The Voice Reveal

‘Astonishing’ signs of regrowth discovered on world-famous tree, whose destruction led to outpouring of grief The felling of the Sycamore Gap tree brought forth an outpouring of emotion last year, with local people and tourists alike left bereft by pictures showing it on its side. But the latest stage of the saga has brought some “astonishing” green shoots of recovery, the National Trust has said – in a literal and metaphorical sense. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/t3sThFK via IFTTT

American dream played out in piece of irresistible theatre to bury the memories of the Damned Games of Tokyo Of course there was theatre at the very end. Two hours into this women’s Artistic Gymnastics Team final, with the USA coasting grandly at the head of the field, the logistics of competition left Simone Biles with one final act to stop the show. Three years on from Tokyo and The Breakdown, the only discipline remaining in that same team event was the Biles floor routine. And so in front of Bill Gates, Gianni Infantino, Serena Williams and Spike Lee, in front of the eyes of the world as ever, Simone Biles got to dance like no one was watching. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/i2yWdjT via IFTTT

French hero who took her baby daughter to training before Paris 2024 says: ‘I want women athletes to feel free’ She is one of France’s best-loved women sports stars, a martial arts hero hailed for breaking taboos over motherhood in elite sport by bringing her baby to training. So when the French judo star, Clarisse Agbégnénou, took the bronze medal in the under-63kg category on Tuesday and held aloft her baby daughter, Athéna, the adoring crowd went wild. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/wUL1zeo via IFTTT

Athletes becoming more strict with precautions Team GB’s Whittle: ‘Hand ­sanitising, wearing masks’ Further evidence of concern about the impact of Covid on swimming elements of the Olympics appeared on Tuesday night, when coaching teams of several nations – including Team GB – donned masks in the stand at La Défense Arena. There is no mandatory requirement to withdraw from the Games in cases of Covid, leaving nations to implement their own policies with athletes and staff. Adam Peaty confirmed he had tested positive after finishing in the silver‑medal position of the 100m breaststroke on Sunday evening. Peaty hopes to recover to take on relay roles at the weekend. Matters quickly extended beyond Team GB. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/AKXghIc via IFTTT

Olympic rower says men with children also expect their careers will last longer than women who are parents The Olympic rower Helen Glover has said fathers on Team GB receive less scrutiny for being parents than female peers and have expectations that their careers will last longer. As the world’s No 1 female rower and a two-time Olympic champion, Glover, who has three children, has long been an advocate for working mothers and since announcing her return from retirement a year ago to compete in Paris has been outspoken about the difficulties of juggling parenthood as an elite athlete. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Lc5i6br via IFTTT

Experts say policy changes that include scrapping Māori-led programs will harm communities and put New Zealand’s ‘great reputation’ at risk Revealed: the impact of shifts to policies affecting Māori Leading Māori figures from across New Zealand have sounded the alarm over the government’s changes to policies that affect Māori, after analysis by the Guardian highlighted the far-reaching scope of the proposals. The policy shifts proposed by the rightwing coalition have been described by experts as “chilling” and “dangerous” and have created a “deeply fractured” relationship between Māori and the crown, or ruling authorities. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/OtWil5T via IFTTT

Jonny Clothier was refused graduation at Bristol University over unpaid bill relating to flatmate’s bird A man who was denied his graduation for 41 years because of an unpaid bill of £64.80 relating to a parrot has finally donned his cap and gown on the same day as his son. Jonny Clothier studied architecture at the University of Bristol and was meant to graduate with his peers in 1983. But his old flatmate had a parrot which, after being left unsupervised, had free run of their university accommodation and was said to have wrecked the place. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/rSpTlKP via IFTTT

Phillipps, who has died aged 61, led one of New Zealand’s shining musical exports but the band was dogged by tragedy and his personal struggles Martin Phillipps, founder of New Zealand rock band the Chills, dies at 61 It is one of the great opening lines, by anyone: “Each evening the sun sets in five billion places, seen by 10 billion eyes, set in five billion faces.” The words are from Heavenly Pop Hit by the Chills , a band from Dunedin, New Zealand. There’s a good chance you know it, but there’s also a fair chance you don’t – in which case, stay with me. The author was Martin Phillipps, who has died suddenly at the age of 61 . It is far too young, although there are some who will think he did well to make it into a seventh decade. Others, who saw the resurrection of Phillipps’ stop-start career and his improved health, will feel the terrible curse that dogged his band has struck again. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/u3qbw4W via IFTTT

Embattled operator says sites in Glasgow, Bedford, Hinckley, Loughborough, Yate and Swindon now ‘unviable’ Cineworld has said it will close six venues across Britain as part of a plan to cut costs, as the debt-laden chain continues to struggle with the headwinds facing the cinema industry. The affected sites will be Glasgow Parkhead, Bedford, Hinckley, Loughborough, Yate and Swindon – Regent Circus. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/nbpZ5Fi via IFTTT

With Bank of England meeting on 1 August, people are advised to take advantage of top-paying accounts now Experts are split on whether there will be a UK interest rate cut on Thursday but most agree on one thing: savers should “act now” to lock into the best rates while they are still available. All eyes will be on the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee when it meets on 1 August, although while some believe we could see it announce the first base rate cut in more than four years, others reckon we will have to wait until at least September. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/mxUBJlS via IFTTT

The Parisian rain showed there is a good reason why Olympic opening ceremonies are held in stadiums Avant: le deluge. There was a moment, about an hour into Paris 2024’s Grand Opening Spectacular, as the rain soaked through shoes, trousers, socks and eventually skin, hair and bone; as yet more boats of waving people chugged down the Seine, like watching an endless series of weirdly nationalistic office parties; as some men did some dancing in a place, for reasons that frankly seemed quite remote at that point, where a thought occurred. Maybe this wasn’t just the worst Olympic opening ceremony ever. Maybe this wasn’t the worst outdoor event ever. Maybe this was the worst thing ever. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/mXUwMtG via IFTTT

Ukraine’s foreign minister calls on Hong Kong to prevent Russia from using region to circumvent sanctions; drone debris lands in Romania. What we know on day 884 The Pentagon has found $2bn worth of additional errors in its calculations for ammunition, missiles and other equipment sent to Ukraine , increasing the improperly valued material to a total of $8.2bn, a US government report revealed on Thursday. In 2023, the Pentagon said staff used “replacement value” instead of “depreciated value” to tabulate the billions in materials sent to Ukraine. The $6.2bn error created a path for billions more to be sent to Kyiv. Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on Hong Kong to prevent Russia and Russian businesses from using the region to circumvent sanctions . Kuleba met with Hong Kong leader John Lee as part of a visit to China. He called on the administration to prevent Russia from using Hong Kong to circumvent restrictions resulting from Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to...

Health secretary’s comments follow finding that Care Quality Commission struggling to identify performance issues in hospitals and care homes Wes Streeting has called England’s healthcare watchdog “not fit for purpose” after an interim report found significant failings were hampering its ability to identify poor performance at hospitals, care homes and GP practices. The health and social care secretary promised to “grip the crisis” at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) by taking immediate action to increase oversight of the body and giving patients more confidence in their care. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/MCPmNkv via IFTTT

Science secretary backs five quantum technology hubs in push for UK to transform healthcare and industry Britain’s plans to create advanced devices based on the mind-bending physics of the quantum world have received a £100m boost, in a move ministers hope will have a transformative impact on healthcare, transport and national security. Peter Kyle, the science secretary has announced funds to establish five quantum technology hubs across England and Scotland. They will work with industry and government to develop and commercialise devices and ultimately drive a new economy. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/SifjVU7 via IFTTT

Vice Admiral Eduardo Santos was in charge of the Philippine navy at a time of ‘creeping invasion’ by China. Then along came an unusual idea More than 25 years ago, the BRP Sierra Madre was sent off for one final, secret voyage. In the darkness of night, the Philippine navy ship sailed from Manila Bay into the remote waters of the South China Sea. Then, to the surprise of many, it ran aground, and hasn’t moved since. “I did it as quietly as I could, so I would not raise any hackles among anybody,” says Vice Adm Eduardo Santos, who was chief of the navy at the time. To him, it was a case of mission accomplished. His plan had been to run the ship on to a small reef known as Second Thomas Shoal, one of the world’s most fiercely contested maritime sites, without China knowing. The move would help the Philippines defend the area for decades to come. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/gQBl0Ez via IFTTT

We’re making the case for 21st-century, modern public ownership that serves our communities Ed Miliband is the energy secretary The public voted for change at the general election. Perhaps nowhere more than when it comes to energy. Every person and business has paid the price of our country’s energy insecurity. As Vladimir Putin sought to use energy as a weapon in his illegal invasion of Ukraine, bills went through the roof in a cost of living crisis unprecedented in modern times. As the Climate Change Committee (CCC) recently made clear, there is one obvious answer to preventing us being so exposed again – a sprint for homegrown clean energy. As it said in its progress report to parliament last week: “British-based renewable energy is the cheapest and fastest way to reduce vulnerability to volatile global fossil-fuel markets. The faster we get off fossil fuels, the more secure we become.” Ed Miliband is the Labour MP for Doncaster North and secretary of state for energy securit...

Report warns of crisis of poverty and mental health which ‘casts a shadow’ over young people’s wellbeing Ministers have been urged to reform the benefits system to tackle child poverty, after a report found it to be a major cause of mental illness that “casts a shadow” over young people’s wellbeing. The report, by the Centre for Mental Health, Save the Children UK and the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, found that the number of children living in poverty in the UK had increased to 4.3 million, while one in five children and young people aged between eight and 24 had a diagnosable mental health problem. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/GfdKMIw via IFTTT

Previous studies had suggested men could sense changes in body odour, but recent test found no compelling evidence The widespread belief that men are more attracted to the scent of a woman when she is at her most fertile may not be true after all, researchers say. A flurry of studies in recent decades have made a persuasive case that female body odour changes over the menstrual cycle, allowing perceptive males – in theory, at least – to sense when mating is most likely to result in pregnancy. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/F1f0OBL via IFTTT

Members of Tokyo’s Ara Style Senior say they were inspired by the inclusion of breakdancing at this year’s Paris Olympics Head spins and monkey flips are noticeable by their absence. But in their place there is a lot of laughter and a thumping beat, along with the occasional grimace and yelp of frustration. The 10 people – wearing bright orange and green T-shirts that mark them out as members of Ara Style Senior – do not belong to the demographic you would normally associate with breakdancing . Their average age hovers just below 70, and the oldest is 74. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/tJrfgVS via IFTTT

Orange Tree theatre, London Finn Cole plays swimmer Ray, whose life enters choppy waters when performance-enhancing drugs are discovered at his club A pair of swimming briefs is quite the costume for a professional stage debut, which can feel exposing enough for actors. But appearing on the hottest day of the year , Peaky Blinders’ Finn Cole may well have been relieved to be sporting just the titular trunks of Lucas Hnath’s 2013 play. The mini pool in Anna Fleischle’s striking set, part of an in-the-round design that covers the Orange Tree’s stage, walls and columns in a mosaic of blue, provides an extra opportunity to cool off. The stillness of that tranquil pool, beneath Sally Ferguson’s shimmering lighting, opposes the increasingly choppy life of Cole’s swimmer, Ray, after performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) are discovered at his club. This threatens his Olympic ambitions but also jeopardises his brother Peter (Ciarán Owens), a lawyer who dreams of stage-managing Ray’s glittering f...

Capital’s residents told on Sunday to stay in shelters; Iskander missiles apparently used in Kharkiv region strike while shelling hits city of Nikopol. What we know on day 879 See all our Ukraine war coverage Ukraine’s air defence systems were engaged in repelling a Russian air attack on the capital, Ukraine’s military said on Sunday. “Air defence systems are being activated on the approaches to Kyiv,” Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, said on Telegram. “Stay in shelters until the air raid alarms is lifted.” Russian missiles and artillery fire in north-east and southern Ukraine killed at least three people on Saturday , law enforcement agencies said. A missile attack was launched around 3.15am on the town of Barvinkove in Izium district, the north-east Kharkiv region’s prosecutor’s office said. The statement listed the dead as two men aged 48 and 69 and said about 50 buildings were damaged in the strike, apparently by three Russian Iskander missiles. Anoth...

A new report suggests men are less likely than women to have a trusting relationship with a doctor and so miss out on health literacy and advice Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails , free app or daily news podcast After Shehan Karunaratne noticed a lump on his testicle, the 26-year-old went to the doctor – but only mentioned the pain going up his leg. The general practitioner recommended physiotherapy. A year later, when he returned coughing up blood, he received a diagnosis of stage 4 testicular cancer which had spread to his lungs, grown on the nerves down his back, around his hip and down his legs. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9p2VuI1 via IFTTT

Result of Guardian Australia experiment aligns with research showing social media automatically delivers troubling content to young men, largely without oversight Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails , free app or daily news podcast How do the algorithms of Facebook and Instagram affect what you see in your news feed? To find out, Guardian Australia unleashed them on a completely blank smartphone linked to a virgin email address. Three months later, without any input, they were riddled with sexist and misogynistic content. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1afCxvj via IFTTT

If we search God’s Word, we find powerful, spiritual wisdom regarding what we can do when we experience anxiety, what God can do about it, and truths to cling to in our times of anxiousness. from Christianity.com https://ift.tt/XSWRqiu

‘Digital pandemic’, ‘havoc’ and ‘meltdown’ were some of the most common phrases in UK headlines after botched CrowdStrike software update Saturday’s headlines are dominated by the fallout from an IT failure that grounded planes, took TV channels off air and played havoc with health services, banking and retail businesses around the world. The outage was the result of a botched software upgrade by US firm CrowdStrike that hit Microsoft’s Windows operating systems and left workers with a “blue screen of death” as their computers failed to start. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CIBnlhH via IFTTT

Australia’s commitment to social housing is far outstripped by rising demand. With greater opportunity, architects could deliver world class designs The social housing of last century often calls to mind towering blocks of flats, poorly maintained with dark, pokey and cold units. But alongside a rise in community living, the 21st century has brought quality construction, sustainability, and quality of life to the forefront of social housing design. Australia’s commitment to and funding for social housing stock is limited . But by 2037, Australia is estimated to have 1.1 million people seeking social housing . Professor of architecture and head of the University of NSW’s school of the built environment, Philip Oldfield, says that for an investment in social housing to match cosmopolitan cities like Paris or Barcelona, more housing of quality needs to be built. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/AWpONda via IFTTT

Childbirth made sex painful for Ruth, and Lawrence felt rejected. An operation has made intimacy easier but the relationship still bears the psychological scars But it stems from the fact that I had an episiotomy when I was in labour with my daughter, which means the doctor made an incision in my vagina to make it easier for me to give birth. When Lawrence and I started having tentative sex about 12 weeks after our baby was born, penetration caused me terrible pain. My midwife implied I was being hysterical and making the pain up. I feel stronger in myself since hitting my 50s, and I think I’ve got better at communicating about sex Sex functions like airbrushing in a relationship. If the sex is going well, other irritations don’t bother you so much Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ifF9YJw via IFTTT

Command centre and ammunition depot hit, says Ukrainian defence source; Ukraine’s army confirms pullout from Urozhaine. What we know on day 877 Ukrainian aerial and maritime drones struck Russian military targets on the illegally occupied Crimean peninsula on Thursday, a defence source in Kyiv said. An operation by the navy and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) damaged or disabled a command centre and an ammunition depot among other facilities at Lake Donuzlav in western Crimea, the source told Agence France-Presse. The Russian military said it brought down 33 Ukrainian aerial drones over Crimea and 10 naval drones heading for the peninsula. The figures were not independently verified and Russian officials routinely claim after attacks that most or all threats were eliminated, regardless of the outcome. Ukraine’s army confirmed it had pulled out from the village of Urozhaine in the eastern Donetsk region. The village was reduced to rubble which “made it impossible to hold the...

Funding and staffing shortages mean plan to introduce cap in October 2025 impossible to deliver, councils say Long-awaited changes designed to protect individuals from having to sell their homes to meet large social care bills must be further delayed because of funding and staffing shortages, the leaders of England’s largest councils have said. Plans to introduce a cap on social care costs – which would limit people’s lifetime care cost contributions to a maximum of £86,000 – in October 2025 will be impossible to deliver, the County Councils Network (CCN) said. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/IBXENF0 via IFTTT

Northumbrian village was named as nation’s favourite, just ahead of Portmeirion and St Andrews Bamburgh, the Northumbrian village known for its sprawling sand dunes and imposing castle, has retained its title as the UK’s best seaside destination for the fourth consecutive year. A survey of 4,700 people by the consumer group Which? placed the Northumberland coastal village as the nation’s favourite, ahead of Portmeirion in Gwynedd and St Andrews in Fife. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/FscJRl6 via IFTTT

We’ll fight on regardless of Washington support, says Ukrainian defence minister; US jails Russian military parts smuggler. What we know on day 876 Germany plans to halve its military aid to Ukraine in 2025 , to €4bn, despite concerns over continued US support, according to a draft budget seen by Reuters. Instead the German government hopes Ukraine will be able to meet the bulk of its military needs with $50bn in loans from proceeds of frozen Russian assets approved by the G7, and that funds earmarked for armaments will not be fully used. “Ukraine’s financing is secured for the foreseeable future thanks to European instruments and the G7 loans,” the German finance minister, Christian Lindner, said on Wednesday. Germany has faced criticism for repeatedly missing a Nato target of spending 2% of its GDP on defence, but aims to comply by 2025. Trump’s choice of JD Vance as his running mate is “bad for us but it’s terrible news for [Ukraine] ”, a senior European diplomat in Washington to...

Ohio senator will take center stage at the Republican national convention around 9.30pm CT; former trade adviser was jailed for contempt of Congress Trump sees former ‘Never Trumper’ Vance as a way to expand base Who is Usha Vance, wife of Trump’s running mate? To massive cheers across the convention floor, Peter Navarro has taken the stage. He just got out of prison. “Yes, this morning I did walk out of a federal prison in Miami. Joe Biden and his department of INjustice put me there,” he said. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/sQmRxhX via IFTTT

Czech ammunition factory for Ukraine; Baltic states to cut electrical grid ties with Russia and Belarus. What we know on day 875 Russia has been forced to lock down 14 border villages in its Belgorod region due to the Ukrainian fightback against Russian attacks on the Kharkiv region across the border. “From July 23 we are restricting access to 14 residential settlements where the operational situation is extremely difficult,” said the Belgorod governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov. Vladimir Putin launched a May ground offensive on the north-eastern Kharkiv region that he said was intended to create a buffer or “sanitary zone” to protect the Belgorod region but it has instead come under continued shelling and drone attacks from Ukraine, with frequent fatalities, while Russian successes in the Kharkiv region have been limited. The chief of Russia’s general staff, Valery Gerasimov, thanked Russian forces on Tuesday for capturing the village of Urozhaine in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, R...

Movember says British men have worse health than comparable countries and suffer stark regional inequalities More than 133,000 men die early every year in the UK, equating to 15 every hour, according to a report calling for urgent action to improve men’s health. Two in five men are dying prematurely, before the age of 75 and often from entirely avoidable health conditions, research by the charity Movember found. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie . 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 Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9Z4a6E8 via IFTTT

When I was in school, for a few weeks every year, caterpillars were the most exciting thing happening Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email On the trunks of small magnolia trees, in the corner where a table leg meets a table top, on a low damp wall in the shade – here the hairy caterpillars gather together. They travel in long lines, they sleep as close to each other as possible (displaying, it is called in science, a high level of “gregariousness”), as though the scariest thing a predator might see is a cat’s disembodied tail or retched-up fur ball, or a too-small itchy blanket. If you take a picture of a hairy caterpillar and put it on the internet, a stranger will tell you that you can safely touch it, while another will say you can’t under any circumstances. “What about that says, ‘Touch me’?” one person will ask. “People really need to get a grip,” another will write. “The caterpillars which are hazardous to touch are the hairy Marys, which have hollow hairs with venom....

It was a second consecutive Euros final defeat for the England boss from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/QFRBCvS via IFTTT

A 2-1 defeat against Spain in Berlin meant the England manager had fallen agonisingly short in successive Euros finals from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/GMmZ6rC via IFTTT

England captain reveals deep hurt after defeat by Spain Gareth Southgate says too early to talk about his future An anguished Harry Kane called ­England’s Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain “as painful as it can be”, describing their sense of hurt after losing to Mikel Oyarzabal’s late ­winner in Berlin. Spain were worthy winners but that was little consolation to the ­England captain, who again looked below par and was replaced by Ollie Watkins just after the hour. The ­country’s wait for a first men’s tournament win since 1966 continues after a night when Gareth Southgate again refused to offer indications about his future. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/yHENKXA via IFTTT

Police trying to trace next of kin after blaze in East Ham on Saturday morning A child has died and five people have been taken to hospital after a house fire in east London. Six fire engines and about 40 firefighters were called to the blaze in Napier Road, East Ham, at just before 8.30am on Saturday, the London fire brigade (LFB) said. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/LXvSpos via IFTTT

As the British navigator is reburied with pomp and ceremony in his village church, Aboriginal Australians call for respect for the ‘incredibly brave’ man who made the voyage possible For someone who dedicated his life to finding, navigating and mapping things, it was unfortunate that Matthew Flinders’ body was lost for the better part of 200 years. Archaeologists announced in 2019 they had rediscovered the grave of the first man known to have circumnavigated Australia, while digging under a park behind London’s Euston station during excavations for the HS2 high-speed rail line. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/qBLU3Yf via IFTTT

More people are turning to the edibles instead of smoking, and for some it’s an alcohol alternative Get our morning and afternoon news emails , free app or daily news podcast Ruth started taking cannabis gummies two years ago, “in a similar way to people having a glass of wine with dinner or a beer after work,” she says. “I use them if I just want a fun afternoon or evening to relax, by myself or with friends,” she says, and unlike alcohol, “I don’t have a hangover in the morning.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/EVv2UNi via IFTTT

England moved one step closer to booking their place in next summer’s Switzerland tournament with a 2-1 victory over the Republic of Ireland. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/IrNLi5Q via IFTTT

As the British navigator is reburied with pomp and ceremony in his village church, Aboriginal Australians call for respect for the ‘incredibly brave’ man who made the voyage possible For someone who dedicated his life to finding, navigating and mapping things, it was unfortunate that Matthew Flinders’ body was lost for the better part of 200 years. Archaeologists announced in 2019 they had rediscovered the grave of the first man known to have circumnavigated Australia, while digging under a park behind London’s Euston station during excavations for the HS2 high-speed rail line. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/qBLU3Yf via IFTTT

The post-Nato press conference was an opportunity for the world to see Biden unscripted, but there was no coming back from the Zelenskiy/Putin slip up Should I stay or should I go? If I stay there will be trouble … This wasn’t so much a press conference, more a job interview conducted in front of an audience of millions. One where almost everyone had already made up their mind that they would rather almost anyone else got the nod. This was politics as a bloodsport. Painful to watch. Like intruding on a personal grief. Because there could be no winner here. Were Joe Biden to be word perfect and razor sharp, the doubts would remain about his cognitive abilities. The US president cannot erase his recent past. The gaffes come with ever increasing frequency. The obvious confusion. The long silences. The middle-distance stares. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/BaOxbLK via IFTTT

Azerbaijani captain was accused of violating rules on entering occupied territory and picking up agricultural products; Ukraine’s former armed forces chief begins work as ambassador to Britain. What we know on day 770 See all our Ukraine war coverage Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/y7em461 via IFTTT

When Anderson went out to bat for the last time in Test cricket, it was alongside his 109th England teammate, Jamie Smith It was a slow sort of day’s play at Lord’s, a prop-your-hands-behind-your-head, and swing-your-feet-up-on-the-chair-in-front-of-you sort of afternoon. The match has been drifting towards a predictable finish ever since the West Indies’ batting collapse on Wednesday morning, and midway through the second day MCC staff were already worrying about whether or not they ought to prepare an announcement about ticket refunds on the third. No one else around the ground seemed to be too worried. The sun was out, and the stands buzzed with idle chit chat about this and that, shoes, ships, sealing wax, facts and stats about Jimmy Anderson. These have become a genre of their own, like those old Chuck Norris jokes. Turns out Anderson has bowled just under 4% of all the deliveries the England team have ever sent down in Test cricket, and taken just over 4% of all their wickets t...

Until his late dismissal of Jayden Seales, the bowler looked like he would prefer to slip quietly into Test retirement “And opening the bowling from the Pavilion End it’s …” Jimmy Anderson, of course. Same as it has been, on and off, since he took five for 73 against Zimbabwe here in his very first Test 21 years ago . He’s almost a fixture at Lord’s, like Old Father Time on the weather vane above the scorers’ box. The 21 other men from that first Test match he played are long gone now: one of them was Anderson’s last boss at the England and Wales Cricket Board; another is his latest; a third is working as one of his coaches; many of the rest make a living talking about him and his teammates. But Anderson is still out there, for this last week at least. Those old teammates of his will tell you he was a sullen kid who hardly spoke to them all week. He didn’t seem so very different now, a little slower, for sure, and with a few more wrinkles too, but still pretty surly with it. Ande...

Les Bleus never played like pre-tournament favourites but this defeat by Spain felt like the passing of an era On a steamy night in Munich, France finally found a way to entertain the world at this European Championship. It turns out that France losing is really very gripping. Not least when the decisive figure in the game is a supercharged 16-year-old whose entire presence seems to express not just elite talent, but lightness, fun, the creative spirit. France never played like pre-tournament favourites across their six matches in Germany. Here they were beaten by a superior team, far more incisive in their attacking, and supremely good at controlling the midfield. Defeat by Spain is one thing. This felt like something else too, perhaps even a passing on for the strangulation-football of the mature Didier Deschamps era. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/i0o8YUH via IFTTT

Max Rushden is joined by Barney Ronay, Philippe Auclair and Semra Hunter as Spain see off France to extend march towards glory Follow Football Weekly wherever you get your podcasts and join the conversation on Facebook , Twitter and email . On the podcast today; Spain get a deserved 2-1 win over France as they progress to the final of Euro 2024. Lamine Yamal, how do you talk about him without mentioning he’s just 16? What a goal he scored. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/lHVCty5 via IFTTT

Guardian analysis shows web of agreements between Pacific countries and Australia, US and China, as experts raise concerns over rising militarisation As competition for influence in the Pacific region intensifies, analysis by the Guardian has mapped a vast network of security, policing and defence agreements between the island countries and foreign partners – leading to concerns about militarisation of the region. The Guardian examined agreements and partnerships covering security, defence and policing with the 10 largest Pacific countries by population. Australia remains the dominant partner in the region – accounting for more than half the deals identified – followed by New Zealand, the US and China. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/6rqDpNk via IFTTT

US firm’s move, amid Beijing-Washington tensions, sparks rush to lure users to homegrown models At the World AI Conference in Shanghai last week, one of China’s leading artificial intelligence companies, SenseTime, unveiled its latest model, SenseNova 5.5. The model showed off its ability to identify and describe a stuffed toy puppy (wearing a SenseTime cap), offered feedback on a drawing of a rabbit, and instantly read and summarised a page of text. According to SenseTime, SenseNova 5.5 is comparable with GPT-4o , the flagship artificial intelligence model of the Microsoft-backed US company OpenAI. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/wUAgxXl via IFTTT

Members have put forward hard-fought aid package but as Russia resumes large-scale attacks it may not satisfy Kyiv After one of the worst Russian missile strikes against Ukraine in recent months , Nato leaders will sit down in Washington DC this week to announce the details of a hard-fought aid package that will include crucial air defense systems meant to protect Ukrainian cities. The package put forward by Nato countries has been presented as “historic” and is an widely seen as an attempt to “futureproof” continued aid to Ukraine – but it may not fully satisfy Kyiv, which has been facing unprecedented attacks against civilian sites and infrastructure. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/YfOKxVP via IFTTT

The geekiest edge of the British music underground is fuelled by the 90s, featuring a ZX Spectrum Noel Edmonds, a Blobby-themed grindcore band, and a lady who performs the script to Theme Hospital We’ve had live jazz bands playing Mario Kart, and a full orchestra rendition of Sonic. But there’s a whole subgenre of video game music artists who’d happily describe their sound as even more nerdy. “Nerdcore has been around for 25 years. It’s hip-hop about nerdy subjects, predominantly video games,” says 41-year-old Nick Box from Blackpool. Box has been in all sorts of “weird silly bands” such as electronic horror punk band Hot Pink Sewage , where “all I did was dress as a gimp and push play on the backing track”. He now performs solo as Cliff Glitchard and it’s even weirder than you think. “It’s all set against a backdrop of a ZX Spectrum running an AI clone of 90s TV presenter Noel Edmonds,” he “explains”. “The show starts with the Spectrum loading screen, then a pixelated Edmonds tel...

Questions to Marc Guéhi and Ezri Konsa blocked Team were ‘absolutely crucified’ for Euro 2020 final shootout says Southgate The Football Association’s determination to relieve pressure on England at Euro 2024 has led them to throw a veil of secrecy over the team’s approach to penalties, underlined by players being blocked from answering questions about the squad’s shootout process. It is understood there has been unhappiness within the FA at former staff members lifting the lid on the heavily detailed psychological work done to alter England’s tortured relationship with spot-kicks. There have been pointed remarks from Gareth Southgate, who has driven much of the change, and officials were reluctant to allow any insights to leak out after the nerveless shootout victory in Saturday’s quarter-final against Switzerland . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/QVz9Cdn via IFTTT

WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas will be John Cena’s last from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/ve28IZY via IFTTT

Two bodies recovered from rubble of southern house while collision of oil truck and minibus in western Rivne region leaves single survivor. What we know on day 865 See all our Ukraine war coverage Russian shelling killed three civilians in Ukraine’s southern region of Kherson on Saturday, officials said. Two bodies were recovered from the rubble of a house that came under fire in the morning in a village near Beryslav, north of Kherson town, prosecutors said. An artillery strike in the evening killed one person in a village south of the town, said the region’s governor, Oleksander Prokudin. Russian night-time strikes left more than 100,000 households without power in northern Ukraine and cut off the water supply to a regional capital , Ukrainian authorities said on Saturday. The northern Sumy region, which borders Russia, was plunged into darkness after Russian strikes late on Friday damaged energy infrastructure, the Ukrainian energy ministry said. Hours later, the Ukrainian pub...

The reformist’s life has been shaped by conscription duty in a deprived city and great personal tragedy The shock election of Masoud Pezeshkian as Iran’s new president is as much a testimony to his personality as to his politics. A former heart surgeon and health minister, he came across in the many presidential TV debates as a man of great personal integrity and humility, desperate to bring the country together after it had been divided domestically and abroad. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/8fK5yti via IFTTT

Classical pianist Simon Tedeschi established an online rapport with artist Loribelle Spirovski. But could it transcend an awkward start and a social faux pas? Find more stories from The moment I knew series here Concert pianists like me generally don’t work that well with others. We practise alone and most of the time perform alone. When you spend that much time in your own company you get quite sensitive to criticism. I am a very impatient person, obsess over tiny things and tend towards melancholia. All this made pairing up all the trickier. I didn’t just want to “be” with someone. I sought in a relationship what I sought in art: I wanted something that made me transcend my daily concerns. I wanted someone who made me better than I am. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/eX2Aruy via IFTTT

Lib Dem strategy was vindicated, Greens and Reform had their best night, while Labour’s victory had its flaws Keir Starmer is the UK’s new prime minister after the Labour party’s landslide general election victory. He has taken over from Rishi Sunak, whose Conservative party suffered a collapse in support. As of Friday, left-of-centre Labour had won 412 seats , returning to power with a huge parliamentary majority of 174, just short of the 179 majority won by Tony Blair in 1997. The Conservatives’ vote share fell by 20 points and their number of MPs fell from 251 to 121, the party’s worst electoral performance in modern times. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/HAFwVYQ via IFTTT

EU leadership condemns self-styled peacemaker Orbán’s visit to Moscow; Russian attacks kill eight in Donetsk, say Ukrainian officials. What we know on day 864 Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukraine’s president, has said after the election of a new UK government : “I am grateful to Keir Starmer for his assurances that Britain’s support for Ukraine will remain unchanged in principle.” Starmer’s office said he told Zelenskiy in a phone call that the Labour government would keep providing “unwavering” support for Kyiv in its war against Russia . Zelenskiy said he had wished the new PM success in fulfilling the expectations of the British people. Zelenskiy also thanked the outgoing Conservative PM, Rishi Sunak, for his steadfast support. Zelenskiy said he and Starmer had “coordinated our positions” ahead of next week’s Nato summit at which Ukraine hopes to hear of possible steps to membership. A senior US official said Nato allies at their summit in Washington would unveil a “bridge to membership”...

Nicola Sturgeon says poll ‘grimmer end of expectations’ while Labour projected to reverse losses General election 2024: live news UK general election results live When will we know who won? Hour-by-hour election night guide The Scottish National party, is facing a near wipeout in Westminster after dominating politics in Scotland for a decade, as an exit poll suggested it would be left with just 10, against its previous 48, MPs. Scotland’s former first minister Nicola Sturgeon told ITV that the projection showing they would lose 38 constituencies would translate into a “seismic” night for Labour, if it proved accurate. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/4Mz2CiP via IFTTT

Want to catch a few results before bed, or see it through to the moment of reckoning? We’ve got you covered UK general election live: latest updates Live tracker: UK general election results 2024 After months of speculation on when the election might be held, six weeks of actual campaigning, D-day blunders, gambling scandals, smashing the gangs, stopping the boats, surrendering finances, triple-lock-pluses, national service, VAT on private schools, taxes up and taxes down, the election night will soon be upon us. Here’s how it may unfold: Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/AhYOaHX via IFTTT

Mayor of city in south-east Ukraine says kindergartens were among buildings hit in strike that killed at least five people. What we know on day 862 See all our Ukraine war coverage A day of mourning has been announced for Thursday after a Russian missile and drone strike killed at least five people and wounded 53 in the south-eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Wednesday. Borys Filatov, the city’s mayor, said on Telegram that the attack damaged kindergartens, schools and hospitals and caused fires across the city. Commercial buildings were also damaged, officials said. As part of a plea for more air defences and long-range weapons, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy published footage on Telegram showing a large explosion in the sky followed by a fireball shooting down towards the ground. “This Russian terror can only be stopped by modern air defences and our long-ranged weapons,” Zelenskiy said. “The world can protect lives, and only the decisiveness of leaders is needed.” Olha, the ma...

The milestone comes six years after the number eight made his international debut. from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/tnTeYO8 via IFTTT

Final polls predict unprecedented Labour victory, with Starmer declaring Britain a ‘great nation, with boundless potential’ Keir Starmer has hailed a “new age of hope and opportunity” as millions of people prepare to vote in a general election that could deliver the biggest shake-up of British politics in a generation. The Labour leader said he was “ready for government” and that his intended cabinet would “hit the ground running” if it wins Thursday’s election. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/hm8aVAw via IFTTT

Thompson fire near Oroville destroys homes and vehicles as state simmers in brutal and potentially historic heatwave Thousands of homes are under threat from a raging wildfire that erupted in northern California on Tuesday, as the state simmers in a brutal and potentially historic heatwave. Roughly 28,000 residents have been forced to evacuate as the Thompson fire quickly swept across more than 3,500 acres (1,416 hectares) near the city of Oroville, about an hour outside Sacramento, California’s capital. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/lYn2kjT via IFTTT

Writer, who died in his Los Angeles home, also worked without credit on The Godfather and Bonnie and Clyde Robert Towne, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Chinatown , considered one of the greatest screenplays of all time, has died at age 89. Towne, the screenwriter also nominated for his films Shampoo and The Last Detail, died on Monday among family members at his Los Angeles home, said his publicist, who did not disclose a cause of death. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Iwp601r via IFTTT

President looks to reassure party leaders as 25 House members reportedly prepare to call for him to step down Joe Biden will meet with Democratic governors on Wednesday as the president faces increasingly concerning polls and growing calls to withdraw his candidacy, including from a congressional Democrat. Biden will talk with governors and Capitol Hill leaders this week, officials said on Tuesday, to reassure them of his competence and address escalating discontent among party leaders after last week’s calamitous debate performance against Donald Trump. News of the meetings comes after Lloyd Doggett, a congressman from Texas, became the first Democrat in the House of Representatives to publicly urge the president to step aside. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/W9JxFgc via IFTTT

Turkey into Euro 2024 quarter-finals with 2-1 victory Rangnick bemoans lack of luck as Austria exit Vincenzo Montella hailed Turkey’s spirit in overcoming a highly fancied Austria side and booking a place in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals. The manager also admitted he had wiped “a horrible stain” from his career, banishing the ghosts of a 6-1 defeat against the same opponents in March. “I’m very proud of the spirit we showed on the pitch,” Montella said. “It’s outstanding for a coach when you’re able to see that. Besides our formation, our gameplan and our tactics I saw Turkish heart today, and that’s what I love about this country.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/g38KV4m via IFTTT

Other viewers saw the funny side after Ronaldo missed a penalty during Portugal’s dramatic Euro 2024 win over Slovenia from The Independent Sport https://ift.tt/OHCrJm8 via IFTTT

Pressure on household finances eases as shop price rises slow to 0.2% and petrol costs drop for second month Britain’s next government is poised to benefit from easing pressure on household finances after a slowdown in inflation in stores and a fall in fuel prices, but costs remain “too expensive” for many families. Figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show that annual UK shop price inflation cooled last month to 0.2%, down from 0.6% in May – the slowest pace since October 2021 – as retailers cut the prices of many of their key products, including butter and coffee. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/n0YeZ2X via IFTTT

Report proposing new approach welcomed by mother of Jeni Larmour, who died after taking alcohol and ketamine UK universities are being urged to ditch a zero-tolerance approach to drug use and focus instead on public health and harm reduction, with drug testing and non-judgmental support for students seeking help. The warning came as new research found students are less likely to use drugs than those of the same age group in the general population. Of the minority that do, more than two out of five would like to reduce their use. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/uDRAPhK via IFTTT