot." Robot rentals are becoming available for anything from a day to years for a variety of purposes, from Moxi's hospital deliveries to robot bartenders or autonomous weeders for farms. Increasingly this includes early humanoid models, designed to behave and look like humans, and operate in environments designed for people. Given humanoids are still a work-in-progress, they are currently rented out for clearly defined tasks. That often means entertainment. Depending on the model, a machine might dance, sing or serve guests at a wedding or corporate event. Ethan Qi, a Beijing-based associate director at Counterpoint Research, says an act like a humanoid dance routine is relatively simple to pull off. "You hire a real dancer to perform and video it. The video is then used to train the robot. Then the robot will know how to dance. But the engineer will still often go with the robot in case the environment or the platform isn't simple," he says. Renting allows buyers to keep up with rapidly changing tech But ambitions for humanoid rentals go beyond the entertaining dance routines that are shared on social media, often in China. How about a robot housekeeper subscription? California-based 1X plans to start shipping its home helper robot NEO later this year. "Early access" customers in the US can either pay $20,000 (£15,000) outright for their own robot, or $499 (£378) per month on a subscription basis. Dar Sleeper, vice president of product and design at the company, says: "While many customers will buy a NEO outright, a subscription significantly lowers the upfront cost, making it affordable for far more people." Part of the appeal of a rental over an outright purchase is the speed at which robotics technology is improving. If you splash out on a new humanoid now it is likely to soon be obsolete. Qi says: "Every year the robotics companies release a new model, a new iteration of the hardware. If you own a robot, you can't trade it for a new one, but if you rent a robot, you can always rent the newest." A rental also removes the need for deep technical expertise – you can simply take your problems to the manufacturer or rental platform. Qi says: "It helps to solve technical problems because customers don't know how to code the robots." 1X plans to offer its Neo robot for $499 per month It's not just humanoids that are driving demand for robot rentals. One company, Chicago-based Formic, has a fleet of more than 250 industrial robots operating on a robot-as-a-service basis. "Everything is included," says Shawn Fitzgerald, chief revenue officer at Formic. "If the robot arm burns out, that's on us and we need to come bring you a new one." He argues that Formic's flat monthly payment model "levels the playing field" for smaller companies that traditionally haven't been able to afford to buy factory robots outright. Formic is also currently testing humanoid robots for industrial uses. Alongside flat rates, other robot rental payment schemes are emerging. Marco Wang, an analyst at Interact Analysis, says that some companies have started requesting that rental fees be directly linked to how much human labour a robot can save them. For robot manufacturers, alongside the revenues, a rental scheme offers a way to trial their products in real-world scenarios and gather helpful data in the process. This is particularly important for humanoids: "The technology is still not there. It's still immature," says Wang. Agibot robots are available to rent in 17 countries Some firms in China – the early leader in humanoids and home to a growing number of rental schemes – have leased their creations to work in hotels, a helpful training ground for future domestic use. Others offer them to rent on cleaning service apps. Chinese firms have started offering rentals overseas, through partner businesses. Among the biggest, Shanghai's Agibot says its humanoids are available for rent in 17 countries, including the UK. However, while rentals are becoming more common, Shanghai-based Wang suspects outright humanoid purchases will dominate in China, encouraged by government incentives. He says: "There are a lot of humanoid robot orders from Chinese state-owned companies and a lot of orders driven by subsidies." In China and elsewhere, some companies may also prefer to buy robots outright for the prestige, to learn from the technology or because it is better for their bottom line. But for others, as robots become more sophisticated and the market grows, the convenience and affordability of a rental may be the answer. India's 'blue gold' starts a new drinks industry The ancient trick making food waste useful and tasty What is Helium-3 and could we get it from the moon?

Dallas Cowboys player who died by suicide diagnosed with brain disease

Dallas Cowboys player who died by suicide diagnosed with brain disease

Dallas Cowboys football player Marshawn Kneeland was suffering from stage 1 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) when he died by suicide last year, scientists said. Researchers at Boston University's CTE Center made the diagnosis through a postmortem brain tissue analysis of the defensive lineman, who died aged 24. "Unfortunately, I was not surprised to find CTE in the brain of Mr Kneeland, because we have found this progressive brain disease in nearly half of the athletes we've studied who have died before the age of 30," said the centre's director, Dr Ann McKee. Stage 1 is the mildest of CTE's four stages, where headaches and loss of attention or concentration are common symptoms. In a statement, Kneeland's family said the diagnosis provided "important context" about some of the struggles he was facing. "We share this information to help people understand what NFL and other high-contact sport athletes might be struggling with," they said. "We continue to remember Marshawn with compassion for the person he was, rather than defining him by the final moments of his life." Kneeland died in November 2025, after a car chase with Texas State Troopers who said they tried to pull him over for a traffic violation. Police at the time said he crashed his car and then fled on foot. He was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the early morning hours. Kneeland was drafted by the Cowboys in the second round in 2024 and played 18 times for the team, including four starts. He started playing tackle football when he was 7 years old and was on Western Michigan University's team before joining the Cowboys as a defensive end. Research has shown that athletes such as footballers, rugby players and fighters like boxers have a significantly higher risk of developing CTE than the general population. CTE can only be diagnosed after death. The disease - which is caused by repeated blows to the head - has been found in the brains of dozens of former National Football League (NFL) players. In the first stage of the disease, some people also experience short-term memory problems, depression, aggressive tendencies, and executive function issues, according to the CTE Society, a nonprofit group. In later stages, those problems grow stronger, and others, such as mood swings and suicidal thoughts, emerge. In its final stage, a person can experience severe cognition issues and memory loss, as well as dementia, according to the CTE Society. Boston University's CTE Center said the cause of suicide is complex and a postmortem CTE diagnosis is not known to be a risk factor for suicide. But CTE researchers said the case showed not enough has been down to lower the risk of the disease for athletes. "Mr Kneeland played in the modern era of concussion protocols and better helmets, and yet he still developed CTE," said Dr Chris Nowinski, co-founder and CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation. "We have no reason to believe the current generation is at a lower risk of CTE than previous generations." What happens next after latest link between heading and brain disease? Court upholds $1bn ruling against NFL Brain disease 'hits 99% of NFL players'

Trains and emergency calls affected after major outage at Australia's largest telecoms company

Trains and emergency calls affected after major outage at Australia's largest telecoms company

Telstra says Wednesday's outage was 'intermittent' but affected customers across Australia A major outage at Australia's largest telecommunications company has led to cancelled train services, left thousands of customers without mobile coverage, and sparked an investigation into emergency calls that were not connected. Telstra's chief financial officer Michael Ackland apologised for the issue which began at 04:30 local time on Wednesday and affected "some mobile calls and data services". About six hours later, 90% of the network had been restored, he said. Time-keeping servers at data centres in Sydney and Melbourne were to blame but the exact cause was unknown. It was not a suspected cyber attack. Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the outage was "deeply concerning". Telstra described the outage as "intermittent" but acknowledged the impact had been "national". Ackland said the telecoms company was conducting welfare checks on customers who had called emergency services during the outage. "We don't believe this issue has impacted triple zero in the same way as other calls," he said. "It uses different network settings, but we are continuing to investigate every angle on where it may have impacted triple zero if that has occurred." Asked if the country could still rely on its largest mobile network, Ackland said: "Australia can absolutely have faith in its biggest telco... we take these outages very very seriously. "Our investment in resilience and cyber security and redundancy in our network is significant but it is a big and complex network and from time to time, issues do occur." Communications Minister Anika Wells confirmed that welfare checks were being made for about three dozen calls to emergency services that did not go through but that the "core triple-zero system remains operational". She also said the country's telco regulator, the Australian Communication and Media Authority, will investigate the outage. In Victoria, all regional train services were cancelled due to the outage while some regional services in New South Wales were also disrupted. National freight services were also affected. Payment systems were also down with about 80,000 businesses using the Tyro app affected. Last September, a systems outage at Optus - the second largest telecoms company in Australia - led to three deaths after hundreds of people across more than half the country were unable to call emergency services for 13 hours. Optus was also fined after an outage in 2023 left thousands unable to call emergency services.