Torbitt admits to two counts of fraud by false representation in relation to his parliamentary expensesA GB News pundit has admitted fraud in relation to his parliamentary expenses when he was a Labour aide.Matthew Torbitt, a prominent political commentator who once described himself as “Britain’s favourite lefty”, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation at a hearing at Thames magistrates court on Monday. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jul/27/gb-news-pundit-matthew-torbitt-admits-committing-while-labour-aide">Continue reading...</a>

Torbitt admits to two counts of fraud by false representation in relation to his parliamentary expenses

GB News pundit Matthew Torbitt pleads guilty to fraud while Labour aide

Coming to fame in The Goodies, Oddie was later known for his wildlife expertise and presented BBC Springwatch<ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/jul/27/bill-oddie-the-comedy-legend-tragically-undervalued-by-the-bbc">Bill Oddie: the comedy legend tragically undervalued by the BBC</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/gallery/2026/jul/27/bill-oddie-a-life-in-pictures">Bill Oddie – a life in pictures</a></li></ul>The writer, comedian and conservationist Bill Oddie has died aged 85. Having come to prominence with the comedy group The Goodies, Oddie later established himself as an authority on wildlife, presenting television series including the BBC’s Springwatch and Autumnwatch.Oddie’s agent paid tribute to his “intelligence and wit”. In a statement, David Foster said: “It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of Bill Oddie, the country’s best-loved birder. Bill was a multitalented celebrity – wildlife presenter, broadcaster, comedian, writer, songwriter, musician and conservationist. Yet it was never fame that he valued. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/jul/27/bill-oddie-naturalist-and-broadcaster-dies">Continue reading...</a>

Coming to fame in The Goodies, Oddie was later known for his wildlife expertise and presented BBC Springwatch

Bill Oddie, naturalist and broadcaster, dies aged 85

Gibraltar-based Ros Astengo inspired four men to report sexual assaults carried out by Allan Grimson in 1990sRos Astengo, a journalist based in Gibraltar who usually focuses on politics and social issues, had qualms when she began investigating the case of the suspected serial killer Allan Grimson as he neared release from prison after serving more than 20 years.She worried that she might reopen the scars of survivors of Grimson – but also that she could be putting herself in the “crosshairs” of a dangerous man who had sexually assaulted and battered two young men to death in the late 1990s when he was a Royal Navy petty officer. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/27/murderer-stay-jail-journalist-fight-justice-allan-grimson">Continue reading...</a>

Gibraltar-based Ros Astengo inspired four men to report sexual assaults carried out by Allan Grimson in 1990s

‘I knew what he had done to those boys’: murderer to stay in jail after journalist’s fight for justice

A high-quality pirated version of the summer’s hit movie was leaked on Elon Musk’s X platform and viewed more than 3m times before being removed A leaked copy of The Odyssey has been taken down from Elon Musk’s X platform but only after a post flagging it gained millions of views.A high-quality pirated version of the film went viral at the weekend after an account linked to it saying “Someone uploaded ‘The Odyssey’ full movie on X. Can you believe it?”. The post flagging the film was viewed more than 3m times before the account hosting the apparently leaked film was suspended by X. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/27/unauthorised-version-of-christopher-nolans-odyssey-shared-on-x">Continue reading...</a>

A high-quality pirated version of the summer’s hit movie was leaked on Elon Musk’s X platform and viewed more than 3m times before being removed

Unauthorised version of Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey shared on X

Canadian-born British operator, president of the British Puppet Guild, died after a ‘short illness’Ronnie Le Drew, best known for operating the puppet Zippy on the classic children’s television programme Rainbow, has died aged 78 after a short illness. The news was confirmed by the British Puppet Guild, of which Le Drew was president.The Canadian-born British puppeteer was also known for working on 1986’s Labyrinth alongside David Bowie as well as 1986’s Little Shop of Horrors and various Muppet movies including in 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carol. He worked on various iterations of Sooty, alongside Harry and Matthew Corbett, usually as Sweep, Sooty’s sidekick. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/jul/27/ronnie-le-drew-puppeteer-zippy-sweep-and-david-bowie-goblins-dies-aged-78">Continue reading...</a>

Canadian-born British operator, president of the British Puppet Guild, died after a ‘short illness’

Ronnie Le Drew, puppeteer behind Zippy and David Bowie’s goblins, dies aged 78

Speaking to the Dish podcast, it is unclear which films he was referring to, though the Spider-Man and Odyssey star said he was ‘super proud’ of both of thoseSpider-Man and Odyssey star Tom Holland says that some of his films are “shit” and that people “shouldn’t” see them.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNKdo2uOAus">Holland was speaking on the Dish podcast</a> and was asked by co-hosts Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett about his experiences promoting his movies. Holland responded by saying: “When you’re doing press for movies that you’re really proud of it’s really easy because when they ask you questions about why should people go and watch this movie, you’re not lying to anyone.” <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/27/tom-holland-says-some-of-his-films-are-shit-and-people-shouldnt-see-them">Continue reading...</a>

Speaking to the Dish podcast, it is unclear which films he was referring to, though the Spider-Man and Odyssey star said he was ‘super proud’ of both of ...

Tom Holland says some of his films are ‘shit’ and people shouldn’t see them

Jonsson has come a long way from east London’s Docklands, winning accolades on stage and screenFew characters carry the cultural weight of Black Panther. Since 2018, the Wakandan king has become a global symbol of Black excellence, credited with reshaping expectations of representation on screen.The first film grossed more than $1.3bn (£1bn) worldwide, won three Oscars and became the first superhero movie nominated for best picture. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/27/david-jonsson-the-london-rising-star-handpicked-to-be-the-new-black-panther">Continue reading...</a>

Jonsson has come a long way from east London’s Docklands, winning accolades on stage and screen

David Jonsson: the London rising star handpicked to be the new Black Panther

As the show takes its final bow, Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer reflect on ‘having a ball’ playing exes while being married with kids, ignoring notes from US TV executives and having ‘big old cries’ at the endIt began, as all great romances do, with a nipple flash. When Colin from Accounts, the little comedy that could, started airing back in 2022, the world fell in love – hard and fast. It was a surprisingly prickly Australian show about Ashley, a student doctor (Harriet Dyer), and Gordon, an older, brewery owner (Patrick Brammall), who fall in love after she pops a boob at him, he hits a dog with his car, and they jointly land an astronomical vet bill and a new pet.The show shared its name with its furriest star – full name: “Colin from accounts payable, who is working on the big merger” – and it was as charming as the title suggested, winning fans across Hollywood and the world. That Brammall and Dyer were actually a couple, now married with two kids and a dog (no wheels), just made everyone love the show even more. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/jul/28/harriet-dyer-patrick-brammall-interview-colin-from-accounts-real-love-story-inspiration">Continue reading...</a>

As the show takes its final bow, Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer reflect on ‘having a ball’ playing exes while being married with kids, ignoring notes ...

The real love story behind Colin from Accounts: ‘I wouldn’t want to write with anyone else’

Former City trader’s weekly Gary’s Economics videos took off during the Covid pandemicThe City trader turned wealth tax campaigner Gary Stevenson has announced he is quitting the YouTube channel that made his name, citing health concerns.His announcement, in a 48-minute address to camera, came after a mixed reaction to a televised documentary that brought him to a wider audience but drew some scepticism from left-leaning tax experts as well as more rightwing critics. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/26/gary-stevenson-to-quit-youtube-channel-garys-economics">Continue reading...</a>

Former City trader’s weekly Gary’s Economics videos took off during the Covid pandemic

Gary Stevenson to quit YouTube channel, citing health concerns

The Paramount-Warner Bros merger is being fought in the US and UK. Britain’s culture secretary knows the risks and can intervene. She shouldThough it has yet to become front-page news in the UK, you should know about the proposed <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jul/22/paramount-skydance-takeover-warner-brothers-eu-approval">Paramount-Warner Bros merger</a>. It threatens to inflict immense harm on the British public. As actors and public figures who have spent our careers in the arts in Britain – working with British crews, on British stages and sets – we have a responsibility to the public who support, enjoy and consume the art we make.The UK is being threatened by a media merger that would harm our workers, our culture and the public – but we can stop it. We are encouraged by Lisa Nandy, the secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, who recently sent letters to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a43dd16065c5aec12a4e409/260630_P-WBD_Redacted_Minded_To_Letter_to_Paramount_Skydance_Corporation.pdf">Paramount Skydance</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a43dc99fa72f76532a4e414/260630_P-WBD_Redacted_Minded_To_Letter_to_Warner_Bros._Discovery_Inc..pdf">Warner Bros Discovery</a>, as well as a statement to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-06-30/hcws162">parliament</a>, indicating that she is “minded to intervene” in Paramount’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://deadline.com/2026/06/paramount-warner-merger-uk-government-minded-to-intervene-1236970972/">$110bn takeover</a> of Warner Bros.Alan Cumming, Benedict Cumberbatch and Benedict Wong are actors working in the UK and Hollywood <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/ng-interactive/2026/jul/27/tv-cinema-paramount-warner-bros-merger-benedict-cumberbatch-alan-cumming-benedict-wong">Continue reading...</a>

The Paramount-Warner Bros merger is being fought in the US and UK. Britain’s culture secretary knows the risks and can intervene. She should

A TV and cinema calamity could be disastrous for what you watch and what you know. Act now to stop that | Alan Cumming, Benedict Cumberbatch and Benedict Wong

While the new PM’s slick social media operation can help him bypass the hostile press that devoured Starmer, he will still need friends in the fourth estateAfter a week in Downing Street where Labour’s previously flatlining position in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jul/27/andy-burnham-social-care-politics-live-latest-news-defence-nhs-reform-uk-tories-updates">the polls has at least showed signs of having a pulse,</a> Andy Burnham is still just about enjoying a prime ministerial honeymoon. But he has been in politics long enough to know that the largely friendly media coverage that he has received so far won’t last for ever.Indeed, within hours of becoming prime minister, some familiar predators were circling as they tried to decide whether to attack him for being too leftwing, too insubstantial or simply offering more of the same. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jul/27/andy-burnham-master-social-media-hostile-press-social-media">Continue reading...</a>

While the new PM’s slick social media operation can help him bypass the hostile press that devoured Starmer, he will still need friends in the fourth estate

Burnham is master of his message for now. But he should know this: media foes will offer no respite | Tom Baldwin

From BBC drama The Rapture on the climate crisis to Apple’s Criminal Record on the rise of the far right, culture often sees what politics fails toIn the BBC’s new <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/jul/26/the-rapture-review-apocalyptic-drama-bbc-one-iplayer">apocalypse drama, The Rapture</a>, the UK is engulfed in a terrifying heatwave. I watched a preview of the programme in May, while preparing to interview the lead actor Ruth Madeley. I thought at the time: “This will be much more frightening when it chimes with the real life weather, bad luck for them that it’s not coming out for a couple of months.” But, by the time of meeting Madeley the following month, we were already in the middle of a heatwave that would lead to the highest ever recorded June temperature in the UK. The whole encounter made the show feel even more prophetic. She was in a central London hotel, air-conditioned inside, but all the door handles and surrounding street furniture – benches segmented by metal arm rests, to make life just that little bit harder for homeless people – had got way too hot. It was like playing The Floor is Lava, except instead of “floor”, “everything”. It surely can’t hit the screens at a more apposite time than this, I thought, failing to predict that by late July we’d be in heatwave number three, and France would be on fire.The <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.dailymail.com/tvshowbiz/article-16006629/CHRISTOPHER-STEVENS-scathing-one-star-review-Rapture-anti-Christian-BBC-conspiracy-drama-unconvincing-shoddy.html">Daily Mail’s</a> reviewer was upset that Christianity was portrayed “as a bastion of anti-science nutjobs and fundamentalists” in the show, wondering rhetorically whether the BBC would ever create such a drama about a “Muslim imam”. Peculiar thing to get upset about, I thought, since the religion is really more of a symptom of, or even a garnish to, the central atmosphere of engulfing heat. It’s like complaining that cats get a bad rap in the 1974 film<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jun/02/feelgood-movie-towering-inferno"> The Towering Inferno</a> (yes, there is a cat in it). <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jul/27/predicting-the-future-why-tv-writers-better-than-politicians">Continue reading...</a>

From BBC drama The Rapture on the climate crisis to Apple’s Criminal Record on the rise of the far right, culture often sees what politics fails to

When it comes to predicting the future, why are TV writers better than politicians? | Zoe Williams

The Hallmark Channel’s ropey version of The Odyssey is going viral for its star-studded cast. Christopher Nolan’s film only looks better by comparison <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/christopher-nolan">Christopher Nolan</a>’s version of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/the-odyssey">The Odyssey</a> is far from the first committed to screen. As early as 1911, Italian director Guiseppe de Liguoro made a silent version entitled L’Odissea. Readers of a certain age may remember watching the futuristic animated series Ulysses 31 throughout the 1980s. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/jun/19/o-brother-where-art-thou-revisiting-the-glory-and-silliness-of-the-coen-brothers-classic">O Brother, Where Art Thou?</a> is based on The Odyssey. So too, if you squint as hard as you can and discount the Goofy Goober song, is the first SpongeBob SquarePants movie.However, the pre-Nolan adaptation that has the biggest legacy is arguably Andrei Konchalovsky’s two-part version, made in 1997 for the Hallmark Channel. This is the adaptation that has been doing the rounds in recent days, clipped up on social media (the full version is highly discoverable on YouTube) and catching the eye of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/joyce-carol-oates">Joyce Carol Oates</a>, who spent much of Thursday night <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/JoyceCarolOates/status/2080484224369389942">tweeting</a> very enthusiastically about it. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/27/the-odyssey-andrei-konchalovsky-hallmark-channel-1997-bernadette-peters-vanessa-williams">Continue reading...</a>

The Hallmark Channel’s ropey version of The Odyssey is going viral for its star-studded cast. Christopher Nolan’s film only looks better by comparison

Joyce Carol Oates thinks the 90s TV adaptation of The Odyssey is the best. I beg to differ | Stuart Heritage

End of News Feed

Microsoft bolstered its AI cybersecurity offerings this week with the launch of its first AI security model and a new security platform. 

Microsoft launches its first cybersecurity model, plus a new agentic cybersecurity system

Apple is facing a lawsuit from three users who say they collectively lost more than $1.8 million after downloading a fraudulent crypto wallet from the App Store, challenging the company’s longstanding claims that its app review process keeps users safe from scams.

Apple is facing a lawsuit from three users who say they collectively lost more than $1.8 million after downloading a fraudulent crypto wallet from the Ap...

Apple sued after alleged App Store crypto scam cost users $1.8M

Amazon is expanding its plans for providing satellite connectivity to mobile phones. 

Amazon’s new satellite network for mobile phones could turn up the heat on SpaceX

Antares has raised $470 million to build small modular reactors — 100 kW to 1 MW — for U.S. Air Force bases.

Antares raises $470M to build nuclear reactors for the US military

OpenAI's Hugging Face breach has reignited debate over AI alignment and control, exposing competing views on whether increasingly capable AI should be better aligned, better contained, or both.

OpenAI's Hugging Face breach has reignited debate over AI alignment and control, exposing competing views on whether increasingly capable AI should be be...

OpenAI’s Hugging Face breach has reignited the debate over alignment and control

Meta on Monday said it is rolling out its Meta AI chatbot within Threads' DMs, giving users a way to chat with the AI assistant. 

Threads users can now chat with Meta AI in their DMs

Google’s AI Overviews now appear in 43% of searches, underscoring how quickly AI-generated answers are becoming the default way people discover information online.

Google’s AI Overviews now appear in 43% of searches, underscoring how quickly AI-generated answers are becoming the default way people discover informati...

Google’s AI search is rapidly becoming the default, new data shows

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, the Smart Systems Stage will be where energy, infrastructure, and technology collide, covering everything from fusion breakthroughs to the grid strain AI is putting on the entire economy.

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, the Smart Systems Stage will be where energy, infrastructure, and technology collide, covering everything from fusion breakth...

Power up your AI infrastructure! A first look at the Smart Systems Stage agenda at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 

This $9 NFC key requires you to physically scan it to unlock distracting apps on your phone. 

This $9 key physically locks your most addictive apps

After two years in stealth, Safe Superintelligence has announced a long-term partnership with Nvidia as it prepares to scale to its next phase. 

Ilya Sutskever’s Safe Superintelligence partners with Nvidia to scale its AI research

Starting with Spotify, Snapchat users will be able to link their accounts, choose who can see their listening activity, and see what their friends are listening to in real time.

Starting with Spotify, Snapchat users will be able to link their accounts, choose who can see their listening activity, and see what their friends are li...

Snapchat now lets you share what you’re listening to in real time

The massive seed round was led by  Index Ventures and Ribbit Capital, with participation from Sarah Guo's Conviction Partners.

Enigma raises $71M to make controlling a robot as easy as adjusting the volume

On Monday, the network announced a $1.6 million seed round from top players in the media ecosystem, including Powerhouse Capital, Axel Springer SE (which owns Business Insider and Politico), the popular media publication LADbible, and angel investors from OpenAI and DeepMind. With this fresh capital, the network is announcing its largest expansion yet.

On Monday, the network announced a $1.6 million seed round from top players in the media ecosystem, including Powerhouse Capital, Axel Springer SE (which...

Europe got its own TBPN-style live show, and everyone’s angling for a guest spot

Forget YouTube videos — frontier physical AI models need multiple camera angles, dense annotation, and, soon, brain wave readings. 

Are brain waves the next unlock for physical AI?

As Apple prepares to launch its first smart glasses, the company may also be wrestling with how to address consumer privacy concerns.

Can Apple make smart glasses that aren’t a constant privacy threat?

On the latest episode of Equity, we discussed why Moonshot AI's Kimi seemed to panic Silicon Valley and Wall Street.

Making sense of the panic over Chinese AI

How one founder house is betting work-life balance can beat burnout . 

Inside one London founder house rewriting the founder-house rules 

"The first autonomous agent cyberattack is an unprecedented event. It deserves an unprecedented response!"

Hugging Face CEO calls for ‘radical transparency’ after ‘unprecedented’ OpenAI hack

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for the future of transportation and now, more than ever, the role AI is playing in it. 

TechCrunch Mobility: Uber bets on its former CEO

A running look — in reverse chronological order — at the bigger tech companies that have announced significant layoffs this year with AI as a stated factor.

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