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Politics
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EU’s ‘unpleasant and dangerous’ border checks need overhaul, says Greek airports boss
Airports have had to use gazebos to shield passengers from sun as they wait to be processed, says Alexander Zinell The boss of 14 Greek airports has called for a serious overhaul of the EU’s new border checks, after being forced to erect gazebos for passengers to cope with queues. The chief executive of Fraport Greece, Alexander Zinell, joined a growing chorus of critics calling out “fundamental flaws” in the entry-exit system (EES), which requires non-EU passengers to have their fingerprints and photo taken at the start of the their trip and verified every time they leave or re-enter the Schengen zone. Continue reading...
‘His legacy is cringe’: how Charlie Kirk became a punchline among the young - even his supporters
Crude memes of the Maga luminary are exploding online – less than a year after conservatives were suppressing any slander against him Ten months since his assassination, Charlie Kirk’s name and likeness are still proliferating online. Just not the way the far-right activist would have wanted. Audio of the gunshot that killed him has become a TikTok meme, as have ironic reposts of the apparent AI-slop song We Are Charlie Kirk, which was originally created as a posthumous tribute. He was the butt of a crude joke during the Netflix roast of Hollywood star Kevin Hart in May. The next month, a viral tweet encouraged people to take “a shot” in his honor on Juneteenth. And a trend known as “Kirkification” has emerged, in which internet pranksters superimpose his face on to unlikely images, such as the Mona Lisa , a woman in a bikini, or Jeffrey Epstein . Continue reading...
Labour MPs to rebel on political funding reforms, demanding tougher measures
Exclusive: Demands include ban on cryptocurrency donations after controversies over Nigel Farage funding UK politics live – latest updates Labour MPs are to rebel next week over the government’s reforms to political funding, pushing ministers to introduce tougher measures including a ban on cryptocurrency donations and much lower spending limits. MPs on the all-party, anti-corruption group are canvassing support for four amendments to the representation of the people bill that would significantly tighten the government’s plans. Continue reading...
US chemical accidents rising as Trump rolls back protections, report finds
Deaths and injuries up as critics condemn administration’s ‘appalling’ plan to gut federal disaster management system The number of US chemical accidents is rising just as the Trump administration guts protections against the disasters, a new analysis of federal data by the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (Peer) non-profit found. The report found the number of chemical accidents, explosions, fires and other emergencies that release chemicals into the atmosphere was up by at least 51% since 2021. Deaths and injuries were up at least 20%. Continue reading...
Sharp rise in domestic abusers using finances for coercion, UK charities say
Refuge reports ‘staggering’ 78% annual increase in referrals for cases of technology-facilitated or economic abuse Domestic abuse charities have reported a “staggering” increase in perpetrators using technology and finances to control their victims, with a “concerning” rise in people being coerced into car finance agreements. Data from Refuge, the UK’s largest specialist domestic abuse charity, reveals a 78% rise in referrals for cases of technology-facilitated or economic abuse in the past year. Continue reading...
Extreme temperatures causing rise in heatstroke among pets, UK vets warn
Experts say most cases used to be seen in pets after exertion or being left in cars, but they are now being affected at rest Extreme temperatures are causing heatstroke in pets even when they are restricted to homes and gardens, vets have warned, as parts of the UK enter a third heatwave of the year . Experts say that in the past cases of heatstroke in pets typically occurred when owners walked their dogs in the heat of the day or left them in a hot car, but cases are now being seen in animals resting at home. Continue reading...
Maine Democrats plan convention to replace scandal-hit Platner – US politics live
Senate pick announced his withdrawal in angry video accusing party and media of acting as ‘judge, jury and executioner’ Sign up for the Breaking News US email Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. The Maine Democratic party has voted to hold a convention after its Senate pick Graham Platner withdrew from the race following accusations of sexual assault. Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would ask the US supreme court to reconsider its ruling that the 14th amendment to the US constitution guarantees birthright citizenship in light of what he described as shocking new evidence: a hospital in Texas advertising its services to expectant mothers in Mexico on a pair of billboards. “Signs and Billboards are being put up all over our Southern Border, and Mexico, advertising BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, with ‘Deliveries starting at $4000’, the president wrote on his social media platform, in what appeared to be a wild exaggeration of a Fox News report on just two billboards. Donald Trump flew from Turkey to England onboard the older Air Force One on Wednesday, rather than the new, Qatari-gifted aircraft he used to travel to the Nato summit in Ankara, an unexpected change in plans that prompted questions about security fears. Trump later boarded the new plane at Mildenhall air force base in the United Kingdom for the trip back to Washington. Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House’s World Cup taskforce, has defended Donald Trump’s lobbying of Fifa to lift the suspension of US player Folarin Balogun for Monday’s game against Belgium. The US president claimed that Brazilian referee Raphael Claus , who showed Balogun a red card in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, was “a little bit suspect, if you check his past”. US stock markets fell on Wednesday as the US continued strikes on Iran and the Federal Reserve flagged concerns that would warrant higher interest rates. Donald Trump’s declaration at the Nato summit in Ankara that the Iran-US ceasefire is over sent oil prices sharply higher on Wednesday. Brent crude, the global benchmark, jumped more than 5% to crest $80 a barrel. A Manhattan federal court judge on Wednesday ordered the release of the more than $5m Donald Trump owes E Jean Carroll following her successful 2023 sexual abuse and defamation trial against him. Less than an hour after the judge issued his order, Trump filed paperwork indicating he was appealing the decision. Continue reading...
What is cyclosporiasis, the parasitic illness causing ‘explosive’ diarrhea?
Illness surging in Michigan and other US states is rarely life-threatening, CDC says – but it can have severe effects Cases of cyclosporiasis – a parasitic illness that can cause “explosive”, watery diarrhea – have surged across the United States in recent days, health officials have said, with an abnormally large outbreak of almost 1,000 cases reported in Michigan . Michigan typically reports about 50 cases a year, making the current outbreak the largest in the state’s history and one of the nation’s biggest in recent years. Ohio has also reported a sharp increase, with 177 cases as of 2 July, since the CDC’s last count. Continue reading...
The US delivered their best modern World Cup performance – and also let themselves down
Mauricio Pochettino’s team delivered several thrilling performances on home soil. The way it ended was somewhat less exhilarating So now what? How are we supposed to think about this supposedly golden generation of the United States men’s national team who have fallen short of expectations at this World Cup on home soil? How do we come to terms with the sense that this team beat Paraguay 4-1 in their opener – the most impressive performance in the program’s history – but also lost dismally against Belgium by the same scoreline in the last 16? Leander Schaerlaeckens is the author of The Long Game: U.S. Men’s Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts , which is out now . He teaches at Marist University. Continue reading...
Why are we so obsessed with Taylor Swift’s wedding? | Dave Schilling
With marriage rates in decline, the appeal of a big wedding that we can live vicariously is stronger than ever Finally, after decades, I have something in common with Taylor Swift. It feels great to say that out loud, in public. No, I’m not famous, rich, particularly attractive, or a woman. I really, really can’t sing. Like, not even my karaoke is tolerable for human ears (dogs seem to be fine with it). No, our sole point of connection in the cosmic swirl of life is that we’ve both been married. I can’t compare this achievement to winning a Grammy or selling out Crypto.com Arena 16 times, but it has to be on the list somewhere. My wedding did not come close to the upwards of $50m floated by People Magazine as the cost of Swift’s. We got the venue for free because my wife’s family owned it, which is its own sort of privilege. Lena Dunham didn’t attend, but I certainly sent enough invites. Still, getting someone to agree to tolerate you “till death do you part” is no small feat. Did we get divorced three years later? Of course. I can’t believe she dealt with me even that long. Will Taylor and Travis Kelce beat our record? Depends on how often he forgets to put the toilet seat down in one of their numerous homes across the country . That guy just seems like the sort to make that mistake regularly. Don’t ask me how I came to this conclusion. I trust my own eyes. Dave Schilling is a Los Angeles-based writer and humorist Continue reading...
Trump immigration cuts could worsen US caregiver shortage, experts say
The loss of protections for Haitian and Syrian workers could worsen shortages of nurses, aides and home care workers The Trump administration may remove the temporary protected status (TPS) of Haitians and Syrians in the US, the US supreme court ruled in late June – a move that will worsen America’s growing caregiver shortage, experts say. The US is now experiencing its fastest increase in the aging population in more than a hundred years, and more than 20% of the US population will be 65 or older by 2030. But the population of caregivers has not grown at the same pace, leading to staffing shortages. Continue reading...
Increase in racism during World Cup reflects ‘growing pattern of abuse’
Experts say rise in social media attacks on players such as Kylian Mbappé needs to be viewed in wider political context World Cup live – latest updates As players in the World Cup shore up their tactics and hone their teamwork skills ahead of the quarter-finals, a chorus of voices have warned that the rise of divisive political rhetoric is translating into an intensifying challenge for players on the pitch: a surge in racism. “There’s a huge issue,” said Samuel Okafor, the chief executive of Kick It Out, a UK-based organisation that seeks to tackle discrimination in football. “The political climate that we’re facing is clearly finding its way into football. And it’s making a huge difference in the levels of abuse we’re seeing – people are certainly being emboldened now more than ever.” Continue reading...
Neil the one-tonne elephant seal causing traffic jams in rural Tasmania has returned to sea – for now
Premier Jeremy Rockliff says the ‘traffic cones and street signs of Tasmania can breathe a small sigh of relief’ Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A one-tonne southern elephant seal named Neil, whose beachside antics have attracted millions of views on social media, appears to have returned to sea. The five-year-old has spent several weeks at his usual twice-yearly haul-out spot in southern Tasmania. Continue reading...
VW faces protests in Germany over proposed job cuts and factory closures
Demonstrations at 18 sites set up as radical transformation plan put to board of Europe’s biggest carmaker Volkswagen’s proposal to slash up to 100,000 jobs and close factories faces a major test on Thursday as formal proposals are put to the supervisory board at Europe’s biggest carmaker, with protests planned at all plants in Germany. IG Metall, the influential staff union, has organised demonstrations involving shop stewards and union council members at 18 sites, including the company’s headquarters. It warned the chief executive, Oliver Blume, that he cannot “pass the buck for failures of recent years on to the workforce”. Continue reading...
Trump is bombing Iran again and blundering again. He has no grasp of his enemy | Sina Toossi
The president is behaving as if the battleground is the same, but it isn’t. Iran has leverage and knows it And so to war. Again. After a ceasefire and a hiatus, Donald Trump is now into the second day of a new phase of bombing Iran, with the US military claiming to have struck 170 Iranian targets in the past 48 hours. This is no surprise. Speaking at the Nato summit in Ankara this week, Donald Trump said he believed the US-Iran memorandum of understanding was “over”. He described Iran’s leaders as “evil, sick people” and threatened renewed military action and even a new blockade of Iranian ports, while also leaving the door open to further negotiations. 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...
Bonnie Tyler, 80s pop legend known for Total Eclipse of the Heart and more, dies aged 75
Welsh singer and Eurovision entrant’s other hits included Footloose soundtrack smash Holding Out for a Hero Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh singer whose husky yet commanding voice made songs such as Total Eclipse of the Heart into 1980s classics, has died aged 75. A message on her Facebook page reads: “Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for.” Continue reading...
Reform activists urged to switch focus from Manchester to Farage’s Clacton contest
Exclusive: Party hoped to mount serious challenge in mayoral race but attention has been diverted to Essex UK politics live – latest updates Reform UK activists have been urged to divert from the Greater Manchester mayoral byelection to support Nigel Farage’s “fake” contest 250 miles away in Clacton. A WhatsApp message shared with party members in north-west England said: “The message could not be more clear. We now need all of our fantastic activists, branch officers and councillors to come and help us in Clacton.” Continue reading...
France national team uses ICE deportation planes for World Cup travel
The plane that French team used after match with Paraguay flew 44 deportation-related flights this year alone The French men’s national soccer team, whose star Kylian Mbappé is one of the world’s most outspoken athletes against far-right politicians, has been using a charter airplane company that is at the heart of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign. Images of the team posted on social media and flight tracking data show the French team have used Global Crossing Airlines (GlobalX) for at least three domestic flights between their World Cup games and base camp in Boston. That same airline charter company has operated more than half of ICE’s removal flights in 2024 and 2025. Continue reading...
Barcelona registers highest temperature in 112 years as UK health service urges children and elderly to ‘take weather seriously’ – Europe live
Some stations in Spain recorded temperatures of up to 44C after western Europe experienced the warmest June on record As per the UK Health and Safety Agency’s guidance issued earlier this week, parts of the country are now covered by amber heat-health alert, until 9pm on Sunday. The regions affected are the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East and South West, UKHSA said. Continue reading...
Venomous snakes escape breeding farms in southern China during flooding
Local media in Hengzhou report king ratsnakes and cobras among hundreds in flood waters caused by typhoon Maysak Hundreds of snakes, including cobras, have escaped from flooded breeding farms in southern China as severe storms continue to batter parts of the country. State media reported that a snake farm in Hengzhou, in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, was hit by flood waters after days of heavy rainfall caused by typhoon Maysak , prompting warnings for nearby residents. Continue reading...
Burnham calls for ‘more open’ public debate about defence spending – UK politics live
Next Labour leader, who is set to be elected unopposed, outlines foreign policy principles largely in line with Starmer Burnham promises he will not use party discipline to stifle debate Good morning. Andy Burnham is due to become Labour leader a week tomorrow and, as nominations open for a leadership election that will not happen because Burnham is set to be elected unopposed, we are learning a bit more about how he intends to lead his party and his country. Yesterday, in a letter to Labour MPs, Burnham told them he would never use party discipline to “stifle debate” and says they should raise problems and policy ideas “without fear or favour”. Jessica Elgot has the story here. Burnham says he wants a “more open” public debate and scrutiny of defence spending. He says: Doing politics differently means levelling with the public, engaging them in decisions and ensuring more social value in return for increased government spending. I want to be more open with the public about how and where defence funding is spent. For our biggest defence and infrastructure projects, I want to see more detailed, public progress updates, with more transparency and accountability to tackle cost overruns or delays before they spiral out of control. Our increased investment must be combined with an increase in scrutiny. Burnham confirms he will keep Jonathan Powell in place as national security adviser. He says national security will be his “first priority if I become prime minister”. He says he wants to use higher defence investment to boost economic growth. In response to the evolving threats we face, and as we meet our Nato commitments, it is right that we rebuild our hard power for a new era that is very different to the one in which much of our current military equipment was first designed. Crucially, as we do so, I want to ensure we back British workers and businesses. This means we must go much further than ever before through the defence investment plan in backing British resilience, using a sustained increase in defence investment not only to provide the kit our armed forces need, but also to generate economic growth and create apprenticeships and jobs in communities that have seen opportunities drain away … Burnham says he wants an “even closer relationship” with European countries on defence. I want an even closer relationship with countries across Europe, working more through European-led groupings, such as the E3 (the UK, France and Germany), strengthening the European pillar in Nato and breaking down any barriers to defence industrial co-operation. But he also says he wants the UK’s relationship with the US to remain “critical”. Our commitment to Nato and the UK’s nuclear deterrent will remain absolute. Our relationship with the US will remain critical as our most important defence and security ally. And Britain’s support for Ukraine will not waver. We know that British security and wider Euro-Atlantic security are inseparable from what happens in Ukraine. He says he wants to make “further progress quickly” in deepening relations with the EU. I want to consolidate the progress made on the existing UK-EU negotiations and make further progress quickly, including by strengthening our co-operation on illegal migration, economic security and the broader resilience of our societies to external threats — from terrorism to AI-driven disinformation. He says he wants alliances “built on values as well as interests” Continue reading...
Great Britain’s grid operator issues another warning over power supplies in heatwave
Neso asks for extra supplies from electricity generators to cope with added demand on Thursday night Great Britain’s energy system operator has warned that “extreme temperatures” could hit power supplies on Thursday night, as the UK entered its third heatwave of the year. The National Energy System Operator (Neso) issued a notice overnight asking for extra supplies from power generators to cope with the added demand from households turning on fans and air conditioners to cope with the high temperatures. Continue reading...
World Cup quarter-final predictions: will anyone derail France? Some of our panel believe so …
With the World Cup down to eight teams, our writers assesses who’s left, identify the biggest remaining threats to France and make calls on who will lift the trophy Lionel Messi . As he proved in thrilling style against Egypt, Argentina’s No 10 still has magic in his boots even at the age of 39. While his penalty record of four from eight attempts is much worse than you’d expect, he is clinical when it matters most. EA Continue reading...
World Cup 2026: France v Morocco quarter-final buildup, Collina defends refereeing – live
⚽ All the latest as we look ahead to the quarter-finals ⚽ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Email us Fifa refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina defended the officiating in Argentina’s 3-2 victory over Egypt in the World Cup round of 16, dismissing allegations of bias and saying match officials operated with complete independence. In an interview published on inside.fifa.com on Thursday, Collina said criticism of referees was part of football but he condemned the questioning of the officials’ integrity after Egypt complained about the officiating following the defeat. Continue reading...