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Showing posts from July, 2026

Tropical Storm Bertha strengthens as Gulf coast braces for flooding and surge

Storm warnings stretch from Florida to Louisiana as Bertha brings heavy rain, flooding risk and possible tornadoes Tropical Storm Bertha strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico and was moving slowly toward the Florida Panhandle and Alabama, causing a tropical storm warning and storm surge watches, forecasters said. The storm was about 125 miles (201km) south-east of Mobile, Alabama, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Tuesday afternoon. It was moving north-west at 5mph (8km/h) with maximum sustained winds of 60mph. Guardian staff contributed Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ZTW29L3

Hungarian chess queen declines Péter Magyar’s offer of role as president

Judit Polgár says she does not ‘feel enough strength within me’ to take on the responsibility of uniting a divided nation The Hungarian chess ⁠legend Judit Polgár has said she will not accept the nomination for president, only a day after the ⁠prime minister, Péter Magyar, ⁠said he ​would ask her to take up the largely ceremonial role. Magyar had said he would meet Polgár on Monday to discuss the matter. “Our country needs unity, peace and a president that all Hungarians can be proud of,” he wrote on social media. “Judit Polgár’s name has been synonymous with talent and perseverance for decades.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/nzPBIR2

Dozens missing after passenger ferry sinks off coast of Guyana

Emergency response has rescued 67 people, including 15 children, from one of the country’s worst maritime disasters A ferry carrying 116 passengers and crew sank ⁠off the coast of Guyana in South America ⁠late Saturday, with 67 ⁠people, ​including 15 children, rescued so far, according to Guyana ⁠authorities. A massive search-and-rescue operation continues for dozens of missing passengers in what has been described by officials as one of the country’s worst maritime disasters. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/urYdca9

Russell’s Mercedes problems ‘100% on us’, says Toto Wolff after Belgium blow

Russell clipped by Hamilton on lap one after power loss British driver 50 points behind Antonelli in standings Toto Wolff, the Mercedes principal, has admitted the team let George Russell down. The British driver failed to score a point at the Belgian Grand Prix after a clash with Lewis Hamilton which Russell attributed squarely to his car’s performance not being up to scratch. The race at Spa was won by Russell’s teammate, Kimi Antonelli, who now leads Russell by 50 points in the world championship, a serious blow to the British driver’s title hopes. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/oi6bDPy

Flash flood warnings strike north-east US amid wildfire smoke from Canada

Poor air quality from wildfires continues to plague New York City as several neighborhoods hit by thunderstorms Saturday is delivering a double dose of dangerous weather across the north-eastern US, with smoky skies from Canadian wildfires giving way to severe thunderstorms that have already triggered a flash flood warning as torrential rain pounds parts of the region. After a brief break on Friday, smoke from the wildfires moved back into New York City and surrounding communities on Saturday, sending air quality back into unhealthy levels . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/slWeOnS

‘Where did they go?’: homeless people feel force of America’s brutality in World Cup clean-up

Fifa says football brings the world together but the unhoused in Atlanta feel targeted and completely excluded from the tournament “A lot of our community has been pushed out by the World Cup. We’re not just dollar signs, we’re more than that. We’re people and we’re frustrated that they’ve chosen to treat us less than human.” “ They dropped me off there in the middle of the night. They call them Mormon centres or whatever, but it ain’t nothing but a warehouse of cops. It looked like a Fema camp. When I saw it, I left, I walked all the way back here. It’s because of the World Cup. They’re trying to make it look good for tourists. They don’t want the eyesores around.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/pxNdSUR

‘Run, Darline, run!’: Trump endorses Lindsey Graham’s sister for full Senate term

Sister of the South Carolina senator who died last Saturday has not previously held any elected office Donald Trump on Friday said he had encouraged Darline Graham to run for a full six-year term representing South Carolina in the US Senate , after she was sworn in to office earlier this week following the sudden death of her brother, Lindsey Graham. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he spoken to Darline Graham at the White House. “I asked Darline, for the Good of our Nation, to run for the U.S. Senate in the Special Republican Primary,” he wrote. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ujrMX2Q

The Open 2026: Herbert and Burns shoot record-equalling 62s on day two at Royal Birkdale – live

️Updates from the second round at Royal Birkdale ️ Official leaderboard | Mail David with your thoughts An opening birdie for the 2011 champion Darren Clarke. He’s +2. Apropos of nothing, and just because I happen to have the stat to hand, so may as well share it, Clarke is joint holder of the record for most appearances by an Open champion before his first victory. That’s 19, after his 2011 win, and he shares the number with Phil Mickelson (2013). Nick Price (1994) is next on the list. Birdie for Jackson Suber at 2, and the leader stretches his advantage at the top! He tugged his drive into the rough down the left, but got a decent lie, and was able to wedge over the flag from 90 yards to 12 feet. One fairly straight roll later, and he moves to -6. Meanwhile Laurie Canter nearly aces the 4th. His tee shot lands just past the bunker guarding the front left and serenely glides to kick-in distance, though it was never threatening to drop, always on a route below the hole. The 36-year...

Joe Root hits unbeaten 99 as England level ODI series with India

India 233 all out; England 235-6 – England win by four wickets Will Jacks shares in key 72-run stand for sixth wicket After the meltdown suffered by England’s footballers in Atlanta, the national mood was never going to be significantly improved by their cricketers. Nevertheless, a hard-fought four-wicket victory over India in Cardiff was a boost for Harry Brook’s side and set up a series decider at Lord’s on Sunday. Not that they did it easy. Set just 234 on a curious surface on which only the technicians prospered – Virat Kohli had earlier purred to 65 from 66 balls – England slipped to 94 for four inside the 20th over. But thanks to Joe Root’s classy unbeaten 99, a win was secured with 35 balls to spare. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/SoIAN5d

Rebecca Perry wins Waterstones debut fiction prize for ‘delicious and dream-like’ novel

May We Feed the King, about a museum curator and a medieval monarch, was praised by judges for its ‘crisp, cool prose’ and ‘poet’s eye for detail’ Author and poet Rebecca Perry has won the 2026 Waterstones debut fiction prize for May We Feed the King, praised as a “delicious and dream-like tale”. Chosen from a shortlist of six novels, May We Feed the King follows a present-day curator whose job is to dress rooms in historic houses. (“When you see a replica feast scene in the great hall of an old building, I am the person who placed the pomegranates beside the pie.”) They become increasingly obsessed by the subject of their latest commission, a medieval king whose own story about his reluctance to rule unfolds in parallel. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/zuaNjIA

Germany warns US against election interference after it announces grants scheme

State department says plan will provide funding to ‘address national sovereignty, migration, censorship and lawfare’ Friedrich Merz has warned Donald Trump’s administration against interfering in German elections after the US state department announced a scheme to fund Maga-aligned causes in Europe. The German chancellor was responding to a new US initiative offering grants of up to $3m (£2.2m) for European charities, thinktanks and individuals. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/msjcG5Z

Cyclospora outbreaks causing diarrhea in US expected to continue through August

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is scouring food supply chain for culprit, which may be lettuce What is cyclosporiasis, the parasitic illness causing ‘explosive’ diarrhea? Federal health officials have said they expect the outbreaks of cyclospora – a parasite that causes watery, explosive diarrhea – across the US to continue through August as they scour the food supply chain for the culprit. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 1,645 lab-confirmed cases of the parasite; reported that 145 people have been hospitalized; and reported that they have a backlog of 5,100 cases that require more analysis, including interviews. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/EmSrbTL

Republicans return to Capitol Hill with agenda complicated by Graham death

Lawmakers face obstacles, including demands from Trump, Mitch McConnell’s absence and senator’s sudden death Republican lawmakers return to the Capitol this week facing a lengthy to-do list and Donald Trump’s demands for new voting restrictions, as Democrats jockey for an advantage ahead of the November midterm elections. Lawmakers from both parties are eager to highlight before voters legislative victories ahead of the midterms, when control of Congress is at stake. But for Senate Republicans, who are already navigating an array of demands from Trump, their agenda grew further complicated over the weekend with the death of Lindsey Graham , the budget committee chair who was a key player in negotiating a party-line bill to fund additional defense spending and other priorities outlined by the president. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/qbleSTX

England on collision course with Messi and Argentina in World Cup semi-final grudge match

First competitive game between teams since 2002 World Cup Georgia braced for potential flashpoints in Atlanta buildup It has been billed as one of the biggest grudge matches in the history of international football. After England’s players rode their luck against Erling Haaland’s Norway on a steamy night in Miami, they spent Sunday recuperating at their base in Kansas City as thoughts turn to facing Argentina in the World Cup semi-final on Wednesday. Thomas Tuchel’s team will take on the reigning champions on what promises to be an emotionally charged occasion in Atlanta for the chance to play France or Spain in the final. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/UqGHoiZ

Tom Kim surges to Scottish Open victory for his first title in 1,001 days

South Korean finishes two shots clear of Min Woo Lee McIlroy closes with 64 for tied seventh before the Open Tom Kim produced a bogey-free final round to win at the Scottish Open on Sunday. The 24-year-old South Korean became a Rolex Series winner for the first time and picked up a victory for the first time in 1,001 days. Kim was in fine form at the Renaissance Club with an impressive final round of 64 to put his name at the top of the leaderboard and two shots in front of Min Woo Lee in ­second. Kim also finished four shots ahead of ­England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and ­Scotland’s ­Robert MacIntyre, who had a share of third with Johnny Keefer and Keita Nakajima. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/DknUhRw

India close on victory against England as Yastika and Ecclestone make history

India 285 & 341-7dec; England 170 & 130-6 Two women claim Test milestones at Lord’s India are poised for victory in the one-off Test at Lord’s after reducing England to 130 for six in their second innings , having spent the first two sessions of the day batting them out of the game. Yastika Bhatia became the first woman to score a century in a Lord’s Test, as India piled on the runs before finally declaring on 341 for seven, 456 runs ahead. Yastika underwent anterior cruciate ligament surgery last year, and had to rebuild her leg muscles from scratch; here was just reward for months of hard rehab. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/n5oTZ4k

Former England captain Heather Knight to retire from international cricket

Current Lord’s Test will be her final appearance “I’m privileged to have gone on this journey’ Heather Knight will retire from international cricket at the end of this week’s Test match against India at Lord’s. Knight, who has made a record 320 appearances for England, has joined teammate Tammy Beaumont in calling time on her career at the end of what is the first women’s Test match at the home of cricket, and one in which England appear headed for defeat after a gruelling second day’s play on Saturday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/sVuzZna

‘A brilliant reprieve, a unifying force’: America falls in love with World Cup

Packed stadiums, record TV viewers, and an outlet for joyous multiculturalism under attack by Trump – the tournament has taken the US by storm There were plenty of reasons to believe the US hosting the World Cup would be a disaster. In the year and a half leading up to the kick-off, Donald Trump had threatened to annex tournament co-host Canada, and to invade the other co-host, Mexico; he was at war with one of the tournament’s participants, Iran. Harsh travel restrictions were preventing fans from Senegal, Ivory Coast and Haiti from getting visas. Ticket prices were outrageous. Hotels weren’t filling up as promised. Fifa was introducing “hydration breaks” during games, allowing TV commercials in what appeared to be a shameless cash grab that threatened the flow of play. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1xyJgn3

Marco Rubio announces deportation of Minnesota man pardoned last month

State had pardoned immigrant Tou Lue Vang in June over 2006 conviction but federal government expels him to Laos A Laotian man pardoned by state officialsin Minnesota last month has been deported from the country, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has announced. Tou Lue Vang, an immigrant from Laos, faced deportation for a 2006 conviction of first-degree criminal sexual conduct after raping a young girl between 2002 and 2004. Because Laos initially refused to accept deportees, Vang spent nearly two decades living in Minnesota. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/GMsSxTN

Missouri declares state of emergency over severe storms and flooding

Governor Mike Kehoe urges people to follow guidelines with more heavy rain expected through the weekend Missouri has declared a state of emergency in response to severe storms and flash flooding affecting the state’s central, south-central, and south-eastern regions. In a news release , Governor Mike Kehoe said that under the order, the Missouri state emergency operations plan has been activated, allowing state agencies to coordinate directly with local jurisdictions to expedite emergency assistance. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/hZDY9et

Top Boy actor Michael Ward cleared of rape and sexual assault charges

Five charges related to encounter with woman Ward met at New Year’s Day party in London in 2023 The Top Boy actor Michael Ward has been cleared of raping and sexually assaulting a woman who claimed he had attacked her in the back of a car. Ward, 28, who is best known for his roles in the crime drama and Steve McQueen’s Small Axe, was acquitted of two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault, after a 10-day trial at Snaresbrook crown court. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/w5gTK9N

OpenAI releases latest ChatGPT model after delay over White House cybersecurity concerns

Staggered release of ChatGPT 5.6 follows similar restrictions on rival firm Anthropic’s latest AI models OpenAI released its latest advanced AI model, called ChatGPT 5.6, on Thursday after earlier delaying the public rollout over US government concerns about cybersecurity. The Trump administration had requested last month that OpenAI limit the release to a small group of government-approved users. OpenAI complied with the White House’s request last month. The company stated in a blogpost that it had briefed government officials on ChatGPT 5.6’s capabilities and restricted the model to trusted partners at their behest. The product’s wider release came after additional testing by the government’s Center for AI Standards and Innovation agency, according to Axios . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/E6pFMQj

EFL examines Sheffield United over claim owners trying to avoid paying full purchase price

Prince Abdullah asserts he is still owed £35m Shares allegedly transferred to new company The English Football League is investigating allegations that Sheffield United’s owner, the American investment group COH Sports, has formed a new parent company for the club to avoid paying £35m owed to the previous owner, Prince Abdullah. COH Sports, led by Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy, agreed a deal to buy United from the Saudi Arabian for about £100m in December 2024 and paid the first instalment of about £30m shortly after, but are alleged to have been late in paying the second instalment and missed two subsequent payments due this year. Abdullah’s investment vehicle, United World, issued a winding-up petition in the high court against COH Sports this week and has taken its concerns to the EFL and the Independent Football Regulator. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/M0zAnZK

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

Uncapped back set for Nations Championship call-up Squad aims to bounce back at Hill Dickinson Stadium England’s rugby players could be forgiven for wondering which way is up. On Sunday they were in South Africa, next Monday they will be in South America and they are now in sub‑Saharan Surrey preparing to face Fiji in Liverpool this Saturday. Ironically it is warmer in Bagshot this week than it is in Suva, albeit with fewer coral reefs and fresh coconuts. Regardless of the rotating backdrop, though, there is no ­disguising the lingering disappointment of the 45-21 defeat against the ­Springboks in Johannesburg last weekend. ­Victory at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium would not repair everything overnight but there is widespread ­acceptance within the camp that they need to rebound strongly on Saturday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/xh42FZH

Lauren Bennett, singer on LMFAO’s Party Rock Anthem, dies aged 37

British-born vocalist competed on The X-Factor before joining the girl groups Paradiso Girls and G.R.L. Lauren Bennett, member of the girl group G.R.L. and featured artist on LMFAO’s global smash hit Party Rock Anthem, has died at the age of 37. “It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Lauren,” the group wrote on their Instagram page. “Our hearts are broken, and we cannot begin to express how much she meant to us.” A cause of death was not specified. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/bz2MsPB

Wild horses and a pirate takeover: photos of the weekend

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/X2gBriN

Norfolk Island’s unique corals under triple threat from disease, El Niño and now government-approved dredging

Exclusive: Most of the island’s corals are likely to be species that have not been formally described by science, researcher says Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Scientists fear unique corals that fringe Australia’s remote Norfolk Island could disappear because of a triple threat of disease, El Niño and a federal government plan to dredge a neighbouring shipping channel. A failure to manage sediment and pollution washing into bays from cattle farming, cleared land along with wastewater has been blamed for widespread disease and outbreaks of algae over the corals. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3UVl0WC

Paraguay v France: World Cup last 16 – live

⚽️ Kick-off time: 5pm local/7am AEST/10pm BST ⚽️ Player guide | Canada 0-3 Morocco | Mail Beau Didier Deschamps’ players have been far and away the best team in the tournament so far. But he says Les Bleus won’t be taking Paraguay lightly today. “They are not here by chance. Germany are a top side, and they have that South American DNA, which means they get stuck in,” Deschamps said. “And they have good players too. You can’t just qualify for the last 16 of the World Cup like that by chance.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/GYWAVBx

Sinner makes net gains to storm past Brooksby and book place in Wimbledon last 16

World No 1 wins in straight sets against American Medvedev in surprise loss against Jan-Lennard Struff It was after losing in the US Open final last year that Jannik Sinner said he needed to be less predictable if he was to beat Carlos Alcaraz more regularly. Moving forward, finishing points at the net, he added, would help him against all opponents. For a while in his third-round encounter with Jenson Brooksby here, it seemed as if Sinner had forgotten all about his own advice. With the exception of a bounce smash, he barely ventured towards the net in the first set, happy enough to crank his huge groundstrokes from the baseline instead. In the second set, though, something clicked. The Italian won 11 out of 11 points at the net and even served and volleyed four times, winning all four. Note to self: get forward. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/W3O0C9t

Argentina v Cape Verde: World Cup 2026 last 32 – live

⚽️ Kick-off time: 6pm local/8am AEST/11pm BST ⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | World Cup draw | Mail Tom Aand we’re going to penalties in Australia v Egypt. Follow along here . I am now liveblogging a liveblog. They actually pay me for this: During my exhaustive research for this liveblog – googling “Who is this Messi guy” and the like – I had a look at Cape Verde. I now want to go on holiday there. I am not taking money from the Cape Verde Tourist Board for this. For the sake of balance, I hear Argentina is great too. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Bpq7Qik

Sabalenka shows off growth on grass to dominate Ostapenko at Wimbledon

No 1 seed looks strong in 6-4, 6-4 victory against Latvian ‘The plan is to get better every day,’ insists Sabalenka As Aryna Sabalenka marched towards a convincing victory over the ever-dangerous Jelena Ostapenko, she opted for a slight change of pace. Leading 6-4, 2-1 and 30-0, Sabalenka followed up a massive serve by immediately flitting to the net. She surely had visions of her serve and volley attempt ending in triumphant Tim Henman-esque fashion, but that is not quite how things played out. She instead misjudged the path of Ostapenko’s slow, lofty return, and her shanked smash landed harmlessly on the service line. Ostapenko calmly ended the point with a forehand passing shot winner. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/e5g84d2

England’s game against Mexico could be moved to noon local time, 7pm UK time Sunday

Game originally set to kick off at 6pm local time Could be rescheduled due to risk of thunderstorms Fifa is in discussions over moving the kick-off time of Mexico v England to earlier in day on Sunday due to risk of weather disruption including flooding and thunderstorms, a source has confirmed to the Guardian. The round of 16 game at the ‌Estadio Azteca was scheduled to start at 6pm local time (1am BST) but it could now be brought forward by six hours to midday local time (7pm BST). Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/cq4kF5C

All eyes on Henry Pollock as England aim to think big against South Africa

Northampton flanker and ‘public enemy No 1’ will be used as an impact player in the Nations Championship opener Last-ditch attempts are being made to try to boost the attendance at Ellis Park this weekend, with sharply discounted tickets now on sale for South Africa’s meeting with England. They may succeed in putting a few more bums on seats, but not half as many as would have been the case had Steve Borthwick named Henry Pollock, the eye-catching Northampton flanker, in his starting XV for the opening round of the Nations Championship. There are certainly plenty locally who cannot wait to see Pollock’s first collision with the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Jasper Wiese or Pieter-Steph du Toit, with those eagerly licking their lips including several hard-nosed former Springboks and a random passerby at England’s team hotel this week. “We had one person come up to him in the hotel and say the South Africans are coming for you,” reported Pollock’s teammate George Furbank. “It was actually a gu...

Brutal heatwave scorches eastern US ahead of Fourth of July weekend

National Weather Service warns heat index could reach 115F as heat grips midwest, Ohio valley and east coast Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email A “prolonged, dangerous heatwave” was sweeping across parts of the central and eastern United States on Thursday, with forecasters warning that extreme record-breaking temperatures are expected to continue into the holiday weekend for millions of Americans. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned on Thursday that temperatures between 95F (35C) and 105F (40.5C), combined with high humidity, will push heat index values across parts of the region to between 100F and 115F. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/dlAFRy6

Infrastructure cuts to pay for defence will cost UK 10,000 jobs, analysis shows

Exclusive: Findings cast doubt on Starmer claims that reallocation of funds to MoD will boost British jobs Keir Starmer’s decision to cut billions of pounds of infrastructure spending to pay for more defence equipment will end up costing the UK 10,000 jobs, according to an analysis of the government’s own figures. The prime minister announced this week he was putting an extra £15bn into defence investment to revamp the country’s armed forces and boost British manufacturing. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Fl9vrnf

Sony will kill PlayStation games on discs in 2028 and offer digital downloads only

With the much-anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI only available as download, Sony is following suite Sony said on Wednesday that it would stop releasing new video games for the PlayStation console on disc in January 2028 following a shift in consumer preferences. “Following this date, new games will be available on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only,” the company said on its official PlayStation blog. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/18eDFOY