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  • Nasa launches mission to save falling space telescope

    Nasa launches mission to save falling space telescope

    On Friday, NASA made space exploration history by launching a first-of-its-kind, funded mission to rescue the iconic Swift Observatory, a pioneering space telescope that has unlocked groundbreaking insights into the universe’s most extreme cosmic events, before it burns up during atmospheric reentry in the coming months.

    Launched originally in 2004, the car-sized Swift Observatory was purpose-built to detect and study gamma-ray bursts—cataclysmic explosions triggered by the death of massive stars or collisions of neutron stars that release as much energy in seconds as the sun will output over its 10-billion-year lifespan. Built for speed and agility to capture these fleeting, high-energy events (for which it earned its name), Swift has operated for more than two decades, delivering transformative data that allows astronomers to study phenomena that no other active instrument can observe. In 2022 alone, it captured a detailed image of a gamma-ray burst originating from a dying star 2 billion light-years from Earth.

    In recent years, however, increasing solar activity has expanded Earth’s upper atmosphere, creating drag at Swift’s current orbital altitude that has gradually slowed the telescope and pulled it lower. From its original 600-kilometer (373-mile) orbit, Swift’s altitude has dropped to roughly 360 kilometers (220 miles), with most of that decline occurring in just the last two years. Left unaddressed, it will fall below 300 kilometers (186 miles) in the coming months, making any rescue attempt impossible, before eventually reentering the atmosphere and burning up completely.

    For the global astronomy community, losing Swift would be an irreversible blow. “It’s an important telescope that enables us to study super high-energy phenomena that we have no other means to study,” explained Dr. Simeon Barber, a senior research fellow at the Open University and a space scientist familiar with the mission. While he acknowledges the operation is “high risk,” Barber added that the scientific community remains optimistic that the unprecedented attempt is worth pursuing.

    Tasked with the extraordinary rescue is Arizona-based startup Katalyst Space Technologies, which was given less than a year to design, build, and launch its custom-built LINK intercept craft. In a remarkable engineering feat, the Katalyst team completed the entire project in just eight months. “What the Katalyst team has accomplished in just eight months is extraordinary,” said Katalyst CEO Ghonhee Lee. “The team designed, built, tested, and integrated a robotic spacecraft capable of performing one of the most ambitious commercial servicing missions ever attempted.”

    The fridge-sized LINK craft is fitted with three robotic gripper arms, an array of high-resolution cameras, precision navigation sensors, and small maneuvering thrusters. Launched aboard a Pegasus XL rocket that placed it in the general vicinity of Swift’s orbit, LINK will spend the next several weeks systematically powering on and testing all its systems to confirm they survived launch.

    Over the following three to four weeks, LINK will conduct a precision approach to the moving, descending telescope, gradually maneuvering into formation. Before attempting a capture, LINK will circle Swift and capture full imagery of the observatory—critical because 22 years in orbit have likely altered the telescope’s structure, and it was never originally designed to be grappled in space.

    The LINK craft will approach at an extremely slow pace before its three arms extend to secure a firm grip on Swift. If capture is successful, LINK will slowly fire its thrusters over two to three months to gently lift the combined craft back to Swift’s original stable 600-kilometer orbit, allowing the decades-old telescope to resume its critical scientific work.

    This ambitious mission has never been attempted before, and success is far from guaranteed: countless variables must align perfectly for the operation to reach its goal. If the rescue of Swift succeeds, however, space experts say the next candidate for an orbital rescue mission could be one of astronomy’s most beloved instruments: the iconic Hubble Space Telescope. The astronomy community worldwide will be watching closely as the unprecedented operation unfolds over the coming months.

  • Taylor Swift’s rumoured wedding celebrations begin with star-studded New York event

    Taylor Swift’s rumoured wedding celebrations begin with star-studded New York event

    On one of New York City’s hottest July days, with temperatures soaring past 100 degrees Fahrenheit, all eyes of global entertainment media have turned to Manhattan’s iconic Madison Square Garden, where pop superstar Taylor Swift and her fiancé, NFL star Travis Kelce, are widely rumored to kick off star-studded wedding festivities this Fourth of July weekend, coinciding with America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

    Unconfirmed but widely circulated reports suggest the couple began their celebration on Thursday with an intimate pre-wedding gathering and rehearsal dinner, expected to host around 100 invited guests. A larger formal celebration on Friday is projected to draw up to 1,000 high-profile attendees, turning the multi-purpose sports arena into an exclusive A-list wedding venue. A permit obtained by the Associated Press confirms a “pre-party night” is scheduled for Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. ET, matching initial media speculation.

    By Thursday evening, A-list guests had already begun arriving. A stream of black SUVs dropped guests off under a large white privacy canopy erected outside the venue’s entrance, with Swift, Kelce and other top-tier VIPs expected to use the arena’s underground entry tunnels to avoid public attention. Paparazzi and media spotted a slew of Swift’s inner circle arriving in formal wear, including Girls creator Lena Dunham, Swift’s long-time producer and collaborator Jack Antonoff, designer Rachel Antonoff, actor Bradley Cooper, model Gigi Hadid, and pop star Selena Gomez, who shared a cryptic Instagram post of herself in a black gem-adorned gown ahead of the event. Other noted attendees including singer Sabrina Carpenter and broadcaster Graham Norton were also spotted in Manhattan ahead of the rumored celebrations.

    Media crews from around the world have staked out the area outside Madison Square Garden for days, documenting every detail of event preparation. Gossip outlet TMZ even launched a continuous live feed focusing on the arena’s loading bay, where viewers watched workers unload event equipment ranging from large cardboard boxes to custom set pieces including a grand white staircase and a giant mirror ball. A large notice posted at the venue entrance advised all visitors between June 29 and July 3 that entry constitutes consent to being filmed and photographed for an unspecified “event”, further fueling rumors of wedding-related content capture.

    New York City officials confirmed an application for street closure permits in the surrounding area was approved, though they declined to name the applicant. The timing of the event, which falls over the holiday weekend celebrating America’s 250th birthday while New York also hosts matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has added to the hype around the high-profile nuptials. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has playfully referenced the ongoing wedding speculation during recent press briefings, while city authorities deployed dozens of police officers to manage crowds and secure the perimeter, installing metal barricades around restricted zones.

    Despite an explicit official warning for the public to stay indoors to avoid the dangerous extreme heat, hundreds of loyal Swift fans have gathered outside the arena to catch a glimpse of their favorite star and celebrate the occasion. Ryan Weng, a fan who has followed Swift for more than 15 years, called the chance to be near the rumored wedding an “irreplaceable experience” for her. Rusty Carbaug, a 34-year-old pilot who wore a Kansas-themed shirt in honor of Kelce’s roots, shared that he has grown up with Swift’s music, adding that “the right man for her is whoever she chooses”. Two student fans from the University of Mississippi initially doubted Swift would choose Madison Square Garden as a wedding venue, but acknowledged that with her resources, “you’re gonna be able to make anything look pretty”. A Belgian tourist waiting outside added that the arena choice makes sense because it offers the couple much-needed privacy amid intense public interest.

    While the venue choice has raised some eyebrows — long-time New York observers note the 60-year-old sports arena, located atop one of the country’s busiest and most cramped transit hubs, is better known for hosting basketball and hockey games than luxury celebrity weddings — the intense public and media interest in the rumored nuptials has turned a routine holiday weekend in Manhattan into a global media event, with millions following along for updates on what many are already calling the wedding of the century.

  • Rare copy of US Declaration of Independence found by volunteer in UK archives

    Rare copy of US Declaration of Independence found by volunteer in UK archives

    In a landmark historical find that has electrified global academic circles, a rare surviving copy of the 1776 Declaration of Independence — the only confirmed example located outside the United States — has been uncovered at The National Archives in Kew, UK. The extraordinary discovery was made in February this year, when volunteer archivist Michael Scurr was cataloging a collection of personal papers belonging to Royal Navy officers who served during the American Revolutionary War.

    This particular copy is one of just 11 surviving printings produced in Exeter, New Hampshire, between July 16 and 19 1776. Just 12 days after the original Declaration was signed in Philadelphia, colonial printers rushed out these regional reprints to spread news of American independence across the 13 colonies, turning a private legislative act into a mass public movement. Unlike formal government copies intended for long-term preservation, these regional broadsides were produced quickly for wide distribution, making their survival over 250 years extremely unlikely.

    Scurr recalled the moment of discovery to BBC News, describing a rush of excitement: “I had butterflies in my stomach after I opened up the folded paper and immediately realised what I was holding. I called over to my supervisor and said, ‘I think you need to come see this.’”

    Records traced the document’s journey across the Atlantic to a dramatic Christmas Eve 1776 naval engagement. Off the coast of Portugal, the British Royal Navy warship HMS Raisonable chased down the American privateer ship Dalton for seven hours before capturing it. Among the seized papers was the Declaration of Independence copy, alongside the privateer’s official commission and printed instructions from the Continental Congress.

    The captured ship was brought to the British port of Plymouth in January 1777, and all seized documents were transferred to London’s Whitehall for government review. At the time, the Declaration was listed casually as just “another paper” among Captain Thomas Fitzherbert’s correspondence, and it remained unrecognized and hidden in Britain’s national archival collections for nearly 250 years.

    Dr. Graham Moore, a senior historical researcher at The National Archives, explained that this find is unparalleled in historical circles. “This is one of the rarest versions of the Declaration we know of,” he said. “Because these regional reprints were meant for immediate distribution, they were never intended to be preserved long-term. Of the 11 Exeter printings that survive, this is the only one ever captured by British military forces, and the only copy confirmed to exist outside U.S. borders.”

    Saul Nassé, Chief Executive of The National Archives, called the find an extraordinary archaeological discovery of documentary history. “It is a vanishingly rare surviving copy of the Declaration of Independence, found not in a U.S. archive or private collection, but right here in the UK,” he noted.

    After undergoing targeted conservation work to stabilize its aging paper and repair a small tear, the document is now prepared for public display. It will be featured as a centerpiece of The National Archives’ Revolution 250: America’s Independence Story, 1763-1783 exhibition, which opened to the public last month. The National Archives already holds three of the iconic original John Dunlap broadside copies printed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776 — of the roughly 200 copies printed that night, only 26 are known to survive today.

  • What will guests wear to Taylor Swift’s wedding of the century?

    What will guests wear to Taylor Swift’s wedding of the century?

    Wedding fever has swept across pop culture and social media in recent days, as swirling rumors point to an imminent high-profile marriage between global music icon Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs NFL star Travis Kelce in New York City. The 36-year-old couple, who announced their engagement in August 2025, have perfected Swift’s well-known talent for controlling public narrative, leaving every concrete detail of the rumored Friday nuptials shrouded in mystery.

    Rumors have placed the event at Manhattan’s iconic Madison Square Garden, a massive sports and entertainment venue located in the heart of one of the world’s busiest cities. Even as speculation mounts over whether the space will be transformed into a one-of-a-kind wedding venue, including unconfirmed reports of a custom-built castle on site, and who has scored one of the estimated 1,100 invitations, the biggest question on everyone’s mind ahead of the big day is simple: what will everyone wear?

    Fashion industry insiders and entertainment journalists have shared their expert predictions for guest looks, leaning into the aesthetic preferences that have long defined Swift’s personal style. Savannah Bradley, a fashion editor speaking to the BBC, explained that guests spotted arriving in New York this week will likely opt for soft, polished, classic silhouettes that align with Swift’s favored aesthetic, with romantic design as the core throughline. She added that it would be no surprise to see a host of A-list guests in pieces from luxury houses including Gucci and Dior, the latter currently helmed by creative director Jonathan Anderson.

    Swift’s guest list draws from her wide circle of celebrity friends, each with distinct personal style: the roster includes Selena Gomez, Suki Waterhouse, music trio the Haim sisters, model Cara Delevingne, producer Jack Antonoff and rising pop star Sabrina Carpenter, among others. Entertainment journalist Nola Ojomu notes that Carpenter’s signature aesthetic leans into distinctive old Hollywood glamour, a look that is perfectly suited for a high-profile wedding. Unconfirmed reports have pointed to a formal black tie dress code, requiring top hats for male attendees and evening gloves for female guests, with an overarching “whimsical” theme communicated to invitees, according to an anonymous source cited by Us Weekly.

    Ojomu points out that Suki Waterhouse’s signature natural bohemian style fits the rumored whimsical theme perfectly, and she is expected to turn out one of the night’s most memorable looks alongside fashion-forward attendees like Cara Delevingne. She predicts guests will embrace warm-weather New York wedding trends, reaching for vibrant hues, flowy silhouettes, and the recently revived lightweight lace fabrics that have dominated 2026 red carpets, alongside chic dresses with attached multiway neck scarves.

    Even as speculation over guest fashion runs wild, much remains unclear about how much of the event will ever be seen by the public. Conflicting reports swirl: some claim a livestream will give fans a peek at the celebrations, while others insist a total phone ban will keep all photography locked inside the venue. With uncertainty over whether their outfits will ever be seen by outside audiences, experts say guests are likely dressing to impress their fellow A-list attendees rather than the general public.

    Bradley explained that the unwritten rules for dressing for a gathering of fellow celebrities have shifted dramatically in recent years. Where once the goal was to flaunt wealth via headline-grabbing luxury pieces, today’s A-list guests prioritize showcasing refined personal taste and creative vision. Many attendees may opt for archival designer pieces — think a 1994 Chanel vintage look or a 2005 Ralph Lauren runway piece — or restyle a previously worn gown in a new, interesting way to stand out, rather than commissioning a brand new custom piece.

    Of course, the unbreakable rule for every guest remains: never upstage the bride. Walking that line is particularly tricky at a wedding where nearly every attendee can afford custom or archival high-end designer looks, but both experts agree that guests will stick to the unspoken rule. While attendees may lean into bolder choices than the average wedding guest, they will be careful not to pull focus from Swift on her big day.

    As for the bride herself, fashion experts agree that a custom designer gown is all but guaranteed. Bradley notes that Swift has longstanding close working relationships with acclaimed designers including Stella McCartney, the late Vivienne Westwood, and Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, while designs from Oscar de la Renta or Christian Siriano would also align perfectly with her aesthetic. “A corset wouldn’t shock me. She loves a corset,” Bradley added, echoing a common observation of Swift’s red carpet and stage wardrobe.

    Sarah Chapelle, founder of the popular fashion blog Taylor Swift Style, points out that Kelce — a noted fan of bold fashion — is also likely to make a sartorial splash. The NFL star often steps out in bright colors and eye-catching patterns, favoring pieces that are bold, playful and fun, so Chapelle predicts a colorful statement jacket for the wedding reception would fit right in with his personal style.

    Ojomu predicts Swift will lean into a full fairytale aesthetic for her walk down the aisle, with a princess ball gown silhouette that delivers the iconic romantic moment fans expect. Her main ceremony dress is likely to be a classic corseted design with a flowing A-line skirt, fitting both her personal taste and the rumored whimsical wedding theme. But given the couple’s well-documented love of celebrating, Ojomu expects Swift to change into a more lightweight, movement-friendly design for the reception — likely a relaxed, comfortable piece from Stella McCartney or Ralph Lauren. For Kelce, she predicts the groom will lean into playful, tailored design from American brand Thom Browne once the full-scale celebrations get underway.

  • Watch: What Trump’s Mount Rushmore aspirations reveal

    Watch: What Trump’s Mount Rushmore aspirations reveal

    A long-simmering political conversation has bubbled back into public view surrounding former U.S. President Donald Trump’s public aspiration to see his face carved alongside the iconic presidential portraits at South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore. This proposal has sparked fierce debate across political circles and communities, touching on questions of presidential legacy, national identity, and the role of iconic historical sites in modern American discourse.

    BBC North America Editor Sarah Smith traveled on-location to the granite monument in South Dakota’s Black Hills to examine the multiple layers of this proposition. What emerged from her on-site reporting is a clearer picture of how what might seem like a symbolic statement of personal ambition actually exposes deeper rifts in contemporary U.S. politics, as well as very real practical obstacles that would stand in the way of any such project moving forward.

    On the political side, the proposal has laid bare stark divides over how Americans assess Trump’s presidency and what place, if any, he holds among the nation’s most transformative leaders. Mount Rushmore, which features the carved faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, is already a site of ongoing debate over Indigenous land rights and historical commemoration—adding another layer of complexity to Trump’s request. Critics argue that the monument already stands on land seized from the Lakota Sioux, and any expansion to add a modern political figure would only compound existing historical injustices. Supporters of the former president, meanwhile, have framed the idea as a fitting recognition of what they frame as his transformative impact on American politics and policy.

    Beyond the heated political disagreement, Smith’s reporting also highlights the steep practical challenges that any carving project would face. The granite formation that hosts the current portraits has limited remaining space, and geological experts have long noted that adding new carvings would require massive engineering work, significant environmental disruption, and hundreds of millions of dollars in funding—none of which has been secured or formally proposed to date. Furthermore, the site is managed by the U.S. National Park Service, which has no official process or mandate to approve changes to the iconic monument’s iconic design.

    Ultimately, Smith’s reporting frames Trump’s public aspiration less as a concrete proposal that could actually come to fruition, and more as a revealing window into the former president’s own view of his place in American history, and the ongoing polarization that shapes how the nation remembers and commemorates its leaders.

  • Former Olympian indicted for allegedly vandalising Washington Reflecting Pool

    Former Olympian indicted for allegedly vandalising Washington Reflecting Pool

    A high-profile legal case has unfolded in Washington D.C., centered on a 67-year-old former three-time Olympic canoeist named David “Davey” Hearn, who has been formally indicted on felony destruction of property charges connected to damage at the recently renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Federal authorities allege that Hearn carried out a deliberate act of vandalism on June 19, 2026, tearing a section of newly installed bottom sealant at the iconic National Mall landmark, causing an estimated $1,000 in damage. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro outlined the charges during a Thursday press conference, emphasizing that the damage targeted a site that National Park Service crews had invested extensive effort into restoring. This incident comes in the wake of a controversial $14 million full renovation of the 1920s-era reflecting pool, which has already faced a string of operational issues just weeks after completion. Within days of the pool being refilled following renovations, visitors and officials observed widespread algae bloom that clouded the water, alongside large-scale peeling of the new bottom sealant that the project had installed. Former U.S. President Donald Trump was quick to publicly blame intentional vandalism for the sealant damage just one day after the incident, taking to social media on June 20 to condemn the act. Trump wrote that repairs would start immediately to fix what he called the “seriously vandalized” pool, adding incendiary comments describing the perpetrators as “SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE!” after conducting an onsite inspection. Hearn has repeatedly maintained his innocence since his initial detention at the scene, which he says occurred as he was wrapping up a long-distance bike ride near the pool’s edge. In an earlier interview with the BBC, Hearn explained he only touched a section of sealant that was already damaged, saying he was simply curious about the pool’s post-renovation condition. He flatly denies tearing, ripping, peeling, or removing any intact sealant or coating, and has denounced his prosecution as “arbitrary, capricious”. Hearn is not the only person facing action over the reflecting pool damage; U.S. Park Police have confirmed that a total of five people have been arrested on vandalism charges linked to the sealant issues, with five additional people receiving federal citations for related misconduct. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which stretches more than 2,000 feet between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, has dealt with persistent infrastructure problems for decades, including chronic leaks, structural decay, outdated piping, regular algae overgrowth, and buildup from bird droppings—problems the $14 million renovation was intended to resolve once and for all.

  • Dangerous US heatwave looms over 4 July holiday, World Cup and Swift wedding

    Dangerous US heatwave looms over 4 July holiday, World Cup and Swift wedding

    A relentless, dangerous heatwave has settled across the eastern half of the United States, bringing stifling, life-threatening heat and humidity that will affect millions of residents through the Independence Day holiday weekend. Forecasters confirm high temperatures will climb to 100°F (38°C) and hold at that level for several consecutive days, with the National Weather Service (NWS) warning that heat index values— which combine air temperature and humidity to calculate how conditions actually feel to the human body— could surge as high as 115°F in major population centers including Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City.

    The current heat event is building out of a stifling blast of heat that already gripped the U.S. Midwest, and is rapidly intensifying as it spreads into the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states starting Thursday and Friday. Extreme heat warnings already stretch continuously from the Upper Midwest all the way to the Northeastern seaboard. The NWS emphasized the unique risk of this event, noting that this rare, long-duration heat event offers little to no cooling relief even overnight, putting anyone without access to consistent cooling or sufficient hydration at severe risk of heat-related illness. By 9 a.m. EST Thursday, temperatures were already pushing 90°F in both New York City and Washington D.C., signaling what was to come through the rest of the day.

    The timing of the heatwave, landing over the U.S. July 4 holiday weekend, has disrupted dozens of planned public events, including high-profile celebrations and high-stakes sports matches. President Donald Trump is set to host a large public celebration Saturday marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, and has insisted he will deliver his remarks outdoors despite the dangerous forecast. In a public comment, Trump joked that with forecast temperatures around 107°F, he would deliver an especially long speech to prove his resilience. In Washington D.C., U.S. Capitol Police announced Thursday that only essential personnel would be allowed to attend a scheduled July 4 concert rehearsal, canceling public access to avoid the risk of heat-related emergencies among large crowds. The nation’s capital is on track to hit 100°F for four consecutive days, a milestone that has only occurred twice in the city’s recorded history.

    In New York City, forecasters predict Central Park will hit 100°F on both Thursday and Friday, a mark not seen in the city in 12 years. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a public warning urging all residents to stay indoors and keep cool during the peak heat. In a lighthearted nod to widespread reports that pop superstar Taylor Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce will host their wedding celebration Friday at the indoor Madison Square Garden arena, Mamdani noted the couple’s indoor venue sets a good example for the rest of the city.

    The extreme heat is not limited to the U.S. This event follows an unprecedented early summer heatwave that broke temperature records across much of Europe earlier this season. Canada, America’s northern neighbor, is also facing its own dangerous heat this week, with temperatures forecast to approach 99°F in Ontario. Heat warnings cover most of Quebec, including major cities Montreal and Quebec City. The extreme heat forced organizers to cancel a public outdoor World Cup watch party in Toronto ahead of the Portugal vs. Croatia match.

    Meteorologists explain the current heat event is being driven by a persistent high-pressure system trapped over central and eastern North America, a weather pattern commonly called a “heat dome”. Conditions on the ground are amplifying the heat: the coastal Northeast has been gripped by drought this year, leaving soil dry. Without moisture to evaporate and create mild cooling, all incoming solar energy goes directly into heating the ground, pushing temperatures even higher.

    Climate scientists confirm that heat events like this are becoming more common, more intense, and longer-lasting due to human-caused climate change. Since the start of the industrial era, global average temperatures have risen roughly 1.1°C, and temperatures will continue to climb unless national governments implement deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.

    Temperatures are set to drop slightly across the Northeast on July 4, with a chance of severe thunderstorms bringing temporary relief, though temperatures will still remain well above the seasonal average. A more significant cool-down will arrive Sunday and Monday, when a mass of cooler air pushes south from Canada.

  • World Cup boom falters as US hospitality jobs fall in June

    World Cup boom falters as US hospitality jobs fall in June

    The much-anticipated World Cup-linked hiring surge in the United States has failed to deliver on early expectations, with official data released Thursday showing a sharp contraction in employment across restaurants, bars, and hotels last month. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, had been widely forecast by market analysts to drive a significant uptick in leisure and hospitality hiring as businesses prepared for an influx of international football fans and increased consumer activity.

    However, the latest monthly report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals the sector shed 61,000 jobs in June, erasing much of the strong hiring growth recorded just one month prior. That May hiring burst, which the BLS had flagged as an early sign of an emerging World Cup jobs boom, saw bars and restaurants ramp up staffing to get ahead of projected event-driven demand. Even leading Wall Street analysts at Goldman Sachs had predicted the tournament would add roughly 40,000 new positions to the sector in June, a forecast that now falls far wide of the mark.

    Across the broader US economy, total nonfarm payroll employment rose by just 57,000 jobs in June, a figure that came in well below most economists’ consensus projections. At the same time, the national unemployment rate edged down fractionally to 4.2%. The BLS also downgraded its previously reported job growth figures for April and May, revealing the two months added 74,000 fewer jobs than initial estimates indicated.

    James Knightley, chief US economist at ING, described leisure and hospitality as the clear “real area of weakness” in Thursday’s BLS release. He called the sector’s contraction a major shock, given ongoing reports that venues across the country have been packed with travelling football fans, with some establishments even reporting sold-out events and depleted alcohol stockpiles from high fan demand. “Admittedly, this sector had seen a 44,000 jump in May, but even so that is a surprising outcome,” Knightley told the BBC.

    Knightley noted that the weaker-than-expected June payroll growth combined with downward revisions to prior months indicates that the solid hiring uptick recorded earlier in the spring is unlikely to mark the start of a sustained new trend of strong jobs growth. He added that the softer labor market data makes another interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve later this July far less likely than markets had previously predicted.

    Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club, framed the slowdown in jobs growth as a potentially welcome development for the US economy, opening the door to what analysts call a “Goldilocks scenario” — a balanced state where growth is not hot enough to drive persistent inflation, but not cold enough to trigger a recession. “Expectations of multiple rate hikes are fading away, with only one hike now fully priced in, and not until next year,” she added.

  • Graham Norton and Phoebe Waller-Bridge spotted before rumoured Swift wedding

    Graham Norton and Phoebe Waller-Bridge spotted before rumoured Swift wedding

    Global pop icon Taylor Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce are on the cusp of tying the knot over the Fourth of July weekend, with a flurry of A-list celebrity guests touching down in New York City and heavy security shrouding their planned celebration at Madison Square Garden.

    Longtime Swift-connected celebrity Graham Norton, the beloved British chat show host, was photographed arriving at New York’s JFK Airport alongside his husband Jono McLeod. Norton’s attendance comes as no surprise to long-time fans: last year, during his own BBC chat show, Norton pressed Swift on when she would tie the knot, to which Swift responded that she would certainly invite him. Norton, who previously made a cameo appearance in Swift’s music video for *Opalite*, even joked ahead of the wedding that the event must be exceptionally large if he earned an invitation.

    Joining Norton among the confirmed celebrity arrivals is Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the award-winning creator and star of *Fleabag*, who was spotted in Manhattan earlier this week. The pair have a long history of socializing, and Waller-Bridge was counted among the high-profile attendees of Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour stop in London in 2024. Their professional connection dates back even further: Waller-Bridge hosted *Saturday Night Live* in 2019, when Swift appeared as the episode’s musical guest.

    Other high-profile names reportedly on the guest list include Kansas City Chiefs tight end George Kittle, breakout pop singer Benson Boone, British actress Suki Waterhouse, Swift’s long-time friend and frequent music video collaborator Abigail Anderson Berard, and pop star Selena Gomez. One notable name with an uncertain invitation status is actress Blake Lively, who previously drew Swift into a public legal dispute with Lively’s *It Ends With Us* co-star Justin Baldoni. That case was settled in May 2026, but it remains unclear if the rift has been repaired enough for Lively to attend.

    Multiple media outlets have confirmed that the wedding celebration is set to be hosted at Madison Square Garden, the iconic 20,000+ seat Manhattan arena best known as home to the New York Knicks and a top destination for major global concerts. The New York City Mayor’s Office confirmed to the BBC that a permit for street closures around the arena was filed in early June, covering the period from July 2 to July 4, aligned with the Independence Day weekend. The New York Times, which first broke the story of the permit, added that multiple members of Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs have booked hotel blocks in the immediate area. While the outlet stopped short of explicitly calling the event a wedding, it confirmed the celebration is tied to the couple’s nuptials. Prior to the permit confirmation, an unnamed law enforcement official briefed on the event’s security arrangements confirmed the wedding plans to the Associated Press, noting that officials have prepared for a major influx of Swift’s diehard fans, known as Swifties.

    Preparation work for the event has been underway for days, with onlookers spotting large props including a grand piano, luxury carpets, and a crate of mirror balls being hauled into the arena. A forklift operator working on the preparation was even spotted wearing a Swift tour t-shirt on the job. The venue did host a major darts championship earlier this week that drew thousands of rowdy fans, leaving arena staff with a major cleaning challenge ahead of the wedding. Celebrity photographer Mickey Blank, who has worked in New York’s celebrity space for more than a decade, told BBC Newsbeat that the floor after the darts tournament was so sticky from spilled beer that she could barely move, adding that the work required to prepare it for a luxury wedding would be substantial.

    Security for the event is described as “Pentagon-level secrecy,” according to Blank. The area around Madison Square Garden is currently swarming with press, but members of the public and media are barred from accessing most restricted areas. All high-profile guests, including the bride and groom, are expected to arrive through the venue’s private underground parking lot, meaning almost no unplanned sightings of the couple are expected. Blank noted that the chance of members of the public catching a glimpse of Swift are “lower than zero.”

    When asked about the wedding at a press conference earlier this week, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani only confirmed that the city is fully prepared for the event, adding that there was no additional information to share. He leaned into the rumors in a later social media post advising New Yorkers to stay cool amid an ongoing heatwave, quipping, “especially if you’re (hypothetically) having your wedding at MSG this weekend.”

    Swift and Kelce first went public with their relationship in 2023, and the pair announced their engagement via a joint Instagram post in August 2025. Fourth of July has long been one of Swift’s favorite holidays, with the star historically hosting large private celebrations for the occasion, making the weekend a fitting date for her wedding.

  • Mickelson disputes new misconduct allegations

    Mickelson disputes new misconduct allegations

    Legendary six-time major men’s golf champion Phil Mickelson, 56, has forcefully pushed back against a series of misconduct claims published in an investigative report by golf outlet Skratch, with his legal and communications team dismissing the piece as an unfounded, anonymously sourced attack on the golfer’s reputation.

    The investigation, conducted by veteran golf journalist Alan Shipnuck, centers on two key sets of allegations: first, that Mickelson is no longer welcome at three private golf clubs across California due to repeated inappropriate behavior directed at female members and staff; second, a firsthand claim from Ashley Perez, ex-wife of PGA Tour golfer Pat Perez, that Mickelson showed her an explicit photo of himself and made a romantic advance toward her back in 2015.

    This latest report follows a separate incident last year where Mickelson resigned from another high-profile California golf club after similar allegations of inappropriate contact with a female employee, claims he has repeatedly denied. In an official statement sent to the New York Post by Mickelson’s representatives, the team addressed the specific claim from Ashley Perez, noting that Skratch’s account omitted critical context that frames the incident as a misunderstanding, one that Mickelson already apologized for years ago.

    The statement emphasized that Mickelson’s choice to apologize for the miscommunication should not be interpreted as a guilty plea to all the accusations leveled against him in the investigation. On the claim that he was forced out of multiple California golf clubs, Mickelson’s camp flatly denied the allegation, confirming that the golfer never faced expulsion or membership revocation from any club, and all decisions to end his memberships were made voluntarily by Mickelson himself.

    Mickelson’s team also raised questions about Skratch’s journalistic credibility, criticizing the outlet’s reliance on unnamed sources and pointing out the publication’s longstanding organizational ties to the PGA Tour — a relationship that takes on new significance given Mickelson’s high-profile 2022 departure from the PGA Tour to join the Saudi-backed breakaway LIV Golf league, where he remains one of the most prominent competing players.

    “Credibility is not earned by publishing the most provocative narrative,” the statement read. “It is earned through transparency, verification, and a clear distinction between fact, inference, and speculation.”

    Skratch’s leadership has stood firmly behind its work in the wake of Mickelson’s denial. Ben Boskovich, editor-in-chief of Skratch, told the New York Post that the outlet gave Mickelson, his spouse, and his legal team full opportunity to comment on and respond to the allegations before the report was published, following standard journalistic protocol.

    For much of 2025, Mickelson has been absent from competitive golf. He has only competed in one LIV Golf event this year, a March tournament hosted in South Africa, and has stepped away from the rest of the circuit to focus on an undisclosed family health matter, per his own previous announcement. Mickelson made history in 2021 when he won the US PGA Championship at age 50, becoming the oldest golfer ever to claim a major men’s championship title.