Balogun suspension lifted ahead of World Cup match against Belgium

U.S. Soccer said that it is "pleased" lead scorer Folarin Balogun will be able to compete against Belgium in Seattle, Washington.

Guam and surrounding Pacific islands brace for impact of Super Typhoon Bavi

People in the Northern Mariana Islands – remote U.S. territories in the Pacific Ocean – are preparing for Super Typhoon Bavi, which experts say could bring winds of over 180 miles per hour.

England set Australia target of 151 to win Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup final – live

• All the latest news from Sunday’s final at Lord’s

• England book final date with Australia | Mail James

Here we go! Lord’s looks an absolute picture, huge cheers ring out for Wyatt-Hodge and Amy Jones as they stride out to the middle. Kim Garth is going to open the bowling for Australia from the Nursery End. Play!

The players emerge onto the outfield for the anthems, well be underway very shortly. Can England grab this game by the scruff of the neck and post a decent score to put the Aussies under pressure. All eyes on Danni Wyatt-Hodge…

Wimbledon 2026: Sabalenka v Osaka, Djokovic through, Gauff and Sinner in action on day seven – live

All the latest news from Sunday’s live action at SW19
Swiatek and Rybakina go out | Order of play | Mail Sarah

I can’t wait to see Naomi Osaka’s look today, she has been using fashion to express herself and represent her heritage across all of the slams. So far at Wimbledon she has been wearing a white kimono and she told the BBC about it:

When I think about Wimbledon, it’s obviously the all white. There’s obviously the tradition of it all. In my head, when I think about that, I think about my cultures, my heritage, which is Japanese and Haitian.

Then, if I dive deeper into Japanese culture, I think about the most iconic silhouette, which for me is a kimono. You don’t have to see the colour of a kimono to know that it is a kimono.

World Cup 2026: Mexico fans try to disturb England’s sleep, France and Morocco march on – live

⚽ All the latest news and reaction from the World Cup
⚽ Player guide | Bracketology | Knockout draw | Email us

Kylian Mbappe has pulled level with Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot charts. Both icons have seven after the Frenchman tucked away the winning penalty against Paraguay.

Erling Haaland (5), Harry Kane (5) and Vinícius Júnior (4) all have the chance to close the gap in the next 24 hours. And also look out for Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal (4) creeping up on the rails.

Folarin Balogun eligible to play for US v Belgium as Fifa rescinds red card suspension

• US striker was shown red in last-32 match

• Fifa disciplinary committee cites article of Fifa code

USA striker Folarin Balogun will play against Belgium in Monday’s last-16 game after Fifa announced it has rescinded the one-game ban he received for a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Fifa’s disciplinary committee said it made the decision in line with Article 27 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code, which allows them to rescind red cards. As a result, Balogun will be on a probationary period of one year. If, during that year, Balogun commits what the code refers to as “another infringement of a similar nature and gravity,” the striker will serve his one-game ban.

Springbok thrashing leaves England praying Fiji don’t topple Borthwick project | Robert Kitson

Defeat at the hands of the world champions is no shame, but where is the evidence that Steve Borthwick’s side is improving?

In many ways England should be grateful for small mercies. On an old‑style summer tour there would still be two more Tests to come against the formidable Springboks with scant prospect of a happy ending. As they prepare to regroup against Fiji this weekend, they have at least been spared a potentially grim 3-0 thrashing at the hands of the world’s strongest team.

Is it not reasonable, however, to expect the best resourced union in the world to be aiming significantly higher? On Saturday night there was hopeful talk of fine margins and South Africa being rattled in the second quarter. Given the final scoreline of 45-21 with England outclassed in many areas, it was not a conclusion universally shared back at home.

Tour de France 2026: Mexican debutant Del Toro wins stage two with help of Pogacar

• Vingegaard keeps yellow jersey with six-second lead

• Fires mean no spectators and ‘adapted route’ for stage three

Isaac del Toro took a victory orchestrated by Tadej Pogacar on stage two of the Tour de France in Barcelona as Jonas Vingegaard retained the yellow jersey.

A day after Vingegaard’s Visma-Lease a Bike squad had their moment winning the opening team time trial, stage two belonged to their rivals UAE Team Emirates-XRG as they engineered a one-two with Pogacar allowing his 22-year-old teammate to take the win just two days into his debut Tour.

The Guardian view on private equity in the public sector: children’s services must be freed from debt-fuelled takeovers | Editorial

New analysis by the Guardian has revealed the disturbing extent of these firms’ influence in highly sensitive areas

Children’s homes and care placements are not ordinary commodities. Yet Britain has allowed some of its most sensitive public services to become assets in private equity portfolios: bought, loaded with debt, restructured and sold, while the state continues to fund the contracts and vulnerable people carry the risk when things go wrong.

Private equity’s role in public services is not notional. The year after Compass Community was sold by its owner, Graphite Capital, to another private equity group, Cap10, the poor state of some of its children’s homes was made plain by Ofsted reports. Inspectors who visited two homes in England – which had previously been rated good and outstanding – found “high levels of distress” and staff as well as children feeling unsafe. Cap10 denies that standards fell following the change of ownership.

The Guardian view on gene-edited humans: darker uses must be acknowledged alongside medical ones | Editorial

Polling shows that the public supports this new technology, but the conversation must move beyond simple questions of safety

Ever since Crispr-Cas9 gene-editing technology emerged in the early 2010s, ethical questions around genetically altered humans, so-called designer babies, have become increasingly urgent. There is already a worldwide legal prohibition. No country currently allows human germline editing (meaning genetic changes to an embryo that could also be passed on to its children), and 70 have laws against it, including the UK. But a series of recent discoveries and a new poll suggest that scientists and the public believe gene-edited humans are likely – even desirable – in the near future.

Two new studies use base editing – a more precise next-generation Crispr tool – on human embryos to study early development or disease (this research is legal in the UK and US as long as the embryos are destroyed within 14 days). The lead author of one study, Dieter Egli, said that the technology wasn’t yet ready for the clinic, but the advances would “guide responsible research to achieve its ultimate safe and effective use”. This encapsulates the view of many scientists, who believe the regulated use of germline editing to eradicate hereditary conditions is inevitable, and the main objection is around safety.

Leclerc holds off Russell and Hamilton to win chaotic British F1 GP

• Russell second; Hamilton third after safety car finish

• Antonelli back in 16th after mechanical problem

Charles Leclerc won the British Grand Prix after a dramatic finish at Silverstone that saw the championship leader Kimi Antonelli dropping from contention for the lead to 16th after a mechanical problem. Leclerc ultimately won under the safety car from Mercedes’ George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in third. The defending world champion, Lando Norris, was in fourth for McLaren.

Hamilton was under investigation for a yellow flag infringement, but was cleared.

Is it unhealthy to suppress sweat?

Sweat has important functions, including cooling you down when it’s hot outside. Here’s what science says about using antiperspirants and deodorants

Every day, 5 billion people around the world reach for deodorant. Many of us assume that managing, modifying and hiding sweat is an absolute necessity – and not just in your armpits.

Routine underarm antiperspirant and deodorant use are unlikely to cause harm. But do you know what sweat is actually for, and what these products actually do?

Nicola Jennings on Trump and the US’s 250th anniversary – cartoon

Continue reading...

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.

Paul McCartney performs I Want to Hold Your Hand for first time in 60 years at Taylor Swift wedding

McCartney reportedly played Beatles No 1 hit at star-studded reception at Madison Square Garden

Paul McCartney performed the beloved Beatles No 1 hit I Want to Hold Your Hand for the first time in 60 years at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding.

McCartney performed the number at the star-studded reception at Madison Square Garden in New York on Friday, People magazine reported. The track was the Beatles’ first American No 1 hit, sparking Beatlemania in the US and the wave of British bands’ success nicknamed “the British invasion”.

It must be bad for Nige and his finances if it’s Honest Bob Jenrick to the rescue | John Crace

‘Nothing to see here,’ says the man who once overruled council planners in favour of Richard ‘Dirty’ Desmond

How unlucky can one man get? You have to feel for Nigel Farage. Why does it keep happening to him? There he is, just minding his own business, trying to make a decent living – those five houses won’t pay for themselves, which is why other people may have done – and yet there’s always someone trying to drag a good man down. Isn’t the “Man of the People (TM)” entitled to have a few multimillionaires as friends to bankroll his lifestyle? Who hasn’t pined for crypto and gold bullion?

First there was the £5m from the British-Thai crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, revealed exclusively by the Guardian. Months later, the stench won’t go away. Even Nige has been at a loss to explain what exactly he was given the money for. Unsure whether it was a payment to cover security or just a little “thank you” for a lifetime’s work in the service of making the country an easier place for grifters to make money. Even now, Nige has gone to ground as he tries to get his story straight.

France deliver knockout punch to Paraguay in the Battle of Philadelphia

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“Good evening. The game you are about to see is the most stupid, appalling, disgusting and disgraceful exhibition of football in the history of the game.” Were David Coleman still around, then perhaps the highlights package of France 1-0 Paraguay at the Geopolitics World Cup would have received similar words to Chile 2-0 Italy back in 1962.

This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.

NCAA president says he hopes to "dramatically limit" prop betting

NCAA President Charlie Baker said he hopes to "dramatically limit" prop betting at the collegiate level and beyond.

Bomb the Arctic, dam the Mediterranean and build a second moon: five outlandish plans to remodel our climate

Humans have long sought to geoengineer the Earth’s environment. Tim Flannery outlines a few of the wildest ideas from the 20th century

An increasing number of scientists think we have let the climate crisis fester for so long that our only hope to stave off ever-intensifying catastrophes is to use technological interventions. Cloud brightening, injecting sulphur into the atmosphere and the use of tiny mirrors in space – all of which might reduce the amount of sunlight reaching Earth’s surface – are among the concepts being promoted by entrepreneurs and governments alike. Geoengineering, they argue, is now inevitable.

Ever since the God of the Old Testament granted our species dominion over the Earth, ideas of remaking the world to better suit us have been a dominant thread in human thinking. We have for centuries toyed with grand ambitions to alter and re-form the climate and environment, many of which – in retrospect – seem doomed or absurd.

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Gaza’s musicians reopen bomb-shattered conservatory – in tents

Even though most of their instruments have been destroyed, teachers are restarting classes, using music to give relief to traumatised people

The three tents line a stretch of overcrowded, windswept sand, their windows open on to a view of the breaking waves of the Mediterranean. From inside comes the sound of singing, a strummed guitar, a violin and then a flute.

But if the music evokes calm and harmony, the surroundings do not: rows of crowded makeshift shelters swelter in Gaza’s summer heat, young children picking their way through rubble, battered cars and pony carts clogging a potholed road. Above, Israeli military drones hum and buzz.

Milions brace for flooding after heat, storms damper July 4th celebrations

While millions of Americans across the Northeast experienced record-setting temperatures, thunderstorms in the Midwest downed trees, ruptured power lines and made transportation treacherous.

Nature: Bison on Catalina Island

We leave you this Sunday among bison grazing on California's Catalina Island. Videographer: Russell Nickerson.

Trump’s $2bn bonanza heralds the rise of political grifters across the west

With voters embracing leaders who brazenly monetise public office, experts say an ethical code is breaking down

Donald Trump came to office in 2017 after decades of bankruptcies and business failures. Yes, he was rich, but his latest financial disclosure, published this week, suggests he will depart billions richer.

In the first year of his second term, he made more than $2bn from Trump hotels, Trump golf courses, Trump cryptocurrency, Trump watches, Trump cologne, Trump Bibles and more.

Weather woes impact July 4th celebrations as National Mall briefly evacuated

Americans celebrated 250 years of independence this Fourth of July, although severe weather put a damper on the proceedings in several parts of the country.

Fire up the grill for a yearly ritual: Communing over BBQ skills (or lack thereof)

Do you have the "right stuff" when it comes to barbecuing? Lots of people believe they do, and they're more than happy to share their wisdom with you, even if unsolicited. Luke Burbank is not one of those people.

Construction is a man's game. These women are demolishing the barriers

Women make up a miniscule 3% of construction workers in Kenya. But a nonprofit group is offering them a way to get into the game ... and to get ahead.

Communing over BBQ skills (or lack thereof)

Do you have the "right stuff" when it comes to barbecuing? Lots of people believe they do, and they're more than happy to share their wisdom with you, even if unsolicited. Correspondent Luke Burbank is not one of those people.

At least eight shot, including four children, in New York’s Coney Island

Incident took place late in the evening on Independence Day, reports say, with woman said to be in critical condition

At ⁠least eight people, including four children, were shot and wounded on Saturday during the Fourth of July holiday in New York City’s Coney Island section, according to police.

The shooting happened ​at about 10.35pm on the Brooklyn neighborhood’s West 30th Street – not far from a boardwalk where a fireworks display had been set less than an hour earlier.

Pioneer of ‘extreme male brain’ theory of autism now says phrase unhelpful

Exclusive: Prof Simon Baron-Cohen says his language was misunderstood and it is a myth that autistic people lack empathy

The scientist who pioneered the “extreme male brain” theory of autism has said he regrets characterising the condition in this way because the phrase lends itself to misunderstandings.

Prof Simon Baron-Cohen’s theory that autistic people tend strongly towards systemising over empathising has been hugely influential in shaping the popular perception of autism over the past two decades. The underlying science had stood the test of time, he said, but he now views the “extreme male brain” label as unhelpful.

Interviewing WWII veterans, the "moral compass of our society"

Over the past 10 years, Rishi Sharma has conducted video interviews with more than 3,000 World War II veterans – members of the "Greatest Generation" who answered the call to defend freedom – to preserve their stories of sacrifice and their lessons of liberty. Steve Hartman reports.

‘In stories like this, the data and the methodology are key’: when private equity meets public service journalism

A team from across the Guardian set out to investigate the full extent of private equity’s stake in Britain’s public and essential services. The scale and opacity posed many challenges

When Carmen Aguilar García began investigating the involvement of private equity firms in England’s childcare sector with her fellow data journalists three years ago, she didn’t imagine her efforts would one day be scaled up to examine private equity’s role in the entire UK economy. That ambitious undertaking by Carmen and colleagues from across the Guardian was published earlier this week.

“The initial investigation into the childcare sector in 2023 was already challenging and a big team effort,” says Carmen, a data projects editor at the Guardian. “Extrapolating it to the whole economy did not seem realistic back then.”

Canada co-hosted the World Cup – but whose party was it?

Les Rouges brought moments of joy to their nation. But there are plenty of questions around Canadian soccer as the tournament moves on

It was standing room only in Toronto’s oldest bar, The Wheatsheaf, on Saturday lunchtime. For some, the wake had already begun. Nestled in the corner was a group of sullen Irish GAA fans, who had just witnessed Cork’s demoralizing defeat to Galway in the All-Ireland Hurling semi-final. Resplendent in their red and white as they gazed despairingly into the middle distance, at least they had another team to root for.

It was an odd scenario. Canada is co-hosting this tournament but, due to the team’s second-place finish in the group stage, they were playing Morocco far to the south in Houston, Texas. But The Wheatsheaf was a sea of red and white as Canada fans gathered for the last-16 clash. Some guy even dusted off a vintage Manchester United 1999 jersey with ‘Beckham’ on the back. Anything for Canada. And that sense of collective patriotism soared when Wayne Gretzky – the once Great One now derided in his native land for cosying up to Donald Trump, amongst other curious missteps – popped up on TV screens and was booed mercilessly and enthusiastically by the crowd.

These United States: Revolutionary writer Thomas Paine

In 1776, Thomas Paine, an English-born writer shaped by the anti-monarchism movement, wrote "Common Sense," a 47-page pamphlet that changed history, by inspiring American colonists to turn their rebellion against their king into an outright revolution. Correspondent Holly Williams visits the English town of Lewes that helped shaped a future Founding Father and separatist.

The battle over Stars and Stripes

The newspaper for the American military has long taken pride in its editorial independence. But under the Trump administration, restrictions have been imposed, and the Pentagon's chief spokesman has vowed to rid the paper of "woke distractions."

Steve Kroft on reporting for Stars and Stripes in Vietnam

In this web exclusive, former "60 Minutes" correspondent Steve Kroft talks with CBS News national security correspondent David Martin about his start in journalism as a reporter for Stars and Stripes, the Pentagon's newspaper for members of the military, and how his early days covering the war in Vietnam influenced his career at CBS.

The battle over Stars and Stripes

Stars and Stripes, the newspaper for the American military, is part of the Department of Defense, but has long taken pride in its editorial independence. Under the Trump administration, however, the Pentagon's chief spokesman has vowed to rid the paper of "woke distractions," and the deputy secretary of defense has imposed restrictions on what it can publish (including banning news stories by the Associated Press). CBS News national defense correspondent David Martin reports on fears that a source of independent news for the military could be turned into what the paper's former ombudsman (who was fired after writing a column critical of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth) calls "a public affairs propaganda machine."

America celebrates its enduring but fragile democracy

This weekend, our nation's 250th birthday was marked with parades, fireworks, and commemorations of all shapes and sizes, from sea to shining sea. Correspondent Lee Cowan explores the many ways in which, despite its differences, the United States remains united in its celebration of the ideals of America.

Calls for killing of Trump at funeral of Iran supreme leader Ali Khamenei

New supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei still absent from public view as his three brothers stand beside father’s coffin

Beside the coffin of the assassinated former Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei at a packed prayer hall in Tehran on Sunday there were calls for the killing of Donald Trump.

Iran is staging a week of mass funeral processions ⁠for Khamenei, who was killed along with other members of his family on the first day of the US and Israeli war on 28 February. The funeral was delayed because of the war.

Readers reply: Are there places on Earth where humans haven’t been?

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions takes a deep dive into the unknown and untrodden …

This week’s new question: Why put solar panels on green space when we could put them over car parks?

Are there places on Earth where humans haven’t been? And if so, why? Aaron Jones, New York

Send new questions to [email protected].

What’s Kylie’s favourite masking tape? How does Lena Dunham train pigs? It’s all out there – and I’m loving it | Emma Beddington

The more I learn about celebrities and their odd passions, the more encouraged I am. So much for AI drowning us in a flood of bland ‘tasteslop’

The internet, as we know, is now a depressing hellhole where everything is a terrifying shot of cortisol straight into the eyeballs or AI slop, interspersed with adverts for protein. So may I offer a recommendation for a modest corrective? It’s called Perfectly Imperfect.

It is a daily newsletter about stuff people like. That’s it; that’s the whole concept. The people in question are public figures, but only up to a point – the mostly US artists and musicians featured aren’t household names for a 51-year-old British woman (though there is the occasional megastar: Francis Ford Coppola likes Hawaiian shirts and halva; Kylie likes washi masking tape and fresh wasabi). Whoever is featured, their likes are deeply idiosyncratic and often unappealing: cracking your knuckles against your jaw; an unhinged cocktail comprising Aperol, milk, creamer and olives; a sporting self-help book or cold-calling people.

The Story of Documentary Film (The 1980s) review – Mark Cousins educates and intrigues once more

Karlovy Vary film festival
The film-maker and critic traces a decade of documentaries, from the fall of the Berlin Wall to Michael Moore, via Klaus Barbie and The Wombles

The unmistakable film-making voice of documentary-maker and critic Mark Cousins is raised again, to educate, to intrigue, to challenge. His histories of the movies are invitations to a seance, a chance to participate in the kind of ecstatic trance or dream-state that Cousins himself goes into, almost free-associating from film to film but with an overarching but discreetly emphasised theme – or maybe motif – and always with something shrewd, pertinent and humane to say. I have never watched a Cousins film without feeling that I have learned something new, and so it has proved again.

At Karlovy Vary, he is presenting part of his monumental new The Story of Documentary Film, which comprises 16 hour-long chapters, and of these he is here giving us numbers Eight and Nine, about the 1980s. The first of these begins and ends at the site of Checkpoint Charlie on the Berlin Wall which came down at the end of the decade; Cousins subtitles this episode with a line from Robert Frost: “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall.” His theme here is empathy, surmounting the obstacle (or wall) of indifference or ignorance; and he talks about the films that questioned the existing order and which pulled away the bricks that caused the Soviet wall to collapse. The second part (chapter nine) is subtitled “detectives”, about the investigative documentaries that demanded answers, particularly to questions about the wartime past, by people like Marcel Ophuls, Claude Lanzmann and Michael Moore.

7/5: Sunday Morning

Hosted by Jane Pauley. Featured: The military newspaper Star and Stripes, actor J.K. Simmons, "Little House on the Prairie" returns to screens, Founding Father Thomas Paine, a visit to George Washington's Mount Vernon, and hifi listening bars.

‘The risk is Russia becomes desperate’: the Swedish Baltic Sea island preparing for invasion

Civilian resilience initiatives and young military conscripts are being readied should Putin hope to test Nato’s resolve

Only four months ago, Ella Adman had just finished school and had never before held a gun. Now, standing in the shade in between drills at a military base on Gotland, the strategically important Swedish Baltic island where she grew up, the 19-year-old conscript is carrying a powerful assault rifle. In a matter of days, she is due to carry out her first official mission in Stockholm, guarding the royal family.

At first, Adman was taken aback by the length of her 15-month compulsory military service and the gruelling 16-hour days in which she trains and lives alongside her male peers. Now she is getting used to it. “You find out what you are capable of and how strong you become as a group,” she said.

On America’s 250th, Mamdani called for unity – while Trump rewrote the past | Moustafa Bayoumi

In dueling speeches this weekend, the New York mayor faced a ‘nation of contradictions’ while the president offered a stump speech

If Donald Trump’s address on 3 July from Mount Rushmore will be remembered at all, it will be because that was the day of competing speeches, and competing visions, of the United States. Earlier on 3 July, the New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, delivered a speech that was about half as long as Trump’s 28-minute address, but one that offered a far different assessment of the challenges facing his city and our nation.

“We see a city of contradictions within a nation of contradictions,” Mamdani said, while seated at George Washington’s desk and flanked by newly naturalized American citizens. “We see the wealthiest country in the history of the world – one where children go to sleep hungry while the world’s first trillionaire hungers for more.”

Moustafa Bayoumi is the author of the award-winning books How Does It Feel To Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America and This Muslim American Life: Dispatches from the War on Terror. He is professor of English at Brooklyn College, City University of New York

8 people, including 4 children, injured in July 4th shooting

A 21-year-old woman is in critical condition, and 4 of the injured are children between the ages of 6 and 14, according to he police.

A new law in California will clarify 'sell by' dates to reduce food waste

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Nick Lapis of Californians Against Waste about the new law that standardizes food label "use by" dates and how that reduces consumer confusion and tons of food waste.

Pennsylvania's proposed data centers are bringing strangers together in protest

Proposals to build six data centers in the small community of Archbald, Pennsylvania, have brought strangers together to fight the plans there — and elsewhere in the state.

Majority of UK smokers wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as cigarettes, experts find

Analysis shows public understanding about vaping, which is far less harmful than smoking, has plummeted in past decade

More than half of adult smokers in the UK wrongly believe that vaping is as harmful or more harmful than cigarettes, making them less likely to switch to vapes and quit the deadly habit, research has found.

Evidence from scientific studies shows that, while vaping is not risk-free, it is far less harmful than smoking tobacco, which produces thousands of chemicals, including toxic metals, poisonous gases and substances that cause cancer.

How to make cobb salad – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass

Its origin story may be full of holes, but there’s no disputing this American classic’s status as a world beater when it comes to a tasty, satisfying salad

According to the US Institute for Culinary Education, the cobb salad is an embodiment of “the spirit of American ingenuity”, thanks to a strangely familiar creation myth involving a restaurateur (in this case, at Hollywood’s Brown Derby) throwing it together for a late-night snack. It’s also perfect game-day food: satisfying, flavour-packed and, crucially, easy to eat while all eyes are on the pitch.

Prep 30 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 4, and easily scaled up or down

Man claiming world’s smallest penis says he’s booked enhancement surgery after public’s help

Michael Phillips says he suffers from micropenis – but he’s now fundraised enough to increase his member’s girth

A US man who has staked the uncontested claim of having the smallest penis in the world says he has booked a procedure to enhance his member at least somewhat after soliciting the online public’s financial support for that purpose.

In a brief interview on Saturday, 38-year-old Michael Phillips described himself as “really thankful and surprised” over the GoFundMe platform users who supported his campaign for help to pay for the procedure in question.

Feeling stuck? Try ‘productivity snacking’

Whether you’re learning guitar or trying to get fit, short bursts of effort can work wonders

You could call it the tamest of mid-life crises, but as I turned 40 last year, I decided to devote myself to a long-neglected ambition – learning the guitar. I dutifully set myself the task of practising for 30 minutes a day, with the aim of strumming my way through the Bob Dylan songbook by my 41st birthday.

What stood in the way, of course, was life. With work and family commitments, I was lucky to find a free half-hour time more than once or twice a week. Each day that went by without practice left me feeling more demotivated, and the guitar soon started gathering dust next to my piano.

Dining across the divide: ‘I had an idea he was a Tommy Robinson fan and was thinking, Oh my God’

An English Democrats voter and a retired university tutor had different ideas about whether it’s OK to fly flags, but could they find something to agree on?

• Want to meet someone from across the divide? Click here to find out how

David, 70, York

Occupation Retired modern foreign languages tutor at a university

Paul Pelosi in hit-and-run in California, car left with major damage, authorities say

The husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was involved in a hit-and-run in California that left a parked car with "major" damage, authorities said Saturday.

Americans declared independence from a tyrant once. And we must do that again | Claire Finkelstein

America’s founding 250 years ago was a warning cry against leaders like Trump. Our past is a guide for how to handle our present

As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, marking the official birth of the new nation, it is worth remembering some of the reasons the document offers as just cause for making war on the British monarchy.

“No taxation without representation” is the slogan that is best known as the core complaint of the colonists, a reference to the colonists’ objections to the 1765 Stamp Act and a series of taxes levied by the British crown thereafter over which Americans had no means of objecting in parliament. But such taxes were not the only provocation to war.

Is there a rat hiding in your toilet? Are you sure? Really sure? | Polly Hudson

Imagine lifting the loo lid and finding two beady eyes staring up at you. Impossible? An urban myth? It happened in my own family!

Knowledge is power, in all cases except this one. I used to think that tales like the one I’m about to relate were urban myths. I was definitely happier then, in the days when there was still the possibility of experiencing another moment’s peace.

Not a friend of a friend, or a colleague’s auntie’s neighbour, but a member of my extended family, a fully trusted source, recently went to the loo upstairs in her home, lifted the lid, and found a rat in the bowl staring back at her. Obviously, she slammed down the lid, packed her belongings and immediately emigrated. (Kidding, miraculously.)

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.

Nigel Farage did not declare gifts from crypto entrepreneur convicted of fraud

Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick says Farage accepted staff, security and accommodation from George Cottrell before becoming an MP

Nigel Farage did not declare gifts and benefits provided by a crypto entrepreneur who has previously been convicted of fraud, Reform’s economic spokesperson has admitted.

Robert Jenrick said on Sunday that the Reform leader had accepted staff, security and accommodation from George Cottrell, but claimed they were personal gifts provided before he became an MP and so did not need to be declared.

England at the Azteca Stadium: a potted history – in pictures

England return to the Azteca Stadium for the first time in 40 years as they take on co-hosts Mexico in the last 16 of the World Cup. We take a look at the games the Three Lions have played in this iconic setting. And yes, Maradona is featured

Sleuthing sheep, Young Sherlock and a new Poirot: how amateur detectives took over our screens

From the Sherlock Holmes spin-offs to The Sheep Detectives, DIY sleuths are on the case all over TV and cinema. But where did the trope of the outsider who outsmarts the professionals come from – and how do these depictions compare to reality?

On Television you don’t have to be a cop to solve crime; the police can just hire you as a consultant. All you need is the uncanny ability to solve each and every mystery in time for the next episode. You might be a retired detective (Monk, Ridley, the many Poirot spin-offs) or a bestselling mystery writer (Murder, She Wrote, Castle) or a vicar (Grantchester) or a convicted fraudster seeking redemption (White Collar, Wild Cards). You could be a faux psychic (Psych, The Mentalist), a human lie detector (Lie to Me), or a private investigator (all the Sherlock Holmes adaptations and spin-offs, and Shonda Rhimes’s The Residence). Or even, in the case of Death Valley, a retired actor widely known for playing a detective on TV).

The trope of the “consultant”– a hyper-talented investigator who isn’t part of the police, but teams up with them to solve crimes – is widespread, so much so that the pop-culture website TV Tropes gives it its own page: “No badge? No problem!” But recently the evergreen character has enjoyed a boost.

The strangest show on earth: lightning, imperial hubris and a boring tour of Trump’s rhetorical back alleys | David Smith

Would we get a 21st-century Gettysburg address? Or YMCA, gripes about his legal woes and boasting about Iran?

The astronomer Carl Sagan once described Earth as a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. “Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot,” he wrote.

Donald Trump took the stage on Saturday night imagining himself the master of the universe, not the temporary custodian of a country born around the same time as the hot-air balloon. The last decade was proof that “divine providence” had made Trump president for America’s 250th anniversary of independence, his aide Stephen Miller posted on social media.

Pastor freed from prison in China weeks after Trump requested his release

A pastor of a prominent underground church who was detained in China in October has been released, less than two months after U.S. President Donald Trump brought up his case when meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

‘Attack on civil society’: why Viktor Orbán’s favourite thinktank is in crisis

MCC Brussels received lavish funding from Budapest, but Hungary’s new PM is launching an investigation

Under glittering chandeliers in a neoclassical ballroom, guests took their seats. It was 10am and scores of people had gathered at a private members’ club in Brussels for a conference to mark 250 years of American independence, organised by Viktor Orbán’s favourite thinktank in the EU capital, MCC Brussels.

Opening the one-day event, the MCC director, Frank Furedi, said the 250th anniversary had “really escaped the attention of a European audience” in a speech that lauded the founding fathers before launching a sweeping attack on Europe’s “incompetent political class”.

Lionel Messi and football’s ageless wonders can excel into their 40s | Emma Hayes

Argentina’s captain leads the way for veteran strikers at World Cup. They have different styles, but all have shown their worth

I would be shocked if the record for the most goals scored by a player in a World Cup – Just Fontaine’s 13 in 1958 – is not broken this summer. That is how elite the world’s top forwards are. They are all pushing each other to keep scoring more. We are so lucky to be watching them at the same time.

I also believe, because of the skill set required to be a world-class, modern-day finisher, we are going to see more and more playing into their 40s, so much so that it may be possible that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could go to another World Cup.

A footballing deepfake: how Bruno Fernandes fell victim to an unlicensed betting operator

Illegal online casinos are producing fake BBC stories and AI-generated videos in an attempt to deceive customers

Respect of copyright law has never ranked highly in the list of priorities for unlicensed sports betting operators. Crests of famous clubs and ­photographs of star players are routinely used to promote brands that could not care less about image rights and trademarks, because these operators know any kind of enforcement is impossible.

Illegal gambling platforms ­operate almost exclusively from offshore jurisdictions where the anonymity of their ultimate beneficial owners is protected by local regulations and, to further darken the picture, the use of multiple shell ­companies that exist only as entries on a ­registry hidden from public view.

Trump hails ‘golden age of America’ in speech marking nation’s 250th anniversary

In late-night campaign-style speech in Washington DC, US president vows to take the US ‘to new levels’

Donald Trump has hailed the “unmatched achievement and unlimited potential” of the US in a triumphalist address marking the country’s 250th anniversary.

In a late-night campaign-style speech in Washington DC on Saturday, the US president claimed his country was “just getting started” as he vowed to take it “to new levels”.

Oche addicts: how Kenya fell back in love with darts

Darts development organisations and win for David Munyua at PDC World Darts Championship have turbocharged a resurgence in interest in the sport

Peter Wachiuri pumped his fists as he sensed victory at the Jacaranda showground in the Kenyan city of Nakuru. Leading his opponent, James Kamama, in the final of the main event, Wachiuri approached the oche again, picked a dart from his left hand, leaned forward with an intense gaze on the dartboard, and threw double 10.

“Game shot!” the announcer’s voice boomed across the hall. Cheers erupted in the crowd, gospel music played out of the speakers and Wachiuri launched into a celebratory on-stage dance.

Peter Wachiuri and James Kamama pose for a photo after the final of the main event

Mysterious debris found on Queensland beaches could be ‘space balls’ – and may contain toxic rocket fuel

Australian Space Agency working to confirm origin of objects as space archaeologist says they may be connected to a rocket launch

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Six pieces of suspected space debris found washed up on north Queensland beaches could be “space balls” that are often left over from rocket launches, according to one expert.

The Australian Space Agency confirmed on Sunday it was working to determine the nature and origin of the mysterious objects, which police said were suspected of containing hazardous chemicals.

Could Farage quit? Questions swirl over Reform UK leader’s future

Farage is under pressure over £5m gift, byelection losses and rise of rival Restore but allies say exit speculation is ‘wishful thinking’

“Of course he’s tired. He’s just done two months campaigning every day on the road, it would be weird if he wasn’t. But that doesn’t mean he’s going to quit,” says one friend of Nigel Farage who has spent time with him in recent weeks.

Westminster has been ablaze with rumours that Farage is growing weary in the job of leading Reform UK after the bruising scandal around his decision to accept a £5m gift from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. He is now also facing further questions about whether his lifestyle has been partly funded by George Cottrell, his close friend and a convicted fraudster.

Roll up, roll up! Older generation find joy and fearlessness in circus

Juggling, trapeze and hula hoop classes for over-50s are taking off as people rediscover their inner child and tap into health benefits

Rumman Talukder’s favourite circus trick is called the Mermaid. Every Sunday, the 60-year-old IT consultant drives from his home in Stanmore to a circus school in Ware to practise it. Hanging from a trapeze by one arm, with his back arched and his legs wrapped around the rope, he says it makes him feel “strong and graceful”.

“My wife thinks I’m mad but in the run-up to turning 60, I decided I wanted to challenge myself; to find things not normally associated with people my age,” he says.

Make Ed Miliband chancellor, ex-chief Treasury adviser tells Andy Burnham

Nicholas Stern joins growing number backing Miliband, saying he has vision and experience to revive economy

A former chief economic adviser to the Treasury has called on Andy Burnham to appoint Ed Miliband as chancellor, arguing the energy secretary has a “bold” vision to revive the economy.

Nicholas Stern, a professor at the London School of Economics who was a senior figure in the Treasury during Gordon Brown’s tenure, said only Miliband had the experience and the strategic vision to accelerate investment and rebuild public trust in the state’s ability to “get things done”.

‘A genuine wildlife emergency’: everything you need to know about the arrival of H5 bird flu in Australia

What is the virus? Where did it come from? Are humans at risk? What does it mean for the agricultural sector and wildlife? Experts answer your questions

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A deadly strain of bird flu, known as H5 bird flu, has arrived on the Australian mainland.

The federal agriculture minister, Julie Collins, confirmed in late June that a brown skua – found sick in Western Australia – had died from the H5N1 virus. The skua is a wild migratory bird.

‘They ate the shrimp, they even ate the crab’: Thai fishers count the cost of a voracious invader

Huge numbers of blackchin tilapia, a fish native to west Africa, are wreaking havoc among Thailand’s river ecosystems. Experts – and some chefs – are seeking sustainable solutions

The menu at Kor-Tae seafood restaurant, in Thailand’s Samut Prakan province, is filled with Thai classics – from tom yum talay, a fragrant hot and sour soup, to spicy larb salads. But the restaurant’s chef is also experimenting with a more controversial ingredient: blackchin tilapia.

“People are hesitant, but once they try it – [they say] it’s delicious,” says owner Adisorn Jamsuksaward, who has been offering the non-native fish free of charge to friends who request it.

Walk in the footsteps of gods, heroes and monsters: five trips to mythical Greece

Discover where supplicants consulted Apollo in Delphi, the infant Hermes hid stolen cattle and where Poseidon created a love nest for a sea nymph

Some stories never get old. The poems and songs from Greek mythology – tales of tragedy, love and loss, war and revenge, jealous gods, magic and monsters – have been retold through the ages for good reason. Like all stories that really resonate, they deal in the flawed nature of humankind.

To the ancients, though, they were far more than legends; they explained the universe. From the Earth’s origins and the stories of constellations to ideas of justice and morality, they shaped the arts and sciences, and carved a shared cultural identity. Visiting Greece today, it’s clear how deeply rooted the myths still are in modern culture. From the capital (named after wise Athena) and beyond, this is a country steeped in legends.

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.

Ukraine war briefing: Trump repositions himself as peacemaker in long call with Putin

Ahead of Nato summit in Turkey, Zelenskyy also tells Trump ‘there is a real prospect to end this war’. What we know on day 1,593

US president Donald Trump had a 90-minute phone call with Russian president Vladimir Putin, ⁠during which the US leader offered to help find ⁠a solution to ​the Ukraine war, a Kremlin aide has said. The aide, Yuri Ushakov, said Trump made the offer during a call with Putin on Saturday ⁠in the context of Trump’s participation next week at a Nato summit in Turkey. “The American president once again confirmed his readiness to ⁠work towards a rapid end to the fighting and find solutions to overcome the crisis,” Ushakov said. Ushakov described the ‌conversation as “business-like and quite constructive” and said ‌Russia sought “a political-diplomatic resolution of the conflict, with due account of Russia’s fundamental approach”.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he also spoke to president Trump. Writing ​on his Telegram account, he described the conversation as “very good”, including a discussion on the war’s 1,200km frontline. “There is a real prospect to end this war and American resolve will have a crucial meaning,” he said. Zelenskyy said he and Trump agreed to continue discussions at the upcoming Nato meeting. But Ushakov accused Kyiv and its European ‌allies of “counting on extending and even escalating the conflict”, referring to Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian targets, mainly linked to the oil industry, which have triggered fuel shortages in several Russian regions.

Ukraine has denied Moscow’s claim that Russian forces had captured the strategic Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka, a stronghold for Kyiv’s troops in the eastern Donetsk region and a key target for the Kremlin. A Ukrainian army spokesperson told AFP the city remained under its control, while Zelenskyy dismissed Moscow’s announcement as “a lie”. He said on social media: “If Kostyantynivka were under Russian control, then perhaps Putin would have no problem meeting me there to find a diplomatic way to finally end this war.” “The situation remains difficult,” Ukrainian army spokesperson Andriy Kovalyov said, but Kostyantynivka “is under the control of the Ukrainian Defence Forces”.

Putin, wearing a military uniform, had thanked troops on Friday for seizing Kostyantynivka, a town with a prewar population of 78,000 that Moscow has been trying to take control over for months. Kovalyov admitted that small groups of Russian troops have been infiltrating the town but insisted that fighting was ongoing. Moscow’s defence ministry, however, said: “Russian troops are in all parts of the town.”

Russia said on Saturday that Ukrainian drones hit an oil terminal in St Petersburg, Putin’s home town, as well as striking a port near Finland and falling on the historical Peterhof complex – a giant estate of gardens and a palace – without causing damage. Moscow vowed to respond, saying it downed almost 500 Ukrainian drones and 10 of Kyiv’s Flamingo missiles overnight. St Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov said: “Air defence forces shot down 72 drones, one of which crashed in Peterhof. There were no casualties or damage.” The Ukrainian attack came after a Russian strike on Kyiv this week killed 30 people, amid other strikes.

Zelenskyy also claimed Kyiv struck the Kronstadt naval base in St Petersburg. Ukraine has been increasing strikes on Russian territory – hitting as far as the Urals far away from the frontline – in recent months, in retaliation for Moscow’s dragging offensive.

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defence had shot down 62 drones headed for the Russian capital. Moscow said one person was killed in the border Bryansk region and another in Russian-annexed Crimea. Authorities in the border Belgorod region said “infrastructure facilities” had been damaged by the attacks, leading to “disruptions to electricity and water supply”.

Relay for America runs flag from San Francisco to D.C. in message of unity

Relay for America ran the American flag from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., this week to commemorate America's 250th birthday. They did it nonstop for 20 days and nights for more than 3,000 miles on a mission of unity heading to the Fourth of July. Tony Dokoupil has the story.

What we know about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding so far

The vows have been exchanged, the party is over, and slowly, details are emerging about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding. Lilia Luciano reports.

Some turn to drone shows on 4th of July as a cleaner, quieter alternative

While many in the U.S. light fireworks on the Fourth of July, some towns are turning to drones as a cleaner, quieter alternative. Mark Strassmann gets a preview in Texas.

Trump delivers ominous warning to political opponents at America 250 event

On Saturday, President Trump is slated to speak on the National Mall, but on Friday, he gave a speech at Mount Rushmore that jumped from praise for America to a warning about what he called a threat to its future. Nikole Killion reports.

July 4th military flyover display halts D.C. airport operations

It's hot and pricey out there in much of the U.S. this July Fourth weekend, but it's not stopping people from traveling. 72 million are expected to be on the move, a new record, with some potential new headaches. Kris Van Cleave has the details.

A look at the Great American State Fair, complete with a rodeo, flyovers and food

There's no one way to celebrate American independence, but in Washington, D.C., attendees from across the country visited the Great American State Fair. Kelly O'Grady has more.

Life-threatening weather amid July 4th celebrations

Millions are out celebrating America's 250th birthday with events planned from coast to coast. But in many places, including in Washington, D.C., they are also battling heat and storms. Lana Zak reports, and Rob Marciano has the forecast.

Secret Service special agent in charge on America 250 security: "I think we have a great plan"

The security in Washington, D.C., for America 250 events involves miles of fencing, TSA-style airport screenings, bag checks, metal detectors and a long list of prohibited items. Nicole Sganga has more details.

Pope Leo spends July 4th at migrant cemetery in Italy, meets with U.S. ambassador

After the pope's visit to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, the U.S. Embassy said the ambassador to the Holy See gave Leo a commemorative baseball, an apple pie and a U.S. World Cup jersey.

7/4: CBS Weekend News

Holiday celebrations are underway despite a dangerous heat wave; high security is in place for Fourth of July events.

Cow corner: cricket match abandoned after runaway bull stops play

Match at Burnopfield near Newcastle called off after 800kg young bull escaped from farm and stormed playing field

A cricket match had to be abandoned after a runaway bull stormed the playing field and charged at players.

The North East Premier League fixture at Burnopfield Cricket Club near Newcastle was called off on Saturday evening despite efforts to remove the animal from the ground.

Trump tries again to delay $5m sexual abuse payout to E Jean Carroll

Lawyers file request days after US supreme court declined to hear an appeal, with payout topping $5.8m with interest

Lawyers for Donald Trump have requested more time to pay a $5m civil judgment to magazine columnist E Jean Carroll from 2023, days after the US supreme court declined to hear an appeal.

In a new filing, the president’s attorney said that since his former lead counsel, Justin Smith, took up a position as a federal judge last month (a post he was nominated to by Trump), his new lead counsel, Josh Halpern, needed more time “to become completely familiar with the facts and procedural circumstances” of the case.

In Mount Rushmore speech, Trump veers from U.S. exceptionalism to warnings about communism

President Trump ushered in America's 250th anniversary with a darkly political speech that swerved from the typically apolitical, unifying speeches past presidents have given to mark Independence Day.

Norfolk Island’s unique corals under triple threat from disease, El Niño and now government-approved dredging

Exclusive: Most of the island’s corals are likely to be species that have not been formally described by science, researcher says

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Scientists fear unique corals that fringe Australia’s remote Norfolk Island could disappear because of a triple threat of disease, El Niño and a federal government plan to dredge a neighbouring shipping channel.

A failure to manage sediment and pollution washing into bays from cattle farming, cleared land along with wastewater has been blamed for widespread disease and outbreaks of algae over the corals.

The moment I knew: I woke up and couldn’t see out of my right eye. Hours later, she helped me record an album

Rebecca ‘Darl’ Ritchie ticked all the boxes for musician Jack Ceriani. Then one morning his eye ruptured – and she was a calming force

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About eight years ago some mutual friends put Darl and me in touch, thinking we’d be a good match. We’d talked on the phone a bit, but hadn’t found the time to meet in person. I lived in Busselton, Western Australia, and she lived about a 30-minute drive away.

Then on St Paddy’s Day my mates and I invited some friends around to the Star hotel, which was what we called our share house at the time. It was a bit of a bachelor pad with a bar set-up, and I made some really bad mojitos. But when Darl arrived, they improved a lot – she knew what she was doing behind the bar.

Tens of thousands march in London for annual Pride parade

More than 35,000 people from about 600 groups made their way from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall via Piccadilly

Tens of thousands of people marched through central London for the annual LGBT+ Pride parade.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, joined the crowd as they proceeded through the capital on Saturday afternoon.

Trump addresses nation and fireworks light up National Mall after storm delay

President Trump lauded America's storied history on Saturday night in a speech marking the 250th anniversary of its independence, while also praising his war in Iran, railing against "communists," and vowing to restrict mail-in ballots. 

Serena Williams withdraws from Wimbledon doubles match with sister Venus

Serena Williams cited a knee injury behind her decision to withdraw from a doubles match at Wimbledon.

Three children dead after boat capsizes during storm in Wisconsin

Officials rescued seven other people after a sudden storm led to a boat sinking on Geneva Lake

Three children died after a boat capsized on Wisconsin’s Geneva Lake during inclement weather on the eve of the US’s semiquincentennial celebrations, and seven other people had to be rescued by emergency responders, according to officials.

A recreational motor boat with 10 passengers, including four children, sank on Friday afternoon as the boat “attempted to navigate to safety as weather conditions deteriorated” amid an intense, sudden storm, the city of Lake Geneva police department said in a statement.

Move over Chutes & Ladders: Schisto & Ladders has educational value plus worms

Spread by parasitic worms that can infect via a splash of water, schistosomiasis causes debilitating symptoms. It hits kids hard. A board game teaches how to prevent it.

‘The situation is terrible’: aid workers on life in Sudanese city pummelled by drone strikes

El Obeid becomes key battleground in war between Sudan’s armed forces and their paramilitary enemies, the RSF

Fatima has lost count of the number of drone attacks on the besieged city of El Obeid in Sudan, but said the attacks this past weekend were the most violent so far.

The drones hit schools and fuel stations, killing more than 20 people, including students, she said. “Over the past few months, seeing 40 or 45 drones is the norm. You can literally count them,” said the aid volunteer, whose name has been changed for fear of retribution.

UK woman, 21, arrested in Thailand after allegedly stabbing boyfriend to death

Officers found body of 34-year-old man in luxury rental home in Pattaya area, local media says

A 21-year-old British woman has been arrested in Thailand after allegedly fatally stabbing her boyfriend, according to local media reports.

The Bangkok Post reported that on Thursday morning local time, officers found the body of a 34-year-old man, who operated a cannabis farm, in a luxury rental home in the Pattaya area, a beachside region two hours from Bangkok known for its large expat population and nightlife.

China's military promotes 2 new generals after anti-corruption purge thins ranks

The shake-up is believed to be an effort to ensure the military's loyalty to the Communist Party and its leader, Xi Jinping.

Overcrowded and underfunded: Trump’s cuts to national parks threaten the US’s ‘best idea’

This summer, Yosemite national park has been rife with traffic jams and throngs of visitors. Can these popular national treasures withstand a future of strained resources?

On a crisp, sunny morning at the end of June, dappled light filtered through the canopy of an ancient grove of giant sequoias, casting a tranquil backdrop for a mule deer as it ambled across the trail. Families from around the world gazed up at the towering trees in awe, speaking in hushed tones and different languages.

Experiences like these draw more than 4 million people to Yosemite national park each year. But as an increasing number of visitors come to take in the dramatic vistas, camp under the stars or feel the mist cascading off its thundering waterfalls, Yosemite’s landscapes are being pushed to their limits.

Mexico’s kidnapping crisis: 'How can they hold a World Cup?’ – video

As England prepares to take on Mexico in the Fifa World Cup, another battle is playing out just beyond the Azteca Stadium. More than 130,000 people have been forcibly disappeared in Mexico as cartel violence surges, leaving thousands of families searching for answers. They say the authorities have failed them and are demanding justice. The Guardian follows two families as they confront the police and challenge the government, determined to use football's biggest tournament to expose Mexico's disappearance crisis.

This is how we do it: ‘I fell in love with my lover’s husband – and now we’re a trio’

Jonathan met Sadie when she was dating his wife. Now the two women share him – but he insists that they are the ones in control

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When he suggested we stop seeing each other because he developed feelings for me, I told him: ‘This is too special to give up’