Middle East crisis live: US military launches strikes against Iran in retaliation for attacks on commercial vessels

Tuesday’s attack in the strait of Hormuz marks ⁠the first known US military strikes ​against ​Iran since late last ​month

• Full report: US launches ​strikes against Iran after attacks on vessels in strait ​of ​Hormuz

The US revoked a temporary sanctions waiver for Iranian oil after three tankers were struck in the strait of Hormuz. The move came before fresh US strikes on Iran today.

The US Treasury on Tuesday cancelled a licence that was announced in June that had allowed Iran to produce, sell and deliver crude oil and related products through 21 August.

Plenty of players but no grassroots: can China ever grow into a footballing giant?

Some of its amateur matches pull in bigger crowds than European leagues but are more of a spectacle than a pathway to the professional game, say experts

Michael Owen, a man who once quipped he had never drunk tea or coffee, isn’t known for his adventurous palate. Safe to assume, then, that the former England striker was out of his comfort zone sipping Roxburgh rose juice and eating chilli-wrapped rice noodle rolls during his recent visit to south-west China’s Guizhou province.

The 2001 Ballon d’Or winner dusted off his boots for a match in Rongjiang county, the birthplace of viral amateur football league Cun Chao, also known as the Village Super League. Scoring twice in a 4-3 loss for local side Rongjiang Niubi, Owen endeared himself to the thousands in attendance, even if some weren’t familiar with the former Liverpool and Real Madrid player.

Arizona toddler declared dead after near-drowning was alive for hours in ‘cold room’, records say

Officers say they saw signs of life multiple times, and after hospital treated the child, he was taken to hospital’s morgue

A toddler who was declared dead after being discovered in a backyard pool in February was actually alive and found hours later in a room that serves as the hospital morgue, recently released police records show.

Two Gilbert police officers saw possible signs of life multiple times, but the child was still taken to the hospital’s “cold room” after being treated by staff, according to the documents.

U.S. launches strikes against Iran over attacks on 3 ships in Strait of Hormuz

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has over the past two days attacked three commercial vessels that were traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump weighs allowing Turkey to have F-35s as NATO summit begins

Amid simmering tensions between the U.S. and some NATO allies over Iran and Greenland, President Trump is tightening bonds with Turkey.

Switzerland knock out Colombia on penalties to reach World Cup quarter-finals

Davinson Sánchez looked to the heavens. Cucho Hernández trudged back to his teammates. And by the end, the rest of the Colombian team were on the grass as Switzerland danced, nearly alone in a sea of yellow. Switzerland had prevailed on penalties, 4-3, bringing an emotional end to more than two hours of tense, tentative, and ludicrously goal-free football in the World Cup last 16.

Switzerland advance to the quarter-finals for the first time since 1954, when that stage was the first in the knockout round of a Swiss-hosted tournament featuring a total of 16 teams. They will face a tall task to better that result, facing Lionel Messi and Argentina in Kansas City in four days’ time.

Bernie Sanders calls on Graham Platner to withdraw from Senate race amid sexual assault claims

Sanders, one of Platner’s earliest and most influential backers, is latest to call on him to withdraw from Maine race

The progressive senator Bernie Sanders called on Graham Platner to withdraw from the US Senate race in Maine, citing “very serious allegations” of sexual assault, hours before the embattled nominee faced another claim of sexual misconduct.

While Platner has denied the new allegations, reported by Politico, and later by the Washington Post, the initial report prompted a wave of prominent Democrats to urge him to stand aside as the party’s nominee in the consequential Senate contest.

Thousands of women could be spared painful cancer exam by new NHS AI blood test

The test, which is being trialled by two NHS trusts, could replace the transvaginal ultrasound scan in some cases

Thousands of women could be spared having a painful intrusive exam for suspected cancer thanks to a new AI-powered blood test being trialled by the NHS.

Around 90,000 postmenopausal women a year in England are referred by their GP to be investigated for possible womb cancer because they are bleeding a lot.

Deloitte review: Premier League clubs’ pre-tax losses surge by 600% to £948m

• Losses increase between 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons

• Transfer spend and lack of one-off sales account for rise

The combined pre-tax losses of Premier League clubs climbed from £135m in the 2023-24 season to £948m in 2024-25, according to Deloitte’s annual review of football finance.

This rise was attributed by Deloitte to transfer spending and the absence of significant profits from one-off sales. Net debt of Premier League clubs was up to £3.6bn in 2024-25, compared to £3.5bn the season before, Deloitte found.

Oil prices rise after attacks on tankers in Strait of Hormuz, U.S. revokes Iran sale authorization

Brent and U.S. crude futures rose after a report of an Iranian attack on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

ICE agents attempting to stop vehicle fatally shoot motorist in Houston

Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed by immigration enforcement as he was looking to hire workers, his son says

A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot ⁠a motorist in Houston on Tuesday during an attempt by officers to stop the man’s vehicle, according to ⁠an ICE statement.

The ⁠man shot ​to death was identified as Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, described by ICE as a Mexican national and “illegal alien” who ⁠attempted to evade arrest during a “targeted enforcement operation” by federal immigration officers.

Djokovic sees off Auger-Aliassime in Wimbledon epic to set up Sinner semi-final

• Novak Djokovic wins 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4)

• Serb lauds ‘one of the best matches in my career’

On Monday night The Odyssey, ­Christopher Nolan’s three-hour epic about one man’s heroic quest, had its world premiere in London. And 24 hours later at Wimbledon, 15,000 fans on Centre Court witnessed a tennis equivalent. A ­rugged hero: Novak Djokovic. A mighty quest: the hunt for a record-breaking 25th grand slam title. There was an injury scare. Multiple shifts in momentum. And ­numerous times where the ­Centre Court crowd stood up and started punching the air at what they were watching.

It amounted to pure box office. And after five hours and 15 ­minutes of extraordinary tennis, it was ­Djokovic who was again left standing after defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4).

Netflix, Disney and YouTube interested in FIFA World Cup U.S. rights; package could reach $2 billion

FIFA has alerted media companies that English- and Spanish-language U.S. rights are likely to be sold together for 2030 and 2034, likely driving up the price.

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.

Nigel Farage accused of ‘desperate stunt’ after quitting UK parliament in face of financial scrutiny

Reform UK leader says he has ‘never been angrier’ as he triggers byelection – but critics say he is ‘up to his neck in sleaze’

Flanked by union jack flags, with a spectacular view of the City of London behind him, Nigel Farage said he had “never been angrier”. In an address that was billed as a “statement on my future in public life”, the leader of Reform UK, the rightwing, anti-immigration party that remains ahead in most national polls but which has been dipping recently, said he would not tolerate any more of it.

“It seems to me that the establishment have now decided that they can’t beat us fairly, so they’ve chosen to use foul means,” Farage said.

Judge rejects DOJ's attempt to get names of 2020 election workers in Fulton County

A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Department of Justice cannot have access to personal information for every person who worked during the 2020 election in Georgia's Fulton County.

Senate GOP leaders say they've talked with McConnell by phone

The top Republicans in the Senate spoke with the Kentucky Republican by phone this week, according to their spokespeople.

‘Absolutely bananas’: San Francisco homes sell for $1m above asking price amid AI boom

Report finds widespread overbidding as rapid AI growth generates increased wealth in city where housing is scarce

San Francisco’s AI boom has buyers spending unprecedented amounts of money on homes – much more than sellers are asking for.

A new analysis from real-estate brokerage Compass, found that in the first half of 2026, more than 140 homes in the city sold for at least $1m above their asking price, 44 of them in June alone.

Fetterman tells those who backed Platner to "sit it out" on a possible replacement

Sen. John Fetterman condemned his colleagues who continued backing Graham Platner amid a string of scandals.

USPS raising the price of a Forever stamp starting on Sunday

The cost of a first-class Forever stamp has climbed 41% since 2021, and postal officials have signaled they want prices to rise even more.

Judge blocks DOJ subpoena for names of 2020 Fulton County, Georgia, election workers

President Donald Trump has focused on the ballot count in Fulton County, Georgia, to promote claims that he actually won the 2020 election

Navy identifies missing sailor after Arabian Sea emergency landing

Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said he has directed that Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards be posthumously promoted to his selected rank of captain.

Trump renews call for US to take over Greenland as he arrives for Nato summit

President also threatens to pull all American troops from Europe and rails against Nato stance on Iran war

Donald Trump has revived his bid for the US to acquire Greenland, threatening to pull all American armed forces out of Europe after the continent repeatedly pushed back.

Arriving at the Nato summit in Ankara on Tuesday, the US president also suggested his commitment to defending Europe had been tempered by political decisions by leaders on immigration and energy.

Ford recalls 177,000 vehicles over faulty wiper, drivetrain and other issues

A slew of Ford recalls affects some new and used Mustang, Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid and Explorer Hybrid vehicles, according to a federal safety watchdog.

Maine Senate race replacements circle amid pressure on Platner to drop out

Democrat Graham Platner has denied allegations of sexual assault leveled by Maine resident Jenny Racicot as calls for him to exit the pivotal race mount.

Charlie Kirk murder suspect changed clothes before shooting, agent says

An investigator testified that a video shows Tyler Robinson going over a railing onto a rooftop, crouching down and running to a site overlooking where Charlie Kirk was speaking​.

All the presidents’ meddling: the Balogun scandal shows how Fifa can break football | Barney Ronay

The suspension of the USA striker’s red card after Trump’s intervention has shown what Gianni Infantino’s organisation is trying to turn the sport into: scripted entertainment

Frites 4 Cheats 1. Tintin 4 Tonto 1. Some good news here, perhaps. It seems Gianni Infantino was right after all. Football has united the world. Mainly football has united the world in gleeful satisfaction at the USA exiting its own World Cup tournament as soon as possible following the great and glorious Donald Trump Mr-Fix-It intervention.

This was the tone of the immediate global reaction to the USA’s invertebrate defeat in Seattle on Monday night, soundly beaten by a righteous and highly motivated Belgium: land of beer, waffles and sporting vigilante justice. Ghent 4 Bent 1. Antwerp 4 A twerp 1. Mayonnaise 4 May-have-interfered-in-due-process 1. I can go on. How long have you got?

England’s Archer and Tongue subject slapdash India to record T20 defeat

• Third T20i: England, 201-7, beat India, 76, by 125 runs

• Hosts lead five-match series 2-0 with two to play

India tried to make hay, and succeeded in making history. They have never lost a T20 like this, not even nearly. England prevailed by the ludicrous margin of 125 runs, fully 45 more than their opponents’ previous record defeat, after shredding the most feared batting side in world cricket for just 76 runs and in fewer than a dozen overs.

“It was atrocious,” the India captain, Shreyas Iyer, said. “We played awful cricket.” And their innings had started so well.

Rivian stock falls 18% as company sells 75 million shares to raise capital

The capital raise occurred during extended hours trading following Rivian shares increasing 8.1% on Monday after increasing 19.2% last week.

Pochettino’s future uncertain as US Soccer weighs next move after World Cup exit

• Pochettino awaits talks over future with US team

• Federation backs coach but leaves door open

Spend any time around US men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino and you’ll likely notice a medallion hanging from a bracelet on his right wrist. It is emblazoned with an engraving of Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers.

It’s a detail that feels appropriate for Pochettino, or any high-level manager, really, all of whom are inherently nomadic. The Argentinian has enjoyed stability at a handful of stops but has also done his share of moving, having shepherded five different clubs prior to his arrival in the United States about 22 months ago.

Marine Le Pen to run for presidency and appeal against conviction in France’s highest court

French far-right leader announces decision after court orders her to wear ankle tag over embezzlement

The French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has announced she will run for the presidency in 2027 and will lodge an appeal to France’s highest court over her sentence to wear an electronic ankle tag for the embezzlement of European parliament funds.

“Tonight, I am a candidate in the presidential election,” Le Pen, 57, told TF1 television on Tuesday night.

Lake Powell, a vital reservoir, plunges toward unprecedented low levels as water crisis deepens in US west

Experts say the critical reservoir system is careening toward a breaking point as the US west’s climate warms and dries

Lake Powell, the US’s second-largest reservoir, threatens to plunge to unprecedentedly low levels this year after a historically bleak snowpack failed to raise its water level, scientists and water experts have said, adding renewed urgency to stalled talks over how to conserve a water source depended on by tens of millions of people in the US south-west.

The 185-mile Colorado River reservoir currently stands at about 22% of its capacity, or roughly 5.6m acre-feet. Lake Powell fell below that level for a few months three years ago. But those 2023 levels were recorded in the winter, when the reservoir, which straddles the Utah-Arizona border, hits its lowest ebb. Spring runoff carried the level back up to 9.6m acre-feet by June, according to data from the US Bureau of Reclamation.

Mitch McConnell's health concerns grow amid 4th week in hospital with few details from aides

McConnell, the former longtime Senate leader who declined to seek an eighth term following a series of health scares, was admitted to the hospital on June 14.

Former Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland had early stage CTE when he died at 24

• Kneeland died by suicide in 2025 after police chase

• Researchers determine he was in stage one of four

• Brain disease can be diagnosed only after death

Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, who died by suicide in November 2025 after a high-speed chase with police, had early stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain abnormality linked to repeated concussions, his family announced Tuesday.

The Boston University CTE Center, which investigates the long-term consequences of repetitive brain trauma in athletes and others, analyzed Kneeland’s brain tissue after his death. Researchers determined Kneeland, who was 24, was in stage one of four of CTE.

In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email [email protected] or [email protected]. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org

Prosecutors in LA announce charges against Indian syndicate "Bishnoi"

An indictment announced in Los Angeles accuses Lawrence Bishnoi and another defendant of ordering the killing of "H.S.N." — the apparent initials for Hardeep Singh Nijjar​, who was gunned down​ on June 18, 2023, near a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia​.

Supreme Court's Kagan, Barrett to testify to House for budget request, a first since 2019

Supreme Court justices last testified to Congress was 2019, when Elena Kagan and Samuel Alito discussed a budget request with a House subcommittee.

Reigning champion Argentina escapes with remarkable World Cup victory over Egypt

Egypt was leading late, up 2-0. The Argentinians looked beaten. But they fought and fought and fought. Scoring one goal, then another to equalize. And, finally, a third to advance to the quarterfinal.

Prince Harry gets burned in his mission to ‘slay dragons’ of British media

Harry claimed victory in two earlier legal actions but he and his co-claimants lost their lawsuit against ANL on Tuesday

• Prince Harry and others could face £50m legal bill after losing phone-hacking lawsuit

The Duke of Sussex has variously described his long-running legal battles with certain sections of the British media as a “mission” and a “life’s work”.

“I’ve been told that slaying dragons will get you burned,” was his defiant response when he claimed victory against Mirror Group Newspapers in December 2023 over historic allegations of unlawful information gathering, adding it was a “worthwhile price to pay”.

Janse van Rensburg poised to face Fiji as England look to rebound from Boks defeat

• Uncapped back set for Nations Championship call-up

• Squad aims to bounce back at Hill Dickinson Stadium

England’s rugby players could be forgiven for wondering which way is up. On Sunday they were in South Africa, next Monday they will be in South America and they are now in sub‑Saharan Surrey preparing to face Fiji in Liverpool this Saturday. Ironically it is warmer in Bagshot this week than it is in Suva, albeit with fewer coral reefs and fresh coconuts.

Regardless of the rotating backdrop, though, there is no ­disguising the lingering disappointment of the 45-21 defeat against the ­Springboks in Johannesburg last weekend. ­Victory at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium would not repair everything overnight but there is widespread ­acceptance within the camp that they need to rebound strongly on Saturday.

Tearful Messi inspires Argentina’s great escape in World Cup thriller with Egypt

The golden rule of football? Never write off Lionel Messi. Just when it looked like his dream of leading Argentina to the bicampeonato was in tatters, the 39-year-old came to his country’s rescue for the umpteenth time in spectacular fashion.

With 11 minutes to play and still reeling from Yasser Ibrahim’s early header and a second from Mostafa Ziko – named after the Brazil legend – Lionel Scaloni’s side were heading for the mother of all upsets against Egypt. Mostafa Shobeir – whose father, Ahmed, was the Pharaohs’ goalkeeper at the 1990 World Cup and whose time-wasting tactics against the Republic of Ireland resulted in the introduction of the back-pass rule two years later – seemed set to write a more positive chapter in his family’s history after a brilliant performance that saw him repel everything that the world champions could throw at him.

Meta enters AI image model race in bid to court advertisers and subscribers

Meta has announced Muse Image, its first AI model for image creation, as it seeks to attract creators and advertisers to its offerings.

Tradwives and ‘anti-woke’ backlash: can Netflix reboot Little House on The Prairie for a new generation?

After the classic series became a pandemic-era smash, a glossy new adaptation aims to explore the complexities of frontier life

Each incarnation of Little House on the Prairie has reflected the fears, hopes and hangups of its time – from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s semi-autobiographical children’s novels, first published in the wake of the Great Depression, to the television series they inspired, which premiered amid a recession and an oil crisis in 1974.

Netflix’s reboot, premiering on 9 July, is no exception. “The stories are able to transcend generations, which speaks to its basic nature,” says Luke Bracey, who stars in the new series as Charles “Pa” Ingalls, the rugged family patriarch. “This is a family trying to get along in the world.”

Lethal tornado tears through Chinese province amid devastating storms – video

Storms tore through China's Hubei province, killing at least 15 people, according to state media. Hundreds of thousands of people have also been evacuated as devastating storms hit the country. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged 'all out' efforts to rescue those affected

• Severe storms in China bring tornadoes and landslides that have killed 15 people

International Olympic Committee lifts Russia suspension ahead of 2028 LA Games

The International Olympic Committee advised sports bodies to end a three-year program vetting Russians for neutral status ahead of qualifying events for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Ella Baron on Nigel Farage stepping down as an MP – cartoon

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‘Grateful’ Træen takes yellow jersey after Pedersen wins stage four amid 40C heat

• Norwegian was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2022

• Træen builds eight-minute lead on Pogacar in Foix

Emergency measures were implemented by the Tour de France organisers to combat the crushing heatwave that has settled on the race this year as the riders tackled stage four, at the end of which the cancer survivor Torstein Træen had stolen the yellow jersey and built an eight-minute lead on the four-time champion Tadej Pogacar.

The peloton was fried by 40C-plus conditions over 181 gruelling kilometres and four categorised climbs as they raced towards Foix through the Aude and Ariège regions.

Sen. Bernie Sanders says he encouraged Graham Platner to step aside

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said Tuesday that he spoke with Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner and recommended that he exit the Senate race.

Latest news on New York City building at risk of collapse

Bricks fell from a building on East 42nd Street in New York City, prompting evacuations on Tuesday. CBS News' Lilia Luciano reports.

I’m rich – defend me, be happy for me, says Farage to poor voters in Clacton. They are just his collateral damage | John Harris

The Reform UK leader’s ruse to head off scrutiny by forcing a byelection may work, but it’s all about him: no one else gains anything from it

Most people who closely follow British politics probably know the basics about Jaywick, an enclave of Clacton, on the Essex coast. A sprawling tangle of tracks, paths and old holiday shacks repurposed as permanent homes, it has been ranked as England’s poorest area several times since 2011, most recently in October last year.

I first visited in 2014, during the byelection campaign that would see the former Tory Douglas Carswell – remember him? – chosen as the UK Independence party’s first MP. “Look at us,” one man told me. “We’re a backwater no one gives a shit about.” He was one of many Nigel Farage fans I spoke to; in 2024, when local people elected the Reform leader as Clacton’s new MP, many presumably did so with hopes of Jaywick’s neglect coming to an end. I suspect, unfortunately, that Farage’s extra-parliamentary earnings and international gallivanting have rather been giving them the impression that Jaywick remains a backwater no one gives a shit about.

Austrian campaign aims to save writer Stefan Zweig’s Salzburg villa after Porsche tunnel row

Supporters hope to stop 17th-century Villa Europa passing into private hands after Wolfgang Porsche unexpectedly put it on market

Austrian cultural figures have launched a campaign to buy a villa once home to the writer Stefan Zweig after its owner, the automotive magnate Wolfgang Porsche, unexpectedly put it on the market following a row over his plans to build a private tunnel for his car collection.

Zweig, the Austrian Jewish writer whose novels inspired the Wes Anderson film The Grand Budapest Hotel, lived in the 17th-century property until 1934 when he was driven out of Salzburg by the Austro-fascist regime and his family was forced to sell it at a rock-bottom price.

Italian village to impose fines of up to €200 on tourists with bare chests or in swimwear

Varenna’s authorities say wandering around the village shirtless or in swimwear is now banned

A fishing village by Lake Como has imposed fines of up to €200 (£170) for people who wander around with bare chests or in swimwear, in the latest attempt by an Italian holiday destination to crack down on uncouth tourists.

Varenna has been feeling the strain from an increasing number of visitors and so authorities were moved to introduce new rules aimed at preserving the village’s appearance and guaranteeing a smidgen of peace and quiet for its year-round population of roughly 650.

Nige throws the world’s biggest temper tantrum before grand byelection reveal

The Reform leader was determined to fight for the right to receive gifts from Thai crypto billionaires and convicted fraudsters

It’s the heavyweight contest of the year. The Establishment v the Establishment. Or as the former City worker who is given £5m trifles would like you to see it, Nigel Farage versus the Establishment. Yes, Nige has had enough and he’s not taking it any more.

He is the People’s Nige. The man who chose to resign as an MP and call a byelection as a matter of principle. And that principle is the right to receive gifts from a Thai crypto billionaire and benefits in kind from a convicted fraudster without declaring them.

Gotham FC's governor says club's move to NYC is "the next chapter"

Gotham FC's announced Tuesday the women's soccer team is moving home games​ from New Jersey to the Etihad Park stadium in Queens, New York.

Trump renews Greenland threats at NATO summit, says U.S. could remove troops from Europe

NATO fell into a crisis earlier this year as Trump demanded that the U.S. must take control of Greenland on national security grounds.

Video shows "well fed" great white shark eating whale off Rhode Island

A great white shark was captured feeding on the carcass of a humpback whale near Rhode Island, in rare video footage.

Far more real estate agents now report seeing a balanced market, CNBC Housing Market Survey finds

Agents who reported at least one price cut to active listings dropped dramatically from prior surveys.

Men’s average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years, say scientists

Exclusive: Researchers warn of ‘major crisis in male reproductive health’ partly driven by obesity and diabetes

Men’s average testosterone levels have halved over the past 50 years, according to scientists, who say society is facing a male fertility crisis.

Total testosterone levels in men declined by 54% between 1972 and 2019, according to data presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in London on Tuesday.

Stellantis to sell small Fiat Topolino EV for $13,995 in U.S.

While the Topolino resembles a small car such as the Fiat 500, the EV is actually a quadricycle that functions more like a golf cart.

Billionaires John and Laura Arnold commit $2.6 million to study online sports betting risk

John Arnold and Laura Arnold, who run Arnold Ventures, are investing $2.6 million for university research into potential harms of online sports betting.

Return of the Berlin Wall: how the barrier that divided Germany is splitting south London

Would you install 2.75 tonnes of reinforced concrete in your garden, a fragment of the most notorious symbol of the cold war? Herne Hill resident Steven Thorpe did – and the neighbours are not happy

Name: The Berlin Wall.

Age: Sixty-five years old.

IOC lifts suspension and paves way for Russia to compete at LA 2028 Olympics

• Suspension had been imposed after invasion of Ukraine

• Decision on Russian anthem and flag still unclear

The International Olympic Committee has lifted its suspension on Russia, paving the way for Russian teams to return to the Olympic fold before the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

Russia has been banned from competing at the Olympics under its own flag since 2016 because of state-sponsored doping offences and then the invasion of Ukraine. However, the IOC’s executive board has invited the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) back in from the cold after accepting that it no longer controlled sporting bodies in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.

‘Like a miracle’: hidden gold saves Lancashire church from closure

Anonymous gift of nine Britannia coins worth nearly £30,000 was discovered in a bag beneath the altar

Unable to raise the £750,000 needed for urgent repairs, St Wilfrid’s church in the town of Melling, Lancashire, looked likely to shut its doors after more than 700 years.

But on Good Friday the church was saved from closure by the discovery, in a plastic bag hidden under the altar, of a box with nine gold Britannia coins worth nearly £30,000.

Walmart cuts prices on thousands of items, including beef and soda

President Trump praised Walmart and said the lower prices are the result of "my Administration's request to celebrate our great Country's 250th birthday."

Dolly Parton musical set for Broadway this winter: ‘a dream come true’

After a run in Nashville, Dolly: A True Original Musical is set to open in New York in December

Dolly Parton will celebrate turning 81 with the opening of a musical about her life on Broadway later this year.

Dolly: A True Original Musical is billed as “a remarkable journey through the life of this trailblazing woman” and is set to begin previews at New York’s St James Theatre on 7 December before opening on 19 January, the singer’s birthday.

French prosecutors investigate racist abuse of Kylian Mbappé by Paraguayan senator

Celeste Amarilla could face charges after French Football Federation complains about social media posts over World Cup match

Prosecutors in France have opened an investigation into the racist attack on Kylian Mbappé by a Paraguayan senator, with officials weighing whether to demand that the senator be charged with aggravated public insult or incitement to hatred or violence.

The Paris prosecutor’s office told the Guardian on Tuesday it had launched the inquiry after the French Football Federation (FFF) filed a complaint with the national unit for combating online hate.

Nara Organics infant formula linked to another case of botulism

The FDA is urging parents and caregivers to immediately stop using a Nara Organics-brand formula after several infants contracted botulism.

Sunshine: Danny Boyle’s space slasher plays out like an atheist’s worst nightmare

This 2007 science-fiction thriller is a who’s-who of brilliant actors right before they made it big, and is basically Project Hail Mary’s older, emo cousin

If you enjoyed Project Hail Mary but couldn’t quite stomach its sickly sweet message of intergalactic companionship and the indomitable human spirit, then there’s a movie from 2007 that might be right up your alley: Danny Boyle’s Sunshine, which today plays like Project Hail Mary’s older, emo cousin.

The setup of both films is essentially the same: in the near future our sun is dying, threatening all life on Earth and prompting an emergency space voyage by a team of plucky geeks. But while one film came from the folks who made The Lego Movie, the other is by the blokes who made 28 Days Later.

Tall tales: the gumtree in art – in pictures

A new exhibition at Melbourne’s Potter Museum of Art celebrates the cultural and ecological significance of the eucalypt. Translating as ‘breathing for us’ in Woi Wurrung, the show Ngarn Wa’ngal brings together more than 160 works that capture this defining feature of the Australian landscape. Ngarn Wa’ngal: Art of the Gum Tree opens on 10 July; admission is free

• Young Archie competition: Australia’s portrait prize for child artists – in pictures

Washington records world’s worst air quality for a city after 850,000 Fourth of July fireworks

Hourly concentrations of particulate matter rose to 6.7 times their pre-fireworks levels, according to an analysis

Washington DC residents breathed in “unhealthy” air for hours after a 40-minute Independence Day fireworks show over the National Mall on Saturday night, with the country’s capital briefly recording the worst air quality of any major city in the world.

The highly emitting display, which the president called “spectacular”, came as the Trump administration rolls back an unprecedented number of pollution controls.

Record wildfires in Europe show failure to adapt carries a mounting cost

Scientists call for better land management alongside reduction in greenhouse gases causing the crisis

When storm after storm battered the Mediterranean at the start of the year, drowning fields and sending water spurting from plug sockets, few people were fretting about fires.

But just four months later, the murky brown floods that swamped towns and fouled homes across western Europe have given way to angry red blazes and choking black smoke. Rampant wildfires burned 28,000 hectares (69,160 acres) in France and 50,000 hectares in Spain as of 1 July, more than double the average for that time of year, and more land has been charred by bigger fires in the week since.

Europe doesn’t need to worry about Andy Burnham. He has the makings of a great ally | Jessica Berlin

Defence strategists fret about the next PM’s inexperience. But he knows about local resilience. That’s the kind of skill Nato urgently needs

I recently asked a senior Labour figure what Andy Burnham’s defence agenda might look like. “He doesn’t really have one,” came the reply – offered not so much as a criticism of the UK’s prime minister in waiting, as a statement of fact. Given that Keir Starmer’s resignation came after a mutiny within his own government over inadequate defence spending, some may view Burnham’s lack of direct defence experience as a worrying liability.

But beyond the UK, Starmer was at least viewed as a statesman for his commitment to the defence of Ukraine. Leaders in western Europe’s other capitals may now fear that Starmer’s untested successor will be more focused on “No 10 North” than on Nato and European security.

Jessica Berlin is a strategy adviser and a non-resident senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis

From James Van Der Beek to Carrie Fisher: TV’s greatest posthumous performances

New Legally Blonde prequel Elle features a lovely appearance from the late Dawson’s Creek actor. Here are some of television’s other fantastic post-death appearances

Those watching Amazon’s Legally Blonde prequel series Elle were treated to a surprise recently, as the show offered a posthumous appearance by James Van Der Beek. The actor, who died in February aged 48, had a fun little role as a crooked school district superintendent. As with most of his roles since Dawson’s Creek, Van Der Beek’s performance was bright and happily self-aware.

However, Van Der Beek is far from the only actor to have appeared on screen after their death. Here are some other standout posthumous performances.

Amazon raising at least $25 billion in bond sale, won't issue more debt in 2026

It marks Amazon's latest debt raise as it looks to buttress its massive investments in artificial intelligence.

‘Women were currency’: How reparatory justice is spotlighting gender-based violence

In this month’s newsletter: placing Black women and girls at the forefront, celebrating the Manchester experience through Vimto and preserving Gullah Geechee land

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Sarah, Betty, Doll, Nan – just a few of the names commonly given to enslaved African women during the transatlantic slave trade.

We know that they would have suffered unspeakable sexual violence. But now that history is being given greater prominence.

Video shows moment roof collapses as flash flooding slams East Coast

Parts of the East Coast are cleaning up from a series of storms that brought flash flooding and widespread damage. Meg Oliver reports.

New lawsuit alleges U.S. shared asylum application details with Iran

A lawsuit alleges the Trump administration is divulging details of Iranian asylum seekers to the government of Iran.

Curry, bagels … and AI? Londoners fight plan for huge datacentre in Brick Lane

Residents and council say creating affordable housing is more urgent than ‘high-frequency trading’ in nearby City

Campaigners in east London are opposing plans for a datacentre in Brick Lane that they say will worsen the area’s housing crisis and drive long-term residents away.

The road, famed for its curry houses and 24-hour bagel shops, is the latest flashpoint in the rapid rollout of datacentres across the UK that aims to meet demand created by artificial intelligence.

Pamplona revellers and a Nato summit: photos of the day – Tuesday

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

Chanel brings beanstalk to catwalk in fairytale Paris couture show

Storytelling collection opens with mousseline skirt suit and ends with simple black dress in spirit of label’s founder

The first model on the Chanel catwalk was wearing a sheer mousseline skirt suit and carrying a tiny century-old leatherbound book of fairytales that once belonged to Coco Chanel herself. With the Lord of the Rings soundtrack booming through a stage set of giant parasol-scale poppies and lupins as tall as giraffes, the clothes narrated the stories in the pages. A row of buttons on the spine of a dress began with an ugly duckling, and ended with a swan. A Goldilocks minaudière handbag was fashioned in the shape of a golden sleeping bear. The lining of a jacket was hand-painted with a scene from Puss in Boots.

But Matthieu Blazy, holding the same book in his hands backstage after the show, told reporters that his favourite fairytale was the rags-to-riches story of Coco herself. “She climbed the ladder to find her golden goose, by making clothes for real women. Her clothes were never parodies. They were rooted in life,” Chanel’s creative director said.

AI actor Tilly Norwood set to star in first feature film

AI-generated actor Tilly Norwood is set to star in her first feature film, with her creator saying that "art will be imitating life."

Italian businessman questioned over bombing at investigative reporter’s home

Valter Lavitola suspected of planning bomb attack on Sigfrido Ranucci, for which four people have been arrested

Italian prosecutors have placed a businessman and former journalist under investigation for allegedly masterminding a bomb attack at the home of Sigfrido Ranucci, a prominent investigative reporter.

Valter Lavitola was supposedly friends with Ranucci, the host of Report, an investigative programme aired by the state broadcaster, Rai, and is being investigated on suspicion of trying to cause mass murder.

Shahrnush Parsipur, Iranian author of Women Without Men, dies at 80

The revered writer and political exile’s publisher says her ‘legacy in literary history can’t be compared to anyone else’s’

Shahrnush Parsipur, the celebrated Iranian writer whose subversive works of feminist fiction saw her repeatedly imprisoned, has died aged 80.

A pioneer of women’s literature in Iran, Parsipur excoriated the country’s patriarchal culture in novels including Women Without Men and Touba and the Meaning of Night. She was imprisoned four times, under the Shah and then the Islamic Republic.

Ushida Findlay review: the mighty culture clash that gave us the dazzling Soft and Hairy House

V&A Dundee
When Kathryn Findlay and Eisaku Ushida joined forces, a sensual kind of architecture was born – resulting in a hairy blue pod in Tokyo and a starfish beach palace in Qatar

‘The future of architecture,” pronounced Salvador Dalí on meeting Le Corbusier in 1922, “will be soft and hairy.” Fast forward over 70 years to Tokyo, and his surrealist prophecy was the stimulus for the Soft and Hairy House, one of a series of startlingly expressive dwellings designed by the talented Scottish-Japanese architectural partnership of Kathryn Findlay and Eisaku Ushida. Melding diverse design cultures – Celtic coiling and Japanese “rawness” – overlaid by an interest in the natural world, as well as fractal geometries and chaos theory, the pair contrived a uniquely sensual and surreal architecture.

Completed in 1994, the Soft and Hairy House was based on a classic courtyard plan form, radically reworked for pre-millennial Tokyo, its softness accentuated by plumply rounded contours, its hairiness by a shaggy fringe of greenery embellishing the roof. A bright blue, porthole-percolated bathroom pod intruded into the courtyard like a giant fungal entity. The interior was suggestive of the glamorous dream space of a Hollywood star, with soft draperies and seductive lighting.

Trump arrives in Turkey as NATO is strained by Russian attacks, U.S. impatience

Trump frequently vented about NATO members' refusal to heed U.S. calls for help clearing the Strait of Hormuz during its campaign against Iran.

Evidence found behind Cracker Barrel helps solve 1985 cold case murder

Ohio police say they've solved a man's 1985 murder using old evidence, including items found soon after the killing behind a Cracker Barrel in Georgia.

There's no treatment designed for the Ebola strain ravaging DRC. But now there's hope

The strain of the virus that's responsible for the current outbreak has no specific treatments or preventive measures. Three new clinical trials could provide possible breakthroughs.

The Invite welcomes heterosexual polyamory into cinemas. It’s about time

As a non-monogamist, it’s refreshing to see a film that reflects modern attitudes to non-conventional relationships, instead of using them as a punchline or cautionary tale

What is the chief obstacle that must be overcome in most modern-day big-screen romcoms? Lack of attraction? Misaligning schedules? Or, perhaps, heteromonogamy? If that wasn’t the dominating norm of human relationships, many movie plots would be much swifter to resolve. What if Elizabeth Olsen didn’t have to choose between Callum Turner and Miles Teller in Eternity? Or Twilight allowed Bella to be in a throuple with Edward and Jacob? Even though both films have fantasy narratives, their predestined outcome is as real as it gets – a man and a woman (re)marry and live happily ever after.

For a long time, alternative relationship structures were relegated to fan fiction, undeserving of mainstream fictional representations where conflict and resolution are both inscribed in coupledom. Even the films that challenged mononormativity, such as Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, sustain the cautionary tale: opening up your relationship will eventually break it. As a practising non-monogamist, I yearn to see my values represented on screen as something more than a cautionary tale. Recently, the love triangles of Past Lives (implied) and Challengers (consummated) have suggested that perhaps Hollywood itself may be opening up. Then came The Invite, a poly-romcom just in time for the Week of Visibility for Non-monogamy.

Ukrainian drones hit Russia’s largest oil refinery as Zelenskyy says Siberia now ‘within reach’

The attack underscores Kyiv's enhanced long-range drone capabilities and comes on the eve of a crucial NATO summit.

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.

Why is Trump attacking ‘communists’? Because he’s run out of cards to play | Robert Reich

With the economy, foreign policy and immigration all going poorly for the president, he’s scrambling before the midterms

Trump has run out of cards to play in the midterm elections, which is why he’s now talking about the “communist menace”.

He can’t talk about the economy because prices continue to rise faster than wages, which means most Americans are getting poorer. He can’t talk about foreign policy because his war in Iran has been a debacle, his tariffs an utter failure, and he obviously hasn’t settled the war in Ukraine on “day one”. He can’t talk about immigration because his raids and mass deportations have become so unpopular.

The secret to great cafetiere coffee | Kitchen aide

Electronic scales are a non-negotiable, say connoisseurs. Add a pinch of patience, some trial and error, and you, too, can master the French press

What’s the best way to make coffee using a French press? Mine always ends up too watery or too strong.
Yoanna, St Andrews, Scotland
“Coffee is one of those rabbit holes where it really depends how much money and time you want to spend,” says Ben Kovar, head of coffee at Campbell & Syme Coffee Roasters in north London and Hertfordshire, but a little investment goes a long way. “A grinder will make a big improvement. If you’re just brewing for you and, say, your partner, I’d recommend a hand grinder, because you’re not then paying for the electronics – you’re just paying for a good set of burrs.” (Comandante is Kovar’s go-to.) Of course, adjusting the grind size allows you to make coffee in a host of ways, but if Yoanna plans to stick with a cafetiere and has a good local cafe, Kovar would be inclined to head there instead. “Obviously it’s nicer to grind fresh at home, but they’ll most likely be using a top-end grinder, so that’s probably going to taste better so long as you use up a bag every two weeks. Plus, it’s nice to have a dialogue with your local barista.”

The water you use will dramatically impact the taste of your coffee, too, Kovar says: “Filter coffee is 98% water, after all. You might have spent a lot on a grinder, but if you’re using London tap water, say, it’s going to be too hard and not very nice.” A filter jug is a good starting point, but the main thing is to soften the water slightly. And don’t use the kettle straight off the boil: “Wait 30 seconds, then use the very hot water.”

The other bit of kit you’ll want is a set of scales. “You need to know what the main variables are, so how much coffee you put in, how much water, and use a timer for the brew – if you buy bespoke coffee scales, they usually have one built in,” Kovar says. (If you don’t want to fork out, though, standard kitchen scales will work just fine.) Kovar uses 60g coffee for each litre of boiled water: “So, if you’re brewing 250ml, which is typically one cup, use 15g coffee.”

James Hoffmann, barista and author of The World Atlas of Coffee, then lets the coffee brew for four minutes. “Now grab a tablespoon and stir the crust that forms on top of the coffee. A lot of it will start to fall away, and you’ll be left with a few bits on top – some foam, some floating bits. Scoop those off and discard.” Then he does nothing at all for at least another five minutes. “When you do eventually push in the plunger, don’t plunge all the way to the bottom, otherwise you’ll stir up the sediment all over again.” You want the plunger to sit just on the surface of the coffee, then pour it gently. Ideally, decant the entire cafetiere in one go, Kovar adds, because, that way, you’ll get a consistent brew.

Got a culinary dilemma? Email [email protected]

‘A very angry gay man’: activist’s 11-year fight to overturn Trinidad’s homophobic laws reaches final hurdle

Privy council in London to decide on Jason Jones’s challenge to legislation against same-sex intimacy

An LGBTQ+ rights activist will make legal history this week when his decade-long battle to remove Trinidad’s homophobic laws culminates at the privy council in London, which remains the Caribbean island’s final court of appeal.

When Jason Jones takes his case to its judicial committee, it will be the first time that judges at the centuries-old British institution have ever decided a case to decriminalise same-sex intimacy – in this case ruling on sections of Trinidadian law that derive from the “buggery law” introduced by the UK to its colonies during the British empire.

Woman accuses Graham Platner of sexual assault. And, NATO summit begins

Graham Platner is facing calls to end his bid for U.S. Senate in Maine after a woman accused him of sexual assault. And, Trump made his dissatisfaction with NATO clear ahead of its summit this week.

Woman suspected of Monaco bombing found shot dead near Kyiv

Anastasiia Berezovska was being sought by police over attack that seriously injured a Ukraine-born businessman

A woman suspected of carrying out last week’s bomb attack in Monaco that seriously injured a Ukraine-born business tycoon has been found shot dead near Kyiv, in the latest twist in a case that has shaken the wealthy Mediterranean principality.

Ukrainian prosecutors said on Tuesday the woman had been found with a gunshot wound to the head and that two men had been arrested in connection with the case, including an officer with Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) and a former law enforcement officer.

‘An absolute triumph’: first reactions to Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey are ecstatic

Following the film’s premiere, critics are already calling the historical epic a best picture Oscar contender. Here’s what they had to say

The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s three-hour version of Homer’s epic poem, world premiered in London on Monday night, and critics who saw the film there and at early screenings in the US have been sharing their takes on one of the year’s most hotly anticipated films.

“Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey is a colossal origin-myth story of postwar disillusion and a loss of innocence witnessed by the dead,” wrote the Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw, ahead of the reviews embargo lifting next Wednesday and next Friday’s worldwide release.

Tehran teemed with Khamenei mourners, but divisions – and demands for change – remain

Many of the millions who turned out for funeral wanted to show their opposition the killing of their leader, regardless of their broader views of the regime

As the multipurpose, multinational funeral of Iran’s former supreme leader Ali Khamenei moved to the Jamkaran mosque in the holy city of Qom, and then to Najaf in Iraq, Iran’s leadership was weighing the mandate it had been given by the millions who have taken to the streets of Tehran over the past three days.

Some hailed the moment as a referendum from the streets showing support for the clerical establishment, and called for the strategy of confrontation with the west to be intensified. Others said it was more about a wider national pride that was conditional on demands for change and an end to the war being met.

‘It affected my confidence in my pussy’: gen X punk legends rage at menopause festival

At Menopunkapalooza, riot grrrls sang and rallied around a topic still taboo today: women’s health during midlife

The music festival Menopunkapalooza began with the ceremonial application of an estrogen patch to the backside of Built to Spill and Prism Bitch drummer Teresa Esguerra. It ended with riot grrrl pioneers Calamity Jane tearing the roof off Portland’s Crystal Ballroom as they performed for the first time in 35 years.

What happened in between was 750 festivalgoers, a dozen pillars of the Pacific north-west’s punk rock scene, and a team of medical professionals singing, laughing and occasionally raging about a topic still taboo in 2026: women’s sexual health during menopause and perimenopause, and the promise of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Why oil investors fear the next toll fight could be the Strait of Malacca

The prospect of fees to transit the Strait of Hormuz has sparked alarm, not least by investors who fear it could be replicated in other maritime corridors.

Graham Platner faces calls to leave Maine Senate race after sexual assault allegation

Graham Platner is facing growing pressure to end his campaign for U.S. Senate in Maine after Politico reported an allegation of sexual assault. Platner has denied the claim.

Democratic strategist says transparency is Platner's 'only path forward'

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Democratic strategist Joel Payne about prominent Democrats on the national and state levels urging Graham Platner to withdraw from Maine's U.S. Senate race.