TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan's Sony Group Corp on Thursday edged up its annual profit forecast, helped by a strong showing for

Joe Biden continues to face prominent calls to step aside from voices in his own party, as the 80-year-old president vows that he will win reelection in 2024. In a normal election year, any incumbent president would coast to victory in their party’s nominating contests, and next year is likely to be no exception. But Mr Biden is facing more criticism than most as many Democrats openly fret whether the oldest-ever president to be sworn into office will be able to be an effective standard-bearer for his party next year. One of those Democrats sounding the alarm bells is Rep Dean Phillips, a congressman from Minnesota who has been the only elected member of his party in the House or Senate to openly call for Mr Biden to face a serious primary challenge. As of now, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is not planning to host debates for the 2024 primary season, meaning that the president will never face any of his challengers onstage. Mr Phillips pointed out, in a Sunday interview with Chuck Todd on NBC’s Meet the Press, that while Mr Biden is generally leading nationally against opponents like Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, he trails those same candidates or ties them statistically in some polling of key swing states, such as Arizona and Michigan. The “majority” of Americans, he said, want Mr Biden to “pass the torch” and let other Democrats have a real competition for the 2024 primary — even as he attempted to back away from the idea that he himself would mount a bid. The congressman suggested that the candidate to take on Republicans next year should be a governor from the midwest or the Rust Belt, nodding as Mr Todd named Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer and his own home state’s Tim Walz. He also named JB Pritzker, governor of Illinois. “Some people have asked me that I not use their names, because of this institutional fear that it might impact you down the road,” he noted. “[But] this is the time to meet the moment.” The mention of Mr Pritzker as a potential candidate by Mr Phillips is significant, given that the governor has been spotted in early primary states and is viewed by many Democrats and political analysts alike as a politician with both national aspirations and the credibility to mount a real bid. The billionaire governor has won many fans in the party with his record in the state and has the financial means to bankroll a national bid, which would put him at an immediate advantage over possible rivals. One figure that Mr Phillips is notably not putting his support behind is Senator Joe Manchin, the conservative West Virginia Democrat who is rumoured to be considering exiting the Democratic Party entirely, following the footsteps (or coattails) of Sen Kyrsten Sinema. Mr Manchin is also known to be considering launching an independent bid for the presidency should he make the jump to leave the party, and would likely do so with the backing of No Labels, a group of rabblerousing centrists that have been threatening to support a third-party challenger for months. Mr Biden’s polling woes in key swing states have worried some Democrats who see a repeat of 2016 on the horizon; for months, Hillary Clinton led Donald Trump in national polling only to be undone in key swing states where her campaign had spent little to no effort to be competitive. Numerous surveys of the 2024 field have indicated that a slight majority of Democrats want Mr Biden to step aside and open up the field for younger competitors. But those same polls also indicate that he holds a massive lead over the only Democrats who have announced bids so far, author Marianne Williamson and Robert F Kennedy, known for his activism against medical authorities. Read More Ted Cruz rails against Hunter Biden special counsel appointment that he requested Biden and House Democrats hope to make curbing 'junk fees' a winning issue in 2024 ‘You know the answer’: Trump mocked for sarcastic response to 2020 election interference question

If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you've come to the right place for

The Grammys will add a video game-specific category to its next awards ceremony.

Google reached an agreement in principle with US states to settle an antitrust lawsuit for its alleged conduct in the Google Play Store, according to a Tuesday court filing.

There's a mystery suitor lurking in the Damian Lillard trade sweepstakes. We try to guess who it might be.

The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards are being presented on Tuesday with Nicki Minaj hosting the show, as well as performing, at the Prudential Center in New Jersey.

Britney Spears' memoir delves into themes of freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith and hope

French automaker Renault on Wednesday held an investors day for its new electric vehicle subsidiary Ampere, hoping to win over investment with slashed costs and an electric car costing less...

Fans are wondering why the Jets don't just bench Zach Wilson, but the situation is dire enough in New York that they don't have a choice.

Borrowing the best bits from two of our favourite comfort foods, this epic chilli mac ’n’ cheese is a batch-cook sensation,” say Kate and Kay Allinson, the brains behind Pinch of Nom. They call this one-pot dish “deliciously indulgent”, adding: “We’ve kept things on the milder side with a couple of teaspoons of chilli powder, but there’s nothing to stop you turning up the heat if you’re feeling brave. Don’t forget to save freezer-friendly portions for a rainy day!” Chilli mac ‘n’ cheese Serves: 6 Ingredients: Low-calorie cooking spray 2 onions, peeled and finely diced 2 carrots, peeled and diced 500g 5%-fat minced beef 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 2 tsp mild chilli powder 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp dried oregano 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes 2 peppers, any colour, deseeded and diced 2 tbsp tomato puree 2 tbsp Henderson’s Relish 600ml beef stock (2 beef stock cubes dissolved in 600ml boiling water) 300g dried macaroni 1 x 400g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed 180g reduced-fat mature Cheddar, grated Small handful of fresh coriander, chopped (optional) Method: 1. Spray a large saucepan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté for five minutes until softened. 2. Add the mince and cook for a further five minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, until the mince is no longer pink. 3. Add the garlic, chilli powder, cumin and oregano and stir in for one minute until the spices become fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, peppers, tomato puree, Henderson’s Relish and stock, and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat to medium-low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 20 minutes, until the carrots are soft. 4. Add the macaroni to the pan, stir well and replace the lid. Allow to cook for a further 10-12 minutes, until the pasta is just cooked. 5. Stir in the beans and cheese, reserving a little cheese to garnish if you wish, allowing two minutes for the beans to heat through and the cheese to melt. 6. Stir in the coriander, if using, and serve! ‘Pinch Of Nom: Budget’ by Kate and Kay Allinson (Bluebird, £17.99). Read More Get set for Wimbledon with top pastry chef’s strawberry recipes Pinch of Nom: Healthy eating doesn’t have to cost the earth The Norwegian sparkling wine aged at the bottom of the sea I was an air fryer sceptic – now I can’t stop using it Ditch Deliveroo – make these healthy, 30-minute pizzas instead Three quick and easy vegan fakeaway recipes

Henry Cejudo’s dream of fighting on the anniversary of his Olympic gold-medal win has been derailed by injury, the ex-UFC champion has said. Cejudo was due to face Marlon “Chito Vera” at a UFC Fight Night on 19 August – the 15th anniversary of his wrestling triumph for the United States at the Beijing Games. However, a shoulder injury will prevent Cejudo, 36, from competing this summer, denying him the chance to bounce back from a recent loss. Cejudo, one of just four dual-weight champions in UFC history, retired from mixed martial arts in 2020 but returned in May, losing to bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling on points. “Unfortunately due to my right shoulder, I won’t be able to fight,” Cejudo said on Instagram on Thursday (29 June). “I’ve already torn my left shoulder, where I was out for about a year. I don’t want it to tear further than what it already is. “The cat’s out the bag. It’s actually a 50 per cent tear. I stretched it out to as much as I possibly could, because I love that Chito Vera match-up, but between my shoulder and my baby expected on 25 October, it’s the best decision for me and my family to not fight in August. “Nothing changes with my future goals. I want my title back. When I’m back to 100 per cent, you’ll see me in the Octagon again. But until then, I need to heal. I hope the UFC can find a replacement to fight Chito, so he could stay on the card. I would’ve loved to fight him in Boston on the 15-year anniversary of my gold medal. But I’ll be back.” Cejudo won the UFC flyweight title in 2018 and claimed the bantamweight belt in 2019. He retained each title once and vacated both prior to retiring in 2020. In May, he returned to MMA and attempted to reclaim the bantamweight title by challenging Sterling, who beat Cejudo via split decision. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Conor McGregor doubles down on Ultimate Fighter criticism as Michael Chandler’s team dominate Tyson Fury’s ‘game-changing’ return to be announced in ‘next week or so’, Frank Warren says Elon Musk vs Mark Zuckerberg: Who would win a fight between tech titans? Strickland vs Magomedov live stream: How to watch UFC Fight Night online and on TV this weekend