The Guardian
Argentina v Algeria: World Cup 2026 – live
⚽️ Kick-off time: 8pm local/11am AEST/2am BST/9pm EDT
⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail Jonathan
What about Algeria? Even Maher Mezahi isn’t sure what to expect.
Algeria are one of this World Cup’s great unknowns. On paper, this team has an impressive recent record: a friendly victory over the Netherlands made it 21 wins, four draws and three defeats from 28 matches under Vladimir Petkovic, with 67 goals scored. The problem is that it has been achieved against generally poor-quality opposition. Algeria’s qualifying campaign was a breeze, with Guinea and Mozambique – both considered Pot C sides on the continent – being their sternest tests.
We can be pretty sure Petkovic will lean on his players’ technical quality, play attractive football, but leave gaps in behind the defence. What we don’t know is which players will be called upon for half the starting positions.
The holders arrive at the World Cup with a squad that knows each other almost by heart but perhaps not with its players in peak physical condition – several had injury set-backs at the end of a very demanding season with their clubs. If everyone is fit, the coach will field many of the same players who were crowned champions in Qatar, with the exception of Ángel Di María, who no longer plays for the national team.
Lionel Scaloni’s plan is to keep the 4-3-3 formation, with a solid defence featuring two centre-backs and two attacking full-backs, plus dynamic midfielders with excellent passing. Lionel Messi leads the charge once more, supported by the formidable Julián Alvarez and Thiago Almada, who could be the breakout star. Almost two thirds of the 2022 squad remains, but it now also includes some promising young players such as Nico Paz, who has been in excellent form at Como. They will also have established stars like Lautaro Martínez, who aims to be in top condition for this World Cup: something he couldn’t achieve in Qatar.
Continue reading... 17th June 2026 02:46
The Guardian
Austria v Jordan: World Cup 2026 – live
⚽️ Kick-off time: 9pm local/2pm AEST/5am BST/12am EDT
⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail Martin
The streets and cafes of Amman will be heaving this morning as Jordan make their World Cup debut. John Duerden looks at how Al-Nashama booked their ticket – and what to expect against Austria at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
Jordan v Austria has been used as an example of a game that will challenge Fifa’s dynamic pricing system but regardless of how full the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium is, the cafes in Amman’s Prince Muhammad Street and all around the country will be packed. They were a year ago, as fans watched Portugal beat Spain in the Uefa Nations League final, three days after the World Cup spot had been secured with the city still buzzing with the thought of Al-Nashama (The Chivalrous Ones) taking on the superstars of the world and … here they are.
But while Jordan may be more about team spirit, organisation and counterattacking, they have stars of their own. In the days after qualification, the faces of the big three forwards featured on billboards everywhere you looked, though they have had differing fortunes since.
Continue reading... 17th June 2026 02:43Trump-backed Rep. Mike Collins projected to win Georgia GOP Senate primary runoff
Rep. Mike Collins will face off against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November as Republicans look to Georgia to deliver a key GOP victory that could determine control of the Senate.
17th June 2026 02:20Suspect in custody after deadly shooting at Wilmington Hospital
A suspect was taken into custody in Philadelphia in connection with the shooting at Wilmington Hospital that left one person dead and another injured, police said.
17th June 2026 02:15
NPR Topics: News
Rain along Gulf Coast could become the first named storm of Atlantic hurricane season
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says the system is expected to bring intense rain to southern states including Texas and Louisiana this week.
17th June 2026 02:04
The Guardian
Will a ban keep the UK’s kids off social media? – podcast
Governments around the world want to keep under-16s off YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Australia has introduced a ban and now the UK is doing the same. Stephen Byrne and Chris Stokel-Walker report
Keir Starmer announced on Monday that he wanted to ban under-16s from social media. Parents were calling out for more controls he said. But their children … well, their children have other ideas.
“Snapchat, for example, is one of the best things that’s happened to me,” a 13-year-old tells Helen Pidd. “I don’t think adults understand, that is how we talk to our friends and fit in.”
Continue reading... 17th June 2026 02:00
The Guardian
Ukraine war briefing: Sanctions waiver on Russian oil could end soon, Trump suggests
Hopeful mood on war among European leaders at G7 summit; two crew killed in Ukrainian bomber plane crash. What we know on day 1,575
The US could soon reinstate sanctions on Russian oil shipments, Donald Trump indicated, as leaders at the G7 summit moved on Tuesday to put the war in Ukraine back on top of their agenda. Trump said the sanctions on Russia – partly waived by the US due to the Iran war, ostensibly to help lower oil prices – can go back in place as more oil moves through the strait of Hormuz. “Soon we’ll be able to do that because the oil is now flowing. We’re in a position to do that soon.”
Russia should make peace with Ukraine, the US president said after a “very good” meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “Look, Russia should make a deal,” Trump told reporters, adding that too many young men were dying on the battlefield on both sides. “I’m gonna do whatever I can.” The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said of Trump’s statement: “I found him to be very cooperative, and I also saw him listening very attentively. And in that respect, once again, it gives me a certain degree of optimism that we here, as Europeans and as Americans, are now doing everything we can, together, to end the war.”
Zelenskyy told Reuters that G7 leaders agreed Russia was not winning the war and they discussed additional sanctions targeting Russia’s oil exports, its banking sector and its military production. Two European diplomats, however, told Reuters that Trump had been noncommittal on imposing further US sanctions on Moscow. A French diplomat said G7 leaders committed to providing Kyiv with more air defence capabilities.
Continue reading... 17th June 2026 01:40
The Guardian
Gout Gout flies home for third in rarely-contested 150m behind US great Noah Lyles
Australian sprinter sets new national record of 14.96 in Ostrava
Result an improvement on teenager’s Diamond League debut
Teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout has flown home to finish third behind his training mate and new 150m world record holder Noah Lyles at the Golden Spike track and field meet in Ostrava.
Paris Olympics gold medallist Lyles clocked 14.67 seconds in the rarely-contested distance, smashing the previous previous mark of 14.92 set by Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson earlier this year in Florida.
Continue reading... 17th June 2026 01:30Potential first tropical cyclone of the year developing in the Gulf
Forecasters have issued an advisory for the potential first tropical cyclone of the 2026 hurricane season, warning it could develop into a tropical storm by Wednesday.
17th June 2026 01:23
NPR Topics: News
Haitian immigrants ask Supreme Court to toss case in light of new evidence
The lawyers argue that the court does not have a full record of how the Trump administration decided to end temporary protective status for Haitians in the U.S.
17th June 2026 01:09
The Guardian
A rat sighting in New Zealand can trigger an urgent response. Meet the ‘ghostbusters’ hunting them down
Detector teams in Wellington react to ‘intel’ from the public about pest sightings as part of the country’s push to eradicate all introduced predators
In many places around the world, discovering a rat in your garden would barely register a second thought.
But in parts of New Zealand, a single rat, possum or stoat can trigger an urgent response, as the country embarks on a world-leading project to eradicate introduced predators by 2050 to save its unique wildlife from further decimation.
Continue reading... 17th June 2026 00:48
NPR Topics: News
Georgia results: Collins will face Sen. Ossoff; Trump's pick loses governor runoff
In an upset, Georgia Republican voters rejected President Trump's preferred nominee for the competitive open governor's race. They also picked Rep. Mike Collins to face Sen. Jon Ossoff.
17th June 2026 00:38
The Guardian
Tuchel says World Cup will ‘bring out the best’ in England against old foes Croatia
Manager confident match will showcase side’s abilities
‘We should play brave and to the strengths of the players’
Thomas Tuchel has said the occasion and tension will bring the best out of England when they open their World Cup campaign with an awkward game against Croatia on Wednesday.
England cruised through qualifying, but have a patchy record against top opposition and much to prove before their first encounter in Group L. They have faced top-20 sides on three occasions under Tuchel, drawing with Uruguay and losing to Japan and Senegal.
Continue reading... 17th June 2026 00:30Trump slams Israel, praises Iran at G7 summit
President Trump praised Iranian leaders while slamming his greatest ally in the Middle East, Israel, at the G7 summit on Tuesday. Nancy Cordes has more details.
17th June 2026 00:20
The Guardian
Norway’s Erling Haaland punishes Iraq with double on World Cup debut
Surely nobody expected anything different. Erling Haaland arrival on the biggest football stage of all involved a match-defining performance. Kylian Mbappé had laid down a marker with two goals in France’s win over Senegal. Haaland responded in kind, courtesy of a first-half double of his own. The Manchester City striker’s quest for the Golden Boot depends on Norway enjoying a decent run in the event. Their hopes for that extended stay are so hugely reliant on Haaland. Theirs is a powerful combination. The name on the back of the shirt is different for club versus country – Haaland becomes Braut Haaland – yet the output is identically ruthless. This is a 25-year-old you simply cannot take your eyes off. Iraq did that twice and suffered as a consequence.
Haaland used post-match media duties to contradict the sentiment of his international head coach. Ståle Solbakken had branded Haaland the finest goalscorer in the world on the eve of this game. Haaland pointed out his numbers had been bettered by Mbappé and Harry Kane during the 2025-26 season. He did, however, deliver a warning regards his level of intensity. “I think today you saw the same energy [as before],” Haaland said. “Of course we have to be happy but also stay calm.”
Continue reading... 17th June 2026 00:17The 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.
17th June 2026 00:01Boston embraces "Scottish invasion" for the World Cup
Forty thousand noisy tourists who drink your beer and clog your bars is normally not any city's idea of a good time, but Boston is loving it. The Scots have arrived to cheer on their first World Cup appearance of this millennium.
16th June 2026 23:54Prospective homeowners delaying purchases amid high prices, high mortgage rates
The cost of a typical starter home has never been higher. Cristian Benavides has more in "Affordability in America."
16th June 2026 23:5217 horses killed in barn fire at Saratoga Casino Hotel Harness Track
The casino said some 350 horses are usually housed in the area, but the fire was contained before it could spread and only affected the one barn.
16th June 2026 23:49Saratoga barn fire kills at least 17 racehorses
Just weeks before the start of the famed thoroughbred racing season in Saratoga, a fire tore through a barn there, killing at least 17 horses. Tom Hanson reports.
16th June 2026 23:45Rain brings dangerous flash flooding to multiple states
More than 40 million people across the Gulf Coast are preparing for record-breaking rainfall, with what's expected to be the first named storm of the season, Arthur, now approaching Texas. Jason Allen reports and Rob Marciano has the forecast.
16th June 2026 23:43Feds reveal new details of alleged plot to attack White House UFC event
The FBI said it disrupted an attempt to attack Sunday's UFC America 250 event at the White House, with court records detailing an alleged plot to use small drones carrying explosives.
16th June 2026 23:41Feds foil alleged plot to kill Trump, others at White House UFC fight
Federal prosecutors charged at least five people in connection with an alleged plot to kill the president and countless others at Sunday's UFC cage fight on the White House lawn. Ed O'Keefe reports.
16th June 2026 23:37
The Guardian
Ghana’s Thomas Partey has visa appeal rejected by Canadian judge
Midfielder did not declare rape charges against him
Team face Panama in World Cup in Toronto on Wednesday
A judge in Canada has rejected Thomas Partey’s appeal to enter the country after the Ghana midfielder was denied entry for the World Cup.
On Tuesday, Justice Roger Lafrenière, who heard the emergency application in Ottawa, rejected Partey’s request to override temporarily a decision by immigration officials. The Black Stars are due to in Toronto for the team’s opening match against Panama on Wednesday.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 23:09
The Guardian
Cracking sleaze, Gromit: Wallace’s long-suffering canine companion to tell all in memoir
After ‘bottling everything up for a long time’ the faithful pet, who has remained silent for many years, will spill the beans on the pair’s ‘pet hates and fur-vent passions’
Gromit, the canine star of the Wallace and Gromit animations, is “breaking his silence” and writing a memoir.
After “bottling everything up for a long time”, the moment has come for him to “spill the beans”, according to publisher Ebury.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 23:01DOJ assists Musk's xAI in NAACP air pollution suit, asks court to toss case
The DOJ is asking a Mississippi federal court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the NAACP against Elon Musk's xAI, now owned by SpaceX.
16th June 2026 22:51Anthropic's Fable shutdown is a big moment for open-source AI
Anthropic’s Fable shutdown could boost open-source AI, but many of the models gaining traction are Chinese.
16th June 2026 22:346/16: CBS Evening News
FBI foils alleged murder plot at White House UFC fight; President Trump slams Israel, praises Iran at G7 summit.
16th June 2026 22:30Databricks sales growth tops 80%, but margin are shrinking from swarm of AI agents
Databricks is seeing higher growth as AI agents assist with data analysis, but all that activity is significantly increasing costs.
16th June 2026 22:25
The Guardian
England survive wobble to see off Ireland but have Sciver-Brunt injury concern
Sciver-Brunt top scores with 48 but then retires hurt
England survived a wobble against Ireland on Tuesday at Southampton, recovering from 35 for three to chase down 119 with 15 balls remaining and four wickets to spare, and keep their World Cup campaign on track.
England, though, will be sweating on the fitness of their captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who top-scored with 48 but was forced to retire hurt with nine runs still needed, after apparently suffering a recurrence of the calf injury she has struggled with all summer. She will be assessed by medics ahead of England’s next match against Scotland at Headingley on Saturday.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 22:05Alleged D.C. National Guard shooter could face death penalty with new charges
New charges were filed against a man accused of fatally shooting one National Guard member and gravely injuring another in Washington, D.C., opening the door for the DOJ to seek the death penalty if he's convicted.
16th June 2026 22:04Trump trusts Fed Chair Kevin Warsh. It matters for more than interest rates
New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh is expected to hold interest rates steady this week, but President Donald Trump’s trust gives him room to pursue longer-term changes.
16th June 2026 22:03Snap unveils $2,195 AR glasses as CEO Evan Spiegel bets on post-smartphone future
Snap is launching its first AR glasses geared toward the broader public instead of developers.
16th June 2026 21:56
The Guardian
Jair Bolsonaro’s son sentenced to four years in jail for seeking US interference in father’s Brazil coup trial
Brazil supreme court finds that Eduardo Bolsonaro – who resides in the US - tried to get sanctions put on judges trying ex-president over coup plot
Brazil’s supreme court has sentenced Eduardo Bolsonaro to four years and two months in prison after finding him guilty of courting US interference in his father’s coup plot trial last year.
The office of Brazil’s prosecutor general had charged Eduardo Bolsonaro – who lives in the US - courting interference from the Trump administration to help Jair Bolsonaro’s case, by imposing sanctions on the court’s justices and tariffs on Brazilian goods.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 21:44
The Guardian
Floyd Mayweather faces theft charge after allegedly using bad check to buy $200,000 watch
Boxer could face 20 years in jail if found guilty
Mayweather’s attorney has not commented
Floyd Mayweather is facing two felony charges over allegations he used a bad check to buy a $200,000 watch in 2024.
The charges are for theft and intent to defraud. The theft charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in jail if someone is found guilty, although sentences of that length for the offense are rare.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 21:29
The Guardian
How the fight over US datacenters is scrambling this state’s politics: ‘We don’t want it’
Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania’s governor, squares off with state lawmakers over the facilities powering an AI boom
A controversial haunted house near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, taps into its dark history every fall to scare tens of thousands of visitors. In 1968, a local news station documented appalling conditions for disabled people in the red brick buildings on the banks of Schuylkill River. Residents were found naked and emaciated at what was then known as the Pennhurst state school and hospital. The institution shut its doors permanently in 1987 after a lawsuit over inhumane conditions.
By 2010, a Halloween attraction stood in its place, and Pennhurst asylum’s previous owner suggested during its early years that he wanted to spook guests by repurposing the hospital’s surgical lights and medical cabinets to use as props.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 21:23
The Guardian
Los Angeles police fatally shoot pet dog of family celebrating Knicks win
Video taken after the shooting shows a woman sobbing over the pet with nearly a dozen officers standing around
Police in California shot and killed a family’s pet dog wearing a New York Knicks jersey after they were called to a report of a screaming woman who turned out to be celebrating the basketball team’s championship win.
Video of the aftermath of Saturday’s shooting of the two-year-old doodle named Jameson, “the sweetest boy in the world”, according to the dog’s owner, received millions of views on TikTok on Tuesday.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 21:20
The Guardian
Russian frigate fires warning shots at British yacht in Channel
Shots fired within 500 metres of vessel near Isle of Wight amid heightened tensions between London and Moscow
A Russian warship fired warning shots within a few hundred metres of a British pleasure yacht sailing across the Channel on Tuesday morning amid a period of heightened tensions between London and Moscow.
The rare incident took place at 11.40am more than 20 miles south of the Isle of Wight and less than 40 miles north of Normandy, France, when the yacht, identified as the private vessel Bright Future, sailed close to the Admiral Grigorovich and ignored at least one warning.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 21:13
The Guardian
Mbappé’s belter steals show as fluid France see off late Senegal challenge
This was an ominous start from the World Cup favourites. A spluttering first-half performance gave way to a second period characterised by a combination of physical intensity and technical ability that few club sides, never mind nations, can match. Add on a record-breaking double for Kylian Mbappé and some superlative playmaking from Michael Olise and this was very much a job well done for Les Bleus.
After Mbappé tucked away a superb Olise pass just after the hour, a match that had started as a keenly fought contest faded away into a procession. When the captain crashed his second of the day past Édouard Mendy in a chaotic period of added time, he secured both victory and his place as France’s all-time leading scorer, a 58th goal for his country edging him ahead of Olivier Giroud.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 21:136/16: The Takeout with Major Garrett
New details after FBI thwarts alleged terror plot; four states and the District of Columbia hold primaries.
16th June 2026 21:00Electricity costs expected to hit record this summer, new analysis finds
A new analysis projects how much Americans will pay for electricity from June to September, depending on their state of residence.
16th June 2026 20:52Yum! Brands sells struggling Pizza Hut in $2.7 billion deal
The sale will split ownership of the pizza chain between a U.S.-based private equity firm and a Chinese restaurant company.
16th June 2026 20:52
NPR Topics: News
Iraqi soccer fans celebrate end of 40-year World Cup drought
The Iraq national men's team hasn't played a World Cup in 40 years; a drought that ends Tuesday night, to the excitement of soccer fans in Dearborn, Michigan, home to a large Iraqi diaspora.
16th June 2026 20:21
The Guardian
US justice department charges five men over alleged plot to attack White House UFC event
Multiple arrests made in ‘multi-state operation’ to disrupt alleged plot to kill government officials at Trump birthday
Law enforcement officials disrupted an attempt to attack the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) cage fighting event staged at the White House on Sunday with guns and explosive-laden drones, and multiple people were in custody, federal US authorities said.
The Department of Justice charged five men over an alleged plot to carry out an attack to kill government officials and others attendees at the “UFC Freedom 250” event on Sunday.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 20:13Fed Chair Warsh expected to withhold 'dot' from central bank's interest rate outlook
The central bank's Federal Open Market Committee is set to release its quarterly update of where individual officials expect interest rates to head.
16th June 2026 19:12What to expect as Kevin Warsh leads his first Fed interest rate meeting
New Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh is stepping in at a critical juncture for the U.S. economy, with inflation at its highest level in more than three years.
16th June 2026 19:09Trump signals he could send details of Iran deal to Congress
The peace deal announced Sunday is meeting lukewarm reactions from Congress, including some allies of President Donald Trump.
16th June 2026 18:57
The Guardian
All change for the Oval as England hope for normality after extraordinary week
It is rare to make five changes after winning by more than a hundred runs, but this has not been a normal week between Tests for England
These past 10 days must have been curious for New Zealand’s cricketers, as their restful mid-series downtime was occasionally interrupted by news of England’s latest convulsions. “I guess it probably wasn’t necessarily what we were expecting,” deadpanned their captain, Tom Latham.
At least most of his own side got a chance to relax. “A lot of guys have had some good family time, they’ve had a bit of time off to refresh the bodies, refresh the minds and get ready for what we’ve got coming up,” Latham said. “We’re not necessarily used to a big break like that, but guys did their own thing, some guys got away. So we’re ready to go.”
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 18:15
The Guardian
Farage’s plan for equal pay legislation may cost female workers money, say unions
General secretary of TUC calls Reform proposal ‘a smokescreen for slashing women’s rights’
A law proposed by Nigel Farage to “strengthen women’s rights” could cost female workers money by removing equal pay for work of equal value, unions have said.
A proposal, made by Reform UK days before the Makerfield byelection, to introduce a “women and motherhood protection act” that it says will restore equality before the law has been described as “shameless and deceptive”.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:55
The Guardian
Former NFL star Aldon Smith’s brain to be donated for CTE research after death at 36
Player died suddenly after charity work on Saturday
Off-field incidents, suspensions affected his career
49ers statement: ‘His smile lit up every room’
The family of former NFL star Aldon Smith is donating the player’s brain to the Boston University CTE Center to research the effects of repetitive brain injuries.
The 36-year-old died suddenly on Saturday, hours after delivering pizzas to a homeless charity in the San Francisco Bay area. No cause of death was given and Smith’s family has hired attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers and Wayne Kendall to investigate his death.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:50
The Guardian
The Guardian view on defending Europe in a new era: collaboration is the key | Editorial
The recent abandonment of plans for a Franco-German fighter jet sent a disastrous signal. Strategic autonomy will be jointly achieved or not at all
It has become a truism to assert that Europe needs to fast-track its own strategic independence in a volatile world. A recent paper from the European Council on Foreign Relations describes the continent’s leaders as grappling with “a ‘Schrödinger’s NATO’ moment, in which America remains formally inside the alliance while behaving as though it were not, just as the Russian threat looms larger”. Donald Trump’s United States has become at best an unreliable and at times reluctant ally, as Vladimir Putin’s revanchist ambitions have exposed the need to strengthen Europe’s defences.
But if the goal of greater autonomy is to be achieved, far better coordination of resources and cooperation between national defence industries will be required. Neither has been much in evidence this month, with France and Germany abandoning a joint £100bn project to build a new fighter jet as part of an updated Future Combat Air System. Originally launched by Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel in 2017, plans for the jet were pulled as a result of irresolvable disagreements between Dassault, the French aviation company involved, and Airbus, the European aerospace company whose defence unit is based in Germany.
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.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:49
The Guardian
McIlroy fears ‘false economy’ created by LIV Golf could put PGA Tour events at risk
McIlroy not a fan of planned two-tier system for events
Fleetwood and Åberg drawn with world No 2 at US Open
Rory McIlroy believes the “false economy” created by the threat of LIV Golf may now be putting some well-established PGA Tour events at risk. The world No 2 and current Masters champion said he felt people had lost sight of how good the tour was before it too had a huge cash injection.
When the Saudi breakaway started luring away some of the top talent on multimillion-dollar contracts during the early years the PGA Tour’s response was to restructure, creating eight signature events each with smaller field and prize funds of $20m (£15m), plus generating a number of associated financial benefits.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:48
The Guardian
Toronto police link dozens of shootings to ‘multilayered’ gun-for-hire network
Young adults and teens are being recruited through apps like Telegram and paid to carry out attacks, officials say
Police investigators in Toronto have said that dozens of shootings – including one at the US consulate in March – are linked to a “multilayered” gun-for-hire network that is also responsible for attacks on synagogues around Canada’s largest city.
Toronto’s police chief, Myron Demkiw, told reporters on Tuesday that young adults and teenagers are being recruited through encrypted messaging apps such as Signal, Telegram and WhatsApp by “bad actors” and paid by the networks to carry out the attacks. Shooters are required to film their attacks in order to get paid.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:47
The Guardian
Artist defends Churchill video at National Portrait Gallery after being accused of ‘barefaced lie’
Helen Cammock says her comments blaming wartime leader for Bengal famine were intended to create ‘dialogue’
A Turner prize-winning artist accused of telling a “barefaced lie” about Winston Churchill in a video piece installed at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) has defended her work, saying it was intended to create a “dialogue” about figures in the gallery’s collection.
Helen Cammock’s 40-minute moving image piece called Persistence has been at the centre of a row about the role Churchill played in the Bengal famine of 1943.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:43
The Guardian
The Guardian view on the global baby bust: people are having fewer children – even where they say they want more | Editorial
Indian fertility has fallen below the rate required for population stability, in further evidence of the unexpectedly rapid decline in births internationally
The global fall in fertility rates has arrived faster and spread further than anticipated. Two-thirds of people now live in countries that have slipped below the replacement rate – 2.1 births per woman – required for a stable population. Last month, India revealed that its fertility rate had fallen to just 1.9. The world’s two most populous nations, which pursued cruel and coercive policies to cut births, both face shrinking populations. China’s fertility rate is now around 1, and births last year fell below 8 million – just over half the number projected when the “one child” policy was axed 10 years ago, and comparable to the total in 1738, when its population was 150 million.
It’s further proof that what was seen as a phenomenon of rich nations has spread far beyond them. East Asia led the way. But Albania and Chile have far lower rates than the US or England and Wales (themselves experiencing record lows of 1.6 and 1.4).
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.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:42
The Guardian
Iran’s top envoy says peace deal with US dependent on Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon
Abbas Araghchi says war ‘not fully come to an end’ without Israeli forces leaving territories occupied during present conflict
Iran’s top diplomat has said a peace deal with the US would require Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, as concern grows that Israel could undermine diplomatic efforts to finally end the Middle East war, with Donald Trump even criticising his ally and war partner as irresponsible.
“Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied during this war, the war has not fully come to an end,” said the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:22
The Guardian
From camel coats to guochao: Max Mara woos China’s luxury brand consumers
Fashion house pays tribute to Chinese style with its 75th anniversary catwalk show in Shanghai
“New York may be the city that never sleeps, but Shanghai doesn’t even sit down.” For the British designer Ian Griffiths, who encountered this line in the New Yorker, it summed up why China’s biggest city was the right place to celebrate Max Mara’s 75th anniversary.
“Max Mara is a product for metropolitan women, and it would be patronising to assume that a metropolitan wardrobe should be western-centric,” Griffiths said.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:15
NPR Topics: News
In Albania, anger grows against the government for supporting a Kushner-linked luxury resort
Albania's government has given preliminary approval to plans for the luxury resort along a stretch of coastline, prompting daily protests and legal challenges by environmental groups.
16th June 2026 17:10
The Guardian
France to ditch Palantir’s AI data tools in favour of domestic provider
Move to ChapsVision is to avoid ‘strategic dependencies’, says PM amid concern about reliance on US-controlled tools
France’s domestic intelligence service is to ditch AI data tools from the US tech company Palantir in favour of a domestic provider in an effort to avoid “strategic dependency”, the prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has said.
“We must use our own AI models; we cannot accept new strategic dependencies in the digital sphere,” Lecornu posted on social media. “We cannot rely on tools developed by foreign powers. France must have its own tools.”
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:08
NPR Topics: News
Trump further guts Education Dept. by shifting oversight of special ed, civil rights
The moves to the federal departments of Health and Human Services and Justice, respectively, would further dismantle an agency that President Donald Trump has vowed to close.
16th June 2026 17:04
The Guardian
EU and UK announce summit to discuss ‘reset’ in post-Brexit relations
Meeting was delayed over details of youth mobility scheme allowing under-30s freedom to work and study in each other’s territory
The EU and the UK have announced they will hold their next summit to discuss the “reset” in relations between London and Brussels on 22 July.
The summit, which will be held in Brussels, has been delayed several times, with talks over a youth mobility scheme allowing under-30s to work, travel or study in each other’s territory deadlocked in recent weeks, fuelling speculation the summit would be postponed until the autumn.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:02
The Guardian
Cate Blanchett promises ‘creative rumpus’ in new role: Oxford professor
Oscar-winning actor hails ‘electrifying opportunity’ to present lectures and seminars in contemporary theatre
The Oscar-winning actor Cate Blanchett has promised to cause a “creative rumpus” in her latest role, as visiting professor at the University of Oxford.
The Australian star is the latest in a long line of celebrated thespians to be appointed as the Cameron Mackintosh visiting professor of contemporary theatre at St Catherine’s College, Oxford.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:01
The Guardian
Trio of senior defence figures accuse Starmer of underfunding military
PM hit by three-pronged attack from ex-defence secretary, former defence minister and chief of defence staff
Keir Starmer is leaving British troops underfunded and unable to carry out the operations he expects from them, according to scathing remarks delivered in parliament on Tuesday by three senior defence figures.
The prime minister came under fire in separate interventions from his former defence secretary John Healey, the former defence minister Al Carns and the country’s current senior military officer, Rich Knighton.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:00
The Guardian
Labour MP bringing back assisted dying bill urges House of Lords to finish its job
Lauren Edwards dismisses party internal concerns and criticises ‘anti-democratic’ way bill was halted
The Labour MP Lauren Edwards who will bring the assisted dying bill back to the Commons has said she will not be dissuaded by concerns about Labour divisions, saying MPs should allow the House of Lords to finish its work on the bill after it was blocked from a vote by peers.
It also can be revealed that the Labour MP and disability rights campaigner Marie Tidball is to co-sponsor the bill, alongside the former minister Alex Davies- Jones.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 17:00
The Guardian
US screwworm cases rise as outbreak spreads beyond initial contamination zones
Twelve animal cases have been confirmed so far among cattle, goats, sheep and a dog in Texas and New Mexico
Screwworm cases are rising in the US as the outbreak spreads beyond the initial contamination zones.
Twelve animal cases have been confirmed so far, a significant increase from the first case detected in a calf in south Texas on 3 June. The growing number of infections has alarmed agricultural experts, who warn that a wider outbreak could have serious consequences for the Texas beef industry.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 16:55
NPR Topics: News
'The Lost Founder' profiles a brilliant lawyer who helped craft the Constitution
Jesse Wegman's book tells the story of James Wilson, a largely forgotten founding father who lived a colorful life and died as a Supreme Court justice on the run from the law and creditors.
16th June 2026 16:54
NPR Topics: News
Live with a partner? You may be sharing more microbes than you think
A large study finds you may share about a quarter of your oral and gut microbes with the people you live with. Should you worry? We asked the experts.
16th June 2026 16:05
The Guardian
Why do you always feel like you have to pee when swimming?
It doesn’t matter if you drink less or use the restroom beforehand. Experts say it happens to all swimmers
I’m midway into my hour-long swim when it hits: I really have to pee. This always happens. It doesn’t help to curb my morning coffee or use the restroom beforehand. My bladder doesn’t care.
Why does this happen? “It’s a normal physiological response by the body to being immersed in water,” says Dr Stavros Kavouras, assistant dean, professor of nutrition and director of the Hydration Science Lab at Arizona State University. And it’s not just me: “It’s something that happens to all swimmers.”
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 16:00
The Guardian
Toy Story 5 review – Pixar franchise needs new batteries
A sinister new tablet threatens the honest-to-goodness toys’ existence, but Buzz, Woody and Jessie’s big tech moral battle feels compromised
The fifth episode of the Toy Story franchise is as slick and smooth as you like, as glitchless as Toy Story 6 or Toy Story 7 might be … or will be. As a piece of family-entertainment content it has the unblemished sheen of a brand new smartphone. But at heart, it has gone dead. For all the intensive, high-energy creative work that has clearly gone into this film’s every frame, the jeopardy, the novelty, the ideas and the passion are lacking; the crucial Toy Story theme of mortality feels underpowered, and the film even calamitously loses its nerve with its own big idea – those squeamish about spoilers had better look away now – the sinister way addictive tech devices are undermining the imaginative play that kids once had with honest-to-goodness toys.
Here a creepy tablet device called Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee) enters the children’s world, but ultimately proves to be capable of sentimental self-sacrificial heroism when it comes to their mental health. Really? At least Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear, the villain from TS3, had the courage of his evil convictions.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 16:00
NPR Topics: News
The World Cup reminds us that the way to a visitor's heart ... is through their stomach
The action inside the stadiums isn't the only thing capturing the attention of international visitors. Turns out, they're discovering the delights of Buc-ee's, Waffle House, Wawa and free soda refills.
16th June 2026 15:59Carvana is expanding into new vehicles. The implications could reshape the U.S. automotive retail market
Carvana has bought seven new vehicle franchises since last year that primarily sell Stellantis' Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram brands.
16th June 2026 15:51
The Guardian
Starmer carries on regardless as G7 leaders ponder question of leaving gift | John Crace
‘I am going to fight on,’ said the PM. Perhaps his delusion was more deep-rooted than the others had feared
Shortly before he arrived in Évian at the beginning of the week, Emmanuel Macron set up a new WhatsApp group for world leaders. Keir Starmer wasn’t included. Call it the G6, if you like. The idea was to have a safe space to discuss how best to deal with the UK prime minister. Should they confront head-on that this was going to be his last G7? That next year’s outing would be an athleisure occasion with Andy Burnham (T-shirts just a tad on the small size)? Should they club together to buy him a leaving present? A French World Cup football shirt signed by all of them?
Or was it best not to mention it at all? Just proceed on the basis that this was a perfectly normal occasion and they would all soon be meeting again at another global get-together. Nothing to see here. A quick competition for a photo opportunity with President Zelenskyy, a few jokes, promises to make the world a better place and then everyone goes home without acknowledging that Keir is about to get booted out of their select club. At least Starmer was bringing his wife, Victoria. Maybe she would get to say a few goodbyes.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 15:32
NPR Topics: News
The war with Iran is making oil changes pricier. And a deal won't solve it
The U.S. may be the world's biggest producer of crude oil, but that's not the case for motor oil. The cost of lubricants is soaring, and even a tentative deal to end the war won't solve the problem.
16th June 2026 15:29
The Guardian
What Jared and Ivanka want, Jared and Ivanka get? Not if Albania’s ‘flamingo revolution’ has any say in it | Arwa Mahdawi
Hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets to block the Trump-Kushners’ plans to build on a nature reserve. But they’re not the only billionaires acting as if the whole world was for sale
Have the Albanians even said thank you once? It’s been moan, moan, moan for weeks now on the streets of Tirana just because Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner want to displace some flamingos and pave over a protected nature reserve to build a luxury resort. Judging by all the protests, the commoners simply do not understand what visionaries the Trump-Kushners are. Nor do they seem to understand Javanka were the ones who discovered Sazan island in the first place. It had just been sitting there, rotting in the sea, until our contemporary Christopher Columbuses spotted it from a yacht back in 2021 and swam to the island to explore. “We went on a hike, barefoot all the way up to the top, and we were just captivated,” Ivanka recounted on the David Senra podcast in May.
She really put her barefoot in her mouth with that one. Kushner’s Albanian real estate adventures are not new; the country’s government granted Atlantic Incubation Partners, an LLC linked to Kushner, “strategic investor” status in 2025 shortly after Donald Trump won the election. But while anger has been brewing for a while, Ivanka’s tone-deaf comments were the final straw. Her podcast interview has been credited with drawing international attention to the project, and supercharging local rage. Turns out people don’t appreciate it when a foreign nepo baby waxes lyrical about “discovering” your land. Nor are they thrilled when billionaires want to take over your country’s largest island, which is public property, for private profit.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 15:11
The Guardian
Everything Game of Thrones did, HBO series Rome did better – including not fumbling the finale
The short-lived series had blood, guts, sex and epic stakes. It also had the ride-or-die friendship of a pair of foot soldiers
A sprawling cast of richly flawed heroes. Epic stakes. Elaborate sets. A family man hero whose definition of good is skewed by the cruel world he lives in. Animated opening titles with a catchy theme song. Blood, guts, sex and a bit of incest: everything Game of Thrones did, Rome did better.
Rome was one of the most expensive TV shows ever made when it launched in 2005; its two-season run was shot on a massive, immersive outdoor recreation of the ancient city in Italy’s Cinecittà studios, and spared no expense on costumes, props or fake blood. When it came out half a decade later, Game of Thrones would follow in Rome’s footsteps with its puzzle wheel of plotting across factions and alliances, shocking betrayals and Shakespearean dialogue punctuated with c-bombs.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 15:00
The Guardian
Naked cycling: is it ever acceptable to ride a rental bike in the nude?
The World Naked Bike Ride is designed to draw attention to the vulnerability of cyclists in the city. But this year’s London event is in the news after half the riders used rental bikes
Name: World Naked Bike Ride.
Age: 22.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 14:51
The Guardian
UK social media ban could cut lifeline for disabled children, campaigners warn
Activists say blanket ban could prevent teenagers from finding peers and role models with similar conditions
Disability activists have said banning under-16s from social media risks cutting off a “lifeline for friendship” for disabled children and could push them into social isolation by preventing them from making connections online.
Charities and high-profile figures in disability advocacy said they were concerned that a blanket ban on social media would disproportionately affect teenagers who may not be able to meet people easily in real life or find peers with similar conditions.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 14:48
The Guardian
US lawmakers fight Trump cuts to $386m ocean monitoring program: ‘supreme stupidity’
Lisa Murkowski, a Republican senator, joins Democrats in bid to stop dismantling of Ocean Observatories Initiative
A group of Democratic senators and one Republican, as well as two Democratic House committees, sent letters on Monday to the National Science Foundation asking it to reverse course on its plan to dismantle a sprawling ocean monitoring network, with House lawmakers going further and accusing the agency of acting illegally.
The Ocean Observatories Initiative is a network of more than 900 ocean sensors built at a cost of $386m. Over the last decade it has tracked ocean circulation, marine ecosystems, climate change and extreme weather, producing data freely available to the public and informing more than 500 scientific publications. The project was slated to run another 15 to 20 years.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 14:48
The Guardian
Tom Holland confirms that he and Zendaya are married
The actor told Esquire magazine the couple have ‘a relationship that will stand the test of time’ and his family ‘were all there’ for the wedding
Tom Holland, the British actor best known for playing Spider-Man, has offered confirmation that he and co-star Zendaya have already got married.
The wedding of the couple, who have been together for some years and got engaged in December 2024, has been the subject of intense speculation, further fuelled by a red carpet remark by Zendaya’s stylist, Law Roach, in March 2026, that the ceremony had already taken place.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 14:33
The Guardian
People in Albania: share your thoughts on the recent ‘not for sale’ protests
We’d like to hear from Albanians about how they view the protests against a planned luxury resort
For the last two weeks, Albanians have been protesting against a planned luxury resort backed by a company linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of Donald Trump, near Vlora.
If it goes ahead, the development would occupy parts of an environmentally sensitive area which includes the uninhabited outcrop of Sazan and wetlands and coastal habitats in the surrounding marine national park – home to the Mediterranean monk seal and more than 200 bird species – including flamingos and Dalmatian pelicans, according to BirdLife International.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 14:13
The Guardian
Even if Iran benefits from this deal with Washington, any peace is likely to be temporary | Sina Toossi
The regime has learned it must extract concessions rather than promises from the US, but any permanent deal still depends on ending the war in Lebanon
To understand why Iran agreed to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United States to end the war, one must first understand how Iranian leaders believe they emerged from the war itself. For Iran’s leadership, this conflict did not begin with military strikes. It was the culmination of a years-long campaign of sanctions, covert operations, assassinations, economic pressure, and efforts to weaken and ultimately overthrow the Islamic Republic. Even episodes of domestic unrest, including the anti-government protests that culminated in the deadly January crackdown, are often understood in Tehran as part of this broader struggle. That worldview has profoundly shaped how Iranian decision-makers interpret both the war and its aftermath.
This perception is critical to understanding the confidence now evident in Tehran. The objectives of the war were hardly a mystery. A week into the war, Donald Trump demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender”. Both Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu openly called for regime change. The destruction of Iran’s missile capabilities, the dismantling of its regional influence, and the capitulation or collapse of the Islamic Republic were repeatedly presented as desired outcomes. None of those objectives were achieved.
Sina Toossi is a senior non-resident fellow at the Center for International Policy, where his work focuses on US-Iran relations, US policy toward the Middle East and nuclear issues
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 14:02
The Guardian
‘At first, the idea does sound crazy’: meet the scientists trying to refreeze the Arctic
Sea ice is melting fast, worsening the climate crisis, but a bold attempt to rethicken it is showing early signs of success
‘This would have been a wild dream a year ago,” says Andrea Ceccolini, standing on Arctic sea ice just a 4-mile snowmobile ride from the Inuit town of Cambridge Bay, northern Canada. To his left are sky blue ponds of meltwater created in the last few days by a sun that no longer sets in the high north summer. To his right, the sea ice is still a brilliant white, the light dusting of snow on top continuing to sparkle.
“It’s incredibly different, the boundary – I mean, you can point to it,” he says. The difference is the result of a bold geoengineering experiment being conducted by Ceccolini’s company, Real Ice, funded by the UK government.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 14:00Yum Brands sells Pizza Hut to private equity firm LongRange Capital and Yum China for $2.7 billion
Yum Brands is selling Pizza Hut, capping off years of struggles for the pizza chain.
16th June 2026 13:52
The Guardian
Sean Penn to direct January 6 drama with Bradley Cooper set to star
Oscar-winning actor to write and direct fact-based movie that will follow a police officer mixed up in 2021 Capitol riot
Sean Penn will direct a new film about the January 6 riot set to star Bradley Cooper.
According to Deadline, the star, who recently won his third Oscar, will bring what’s been described as a “passion project” to the screen and act as both writer and director.
This article was amended on 16 June 2026. An earlier version stated that Sean Penn had won two Oscars, not three.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 13:42
The Guardian
‘Don DeLillo gave me his blessing’: film director Ben Rivers on how fan mail from the Underworld author led to his latest work
When Rivers received a surprise letter from DeLillo, it encouraged him to set the author’s one-act play in an adult-free, postapocalyptic world
Nine-year-old girls reciting the gnomic prose of Don DeLillo – it sounds like an extreme English detention, but for film-maker Ben Rivers this was the foundation of his new movie, and the culmination of an unlikely friendship with the literary titan. DeLillo is an almost mythical figure of contemporary literature. His prose is precisely hewn, his narratives sophisticated and his preoccupations uncannily prophetic: conspiracy, terrorism, nuclear power, hypercapitalism – the 89-year-old New Yorker has been ahead of the curve for much of the late 20th and early 21st century. Rivers, a 53-year-old independent film-maker based in London, has been a lifelong fan, he says. So he was stunned to receive a letter from DeLillo himself one day in 2017.
A mutual friend had sent DeLillo a DVD of Rivers’ 2015 film The Sky Trembles and the Earth is Afraid and the Two Eyes Are Not Brothers, a hallucinatory parable set in a semi-abstract Morocco, and the writer responded with a hand-typed letter. “He thought that the film was really powerful and he was looking forward to watching it again,” says Rivers. “It was a beautiful thing to receive and very meaningful for me, being such a big admirer of his.” Rivers later sent DeLillo another of his films: 2019’s Krabi, 2562, co-directed with Anocha Suwichakornpong, “and he also wrote back about that, saying that he enjoyed it”.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 13:40
The Guardian
Struggling Pizza Hut restaurant chain to be sold in two deals worth $2.7bn
Yum! Brands, parent company of KFC and Taco Bell, to sell Pizza Hut as it faces dated stores and growing competition
The struggling Pizza Hut restaurant chain will be sold for $2.7bn by parent company Yum! Brands.
Yum! Brands said in February that it was considering selling Pizza Hut and the chain looked to close 250 US restaurants. The pizza chain has struggled with outdated stores and growing competition.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 13:40"Star Wars" lightsaber and more iconic film props going up for auction
Luke Skywalker's lightsaber from the "Star Wars" sequel "The Empire Strikes Back" is expected to sell for at least $1 million at an upcoming auction.
16th June 2026 13:24Trump denies U.S. will put 'any money' into Iran, as he meets allies at G7 summit
Washington and Tehran announced a memorandum of understanding had been reached over the weekend.
16th June 2026 13:18
The Guardian
Fujitsu chair resigns after ‘woman-related inappropriate conduct’
Japanese technology company at centre of Post Office IT scandal is negotiating settlement with UK government over faulty software
The chair of Fujitsu, the Japanese technology firm at the centre of the Post Office IT scandal, has resigned after its board became aware of his “woman-related inappropriate conduct”.
The company said on Tuesday that Hidenori Furuta had stepped down after two years in the role.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 13:18
The Guardian
From the pain of apartheid to luscious beauty: 10 of the best recordings by jazz legend Abdullah Ibrahim
The pianist and bandleader, who has died aged 91, had an inimitable style where bright, guileless melody met a fearless improvisational impulse
• South African jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim dies aged 91
Scullery Department (from Jazz Epistle Verse 1, 1960)
Born Adolph Johannes Brand in Cape Town in 1934, Abdullah Ibrahim spent his six-decade career defining the heartfelt sound of South African jazz. Making his professional debut as a pianist at 15 under the name Dollar Brand, it was his co-founding of the group the Jazz Epistles in 1959 that laid the groundwork for his journeying career. South Africa’s first Black jazz group, featuring trumpeter Hugh Masekela who would go on to become a star bandleader in his own right, the Jazz Epistles’ first and only album Jazz Epistle Verse 1 is a sprightly document of the South African take on bebop. Although album opener Dollar’s Moods is named for Ibrahim, it’s the record’s closing number Scullery Department that highlights his nascent skills. Heavy-swinging over a bluesy motif, Ibrahim’s playing artfully skips through an opening polyrhythm before taking a solo that refigures Thelonious Monk’s wonky melodic motifs into an earthy sense of groove that would go on to feature throughout his hundreds of recordings to come.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 13:15
The Guardian
A floating market and the Soweto uprising 50 years on: photos of the day – Tuesday
The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 13:03
The Guardian
Elon Musk’s unprecendented accumulation of wealth
IPO mints Musk as world’s first trillionaire – now SpaceX is public, it will be harder than ever not to have a stake in its future
Hi and welcome to TechScape. Nick Robins-Early here, US tech and power reporter at the Guardian. I’m filling in for your usual host Blake Montgomery, who is out this week on vacation.
Today, we’ll be talking about the historic SpaceX IPO and the US government’s surprise order to limit the use of Anthropic’s most advanced AI model over cybersecurity concerns. I’ll also share a dispatch from Web Summit Rio, South America’s largest tech event.
SpaceX makes largest ever stock market debut, minting Musk as a trillionaire
After SpaceX’s huge IPO, Americans’ financial future will be bound to AI
How much money did Elon Musk make in SpaceX’s stock market debut?
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 12:55
The Guardian
European leaders urge Trump to host Zelenskyy-Putin talks
Call at G7 summit in France comes as Ukraine president tells US counterpart Kyiv is no longer losing on battlefield
European leaders at the G7 summit have urged Donald Trump to try to break the deadlock over ending the Ukraine war by taking up the proposal for him to host talks in the US between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin.
The US president lamented “the great antipathy” between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders that made it difficult to reach a settlement, and vowed to do what he could. He said Moscow “should make a deal”, noting that it had “lost a great many people, just like Ukraine”.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 12:54
The Guardian
‘My hair extensions caught fire in a shootout!’ Dolph Lundgren on playing He-Man in Masters of the Universe
‘The studio wanted me to wear less. They wanted to see my muscles. But we were shooting outdoors in winter – and I had to put Vaseline on to keep my body heat in’
Cannon Films had the rights to Masters of the Universe and thought: “Let’s get this new guy. He’s blond, has good pecs … He can wield the sword.” I was convinced to do it but only very reluctantly – I didn’t want to play a toy. There was lots of excitement but also lots of worry. I’d been Soviet bad guy Ivan Drago in Rocky IV and now I was going to be this American hero. I was nervous and afraid people weren’t going to like it.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 12:51
The Guardian
MLB critical of Giants players who wrote Bible verses on Pride Night caps
Players deny their decision comes from place of hate
MLB says writing on caps is a violation of league rules
Major League Baseball has issued a statement critical of players who wrote Bible verses on their Pride Night hats after an incident at a San Francisco Giants game last week.
MLB celebrates Pride month during June and most teams choose a home game to acknowledge the LGBTQ community and its baseball fans. The Giants, who are based in a city with a large LGBTQ population, often make an extra effort.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 12:42Trump turns his attention to Ukraine ahead of Iran deal: 'I’m going to do whatever I can’
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that "Russia should make a deal" to end its four-year war in Ukraine.
16th June 2026 12:19
The Guardian
The secret to a great TV dinner | Kitchen aide
It’s all about ‘easy bowl food’, and grub you can shovel in on the sofa without having to cut anything up
What are the best summer TV dinners?
Mel, by email
Few are as committed to teas on knees as Ella Risbridger: “It appals my parents, but I eat on the sofa just about every day,” says the author of The Kitchen Book. The key, she says, is not having to cut anything up: “One-handed cooking is a good way of thinking about it,” which is to say that Mel should be looking for meals that require only a fork, a spoon or chopsticks. “That’s easier to do in winter, because then you’ve got the likes of casseroles, soups and stews, whereas a lot of summer food is based on big sharing platters, which are not ideal, because, while you can put them on the coffee table, there’s lunging involved.” Said movement not only upsets the balance, but often also results in spillages: “I’m currently looking at a lump of bicarb sopping up a turmeric stain on my sofa,” Risbridger adds by way of confirmation.
Other considerations of the sofa supper include getting as many textures and flavours as possible into every mouthful. “Wherever you dig, you want to be getting something good,” says Zena Kamgaing, author of Dinner Time. That’s why pasta is a regular go-to: “It’s easy bowl food. On a hot day, say, I’ll do a no-cook sauce by blitzing mascarpone with sun-dried tomatoes, a little harissa and fresh basil.” Risbridger, meanwhile, is partial to US-style chopped salads, although Vietnamese-inspired numbers also feature regularly: “Invest in a julienne peeler, because that can make salad feel fancy, and put any kind of protein in it: salmon, sliced steak.” Add rice – “Cold salad and warm rice is a delight” – or deploy twirlable cold noodles. “If you’re watching telly, curtains drawn, you’re not looking for a beautiful plate,” Risbridger says. “You want the focus to be on the deliciousness, and I cannot stress enough that a Vietnamese salad is the optimum, because it’s beautiful, but not in a way that means you have to concentrate on its beauty.”
Got a culinary dilemma? Email [email protected]
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 12:00
The Guardian
Beyond the classroom: South Carolina educators use food to teach Gullah Geechee culture
New programs in the state work to teach high school and college students about Gullah foodways through hands-on projects
When students from Charleston county school of the arts in South Carolina entered a research institute on the African diaspora, staff greeted them with “welcome home”.
The field trip at the College of Charleston’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture was the culmination of a six-week English course about memoir. Students learned about the culture of Gullah Geechee people, the descendants of formerly enslaved West Africans who retained their customs, through the lens of food such as okra, red rice and beans.
Continue reading... 16th June 2026 12:002026 America’s Top States for Business: How we are ranking all 50 U.S. states
America's Top States for Business rankings reflect the measures states are using to attract corporations amid urgency to build new facilities across the U.S.
16th June 2026 11:45