Americas

Inside the Secret Service ‘shell game’ to hide US presidents in plain sight

• Trump reportedly switched planes secretly via catering truck in Ankara
• Secret Service routinely uses decoys to protect presidential movements
• Similar tactics used for Clinton, Bush and Biden on past foreign trips

The US Secret Service routinely uses decoy vehicles, aircraft and misdirection to conceal the real movements of the president, a practice highlighted by reports that Donald Trump was secretly transferred by catering truck to a separate military aircraft after appearing to board Air Force One in Ankara on…

4 Beatles Songs That Stirred up the Bad Blood That Led to Their Breakup

• Four Beatles songs fuelled tensions that led to their 1970 breakup
• McCartney's perfectionism on two tracks irritated Lennon and Harrison
• Harrison briefly quit sessions after clashing with McCartney over "Two Of Us"

American Songwriter has highlighted four Beatles songs that fuelled the tensions ultimately leading to the band's split in 1970. While the group's breakup stemmed from many factors, creative disagreements over specific recordings repeatedly exposed and deepened the rifts between its members during the band's final years. The article…

Everything We Know About Amazon’s ‘Verity’ Movie So Far

• Amazon's "Verity" film delayed from May to October 2026 release
• Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett lead the cast
• Adapts Colleen Hoover's thriller novel; Michael Showalter attached to direct

Amazon MGM Studios' film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's thriller novel "Verity" has moved its theatrical release from 15 May 2026 to 2 October 2026, according to a Deadline report rounding up everything known about the production so far. The film follows the studio's earlier Hoover adaptations, including "It…

Syrian court sentences Assad to death in absentia

A Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced ousted former President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia after it convicted him on counts of murder, torture and crimes against humanity before and after the country's civil war. The sentencing by the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus is the first against…

US says helicopter fired missiles to disable ship breaking Iran blockade

• US helicopter fired missiles disabling a ship breaching Iran blockade
• Vela Nova ignored US warnings while heading to an Iranian port
• Centcom has redirected 55 ships and disabled 3 since April

The US military says one of its helicopters fired missiles to disable a cargo ship that was attempting to breach Washington's blockade of Iranian ports. US Central Command (Centcom) said an MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of the Panama-flagged vessel M/V Vela Nova…

As Xbox head Asha Sharma reportedly visits Bethesda HQ, workers put up red flags representing laid off staff and a giant inflatable rat outside

• Bethesda workers protested with red flags and an inflatable rat
• Action timed to Xbox head Asha Sharma's reported HQ visit
• Wider "Save Our Devs" rallies planned for 18 August across Microsoft studios

Union members at Bethesda Game Studios' Rockville headquarters staged a protest with a giant inflatable rat and hundreds of red flags, timed to coincide with a reported visit from Xbox head Asha Sharma. The demonstration, organised by OneBGS-CWA, was intended to make visible the scale of job losses…

Hegseth travels to Panama as US deepens defense cooperation

• US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth travels to Panama to meet with President Mulino and Colombian officials
• Visit aims to deepen American defense partnerships and regional security cooperation
• Hegseth will address counter-narcotics efforts at a regional forum

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will travel to Panama on Wednesday where he will meet with the country’s President José Raúl Mulino and hold a meeting with Colombian senior officials as the U.S. deepens its defense cooperation with the Central American nation. Hegseth, who visited Panama last year, will…