Mubeen Blogs

The assailant, Corey Cobb-Bey, was later killed after police stopped him and he pointed a shotgun at officers The Dallas police chief said on Friday that a man intentionally set out to shoot police when he killed an officer sitting in his patrol car and wounded two others in a late-night ambush that set off a highway chase and ended with officers fatally shooting the attacker. The shooting on Thursday night brought fresh anguish and anger in a city where a gunman’s ambush on police in 2016 killed five officers . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/0nfO9cm

Israel accused of using a 10-year-old girl as a human shield as it carried out its devastating attack on the occupied Palestinian territory When Israeli soldiers arrived at the modest house along an alleyway in Nur Shams camp on Wednesday night, they sent the women and four of the children out into the street, but kept hold of Malak Shihab. They took the muzzle off their dog and it went straight up to the slight 10-year-old girl and sniffed her. Terrified, she pleaded to be with her mother, but the soldiers seemed to have just one phrase in accented Arabic: “Open the doors.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/TvyK7Qp

Even on those rare occasions when it seems they may be at risk of slipping up, Manchester City can always draw strength from the likelihood of Erling Haaland producing the unanswerable ruthlessness that made the difference in this victory over an insubordinate West Ham. Be afraid. After looking short of peak sharpness at the end of last season, Haaland is back to his awesome best. Another hat-trick to follow on from last week’s destruction of Ipswich brought the striker to seven goals in the first three games. It ensured that City, who lived dangerously at times, maintained their perfect start on an evening when West Ham showed that Julen Lopetegui’s attempts to play a more expansive style will bear fruit in the long run. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/lsdAiHx

Film among host of sexually explicit features on this year’s lineup as erotica returns to screens after years of chastity It’s been 25 years since Nicole Kidman starred in Stanley Kubrick’s erotic classic Eyes Wide Shut opposite her then husband, Tom Cruise. Although the Oscar-winner has evaded sexually explicit roles in recent years, she is making a comeback to the genre by playing the lead in one of the most risque feature films to premiere at the Venice film festival this year. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/BM0fny3

Social media platform to be blocked by ISPs because it did not appoint legal representative in allotted time The Brazilian supreme court has ordered that X be suspended in the country after the social media platform failed to meet a deadline to appoint a legal representative in the country. Late on Friday afternoon, Justice Alexandre de Moraes – who has been engaged in a dispute with X’s owner, Elon Musk, since April – ordered the “immediate, complete and total suspension of X’s operations” in the country, “until all court orders … are complied with, fines are duly paid, and a new legal representative for the company is appointed in the country”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/jiEg5bk

Anera says four men who died in Gaza were volunteers, but IDF describes them as ‘armed assailants’ who hijacked car An aid agency whose convoy was hit by an Israeli airstrike on Thursday has said that the four men killed were local community members who had asked to serve as an escort for the convoy. The four men were the only casualties from the strike, which hit the lead vehicle in which they were travelling . The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described them as “armed assailants” who had hijacked the convoy. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/SirJ2Tc

Two men charged with murder of Bryonie Gawith and her three children, with third suspect ‘very unwell’ in hospital A man arrested on suspicion of murder at the scene of a house fire that killed a mother and her three children is in a coma and “may not recover”, a court has heard. Bryonie Gawith, 29, and her three children – Denisty Birtle, nine, Oscar Birtle, five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle – died in the early hours of last Wednesday, after a fire at their home in Bradford. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/KhZcv3w

The vice-president nominee’s workwear is a central conversation on the election trail. It’s not the first time fashion has become political Don’t get Fashion Statement delivered to your inbox? Sign up here Let’s play the word association game. What do you think of when you read the following? Plaid. Workwear. Camo. If it isn’t words such as practical, hardwearing, hunting or fishing then you’ve been drinking from fashion’s well for too long. Because while in recent years luxury labels have turned all of the above into catwalk fodder, these are the clothes equivalents of agriculture, land, the great outdoors. They also just happen to be the cornerstones of vice-president nominee Tim Walz’s style. He wore an LL Bean barn jacket while on a farm last November, and was spotted in a camouflage cap after he got the call from Kamala Harris asking him to be her running buddy. His wardrobe is all Carhartt, fleeces, jeans, Red Wing boots and worn-in T-shirts. Continue reading... from The

Chipmaker, third most valuable company in world, records $30.04bn in revenue, showing AI demand continues to rise Chipmaker Nvidia reported its latest financial results on Wednesday, recording $30.04bn in revenue over the past three months – a 122% jump from the year prior – and showing that artificial intelligence investment mania shows no signs of cooling. The importance of Nvidia’s earnings results to Wall Street can hardly be overestimated – the company represents 6% of the total value of the S&P 500, currently the third most valuable company in the world by market capitalization at $3.1tn. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/wKXGuyE

Police Scotland arrest 52-year-old after decision made to open murder inquiry based on postmortem results A 52-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death of a woman in Scotland, police said. Brodie MacGregor, 23, was pronounced dead inside a flat after emergency crews were called to an address in the Springburn area of Glasgow at about 10.15am on Monday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/bvtWhIL

A man in Washington state has trademarked the phrase – but all isn’t lost for Jools LeBron, legal experts say The creator behind TikTok’s “demure” catchphrase has become more mindful of US trademark law. Jools Lebron, an influencer with over 2 million followers on the app, became an overnight sensation after advising on how to be “demure”, “mindful” and “cutesy” at work and in life. The trend picked up steam, with brands like Verizon and Netflix working with Lebron on sponsored content, and celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Olivia Rodrigo and Gillian Anderson using the phrase in their own videos. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/WR1VeTn

Magistrates told to delay jailing criminals as weekly prison population reaches highest level since 2011 There are only 100 spaces left in men’s prisons in England and Wales, according to reports. The system, already in the midst of an overcrowding crisis, is normally under greater pressure after a bank holiday weekend, which eases when courts reopen. While courts can sit on a bank holiday Monday, prisoners are unable to be released until Tuesday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/I1FktM9

Exhilarating sport is guaranteed even if scepticism remains about scheduling the Games at the end of Les Vacances Plastered on the walls of every Métro station in Paris this week are adverts boasting some boundary-pushing Franglais. Alongside images of Paralympic athletes running, leaping and wheeling is a slogan directed at residents of the French capital. It reads: “Game [is not] over”. For those unfamiliar with 1980s video arcade jargon, “game over” was the message that heralded the moment a machine ate your money. The grammatically tortuous “is not” has been overlaid by organisers of Paris 2024 to remind locals that the summer of sporting excellence will continue. The Paralympic Games begin on Wednesday night, and every Parisian is welcome. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/m623PZH

The new foreign secretary has access to data not available to the public – and has a duty to model respect for the law Sam Fowles is a barrister, author and broadcaster Britain’s history of developing and upholding international law should be a source of pride. The UK was once at the forefront of prosecuting war crimes, enshrining international human rights and developing the Geneva conventions. Recent governments, however, treated international law with contempt: successive Conservative administrations legislated to break the EU trade agreement within months of ratification, breached the refugee convention over the Rwanda plan, and repeatedly threatened to leave the European convention on human rights. The general election offered the opportunity for a reset. One of the Starmer government’s early acts was to discontinue the UK’s attempt to block the international criminal court arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence minister, Yoav Gallant. The new prime minister a

Daniel Komen’s 3,000m record bettered by three seconds Armand Duplantis raises pole vault world record to 6.26m Jakob Ingebrigtsen shattered the longstanding 3,000m world record by more than three seconds at the Silesia Diamond League meet in Chorzow, Poland, at which Armand Duplantis took the pole vault to new heights. Ingebrigtsen finished in a time of 7min 17.55sec, erasing the record set by Kenya’s Daniel Komen in 1996 when he ran 7:20.67 in Rieti, Italy. The Norwegian’s previous best time over the distance came in September last year when he was nearly three seconds slower than Komen’s mark. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/GwegDYo

Joe Root adapted his game at Old Trafford but a spirited Sri Lanka side could cause problems in the second Test The first match of this summer’s second Test series presented an intriguing contrast with the corresponding fixture against West Indies last month. England won them both, romping to victory at Lord’s in their first home game of the year by an innings and 114 runs after an hour’s play on the third day, while on Saturday at Old Trafford Joe Root scored the runs that sealed success against Sri Lanka, by a five‑wicket margin, at the very end of the fourth day. Jimmy Anderson’s retirement meant the game at Lord’s was imbued inevitably with a nostalgic sentimentality, but the final moments at Old Trafford were lent a sepia hue only by the setting sun. For all that England were carried across the finish line by a man playing his 144th game, this felt like a forward-facing team, led for the first time by the 26-year-old Ollie Pope and with the man of the match award collected by J

Labour leader tells working people rot left by Conservatives is so much worse than imagined and improvement won’t happen overnight British people will have to endure even worse economic and social ­pressures in the months to come as the Labour government takes “unpopular decisions” to rebuild the country from “rubble and ruin” left by the Tories, Keir Starmer will warn this week. With the prime minister under mounting pressure from within his own party to help people struggling with rising fuel payments and millions of families in poverty, Starmer will strike a defiant note against those demanding U-turns from his ministers, saying “tough choices” will have to be made before any recovery is possible. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/kbmfYXT

When Marianne Isaacs first met Tony, she didn’t pay him much attention. But over months attending the same church congregation, his gentle spirit won her heart Find more stories from The moment I knew series here When I first met Tony in Melbourne in 1985, he wasn’t actually someone I considered partner material, I didn’t think he was what I needed. But I was proved very wrong. We were both in our mid-20s, we both knew what we were doing professionally and were enjoying our careers. We were both probably ready to meet someone and settle down, but it wasn’t that easy. Being from Queensland I didn’t have those connections you have when you’re native to a town; so I joined the local Anglican congregation. Tony was in a similar position. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3wXLl1t

The Queen singer on pineapple on pizza, chicken legs and toasting with Freddie Mercury Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email There’s a song on your new EP called Wet Dream. When did you last wet the bed? I honestly can’t recall. I was probably a kid. But it’s not about that. It’s about a fantasy. It’s about waking up from a dream where you fancied somebody and started to get down and dirty with them. That happens all the time. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Afters by Adam Lambert is out now Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/g9X8NAa

Pro-Palestine movement and Israelis share common goal for Gaza ceasefire at Kamala Harris’s nomination It was late in the evening when Ruby Chen, whose son Itay was kidnapped by Hamas on 7 October and later killed, approached and kneeled down next to Abbas Alawieh, a delegate from the “Uncommitted” pro-Palestinian movement who was planning to bed down for the night on the cement outside the venue where Kamala Harris this week formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination . For the four days of the Democratic National Convention, while many visiting delegates were popping bottles of champagne at parties across Chicago, the two men were busy working the rooms at delegate breakfasts, juggling media interviews and courting high-profile Democrats to try to influence the administration’s policies in Gaza. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/cGMW84H

Your loss deserves to be acknowledged, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith . If your family are not providing you with this, find ways to mark it without them Read more Leading questions I’m a 50-year-old gay man . My partner, who I was with for 21 years, died suddenly 10 years ago. My family have all but ignored the anniversary of my partner’s death since it happened. My father died the year after my partner and I always send my mother a card or flowers on their anniversary, and ring to check in on his death day and birthday. With it being a decade since I woke up to find my partner dead, I thought that my family would at least send a text or call. There was a total silence. I feel if I had married a woman and been with her for 21 years, or indeed had children with her, then my family would behave very differently. My mother is constantly asking me to order flowers in remembrance of friends of hers whose husbands have died, including on the anniversary of my partner’s de

When it comes to getting dressed, A-listers like Kylie Jenner and Naomi Campbell are masters of disguise – but in the digital age, is this now a look for everyone? Don’t get Fashion Statement delivered to your inbox? Sign up here It’s that time of year again: the few weeks when all of the magazines drop their most important edition – the September issue – stuffed with upcoming trends and starry editorials. British Vogue’s cover star of choice is Kylie Jenner, who used her accompanying interview to declare that “it’s all about a baseball cap”. She wasn’t talking about wearing one for style’s sake, but for privacy’s. “There’s an angle that you can do where they can’t see your face, and I wear a mask.” It seems to have been working: “I haven’t had one person notice me. I’ve been really able to get around,” she said of recent trips out in New York. Incognito dressing is a rich seam. When Naomi Campbell was in London recently ahead of her V&A exhibition, she spoke of having a lot

Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh It starts with boundless energy … then gathers momentum, as this comic’s silliness builds a tale of desperate ambition Rob Copland rockets into the room, pure energy. We’re clapping, he’s dancing. He’s clapping, someone else is dancing. When the music dips, the energy doesn’t. He steals about the stage, raising an eyebrow, clawing at the air, swinging his mic in precarious arcs, promising us he has never once dropped it. He draws our attention to a bar stool – some comics would take a seat, he scoffs, but this is standup. His mesmerically physical delivery elevates every punchline. At Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh , until 25 August Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/4SiQfPN

All the jobs I wanted to do – from fixing the tap to replacing the shower curtain – are done. Why? Because of the terrifying prospect of strangers coming to look at it Here is a short and by no means comprehensive list of things that have been at the bottom of my fruit bowl for about a year: two screwdrivers, a small plastic Pikachu, four marbles, the inner mechanism of a door handle, a drawing of a clown, an unidentified key, the receipt for our wedding wine and a pipe cleaner. Today, after at least 12 months of wishing someone would rid me of this troublesome shrapnel, I finally cleared out the bowl. Why? An attack of efficiency? Is someone’s grandma coming to stay? Have I discovered a wealth of spare time? No. We are trying to sell our house. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/lE0xQ2i

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh The standup delivers bullet-proof set-pieces in a masterclass on threading emotional significance through joyful autobiography Last year, a late reveal recast Ania Magliano ’s lighthearted comedy set as something more meaningful entirely. There’s nothing quite so eye-catching this year, but Forgive Me, Father is another masterclass in threading emotional significance through otherwise weightless and joyful autobiographical standup. It finds the 26-year-old teetering on the edge of romantic commitment: now cohabiting, and ostensibly very happy, with a boyfriend who has form for long-termism – and yet prone to starting arguments that erode the relationship’s likely longevity. Why? To discover, we must revisit Magliano’s infancy as the child of divorce, and her several recent trips to the doctor to hunt down her lost contraceptive coil. Intrusive medical procedures have long provided standups with crowd-pleasing material, and that’s the case again here. B

What would it be like to hire your best friend to help you wash, move and go out, asks this joyous disabled-led show that’s also a veritable who’s who of modern British comedy Sitting on a toilet, frowning, Freya (Kyla Harris), a thirtysomething artist and wheelchair user, is having trouble with her bowels. Donning a blue glove and lubricating her finger, Jo (Elena Saurel), Freya’s estranged best friend and new personal assistant, offers to lend a hand. Within seconds, she is bent over, attempting to stifle a bile reflux. “Are you gagging?” asks Freya, mortified. “This is so humiliating!” Bending over in apology, Jo gamely pulls down her pants. “Put your finger in my ass!” she cries. “For equality’s sake!” I don’t know if this is the first time anal stimulation for constipation has been broadcast on British television, but then I don’t suppose anyone has been keeping a record. That this is a scene in the BBC’s newest disabled-led comedy, rather than a particularly rough episode of Ca

Ex-Republican congressman was known for this outlandish lies and fantasies peddled throughout his short career Former Republican congressman George Santos pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in a federal fraud case marking yet another low point for a politician famed for the outlandish lies and fantasies he peddled during his short but high profile political career. “I understand that my actions have betrayed my supporters and constituents,” Santos said in an emotional statement during the hearing. “I am committed to making amends and learning from this experience.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3BFbcK9

As we are saturated with horror, it gets normalized – and Israel’s assault continues unfettered. A Palestinian American poet on dehumanization Back in May, when the image of a decapitated child in Rafah started circulating, my friend texted: This is the image. This is the one. Now the world’s going to roar . For many of us, this has been the reality of the last months: waiting for the image that will shake complacency and complicity; waiting for the image so staggering it’ll be non-negotiable. An amputated toddler. A blown-apart body. A girl hanging from the side of a building. We are still waiting. ~ Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/d1KtwLN

This misty-eyed homage to Bonnie and Clyde star Faye Dunaway (with her involvement) papers over her reputation for being difficult – but is still a troubling portrait She was one of the worst people in Hollywood, according to Bette Davis. To Jack Nicholson, she was “the Dreaded Dunaway”. Steve McQueen unflatteringly nicknamed her Done Fadeaway on the set of The Thomas Crown Affair, either due to her extreme weight loss or because he thought she was a no-mark. She wasn’t. Faye Dunaway remains an icon of Hollywood’s second golden age, a fantastically talented actor and a central figure in the celebrity gossip sphere. But behind the delicious anecdotes was a woman struggling with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, a darkness that is hinted at but never fully explored in this documentary from the director Laurent Bouzereau. Our first encounter with Dunaway, now 83, provides a presumably tongue-in-cheek demonstration of her trademark belligerence (or is she genuinely this rude?), as she demand

Churn and turmoil goes on despite another new manager and more signings after Manchester City inflict setback The more things change, the more they stay the same. There have been nine arrivals at Chelsea this season and seven departures, a net £75m spent. There’s a new manager and a new kit, and there will shortly be a new sponsor. The churn and turmoil goes on, and yet amid it all, the performances remain reassuringly familiar. Nicolas Jackson continues to be offside a lot. Cole Palmer continues to look like the one real spark of attacking quality. Marc Cucurella continues to look a player far removed from the left‑back who plays for Spain. The two £100m midfielders continue to look essentially average. Chants for Conor Gallagher, in limbo as his move to Atlético stalls , were the only overt opposition to the club’s transfer policy. Todd Boehly may have trimmed his hair, but he continues to sit in the executive box looking benignly confused. Continue reading... from The Guardian

A low attendance suggests Leeds did not embrace Magic Weekend but the event ended up in the black So, that was the 2024 Magic ­Weekend. Compelling on the field without doubt, with some intriguing results that sets things up for the final five rounds of the Super League season and means that nothing, in any part of the table, can be predicted with a degree of confidence. But the event itself? Well, there are some questions to be asked. Magic Weekend has been one of Super League’s great concepts since it first arrived on the scene in 2007: if the NRL effectively pinches your idea, you know you’re on to something good. This year, however, we appear to have reached a line-in-the-sand moment for the event. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/atDMKNc

Forward got a goal and assist in 2-0 win against Wolves ‘He’s gained the confidence of everyone with his displays’ Mikel Arteta hailed the contribution of Kai Havertz after the German scored one and assisted another to defeat Wolves and quieten talk of Arsenal needing to sign a new striker. Havertz flourished as a centre‑forward in the second half of last season and retained his starting spot ahead of Gabriel Jesus to lead the frontline in Arsenal’s opening game of the new campaign. Arteta said: “Every player needs some time to adapt and get to know everybody – the club, the relationships, the system. But obviously I think he’s gained the confidence and respect of everybody with the way he handled certain situations and with the way he’s performing.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/h2drjkv

It was the canny finish Unai Emery no doubt expected from his “finisher” after the Villa manager returned Ollie Watkins to his usual club role as a starter. All summer, Watkins seemed to be Gareth Southgate’s go-to striking understudy. But it was only when he was replaced by Jhon Durán that Villa were able to spoil Julen Lopetegui’s first game in charge of a revamped West Ham. It was no more than Villa deserved after dominating the game either side of a controversial penalty decision against Matty Cash that could so easily have robbed Villa of a win. Replays showed there was very little in the coming together between the defender and Tomas Soucek that gave Lucas Paquetá the chance to level from the spot. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/HSjdMkC

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Dressed as the publisher’s emblem, in orange flippers and not much else, the ingenious comic delivers a dizzy series of droll visual routines Some shows have “Edinburgh fringe” scored through them as if through a stick of rock. Garry Starr ’s latest, Classic Penguins, is one, an absolute festival home-banker in the party-time vein of those gigs The Boy with Tape on His Face once performed at this same address. The high concept is that Starr (AKA Damien Warren-Smith), who has previous with Complete Works of Shakespeare-style acts of comedic compression, will now stage every single Penguin Classic novel in 60 minutes. That he will do so naked save for a tailcoat and a pair of orange flippers – well, that’s just a bonus. To watch this idea work itself out for an hour, in constant playful dialogue with the audience, couldn’t be more ticklish. Warren-Smith has it neatly set up. There’s a bookshelf arrayed with the distinctive orange spines of two dozen cl

Reform UK leader banked £1.2m from role as presenter on GB News and payments from social media Nigel Farage appears to have become the highest-earning MP, having made almost £1.2m a year from GB News. In the first register of interests of the new parliament, the Reform UK MP declared that he was earning £97,900 a month as a presenter for GB News, the channel co-owned by the hedge fund billionaire Paul Marshall. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/sY42Zxl

Workers in adult gender clinics allege ‘chaotic’ administration and ‘out of control’ waiting lists The NHS has set out plans for a review into the safety of adult gender services, in response to detailed concerns raised by the author of the Cass report on gender care for children and young people. Dr Hilary Cass, the leading consultant paediatrician, listed 16 separate points of concern about the quality of treatment being offered to adults with gender dysphoria in a strongly worded letter to NHS England. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/gXbcAU0

New Meta security report finds that AI-powered deception campaigns ‘provide only incremental’ results for bad actors Russia is putting generative artificial intelligence to work in online deception campaigns, but its efforts have been unsuccessful, according to a Meta security report released on Thursday. The parent company of Facebook and Instagram found that so far AI-powered tactics “provide only incremental productivity and content-generation gains” for bad actors and Meta has been able to disrupt deceptive influence operations. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ZPQj5Em

Fans in sequins and cowboy hats arrive undeterred at first of five Taylor Swift concerts in London Thousands of fans have arrived at Wembley stadium in London to see Taylor Swift perform for the first time since her shows in Vienna were cancelled after a foiled terror attack . Despite heightened security concerns, fans have arrived unfazed, wearing sequins, cowboy hats and friendship bracelets. Angelina Morris, 20, said her mum had spent more than 50 hours hand-sewing her outfit and had not thought twice about attending the concert after the attack plot. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/OVu6tQb

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore expected to be in space for days but issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft mean they may not be back until 2025 Nasa says it is close to announcing when it will bring home two astronauts who have been “stuck” in orbit for more than two months by ongoing technical problems with Boeing’s new Starliner capsule, but admits it still has not figured out exactly how. The space agency’s latest update on the troubled test mission on Wednesday revealed that managers were expecting to make a final decision either late next week or early the week after that, after ground engineers complete an evaluation of Starliner’s glitchy propulsion system. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Z8apFJS

There’s a big problem for this admirably accurate dramatisation of the real-life abduction of a British model: the facts are convoluted, bitty and frustrating What would you do? How would you react, in this extraordinary situation? That question underpins all drama to an extent but is particularly crucial in Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story, a dramatisation of real but disputed events. Chloe Ayling is a British model who, in 2017, was abducted. She was hired via her agent for a photoshoot in Milan, but when the 20-year-old arrived at the given location, a quiet building in a back street, masked men attacked her, doped her with ketamine and drove her to a remote farmhouse. Six days later she turned up at the British consulate in Milan, having been released despite a ransom demand not having been paid. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/r9hJAyn

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts Who first made calculating numbers a discipline and called it mathematics? Matilda Day, aged 10, Dordogne, France Send new questions to nq@theguardian.com . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3GZM7zp

Damage to the smaller housebuilder’s reputation will take time to heal but a takeover deal isn’t a deal until it’s signed Bellway’s plan to buy smaller housebuilder Crest Nicholson for £720m-ish in shares was proceeding smoothly as recently as last Thursday, or so we were told. “Good progress has been made on reciprocal due diligence with a number of elements satisfactorily completed by both parties,” purred the two boards in harmony . Five days later, the bidder has picked up its trowel and scarpered without offering a public explanation. Bellway merely said it won’t be making a firm offer , a surprising U-turn given that it started its pursuit in April and was previously so determined that it made three proposals before landing the desired “minded to recommend” statement from its target a month ago. This was not an adventure undertaken on a whim. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3yhP2BN

The England goalkeeper says decision is example of how she and the Lionesses ‘break barriers and push boundaries’ England goalkeeper Mary Earps has become the first professional female footballer to have a wax figure at Madame Tussauds London. Members of the public voted for the 31-year-old to be added to the attraction after the Lionesses’ success in reaching the final of the 2023 World Cup and winning the 2022 European Championships. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1sLwYPh

Among 1,578 accredited photographers in the French capital were three covering the Games for the Guardian and Observer After the Covid affected Olympics in Tokyo, Paris 2024 saw the return of packed stadiums, venues and also photographer enclosures. Among the 1,578 accredited photographers were three covering the Games for the Guardian and Observer. A multiple exposure shot of Alice D’Amato performing on the vault during the final of the women’s gymnastics team all-around where the Italian team took silver. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/rDRLjhu

‘The demo Nick Rhodes took to EMI was the same one they had rejected, but when it was presented again by a million-selling pop star they took notice’ I was in a pub in Brixton watching a trio on stage when the compere asked if anyone wanted to get up and sing. My mate nudged me. “Go on, you know you want to.” I sang Yesterday by the Beatles and the six-person audience gave me a standing ovation. All the way home I kept thinking, “I can sing.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Uz9ytEp

With five extra sports at LA 2028, events that feel peripheral, repetitive or involve horses should face the chop Behold the giant feast. Courses upon courses. Over the past 17 days this has been a city engorged, its every nook and crevice stuffed with sport, to the point where they had to parcel some of it off to the outskirts and even wrap some of it up in a doggy bag and send it to Tahiti. Are we not sated? As we stagger down the boulevards with a toothpick and a smug burp, trying not to think of the indigestion of Monday morning, the memory of Paris 2024 remains fresh and pristine. This remains the greatest sporting event on Earth, having weathered terrorism, plague, Nazis and the 1904 marathon, when several competitors were chased off the route by dogs and the man who finished first turned out to have had a ride in a car. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/sCDR4EZ

BOA chief executive Andy Anson praises 65-medal tally ‘Eighteen sports represented on medal table is brilliant’ Britain’s performance at the Paris Olympics was incredible and should be celebrated, despite falling from fourth in the medal table in Tokyo to seventh. That was the bullish message emanating from Team GB house after an extraordinary 16 days of action came to an end on Sunday. While there were only 14 gold ­medals for Team GB in Paris – the lowest since Athens in 2004 – ­senior officials stressed that the overall tally of 65 medals was behind only the USA and China and so should be regarded as a success. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/jRd4rIB

Whole neighbourhoods are being evacuated from around capital as firefighters mount huge effort to put out blazes Greek authorities have warned people to stay indoors with their “windows closed” as 400 firefighters battled to contain blazes on the outskirts of Athens that were forcing the evacuation of entire communities. Huge clouds of billowing smoke had by mid-afternoon on Sunday darkened the skies above the capital as 10 groups of “forest commandos” backed by water-bombing aircraft, helicopters and fire engines tried to douse flames fanned by gale-force winds. Volunteers had also joined the fight near the village of Varnava about 35km (21 miles) north of the city. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/VkLEWKs

Serbia 13-11 Croatia in front of fiery crowd at La Défense ‘This is for my people,’ says Serbia top scorer Milos Cuk With an almighty splash Milos Cuk barrelled one last ball into Croatia’s net and, at that moment, Serbia knew. So did their opponents, judging by the red and white-checked caps that sank into knees on the bench at the far side of the pool. Serbia were three goals clear in the dying moments and about to match the best tally in Olympic men’s water polo history, a third title in a row enshrining them in greatness. It was lost on nobody that their bitterest rivals were the ones forced to endure the celebrations. Did it mean something extra to Serbia’s players to win another gold against their neighbours, with whom such a turbulent history runs deep in and away from the sporting arena? “Yes,” Cuk said simply, after a medal ceremony prefaced by ecstatic cele­brations with a sizeable travelling support. “Yes, yes, and yes.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://

Tokyo winner fights back from bad start to finish ninth Choong upset his brother and girlfriend weren’t picked Joe Choong was not ranting. That does not appear to be his style. The modern pentathlete was, instead, calmly articulating a series of grievances after finishing ninth in the grounds of the Château de Versailles. Choong’s sentiments were only intensified by a medal ceremony taking place on a screen within view of where he spoke. In no particular order: Choong was upset his brother, Henry, could not compete for Slovakia at the Olympics despite switching national allegiance. He was angry about Team GB not selecting his girlfriend, Olivia Green, for the Games. And Choong is one of umpteen athletes angry about the upcoming removal of showjumping from this event, a process accelerated after a German coach punched a horse at the last Games. “A happy athlete is a good athlete,” said Choong. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/5CgBqwz

Ex-Chelsea manager dropped Rose Lavelle and her team struggled to create chances but Hayes is now in credit She checks her watch. She claps her hands. She points at things. She shouts at people. Trinity Rodman jogs past her on her way up the left ­touchline and she gives her a pat on the back. She is basically trying to convince herself that there are still jobs to do when, in fact, her work is done. We are deep into injury time, and Emma Hayes can no more ­influence this Olympic final than the fan in the Uncle Sam hat sitting 50 yards above her. Finally, the whistle. The ­explosion. Hayes raises her arms, looks ­skywards, lets out a roar. It is, ­perhaps, the only moment of personal indulgence she will allow herself. While her victorious players are dancing in a huddle, Hayes has no interest in thrusting herself into the middle, a move known these days as the “Jorge Vilda”. Instead she walks towards the devastated Brazilian players, offers them a word of comfort, seeks out the retir

Duo admit they ‘had a target on our back’ Jack Carlin seals fractious bronze in the men’s sprint Team GB’s Elinor Barker and Neah Evans rallied to claim a last-gasp silver medal in the women’s Madison race in the Olympic Velodrome, while Jack Carlin took a hard-fought and fractious bronze medal in the men’s individual sprint. Evans and Barker were still in the bronze medal position with six laps to go before an inspired acceleration from Barker took the final sprint, which was worth double points, and secured Team GB the silver medal. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/A4Xk2an

Men’s Olympic football final: France 3-5 Spain (aet) Mateta penalty forces extra time before Camello double There will be no home gold for France’s male footballers at Paris 2024, as instead Spain produced a first-half performance of great incision, a second half of constant defence, then claimed a 5-3 extra-time win with a wonderful double by Sergio Camello at Parc des Princes. This was a genuinely astonishing final, an eight-goal, 120-minute see-saw thriller, decorated with brilliant strikes, misses, saves, comebacks, and a mind-blowing added-time VAR-assisted equaliser for the hosts. France will feel unlucky not to have made a long spell of sustained pressure tell. The greatest compliment for this Spanish performance was that it was in its best moments just very Spanish. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/8a6jpds

Belgian wins third successive title by 36 points All three medallists run PBs in 800m finale Katarina Johnson-Thompson banished her Olympic demons for good at the Stade de France, taking silver medal in the heptathlon while Belgium’s superlative Nafissatou Thiam won a third consecutive gold in the event and confirmed her position as one of the greatest athletes of the modern era. To take the gold Johnson-Thompson would have had to take a huge lead on Thiam in the final event, the 800m, and finish just over eight seconds ahead of her rival. But even in this form, it proved beyond her. She came second in their heat in 2min 04.39sec, ahead of Thiam on 2.10.62. Another Belgian Noor Vidts took the bronze medal . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/7VAEP4L

Australia win 14-13 on penalties after regulation time ended 8-8 Stingers earn shot at gold medal for first time since Sydney 2000 Sydney 2000. The Olympic debut for women’s water polo. Australia and the United States are level with two minutes on the clock. Nerves are running high. The tension at the Aquatics Centre is palpable. Suddenly, Australia go ahead – a gold medal is in sight. The Americans hit back, with just 13 seconds on the clock. A shoot-out beckons. Until, following an American foul, with barely a second remaining, Australia’s Yvette Higgins whirls a shot past the outstretched arms of the US goalkeeper. Gold! It was one of the defining moments of the Sydney Olympics. Australia’s water polo team, the Stingers, have never returned to such exhilarating heights. Since winning the inaugural Olympic gold medal in the sport, the Australians have twice won bronze, in 2008 and 2012. But in recent years, they have been a long way from repeating that iconic victory – failing t

After more than a week of riots, tens of thousands of people came out in the streets, taking a stand against the far right When the thousands of anti-racism protesters who gathered on the streets of England on Wednesday took a stand against extremism in their communities, they did so knowing more unrest was a realistic possibility. But after a night which came to be characterised by unity, rather than the division which the counter-protesters had sought to repel, those involved said they could feel heartened by their decision to support their neighbours. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/8LVuoYW

Goalscoring legend has built the France team from scratch and they are 90 minutes from Olympic glory against Spain It was Thierry Henry’s eldest daughter who ended his playing career. Téa was nine years old and one day in their New York home she tapped him and said: “You’re it.” Henry wanted to chase after her, but couldn’t. The pain in his left and right achilles was simply too acute and agonising. Henry, by then a largely totemic striker for the New York Red Bulls, retired soon after. So there was an emotional moment at the end of France’s comeback win in the Olympic Games semi-final against Egypt in Lyon on Monday. As Jean-Philippe Mateta put France 2-1 up in extra time, Henry turned to the stands, spread both arms and gazed up at the stands in a reverential, almost religious, ecstasy. Afterwards, video emerged of Henry dancing jubilantly with his players in the tunnel. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1AGXwU0

Quincy Hall of USA wins gold with late surge Hudson-Smith takes silver in time of 43.44sec Team GB’s Matt Hudson-Smith was dramatically pipped to gold in Paris as the 29-year-old had to settle for silver behind Quincy Hall, heartbreakingly missing out on becoming the first British man to win the event since Eric Liddell’s triumph in Paris in 1924. Hudson-Smith, who earlier this season set a European 400m record in Oslo, came into the Games as one of Team GB’s big medal hopes and the Wolverhampton-born athlete looked to be heading for gold as they came into the final stretch of the race. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/lIBaumQ

Ethan Hayter’s slip on last lap proves costly Great Britain also win bronze in women’s team pursuit Great Britain’s track cyclists secured Team GB’s 1,000th medal in sporting competition at the Olympic Games, as Australia held on to a hair’s breadth advantage to win gold in the men’s team pursuit. In a final that was almost too close to call, Ethan Hayter, Dan Bigham, Charlie Tanfield and Ethan Vernon had to settle for silver after Hayter slipped off his saddle on the last lap. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/rw27q6h

The athlete is the first Palestinian to qualify directly for the Games and had dreamed of reaching the podium As his dreams of competing for a taekwondo Olympic medal evaporated in the frantic final seconds of his second contest of the day, Omar Yaser Ismail fell to his knees in disbelief. Even after his opponent, Adrián Vicente, comforted him and the audience recognised his immense efforts with a long, warm ovation, he remained rooted to the spot, unable to come to terms with defeat. Ismail’s ambitions were far greater than his final result in the taekwondo 58kg weight division on Wednesday, but as one of eight athletes representing Palestine at the Olympic Games, simply making it to Paris was a significant feat. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Q8RN92C

Paris Olympics semi-finals: USA 1–0 Germany (aet) Emma Hayes leads US to final in first tournament Like the arduous quarter-final win over Japan, this edgy victory was a reality check after the exuberant thrashings the US have doled out in the sunrise phase of the Emma Hayes era . But a win will do, any which way – especially when it means the USWNT are in the Olympic final. A year to the day since one of their lowest ebbs, the loss on penalties to Sweden in the first knockout stage of the 2023 World Cup, a hard-fought and sometimes hard to watch 1-0 extra-time victory over Germany sent the US into Saturday’s final at the Parc des Princes, ensuring the Americans at least a silver medal. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Q5FaXYV

Ruling states ‘Google is a monopolist’ in decision that could have major implications for how people use the internet Google violated antitrust laws as it built an internet search empire, a federal judge ruled on Monday in a decision that could have major implications for the way people interact with the internet. Judge Amit Mehta found that Google violated section 2 of the Sherman Act, a US antitrust law. His decision states that Google maintained a monopoly over search services and advertising. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/pIsmgcF

More than 5,700 under-18s in England and Wales by end May were waiting an average of 100 weeks for first appointment The national waiting list for children’s gender care in England and Wales rose after the opening of two new specialist hubs, with more than 5,700 under-18s waiting an average of 100 weeks for a first appointment. The two services, led by London’s Great Ormond Street hospital (Gosh) and Alder Hey children’s hospital in Liverpool, opened in April following the closure of the gender identity development service (Gids) run by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Zkm2GXx

Imane Khelif says criticism ‘can destroy people’ IBA repeats claims in chaotic press conference An Algerian boxer in the centre of an Olympics gender eligibility row has accused those opposed to her presence at the Games of being bullies as the Russian head of the International Boxing Association, Umar Kremlev, launched a fresh barrage of criticism at a chaotic press conference. Imane Khelif, who is assured of at least a bronze medal ahead of her next bout on Tuesday, said she hoped that a gold medal would come out of the pain she had endured over the past week. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ygklhst

Kimberly Woods’s attempt to barrel for gold falls short Event makes Olympic debut to entice Tiktok generation They plunged down a 45-degree ramp and three metres into the maelstrom below, battling the elements and grappling Gladiators-style with their rivals. Through the foamy bedlam there was to be no gold medal for Great Britain with Joe Clarke and Kimberley Woods emerging with silver and bronze respectively, but kayak cross is surely here to stay after arriving at the Olympics with a resounding splash. “We’re just getting started here, aren’t we?” said Clarke, who had been favoured to win the men’s final but trailed the New Zealander Finn Butcher throughout that minute or so of fight and froth. The 2016 slalom gold winner , who finished fifth in that event this year, is back at the top and voiced few regrets. After the medal ceremony he lifted his young son, Hugo, aloft and told everyone who would listen of his desire for this discipline to push kayaking into the wider consciou

‘If you know you’re cheating, you’re not really winning’ Two of China’s medley quartet previously tested positive Latest medal table | Live Paris schedule | Full results Adam Peaty may have swum his last race. After he and the British relay team of Matt Richards, Duncan Scott, and Ollie Morgan finished fourth in the 4x100m medley the 29-year-old Peaty said he “might have to step away from the sport” because “it hurts too much”. This defeat was particularly painful. Two of the Chinese quartet that won gold, Qin Haiyang and Sun Jiajun, were among 11 swimmers allowed to compete at these Games even after it emerged they had previously tested positive for trace amounts of banned performance enhancing drugs. The positive tests were blamed on food contamination. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/MmBlZbr

Netherlands’ Vos second, Belgium’s Kopecky third British national champion Pfeiffer Georgi finishes fifth The best-laid plans of the world’s top racers were blown apart in the chaos of the cobbled streets of Montmartre, as Kristen Faulkner of the United States emerged to claim the gold medal in the women’s Olympic road race. On a day littered with tactical confusion, the absence of race radios only fuelled the sense of mayhem. It needed a cool head to assess the possibilities for victory, and, when it came to the pivotal moment, just under three kilometres from the Trocadero, it was Faulkner who had it. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/6n9NBgl

GB’s greatest gymnast pays price for pommel horse error Rhys McClenaghan confirms mastery with Ireland gold Max Whitlock, the greatest British gymnast of all time, fell short of a fairytale ending to his career as he finished in fourth place in the pommel horse while Jake Jarman positioned himself as the future of British men’s gymnastics with a bronze medal in the floor exercise. As the two-time world champion Rhys McClenaghan confirmed his mastery of the pommel horse by winning his first Olympic gold medal with a stellar score of 15.533, Whitlock finished just outside the medals, scoring 15.2. Nariman Kurbanov, of Kazakhstan, and Stephen Nedoroscik, of the United States, took silver and bronze. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Ojatd1p

Hugely complex, essentially irresolvable issues have been flattened in the toxic furore over the inclusion of Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif in the women’s competition On a packed Friday afternoon at the low-fi North Paris Arena, essentially a reconfigured trade fair hall, the Paris 2024 boxing programme staged the most wildly politicised, toxic and largely misunderstood event of these Olympics. Yes: this was a travesty. But not perhaps the travesty many people might have had in mind. Definition: a distorted or false version of events. All that was really certain in Paris was that we definitely got one of those. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/RrfSZp4

Acting director Ronald Rowe says ‘this was a failure’ and admits errors in communications and surveillance The US Secret Service takes “full responsibility” for the events that led up to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump last month, the acting director of the agency said on Friday. In a press conference in Washington, Ronald Rowe, who replaced Kimberly Cheatle after she stood down from her position as director of the service after Trump was shot, said: “This was a failure.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/SwLYrGh

An occasion of fellowship devolved into a spectacle at the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention Yesterday, the National Association of Black Journalists launched its annual convention and career fair in Chicago, Illinois. The multi-day event – viewed by Black journalists as an invaluable safe space – brings together thousands of members from across the nation to train, network and socialize. The conference’s opening day, however, was overshadowed by an unexpected guest: Donald J Trump. The former president was invited by the NABJ board to participate in a panel interview and his attendance was announced just two days before the event. The interview was fraught, hostile and brief. And it confirmed many NABJ members’ fears that Trump’s interaction with three Black women moderators – Rachel Scott from ABC News, Harris Faulkner of Fox News, and Semafor’s Kadia Goba – would be a farce. The discussion ran afoul of any attempt to use journalism to speak truth to power. Con