Reflections on America's 250th birthday

NPR member station reporters across the U.S. asked people how they are thinking about their country on its semiquincentennial.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule and how to watch

With 104 World Cup games being played in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, it's like "a Super Bowl every single day for five weeks," U.S. team captain Tim Ream told CBS News.

Colombia v Ghana: World Cup 2026 last 32 – live

⚽️ Kick-off time: 8.30pm local/9.30pm EDT/2.30am BST/1.30pm AEST
⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail Beau

First email of the session, from someone just named “F”

“Why recast at all? Have Vozinha play himself! The man’s a rockstar. I wonder who will play Vozinha’s mother, though.”

Maps show this July 4th could be hottest ever in parts of U.S.

Extremely dangerous heat, coupled with humidity, could result in heat index readings of 100 to 115 degrees from the Midwest to the East Coast, forecasters said.

Ukraine war briefing: Germany calls reports Russian soldiers are being trained in China ‘deeply disturbing’

German foreign ministry summons China’s ambassador and says anything that enables Russia to continue its war of aggression represents a ‘threat’ to Germany’s security. What we know on day 1,592

The Chinese ambassador in Berlin has been summoned for urgent talks about media reports that Russian soldiers were being trained in China, the German foreign ministry said on Friday. These “deeply disturbing” reports point to support for Russia from Chinese state actors, in particular the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, it said. “Anything that enables Russia to continue its war of aggression against Ukraine also represents a threat to our security,” the ministry said. On 20 May, the German daily Die Welt reported that the Chinese army had secretly trained several hundred Russian soldiers on its territory, some of whom had been deployed in Ukraine, citing classified documents from European intelligence services.

Russia’s ⁠Defence Ministry claimed ⁠on ⁠Friday its ​forces had “completely” taken ⁠control of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine, ⁠whose capture Moscow ‌has long sought in its advance through Donetsk ‌region. The battle for this city, which had about 78,000 inhabitants before the war, has been taking place since late 2025 and now constitutes the main Russian effort on a front more than 1,000km long. “The city is now entirely under our control,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters. There was no independent verification of the claim.

A massive Russian glide bomb strike on the centre of the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Friday has killed at least four people, including a ⁠child, ⁠and injured ​27, regional governor Oleh Hryhorov said. Other areas in the Sumy region and in southeastern Ukraine, closer to the frontlines, also came under Russian ⁠attack, killing a total of six people. After the attack, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for Ukraine’s allies to intensify pressure on Russia “so that the terror can be stopped”. Sumy region, under near-constant attacks by Russian forces, is on the Russian border and Moscow has been trying to expand what it describes as a buffer zone there.

Ukraine is looking ⁠for ways to lower tension ⁠with Warsaw, Poland’s ​prime minister Donald Tusk said on Friday, adding that Poland’s neighbour to the east should come to terms with its history in order to join the European Union. Diplomatic relations between the two countries ⁠deteriorated after Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland’s top honour because Zelenskyy had named an army unit after insurgents who massacred Poles in the second world war. Tusk, a political opponent of Nawrocki, has ​been trying to smooth tensions, and said he ‌had received positive signals from Friday’s meeting ‌between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and his Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski in Warsaw. There are proposals for consultations between historians and talks between religious leaders from both nations, Tusk said.

Lithuania’s president said Friday his country wants to be integrated into western nuclear deterrence against Russia as it moves to end a ban on atomic weapons deployment. Speaking at a Berlin press conference, President Gitanas Nauseda said Lithuania was taking steps to remove the constitutional ban and added: “We would like to be the integral part of this nuclear deterrence.” “A few days ago, I initiated a constitutional amendment to remove the existing restriction on the possible deployment of nuclear weapons in Lithuania,” he added. Shortly afterwards, a group of 50 Lithuanian lawmakers submitted an amendment, which still has to be put before parliament.

The World Athletics Council on Friday reaffirmed its decision ⁠to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competition, four years ⁠after it ⁠initially ​imposed sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. World Athletics voted to end its eight-year ⁠doping ban of the Russian Athletics Federation in 2023 but the separate ban over ⁠the invasion of Ukraine kept out their athletes. “We ​presented options for the ‌Council to ‌consider on this matter, however the original decision remains ‌on the sanctions that protect the integrity and fairness of our competitions, with no tangible movement towards peace negotiations having materialised,” World Athletics President Seb Coe said in a statement.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce married in ceremony officiated by Adam Sandler

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were married as they celebrated their wedding with hundreds of guests Friday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Cape Verde threaten shock for the ages before Argentina break hearts in World Cup classic

What a game, what a series of moments, what a display of spirit and skill from Cape Verde, a tiny island nation with a far-flung diaspora team, who took Argentina right to the brink of one of the great sporting shocks in Miami.

How to tell the story of this game? Imagine being pounded around the head for 120 minutes, first slowly, then much more quickly, with moments of brilliance, narrative shifts, epic subplots and violent tonal contrasts, from the Messi-Vozinha double header, to the elite cinematic brilliance of Cape Verde’s second equalising goal deep into extra time. Well, it was a bit like that.

Feds seek lower prison term for $100M New Jersey deli fraudster — but some reasons why are hidden

James Patten is the third person who will be sentenced in the stock manipulation scheme related to Hometown International, a company that owned just one deli.

Family-owned company prepares to put on the largest fireworks display in history

When the sun goes down on Independence Day, the skies of Washington, D.C., are expected to fill with a record-setting 850,000 individual fireworks for a 40-minute spectacle like no one has seen before.

How to save money on air conditioning as electric bills climb

As Americans endure another bout of extreme heat, experts say small thermostat adjustments and other energy-saving steps can help reduce soaring cooling costs.

Inside the security operations for July Fourth celebrations in D.C.

The Fourth of July celebrations in Washington, D.C., are deemed a "national special security event," which is the highest possible designation.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce marry at New York City’s Madison Square Garden

The couple invited an array of celebrity guests to the wedding, including Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper, while Adam Sandler officiated their nuptials

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are officially wed. The couple hosted their wedding celebration on Friday in New York City, nearly three years after first meeting.

The ceremony was officiated by Adam Sandler, a Swift spokesperson said in a Friday statement confirming the nuptials.

After 10 years, one man's mission to preserve WWII veterans' legacy continues

Rishi Sharma started his journey 10 years ago by driving around his Southern California neighborhood to record interviews with veterans and later expanded his outreach.

This week on "Sunday Morning" (July 5)

A look at the features for this week's broadcast of the Emmy-winning program, hosted by Jane Pauley.

How the Secret Service is managing America 250 security: "We're in a heightened threat environment"

Saturday's Fourth of July celebration on the National Mall is the first tagged as a "national special security event," meaning a law enforcement presence akin to a Super Bowl or an inauguration. Nicole Sganga has more.

Young man aims to preserve "real superhero" WWII veterans' stories

Every Fourth of July marks the loss of more veterans of World War II. Steve Hartman met a young man who is racing against time to preserve their stories.

What it takes to attempt the biggest fireworks display in history

A company called Pyrotecnico will attempt the biggest fireworks show in history in Washington, D.C., on the Fourth of July. Tony Dokoupil gets the exclusive on how.

Trump announces pardons for pollution violators prosecuted for "fixing their car"

CBS News previously reported President Trump was weighing pardons of a slate of people convicted of emissions and clean air-related violations.

Trump announces new pardons after privately weighing "Diddy" clemency, sources said

The four presidents carved into Mount Rushmore collectively issued over 1,100 pardons. President Trump, who is visiting there tonight, has outdone them all and is now adding more. Nancy Cordes reports.

England’s game against Mexico to stay at 1am UK kick-off after day of chaos

• Fifa held discussions about game kicking off earlier

• Risk of thunderstorms in Mexico had caused concern

England have avoided the prospect of their World Cup match against Mexico on Sunday being brought forward by six hours after a chaotic day that saw Fifa engaged in discussions with multiple stakeholders over a new kick-off time.

The eagerly anticipated last 16 clash in Mexico City will still be played at 6pm local time (1am Monday BST), but only after a period of intense confusion in which both camps were left scrambling for clarity. Fifa were wrong footed when news leaked in Mexico during the afternoon that negotiations to make the switch, which would ostensibly have been down to the prospect of thunderstorms and flooding on Sunday evening, were taking place but ultimately decided to keep the status quo.

Multiple shark attacks, sightings at U.S beaches during 4th of July weekend

Many hit the beach in hopes of cooling off on this holiday Friday, but more bodies near the water mean a greater risk of shark attacks. Lana Zak reports.

Life-threatening heat emergency impacting some 4th of July, America 250 events

Nearly 200 million Americans across 28 states are sizzling under a so-called heat dome this Fourth of July weekend. CBS News' Kris Van Cleave reports and Rob Marciano has the forecast.

Starmer warns Burnham he cannot spend less time on diplomacy

Prime minister also speaks of his ‘intensely personal decision’ to step down in first interview since resigning

Keir Starmer has warned his likely successor, Andy Burnham, that it will not be possible to spend less time focusing on international affairs.

Speaking during a BBC interview, he also spoke of his “intensely personal” decision to announce his resignation last month after two years as prime minister.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce officially married

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are officially married, according to Swift's publicist. Jo Ling Kent reports.

Two people dead and a third injured in shooting at Michigan shopping mall

A fight between two groups of young people who knew each other escalated into gunfire, police said

A shooting altercation between two groups of young people at a shopping mall in Dearborn, Michigan, left two people dead and a third injured over what is typically the most violent weekend of the year in the US, police said.

The shooting occurred as the US began celebrating the Fourth of July, historically a holiday weekend that sees higher rates of gun violence across the country. In 2024, the Gun Violence Archive reported more than 500 shootings over Independence Day weekend.

7/3: CBS Evening News

Nearly 200 million Americans are under heat alerts; a string of shark attacks hits the East Coast.

‘A total disappointment’: revelers face unbearable heat at Great American State Fair

Attendance had been thin to Trump’s ‘unbelievable’ event before an increase on Friday – and then the high temperatures swept in

Even by Trumpian standards, the event was promoted with intense hyperbole: nothing short, the US president suggested, of the “the most unforgettable birthday party any country has ever seen”.

“It’s gonna be great,” Donald Trump proclaimed on the opening night of the Great American State Fair, the centerpiece of the US 250th anniversary celebrations. “It’s gonna be unbelievable.”

CDC investigates parasite that’s caused cases of ‘explosive’ diarrhea in 18 US states

Parasite cyclospora spreads through produce and water contaminated with feces and causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis

The US Centers for Disease Prevention has been working to find the source of a parasitic illness that causes “explosive”, watery diarrhea, with more than 400 cases of the sickness reported across 18 states.

The parasite, cyclospora, spreads through raw produce and water contaminated with human feces – and it causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis, whose symptoms include cramps, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, low-grade fever and vomiting. The most commonly reported symptom is “watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements”, according to the CDC.

Egypt reach World Cup last 16 in shootout as Australia’s goalkeeper gamble backfires

Hossam Abdelmaguid puffed out his cheeks, began his run up with exaggerated slowness, checked and then, as Mat Ryan fell to his left, put the ball to his right. Harry Souttar and the 18-year-old Lucas Herrington had already missed for Australia and Egypt, having scored all of their penalties, were through. Abdelmaguid ran off to the corner, ripping off his shirt, and was soon joined by an ecstatic posse of Egyptian players. Mohamed Salah, who had converted a Panenka, was in tears, and the manager, Hossam Hassan, was in tears. Don’t worry about the scrappy, largely formless game from which the emotion stemmed: Egypt had won a World Cup knockout tie for the first time.

“My heart and soul are with the Palestinian people,” said Hassan. “I thank them and dedicate this victory to them. We succeeded in making Arab people proud. I wanted to win for the sake of the good people. God is honouring us because of the good people who are here.”

After weeks of speculation, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce wed in New York

Superfans and sleuths appear to have their hunches confirmed on Friday, as dozens of black cars dropped off elegantly dressed guests outside of Madison Square Garden in New York City. The wedding bash is expected to last into Saturday morning.

Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz remains a powerful bargaining chip

Despite efforts by U.S. negotiators, Iran says it wants to charge a toll for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. It's yet another unresolved issue of the U.S.-Iran war.

Sabalenka shows off growth on grass to dominate Ostapenko at Wimbledon

• No 1 seed looks strong in 6-4, 6-4 victory against Latvian

• ‘The plan is to get better every day,’ insists Sabalenka

As Aryna Sabalenka marched towards a convincing victory over the ever-dangerous Jelena Ostapenko, she opted for a slight change of pace. Leading 6-4, 2-1 and 30-0, Sabalenka followed up a massive serve by immediately flitting to the net.

She surely had visions of her serve and volley attempt ending in triumphant Tim Henman-esque fashion, but that is not quite how things played out. She instead misjudged the path of Ostapenko’s slow, lofty return, and her shanked smash landed harmlessly on the service line. Ostapenko calmly ended the point with a forehand passing shot winner.

Dads of Camp Mystic flood victims on the pain of losing their daughters, pushing for safety changes

Ryan DeWitt and Matthew Childress, the fathers of a camper and counselor who died during last year's deadly floods at Camp Mystic in Texas, spoke to CBS News' Jason Allen about the pain of losing their daughters and their mission to push for safety changes in summer camps across the U.S. to prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy.

A family steps in to save the dying casino town of Primm, Nevada

Primm, Nev., a once-thriving casino town on the border with California, was on the verge of fading away for good. The family it was named for has stepped in and faces the challenge of reviving it.

Iran plans dayslong funeral for Supreme Leader Khamenei after war death

The country's theocracy hopes to see millions flood the streets of the capital beginning Saturday in scenes reminiscent to the burial of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989.

Extreme heat wave threatens U.S. power grids and July 4 travel

The heat wave threatens to overwhelm U.S. grids and may force some to change their plans on one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.

Two Romanians jailed over stabbing of Iranian TV journalist in London

Judge says evidence indicates attack on Pouria Zeraati outside home was carried out on behalf of Tehran regime

Two Romanians who took part in a “targeted” knife attack on a television journalist in London “on behalf of the Iranian state” have been jailed.

Pouria Zeraati, who worked for the Persian-language channel Iran International, which is critical of the Tehran regime, was left bleeding in the street after being stabbed three times outside his home in Wimbledon.

American Express and Chase move luxury lounge wars beyond the airport

Credit card companies are increasingly offering access to lounges and perks at festivals and sporting events, often exclusively for premium cardholders.

US heatwave threatens 250th anniversary events and World Cup

Weekend’s high temperatures and humidity ‘virtually impossible’ without climate crisis, researchers say

The scorching heat blanketing much of the US this week would have been “virtually impossible” if not for the climate crisis, researchers have found, warning that the high temperatures could threaten Independence Day celebrations and World Cup matches this weekend.

“The climate the country has today is fundamentally different to the one it had when the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence,” said Theodore Keeping, extreme weather and wildfire researcher at Imperial College London, in a press release.

Acting DNI Pulte fires dozens of intelligence officials: MS Now

President Donald Trump's controversial pick to lead the office of the Director of National Intelligence has begun firing intel officials, MS NOW reported.

More than 100,000 fireworks recalled ahead of July 4

Federal safety regulators are urging consumers to stop using the recalled fireworks and return them for a full refund.

The Guardian view on Labour’s next chancellor: send for Ed Miliband | Editorial

Andy Burnham needs the Treasury to serve devolution, raise living standards and renew the economy. The energy secretary meets that test

There are few things on which this column would agree with George Osborne. Voting to remain in the European Union was one. Backing Labour’s Ed Miliband to be the next chancellor is another.

Mr Osborne, whose austerity programme redistributed pain downwards while protecting privilege at the top, had only a week ago on his podcast, Political Currency, dismissed Mr Miliband as too difficult a sell to business and the press. He now recognises what should have been obvious: if Andy Burnham is serious about governing differently, he needs a chancellor with the authority, knowledge and political relationship with the prime minister to bend the Treasury to the project.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

The Guardian view on how culture is taking on tech: the ultimate handheld device | Editorial

Transcription, the winner of the Orwell prize for political fiction, and Toy Story 5 show life before smartphones and screen time

In the opening pages of Ben Lerner’s novel Transcription, the unnamed narrator mentions his mobile phone more than 25 times. He is on a train to Providence in the US to visit a German intellectual called Thomas, who has just turned 90. The narrator worries that he will fail to record the interview on his phone; he texts his wife; the guard scans his ticket; he takes a photo; he FaceTimes his daughter; he uses Google Maps for directions to his hotel. He even dreams about his phone. Then he accidentally drops it in the sink.

The novel is set during Covid, but there is no mention of Donald Trump or Joe Biden. Last month Transcription was awarded the Orwell prize for political fiction. “The question of how certain forms of media flatten or monetise our attention – I do think that’s political territory,” the author said of his win. With its shiny black cover and stark white typeface, this slim novel is designed to remind to us that the book is also a handheld portable device. It invites us to consider the relationship between art and technology. The smartphone has rewired us. “I was glitching, craving my cellular phone on a cellular level,” the narrator confesses.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Sources: Trump likely to pardon pollution violators; weighing clemency for Diddy

President Trump hasn't committed to a firm number of people who will receive clemency — he's scheduled to have a meeting on pardons Friday afternoon, sources said.

Relieved Djokovic finds a way to battle past Rinderknech and keep quest for 25 alive

• Seventh seed digs in to win 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4)

• ‘It took a bit of luck and skill in the end,’ says Djokovic

In the dying embers of this pulsating match, Novak Djokovic morphed into a young Boris Becker, flying through the air to hit a diving backhand lob volley at match point. At this juncture his opponent, Arthur Rinderknech, was also on the floor after slipping at the net. And Centre Court? All 15,000 of them on their feet. And no wonder. Because this was a first-week mini-classic.

There was little in Rinderknech’s grass court record of 15 wins and 18 defeats to suggest he could put the greatest player in history through the ringer, save for his victory over Alexander Zverev at last year’s Wimbledon. Yet his 6ft 5in frame, booming serve and surprisingly soft hands gave Djokovic all he could handle.

Fulham make move for Crysencio Summerville while Granit Xhaka stays at Sunderland

• Chelsea and Manchester United also interested in winger

• Real Madrid issue statement denying Fernández contact

Fulham have joined the race to sign Crysencio Summerville from West Ham. The winger is expected to move this summer and is attracting interest from a host of Premier League clubs.

Chelsea and Manchester United have been monitoring Summerville, who is likely to leave West Ham following their relegation from the Premier League, but it remains to be seen whether the Netherlands international earns a move to one of the top flight’s leading sides.

Lewis Hamilton delights home crowd with pole position for British GP sprint race

• Ferrari driver qualifies first ahead of Kimi Antonelli

• Hamilton: ‘I love this place, I love this crowd’

Lewis Hamilton gave the home crowd reason to roar as he took pole position for the sprint race at the British Grand Prix for Ferrari, beating the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli into second, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in third.

The pole for the short format race to be held on Saturday morning at Silverstone must be considered somewhat against the odds, as Ferrari had been expected to be somewhat on the back foot to Mercedes, at the power dominated track.

Reform UK-led council fails to attract any sponsors for union flag scheme

Party had justified plan to hang flags in Nottinghamshire on basis that local businesses would foot £75,000 bill

A £75,000 scheme by a Reform-led council to hang union flags at sites across the county, which the party said would “not cost the taxpayer a single penny” as it would be sponsored by local businesses, has failed to attract a single sponsor, it has emerged.

The plan to attach the flags to brackets on about 180 lamp-posts and other places was agreed in the autumn by Nottinghamshire’s council, won by Nigel Farage’s party in last year’s May elections.

James Burrows obituary

A leading light of American TV comedy, directing sitcoms such as Friends, Frasier and almost every episode of Cheers

James Burrows, who has died aged 85, was one of the most influential figures in US television sitcoms for more than four decades. He was the co-creator and primary director of Cheers, one of America’s most beloved and successful sitcoms, which ran for 11 seasons between 1982 and 1993 and won 28 Primetime Emmy awards. Its final episode was second only to that of M*A*S*H as the most-watched of all time.

However, unlike producer/writers such as Nat Hiken, Norman Lear or Larry Gelbart, who had stamped their marks on previous generations, Burrows’ influence came entirely as a director. As such he was intimately involved in the creation of many shows, and enjoyed long runs on sitcoms such as the Cheers spin-off Frasier, Friends, and Will and Grace. For years he was the first-choice director of pilot episodes, used to sell programmes to the networks; he did almost 100 of them, including two versions of some, if the first produced only a lukewarm response.

Americans disgusted at Trump earning $1bn from crypto as president: ‘Obviously a grift’

Hundreds of Guardian readers expressed concerns over greed in the White House and a billionaire president unconcerned with high gas and grocery prices

Donald Trump has earned more than $1bn from his crypto businesses since returning to the White House, according to recent financial disclosures.

Amid questions of conflict of interest, more than 400 Americans expressed feelings of outrage, disgust and despair at their president. They answered a Guardian call for their views on Trump’s fortune.

Prince William appears on "New Heights" podcast ahead of Swift-Kelce wedding

Prince William will appear on the podcast hosted by Jason and Travis Kelce just hours before Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift's anticipated wedding.

Hundreds join global support group for survivors of drug-facilitated rape

Zoe Watts and Amanda Stanhope launched network after being repeatedly assaulted by partners while unconscious

Two women who were drugged and raped by their partners while they were unconscious have said hundreds of people – including about 80 in the UK – have come forward to an international support group for victims of the crime.

Zoe Watts and Amanda Stanhope, who were both repeatedly assaulted by their partners while unconscious, are calling for tighter laws to stop men sharing images and videos of sexual assaults and rape online.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding: everything we know so far – The Latest

The US superstar golden couple Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are finally tying the knot in a rumoured major event in New York’s Madison Square Garden.

The couple – who got engaged 10 months ago, announced via an Instagram post that received 14m likes in its first hour online – held an intimate rehearsal dinner at MSG with a rumoured guest list of 1,000 for today’s ceremony and construction of a custom-made fairytale castle inside.

But with tight security, NDAs and New York streets on lockdown – what do we know? Lucy Hough speaks to Guardian writer Elle Hunt

Here's who won — and lost — under Trump's "big, beautiful bill"

A year after President Trump signed the sweeping tax and spending package, its effects on households, businesses and federal programs are increasingly evident.

I used to revere the great experiment that is the United States. After Trump, I’m not so sure | Jonathan Freedland

On paper, the US constitution is a thing of beauty. But the would-be emperor in Washington has revealed its great weakness

America’s big birthday has come at a bad time. On Saturday it will be a divided nation that marks 250 years since 13 North American colonies declared their independence from the Great Britain of George III. Many will be anxious that the republic they established that day is fragile – not least because of the would-be emperor in the White House.

Some will console themselves that hope and angst have always been intertwined in the American story. From the very start, confidence in a bright, exceptional US future was combined with foreboding and doubt. At the close of the 1787 constitutional convention, a woman approached one of the founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, to ask if the delegates had established a monarchy or a republic. Franklin’s answer: “A republic, if you can keep it.”

Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Mbappé becomes leader of France’s collective under Deschamps’ regime of trust

Les Bleus’ thrilling front four is built on the spirit the head coach has fostered in his squad, allowing them to be both secure and adventurous

It was a striking image, the picture that best captured France’s World Cup campaign to this point. Not the one that caught Michael Olise in full flight as he executed a perfect bicycle kick that only sprang ungratefully off a Swedish post. Nor the one of the squad posing together on their private jet, turqoise hoods drawn tight to their chins. Instead it was the one of the hug, first between Kylian Mbappé and Didier Deschamps, and then with the rest of the squad too, as they celebrated the opening goal of their 3-0 last-32 victory over Sweden in a purposeful manner.

Deschamps said later that Mbappé’s dash towards the technical area had “touched me deeply”. The head coach had briefly stepped back from his duties the week before to grieve the loss of his mother. Mbappé and the squad had wanted publicly to show how much he meant to them. “The group is united,” Deschamps said. “They delivered when I was away and now I’m back, they know I’m here 100%. Team spirit doesn’t win you matches but it can help you lose them. The collective strength is above everything and Kylian is the best shining example.”

New pipeline in Canada to proceed after C$150bn pledged to ease BC and First Nations concerns

Port expansion and protections for whales part of BC and Alberta plan to expand country’s presence overseas

The governments of Canada and the province of Alberta will move forward on a major new oil pipeline after the pair announced a plan to ease concerns of British Columbia and First Nations on the Pacific coast.

Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, shuttled between British Columbia and Alberta on Thursday to announce more than C$150bn in new investments in both provinces, part of a broader project of reducing trade with the United States and expanding his country’s presence in overseas markets.

Martin Rowson on Donald Trump and 250 years of US independence – cartoon

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Supergirl is a box office catastrophe. How can Marvel and DC save the superhero movie?

Cinematic universes rely on audiences investing in minor characters – but as that interest wanes, it may be up to the big guns to keep the genre afloat

It’s sometimes hard to believe that modern Superman movies existed for nearly four decades before the Man of Steel met Batman on the big screen. Since 2008, when Iron Man first clanged into life, we’ve become used to superhero cinema as one giant, interlocking machine: capes, gods, aliens and magic rocks all rattling around the same cosmic pinball table. There have been dozens of these comic book films, often built around characters once little known to the average cinemagoer: Rocket Raccoon, Ant-Man, Blue Beetle.

Until recently, audiences lapped up each new arrival like an all-you-can-eat superhero buffet. It felt as if there would always be another dusty helmet, glowing cube or giant talking tree waiting in the great comic book attic to be transformed into a billion-dollar proposition. Nobody expected the well to run dry this soon. Which brings us somewhat awkwardly to Supergirl’s disastrous box office.

Six cocktails for summer good times

A rainbow assortment of sunshine quenchers that look lavish but can be dispensed in short order

Cynar is an artichoke amaro – unfashionably brown but incredibly delicious. It can be made into an ugly spritz, or you can embrace its hue and make this little number. My aperitivo of 2026.

Armour? Power? ‘Walk-on fits’ bring moment for fashion set at Wimbledon

Naomi Osaka leads way in making bold sartorial statements just before a tennis match – but she is not alone

At Wimbledon this week, Naomi Osaka walked on to court wearing frills, a bustle, outsized bows and extended sleeves. Based on Japan’s ceremonial dress, as well as Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, the pieces designed by Hana Yagi conformed to the all-white Wimbledon dress code but the first one was so high-fashion that it debuted on Vogue before it was seen near a tennis court.

Osaka, who in January went viral at the Australian Open for wearing an outlandish design with mega-pleats based on the look of a jellyfish, is leading the way when it comes to experimental “walk-on fits”. But other players have also used the moment to make sartorial statements, not least Frances Tiafoe who did a surprise reveal – dramatically ripping off his trousers to show the shorts underneath.

In Thailand’s sex tourism hub, bright lights flash, loud music blares – and underage girls are exploited

The death of a Thai girl has highlighted the dangers of the country’s illegal but ‘normalised’ sex tourism trade

Sky Kanyarat was playing pool in the early hours of the morning in one of Thailand’s most famous red light districts when a middle-aged foreigner with a heavy gait approached her.

She had often seen him walking past the bar where she worked in Pattaya, a city about a two-hour drive from Bangkok. But this was the first time Kanyarat had seen him come in.

Abandoned review – this real-life mystery makes for TV that’s a wild helter-skelter ride

Now grown, three siblings search for clues as to why their parents left them at a Barcelona railway station in 1984 – and uncover a secret family history they could never have imagined

Did you know your surname when you were five years old? The more you think about it, the harder the question becomes to answer. Most of us will have been lucky enough for it not to matter – parents or guardians were always on hand to look after those details. But for Ramón, Elvira and Ricard, it was a very real issue. Their family name was a mystery. Over its four episodes, this gripping documentary series both shows and tells what that absence really means.

The three siblings were found by a station guard as they wandered around Barcelona’s Estació de França in 1984. They carried no luggage or ID. The oldest of them ( Ramón) was five. They had been driven there by a man they knew only as Denis. He had left, ostensibly to buy them sweets, and never returned. No adults came forward to claim them so they found themselves in the Spanish childcare system.

Abandoned is on Disney+

North and south collide in new Nations Championship of punishing itineraries

Six matches from Cardiff to Córdoba are bound to be intriguing – but player welfare is taking a back seat

Welcome to rugby’s latest controversial ruse. The next time World Rugby spouts that thing about player welfare being their No 1 priority, just say “Nations Championship” back at them. The next time the governing body goes on about the sanctity of the World Cup, do the same.

The Nations Championship begins this weekend, a coming together of six teams from the north against six from the “south” – well, five plus Japan (it’s just not working, is it).

‘If you see one movie this year’: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey set to storm the box office

The summer’s most anticipated film will raise epic questions about culture wars, classics and the nature of film-making

In a plot twist worthy of the ancient bards themselves, the hottest movie of the summer isn’t a superhero flick, or an alien-invasion yarn, or a crinolines-and-bonnets period drama. Instead, it is an adaptation of a nearly 3,000-year-old epic poem, which film-maker Christopher Nolan is releasing as a follow-up to Oppenheimer, his grim, Oscar-winning study of the origins of nuclear war. Nolan, previously director of Memento, the Dark Knight trilogy and Dunkirk, has now turned his attention to the Odyssey, the classical Greek saga that, along with its companion epic the Iliad, is one of the foundational works of western civilisation.

Nolan’s adaptation is a big-budget affair, the largest of his career at an estimated $250m, and the director has peopled it with a cast ranging from established Hollywood stars such as Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway, newer teen-friendly faces including couple of the moment Zendaya and Spider-Man’s Tom Holland, and idiosyncratic choices such as Lupita Nyong’o, Mia Goth, Samantha Morton and fellow director Benny Safdie.

Spain’s conservatives and far-right Vox increase ties with Andalucía coalition

Deal including ‘national priority’ policy brings prospect closer of countrywide agreement between parties

The prospect of a national coalition between Spain’s conservative People’s party (PP) and the far-right Vox party has drawn closer still after the two groupings sealed another deal that will allow the PP to continue ruling the southern region of Andalucía.

The PP, which has governed the former socialist bastion for the past seven years, lost its absolute majority in May’s regional election, forcing it to look to Vox to help it stay in power in Spain’s most populous region.

Meet the members of The U.S. Army Brass Quintet

The U.S. Army Brass Quintet joins "CBS Mornings" to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday. Master Sgt. Kevin Gebo shares the band's favorite songs to play and discusses what they're looking forward to most this weekend.

Ali Khamenei’s six-day funeral expected to draw millions in Iran

Country’s leadership vows to never surrender as memorial on grand scale aims to relay message of resistance to world

In the small hours of Friday the police roadblocks, stalls, posters and army vans were starting to appear across Tehran, as millions of Iranians prepared to attend the long-delayed six-day funeral ceremony for Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader for 36 turbulent years.

Khamenei was killed aged 86 in the opening salvo of the US-Israeli attack on the country in February, and the final farewell ceremony is intended to be an epic display of personal mourning, national power, resilience and social cohesion. By Thursday, knots of mourners carrying flags and blankets were already gathering along roads festooned with banners showing the red fist, the symbol of the funeral, alongside the slogan: “We must rise.” Many were heading to special hostels being set up across Tehran for the pilgrims. In Revolution Square a giant statue of a clenched fist was being installed.

From jalapeño relish and peanut butter to sliced peach and granola: Ella Risbridger’s recipes for fancy toast

You can elevate a simple bit of toast to something sublime using this simple formula

Toast is a baseline meal for me. A daily friend. A daily best friend I’m always glad to see. And much like a best friend, it’s always fun to see her get gussied up a little once in a while. Think elegant; think dainty; think, as a general guideline: soft, sharp, frill.

Soft is self-explanatory. Even butter counts, if you keep it cool and thick. Avocado.

Hormones on the brain? Everything you need to know about HRT, testosterone, melatonin and more

Cortisol is bad. Testosterone makes you aggressive. Melatonin helps you sleep. Experts bust common hormone myths

False The main puberty hormones are oestrogen and progesterone for girls and testosterone for boys. “They are active in the womb during foetal development and in infancy in a phase called mini-puberty,” says Sasha Howard, clinical reader and honorary consultant in paediatric endocrinology at Queen Mary, University of London and Barts Health NHS trust.

Actors bring historical figures and America's 250-year history to life in Philadelphia

Actors with Historic Philadelphia turn sightseeing in the city into storytelling - bringing historical figures like Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross to life. Janelle Burrell shows how they're celebrating 250 years of America.

Alan Gignoux: Homeland Lost review – a landscape as bereft as its people

P21 Gallery, London
Resonant black and white photographs show Palestinian refugees and the sites today of the homes they were forced to leave during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war

These places were once filled with conversation, smells of cooking, laughter, comfort. Now I’m staring into a silent, rubble-strewn abyss. Eyewitness accounts that accompany documentary photographer Alan Gignoux’s black and white portraits of Palestinian refugees and the homes they were forced to leave refer repeatedly to the abundance that once came from these razed fields – olives, grains, figs, carob and grapes. Where there was life, now there is nothing. The vast losses seem etched into the faces of Gignoux’s subjects, even as they look back at his camera with defiance.

All Gignoux’s subjects have either been exiled by the Nakba – the mass displacement of Palestinians in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war – or are their descendants. They now live in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, the West Bank or Gaza. Gignoux promised each of his subjects that he would to return to their homes on their behalf, and photograph them. The series gives a detailed view of what happened in different villages in 1948, the circumstances under which people left and the repercussions across generations.

The American innovation that made millions of others possible

From the lightbulb to the airplane, to medical breakthroughs and the internet age, the past 250 years have been defined by America's intrepid intellect.

Messi dogs and a Himalayan pilgrimage: photos of the day – Friday

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world

‘The wheels are coming off’: readers reflect on the 250th anniversary of the American experiment

Against a backdrop of sweeping rollbacks of civil rights and deteriorating relations with allies, many are feeling cynical

As the United States prepares to mark its 250th anniversary on 4 July, the country faces a turbulent moment under the Donald Trump administration.

The anniversary coincides with sweeping rollbacks of civil rights, deteriorating relations with traditional allies and growing domestic opposition to the administration’s handling of immigration and free speech. Against this backdrop, many Americans say they feel increasingly cynical about the country’s future.

The Tech Download: Amazon’s devices chief Panos Panay on tech giant's AI gadget push

CNBC's Arjun Kharpal sits down Amazon's Panay on the latest episode of The Tech Download podcast.

Mission launched to rescue a falling space telescope

Katalyst Space's LINK spacecraft is designed to capture and boost NASA's Swift observatory back to a safe altitude.

The US turns 250 and Taylor Swift gets married. I think we all know which is a bigger deal | Marina Hyde

The cultural phenomenon is beginning her latest era in a castle built inside Madison Square Garden. It’s the perfect celebration for our post-privacy age

It is a cast-iron rule of the comments-section era that there is absolutely no celebrity you can write about without some person dialling in to post a contemptuous: “Who?” Did I say some person? Forgive me: I think I might have meant some guy. Strangely, you never see a “who?” below articles about sport, as though the posters have somehow grasped that ostentatiously announcing that they have precisely no idea about Ousmane Dembélé is not some status-symbol flex, and could secure them quite a painful wedgie.

I am looking forward to catching my first “who?” about Taylor Swift on the occasion of her wedding to Travis Kelce, which is taking place – perhaps you’ve heard? – in New York today. Because of course Miss Americana and her NFL star fiance are getting married over the Fourth of July weekend. And not just any Fourth of July, but the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson. (I know: who?)

Ford achieves quality milestone, as CEO targets flawless new vehicle launches

Ford CEO Jim Farley told CNBC that the automaker has learned from its past quality and recall issues, which have hurt its earnings and stained its reputation.

‘Suddenly I was a celebrity. I didn’t want to be!’ Sue Johnston on fame, loneliness and her new robot pal

She’s been a soap icon, a Royle and even a zombie pensioner. Now the actor is starring in Ann Droid, Diane Morgan’s madcap comedy about an elderly woman and her cybernetic companion

Sue Johnston is the kind of actor who usually can’t stand seeing herself on screen, but for Ann Droid she made an exception. The new sitcom by Diane Morgan and Sarah Kendall stars the 82-year-old as a recent widow whose son hires a humanoid robot called Linda (played with delightful uncanniness by Morgan herself) to assist her after he moves out. The results are initially farcical: Linda is a dated – and therefore relatively cheap – model who lacks the intelligence of newer variants and attempts to cheer people up by blasting Cotton Eye Joe at them. Yet the pair soon become inseparable. Johnston describes the show as “rich with humour and love”. When she watched it back, she found it so absorbing that “I forgot it was me – I very rarely do that and I just enjoyed it.”

Ann Droid is worth raving about on its own terms – it’s rambunctiously funny and exceptionally poignant – but it is clear Johnston’s enthusiasm stems from somewhere else too. “I’m proud of Diane and I just want it to work for her,” she says with feeling. The pair met on the set of the Sky sitcom Rovers before Morgan made it big with Philomena Cunk and Motherland and kept in touch. “Which you don’t with everyone. We’re both silly about our dogs; we just made a connection.” She was thrilled to reunite. “There’s a lot about Diane that reminds me of Caroline Aherne. They’ve got that northern, straight-face, cut-through humour. And they’re geniuses.”

‘I saw Herbie Hancock play with D’Angelo, and got my head blown off!’: the festival keeping alive jazz’s golden age

From Miles Davis to Count Basie and Etta James to Prince, Rotterdam’s North Sea jazz festival has hosted the biggest names in music. As the event turns 50, musicians and organisers share their favourite memories from past years – and tell us why jazz isn’t dead

For a weekend in July each year, a vast warehouse complex in the port city of Rotterdam becomes home to the biggest names in jazz. Under the banner of the North Sea jazz festival, the labyrinthine, windowless space has played host to performances from the likes of Miles Davis, free jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman, singer Etta James, saxophonist Wayne Shorter and even Prince.

“We’ve had every major figure in jazz play for us over the past five decades,” senior programme manager Sander Grande says. “It’s the place where all the musicians want to hang and where audiences come to see art that is true and beautiful.”

July 4th events threatened by heat wave. And, Russia strikes on Ukraine's capital

July 4th events for America's milestone birthday are being threatened by a brutal heat wave. And, Russia has struck Ukraine's capital, killing several people in what it calls retaliatory attacks.

‘All those lovely floaty clothes!’ How Penelope Keith supercharged 70s style as Margo Leadbetter

With her kaftans and her headbands and even the odd paper hat, snobbish Margo stole every scene in the sitcom The Good Life. This was what colour TV was made for

Penelope Keith died this week at the age of 86. A formidable actor who came across in real life as grounded, humble and charming, she was known for playing brittle, status-obsessed characters on stage and screen. And none were more memorable than The Good Life’s Margo Leadbetter, whose command of a room depended as much on her diva-level wardrobe as on her pristine home counties vowels. Here was someone who refused to accept the concept of being overdressed, even when answering the hallway telephone. From the moment we first see Margo (in episode two – she is only heard off-screen in episode one), in a screamingly loud chiffon tangerine kaftan, it is obvious that she is the one to watch – first and foremost for her style.

In the 2025 documentary The Good Life: Inside Out, now on Apple TV, celebrating 50 years of the 1970s sitcom, Keith explains that most of the series’ costume budget went on Margo because of her frequent outfit changes: “And people couldn’t wait to see what Margo would wear next.” Keith used to spend Mondays – “my one day off” – in Harrods (“occasionally Harvey Nichols”) trying on pieces: “All those hours in there I spent, trying on those lovely floaty clothes …”. Here are a few of her best looks.

Norway have finally lived up to World Cup billing – a reunion with Brazil is perfect timing | Lars Sivertsen

Ståle Solbakken’s side have surpassed previous golden generation as they prepare to meet team they beat in 1998

For a country of 5.6 million people, Norway’s list of competitive achievements is remarkable. Our Winter Olympians gobble up medals at a freakish rate, our women’s handball team is all-conquering, we’ve had standout successes in athletics such as the Ingebrigtsen brothers, we’ve had two tournament winners on this season’s PGA tour and, improbably, Norway has also produced the greatest chess player of all time. And while these successes are cherished and celebrated, nothing unites the country quite like football – and no match has stopped the country in its tracks quite like the 2-1 win against Brazil in the final group game of the 1998 World Cup.

The sound of commentator Arne Scheie announcing “Vi har scoret i Marseille!” (“We have scored in Marseille!”) is as firmly etched into our brains as much as anything said by Norwegian poets and politicians in the last 50 years. Scheie was already something of a national treasure, a commentator known for his level-headedness and factual rigour, but when Norway won a late penalty with the score 1-1 he lost the run of himself entirely. He referred to the penalty taker, the Hertha Berlin midfielder Kjetil Rekdal as “Kjetil Reknett, of Werder Bremen” (Reknett is not a surname in Norwegian or, as far as I am aware, any other language).

‘I can only describe it as a war zone’: the rescuers navigating Venezuela’s post-quake hellscape

Thousands of volunteers are joined by overseas teams in the hope of finding more survivors in the rubble, reports Tom Phillips in Caraballeda.

Photography and video by Manu Quintero

When twin earthquakes tore through Venezuela’s northern coast last week, Israel Rivas was at home hundreds of miles away in the industrial city of San Félix. As the scale of the catastrophe became clear, the 24-year-old knew he had to react. A mechanic and budding photographer, Rivas gathered the money he had been saving to buy a new camera lens and jumped on a bus to make the 12-hour journey to La Guaira, the coastal state that has suffered the most damage.

“I couldn’t eat well. I couldn’t sleep well, knowing that my brothers and sisters from this country are dying, so I … came here and I’m doing the best I can,” he said on Wednesday, exactly a week after the disaster, as he stood outside Residencia La Gabarra, a 12-storey block of beachside apartments that had collapsed into a jumble of reinforced concrete and bricks with at least three children inside.

I’m putting creatine in my breakfast - but will it make me stronger, healthier and happier?

I am having the world’s most basic midlife crisis. I have not found God. I have found a fitness supplement that was once the preserve of male bodybuilders

I like to think that I’m not an easily influenced person who chases every trend. But what can I say? It can be hard to resist the power of the almighty algorithm. So let me confess that I find myself in the throes of the world’s most basic midlife crisis. I have not found God (religion is back in fashion, apparently), but I have found creatine.

It’s possible that you too have discovered creatine: the supplement is all the rage right now. For those who haven’t started mainlining it every morning, a quick primer. Creatine is a fitness supplement that used to be the preserve of male bodybuilders looking to build big muscles. Now, however, it’s being touted as a wonder product that can do everything from improving your memory to boosting your mood to controlling your blood sugar.

Just gave birth or are about to? Share your story and questions about costs

The costs of having a baby in the U.S. can be hard to predict and budget for. We want to hear your stories and questions about how to navigate the system.

The best recent poetry – review roundup

Cafés by Holly Pester; The Acrobat by Wisława Szymborska; Volvelle by Rachael Boast; Tree of Knowledge by Victoria Chang; Talk a Blue Streak by Lila Matsumoto

Cafés by Holly Pester (Fitzcarraldo, £12.99)
Beginning with a sequence of prose poems in which the speaker embarks on an anti-epic quest to open her own cafe, Pester’s second collection builds into a meditation on the nature of desire and disappointment. Comic timing remains a strength, as does her linguistic flexibility, wielding language as a weapon in the face of exploitative working conditions, endless monthly direct debits (“Even my egg subscription is a disaster”) and an intensifying cost-of-living crisis. Juggling the demands of caring for an ageing parent, the excited desperation of a love affair, the “fudgy ordeal” of work and the possibility of parenthood, Pester’s speaker discovers solace in the third space of the cafe, both a meeting point and melting pot. “Here begins inspiration, here begins drama,” she suggests. “I order another coffee in honour of circumstantial life.” Ambitious and inviting, this confident collection confirms Fitzcarraldo’s entry in the arena of contemporary poetry.

The Acrobat by Wisława Szymborska, translated by Stanisław Barańczak and Clare Cavanagh (Faber, £12.99)
A slimline selection of Szymborska’s work, showcasing intimate and immediate poems that explore themes of endurance and astonishment. Reflecting the turbulent history of Poland in the 20th century, Szymborska describes life both during and after conflict, documenting the violence of war alongside moments of resilience and poignant domesticity. “After every war / somebody has to tidy up,” she reminds us. “Someone has to shove / the rubble to the roadsides / so the carts loaded with corpses / can get by.” With plainspoken wisdom and deadpan humour, these poems celebrate the ordinary in extraordinary times. Rooted in the pains and joys of everyday human experience, Szymborska’s poetry proves “The commonplace miracle: / that so many common miracles take place.” The book ends with her 1996 Nobel acceptance speech, in which she praises the inexhaustible wonder of the world: “It looks as though poets will always have their work cut out for them.”

Add to playlist: the high-camp Irish trad of SexyTadhg and the week’s best new tracks

The Irish fiddler brings pop exuberance to traditional songs that range from disco to haunting a cappella with a fearless sense of genre fluidity

From Carlow, Ireland
Recommended if you like The Mary Wallopers, Chappell Roan, Anohni
Up next SlutTrad EP out now, UK and Ireland tour starts in October

At a recent London show, SexyTadhg – real name Tadhg Griffin – appeared in a glittering pink corset, channelling high-camp cabaret. And then, they started playing the fiddle.

This is how seriously a patient’s skin colour can affect the quality of medical care they receive | Devi Sridhar

New reporting from the Guardian has shed further light on the ‘ethnicity pain gap’. This is what has to be done to close it

• Read more from the Guardian’s ethnicity pain gap series

I always know someone is going to say something racist when they start a sentence with, “I’m not racist, but …” Nobody likes to think they would ever discriminate against someone based on the colour of their skin – and some people seem increasingly uncomfortable about acknowledging that such discrimination exists at all in the world. Yet we are now seeing a backlash from certain political groups against diversity initiatives, including from Kemi Badenoch who wants to do away with “DEI bureaucracy”, and Nigel Farage who promises to get rid of “woke” council roles such as those involved in increasing diversity, equity and inclusion.

Whatever your political views, no one wants debates to be lost in emotion rather than based on the evidence. So it is helpful to come back to facts about race and how it affects people’s lives. And as new Guardian reporting on racial inequalities in pain relief reveals, when it comes to healthcare, the evidence is overwhelming: race and ethnicity are associated with differences in the quality of care people receive and, ultimately, in their health outcomes. Regardless of whether anyone is being racist, it is clear that some people receive worse healthcare because of their racial or ethnic background.

Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Former USAID head grieves its closure while hoping for its future

Former USAID administrator reflects on a year since USAID's shutdown and the new direction of US foreign aid.

I’m in no mood to ‘celebrate’ America. Our country is broken and needs repair | Jamil Smith

America at 250 is not a finished monument, but a structure still under repair

To call this Saturday the nation’s 250th birthday is to indulge a comfortable fiction. 1776 was a declaration, not a birth certificate – and the founders wrote its claims of human equality while this nation enslaved human beings. A truer account of American freedom runs through 1619 and Juneteenth, when Americans forced the country, at last, to begin making its promises answerable to reality.

So I’m not in the mood to celebrate “America 250”, and I’m not alone. The affection is thin this summer: the Pew Research Center found that 69% of Americans were dissatisfied with the country’s direction early this year. That is not ingratitude. Sometimes a sour mood is simply clear vision.

Jamil Smith is a Guardian US columnist

Got a sunny bed going spare? Tayberries offer great bang for your buck

They are a delightful cross between a raspberry and a blackberry – and fruit abundantly with the right care

This time last year, when my veg patch was feeling chaotic, I decided to make a big and fairly consequential change to my setup – devoting one of my five annual beds to perennial fruit. I figured that it would be less effort, more bang-for-your-buck and, importantly, less water and resource-intensive once the plants were settled in. It felt very daring to give up the sunniest bed in a relatively small space but now that the tayberries are here, I’m seeing that my bold decision has really paid off.

Tayberries are a delightful cross between a raspberry and a blackberry that grows vigorously and fruits abundantly with the right care. I purchased my tayberries as small potted plants, although it tends to be cheaper to buy them as bare root stock in winter. If you’re fortunate enough to know someone who has an established tayberry, plants can be readily propagated through tip layering – rooting long branches when they touch the ground.

What's open and closed on July 3 and July 4? See which stores are operating.

Major retail stores will be open on Friday, although some may have modified hours on Saturday, July 4.

The Badger, the Professor and the teenager: France’s long wait for a Tour champion | William Fotheringham

The hype around Paul Seixas is fully justified as the 19-year-old bids to end four decades of French disappointment

When you write about the Tour de France for the best part of (deep breath) 40 years, the same themes recur, constantly evolving and mutating. The contorted fortunes of France’s finest cyclists have been a constant narrative since 4 July 1990, when the late Laurent Fignon put foot to tarmac in the feed zone somewhere in the bocage between Avranches and Rouen. It was cold, dank and wet, which given the canicule concerns gripping France at the moment seems like a bit of history in itself.

Fignon had started as one of the favourites, but that was the beginning of the end for “the Professor”. The search for a successor to the five-time winner Bernard Hinault had begun in 1986, the Badger’s retirement year when the ephemeral heir apparent was Jean-François Bernard; 1990 was when the doubts gained pace, intensifying with each passing year and with each potential champion who emerged, went under the spotlight, and eventually crumbled: Richard Virenque, Luc Leblanc, Laurent Jalabert, Romain Bardet, Warren Barguil, Thibaut Pinot.

But first, coffee: The drink that energized the American Revolution

Colonial Americans were drinking coffee long before they dumped tea into Boston Harbor or fought a war for independence. The establishments that served it were already brewing revolutionary ideas.

How a fertilizer shortage caused by the Iran war could affect U.S. food prices

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted shipments of fertilizer and natural gas, a key component in fertilizer manufacturing. It's unlikely to cause major price hikes for U.S. grocery shoppers.

What is Paralives? The creative life simulator game that could rival The Sims

With players leaving EA’s series once life there felt like a grind beset by ethical concerns, this quirky new sim promises a better life elsewhere

For 26 years, the life-sims genre has been dominated by one series: The Sims. Originally designed by Will Wright, creator of Sim City, EA’s virtual dollhouse series has grown into a $5bn [£3.8bn] empire with the constant release of new games, expansion packs, and collaborations cementing its place among the bestselling video game franchises of all time. But things are beginning to change. New contenders are emerging and turning the heads of even loyal players in The Sims community.

The most recent, and promising, of these is Paralives, once the solo project of indie designer Alex Massé, who is now employing a small team of developers. Released on the PC games platform Steam in May 2026 as an early access title (meaning it’s technically unfinished and looking for user feedback), it sold 250,000 copies in just eight hours. On that first day, the concurrent player count hit 78,603 – not far off The Sims 4’s all-time peak of 96,328 in 2022. While Paralives is a small project, this success is understandable. Following the news of EA’s controversial acquisition by a Saudi-backed business consortium, some simmers are looking for what they see as a more ethical alternative. But this is only part of the game’s appeal. The real draw is the game’s focus on creativity over realism: the quirky details that made many fans fall in love with The Sims in the first place.

Oman walks a diplomatic tightrope over Strait of Hormuz fees, creating a ‘blind spot’ for markets

Oman is using strategic ambiguity as talks over possible Strait of Hormuz fees raise legal, diplomatic and oil market concerns.

Sports quiz of the week: World Cup, Ben Stokes, Wimbledon and LeBron James

Have you followed the big stories in football, cricket, tennis, rugby union, basketball, cycling and Formula One?