Americas

Best players for FC 26 Passing Focus Evolution

• Passing Focus greatly improves eligible players’ passing.
• Cards rated 96 or below can qualify.
• Two matches unlock both upgrade levels.

FC 26’s Passing Focus Evolution is now available, allowing players to substantially improve an eligible Ultimate Team card’s passing attributes. It is particularly suited to midfielders, although it has no positional requirement beyond excluding goalkeepers. - Eligible cards must be rated 96 overall or lower and cannot be…

Watch live: Trump touts federal crackdown on crime at New York rally

President Trump will deliver remarks Friday from Long Island, N.Y., where he is expected to tout his administration’s efforts to combat violent crime. The appearance comes as the Trump administration ramps up its focus on crime in Democratic-led cities, including extending the National Guard deployment to Washington, D.C.…

We almost had Matthew McConaughey in HBO’s The Last of Us but he had a strong reason to decline

• McConaughey seriously considered playing Joel.
• He declined amid a break from acting.
• Long-term TV commitments influenced his decision.

Matthew McConaughey says he seriously considered playing Joel in HBO’s The Last of Us before the role went to Pedro Pascal, but declined because he was stepping back from acting. The decision matters because Pascal’s portrayal became a central part of the acclaimed adaptation’s success, while McConaughey would…

Breakaway Philadelphia returns to Subaru Park with Tiësto, Marshmello, ISOxo, and SOFI TUKKER

• Breakaway Philadelphia returns on 11–12 September 2026.
• Tiësto, Marshmello, ISOxo and SOFI TUKKER headline.
• Twenty-six acts will perform across two stages.

Breakaway Philadelphia will return to the Festival Grounds at Subaru Park on 11–12 September 2026, with Tiësto, Marshmello, ISOxo and SOFI TUKKER leading the line-up. The event highlights the continuing prominence of large-scale electronic music festivals in the US, combining established commercial DJs with newer and locally based…

Brandi Carlile’s Raging Cover of Alanis Morissette’s ‘Uninvited’ Is for All of Us

• Carlile turned ‘Uninvited’ into an emphatic expression of anger.
• The cover highlighted enduring scrutiny of women’s anger.
• An expanded Carlile album arrives on 25 September.

Brandi Carlile performed a forceful cover of Alanis Morissette’s 1998 song ‘Uninvited’ at the 2026 Newport Folk Festival, emphasising the song’s anger and emotional release. The performance is presented as significant because it reframes female rage as a legitimate, cathartic response rather than something to be policed or…

UK diplomats no longer get hardship bonus for being posted to Buenos Aires

• Buenos Aires no longer qualifies for UK diplomatic hardship payments.
• The scheme still covers 144 overseas locations.
• Conservatives criticised allowances for tourist-friendly destinations.

UK diplomats posted to Buenos Aires and five other locations will no longer receive hardship payments after the Foreign Office revised its list of difficult overseas postings. The change has reignited political debate over whether such allowances are justified, particularly where qualifying locations are also popular tourist destinations.…

Congress Is Opening an Investigation Into ‘Roblox’ Over Child Exploitation

• US senators are investigating Roblox over alleged child exploitation.
• Reported suspected exploitation cases more than doubled in 2025.
• Roblox faces mounting legal and regulatory pressure.

US Senators Josh Hawley and Dick Durbin have launched a bipartisan congressional investigation into Roblox over allegations that children have been groomed, sexually exploited and exposed to explicit material through the platform. Their inquiry increases pressure on the company to demonstrate that its child-safety measures match its public…

Teenage Welsh cyclist Tarling dies in Volta a Portugal accident

• Welsh cyclist Finlay Tarling died aged 19 during the Volta a Portugal.
• Racing was stopped and the podium ceremony cancelled.
• Tributes were paid by his team and Portuguese cycling authorities.

British cyclist Finlay Tarling has died aged 19 after a serious accident during the eighth stage of the Volta a Portugal. The Welsh rider, who competed for Great Britain on the road and track, was racing for the NSN Development Team; his death has led the race to…